India 2011 - Day 1: Delhi

There is only one way to describe India - Incredible.  Delhi is a big busy city full of contrasts, noise, colorful sights and sweet smells of incense in the air.  Our hotel or the first 2 nights is the Delhi Grand.  Luxurious rooms, a large inviting lobby and spectacular pool and garden area with a cascading fountain.  After 18 hours of travelling it felt great to stretch out in a comfortable bed.
Day 1: Our adventure begins with a drive through the Imperial city which was built by the British in the 1600's.  There are wide avenues,  large complexes with homes for the government employees and spacious parks where there are monkeys roaming freely. Here you will find the parliament buildings and a large road leading to a structure which resembles the Arc de Triomph. Every Jan. 26th there is a parade along this route to celebrate India's independence.
As we move through New Delhi the roads begin to narrow and the crowds and traffic become heavier. We arrive in Old Delhi.  There are market stalls and small shops lining the narrow streets which are filled with men out shopping for bargains. It's a strange site to see as there are only a few women and they are working at the streetside shops.  Most of the items are just laid out on the walkway and crowds of men are picking through the goods.
We depart the comfort of the air conditioned motorcoach and step into the bustling market street.  We are instructed to walk quickly and avoid speaking with the people trying to sell their wares. Our goal is to visit the Jana Masjid mosque, India's largest mosque.  Everyone entering the mosque must remove their shoes and wear burlap socks and colorful gowns which are provided for us.  The Mosque is a large open area with a fountain in the centre and a small building.  There are many local children willing to pose in our photos.  As we leave the mosque we are surrounded by young men trying to sell us their goods.  Purses, bangles, necklaces and much more. It's quite an experience.
Our guides move us through the crowd swiftly to our waiting Ric Shaws, a glorified bicycle with a covered seat for two.  Our driver weaves his way through the narrow market streets dodging peole, dogs, cars, trucks and buses.  He drives us through the narrow streets past colourful shops and out to the main road to view the remaining walls of the Red Fort Palace.  What an exciting ride!
Next stop is the Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi's creamtion site.  His burial site is set in an expansive garden with lare lawns and fragrant floral trees.  Many people from all over the world visit this site every day.  As we are busy taking photos of the beautiful people dressed in the colorful saris we notice they are taking photos of us.  Young men ask to have their photo taken with Lynn, a blond haired lady.  They giggle and smile with delight.  A well dressed family ask Debbie and Shirley to pose with their family.
Our last stop of the day is for a light lunch at a building which houses some of India's cottage industries.  We are treated to a demonstration on silk rug making from the Cashmere region.  These rugs are amazing pieces of art.  Also available are 100% pure cashmere pashminas and scarfs, cotton table cloths, clothing and jewelry.  All pieces are unique and hand made in the Cashmere area.
During our bus ride back to the hotel Priti, our city guide surprises us all with a colourful sari and invites us to dine with her and a few of her lady friends.  Our group is excited and delighted and their's a buzz in the air as the experts tuck us into our Saris.  What a treat!  There's somehting about a sari that makes a woman feel very feminine and beautiful.  Our first day was exciting and fun filled and topped off with a delicious meal at a local restaurant.