Jaguar

What is this Jaguar doing in Delhi?!
How did it get here?

However it came to be, it sure looks pretty in those lights.

Namkeen

Snacks anyone?

Street shopping

What can you do while you're waiting for the traffic light to turn green?
Shop, of course.

Not that this stuff is stellar quality, but there is a variety available.

Plastic balls. Sometimes balloons or other fall-apart-as-soon-as-you-buy-them toys.

Steering wheel covers and mobile phone chargers.

Peanuts, dried coconut and other snacks.

Dishtowels and car-cleaning cloths.

Other treasures you might find on another day are: roses, Santa masks, plastic dash board decorations, magazines, books, used clothes or spiderman masks.

There are a lot of stoplights out there--so keep your eyes open...and a close eye on your pocket book.

The painter returns

He's back.
Yes, that is the painter making himself at home in my house.

But I had to let him in because I needed this ceiling fixed.

He came on a Thursday, and told me what supplies he needed. I went out and bought them, and then he said he'd be back the next day to start the work.
What? It was only 12:30? Why not then?

Once he did start the work, he took two hour breaks 3 or 4 times a day, and he left before 5pm.
But now, he is finished.

And now my living room is a shambles, I will be days cleaning it.
BUT: my ceiling is healed and I will no longer have to worry about pieces of it falling on my head.
Yessss.

Candy canes

Because it's that time of year and everyone should know where candy canes come from...


A perfectly choreographed process for making 3200 of them at a time.

Delhi turns 100

To say that Delhi turned a hundred on December 12 is kind of funny since it has been around for centuries. But it was one hundred years ago that it became the official capital of the national government.

To mark the occasion, there have been special exhibits around the city. Some more impressive than others.
I visited a couple.

What I enjoyed the most was the long mural that wrapped around the exhibit area...

...watching the guy who was attempting to clean the display of a giant map...

...and the expanse of nice, green grass in this dense metropolis.

Mapped ambassodor

I know you've been dreaming of detailing your car like this.
And: who doesn't want to ride around in an ambassador?

Bicycle parking

Here's something I never imagined to see: a space set aside in the leveled, mall parking area for the bicycles.
And it's not under-used either.

Nizamuddin baoli

So seeing the baolis around Delhi is fun.
This is number three for me.

The Nizammudin baoli is still in use.
By launderers.
By swimmers.
And even by some to drink. ....questionable...

It's supposed to be reserved for holy purposes. The sign even says so.
Bathing with soap, for instance, is prohibited.

People are usually very good about following notices like this one...
...ahem...

Giant haleem pot

This is the giant pot that three women cooked in all night long.
They cooked all night long because that's how you make the haleem for Moharram nice and mushy.

The three of them were out in the "courtyard", over a fire, stirring the pot during the night with a long, bamboo handled mallet thingy.
What kind of image does that give you, right?

They took turns 'cause making the lentils, wheat, barley and mutton into a paste is hard work. All night long work.
Buy you know they loved it, this once-a-year tradition.

The next day they shared the 30 liters of thick, pasty stuff with their friends (me) and relatives so they could empty out the pot and give it to the next family to use. It's a community pot that no one in particular owns and everyone has rights to--especially at holiday time.
Kinda fun, huh?