Delhi: Day 1 (cont)

You didn't think I was just going to leave you hanging like that, did you?
My first day in Delhi was dizzying. The most accurate word to use is overwhelming. The colors, the smells, the poverty, the louts (people coming up to foreigners trying to sell them everything and anything), the animals, the incessant honking (seriously, it NEVER stops). I took the guide book's advice and started easy.

My first visit was to the Gandhi museum. It was outstanding. There is a full scale replica of his living and working quarters as well as numerous photos and historical information, the latter of which was right up my alley. Not only am I a sucker for old photos, but also Gandhi's teachings really resonate with me. They are probably the closest thing to a religion for me, which, it way they are for many.

Across the clusterfuck of an intersection is Raj Gaht, a large and lovely park that marks where Gandhi was cremated. I went for a nice walk and found a nice shady spot on the grass to relax in before I set off for the insanity of Old Delhi. I caught a tuk tuk there (or motorized rickshaw, as the book likes to call it. Either way, it is a three wheeled tiny vehicle for getting around. The driver sits up front and there is a bench in the back for passengers that holds two to three (though you can often see six or seven people piled in one). It is cheaper than a taxi, but more expensive than a bicycle rickshaw (pedicab). It is partially open air: there's usually canvas over the top and back, with the sides open - think of a jeep, but much, much smaller, and many of them now run on CNG (compressed natural gas) as it's less polluting).

I went to Main Bazaar, directly across from the train station. I mistakenly entered in the wrong spot, but soon enough foud the appropriate area. Main Bazaar (as is I imagine any bazaar) a narrow "street" with buildings going up on either side about five or six stories. On the ground level there is everything imagineable (and somethings not) for sale spilling out toward the middle. Bsides having to contend with the hordes of people moving thorugh this area, you also have dozens of stray dogs, piles of trash strewn about, not to mention bicycles, scooters and even cars attemption to navigate this pot holed avenue that is about as wide as a one way street.

While looking for Sam's Cafe (I read about their roof top terrace in the guide book) I got stopped by a dodgy tout trying to get me to book a tour with him. Man was he relentless! I relieved myself of this attempt to swindle me and entered Sam's for some lunch. The guys at on the first floor worked hard to get me to stay and eat down there rather than to go up to the roof. Maybe they get a bigger cut if someone eats downstairs. Or maybe they just didn't want to climb the 5 flights of stairs. Either way I went up to the beautiful rooftop terrace and enjoyed my chicken tikka and naan!