We keep expecting something to happen but so far so good... Kuldeep our driver offered us chai from a street vendor yesterday and we took it, it was great! Then he said try some red beans and rice we did and it was great too! Then we ate at a restaurant in the Chandni Chowk... iced drinks... all good!
We saw monuments and tombs yesterday, the Lotus Temple of the Bahai faith, Humayuns Tomb including Isah Khan tomb and an old mosque, we drove by the red fort but didn't go up to it too hot by then, or the Jamah Masjid it will be there for a while... the Gandhi museum was uplifting and you could really feel how much he is revered and loved by so many (though there are detractors too due to the separation he grudgingly gave in to)... anyway, a thought provoking and inspiring place. What a huge difference a principled person can make if they devote themselves to it.
Today Sunday the 5th Julie hung out and worked on blogs while I went up and bummed around central Delhi, connaught place was not my cup of tea, though the metro ride up to model town, the walk back to the next metro stop, and ride back to central secretariat was cool and relaxing... people taking great pride in having a shiny new metro to ride, and it's below ground so it's cool!
After a cool shower (one of the joys of being in Delhi in this heat) and a little nap we took a tuk-tuk up to the Habitat Centre and International Center, to find there were 2 plays tonight, one sold out the other not starting for a few hours. We agreed to go back another time, but stopped in for dinner at their eating emporium which was great for veg food of all types, highlighted by fresh squeezed lime or watermelon juice, and butterscotch ice cream for dessert!
Another tuk-tuk ride took us to Lajpat Nagar market, we weren't sure it would be open on a Sunday night but it happens to be the biggest day of the week! It was jam packed bumper to bumper down the main street all night, and the side avenues and market blocks were shoulder to shoulder much of the way. We discovered mushki's (I hope i've remembered it right)... which are like snow cones, but the guy has a block of ice he hand shaves into your cup, then it's pressed in and a stick put in, your choice of sauce, and there you are! Icy sweet and cooling for 15 cents!
Julie picked up 3 more salwars, a pair of camel hide shoes, a henna design on her left hand and arm, and I picked up my first kurta and pyjama outfit, and a couple other light cotton pants and 2 more long shirts, but they're a little tight I'll have to go back when they reopen Tues and haggle some more... also got 12 large handkerchiefs which will serve as head covers for me.
We had a great time haggling over prices and jostling with the crowd... as it's been most of our time here we see tens of thousands a day but all today only 3 "white like us" people...but we haven't felt out of place at all, the people are so respectful and well mannered, wish it was like this at home!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
2nd day in Delhi
We are not up so early today, I'm up at 7:30 and Julie 8:15, breakfast is 8:30. We go down, by now everyone knows we are leaving after breakfast so it is a little odd... but we sit down to a wonderful breakfast of granola, milk, juice, fresh cut papaya, bananas, eggs, toast, some type of paan fried bread, coffee or tea, a dish called boha? rice, vermicelli, greenpeas, and the fried potatoes with spices. Fortunately a couple from Kazakstan comes in and we have conversation over breakfast and it eases the situation. They are up from her training for NCSB bank customer service training in Hyderabad, and are leaving on a 5 night tour of the Golden Triangle, Agra, Jaipur, and Rajasthan. We talk about the weather it is so cold there, and the horsemeat is so good you would love it if you tried! The man Iliya scoffs at the small tea cup, don't you have a bigger cup!?, he asks (she translates)... the cookman brings another glass... no, get more hot water! he says, and he takes a bowl and pours his tea into it, soon he has the bowl full of hot water with just the one tea bag but he is happy as he drinks it down... different people everywhere, eh? We finish up and get packed, I settle the bill (there was no extra charge for early cancellation discussed), and they hand us a thank you gift of 4 embroidered cushion covers in a color that will match perfectly with the new slip cover my wife has bought for the love seat. Then precisely at 10:00 a car is out front and 2 guys are trying to stuff our bags, their tools and cooler into the back of the car. We arrive in East Kailash about 30 mins later, and are immediately welcomed upstair into a nice B&B, maybe a little bit nicer than the one we were in, but not in a home, this is like a hotel. There were 3 men to take care of us and our bags, we could not touch anything. We were met by the owner, Mr Sial, and he advised us Desraj the manager was onsite 24x7 and would take care of anything we need.
