City Guide New Delhi Part 6


I woke up to the hum of the air conditioner above the window. It
artificially masked the swelling heat outside. Our schedule for the
day first included a visit to a school which is overseen by one of
Jay's friends. Once we veered out from the side streets onto the main
thoroughfare, the traffic immediately overtook us. At one
intersection, we waited nearly a half an hour to proceed. For some,
this situation could be highly annoying, but for me, it was a
welcome gift. Instead of speeding along the "skyways"
like the evening before, I was able to watch the city at a more
convenient pace. I watched as thousands of people went along their
business. Green Tata buses part of the city fleet of over two thousand
packed with commuters slowly made their way up and down the streets.
Travelers on bike rickshaws efficiently made their way through the
tangle of vehicles.

From New Delhi

We passed cinder block sheds filled with loose
garbage attracted cows and wild dogs. The driver decided to veer away
from the secondary roads and take a roundabout way on a main highway.
This road took us past shiny new office buildings and multi story
glass and steel shopping centers.

From New Delhi

I couldn't help but notice the
nearby Pitampura tower, a structure that reminded me of CN Tower in
Toronto.

From New Delhi

We arrived at the school several hours past our appointed time.
The staff didn't seem to care too much. One thing the staff did care
about, was having me give a lesson to a room full of students. This is
something I really wasn't prepared for, but I whipped out the chalk
and started talking about dinosaurs, flowers and pretty much anything
else I could think of. The three and four year old students were not
too impressed despite the teacher's dramatic interpretation of my
knowledge of Benjamin Franklin's proverbs. The teacher soon had to
leave, and a guy named Ajay took over interpretation duty. He also
helped the students with a coloring project.

After school let out for the day, we visited a nearby amusement and
shopping park. Park security frisked all male entrants and stood back
as females entered. Over lunch, I was able to visit with Ahjay. I
noticed he was wearing an MTV shirt. He told me he played in a band
called Wild fire and invited me to come to their next show. After
lunch we strolled around the park. I had the feeling I was at a car
dealership with several new models on display. It seemed like the
worker to visitor ratio was 15:1. Doormen waited to let customers into
the air conditioned shops. At the center of the complex, there was a
large pool with boats on a track circling the perimeter.

From New Delhi

Beyond the
pool, traditional amusement park rides gyrated in the distance. We
couldn't stay long. We were already late for our appointment with
Vipin at the children's home. We found our taxi in the
parking lot and sped away back through the center of the city.


Continued in Part 7