The trip is virtually over, the song is near sung, yet there was one more place to visit before heading off out for the final meal, and thus I found myself outside the Masonic Hall in Delhi, meeting a man considerably more senior that me for a guided tour,  If ever you needed an example of where Masonry works so well, then what happened would be ideal.  There I am, a third of the way round the world, I could be in the city alone on business (o.k. I’m staying with friends, just let that slide) and this gentleman, who just happens to be the most senior member in North India, is showing me around the building and treating me as if we’d known each other for years and were good friends.  On top of this he mentioned meetings that he was sure I could attend if I were still to be around.  And that sums much of masonry up, you can be virtually anywhere around the world, but not have to worry about being alone.

I got back to Simon and Ruth’s (as I’m going to petition the British Embassy in Delhi should be renamed) later than expected and having partaken in a few pakora (he was much senior to me so who was I to refuse free food ^^) to rest for an hour before we went out to dine at Punjabi by Nature, a rather good restaurant we’d saved for the end of my visit.  As is traditional for this area, the portions were large so we went for 2 mains and a dal.  The Non-Veg kebab mixed platter was very nice, worthy of getting on it’s own (it’s enough by itself for 2), however the real star was the Raan-E Punjab which is a whole leg of lamb slow cooked over tandor.  All the fat is rendered off and the meat is literally falling from the bone while still tender enough to almost melt in the mouth.  I was in heaven an episcopal experience, a must to try if ever you come here.  This was rounded off with a Dal Makhani, some rice and some breads.  Superb and a great way to end my visit to Delhi.

Now I’m back and facing packing, before a slightly earlier start so I can get to the airport for ~09:30 local time.

Till then, Ja Matte Neh.

Well today was that time on a holiday when most people are hit by panic.  A day to go and souvenirs to buy.  While not having many to get, I still always find tracing suitable ones to be an issue.  Fortunately there were two things in my favor.  First,  I’d already seen Dilli Haat and knew the potential it offered (and that many of the stalls would be different), and secondly Simon and Ruth (with whom I’m staying) are experts at ferreting out local craft shops, and so first stop of the day was back to Khan Market for one of these gems followed by a cash point.
With some success and having hit an ATM for what I expected to be enough for the rest of the holiday I then hit Dilli Haat.  It was around 11:30 and some of the stalls were still setting up, but I managed to have a decent look around and get all bases covered, except I also found myself having to barter harder than expected as I had come to realise I had withdrawn too little cash and I was at risk not being able to afford lunch (which was going to be only around the 100 rupee mark anyway).

Still my duty has now been done, I’ll hopefully get to have a node around the Masonic hall in about an hour and then we’re out for the evening, till then rest time.

There are several things to bare in mind when thinking about using a cycle rickshaw.  First they are not fast, and even getting started can very much depend upon the size and fitness of your rider.  Sure the younger kids tend to be cheeky and more enthusiastic, but at least make sure they can reach the pedals.  Secondly there’s not much protection in them, so in slow moving traffic (such as Old Delhi) they are fine, I’d not like to be on one any where were cars can move freely.  Third there are issues with suspension, or more accurately there is none.  Net result is you can be thrown forwards when it hits even the smallest rut in the road, so sit back and use your legs as braces on the foot rest.  And finally have a sense of humour and do not be in a hurry …

Simple plan for the day. Go to the Red Fort in Old Delhi, head to the famous Karim’s for lunch, then head over to the Spice Market, maybe via Chandi Chowk .   After all what could be more relaxing than exploring one of the world’s largest surviving forts/castles, travel through back street crowds to find a back street restaurant for which only have vague directions, then head along one of the most crowded shopping areas on the continent, but where it’s all out door.

What can be said about The Red Fort in Delhi. It’s arguably India’s second most famous landmark behind the Taj Mahal, and is the location for all major governmental announcements. It dominates the skyline of the old city and in theory is under tight security (it’s understandable that it should be, but I wasn’t convinced the armed guards could keep out a determined suicide attack like at the Mumbai hotel. On the scale of things it’s large, not necessarily high like Himeji-jo in Japan (which is on a hill), but it’s main wall is high and imposing and then there’s the fact that it covers such a large area.

