2. Arrival in Delhi

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Delhi



We arrived early morning at Delhi and met up as a group for the first time ...... 8 of us, all travelling alone except two ladies who are travel buddies and all women except for one, Julian.  Amazingly all of our names turned out to begin with an "A", "J" or "L"! We were met at the airport and transferred to the Claridges hotel.... where Christmas was already in hand.......




A quick wash up and we left for a tour of Old Delhi. A sheik temple where food was made and available for everyone, thousands of meals a day.  Anyone can volunteer to make chapatis and we were made to feel very welcome to join in, learn and make a few.....  but there was also a more industrial machine that made them in much larger quantities to cope with the enormous numbers of people who come to eat at the temple every day. The quantities of food made and the size of the cooking containers was amazing.




This is a social leveller - it doesn't matter who you are - everyone sits together on the floor and eats the same food served up unceremoniously from washing up bowls but tasting delicious!!

                 



This is a social leveller - it doesn't matter who you are - everyone sits together on the floor and eats the same food served up unceremoniously from washing up bowls but tasting delicious!!

                                             



And on to the spice market ... I have never seen so many chillies in my life and never thought that you could literally breathe them - all our noses were streaming!!


               

New Friends!
              

Our first sunset in India

                    

I came to Delhi 35 years ago and looking at the photos in black and white it all feels so timeless.



 


                           
 




           











Goodbye Delhi ..... off to Rajasthan!




















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