Day 2 Delhi

Day two saw me rise late - 11am after jet lag had caught up with my body...

Soon dressed and left the hotel for the metro system, ignored touts and returned to Connough place for High Tea at the UCH (United coffee House). After refueling it was off the Red fort and market (Bizarre). This is a heaving mass of bodies all embrloied with traffic and stray dogs to fill the space between crammed stalls selling everything from cell phones to leather jackets and amogst them food stalls selling mysteries only a local could fathom. I failed to buy any food here! However the fort was impressive and large with red sandstone, few tourists about as it seems to be out of season... The market was an experience that i only want to do once as it is so intense that after 10 mins you are lost in a maze of dark allyways which seem to lead to other dark allyways and in no particular order. Venders are very keen to get your business and start with a comment like "I like your hat - i have more inside"...

After competing with the crowds i searched for some space to relax and found it in Connough place - it has an area of parkland in the centre with an amplitheatre in place for live performances. It is a quiet refuge if you can get to it across a five lane roundabout with no crossing points!! Yes once again it is the place yourself carefully in moving traffic method of crossing and never ending stream of cars, buses, scooters and rickshwas. The park itself is lovely but once again you must get through an army check point who search you bags - they had a giggle at me as mine was the only one with a lock on it!!

Decided to do a little shopping for more post cards today so back to the post office. But as i was walking their a man stopped me and asked me where was i going, i told him to the post office and went to move on, when he suddenly turned and exclaimed "You have dog sh** on your shoe.... Would you like me to clean if off for you?" It was only then that i noticed the rag in his hand and the realisation that in that split second of turning to face him he had dolloped a dirty great spat of poo on my boot!! I told him rather sharply that i did not need his help and marched off - he looked a little surprised but i would not give hime the satisfaction of having money from me... Within 50m i found a fantastic man who shines shoes and has his own little kit outside the UCH. For 50r he stated that he could clean the sh** off my shoes and proceedded to scrape it off with a rag which he promptly dropped down a drain - the stink from the boot was retch enducing - Clearly this poo was more than just from a dog. He then went on to wash the boat using a toothbrush and soapy water do i paid him 80r for his troubles - about £1.20 which i felt was well worth his time. So if in Delhi keep an eye on scammers as they have a quick mind and an uncanny aim with sh** flinging.

The remainder of the day was spent exploring the streets around the OLD Delhi district and i can honsetly say that these streets are filthy with rubbish lying uncollected and people living amongst the squaler with dogs lying in shaded spots in the heat of the day.

Day two ended with another trip to UCH for Curry, desert and coffee. Then back to the metro for a walk back in the dark to the hotel.