You enter through the Lahore Gate (it faces the direction of that city and maybe the old road there) and in true latter period castle design, turn 90 degrees before another high wall and imposing set of gates. The next part is slightly surreal as you now find yourself in a line of shops – the Chatta Chowk – these days very much a tourist trap, but apparently pre-British Raj days the shops sold luxuries to the princes and visiting dignitaries.

Inside you are guide by ropes and a few armed guards, not that there’s much to see off the main area as there’s a major reconstruction program going on at the moment and part of the enclosed area is now a building site. Still the main areas are accessible, through an entrance gate and on to and around the main audience pavilion. Round the back of that is an entrance way to a military memorial museum (on the top floor of the pavilion), however I found it a waste of time – worth skipping. From this point on you’re in the inner grounds which once upon a time must have been spectacular. One can only hope that among the parts being reconstructed and repaired will be the water works as there is a myriad of water ways and a pool house , plus the baths and cooling stream that flows through the palatial pavilions at the back, including where the Peacock Thrown once sat.

It’s strange that while I was not disappointed with my visit and while also having spent more time there than anywhere else in Delhi (or at any other UNESCO World Heritage site as far as I can remember), my over all impressions were that I was non-plussed. I can now say that I have visited all three of Delhi’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, but come lunch time I had decided that if I’d not managed to see the fort it would not have been a big issue. Certainly Humayun’s Tomb and Qutab Complex are far more worth the visit if you’re short on time in this city.

Next up was lunch. I’d been tipped off (plus all the guides mention) a legendary eatery in Old Delhi, Karim’s. A hard to find place near the rear of the big mosque. I had been given directions, and they were not bad. The only sign posts you see are once you get to the final street which it’s just off. So despite touts, beggars and cycle rickshaws, I made my way across the busy, chaotic road outside the fort and crossed over then head down the road past some stalls, a bus stop and some more chaos, before turning right in to the street that goes down to, and then around the mosque. At the entrance is a market for Himalayan Refugees – i.e. where they can sell their goods, plus some food sellers (check my pictures for some street shots). With the attitude of ‘when in Rome’ I found myself walking along the road, around traffic, and any where I could find space. Eventually, and post some map checking, I found the restaurant.

Karim’s actually fills 3 large rooms all off a hotel courtyard, with the kitchens in another part. It’s just like your typical Bangladeshi cafe you’d find down Brick Lane in London, except a lot cheaper. To be honest, while it was an experience, the food was too oily and I’d only say it was average, still at least I can say I’ve been there.

Post lunch (which was a late one) my aim was to walk to the spice market (Khari Baoli). Leaving Karim’s I stepped in front of a cycle rickshaw while trying to dodge a beggar and took him up on his offer a ride – I knew which way to go but I suspected I’d get the tour. To be honest he was a young cheeky chap and quite fun, plus as soon as he suddenly complained about the traffic and said he was going to take another route I knew what was going to happen. Thus a tour of all the markets up Chandni Chowk ensued, before being dropped outside a spice stall where he obviously knew the owner. New negotiations over price occurred as he wanted extra for the tour so we came to a rate neither of us was happy with and then he was further put down by the fact I did not want to buy anything from his friends (or more accurately where he had a pre-agreed commission set up). I thus wandered on in a semi random way past stalls of spices (though no saffron alas) until I felt it was time to turn left to get to the Chowri Bazaar metro station. Alas I had gone far too far and I do mean FAR TOO far and ended up walking the very long way round. Still I got there in the end and took the underground 6 stops to the Race Course station (nearest one to all the embassies) from where I then got an auto-rickshaw back.

So not necessarily the longest of days as I was back by about quarter to five, however there was an awful lot of walking involved and I can now say I’ve done the cycle rickshaw thing as well. Tonight we’re eating in then drinking the bottle of Dows 1980 Vintage port I brought with me, or rather myself and Ruth will be drinking it, Simon’s on antibiotics for a bad cough for another 2 days – suppose we better leave him some.

