(Note: This day isn't compete yet).
I awoke at 7 am with the faint sounds of India - horns honking. I learned last night that they can't drive her without honking their horns. Cars everywhere and many street have no street lines - they just GO1.
The hotel service staff is dressed up in 'fancy Indian servant dress' - turbans, red jackets, the women in saris - all very colorful and formal. The hotel is beautiful. A stately building set in a huge formal garden - tall palm trees line the entrance giving it a majestic look. This is supposed to be one of the best hotels in Delhi.
I had asked Kurian if I could walk around the city this morning and he urged me not to as "many people will approach you". So he suggested that I stay in the hotel gardens and we'll see outside later. So that's what I did. I had breakfast in their formal dining room - beautiful with impeccable service although it's a buffet. I had an omelet today but the real breakfast treat was the fruit. They had a frest fruit table set up and then another entire table with stewed fruit. I tried the stewed pineapply, apricots and pears and they were SO good. The sauces were yummy. After my large breakfast, I took a stroll in the gardens. It was already steamy out and I may switch into shorts instead of jeans. It is supposed to be over 100 again today. Kurian told me we could have a shower and that will make it more humid. He told me that this is the 'off' season so we aren't expecting to be delayed by hordes of tourists.
For some reason, I remember "the sights and sounds of India" from CNN. I'll add "smells" to that. There is a very distinctive smell in the air - not good - not bad - just distinctive. There is a heavy haze hanging over Delhi in the morning -but it lifted considerably during the day and was actually quite clear. It is supposed to be 109 today - so HOT is the name of the game during this time of year.
There is a young man who roams around the hotel with a very special job - fly and bug swatter! It's funny to watch him.
My local guide, Sanjesh Shivhara, and driver were waiting for me at 1 pm and we set out in the traffic - I'm actually glad that I couldn't see it more clearly last night on arrival as it is worse than I had thought. They are trying to build mass transit but it isn't finished yet so everyone is on the streets. If the traffic is clogged, they just gon on the other side of the road (even if the road is divided by a median) - the objective is just to get ahead. Horms blaring all the while. Many of their stop lights are very very long, but when it turns green, look out - every man for himself - they all start going at once to see who can get ahead. Most of the streets were full of people, bicycles, scooters, tuk-tuks, and unfortunately piles of garbage. They have added much more green to Delhi and reduced pollution by planting trees and shrubs throughout the city. We came so close to crashing - but didn't - they tell me that there aren't that many accidents but most cars are all dented and scratched - so if they hit they must just keep on going. (Tim - business opportunity here - you should set up more DuPont Refinish programs here - they need it!).
We drove by the Red Fort but didn't stop as I'll see a better one in Agra. Our first stop was a Muslim mosque. We had to take off our shoes to go inside and Sanjesh paid a man so our shoes wouldn't disappear. It was really, really hot on the stone courtyard inside and they had laid paths of cloth in lines so everyone could walk on these inside of the hot stones. Sanjesh explained the Muslim protocol and told me that I'd hear the calls to prayer while I'm here - the times are determined by the position of the sun. All of the mosques face Mecca. It is a life-long goal for the Muslim's to visit there. Many people (all men) were saying their prayers when we went in - the women apparently have to pray in a different place. I got lots of stares being the only Westerner there. We retrieved our shoes and Sanjesh had a rick shaw waiting to take us on a ride through the narrow streets and alleyways of Old Delhi. The rick shaw was built to carry two and he wanred me to keep my hands inside and put my left foot on a structural brace. The ride was exhilerating - a bit scary at first adn then it was SO MUCH FUN. The driver wasn't a young man and he pedaled his heart out for almost an hour as he showed me the alleyways and streets packed with everything. Fascinating. I'm still amazed how bicycles, pedestrians, rick shaws, scooters, carts, and people carrying or pushing great loads can all coexist in th narrow alleys of Old Delhi - but it all works.
There were so manyelectrical and other wires over our heads just draped overhead on whatever would hold them. Many of the shops were spaces about 4' by 4'. Most people left their shoes on the street when they went in the shop - and we ran over many of their shoes in our rick shaw! We saw vegetable and fruit markets, cloth markets, markets for cloth and sequents, barber shops (a very small room with one chair), and so much - it was truly amazing. There I was right in the middle of it all too.
