Day 4 - Delhi

Breakfast at hotel, we went with the North Indian  breakfast - Bhaji

Good, but switching back to the Southern Indian tomorrow morning.

Riding the big bus with 14 passengers, 1 tour guide, a driver and his assistant.

Driver's assistant passing out water, in training to become a driver.

Typical Delhi traffic this morning

The poor side of Delhi

Making deliveries via bicycles

First stop - we visited Raj Ghat, monument where Mahatma Gandi was cremated.

Heading to our next destination - Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India.

Street food

More traffic

The mosque

Rickshaw ride through the narrow streets of the Chandni Bazaar

The electric wires dangling in the lanes

 

They told us to keep our elbows inside the rickshaw, lanes were narrow and crowded

Our driver

The streets of Delhi 

Then we were off to lunch.  A nice Indian restaurant served us  family style, assorted first courses, assorted curries (chicken, vegetable, dal, and spinach), rice and ice cream for desert.

Then we headed to the house where Ghandi was assassinated 

Foot prints marking his final steps

The World Peace Gong

On various occasions, locals ask us to be in their photos.  These two did but I was able to get a picture  of them too.

We made a final stop to shop and learn about rugs.  Too expensive for us but beautiful, good thing we left credit card in hotel safe!

Tomorrow a traveling day - we leave for Jaipur - the "Pink City".  A 9 hour  trip, counting pit stops and lunch stop.

Exploring Old Delhi

Day 3.  Exploring Old Delhi. Post for, February 20, no internet last night.

Breakfast at the hotel, the first meal included with our trip.  We ordered a southern Indian breakfast - a dosa, a crepe filled with potatoes, onions etc,  came with a small dish of lentils and a coconut yogurt sauce - delicious.

After breakfast we had a meeting with Trip Leader and fellow travelers.

Views from the bus - the crowded streets of Delhi

Tuk Tuks , cars and motor cycles everywhere. Eighteen million people, nine million cars and 250,000 tuk tuks.

First stop was Gurdwara Bangla  Sahib, Sikh temple.  Required to cover our heads - we used our neck scarves. A beautiful site.

We dipped our feet for the protective powers.

Visited the kitchen where they prepare meals to feed pilgrims and visitors.  they feed up to ten thousand people a day.

Volunteers preparing the meal - cauliflower , potatoes, carrots

Pots of lentils

Huge pots on the gas burners

Making bread

Visitors waiting to eat 

Visitors eating, when they are finished, the room is cleared and cleaned, and the next group comes in.

Next stop was the Qutab Minat. The Qutab complex is a  World Heritage Site. The mosque on this site is mostly gone, the side walls, and some of the arches that face Mecca are still standing.

The tower is 234 feet tall, begun in the 12th century.

Close up of carvings on the tower

Marilyn pushing down on the tower

Unfinished tower, planned to be larger than the first one.

Stopped for dinner on the way back to hotel.  Once again a wonderful dinner.  Starters were 3-4 Indian dishes, then we had 4 Indian dishes plus rice for main course, finished with ice cream for dessert.