We arrived in Delhi late Friday night, passed through immigration and customs, and met Unni, our tour guide for this trip. Driving from the airport to the hotel late at night we couldn’t see much of Delhi in the darkness, and the city was enshrouded by a dust storm. By the time we checked in at the Radisson Gurugram, and I unpacked and reset for today’s sightseeing, I get to sleep about 2:30a.
This morning we meet in the hotel for a quick review of the itinerary with Unni. Then we board our bus for a drive from New Delhi through Old Delhi to visit the Jama Masjid Mosque. This religious site requires that everyone wear special coverings and, like all temples in India, no shoes are allowed. Unni recommended that we all bring “temple socks” to wear when no shoes are allowed. Great idea, Unni!
Next Unni arranges for a rickshaw ride through the market around Jama Masjid. Sue and I share a rickshaw. The market is jammed with people, shops, cars, rickshaws. Absolute total and complete sensory overload. I spend more time just looking than focusing on taking pictures. After the ride we are back on the bus – passing by Lal Quila, the Red Fort, and Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation site – before stopping to exchange our dollars for rupees.
A couple of things to note so far … Our bus assistant provides a fresh bottle of water throughout the day. Much appreciated to know you’ve got a reliable source of water when visiting a place where the water quality is questionable. And the panhandlers and beggars who find you on the street are very aggressive. We knew this would be the case. I’m very popular. Not sure if my natural good looks make me appear to be wealthy or if it’s the expensive camera I’m holding.
Lunch is at Lutyens Cocktail Lounge. There is a spinach thing, a lentil thing, a couple of cheese things, some naan bread and a Kingfisher Premium beer. I really have no idea what we ate but it was pretty pretty spicy and pretty tasty.
After lunch we explored Humayun’s Tomb with its design and architecture similar to the Taj Mahal. Next a walking tour through the Qutb Archaeological Complex followed by traditional tea from Kashmir at the Cottage Industries Art Gallery.
Great first day in India! Tonight we see an outdoor sound and light presentation of the history of Delhi projected on the walls of the Old Fort. Tomorrow we head to Jaipur.
From the International Terminal at Munich Airport …
We arrive from Boston at 9:25a after a smooth overnight flight. Not much sleep on the way here, so we are going to need to power through today. First stop in Munich is Sissi & Franz for coffee and espresso. After a couple hours in Munich we board Lufthansa flight 762 to Delhi. We arrive late tonight, so the next update will be tomorrow.
From The Club Lounge in Logan Airport …
This trip starts with a spirited conversation on the way to Dulles with driver Christopher covering transportation network companies, the environment, and the state of the world today. I’m in Boston to meet up with Dr. Craven, Mickey and Donna, and the Milford travelers for our trip to India.
It was a dreary day in the DC area and JetBlue flight 56 was delayed 15 minutes due to weather. And it’s a chilly 37 degrees when I arrive in Boston. With daytime highs near 110 degrees for the second half of our trip I should probably enjoy the cold while it lasts.
Mickey and Donna arrived from the West Coast around 2:30p. We found some okay salads for a late lunch and our last leafy greens for the next week or so. Tonight we’re on Lufthansa flight 425 to Munich and tomorrow we fly to New Delhi. More tomorrow.
Highlights from our spring 2016 Incan adventure to Peru and Machu Picchu.
Final Cut Pro X and the Peru 2016 timeline
For those of you interested in the technical details …
Can’t edit without the guide book to check spelling
Something from last summer … an aerial sequence featuring a meadow filled with Rudbeckia Hirta – more commonly known as the black-eyed susan. The sequence was shot with the DJI Mavic Pro quadcopter and edited on Final Cut Pro X.
Technical details …
Michael S. Liberman