Another Day

Thursday morning Dan and Mahesh left for a visit to several orphanages near Vellore, about a 4-5 hour drive to the east. I’ve been taking regular walks around the compound we are staying in. It is beautiful and well kept.

The central tower is 32 stories and the four blocks surrounding it are a bit lower.

Near the front entrance there is a hibiscus hedge.

Around the back side is an enclosed basketball court. There is an extensive fitness center in the building.

The pool is lovely and quite deep. Alas, it is closed for winter and some renovation work. The round structure is a kiddie pool and there is a hot tub area off to the right.

The pool is surrounded by lovely landscaping.

Nina and I did several things while the men were away. We went to a spa and I had a pedicure and eyebrow threading. I’d always wanted to try the latter, but it’s not common in the US. It was a bit painful, but my somewhat unruly brows look much better now! (No, you’re not getting a picture.)

After lunch we went to a specialty shop to buy some spices. This store caters to restaurants and bakeries as well as to individuals. As you can see, one doesn’t enter the shop; you stand at the front and tell them what you want.

Here are my spices to take home: bay leaves, cinnamon bark, peppercorns, cardamom pods (black and green), star anise, cloves, and whole nutmeg. My spice grinder broke recently, and will have to be replaced immediately when I get home!

Staying in Bangalore

We are having a wonderful relaxing time so far in Bangalore. We are on the 23rd floor, so have quite a view. There is a large shopping area very close by, as you can see from the photo below.

On Tuesday evening the four of us went out to do a bit of shopping. It turned out to be a much longer walk than I anticipated, but I stuck with it and made it the whole way (nearly 2 miles, I think). Here is a view of Mahesh walking just ahead of us along the highway.

We stopped at a very fancy, modern liquor store, which had a nice seated waiting area where I could rest while the men did their shopping. The next stop was a sweet shop that had something none of us had seen before our previous visit. It is mango burfi. For my non-India-related friends, burfi is a sweet made of milk cooked down until very thick (khoya). When we were here a few years ago, I had some and immediately it became my favorite Indian sweet of all time. It is delicious, and even has pistachios in it. Yum! I might need to get a bit more to take along to Thailand.

On Wednesday we had a special lunch out at a brew pub called Big Brewski. It was enormous, with seating all around a pool with lots of greenery. We had several appetizers. One was popcorn shrimp, which, indeed, was coated in popcorn. Very good!

We had two pizzas. This one was smoked pork and the other was carbonara. The crust was sourdough, and both were delicious.

After that big lunch, we certainly didn’t need much dinner. Nina and I went across the street to a shop that sells all kinds of snacks. We got three kinds of samosas — palak (spinach) and corn, paneer, and standard potato filling.

We have had several interesting, savory breakfasts. This one is vermicelli cooked with a few vegetables and spices. Very different for us, but very delicious.

Christmas and Travel

We had a lovely Christmas with our old friends. Daughters Anju and Neelu were here for the weekend. One grandson came for the day on the 25th.

I mentioned earlier how much decorating Deepa does. Here is what she did in the dining room.

The tree is in the corner of the living room. There was a huge pile of gifts, which we opened just before lunch.

After a delicious lunch of meat curry and pulao, several family members left to deliver bags of Christmas goodies to friends and neighbors. We headed back to our hotel to pack up for our Monday morning departure. It was hard to say goodbye.

Brij, Viola, Dan, Anne

Monday morning was very foggy. We heard there were school delays. Our taxi showed up promptly at 8:00. It was a Toyota minivan. Most of the cars here are too small to fit our two large suitcases. This trip was much quicker than the earlier one coming from Delhi. Traffic on the express highway moved very quickly. Our driver drove right across central New Delhi, bringing back many memories. I caught glimpses of India Gate, Claridge's Hotel, and the American embassy. When we lived in India, we frequently were in these areas of the city, but not for many many years.

We arrived at the airport super early, but checkin was quick and easy. There was a very short line for security. When my backpack went through, the guard asked me if I had a nail file or a knife. I said definitely just a nail file. He laughed and passed me through. We started for our gate, a very long walk, but an electric cart picked us up, which was great. We were so early that the gate seating was full for an earlier flight than ours. Once they departed, we had the area to ourselves, except for some feathered friends.