The leave and we start to settle in a little, but there is only one bed in the room... so I go out to talk to Desraj about this, we prefer 2 beds, as we are father and daughter... no problem! Tea bags! Yes we have tea bags.... no, no two beds, two beds, we need a room with two beds! ... Finally with the help of the 2 other men we figure out "separate beds".... and they dash in to strip the covers and under the bedding and pads discover the bed is 2 mattresses pushed together, and in a short short we have 2 separate beds made up separated by a foot.
Next we need a sim card for the phone, and a power adapter to plug in the laptop. No problem! Simran Sial has shown up now, the owners son, and he has been educated in the states, so he understands perfectly and sets us up. Desraj takes us next door to the airtel office, where we find we have to fill out the forms, which include a passport size photo? Don't you have one? I turn the application over to Julie, she needs the sim card, and she has a picture... we take it back... but, didn't realize we have to have a sponsor sign, someone who knows and vouches for us, with a permanent address.. so Simran takes care of this for us, we round up the photo, and head back, to find out the phone won't unlock, she has to purchase a new phone now too. Anyway, after 1.5 hours we exit with a new phone and account in Julies name, with a pre-paid sim card and her choice of Delhi phone number, which will receive calls from the USA at no cost.
Simran has provided an adapter for the laptop, so we are good to go onto our other 2 ojectives for the day, see Lady Sri Ram College for women (a short walk up the road), and Miranda College for Women at Delhi U (we are about 15 kms away, on the south side of town and Delhi U is way north). We first have lunch at a new 3 store fast food shop on the way and have a delicious wheat flour pizza with all veg toppings, then to Lady Sri Ram. You may want to read Julies blog followmetodelhi.wordpress.com for more details and her take, mine is that Lady Sri Ram was quite spartan and reform school looking, and the beaurocracy is stifling. No you cannot go down that corridor, we are informed by one of the wardens, so we make our way to the dorms and no we can't see them... why not? can't we see a room? About this time an older gentleman, apparently very proud of his status showed up... young lady... he explained.... do you have your admission certificate? First, you must have your certificate of admission to the university... then, you may apply for admission to the college, and then, IF you are admitted, you may apply to stay in the student housing. "So are you saying we will not be allowed to even look at a room? I ask? Yes we understand the process this, then that, then the other must happen, we just want to see a room. Oh, well, then, if that's it the, yes, and he motions to the 3 lackeys... yes show them a room then. And we see it, ... appalling is the best description I can offer. No fan, No ac, 2 wood plank beds, 2 small desks, maybe a shelf. white walls. Nothing else. We push down to see the library on the way out, lo and behold it's the corridor we cannot go down... we did get to see it and appalling may be a little strong, but not too. We stop for a cool soda in the cafe, and yes there are stray cats lounging around looking for food.
We come out and get a tuk-tuk(auto rickshaw) all the way across town, a sensory overload adventure of some 40 minutes in the crazy traffic... 3 lanes clearly marked... 5 streams of traffic, moving like tall grass in the breeze, together, coming close but never touching. Nonnstop people on the roadsides, sleeping on the ground, cooking, living under tarps, walking, bicycling, waiting for buses, peeing, buses packed full, cars, cycles, tuk-tuks, trucks, we took some video hope to post in a day or two.
We find Miranda college and have an adventure getting the run around, looking for the dorms we are sent into a gate with apartments so stark, down and out, and scary looking Julies first words are "Nooo waaaaaay"! this cannot be it! Luckily it wasn't, and when we got to the guard shack and got in by saying we needed to see the warden, got into the office and made use of Ashoks card, he sent us to see the person in charge and we want to see a dorm... Have you your certificate of admission to the university? we go through this again, but eventually see the rooms, which while not the waldorf, are better than lady sri ram by a country mile. We then try to the the principal, get sent to an office to see a mr Agrawal, who asks, have you your certificate of admission to the university? And lets us know nothing can be done until that threshold has been surpassed. Thank you and good day, we are out of there, but need water by now. We go up the wrong street past a stinking drain and bunches of dirty filthy food stalls and motorcycle/bicycle repairs, all sorts, but find our water, 13 rupies for a litre bottle of cold nestle. Flag down a tuk-tuk, show the card of our hotel, and haggle the rate, the 3rd driver agrees and gets us to our room. After a 3 hour name we have an hour to shop in the market at Lajpat Nagar, where Julie gets 4 things and I get my haggling skills and price ranges down... steel will... not buying, but came close to getting some dress shirts 3-9 dollars and pants 10-20... handkerchiefs by the dozen first price 150, down to 90 by the time of my last no... think I can get 3 dozen for 200 tomorrow, if not better.
