Delhi sightseeing
As it appeared I was now going to have to spend a second day in Delhi, I thought I may as well do some sightseeing. By the time I set off, however, it was late afternoon. I was paying the driver who had collected me from the airport to take me round the sights (and smells) of this chaotic city and I set off in rush hour. We stopped first to fill up with petrol. One of the characteristics of India is that of overstaffing. Why employ one person to do a job (or automate it) when you can employ five? So, for example, you do not fill up your own car with petrol but get one of the dozen or so pump attendants hanging around to do it. With typical Indian bureaucracy you do not pay him, but another man with a clipboard also hanging around the pumps.
So we took our lives in our hands and set off round the roundabout, which also served as residential accommodation for several lean-to shanty shacks composed of corrugated iron, blankets and bits of wood. Although much is talked about the increasing prosperity of India these days, you would not guess it from driving through the city. Although there are some expensive looking cars on the road, people live on the pavements in rickety looking lean-tos cooking or warming themselves over small fires. As in much of India, rubbish is strewn everywhere which provides rich pickings for the cows and dogs that roam the streets freely. And there are people everywhere.
India Gate
Most of the tourist sights were in the centre of the city, and the government buildings were suitably impressive. We drove past the newly built Hare Krishna temple which, with its sail type construction, looked strangely reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House. Due to time constraints, and the fact that most buildings were closing early the only place I stopped to get out and walk around was India Gate. This, and the surrounding park, was not that dissimilar to Marble Arch and Hyde Park except that the kids hawking tourist tat are more persistent. With another 5am start tomorrow I headed back early.
So we took our lives in our hands and set off round the roundabout, which also served as residential accommodation for several lean-to shanty shacks composed of corrugated iron, blankets and bits of wood. Although much is talked about the increasing prosperity of India these days, you would not guess it from driving through the city. Although there are some expensive looking cars on the road, people live on the pavements in rickety looking lean-tos cooking or warming themselves over small fires. As in much of India, rubbish is strewn everywhere which provides rich pickings for the cows and dogs that roam the streets freely. And there are people everywhere.
India Gate
Most of the tourist sights were in the centre of the city, and the government buildings were suitably impressive. We drove past the newly built Hare Krishna temple which, with its sail type construction, looked strangely reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House. Due to time constraints, and the fact that most buildings were closing early the only place I stopped to get out and walk around was India Gate. This, and the surrounding park, was not that dissimilar to Marble Arch and Hyde Park except that the kids hawking tourist tat are more persistent. With another 5am start tomorrow I headed back early.
posted by Hamish @ 6:47 pm
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