Alone In Delhi

Today after breakfast I hopped on the Metro and went to the center of New Delhi. Shashi and Shammi both had work so I was, for the first time, alone in Delhi. At first I thought nothing of it. However after about an hour of wandering through Connaught Place it dawned on me that this was the first time I had wandered the streets of Delhi by myself. I liked it. A lot. Usually when I am here I am with familiar people all the time, and on some kind of schedule. Today, however, I was alone and had time to kill. So I wandered, meandered, and strolled through the center of Delhi like I had absolutely no purpose. I browsed bookstores, handicraft shops, and any other shop that caught my fancy. I took the time to stop and talk to the people who were trying to sell me something I did not want or would not buy. I sat and read a book in the City Center Park.

Connaught Place is the center of Delhi's ongoing commercialization and gentrification. It is here where you will find Levi's stores, a Sony shop, and even a KFC. Because it is such a high traffic area, there are many people on the streets trying to sell random junk. Maps of India, travel chess sets, and plastic bracelets are the most common items being forced on the heaps of tourists that frequent Connaught Place. The many tourists (and middle class Indians) have also encouraged a large population of beggars to take up their posts in Connaught Place.

I use the term beggar because that is what their profession is. They are not homeless like we are used to in the US. The people here are not exactly homeless. They may not have a roof over their head, but wherever they live IS their home. People here live in crude shacks or on the street, but even the people who live on the streets live in a constant place that almost, if not actually, belongs to them in some way or another. They may not have a lease or a deed, but they know where they live, and so do other people. I suppose that there are cases like that in America, but the difference is how the rest of the society views it. Here, it is perfectly acceptable for a man running a news stand to sleep on a cot next to the news stand. but that is enough about that.

Today I was approached by an Indian man with an Australian accent. He wanted me to come with him to see his gallery. I happened to have plenty of time, and plenty of patience, so I decided to allow him to drag me through Delhi and try to sell me something. It turns out he works in a carpet gallery. I told them right up front that I was not interested in buying anything, but they insisted that I at least sit down and look at what they had to offer. They assured me that once I saw their wares I would not be able to live without them. So I spent the next hour learning about different qualities, materials, and patterns of oriental carpets. I must say that I was impressed by the quality of some of the carpets this gentleman showed me. some of them were absolutely beautiful. In spite of their beauty I declined to purchase any of their carpets, we said our goodbyes, and I was on my way.

By this time I was ready for lunch. I was near a place that I had been before and decided that it was as good a spot as any to sit down, have a drink, eat some lunch, and read a book. So I went to Rodeo. Rodeo is a wild west themed restaurant in Delhi. The waiters and waitresses all wear cowboy outfits with order pads in gun holsters. The bar has saddles for seats. And old time country music is always playing. I absolutely love this place. I suppose I love it because they aren't trying to mock cowboy culture as we do with similarly themed restaurants back home. This restaurant is a genuine homage to the cowboy.

That was all the exciting or notable stuff that happened to me today.

Oooo. A bird pooped on my head. That was also notable. Just thought you should know.