In the west we’re used to postcards, in fact much of the world seems to be except Japan and … India.  I’d forgotten how hard it was to get them when I was in Chennai and now in Delhi I’ve the same problem.  Net result is I guess my familly and friends will just have to read here rather than receive badly scrawled pieces of cardboard.

Tripadvisor can be useful for restaurants, especially this time round at lunch as I don’t have to think about evening ones.  The only catch has been that up to now the map function had not been set for Delhi, net result I can restaurants online, but have no clue where they are in real life.  This morning this all changed and now I head out to Old Delhi with several badly drawn reference maps to guide me.

I know a few people reading this will be surprised that I’m not eating out every night.  The reason is simple, I’m staying with friends and it’s never going to be practical for them, on top of which is the fact they have a young kid and are not going to be able to get a baby sitter every night.  So the count so far has been two take-outs (including one from Moti Mahal, who created Butter Chicken – from where we get Chicken Tikka Massalla) and one home cook.

Tonight (and the same will happen on my final night here, Thursday), we went out to a restaurant.  On this occasion to a rather good Southern Indian restaurant in the Defence Colony area, Swagath.  There’s no real starters here so we ordered 4 dishes between the three of us. Murgh Tikka Lababdar – a less buttery version of Butter Chicken, Pomfert Hariyal – pomfret fish in a green masalla, Chettenad Pepper Chicken, and Kadipatha Mushrooms – which was the hottest of our dishes (all bar the Lababdar were hot).  Those along with a couple of roti, a paratha and a rice, plus 3 beers, 2 lassis and 1 water came I at just over 3000 rupees, or under 40 quid.  The food was very good well worth a trip over to this tatty area (with lots of decent food haunts).

This morning’s venture was to the Qutab Complex, the second of Delhi’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, and home to the tallest minaret (if that’s what it is) in the world, plus an iron pole that’s over 1500 years old yet won’t rust nor corrode.  From the outside you can see the top of the Qutab Minar, but it’s only once you go inside and see it’s base hat you realise just how truly impressive it is. It quite literally looms over the mosque/tomb/madras complex, like a space rocket ready for take off to another planet. It’s not the only impressive thing here either, though nothing else matches it for it’s scale. Much of the place is in ruins, it is a 13^th century site after all that has not been used in a long time, but some of the buildings still contain their engravings and it’s all mighty impressive. As well as the Minar (where I saw someone sitting on the third balcony – must have been staff as there’s a locked gate to the internal stairs) there’s also the famous iron bar. This dates from the 4^th century (so roughly 9 hundred years older than this site) and was moved here post some conquest. The key thing about it is that it just won’t rust and no one know why, or even how it was made.

The complex took me a good hour and a half to two hours to complete, after which it was time for lunch so I went to an area called Hauz Khaz, ignored the ruins there and instead went to the deer park where there’s a famous restaurant, Park Balluchi. I tried their speciality dish, Murgh Potli, chicken strips stuffed with spiced minced lamb and chicken and it was very nice. The peanut masalla, was on the other hand not so good and did not go with my main course, something the waiter should have pointed out, and here was the downside to this place. The service was slow and low end (where as they are trying to push themselves as a fine dining restaurant).

Lunch over and I went to the National Museum. This was some what dry and the old building it’s housed in is not a suitable location as the rooms seem almost random and it’s very hard to go round in the correct display order. I then returned, but rather than ringing Simon and Ruth for their driver, I decided to take an auto-rickshaw and was semi-ripped off, but only semi and it was not that bad, just frustrating.

This evening we’re out (one baby sitter has been resourced for Tom) to Swaggath – review to follow later.

Today did not quite go as planned, but for all the right reasons.  I had always planned to visit Humayun’s Tomb and Safdarjung’s Tomb in the morning, do lunch at Khan Market, then hit the National Museum in the afternoon.  The latter being an after thought to fill the day as the first two sites were only expected to take me an 60-90 minutes and 30-60 minutes respectively.

