07/30/22 rickshaws and rainfalls

 July 30 rickshaws and rainfalls

Masala Chai makes the world a better place. After a lovely breakfast our motley crew of travellers loaded onto the bus for a jam packed day. 

Our day began with a visit to a massive Hindu temple, Akshardham. I cannot even begin to describe the intricate carvings and ornate beauty. The complex is made from sandstone while the inside of the temple is carved in Italian marble. 

To protect and preserve the temple we were not allowed to carry anything on our person: no phones (hence internet images), gum, bags, cameras, cigarettes, lighters etc. 

It was a HOT day today. That said, the real enemy is the humidity. 4 bottles of water later….

We were off to the races, quite literally. We took bicycle rickshaws through the narrow streets of old Delhi. It is quite the site to behold. The colours, the smells and the sounds are other worldly. 

We rode through the “wedding district”. Here, a bride and her family can come to poke through stalls, to barter for discoveries and delights and to shop for her special day. She can buy everything from shoes and dresses to gold earrings and bangles. Literally everythingfrom head to toe. we stopped in the Delhi spice market before making our way to the Mahatma Ghandi memorial. The spice were fragrant and delicious. The shop keeper gave us various spices to taste or smell. Never having had black cardamom I gave it a try. It is VERY strong. I bought a small bag which is probably enough for me to bequeath to great grandchildren. lunch was at a local restaurant and was served “country style”, it began with a delicious tomato soup. I think it was made with cinnamon and nutmeg. It was quite lovely. We managed to avoid the rain while at lunch. I’m not sure if it would have been refreshing or simply a hot water dousing. 

There was a Starbucks next door, so I could resist. We had a berry lemonade that was fun and refreshing. 

We had two more stops planned for the afternoon. But when combined with the heat and the flight here, the inevitable was at hand. We were exhausted. We made our last stop at the beautiful Bahia temple, known as the Lotus Temple. It is truly a construction of beauty, art, peace, engineering capability and a lot of math! It is my favourite place to visit in Delhi.

We made it back to the hotel somewhat disheveled and damp. We managed to dodge another rain shower!!      

About half of us made a beeline for the pool. Sadly, it was only open for about 15 minutes - but what a treat. 

Our meal was served in the dining area. Today I discovered the richest hot chocolate pudding; it was like the filling from a1990s lava cake. 

The best treasure was to finally connect with Linda B. Not only did she arrive from the airport but she also managed to find, acquire and bring the two missing pieces of luggage from Canada. 

An incredible Day 1