Page 30 - Explore Magazine Spring 2016
P. 30

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                                     DELHI DELIGHT






                                    Tracey Lynch of helloworld Nelson samples the food and shopping in Delhi.

                              As a stopover, Delhi is an opportunity to experience a   When we got off at Connaught Place we got our bearings
                              small taste of what India has to offer. It’s completely exotic   and headed off around the horseshoe-shaped area looking
                              and will give you as much culture, adventure, spiritualism   in the shops and stalls. Books, trinkets, jewellery, crafts,
                              and diversity as you want or can take.    clothing – both Western and Indian – and even a mix of
                                                                        both at the famous Fabindia store. We spent hours doing
                              Our first day’s touring took us to Qutub Minar, a red   the full circle and luckily there were plenty of restaurants,
                              sandstone minaret dating from the 13th century that words   cafés and eateries to give us the sustenance to keep going.
                              will never do justice to. The detailed and intricate carvings   We stopped for lunch in a small eatery and I had the most
                              on this impossibly tall structure were like jewellery to my   delicious aloo ghobi I have ever eaten (the recipe I was
                              eyes. How, why and when are all questions I asked.
                                                                        given from the chef is shown here for you to try your hand),
                              Next stop was Jama Masjid, built by Shah Jahan between   followed with an equally delicious masala chai. Indians
                              1644 and 1656, and one of the largest mosques in India.   always smile when you ask for one.
                              You do have to climb some pretty steep steps at times but   Once we’d had our fill of shopping we grabbed a rickshaw
                              it is totally worth it.
                                                                        ride to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, the most prominent Sikh
                              We followed this with a rickshaw adventure through the   Temple in Delhi. Not only is this a temple with a holy pool
                              crazy streets of Chandni Chowk market. Small narrow   but they also serve food here to thousands of people every
                              alleys are lined with equally small shops and market stalls.   hour of every day, all for free, to whoever walks through
                              Overhead are bird’s nests of electrical wiring connecting   the door. Beggar, businessman, holy man or tourist, no
                              them to the mains. We had a great driver who told us all   matter what colour, religion or caste, everyone gets fed.
                              the local history and stories and even stopped so we could   We walked through the temple, watched the ceremony
                              very quickly buy some fruit.              going on at that time and then made our way to the kitchen
                                                                        and watched the team of volunteers peeling, cutting,
                              The Delhi Metro system isn’t to be feared at all, but   cooking, stirring, serving and chatting. It was a sight that
                              the sheer size of the population using it can be a bit   warmed our souls. We were told that there was no need
                              mind-blowing. We took the Metro from our hotel to   for beggars in Delhi to be on the streets as they could all
                              Connaught Place to do some shopping. Like any other   be fed there.
                              major international city, Delhi has its Metro for workers
                              and visitors to use without having to take to the already   Other things you can see on a stopover are: Humayun’s
                              bursting roads. It runs like all other metro systems: find   Tomb (a Mughal Emperor), The Red Fort, a Bollywood show
                              where you are, find where you’re going and get on the right   at the Kingdom of Dreams complex, Delhi Gate, Ghandi’s
                              platform going in the right direction and get off at the right   memorial, and of course a day or overnight trip to Agra to
                              station.                                  see the mesmerising Taj Mahal.

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