We're back for more veg pizza though Julie opts for veg roll and choc pie/cake delicacy... then late to the room and up til 2:00 blogging and planning our day tomorrow. We ordered a driver for a Delhi Blast tour... 7-8 hours seeing some of the monuments and sights and we'll take his shopping to the famous Chandni Chowk, the old market of Delhi... he will help us get good prices!
The leave and we start to settle in a little, but there is only one bed in the room... so I go out to talk to Desraj about this, we prefer 2 beds, as we are father and daughter... no problem! Tea bags! Yes we have tea bags.... no, no two beds, two beds, we need a room with two beds! ... Finally with the help of the 2 other men we figure out "separate beds".... and they dash in to strip the covers and under the bedding and pads discover the bed is 2 mattresses pushed together, and in a short short we have 2 separate beds made up separated by a foot.
Next we need a sim card for the phone, and a power adapter to plug in the laptop. No problem! Simran Sial has shown up now, the owners son, and he has been educated in the states, so he understands perfectly and sets us up. Desraj takes us next door to the airtel office, where we find we have to fill out the forms, which include a passport size photo? Don't you have one? I turn the application over to Julie, she needs the sim card, and she has a picture... we take it back... but, didn't realize we have to have a sponsor sign, someone who knows and vouches for us, with a permanent address.. so Simran takes care of this for us, we round up the photo, and head back, to find out the phone won't unlock, she has to purchase a new phone now too. Anyway, after 1.5 hours we exit with a new phone and account in Julies name, with a pre-paid sim card and her choice of Delhi phone number, which will receive calls from the USA at no cost.
Simran has provided an adapter for the laptop, so we are good to go onto our other 2 ojectives for the day, see Lady Sri Ram College for women (a short walk up the road), and Miranda College for Women at Delhi U (we are about 15 kms away, on the south side of town and Delhi U is way north). We first have lunch at a new 3 store fast food shop on the way and have a delicious wheat flour pizza with all veg toppings, then to Lady Sri Ram. You may want to read Julies blog followmetodelhi.wordpress.com for more details and her take, mine is that Lady Sri Ram was quite spartan and reform school looking, and the beaurocracy is stifling. No you cannot go down that corridor, we are informed by one of the wardens, so we make our way to the dorms and no we can't see them... why not? can't we see a room? About this time an older gentleman, apparently very proud of his status showed up... young lady... he explained.... do you have your admission certificate? First, you must have your certificate of admission to the university... then, you may apply for admission to the college, and then, IF you are admitted, you may apply to stay in the student housing. "So are you saying we will not be allowed to even look at a room? I ask? Yes we understand the process this, then that, then the other must happen, we just want to see a room. Oh, well, then, if that's it the, yes, and he motions to the 3 lackeys... yes show them a room then. And we see it, ... appalling is the best description I can offer. No fan, No ac, 2 wood plank beds, 2 small desks, maybe a shelf. white walls. Nothing else. We push down to see the library on the way out, lo and behold it's the corridor we cannot go down... we did get to see it and appalling may be a little strong, but not too. We stop for a cool soda in the cafe, and yes there are stray cats lounging around looking for food.
We come out and get a tuk-tuk(auto rickshaw) all the way across town, a sensory overload adventure of some 40 minutes in the crazy traffic... 3 lanes clearly marked... 5 streams of traffic, moving like tall grass in the breeze, together, coming close but never touching. Nonnstop people on the roadsides, sleeping on the ground, cooking, living under tarps, walking, bicycling, waiting for buses, peeing, buses packed full, cars, cycles, tuk-tuks, trucks, we took some video hope to post in a day or two.
