India

What a surprising encountering happened this morning while enjoying my Masala Chai! Meeting PG, a Cologne guy with Indians roots and very Delhi experienced started a conversation with me. It turned out we both own not only the same passion for discovering new places by traveling , we share also the same approach to discovering those. So we decided promptly to go on a stroll together. That turned out to a huge advantage for me. I got a first hand deep dive into the Indian culture, got lessons how to move (by Metro… easy!!!), what and where to eat or even not, how to behave in special situations along interesting exchange of business ideas. PG was not getting tired to show me his fav places. Delhi is overwhelming. It's noisy, full of people rushing from one point to another, bicycle or motorcycle rickshaws, cars or carriages pulled by cows or horses are in a daily competition to move forward as fast as possible, framed by loud honking (which is actually meaningless if everyone is doing it) to show how the strongest is.... so crazy! every vehicle tries to cut a path through the chaotic traffic... people don't have time to stop at the pedestrian, they just walk and look straight ahead, don't look left or right... the others wait.... a stubborn strategy to get ahead, but it works. Actually, there would be no point in looking left or right before crossing the road because you can't realize the direction of the traffic flow..... But not only your ears are permanent demanded, your eyes as well. Everything happens on the street. There is barber shaping the beard or cutting the hair. the Smithers hammer there metal, there is a specialist for cleaning the ears, the light traders shops are enlightening the dirt of small lanes, the sellers of cloth shops offer various gorgeous fabrics from cotton to silk, rich of hand made embroidery or decorated of thousands shining pearls and jems , from which the sewers create fairytale Saris or Kurtis…. runners carry huge packages of goods destination oriented through the streets, the street food cooks take of the 30 millions of Delhi who are hungry….

All the walking and watching made us hungry and thirsty… PG and I shared masala chai on the street and delicious veggie chicken peas & kidney beans curry at a small restaurant. The desert came swum in Sugar and ghee and though I am not a big fan of sweets I must admit that was fantastic!
So many things to see, so interesting to talk to people, so strange, so intense… Delhi is pure human - turbulent lively and I love it!!!Read more