alright, let's back up a minute. delhi deserves a better post than just a driving explanation. so i'll go back to the beginning.
well first off i don't think i've ever anticipated a trip as much as this one (specifically india i mean). the entire plane ride i was just giddy; i think i was probably grinning as we pulled our luggage off the belt (though in fairness half of that was probably relief). not even a 14-hour flight could sap my excitement. although it was a pretty pleasant flight; international movies on demand tends to keep people happy. though i think i was probably the only one on the plane who watched a bollywood movie followed by bonnie and clyde. at any rate i was eager to get out and see india. even the wave of heat (like walking into a hot car) that greeted us as we left the airport was almost welcoming, in an odd way.
my first impressions of india weren't the dirt or the crowds - that i'd been expecting. what i was struck by was the spirituality that seemed to be everywhere. deities appear on dashboards, business logos, and of course in small shrines dotting each street.
delhi, as i hinted at below, is a pretty crazy place. we quickly discovered that we couldn't walk anywhere and auto-rickshaws became our main form of transportation.
we only had a few days but we did manage to hit some of the highlights. for me this was seeing the islamic architecture (mamluk and mughal) with that typical indian red sandstone. the qutab minar complex has some spectacular carved ornamentation and humayun's tomb shows an early persian influence (pre-taj mahal). we even made it to the modern art museum (coincidentally on international museum day), which showcased an interesting mix of traditional indian motifs (read: more gods) and western styles and techniques.
and the food! well, let's just say that anywhere where it's okay to eat indian food every day is alright with me. we've tried some different dishes and some old favorites, though we're looking forward to having some mangoes, chai, and lassis. it was just so fun to be surrounded by these parts of india, some familiar and some new. the beautiful clothes, the movie stars, the music (our tv was constantly switched to bollywood or punjabi music channels).
alright, so delhi as a city is big and pretty overwhelming. just thinking about maneuvering around connaught place (the main square and a giant roundabout that's currently full of construction) is tough. maybe i have a soft spot for the city because it was my first introduction to india. but really is that such a bad thing?
well first off i don't think i've ever anticipated a trip as much as this one (specifically india i mean). the entire plane ride i was just giddy; i think i was probably grinning as we pulled our luggage off the belt (though in fairness half of that was probably relief). not even a 14-hour flight could sap my excitement. although it was a pretty pleasant flight; international movies on demand tends to keep people happy. though i think i was probably the only one on the plane who watched a bollywood movie followed by bonnie and clyde. at any rate i was eager to get out and see india. even the wave of heat (like walking into a hot car) that greeted us as we left the airport was almost welcoming, in an odd way.
my first impressions of india weren't the dirt or the crowds - that i'd been expecting. what i was struck by was the spirituality that seemed to be everywhere. deities appear on dashboards, business logos, and of course in small shrines dotting each street.
delhi, as i hinted at below, is a pretty crazy place. we quickly discovered that we couldn't walk anywhere and auto-rickshaws became our main form of transportation.
we only had a few days but we did manage to hit some of the highlights. for me this was seeing the islamic architecture (mamluk and mughal) with that typical indian red sandstone. the qutab minar complex has some spectacular carved ornamentation and humayun's tomb shows an early persian influence (pre-taj mahal). we even made it to the modern art museum (coincidentally on international museum day), which showcased an interesting mix of traditional indian motifs (read: more gods) and western styles and techniques.and the food! well, let's just say that anywhere where it's okay to eat indian food every day is alright with me. we've tried some different dishes and some old favorites, though we're looking forward to having some mangoes, chai, and lassis. it was just so fun to be surrounded by these parts of india, some familiar and some new. the beautiful clothes, the movie stars, the music (our tv was constantly switched to bollywood or punjabi music channels).
alright, so delhi as a city is big and pretty overwhelming. just thinking about maneuvering around connaught place (the main square and a giant roundabout that's currently full of construction) is tough. maybe i have a soft spot for the city because it was my first introduction to india. but really is that such a bad thing?
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