New Delhi (1)

5.27.08

This is the first time I've been able to get Internet access. Since arriving in New Delhi on Sunday night after a 15-hour flight, we have been busy, busy, busy!

Friday night, my last night in the US, I moved all my belongings that I was leaving while I'm away (sheets, shorts, shoes, etc.) to store at a friend's house. I got a few hours' sleep on the "chastity couch," so named because you can do little more than sleep on it, had breakfast at Brewberry's, checked out of my room, and caught Bus 74 to the train en route to the airport. We flew from MSP to Chicago, and from Chicago straight to New Delhi--a 14-15 hour flight on which, again, I got very little sleep. ;) I had a window seat, though, and while it was too dark to see the polar ice caps as we flew over them, I watched the sun set over Canada, and saw the Url mountains from high above. It was pretty sweet.

We arrived in New Delhi at 8:00 pm, Sunday night. After picking up our baggage, clearing immigration, and exchanging some money, we walked outside to be greeted with a "traditional welcoming" of drums, a crazy horn, and dancing. It was outrageous! We received long strings of marigolds around our necks, looked ever so touristy, and got on a bus with our tour guide--an Indian with a really long name, so we just call him "Lee." While in Delhi, we have posh accommodations at a swanky hotel, The Park Hotel, because the hotel we were originally going to stay in is undergoing renovations. Before finding our rooms to get some much welcomed sleep, we were given mango juice to drink and crushed rose-petal dots on our foreheads. I felt very exotic, indeed.

My roommate is a very quiet, "normal" girl, and this is her first time out of the US. I feel a little jaded because a lot of what is new and exciting for her is old hat for me. Don't get me wrong--there are lots of things on this trip that are new for me too. Anyhoo, it turns out that she has a horrible allergy to almonds! (I had a close call with a good friend in France last summer who accidentally ate an almond and nearly stopped breathing.) After last summer, I didn't leave the country without some Benadryl, and I now carry a wicked epi-pen in my sac. I just hope I don't have to use it.

The next morning, I woke up on my own at 7am. Breakfast was in our hotel. I had some muesli and yogurt, coffee, and a croissant, but wanting to break out of my euro-american mold, I also tried a crepe-looking dish, which I later found out was a dosa, a very thin rice pancake that had golden potatoes inside. It was a little odd for breakfast, but delicious nonetheless. By the time we got on the bus, it was raining torrents. Despite the knee-deep water in parts, the streets were still full of bicycles, motorcycles, compact cars, buses, and large trucks. (The traffic is crazy--people drive British style, on the left, and according to our guide, one needs three things to drive in Delhi: good brakes, a good horn, and good luck!)

Our first stop was the "Eiffel Tower of India," a large stone pillar called Qutab Minar. The rain subsided and we went to lunch at a little restaurant where we ate naan (a flat bread), chicken masala, paneer (a cottage cheese made from buffalo milk) and vegetables, a lentil dish, and a small scoop of rich vanilla ice cream for dessert, also made from buffalo's milk. After that filling lunch, I was ready for a nap, but there was much more in store for the day.

Next up was the Humayun Tomb, a Muslim tomb built for the second Mughal emperor. The poor guy ruled in exile, and the day after he returned to the empire, he threw a wild party, ODed on opium, and tripped down the stairs, realizing an instant death. Karma bites. Later in the afternoon, we did a little shopping. Inspired by my great-grandmother who bought some jewelry which my mum has today on a train trip across the Orient, I purchased a few pieces in hopes that my great-grandchildren will think their as cool as I do some day. ; )

Our final adventure for the afternoon was a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi. Though it was not my first time in these crazy bicycle carts, I was very excited because this was the "must do in Delhi" according to the Mortimers. The smells were potent and the streets crowded, but fortunately, our fearless driver averted most of the pot-holes and potential collisions. Then we visited Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India. As with many holy places, we had to take our shoes off; it's kind of funny seeing everyone walking around barefoot. Once inside, we were bombarded with Indians wanting to take our photographs. This had been happening most of the day at the monuments which we visited; I guess a group of 20 fair-skinned women really do stand out... I wasn't as shocked as most of the other ladies, though, because the exact same thing happened to Aish and I when we were in China, almost 8 years ago (Wow, how time flies!).

In the evenings, we have some "free time," but I do not feel comfortable walking alone outside of our hotel after dark. Most of the other girls just hang out in their rooms, doing the required readings (Give me a break! You can read when we're in the US.), sleeping, etc. "360-degree vision," my dad says, but I stand out like an apple in a cherry tree. It frustrates me to no end, and I miss traveling with my family or my guy friends--so much for being an "independent woman."

Our second day in India began by visiting the Gandhi Peace Foundation where we had a couple lectures in the morning, followed by lunch at the institute. I have been learning quite a bit about Hinduism, and I find it fascinating how accepting they are of other religions. "Each must find her own path." This whole religious pluralism idea is starting to make a lot of sense.

We paid a visit to the National Museum, full of ancient artifacts and historic sculptures. It was trying to pay attention, though (especially with the Indian accents), because the fatigue was finally catching up to me. I felt a little guilty that I wasn't fully appreciating the history that was at my fingertips. Our last stop for the day was at the Hindu temple Birla Mandir. I was completely exhausted by this point, and the heat didn't help. We had a few minutes to our selves, though, and I sat in front of some Hindu goddess, meditating--something I haven't done since my brief dabbling in yoga and tai chi six years ago. It was incredible. Afterwards, I felt completely refreshed, and I had this tingling energy all over. Both our tour guide and one of my professors came up to me after and asked if I meditated regularly. ??? Apparently, I must have been doing something right. :)

When we got back to the hotel, I tried to make a few phone calls at the STD stand (no joke, that's what their phones are called), but the reception was so shitty, it was hardly worth it. The phone was in this sketchy store in a back alley, but it was quieter than the phone carts that are out on the street--the horns are constantly honking. Hopefully I'll be able to find a better phone from which to call later.

At dinner, I had a glass of Indian Sauvignon Blanc, and, to tell the truth, it was pretty decent--nice and tart, not too dry. I was so happy to have some wine! I guess it's kind of a comfort food...