Shep in Delhi: photos

Showing posts with label photos. Show all posts

Saturday, 23 March 2013

76th

I have not neglected this blog, I have been writing posts while in the Punjab and some of them are quite good. EDIT: I have gone to an internet cafe today and uploaded them all and am still to do a massive picture post from my time there later.

For today all I have to write about is my getting in to work early due to me having to make up lost time (more on this in later (earlier) posts) and that I had the courage and time to take some photos of my surroundings on my journey in to work this morning.

Here they are:

A classic Delhi street decoration

Where the ice cream trolleys live

These two drums sit outside the small slum on the way to the metro and never seem to be moved. I don't think they're for sale either.

Eye catching bright sari

Throwing cards around seems to be a big hobby here, I find a few odd card almost every day.

This song has been in my head all day because of how nice it is outside.

Photo edit:

I think this may have been lying, but still...

Watching and listening to Vikram Seth at Spring Fever

The man himself

Thursday, 14 March 2013

66th

Yesterday night we went to the Gurudwara with the Punjabi's finally. It was lovely - relaxing and calm. The two best things about religious congregations in my eyes. And as an added bonus, there was food. It was nuts. We finished the bit in the main building (praying, closing eyes etc.) and joined a queue outside. I asked
Raju what it was for and he told me it was for food, and I wondered, if it was for food, why wasn't it moving? When we finally made it inside I got my answer. People sit in rows back to back with their legs crossed facing each other and are fed. I guess they can't let the next sitting in until the last sitting are all finished. Nancy told me there were 600 people down there. And the cauldrons they were serving us from were enormous! I wish I'd taken my camera, it was such an experience.
Only slightly concerning bit about it was that we washed our hands before going into the main building, but didn't wash our hands (after touching the floor and steps) before we ate.

Today we went to see a Camus lecture at the Allians Francais. It wasn't scintillating. The one guy who seemed interesting was speaking in French and it seemed like after every two sentences he'd pass to the translator. It made it very hard to follow.
At night we did some drinking near the IHC and waited for Mandi to leave her friend Rahul's opening night at the Open Palm Court Gallery (also at IHC). Then it was off to Rahul's place to say goodbye to Mandi's friend Trip.

All prepared to pretend to be Sikh

"Take my picture, bhai. Take my picture!"

A day's worth of Delhi face filth

Activity in the office when the boss is around

Camus lecture

Super Mega Ultra Lager Beer

Ruffians

Chefs next door to where we were drinking

Some guy

Deepak and Izzy

Izzy, Rahul and Trip

Enjoying a gag

Beer friends

Simar being a cheeky beggar

Izzy on the phone to Fran, Auntie tottering in the background, probably muttering "Very pain."

Tuesday, 5 March 2013

58th

Last night wasn't very eventful. I went to 4S with Mandy after work and had some rum and cokes then went back to the family and had A LOT of dal and roti to soak it up. Everyone at the house is ill apart from Auntie and Simar. I feel like Auntie might die if she gets ill, so hopefully she won't get it at all. She's already always complaining about her hurt hips and joints. Imagine how much she'd complain if she died.

As he is off on Tuesdays, this morning I did the errands that their servant gentleman does everyday. Usually Raju does it, I guess, but this morning he'd banged his knee while the Punjabis were staying (or something. It really is quite hard to understand Auntie when she speaks in Hindi to me) and thus couldn't do it. I got the milk and walked the pug.
Izzy and I left before breakfast, to much haranguing, to visit the Mughal gardens. It took us a while to find them but they were wonderful. Lots of water, symmetry and spring flower fragrance. Unfortunately we were into allowed to take our cameras in with us, but since it is free and only open for 1 month a year, I believe it is special enough to warrant this.

Morning guavas outside Central Secretariat metro

What a lovely pith helmet!

Traffic arch on wheels

Central Secretariat North block - one of Lutyens' masterpieces

A stream of autos

Monkeys inside the President's estate

This view would be amazing on a clear day. India gate is in the distance at the other end of Rajpath.

First meter turned on without an Indian helping me. Certainly a noteworthy occasion; it only took 57 days!

Friday, 1 March 2013

54th - photos

It really is hot here.

All of the exhibitions have changed today and I haven't seen any of them because I'm finishing the exhibition work. Gonna take a FAT ol' lunch break though. A stretched Indian hour.
Yesterday I finally changed some more money up and am planning how to live like a king for the rest of my time here. Plans involving Goa have not been finalised yet but I am pestering Alka to help me more with the Kama Sutra workload than she originally had planned (15,000 word on my own -> 12,000 words or so written together in daily sessions.) Hopefully this will mean that I can go and sunbathe for at least a week before I fly back home.
Last night we had a road beer and watched the Ai Weiwei 'Never Sorry' documentary . It was at CMYK book store which is owned by Roli books (the same Roli books as the meeting I was in two days ago) and is a really chilled place with a great atmosphere. Will be going back there.

The last three days (including today) in photos.