We had purchased tickets in premium economy, which put us near the front and with empty middle seats; Dan and I had aisle seats. Soon the woman on his side stood up and came over to ask the man by me if she could take his picture. So I asked him if he was famous. He shyly said yes, kind of. It turned out it was Rahul Dravid, the head coach for the Indian cricket team and a huge celebrity here. Dan had recognized him as we boarded, but of course I didn't. I knew enough to congratulate him on the win against Bangladesh the previous day. He was very pleasant and we had a nice chat several times during the flight. At deplaning, he wore a mask and made his way quickly and appeared to avoid recognition. We got our luggage and were outside waiting for our ride when he came out and asked us if we were being met and all was well. Such a nice man! 

Eventually the car that Mahesh booked for us arrived and we loaded up. It was about a 25-minute ride to Nina's home. We are on the 23rd floor in a large apartment block. Sunset came shortly after we arrived. We'll be here for a week.

Preparing for Christmas

Christmas is a big deal here in the Christian Colony where the Lals live. Most homes have lights and decorations. Deepa is very creative and has the house well ready for the season. The first picture below is the outside entryway to the house. The holly leaves are cut cleverly so they bow out slightly, giving a 3-D look.

There is a young man, Sandeep (not the one married to Anju), who has been helping put up the decorations. Here he is with an enormous star Deepa made.

Sandeep drives an electric rickshaw. Most of his clients are regulars that he delivers to and from work and school. He's helping Deepa in between these appointments. He also gave us a ride back to the hotel, much more comfortable than the cycle rickshaw.

Our days have been pretty quiet, sitting around the living room, watching cricket, eating lunch together. Tomorrow (Christmas Eve) more family members will come and the festivities will begin.

Our hotel, the Crystal Palace, is quite nice. Our room is spacious and kept clean. The cleaners can't seem to remember how many or which towels to leave when they clean. Each day something is missing--bathmat, hand towel, or a second bath towel. But whatever is needed comes promptly when we call. The room has tea makings, so we can have a cup when we wake up. The breakfast has some Indian items, omelets and toast, very satisfying. The first day or so the internet was almost nonexistent, but it seems to be working well now.

Traveling to Meerut

On Tuesday we left our hotel about 11:15 in a taxi, headed for Meerut, about 50 miles to the northeast. It took us well over an hour just to get around the city, as our hotel was on the southwest side. We drove north, skirting the city on a ring road. It was very crowded with several stopped and slow areas. Once we got to the new express highway, it was amazing. Proper exit and entrance ramps, traffic flying along, no pedestrians or other impediments. We could see the construction for the Metro -- it's supposed to reach Meerut in the next year or so. There were pillars all along the way. 

We reached our hotel in Meerut (thank you, GPS, the driver didn't know the city) and checked into our room. Then we headed out and took a cycle rickshaw to the Lals' house, about two kilometers away. I didn't get a picture, but I can tell you the seat is about wide enough for two very skinny people, not full-sized ones like us!

The evening before we left, we ate at Haldiram's in the nearby mall. I was very happy to have some gajar halwa, a carrot-based sweet that is my favorite. This one had pistachios in it. It is made from special dark orange carrots that only come in the winter.

The trucks in India all have wonderful signage on the back. This one encompassed all the traditional phrases -- "Keep distance" "Use Dipper at Night" "Horn Please" and "Stop." The Hindi words at the very top say "Phir malingay" -- Until we meet again.

It was difficult to get a good shot of the construction from our moving vehicle, but here is one.

Sugar cane is a major crop in this area and I was able to catch this one. In the distance you can see the pollution in the air.

Although we aren't far from Delhi, the temperature is much cooler here and the air is marginally cleaner. On Wednesday, we walked to the Lals and spent the day visiting and enjoying a wonderful lunch cooked by Deepa.

Day 5 in Delhi

Today we were able to find a FabIndia store that had a larger stock of some of things Dan was especially looking for. We took the Metro Blue Line to Rajouri Garden, where it intersects with the Pink Line. We have learned that the intersections of two Metro lines don't always share the same station. This one required a long walk between the two stations. The walkways are inside and covered, and in this case, quite far above ground. The Pink Line took us directly to Lajpat Nagar, where our map app led us the wrong way. But we eventually found the FabIndia Experience Center. I'm not completely sure what the experience is, but it did have a cafe where I enjoyed a fresh lime soda. And it was a much larger store than the one we found earlier.