We find Miranda college and have an adventure getting the run around, looking for the dorms we are sent into a gate with apartments so stark, down and out, and scary looking Julies first words are "Nooo waaaaaay"! this cannot be it! Luckily it wasn't, and when we got to the guard shack and got in by saying we needed to see the warden, got into the office and made use of Ashoks card, he sent us to see the person in charge and we want to see a dorm... Have you your certificate of admission to the university? we go through this again, but eventually see the rooms, which while not the waldorf, are better than lady sri ram by a country mile. We then try to the the principal, get sent to an office to see a mr Agrawal, who asks, have you your certificate of admission to the university? And lets us know nothing can be done until that threshold has been surpassed. Thank you and good day, we are out of there, but need water by now. We go up the wrong street past a stinking drain and bunches of dirty filthy food stalls and motorcycle/bicycle repairs, all sorts, but find our water, 13 rupies for a litre bottle of cold nestle. Flag down a tuk-tuk, show the card of our hotel, and haggle the rate, the 3rd driver agrees and gets us to our room. After a 3 hour name we have an hour to shop in the market at Lajpat Nagar, where Julie gets 4 things and I get my haggling skills and price ranges down... steel will... not buying, but came close to getting some dress shirts 3-9 dollars and pants 10-20... handkerchiefs by the dozen first price 150, down to 90 by the time of my last no... think I can get 3 dozen for 200 tomorrow, if not better.
We're back for more veg pizza though Julie opts for veg roll and choc pie/cake delicacy... then late to the room and up til 2:00 blogging and planning our day tomorrow. We ordered a driver for a Delhi Blast tour... 7-8 hours seeing some of the monuments and sights and we'll take his shopping to the famous Chandni Chowk, the old market of Delhi... he will help us get good prices!
First day in Delhi
Yesterday we woke early due to messed up body clocks we were up at 5:00a Delhi time, after tea and breakfast, we hired a driver for the day and he took us up to Delhi U, where Julie had to turn in her admission papers. Now we find out about the famous Indian beaurocracy! You don't just turn in your papers, first, you work your way up through the line of oh 25 or other students waiting there, to put your name on the list, then you wait. About an hour and a half, a good time to make friends and become acquainted with the other foreign students in line, although, in the 90 plus heat, without ac of course, and a little fan over by the guard, it was quite sweltering in the hallway everyone is dripping sweat but you cannot leave for what if they call your name? Finally they do, and they take her papers. So these must now go to the admission council, and they will be in contact with you. Uh, in a day, 2 days, a week? How long might it be? Shrug... who knows?! They will be in contact with you by email, or mail.
Next we make contact with Julies Rotary host Ashok, yes we should come by his office in Karol Bagh, the driver gets instructions on the phone in Hindi and off we start, around India gate, and by now since it's almost 2:00pm, we stop for lunch. Nice good if very spicy veg food, about $13 total for both. Continuing on to Ashoks office, which is upstairs in a very busy market area, his "peon" comes down to meet our car, we sit until a guy taps on the car, then we follow. We're led down the muddy alley, watch a minivan back into a motorcycle and knock it back into the truck parked behind it in the alley, and upstairs in an open stairway past business of sorts you cannot figure, with people just sitting waiting. At the 2nd fl we're led through an office of 5 or 6 guys in tiny cubicles, no ac of course, working with papers, phones, and maybe a computer or two... definitely looks like 1960's office, cramped, papers everywhere. In Ashoks office, which is air conditioned, the peon brings in glasses of cool water, "it's good" Ashok assures us as we look at each other... Delhi water is not drinkable for westerners, you will get bad "Delhi Belly" diarea for days if you do... but I digress... Ashok asks what is going on with Julies admittance to the U, and shakes his head knowingly as we describe the ordeal. Show me your papers, he says... Julie shows him what she didn't give to admissions. Always keep at least 2 copies with you of all papers at all times, he says, and he copies them on a little desktop fax/copier. He looks them over carefully, then tells us we must go back and ask to see the proctor of a particular college, and say that he has sent us. (This will have to be tomorrow, it's nearly 4:00 by now). Then about where are you staying? I describe the B&B I found after months of search and correspondence, and he says, you'll have to move, I know someone who owns a B&B in a better place, and he get's on the phone, what are you paying? I tell him and the next thing he is hanging up and it is all arranged, we must tell our host, where we've been for 1 night, we're checking out in the morning, not staying the 8 nights I have booked. A car will come for us at 10:00 am in the morning to take us where we don't know. The peon brings green tea and we have a cup and talk more about Julies school and living options, then his wife arrives and after a short visit it's time to leave. They walk us out and we find our driver and head back to the B&B.