We got right into many traffic jams. Sanjest taught me the Indian philosophy that makes this all work - Patience and Tolerance Make Happiness. They don't seem patient with their extensive use of the car horn but it all does work in the end.
I asked Sanjesh how much the rick shaw driver would make and he told me about the equivalent of $7 / day. While the tour took care of all costs, I tipped out little man and made his day.
We went back to the mosque in our rick shaw about the tour in the narrow streets and met our driver and headed across town to see the Mohatma Gandhi Memorial with eternal flame in a public park. His memorial marks the spot where Gandhi was cremated. His ashes were spread in the Ganges River. There were lots of Indian people visiting this site as he is considered the 'father of modern India' and is remembered for his philosophy of no violence.
We then drove by the India Gate, built to remember the thousands of Indians who died in World War I. India was neutral in this war by the British promised independence if India would support them. India did but then the British reneged on it promise. We then went to the India Government buildings - beautiful architecture. The President's home, where Lord Mountbatten used to live, is here too and is huge - beautiful architecture and grounds. The President is not elected by the people but rather by the party members. Sanjest told me that they have so many parties that it isn't really working now. We then went to the National Museum and Sanjesh knew somuch about the art - his explanations of the art helped explain a lot about their history and culture. At least the museum was air conditioned and cool.
It was about 6 pm so we headed back to the hotel fighting the traffic again. Sanjesh and I will head outwith my driver again tomorrow at 10 am. Friday is a holy day for Muslims so it will be interesting to see if I notice any differences.
There is a real focus in India on education. They are proud of all of the Call Centers that have been located in Delhi and Mumbai to service America. They do intensive language training depending on the country they serve so the workers sound like the people calling in. They are taught British English, Australian English, and American English. They are required to watch movies with the specific dialect and practice extensively. Labor costs are so cheap in India (average worker makes about $150 US per month). So with their education and cheap wages, they have a huge competitive advantage over America. That's why our jobs are coming in so fast. They also have national required birth control like China - one child per family.
For lunch I had Parma Bruschetta and a pot of Indian Darjelling tea - it was just enough for me and delincious. Sunil at the Concierge Desk made a reservation for me for dinner at the Spice Route Restaurant - one of the top rated restaurants in Delhi. Sunil reminded me of Sunil with KBACE who helped uson our Oracle project - he told me stories of India - and now here I am. Most of Ingersoll-Rand's IT support staff are from India so I'm now seeing things that many of them have described to be before. This is so exciting.
I went down to the lobby bar for cocktails after getting dressed up for dinner. The wait staff loves to talk to Americans (even though I have a hard time understanding many of them). Sankendra was my bartender for drinks in the lobby and he asked all sorts of questions. Since I was by myself it made for an interesting time. Drinks (scotch) were very expensive (about $14 each!0. Sankendra told me that the roads and railroads to Agra are closed - don't know why -but they may be open again by the time I go. This was mysterious to me.
I went for my dinner at The Spice Route a little before 8. This restaurant is highly rated and was a sensual overload experience. The restaurant smelled good, looked good with art relics everywhere, sounded good with interesting while subdued Indian music, and most of all tasted so good. Tim will have to come here and have dinner - the spices and smells and tastes were great. I started with chicken sate with peanut, plum and sweet chili sauce. Main course was lamb with curry and peanut sauce. It was so good and I ate way to much (again!). My server also wanted to talk so we had a nice long chat - but again I missed a lot of what he said as they talk so fast. But he was entertaining and explained every dish. Even though I had had plenty to eat, I had to try dessert (thank Mom for making me this way! I had bananas rolled in rice, deep fried and served with ice creat. OK - my overeating is self-inflicted - I admit it. I'll diet when I get back home week after next.
But what a super experience. the Indians smile like the Thai's and they are very friendly. I returned to the room and a message was waiting for me from Kurian confirming my tour tomorrow with Sanjest again and driver at 10 am. I went to best about 11 to rest for another exciting day in Delhi.
Oh, I forgot - we say children peeing in the streets in China - well, everyone does it here - everywhere, they just stop and men pee on the side of the road or women squat. There are "pissouirs" all over - very public - for the men too. So different from America and a real education for me.
Larry
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