Getting off the plane and into the airport it already felt like India, it actually smelt like India – a mixture of spices, food and don’t know what else.
We were told a taxi should be around 600-700 rupees; we managed to get one for 450 rupees and that is when the adventure began! The guy drove and drove through dark alleys and through crazy traffic and once we got closer to our destination he kept on stopping asking for directions; he had no idea where to take us!! Why was I not surprised? Well, I lived in Cairo for two years! We ended up at a tourism office and spent some time there figuring out where to go. We took advantage and booked a tour to Agra for our last day to see the Taj Mahal (that turned out to be another adventure!) Even after we left, the guy still didn’t know where to take us; we were taken on a dark alley, behind dodgy buildings and Maite started to freak out! It took us 1 and a half hours to get to our hotel. It was already 6 am when we got in!
Next morning we woke up at 10 in time for breakfast and our tour of Delhi. Breakfast!
This funny Indian man asked us what we want and then he asked: “omlette?” Yes!! Well, I forgot I was in India and expected to get a regular omlette – this one was not!!! It was
SPICY!!!!!! It had chilli in!! Goodness me!! But I ate it all and I realized soon I am getting used to this food; it is surprising how everything they eat is so spicy! I am sure when Indians go abroad and try our food they think it’s not good, and it tastes like nothing to them! J
As we were having breakfast it started to rain! Part of me was excited as it never rains in Doha and I was looking forward to see rain, but not on the day of our tour. Thank God the rain stopped and we were able to enjoy the city. We were taken to different places – most of them temples and tombs! It is required that you take your shoes off whenever you go inside a temple… well, I was wearing trainers, so imagine me having to take my shoes and my socks off at every single temple! Next time I will wear flip flops! I’ve learned my lesson!
The most interesting place was the lotus temple and people made comments on how it was made to resemble the Opera House in Sydney, Australia! Hmm… I am not too sure of that!
This was definitely contemporary architecture and very different than the other temples; while the others had different statues of different gods with offerings and incense burning this one was like a large hall with seats (pretty much like a Catholic church), vases of fresh flowers and big windows. No gods, no images, no nothing! We were welcomed by foreigners who worked or volunteered there and they gave us a little speech about the temple; it is supposed to welcome people from all religions, it encourages peace and EVERYBODY is free to go inside and pray to whatever God they want. I found that concept very modern… Anyway, we prayed there and blessed the people and the country.
The evening tour finished by India gate where a lot of people were hanging out whether families, couples, singles, schools; there was a mixture of ages and of course colours (I love the colours of India! The women dressed in they colourful saris are a delight to my eyes). We tried some food on the streets (actually Maite did – I was too scared I might get sick) and got henna. Sundar, our driver, took us to a nice Indian restaurant to finish the day. We enjoyed the food and I decided I won’t have Indian food for a month when I get back home! J
Delhi is an amazing city – very green and seemed very busy; the traffic is crazy; if I were to compare it to Cairo traffic I’d say it is “similar but different” (a very Arab thing to say). It is hectic and disorganized, people drive in between lanes and when 3 lanes should fit 3 cars, here they fit 5! There’s no concept of using blinkers (they don’t want to tell the “enemy” their next move) and cars move from lane 1 to lane 5 in one go! We define it as disorganized, but there is some structure to it, as there were no accidents when I expected us to crash into the first bike, rickshaw, truck, bus, person! The one way that is common for all drivers is honking! A long honk means “I’m coming, stay in your “lane” do not move to the right or left” and it keeps going until the car has overtaken another. If I were to honk at home, I’d tell the other driver: “Go ahead!”
I cannot say I have experienced Delhi – I just saw it from a car and got off to see the main attractions and that is all I needed! I got to see more of the “real India” in Lucknow, where we were thrown into the cast system, learning about the people and getting a better understanding of the reality of this country!
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