Nap time 5-7, before dinner at 8:00... how was your day? asked our host... so I tell her we are needing to move out in the morning it was quite awkward. After naps, we go for dinner and explain what we can to them, dinner was fabulous by the way, veg dal, paan, jasmine rice, eggplant, and some things we didn't know but were delicious! We talked a lot about the american economy, politics, and the effects of the financial crisis on "average" americans, then retire to pack for our morning departure. By now it's close to 11:00 and we have no trouble getting to sleep quickly.
Next we make contact with Julies Rotary host Ashok, yes we should come by his office in Karol Bagh, the driver gets instructions on the phone in Hindi and off we start, around India gate, and by now since it's almost 2:00pm, we stop for lunch. Nice good if very spicy veg food, about $13 total for both. Continuing on to Ashoks office, which is upstairs in a very busy market area, his "peon" comes down to meet our car, we sit until a guy taps on the car, then we follow. We're led down the muddy alley, watch a minivan back into a motorcycle and knock it back into the truck parked behind it in the alley, and upstairs in an open stairway past business of sorts you cannot figure, with people just sitting waiting. At the 2nd fl we're led through an office of 5 or 6 guys in tiny cubicles, no ac of course, working with papers, phones, and maybe a computer or two... definitely looks like 1960's office, cramped, papers everywhere. In Ashoks office, which is air conditioned, the peon brings in glasses of cool water, "it's good" Ashok assures us as we look at each other... Delhi water is not drinkable for westerners, you will get bad "Delhi Belly" diarea for days if you do... but I digress... Ashok asks what is going on with Julies admittance to the U, and shakes his head knowingly as we describe the ordeal. Show me your papers, he says... Julie shows him what she didn't give to admissions. Always keep at least 2 copies with you of all papers at all times, he says, and he copies them on a little desktop fax/copier. He looks them over carefully, then tells us we must go back and ask to see the proctor of a particular college, and say that he has sent us. (This will have to be tomorrow, it's nearly 4:00 by now). Then about where are you staying? I describe the B&B I found after months of search and correspondence, and he says, you'll have to move, I know someone who owns a B&B in a better place, and he get's on the phone, what are you paying? I tell him and the next thing he is hanging up and it is all arranged, we must tell our host, where we've been for 1 night, we're checking out in the morning, not staying the 8 nights I have booked. A car will come for us at 10:00 am in the morning to take us where we don't know. The peon brings green tea and we have a cup and talk more about Julies school and living options, then his wife arrives and after a short visit it's time to leave. They walk us out and we find our driver and head back to the B&B.
Nap time 5-7, before dinner at 8:00... how was your day? asked our host... so I tell her we are needing to move out in the morning it was quite awkward. After naps, we go for dinner and explain what we can to them, dinner was fabulous by the way, veg dal, paan, jasmine rice, eggplant, and some things we didn't know but were delicious! We talked a lot about the american economy, politics, and the effects of the financial crisis on "average" americans, then retire to pack for our morning departure. By now it's close to 11:00 and we have no trouble getting to sleep quickly.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Delhi !
So we have made it here, 26 hours door to door, the long leg from Chicago went over Greenland, Iceland, and came down through Russia and over Pakistan... we were so happy to see the driver "Frank" (Raj) holding up our name sign. Not at all prepared for what we saw coming in. The airport was like one anywhere else, til we got in the long health check line, where the rubber stampers checked our papers and asked a few questions (have you had cough, sore throat, or fever)? so fast I had to ask 3 times to repeat what are you saying? Oh, no.. then on to the customs line where the attendent has 3 people in line, serves one, then up and leaves. What do you make of that? Another fellow in a few minutes waves us over to another line, then we find the baggage and get some money changed before running the gauntlet of a hundred or so drivers lining both sides leading out to the exit. After a long walk through a very crowded lot of tiny cars, tuk-tuks (3 wheel motorized open air taxis), all kinds of people milling everywhere, and a lot of hundreds of motorcycles jammed together, we're on the gurgaon road to the ring road for a 45 minute ride better than any thrill ride I've even been on... the lines don't count, the rule of the road is the biggest vehicle rules the road, bicycles and cycles (motorcycles) bewarned and get out of the way!
