THREE DAYS IN DELHI--WOW!!

Joyous reunion with Ananda buddies, especially ecstatic after filling our bellies with delectable Italian food!

I finally caught up--incredible! Even though I am actually presently in Rishikesh, the bulk of today was spent in transit, so there is not as yet much to report, apart from the astonishing sight of several monkeys in the railway station here! A first! (An Indian woman who worked there kindly advised me to keep my distance--sound words, as shortly after this advice was proffered, I watched this nasty-looking primate attack the pants leg of a passerby!) 

 Also, I am so sleep deprived after waking at 4:30 a.m. in order to catch the 6:30 train, I am not good for much of anything today except doing my blog posts. So much the better! Some days of down time are necessary, after all. 

Now on to my Delhi report: first of all, I must say that after all the vast media attention about the horrible air pollution in Delhi, I was quite pleasantly surprised. Not only was it NOT worse than either Mumbai or Pune, yesterday was actually BETTER than either! What a shock that was! I even took a picture of the decisively blue sky, with a smattering of fluffy clouds. The temperature was lovely by day, and only a bit chilly in the night and early morn. 

Secondly, the sights and experiences were simply jaw-dropping. Old Delhi was not to be believed, as you will see in this pictorial documentation below. I simply could not stop taking photos of it all. 

Finally, yesterday, I was blessed with the wonderful company of all the great Ananda folks at the Meditation Center. They were welcoming, gracious and helpful beyond the call. The center is beautiful, and a true oasis from the craziness of city life. I was thrilled to have a wonderful reunion with my old U.S. friends: Dhuti, Ishani and Aryavan. And of course, as always, I have now made many new ones there!

Enjoy the pics that follow...hope you are as "wow'ed" as I was!

Charmingly, one of the main modes of transportation through Old Delhi--owing to the extremely narrow streets and unbelievable congestion--is this bicycle rickshaw. Imagine how strong these guys must be!

Here, you just begin to get the sense of what I am talking about!

A particularly colorful bicycle "rick" 

And you were imagining PEOPLE would be a lot of weight to pedal through town? Think again! I have no clue what was in those sacks, but they sure look dauntingly heavy to me, and this guy is no spring chicken, after all!

Your requisite mascot of the streets anywhere and every where: the Brahman Bull!

Here the wild bicycle contraption is another variation on the transport of goods...

As I got deeper into the heart of Old Delhi, it got progressively funkier, dirtier, more cris-crossed with the mind-boggling phone and-whatever-else electrical wiring system...another wonder is how someone is not constantly getting electrocuted or a building or two catching fire and burning to the ground!

 I am forever awed and jealous of the Indian's ability to sleep anywhere, anytime, through anything!

Yep, even the street pooches have this admirable ability! In this case, clearly the seat of a scooty is more comfortable than the pavement!

As per usual, the streets are filled with these vendors frying up some indiscernible, but clearly unhealthy food-type item, filling the air with grease, making all of us westerners cough as we pass by... 

View of a huge mosque off in the distance; a center piece of the old town. I didn't get close up pics as I was too intent on finding SOME decent food SOMEwhere to eat lunch! All I could see for blocks and blocks was greasy, frying street food....

Yep, another one of these unfathomably top-heavy three-wheeler transport gizmos... 

I diverted from the main street in order to find some peace. Alas, though initially appearing peaceful, this appearance was most deceptive! I was greatly dismayed to find that, though cars couldn't make it in here,  motorcycles and scooters still came buzzing through these narrow back streets at top speed, with blaring horns, of course. I still found myself tense and startled and having to jump out of the way!

Peace at last: a great, pleasant surprise in the midst of squalor: stumbling upon this very upscale hotel and restaurant, clearing catering exclusively to upper class Indians and foreigners. I plopped myself down in hungry relief, only to be horrified when I looked at the prices on the menu.... 

Everything was served a la carte. It is a little hard to see in the photo, but a single dish--main course item--was between 500 and 700 rupees. 

This was the meal I settled on...rather sparse, doncha think? Sweet lassi, garlic naan and a spinach-zuchinni saucy paneer thingy... it was indeed tasty, but not even remotely worth the price... 

