It's been hard to find time to get out and see much besides work & hotel. I did take time on Saturday to hire a tour guide to show me around Delhi. I was supposed to go with colleagues to a market on Friday night, but it had to be cancelled due to client emergencies. I guess if I really want to see India, I will need to come back on vacation sometime. However, missing out on the time with colleagues Friday night allowed me to attend the hotel cocktail hour. I did make a friend at the cocktail hour (another business traveler) and we plan on going to Kingdom of Dreams tonight to see a Bollywood show.
This is the Ghandi harp - notice the shape and the head at the top
On Saturday, I started the Delhi sightseeing tour around 8am. I went to both New & Old Delhi -- they are very, very different. Old Delhi is what you would traditionally think of when you imagine India. Crowded streets, rickshaws, people everywhere, carts blocking the way, pickpockets, etc. I did a little shopping in Connaught Place, which used to be the center of shopping in Delhi. Now, the shopping is done more in malls (very similar to the US). I did not take a lot of photos in Old Delhi mainly because I stayed mainly in the car as we were constantly being harassed. There were hand prints all over the car windows from beggars trying to get my attention.
While I was there, I was able to go to a Kashmir Rug shop. I got to see the labor-intensive work that goes into to making the beautiful rugs.
Photos from Old Delhi
My driver trying to navigate the crowd
All of the people right outside driving space
Other sights:
India Gate
Presidential Palace
Ghandi Musuem
I went to the Gandhi Museum as his memorial park, Raj Ghat, was closed since there is a national holiday on Tuesday - Ghandi's birthday. Apparently, there will be a big festival in the park on Tuesday. I really wish I had time to go back and see the Raj Ghat, but between work demands and the time it take to travel to Delhi from Gurgaon, it probably will not happen.
This is the Ghandi harp - notice the shape and the head at the top
Life size replicas of Ghandi and his wife
See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil
The Ghandi museum is at the site of Ghandi's assassination (Read more about Ghandi's assassination here.), so they also have all of his personal belongings on site (his glasses, watch, etc.)
Ghandi's office
Close up of the monkeys
His shoes and walking stick
There was a beautiful "World Peace Gong" that I stopped and took a photo next to:
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