Simply Delhi-ghted!

Two days in Delhi have been enough to exceed my expectations about India. It is difficult to express with words the mixture of feelings that develop inside a first-time visitor to India, but if I had to choose one I'd go for brutal reality.

Everything seems to be upscaled here, from the aromas of Indian food to the size of the pharaonic buildings, yet the largest difference that one finds is that between the havs and the non-havs.

Shortly after arriving to the hotel I went for a walkabout through the nearby streets. Normally I'm the kind of traveler that doesn't miss the chance to turn towards a dark-narrow alley, but in my first walk in India I had a hard time just crossing the Main Bazaar. People selling (and eating) what would be the leftovers of any European market, a very intensive smell of urine, a constant flow of eager eyes seeking out business and in the middle of the buzz a couple of cows resting pleasantly. Quite a first impression I'd say!

Nonetheless after having some rest and a short chat with Rub -a 50-year old Dutchman regular to this hotel-, I understood that my paranoia was as exagerated as absurd (I even played a mock withdrawal at the ATM just to ensure that nobody was chasing me). So, I woke up in the morning and went for my second round at Delhi's ring. First surprise, at 200 m. from the hotel I found one of the cleanest and safest metro trains I've ever been to. First stop, Red Fort, simply amazing. After that I headed to the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque of India. While I waited for the end of the mid-day prayers, I met Asfi and Asnaf. The two around-8-year-olds taught me some Indi words using my icon dictionary. Afterwards, they showed me the mosque and explained where and how they prayed. Sadly, the shoe-watcherman didn't like the idea of children bothering tourist so the two kids obtained respective slaps as goodbye present.

Later on I visited the bazaar, and after that the city hall where I met Hassan. Hassan (18, muslim) taught me how to play cricket. I accepted his offer to play a short match with fruitless results (big fun though).

As the sun set over Delhi, I walked the 3 miles separating the President's Palace and the Gate of India. Then, Connaught place, a 1 square-km shopping centre in the heart of Delhi. Finally I returned to the hotel where I shared a delicious lemon tea with one of the Nepali young waiters who work at the roof-terrace of the hotel. It was moving how his eyes turned emotional when talking about his family and home back in Nepal.

Nothing else for now, more news soon.

Interesting thing I've learnt:

1. The Swastika is an hindu/buddhist sign (Perhaps related to the Basque Lauburu?)
   
2. Always use your own lock at Indian hotels.
3. New Delhi's metropolitan train works better than London's Tube.
4. How to play cricket.
5. Indian people are extremely kind and nobody would dare to touch you unless you do it first.

PS: I won't include any pictures of the amazing poverty that I found during my first walk through the bazar not to worry anyone.

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Rapido resumen. India es impresionante, ha desbordado mis expectativas en dos dias. Aunque al principio impone algo de respeto (impresiona ver la pobreza extrema que salpica la ciudad), tras unos cuantos paseos y charlas con gente del lugar te das cuenta de que es bastante mas segura que cualquier capital europea.
En dos dias he visitado unos cuantos bazares (abiertos todo el dia), y las grandiosas edificaciones del Fuerte Rojo, la Mequita Jama Masjid, el Palacio Presidencial y la Puerta de India. Tambien he conocido bastante gente, desde Rub, un holandes de 50 años que me ha dado muy buenos consejos (como usar el metro o comprar mi propio candado) hasta Abrup, un chaval Nepali que sirve tes en la azotea por la noche. Sin embargo, con los que mas me he divertido fueron Asfi y Asnaf, una pareja de crios que me enseñaron algunas palabras en indi (gracias a mi diccionario de iconos) y que me ofrecieron una visita guiada por la mezquita donde rezan sus padres. Por cierto, como regalo de despedida Asfi y Asnaf se llevaron dos ostias como dos panes de parte del que cuidaba los zapatos. Luego conoci a Hassan un chaval de unos 18 años que me enseño a jugar al cricket. Echamos un partidillo en un parque al lado del ayuntamiento.

Nada mas por ahora, disfrutar de las fotos y ya os contare mas pronto.