Touristy Stuff

Did some sight-seeing today. Sight-seeing comes with all the extra hassles of touts and exhorbitant auto-rickshaw prices. I agreed to visit two shops for one of the touts - I felt sorry for him, and didn't cost me anything except time, of which I have too much. The owners of the first shop asked what I was looking for. I didn't really know. We have shawls or carpets. I stood surrounded by wooden carvings and brass statues, and vases, and Kashmiri papier mache. What are you looking for? We have shawls or carpets. I don't want shawls or carpets. I said goodbye and they ignored me. That just winds me up. The second shop I stayed a bit longer - a few other Westerners were being shipped in too. My tout was happy.

My first stop was India Gate. I finished an ice-cold 1.2 litre bottle of water in about a minute. India Gate is this Arc de Triomph building, on a huge square (I couldn't even see the other side of it). A two or three kilometer six-lane-boulevard (in each direction) connected it to parliament. The scale of that whole area is bewildering. Especially for pedestrians trying to cross six lanes of traffic that doesn't really care much about you. And the maps are confusing, and very few people know where the National Gallery of Modern Art is, so one mistake in the wrong direction - could be costly mistake in terms of time and energy spent walking in the heat.

After the gallery I was accosted by a Sikh auto-rickshaw driver. Again I felt benevolent and allowed him to take me to two shops, and then for free to Indira Ghandi's home. They wanted to charge ridiculous prices in their pressure sales tactics.

Indira Ghandi's Memorial Home (beautiful home) - the absolute highlight of Delhi so far. I'd love to learn more about Sonia Ghandi - the Italian lady who met Rajiv Ghandi in Cambridge when they were both studying there. She then married and moved to India. After Indira's asassination at her home (a glass plate marked the spot; they even had her Sari she was wearing on display), Rajiv - her son - took over. What a turn Sonia's life must have taken. Studying at Cambridge, and then becoming the First Lady of India. She even became the president of the Congress Party, to become prime minister of India.

Then to Teen Murti - Nehru's home. Then to parliament, and all along Raj Path direction India Gate. All these roads were wide tree-lined roads - a typical embassy area. I eventually got an auto-rickshaw to Connaught Place for delicious South Indian food.

I'd say a good 20km walk today.