Part of the walk was along the busy Ring Road, but there was a sidewalk area along a kind of side access road. We passed this interesting old building on our way. It must have been quite grand once, but is derelict now.

Here's Dan going into FabIndia.

On our way back to the Metro station, we were able to stop in at a Westside store. In the past I have found a number of clothing items there, but I wasn't really in a shopping mood. 

We had another line transfer on the way back to our hotel. This wonderful sign was posted several times on the walkway between stations. 

In the evening, we went back to the Beer Cafe and had paneer tikka - large cubes of paneer coated in spices and roasted in the tandoor. And it even had some vegetables!

I have developed a head and chest cold so probably won't have anything to post for Monday. I'll stay in and rest up for our trip to Meerut on Tuesday.

Day 4 in Delhi

On Saturday we spent the day with our friends Anju and Sandeep. They live in Mayur Vihar, a residential area just across the river from central New Delhi. The Blue Metro line next to our hotel goes right to their neighborhood. It was about a 50-minute ride. The Metro is always pretty crowded, but I have usually been offered a seat. There are designated seats for Ladies and some for Old/Handicapped. I qualify for both!

We visited, shared some things our daughter sent (Anju and our Anjali were in the same class and have known each other since ages 2 and 3), and just hung out. It was a warm sunny day and we sat outside in the garden area for a while. Anju takes after her father, loving plants. 

For lunch, they ordered biryani from a local place. It came in clay pots, covered with foil.

When the foil was removed, you could see the clay lid, sealed shut with dough, very traditional.

We had mutton, chicken, and veg biryani. I believe the mutton and chicken were Hyderabadi style and the veg was Lucknow style. It came with a gravy with meat in it and three jars of condiments. Anju added plain dahi. As you can imagine, it was delicious!

Just before we left in the late afternoon, they ordered chai brought in. A young man came with a tea kettle filled with chai and poured it into our glasses. Quite wonderful!

Day 3 in Delhi

Friday we decided to head out to the center of New Delhi, Connaught Circle. When we lived in Mussoorie in the 1970s, a trip to Delhi usually involved staying in that area. We shopped along Janpath, with lots of small shops, mainly clothing. The Metro line from our hotel goes right to Rajiv Chowk, the stop in the center of the circle. There we split up, Dan to go around the circle, me to head down Janpath toward Cottage Industries.

As we left the hotel, we saw a group of waiters obviously preparing to serve a lunch on the grounds. It seems there is something different going on there every day.

I came out of the station a little disoriented, but did find my way. As I waited to cross a street, a very nice young man helped hold back the traffic. He was a student of English and we had a lovely conversation. He told me the shops would not be open yet (it was about 11:30), but I said no matter. He left me at the end of Janpath. I walked along the many shops, about half of which were open. As I am not in a buying mood, I didn't stop anywhere. The Central Cottage Industries Emporium is always interesting, as they sell handicrafts of all types from all over India.

Beds in the furniture section 

There is a Metro stop right outside the store, so I decided to head back to the hotel. I stopped in the station and picked up a veg puff for my lunch in the room. It cost Rs. 20, about 25¢ US. I made some tea to go with it and was quite satisfied. The "snack sauce" is basically ketchup. I was glad to see that shopkeepers still make us of various papers for small bags.

Dan eventually got back and we rested in the room until supper time. I had discovered that there is a mall just on the other side of the Metro station from us, so we walked over. There were many food choices, from KFC to Barbecue Nation. We chose The Beer Cafe, as it looked good and was quieter than most. 

Dan had "dunkel" beer on tap

Chili paneer rice bowl

Paneer lababdar with tandoori roti

Day 2 in Delhi

After a good night's sleep, we headed down for breakfast a little earlier than the previous day. We were ahead of the crowd this time. The breakfast buffet is quite extensive, with both Indian and western foods. Today they offered dosas, which we couldn't resist.

The chai comes in tiny glasses

Dosa with sambar and chutneys (already took a bite!)

Around 10:30 we decided to try to find a FabIndia store we had been to before. It is in a Greater Kailash market, accessible from our Metro station, which has two lines. The station seems quite new and modern. This one is the beginning of the Magenta Line, which was inaugurated in 2018.

