Delhi, Old and New

My Indian excursion can be summed up in three words : big, spicy, and loud.  The massive crowds are matched only by the sheer immensity of the historical monuments, the food is incredible, but not for the weak of stomach (and tongue, and throat, and colon) and the aforementioned crowds create driving conditions which can only be described as a 24-hour Grade-A honk-if-you're-breathing clusterfuck.  Let's begin.

DAY 1 :

Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi's biggest market

Our first day in Delhi conveniently happened to be the same day that our host, Zach (a friend from Sabrina's high school) and his roommate/co-worker were going on a tour of Old Delhi guided by another co-worker.

This charming Australian gal (known affectionately amongst her colleagues as "The Leader of the White People") has been in India for a couple years and has managed to pick-up very functional Hindi, confidently orient herself in a city of side-streets and alleys, and (most importantly) discover the best-of-the-best of Old Delhi's streets-side snack foods (la crème de la curry, if you will).  

Sabrina on a Bicycle-rickshaw

For four straight hours we hopped on and off bicycle rick-shaws to sample everything from spicy potato dishes to paneer-stuffed pancakes to Daulat ki Chaat, a dessert which takes five hours to make and most closely resembles a cloud, if clouds were made of milk and sugar and served with nuts on top.  

(not my photo)

 

As a break from stuffing our faces, we also visited a stunning Jain temple (Photography prohibited. Sorry), as well as Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India.  This mosque was completed in 1656, commisioned by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, the same man responsible for the legendary Taj Mahal (but we're getting ahead of ourselves).  

Now, most guide books will tell you to ease into the culinary nuances of a foreign culture.  Furthermore, they might tell you to avoid street vendors altogther.  However, Sabrina and I had a fantastically flavourful day with minimal consequences.  That said, we were rather sluggish upon our return home, so our first night was spent sharing the gifts of Israeli wine we had brought.  

DAY 2:

We awoke the next morning comfortably late, skipping breakfast as we were all still full from yesterday.  Another of Zach's coworkers, a local Delhi-ite (Delight?) who plays guitar in a rock band, had invited us all to his family's house for lunch.  Whenever I travel, I always enjoy living like the locals, so I was thrilled to be welcomed into their home to enjoy some spectacular South Indian cuisine with mother, father, and some extended family.  After lunch, we all relaxed out back in the sunshine, enjoying a truly vacating vacation for a couple hours, strolling through topics of music, politics, and high school.

When it was time to go, Zach took us to one of his favorite spots :

Pleasantly devoid of the usual tourist crowds, Deer Park is an expansive ground of ponds and paths, as well as a 15th century Madrasa, a great stone complex which served as a theological college.  After strolling through the park for a while, we were joined for dinner by another of Zach's friends at Park Beluchi, a nearby restaurant which is a definite contender for "best meal in India."  Not only were our stuffed kebabs delicious, but they were served on flaming swords!  No joke.  

That night was similar to the one before; incidentally, sitting bloated on Zach's couch would quickly become a theme of the whole trip.

That was our 48-hour easing in to life in Delhi, and now that we were settled, it was time for Sabrina and I to strike out on our own and be tourists... stay tuned.