We both were awake around 3:30, so read until about 6:15 and went for breakfast. What a great array of good things! We tried to keep it light but so much temptation.
Our guide for the day, Amit Sharma, and our driver for the week, Sukhdev, picked us up at 9 for an amazing day of exploration and history. We visited the sites in chronological order, beginning with Qutub Minar, an amazing stone tower,
also the site of tombs and an iron pillar that has stood 1600 years without rusting or decomposing.
While we were wandering through this complex, 2 different families asked if they could have their picturres taken with us. Of course we complied.
Next at Humayan's tomb, a red stone monument that was the inspiration for the Taj Mahal, we climbed steep steps to admire the views of gardens and the intricate designs on the structures. It was so hot and humid that we were moving quite slowly.
A drive along the Rajpath gave us good views of the India Gate (memorial to 90,000 Indians who gave their lives in WW1)
at one end and the Parliament/Secretariat, and the Presidential Palace.
Lunch was at Chor Bizarre whee Amit explained the various Indian dishes. I am finding the food very spicy and my appetite very small, which is ok except it causes concern to servers and others [ Larry makes up for it ].
At the Masjid-I-Jahan-Numa, India's largest mosque, we had to leave our shoes outside, with no confidence they would still be there when we came out.
It is a huge place, and can accomodate something like 25,000 worshipers. Today there were very few. We could see the Red Fort but didn't visit it [as we were tired and would see a larger version in Agra]. The area in this part of Old Delhi is crowded, dirty and poor. We got into terrible traffic jam - totally unbelievable by Canadian standards. Sukhdev is unflappable, squeezing into and through tiny gaps between other cars, bikes, tuk-tuks and vendors stalls, to say nothing of pedestrians [ all with Amit hanging out the window calling out the micro-clearances].
We ended at Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. It is a pilgrimage site and we watched many people file past.
After a cool bath and rest, we were back in the car to go to the Lodi Gard Restaurant for dinner. It was lovely to sit in the flickering candlelight under the trees and enjoying a good dinner. We were tired and glad that service was fairly quick so we couled get back to the hotel and relax [ Larry is a bit under the weather with the travelers disease ].
Our guide for the day, Amit Sharma, and our driver for the week, Sukhdev, picked us up at 9 for an amazing day of exploration and history. We visited the sites in chronological order, beginning with Qutub Minar, an amazing stone tower,
also the site of tombs and an iron pillar that has stood 1600 years without rusting or decomposing.
Next at Humayan's tomb, a red stone monument that was the inspiration for the Taj Mahal, we climbed steep steps to admire the views of gardens and the intricate designs on the structures. It was so hot and humid that we were moving quite slowly.
A drive along the Rajpath gave us good views of the India Gate (memorial to 90,000 Indians who gave their lives in WW1)
Lunch was at Chor Bizarre whee Amit explained the various Indian dishes. I am finding the food very spicy and my appetite very small, which is ok except it causes concern to servers and others [ Larry makes up for it ].
At the Masjid-I-Jahan-Numa, India's largest mosque, we had to leave our shoes outside, with no confidence they would still be there when we came out.
It is a huge place, and can accomodate something like 25,000 worshipers. Today there were very few. We could see the Red Fort but didn't visit it [as we were tired and would see a larger version in Agra]. The area in this part of Old Delhi is crowded, dirty and poor. We got into terrible traffic jam - totally unbelievable by Canadian standards. Sukhdev is unflappable, squeezing into and through tiny gaps between other cars, bikes, tuk-tuks and vendors stalls, to say nothing of pedestrians [ all with Amit hanging out the window calling out the micro-clearances].
We ended at Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. It is a pilgrimage site and we watched many people file past.
After a cool bath and rest, we were back in the car to go to the Lodi Gard Restaurant for dinner. It was lovely to sit in the flickering candlelight under the trees and enjoying a good dinner. We were tired and glad that service was fairly quick so we couled get back to the hotel and relax [ Larry is a bit under the weather with the travelers disease ].
Sunday September 15 - Delhi to Agra (missed entry)
Again we awoke early, but feeling a bit more rested. The hotel is lovely and we hate to leave. Sukhdev picked us up promptly at 9 and we left the city for Agra. We were soon on an expressway travelling through the large city of Noia where many huge apartment buildings and offices are under construction. Then out into countryside that resembles Southern Ontario if you don't look too closely at the vegetation. The air everywhere is very hazy. Thank goodness for this very comfortable, roomy, air-conditioned Toyota van! There is only light traffic, but lots of motorbikes carrying whole families. Usually the driver wears a helmet, but none of the passengers do. We passed an accident scene and saw several motorbikes stopped. Sukhdev said that the bike drivers weave in and out of traffic so he's not surprised. To our Canadian eyes all the traffic is chaotic, but it seems accidents are rare. As we approached Agra, the traffic became much more dense and chaotic, with all kinds of vehicles, motor- , animal- , and human-powered, as well as animals and people wandering or even lying on the streets. Sukhdev is skillful and threaded through all of it calmly and efficiently. The hotel, while not as luxurious as The Imperial, is very nice. The grounds are extensive and lush. We saw a large pool, but didn't use it. Our local rep met us, got us through the check-in process and made sure we had what we needed. Late in the afternoon, our guide, Guru, arrived and we had a sunset tour of Agra Fort. It is red sandstone but within the vast fort is a residential section with a harem area, audience areas and so on, all in white marble with beautiful inlays of semi-precious stones.
There are wonderful views of the Taj Mahal. We also saw processions of singing & dancing crowds, celebrating the Festival of Ganesh, the Elephant god. Very colourful and joyous. Although our restaurant for dinner was just across from the hotel, Sukhdev insisted on driving us -- with good reason -- because the traffic is so heavy and the streets so crowded it would not be safe on foot. The meal at A Pinch of Spice was the most enjoyable we've had in India. It was mildly spiced with about 6 or 7 delicious dishes.
It's a family restaurant so we enjoyed seeing kids having fun. We were ready to turn in as soon as we got back to the hotel, managing to fight off sleep only until about 10pm.
All Photos of the Day
All Photos of the Day
No comments:
Post a Comment