Humayun’s Tomb is a large and spectacular UNESCO World Heritage site which predates the Taj Mahal, but is similar in architectural style plus in the fact is was built in memory, on this occasion the widower rather than a widow.  The main path from the entrance takes you through several gates then in to the main gardens with the main tomb straight ahead of you, however there are other paths and buildings leading off to the side (mainly on the south).  Not all of these were open or even accessible as the whole site is undergoing a very extensive (and expensive) restoration.   Unfortunately Isa Khan’s hexagonal tomb appeared to be one of those (else I just plain manged to miss it while walking all the way round), however I think I saw everything else I wanted to, I certainly spent longer than I expected, resulting in it taking me right up to lunch.
One thing about most World Heritage Sites is that they are very popular and become very busy very quickly.  I got to Humayun’s Tomb around 10:00 so not long after opening, and as a result my loaned driver had no problems parking and it was nice and peaceful.  When I went to leave coach parties were arriving in numbers and we did have to wait for several buses to move out of the way before being able to leave.

With it now being past midday it was time for a change in schedule and lunch so I headed over to Khan Market to go to the famous Khan Chacha for one of chicken tika roti rolls.  Cheap and superb were the results, I should have grabbed a second as they aren’t that large, but I’ll survive 😉  Post lunch I went for a wander round as on the previous quick occasion most places were closed.  Aside from lots of food places and grocery shops, much of the rest there are high end living shops (sunglasses, higher end clothing, cameras, etc).

It was now getting on for two and the need for a decission.  For the National Museum the guides recommend half a day, so heading straight there would be fine, however I still wanted to do Safdarjung’s Tomb so that was where I went next.

Safdarjung’s Tomb was the one of the last pieces of Mughal archiecture in the area.  As it’s not a World Heritage site it does not attract the crowds, however it’s also the base for the Dehli circle of the Archeological Survey of India, meaning a number of the famous pavilions are actually offices for them and despite being a tranquil place there are cars parked inside outside their main building, making for a slightly odd environment.  Added to this is the fact that maintenance and restoration of the tomb do not appear to be high on the list of priorities, so while from afar the main building looks interesting, close up it looks tatty with signs of delapidation.  Perhaps once much of the work on Humayun’s Tomb is complete some of the artisans may be moved here.

By the time I had finished it was ~14:30 and I was left with a dilema.  Head to the National Museum now and I might not get the car back in time for Ruth to collect Tom from school.  Get a motorised rickshaw to the museum was an option, but then by the time I would have got there I would only have managed a couple of hours before it closed – potentially not enough.  Thus I decided to leave the museum to another day and to head back and relax.

I may have been a bit brief yesterday on my first write-ups.

Dilli Haat feels a bit like an old compound that’s been converted, however it was purposely built and is relatively new. The old feel is probably just a side effect of trying to market stalls feel traditional. The main thing for me that stands out though was the colours. If you look at my photos you’ll see lots of bright reds, purples, oranges, greens and blues, lots of contrast.

A bit on the weather. It’s dry here, though I believe it was raining last week. Temperature wise it’s a bit like an early English spring during the day time, except dryer. The suhn is bright, though not that strong, partly due to having to pass through a light polution resultant haze. In the evenings, however, it’s presently colder than in the UK – not freezing, but only about 5 or 6 degrees.

A slow lazy Sunday morning was followed by a trip to Dilli Haat which is a dedicated out door Indian crafts centre with an ever changing set of themes (so if you go every 2 to 3 weeks you will see many different stalls).  I was looking for souvenirs and may well go back there later in the trip for the same, however I bought nothing (unlike Simon and Ruth, the friends I’m staying with).  Having said that is was a great place and I was only partly stopped by the items I liked being far too large to even think about bring (or sending back).  One of the things about the market is that they have a food area, where each stall is from a different region.  We ate at the Nagaland food stall where we had momo (which I hitherto thought only came from Nepal).

Post the market we had a quick zip around Khan Market for some fresh chicken,  This place supposedly has the most expensive retail rent prices for area in the country.  Looking at it, it’s  tip.

I’ve now uploaded first batch of photos on to my Webshots account and need to start planning properly for my coming days.