After a leisurely walk around the apartment complex with Tina from Lilly, Indi we shared a team breakfast together - everyone laughs when I call it brekkie - before heading out to immerse ourselves in the sights and sounds of Delhi.
First stop the local market in Haus Khas. Sunday was a public holiday so most shops were closed except for a few of the local fresh food vendors. Delhi reminds me a lot of Ho Chi Minh City combined with Bangkok. I love how everything runs as required despite the fact that back home it would be considered a security risk or dangerous...the list goes on.
After our local walk we piled into the wee jeeps owned by Cross Cultural Solutions, the volunteer company. Here our driver negotiated the Delhi traffic to the first stop - The Lotus Temple. It's festival season so everyone is out and about in their finery on the festival public holidays. Sunday was no different. The queue for the Lotus Temple was lengthy to say the very least and a vast array of beautiful colours and different nationalities and ages. Post a few pics of the Temple from afar, we ventured onto Humayun's Tomb. Upon arrival we were greeted by a snake charmer who continued to tell us he had "very lovely cobras"....yes, yes , yes we've all heard that before. You can picture how quickly I moved once the lid of his basket was lifted...eeek!!
Humayun's Tomb - wow, what an impressive piece of architecture! Definitely a must see when in Delhi. Shame we only had a set amount of time there. I could have wandered around the grounds for a while longer. From Humayun's Tomb we drove a short distance to The India Gate. Another significant piece of architecture. We did the drive by due to time. Enough of an opportunity to snap a pic or two and then head towards our home base.
We saw a monkey on the way home, waiting patiently to cross the road. Once there was no traffic, out he walked and crossed without hassle or a care in the world. It reminded me of South Africa. Too funny!
Our afternoon was a relaxed one with the Lilly Group, interrupted only by the witnessing of Dussehra Celebration and burning of effigies. The effigies were set alight and basically blew up because they were full of crackers....code for mini explosives. The noise made me jump and almost run for cover. I have to laugh because the same type of function in Australia wouldn't be legal. Remember firecracker night during the early 80's...yep it was just like that.
Yet another beautiful dinner and laughs shared with my Lilly friends.
Monday is cultural education day.
Namaste x
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