Wednesday, November 30, 2011

The afternoon business meeting

So many times I see people laid out on the green grass napping somewhere.
In the middle of the day.
Why aren't they at work? How long is lunch break, anyway?
What are they doing?
Well, here I've made up for you what I think is going on...

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Feroz Shah Kotla

Welcome to the ruins of Feroz Shah's fortress.

Where here we have a mosque, a pyramidal structure, and a baoli.

Delhi is really city upon city upon city. It's amazing the way differing civilizations can pile up one atop another.

So the famous thing about the Feroz Shah Kotla complex is the sandstone column at the top of the pyramidal structure. It was taken from something built by the famous emperor Ashoka sometime around 300 B.C.

One theory is the writing on it is Brahmi script.

The other thing about the complex is that--like a haunted house--young people like to give themselves the shivers by walking through the "djin tunnels" with their friends and scaring each other.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Drums in the street

I'm not sure which kind of celebration this is. Maybe an engagement. Maybe a wedding.
Whatever it is, my neighbors are out dancing in the streets.

What, are there cars in the street? No worries--either let them pass or pull out the driver and make him dance while you go park his car.

Maybe I don't know what it's all about but doesn't that rhythm make you want to tap your foot? Or dance along?

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Home delivery is my favorite


Why I love delivery...

Almost anything can be delivered here.
I love that.
I love that the vegetable man comes down my street, but I don't have to go down to him. I love that he will come up four flights of stairs and bring the tomatoes to me.
I love that I can order hummus from the mall and they will bring it across some serious traffic to get it to me.
I love that I have a collection of menus from restaurants who will bring dinner to my door.
I love that I can leave my ravioli at the grocery store and they will bring it to me--as long as I order some milk and crackers as well.
Ya.
That's right.

I went to the grocery store after eating at a restaurant and--as required--left my "shopping bag" full of leftover ravioli in the care of the guard at the door.
And then I completely forgot it.
When I remembered it at 8:30pm, I called the store and asked them to deliver me some milk, a few crackers...and was my ravioli still there with the guard? Would they, please, bring that, too?
It took some convincing. They wanted to bring the order in the morning. But it happened. By 9:30pm, I had my milk, crackers and ravioli.

Nice.
I love delivery.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Bumper sticker


This is Bhagat Singh.
Did you know that? I didn't. I had to ask someone.

I've seen his face around the city, on the back of cars, but I really didn't know what it was all about.

It's not a guy peeling off his mustache off. He's making a fist against British colonialism because he was influential in the Indian independence movement.

So next time I see him on the back of someone's car, I can recognize who I'm following.