Jazz night was excellent. Measured thoughts on it later. Iāve had entirely too much work today, so I havenāt even been able to step out of work to buy milk! Until just now - all the agents have decided to be busy right now, so Iām going to take my ten minutes for chai.
My friend lives next to a market, and it is very happening. Thereās places like this all over - thippsandra, chikpete, places in Pune - but I think what is unique about Delhi is that theyāre all more planned - so the bazaar is happening in 4 concentric rectangles around a large park. And (perhaps because of the population density?) the incidence of these bazaars (and parks) are much higher here than elsewhere. I love it!
I went to get tea and the man running the shop wasnāt there, so a few regulars colluded to pour me some in the span of thirty seconds. The stall owner got yelled at for not filling the kettle before he left š
Iām in an area that is relatively planned - it was built up to accommodate refugees from the partition - so Iām told the cameraderie in the neighbourhood is higher. Most regulars have families who grew up here.
There are so many food places interspersed with the bazaar! Iām holding off on chaat until a friend accompanies me, but I am sorely tempted. I am also told that the standards for all kinds of food is just much higher here than in Bangalore. I feel like the service is definitely much better. At pianoman last night, in a packed house, when I asked for water, the waiter remembered that id asked for warm two hours ago and brought me more of the same. It was a good, surprising feeling.
Encountered the infamous privatisation of public roads right away. Couldnāt find the entrance to friendās apartment so I went exploring through a gate. Came back to find the gate locked! Was told that the other gate is open so I went around. Interestingly, the āother roadā was twice the size of the one I was on, but not actually marked on the gate. I wonder if they had to appeal to get the road unlisted or if gmaps just assumes that a road behind a gate is private andmust be unlisted? But I know of several private roads in small towns that have been listed tooā¦
Anyway, off to a jazz night and then to see the sights. I was complaining about delhi exhibiting bangalore-ass behaviour (25min for 4km!) but it looks like the peaks for traffic in Delhi are much more contained. Got here in 14 minutes instead.
The average man in Delhi puts more effort into their appearance than the average man in Bangalore. And thereās more variety in the style too! The gentleman sitting opposite me looks very much like a smart late eighties hero.
The Delhi metro doesnāt have a ladies compartment?? Is this just because itās the line from the airport? Wait, Iām trying to remember if there was a ladieās compartment when I travelled elsewhere. Is segregation on the basis of gender like this a uniquely Indian thing?
Touchdown in Delhi! Iām very glad I picked a flight that let me take the metro from the airport. Thereās something about airport <> metro stations the world over that look/feel the same. Taiwan, Singapore (?), Hong Kong, Delhi. It feels like a womb. A cold dark place underground that the sun canāt touch, where youāre safe. Then you board a train and are spit into the chaos of the world (city). Go forth, it seems to say.