Delhi Sightseeing
Thursday was a day to enjoy some sightseeing in Delhi. I started the day with breakfast at the USIEF Cafe where I’ve alternated between the Continental breakfast and the Indian breakfast.
This is the Continental breakfast, but I decided to add a little from my stash of comfort foods, a little Marmite and a mix of my two favorite cereals. Those Kashi Honey Puffs are hard to find, by the way, but they’re so good. Should I have taken Fruit Loops too? Seemed too frivolous.
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Rhea was my guide again for the day and while I was thoroughly confused and without much of a tourist agenda, she led me out on a spectacular day. We walked by some fancy diplomat houses and I crept up to the gate to take this picture.
It’s obligatory for tourists to have a picture taken at India Gate, this was the best we could do because the entire area has been closed off in preparation for Republic Day on January 26, which I hear is a big parade with lots of people and military displays. A little fascinated but will probably stay away from that.
Lucky for me, Rhea knew to take me next to Humayon’s Tomb, which even I knew was a must-see. We had a nice walk around and it was a beautiful day. I always am fascinated by the educational displays, not because I like to read them so much but to sense how well they blend in with the attraction. A model or diorama is always a nice touch to kind to help with bearings and envy the birds.
The domed structure in front is closed to the public but looked interesting to me. I really don’t understand the world sometimes, why do we keep people away from exploring things that can inspire them and connect them with ancestors?
The admission charges for foreigners is much higher than for locals, but I don’t really have a problem with that. A few months ago I went to the NAGC convention in Orlando and did my one and only ever visit of Disney World, where they practically charge to breathe the Disney air. The only things that is a little strange in a city buzzing with diverse locals is a place super crowded with only tourists, but as you can see it wasn’t crowded that day.
This place is really unforgettable and lived up to the hype. Now that I’ve visited I want to learn more about it and India itself, so thank you India for taking care of this treasure so we can all check it out.
Kids are experts at selfies, good job Rhea! When you get older you want a little more distance from the lens! Now photo-bombing is more fitting my temperament, but I’m not feeling that bold yet. I almost want to be invisible when I first travel so I can get a sense of how to fit in. Nothing has prepared me for the intensity of Delhi except maybe walking the streets of New York or Rome.
There are some pretty steep stairs to climb so you can get up and see this beautiful view.
The architecture inside and out compliments the magnificent landscape architecture as well.
Before we left there was this lower key Tomb structure off to the side that I found captivating. This area had more of working-person’s vibe and seemed more for locals as well. We got thirsty and availed ourselves of the canteen. Big part of the fun of traveling is trying different types of food or beverages, this was a sweet milk drink that definitely hit the spot.
Next destination on my tourist day were some very old ruins called Hauz Khas in a very youth-oriented village neighborhood. Before I show you some pictures of this place, however, I should mention a little about the kinds of transportation Rhea set us up in. We took lots of auto rickshaws (which she expertly negotiated for), a bicycle rickshaw to go from India Gate to Humayon’s Tomb, Metro trips when that made sense, and finally a relatively quiet and peaceful Uber to get home.
Hauz Khas was filled with young people having a great time on a beautiful day. Definitely has a haunted house ruin kind of vibe.
We were hungry after all this exploring and I got to try something new for me, a popular Chinese-Indian place with yummy dumplings and noodles, not too spicy but unfortunately too many bell peppers for my taste. I must learn that they are called “capsicum” and ask for NONE.
It was all super tasty though so no regrets. This area is close to where I’ll be staying for the next two weeks so I’m sure I’ll return.
With just a little time left in the day we headed out to the magnificent Lotus temple, unfortunately too late to go in but still able to see at sunset from the outside.
What a great day! Got back to the elegant Fulbright house and the really pleasant guest house I’ve been fortunate to stay in. This is the common area between the three rooms.
