Priscilla and I have been traveling by ourselves since April 1, except for our week with friends in Santiago, but now we're mixing it up again. We stayed for a week with old friends living in New Delhi, and my brother Nick flew in too! Nick's also joining us for a week in Rajasthan (where we are now- posting on that later).
It's a great change of pace visiting friends (who helpfully planned pretty much our whole Delhi itinerary for us!). Staying in one (very nice) place, playing with their daughter, enjoying home-cooked food, and laughing about old (and new) stories.
Highlights included:
Qutb Minar, a brick tower constructed around 1200 AD and inscribed with verses from the Quran. The complex also includes India's first mosque (built by Hindu stonecarvers with salvaged Hindu temple pillars), the base of a second, much larger, uncompleted tower, and the Iron Pillar, which dates from 400 AD but has such a high phosphorus content that it's rust-free to this day.
Rickshaw tour through the narrow warrens and tangled wiring of Old Delhi, plus some shopping at the spice market.
Visit to the site of Gandhi's assassination.
The historical treasures of the National Museum.
15th century tombs at Lodi Gardens.
Lots of shopping! Indian clothing and souvenirs.
Foreign tourists in India get a lot of attention and questions, like "where are you from?" We were joking about pretending to be from other countries. Nick was haggling for souvenirs and Priscilla said we were from Gondor. The merchant was very startled: "It's very bad to say such things in India!" We thought Priscilla was busted for using a Lord of the Rings location, but the shopkeeper explained that Gondor sounds like a Hindi swear word. I told Nick and Priscilla they can only pretend to be from real countries from now on.
-Peter
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