Delhi

Incredible India! We found India to have some amazing beauty in things that were made, whether they were rugs, textiles, sculptures o r buildings. The history is rich, and to get even a slice of it was incredibly history. The women in their bright flowing outfits looked like desert flowers walking down the street.
However, as soon as we touched down in Delhi, we felt dirt and smog settle on our skin. The airport didn’t seem that bad, but as soon as we walked outside, the craziness of India began. Beeping horns, cars and taxis everywhere, people shouting, hot dirty air… all of it screamed, “Welcome to India! We got in the taxi and were surprised when we actually made it to the hotel. We have been to places that use the horn to “talk” to other cars, but we had never experienced such horn honking and car swerving as here. When we were close, he tried to pawn us off on a tuk-tuk to get to the hotel. We insisted that we weren’t getting out of the taxi until we were at the hotel’s doorstep. We were both a bit surprised when we actually made it to the Tara Hotel in Old Delhi. It wasn’t all like this, but it was certainly a first impression!
Clean and efficient, the Tara Hotel was like a haven in a sea of chaos. This place also had some great Indian food (ok, it was also our first real Indian food). Egg curry quickly became our favorite. It’s got entire hardboiled egg in a tasty sauce. It’s good.
The next day, we took a city tour of Old Delhi. First stop, the Red Fort. We were impressed by the art and architecture, but I have to admit it. I was most impressed by the birdlife! We saw a hoopoe and tons of other birds… of course I loved it! I think it must be acting as a little green island in a sea of probably the dirtiest place ever. Next we saw their arch that looks like Champs d’ Ylleses in Paris and the National Museum of Art. The museum was especially interesting because so much of the artwork and religious statues we saw were inspired by these original pieces. It means much more when you can pick up on the symbolism.
We then went to a market where we got some stone carved elephants (mine broke when I sent it home). There was also a rug shop. Though the first thing I said was that we were just looking, 2 cups of chai tea later, we were forking out the dough for a beautiful runner.
The Qutab Minar was our favorite of the historical spots. The ruins had some excitement and mystery which made us feel a little like being at Angkor Wat—India style. The people were also quite excited to get a picture with the only blonde lady in the place. I don’t know how many pictures we took with Indians wanting a picture with the gringos. It makes me smile.
A quick stop to see the Lotus Temple through the fence, and we ended our tour through a famous Hindu temple. We weren’t allowed to wear shoes or take pictures, but it allowed us a more tactile experience. They had such interesting paintings, and it was very special to get a glimpse into Hindu worship.
That night we went to the roof. We were impressed to see ancient Hindu temples, Buddhist temples, and Muslim temples all within our view.
Tomorrow, Jaipur!