We arrived at A-6 New Friends Colony East so tired the driver and host carried our bags up to our 3rd fl room, which was quite nice, if within hearing distance of the Mathura Rd/Ring Road intersection, one of the busiest in Delhi. Horns all night, they didn't stop, and we were up at 5:00am which was 3:30 in the afternoon the day before by our out of wack body clocks. So that's getting here, tomorrow is our first day!
We arrived at A-6 New Friends Colony East so tired the driver and host carried our bags up to our 3rd fl room, which was quite nice, if within hearing distance of the Mathura Rd/Ring Road intersection, one of the busiest in Delhi. Horns all night, they didn't stop, and we were up at 5:00am which was 3:30 in the afternoon the day before by our out of wack body clocks. So that's getting here, tomorrow is our first day!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sure gonna miss my bike...
Rode home a little slower today, off to vacation 3 weeks, NOT takin my bike this year… just looked like too much hassle. Have the promise of buying one cheap to tool around Delhi after getting rested… we leave tomorrow morning, no time for a ride... put my bike away tonight, gonna be a long 3 weeks, but maybe there will be a good one waiting in India.
Still can’t believe I’m going to India, must have been I grew up watching Tarzan all the time, I always dreamed of going there and riding around with the crowd. 2 days and I’ll be there… looking for a bike to ride...
Still can’t believe I’m going to India, must have been I grew up watching Tarzan all the time, I always dreamed of going there and riding around with the crowd. 2 days and I’ll be there… looking for a bike to ride...
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Critical mass Orlando and NBA Playoffs
For lack of a good critical mass orlando link... commuteorlando.org is the best site in town all they need to do is add the CM info to their wide and comprehensive array of information.Rode on critical mass orlando yesterday w maybe 200 others. It was good to get out with all the other types united by their passion for 2 wheel travel. Had police stopping the traffic at some places, threatening to give tickets for blocking all lanes and running red lights at others. Not sure what we're supposed to be doing really, anyway it was a nice warm ride to finish off the week. Got a quickie 10 miles in this morning before heading to the office and fortunately need to get to the whole foods on the way home so another 10 at least today. Didn't stop at B3 with the gang after the ride, I'm overdue for that... but went home and out to dinner w the fam to Forbidden City, Fran (owner) is going home to Saigon for a month her dad has serious health issues but she is still positive and a joy to talk to. Watching the Laker win last night if the Magic make it to the final I think the matchups and bench depth will favor LA. See you on the road! If not... the Lakers/Cavaliers will remind you of the Road Runner and WILEY Coyote...
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Bike to work week
so it's national bike to work week, not many people know about it. as the rest of the country/world advances... here our legislature just abandoned the commuter rail, just like they abandoned the light rail 10 yrs ago... i'd be happy if the cops and city workers and super whopper suv drivers would just stay out of the bike lane. Clearly signed, Bike LANE, picture of cycles ONLY!. Must be the water down here.
But it is bike week, I I was in a bike shop at lunch, the owner didn't know... yeah, I'll have to ride in on Friday (guess he drives other days). Where's the good news?! We got a bunch of people riding in Friday at least 5 or more that don't normally ride, and 3 more have asked about the bus this week. We are about 90% on our 1st surveymonkey transportation survey... and I hear another person is going to turn in the ole gasser at lease end and go car-free. So it get's better.
But it is bike week, I I was in a bike shop at lunch, the owner didn't know... yeah, I'll have to ride in on Friday (guess he drives other days). Where's the good news?! We got a bunch of people riding in Friday at least 5 or more that don't normally ride, and 3 more have asked about the bus this week. We are about 90% on our 1st surveymonkey transportation survey... and I hear another person is going to turn in the ole gasser at lease end and go car-free. So it get's better.
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