Following the directions on our phone, we got off at the Greater Kailash station. It was a longer walk than it appeared, but we finally found some shops. However, the FabIndia at this location was very small and didn't have the kind of things we were looking for. We walked around some more and stopped in at a tea shop, where we had drinks and some snacks for lunch.

Mixed pakoras - spinach, onion, potato, paneer and chili

Samosas

By the time we finished, we were definitely ready to take a scooter rickshaw back to the Metro station. A disappointing outing, but we got some exercise!

In the early evening Dan went to scout out our area a bit more and came back with some momos for a light supper in the room.

Day One in Delhi

After Dan came back from the ATM and getting our Metro cards, we headed out. Unfortunately, my walking sticks didn't make it into the car when we left home. I managed OK through the airports, but knew I'd need them for getting around here and later in Thailand. Through some web searching, I found a chain of sporting goods stores called Decathlon. One was in a mall not far from us, so we headed out, taking the Metro just a few stops away. The station here us just outside the entrance to our hotel, very convenient.

As we left the hotel, we saw what we assumed was a wedding feast in progress on the lawn at the front. This was just before the food was served. There were many more people than this photo shows.

We found the store with no problem and I was able to buy a set of walking sticks -- not quite like the ones I already have, but they will do. When we got back to our stop, we found an Airtel phone store nearby, so stopped in to get our Indian phone SIMs. It took a while, but we had no problems. 

We rested for a while, but knew that jet lag would put us to sleep if we didn't get out again. So about 4:30 we decided to go to Karol Bagh, an area where we have stayed in the past. When we came out of the hotel, we could see that the wedding festivities were over and everything had been taken down.

We have stayed in Karol Bagh many times, so were quite familiar with the area. We decided to go to the Jade Garden, a bar where we have eaten before. Given the early hour, we knew they would have food before the regular restaurants were open. Walking in this city is always interesting! There are sidewalks, but as you can see below, they are often co-opted by shops -- or if not that, by parked scooters. So we walk along the street and traffic flows around us.

Fortunately, Jade Garden was open, although we were the only patrons. We had lots of attention from the waiters. We had honey potatoes (French fries in a sweet sauce with sesame seeds, a diet special 😉) and chili paneer. Both were on the spicy side for me, and we talked our waiter into bringing us some dahi (yogurt) to cut the heat. ("You want raita? Plain? Really?")

Chili paneer

The walk back to the Metro was pretty long and I was fading fast. We got back to our hotel around 7:30, showered, and slept for 10 hours. 

One more note -- it is winter here in Delhi and everyone is wearing heavy sweaters and jackets. The temperature range is about 65-75°F and I am comfortable in a T-shirt!

Back to India

 It's just over six years since I was last in India. (Dan had a brief stopover here on the way home from Thailand once since then.) After two winters in other places, we are heading back to Chiang Mai for January and February. We decided to leave early and stop for a visit with old friends in India.

As usual, our flight arrived in Delhi in the early morning hours. After getting through immigration (a breeze with the e-visa) and gathering our luggage, we went to the prepaid taxi stand and got a ride to our hotel. We are members of the Hyatt hotel chain and were able to use points to stay at the Hyatt Centric Janakpuri Hotel, a much nicer place than we usually have stayed. We got settled in our room about 3:30 AM and grabbed a few hours of sleep.

The hotel breakfast was good. When we arrived about 8:30, there was quite a mob of people at the buffet. The host seated us in a quiet area and immediately a waiter came and offered to get us our food so we wouldn't have to fight the crowd. (Do we look that old??!! Oh well, it was very nice.) He brought us desi chai, then omelets, fruit and toast. The chai came from a cart and we went back several times for refills.

You can see the large urn with chai. In the lower left is a rack for carrying multiple cups. We saw him going from table to table offering servings. It was served in small glasses, very authentic. And delicious! When I pulled out my phone to take the picture, he thought I should be in it and he would take it, but I said no, I wanted him in it.

After breakfast Dan went out to find an ATM and get us Metro cards for riding around the city. Our hotel is right at one of the stations, very convenient. Soon we will go to a phone store and get SIMs to have a local number while we are here.