I was so staggered by the sum, I had to take a photo of it: 1396 rupees, or a staggering $20.00 U.S.!!! Heck, I would NEVER have paid that much at an Indian restaurant IN the U.S.! I was floored, extremely dismayed... and I vowed that this would be my first--AND LAST!--crazy-expensive meal to be eaten in India!!!

Back on the streets, this time tagging along with a tour group from the U.S. This was a good thing, as this colorful and famous market place became more and more crowded and difficult to navigate... you can always tell a tourist by the hat: Indians simply never wear them!

A fabric store, with a truly gorgeous collection of items to choose from.

Off on a side street, it was explained to the tour group that the Jain sect bought up a lot of the land and were primarily jewelers. Although only .3 percent of the population, they contribute 10 percent of the wealth, so the guide said. This ornate entrance was typical of one of the Jain houses in the area. 

Another of the same. A jewelry store was on the bottom floor; the Jain family lives up above. 

Though the nicer, more affluent side street, it was still marred by the incredibly ugly wiring above.

Many stores sported exquisitely expensive gowns for the ladies--these are presumably wedding dresses.

As with the traffic, this aspect of Indian society provides an endless source of fascination!

No clue what these are, of course... but they were popular. Surely something else gooey, fried and infinitely unhealthy! 

Now moving deep into the exhilarating and famous spice market

No clue what any of this is, but sure love the colors! 

The guys here are busy making these little puffy wheat balls, which then get stuffed with savory goodies of some sort. 

Herein lies the real jewels: the great assortment of nuts, dried fruits and wonderful spices, hard to recognize because they are in their whole form, not the usual powders we see in the west. 

At the heart of the main square in the spice market, the endless array of colors and aromas dazzle the senses! And oh, the wonderful smells... all blended together in the most exquisite and exotic melange....

The very precious saffron. It was explained that it comes from the stamen of the particular flower...that is why it is so precious and rare. It seemed to me these packets were no cheaper than one would pay in the U.S...in short, still quite expensive!

In this shop, they were, in fact, in powdered form, but still, presumably, of the highest and freshest qualtiy

Whole turmeric, or cur-cumin, that magical spice that is said to be so key to the prevention of Alzheimer's and other inflammatory afflictions to the body. 

My new and most delightful British friends, Dick and Mel. They were the one redeeming aspect of being robbed at that insanely expensive hotel restaurant! I met them there, after we all had eaten. They were so kind as to take me under their wing, as it were, and invited me to tag along with their tour group through the above market places. A kinder, more interesting pair I could not hope to meet. They are traveling around the world in 4 months' time; India was their second stop after Turkey. I am hoping they do their own blog!

A most colorful fruit vendor! Refreshing to see some HEALTHY street food for a change! 

More fabrics and gorgeous garments being sold here...

Hand rolling skeins of yarn, apparently. Putting the boy to work!

Dazzling and horrifying, all at once...a scene of the main highway in New Delhi at rush hour.. yikes! No wonder the pollution is often so bad here, owing to so much diesel fuel and lack of emissions standards!

Yet, despite the above... an astonishingly gorgeous blue sky and clouds yesterday morning looking up from where I was staying!

An ornate hall for weddings and other festivities

At last, a healthy, well-rounded meal replete with my beloved, whole and VISIBLE vegetables! This was, no surprise, the meal served at the Ananda kitchen. 

Lunching at the lovely center with my pals!

From left to right: Dhuri, Hari, a sweet couple whose names I hvae forgotten, and Chika, from Japan, now employed at the Ananda Center. 

Yes, even a pound cake with coconut and berry ice cream for dessert! I was in heaven!

Walking in New Delhi now, came across this blacksmith doing his work right on the sidewalk! 

Yes, another meal with Ananda buddies, this time for dinner at the divine "Evoo" Italian restaurant that Ishani and Aryavan took me and Dhuti to. Another heavenly feast, best Italian food I have had in ages! And unlike that ridiculous meal yesterday, this one was SO much better AND so much more reasonable! We had antipasti, 2 pizzas, breadvsticks and dipping pesto and some creamy custard dessert, all shared, all for 750 rupees a piece, or about $11.00. We met the owner, who was a super guy... I recommend this place to ANYone who happens to go to New Delhi! 

Almost too gorgeous to eat! Arugula, shitaki mushrooms, assorted cheeses, carmelized onion... and so much more!

Do ya think she's enjoying it just a bit?!?!