| |
Country Highlights
Mystical, magical, mysterious and many
more adjectives could never describe properly the feeling after
you landed in the airport and shook off the first impression on this
country.
Whether you want to practice Yoga, visit holy sites of Buddhism, see
world renewed landmarks, rest in a beach, trek in the Himalayas, eat one
of the best foods in the world or anything India offers a wide menu of
options for all kind of travelers, from backpacker to luxury.
This land and its millenary history saw the rise of the Maharajas, the
pass of figures like Buddha, Lord Krishna, Mahatma Gandhi and Mother
Theresa. A walk through time, religion and a trick to the sense India
will always be in the head of any traveler that visited the Indian
Subcontinent.
Back to Top
|
|
| |
What to Do
Delhi: There are many sights both in
old and new Delhi. The Fort, Red Mosque and Pahar Ganj are just some of
them. You can also visit the place where Gandhi was cremated, now a
beautiful park.
Agra: the city itself its quite ugly,
polluted and full of touts, scammer and just many "too friendly" locals.
You are safe inside the monuments as they wont pay the entrance fees.
Just to see the Taj Mahal.
Jaipur: The city itself is a jewel
Daramshala: Home of the Tibetan
Government in exile there are no particular landmarks but its a
beautiful experience to be there, visit the Tibetan monasteries and if
you lucky enough even attend to an event with the Dalai Lama.
GOA: the state of beatiful beaches and
crazy parties.
Varanasi:
see page
Bombai: visit the gate of
India and the elephanta Island
Back to Top
|
|
| |
Travel
Tips
First Impression:
For the first time arrival to India the most difficult thing to overcome
is not the jetlag. At first glance India's cities might me overloaded
for our senses. The things you smell, see, the foods you taste just
everything is way different as you might think.
In my first day in India, after leaving my things in a Hotel and going
for a walk in Bombay I stopped in a small local market and saw in 5
seconds: a guy kicking out a goat from store and next to him another guy
chopping the head out of a chicken, outside the store a cow behind
pushed around by a half naked man. just behind the street vendor frying
an unknown piece of food another dude peeing in the street. while all
this a tout approaches me and asks me if I would like to buy hashish,
marijuana or opium... After a couple of days I got used to that.
Food:
let your stomach get used to new spices. Don't eat curry the first day
or street snack, specially samosas as it will get you sick for sure. (by
the end of my stay I ate mostly in the street, some of the best street
food stalls are in India).
Choose places with many people, where food has to be fresh, Tali
restaurants are good and cheap you recognize them because they have many
pots outside the restaurant. For Street snacks ask the vendor to cook it
again in front of you, heat kill bacteria so its safer and tastier if he
just fry it again.
In India Hindu wont eat cow and Muslims don't eat pig. Generally
respectful of both religions you wont find more meat than goat and maybe
lamb. Avoid meat as much as you can and have it in good restaurants
only. I haven't seen many dogs or cats in the city, so beware of that
burger.... its just safer to be vegetarian.
Travel:
Avoid buses as much as you can. Roads are dangerous, they make hundred
of small unannounced stops (doesn't matter how much the sales person
says its a direct non stop journey), and they don't have toilets.
Overnight busses are with small bunkers and like the seats, for 2
persons. Women should buy both seats/beds or if not they will be
sleeping all night with a stranger and no barrier (i hopped on a bus
with another traveler who i just met and we had to tip the driver helper
so we can share the beds between us and not with the Indian stranger
snoring)
Trains are the best, easy to use and they will take you anywhere. First
and second Class sleeping trains are relaxed, and although often late
they have a dining car and toilets most of the time.
Booking Hotels:
Ask always to see the room and bargain. its normal and you will see they
usually have no price signs. Some hotels make free pickups from Airports
and train stations. Its wise to call in advance and avoid the touts that
follows every tourist that walks around with a backpack, you can
negotiate the price over the phone or once you arrive and you wont need
to walk around with your bag.
Beggars, Touts and scams:
You will see them everywhere, get used to it. For beggars its up to you
to give alms or not. It may happen that after giving to one guy you will
get approached by many other, beggars or not, so its better sometimes
not to give.
Touts seems to be a profession in India and you will receive offers from
them to buy train tickets, entrance tickets, get a cab, or book a hotel.
Shove them off because the hotel or taxi will charge you extra, the
tickets will be fake or you will never see you money and the guy back.
Go straight to the gates or doors of what you want. Usually there the
guy that checks the ticket will say to you where to buy it (when taking
a boat to the elefanta island in Bombay i actually got on the boat and
they came to charge me there, before 100 touts try to sold me tickets
for almost twice the price)
Main Train stations have a office for international travelers so you
don't need to be going around.
Back to Top
|
|
| |
What to
Buy
Ask yourself first what you cant buy there, and
with the prices there no excuses to bring presents for all the
family, friends and relatives! India is a great place for shopping
and every city, town or village has a market to buy things and major
cities seems to be a huge market themselves
Smaller cities are a good place to get a nice souvenir, remember
when bargaining the price of those things in your country... keep in
mind that an extra dollar might make a big difference for them.
Traditionally each area in India has a different staple. In Delhi
you might find things from all India so sometimes its worth to leave
the shopping for the lasts days, so you don't have to carry things
around. During the trip buy things that are special from the place.
India, as I said before is a huge market so you might want to
practice your bargain skills a
LOT.
So what to buy? Try with Silks, Handcrafts, Decoration for your
house, statues of gods, incense burners, singing bowls, Clothing,
Bags, Jewelry, Saris, spices, a cooking book, shawls, bongs,
lamps...
Where: In Delhi Pahar Ganj market near the Delhi train Station. The
Tibetan Village has also nice things, but generally all the city is
a huge market and there are people selling things all over the
place.
Back to Top
|
|
| |
Food
Aloo gobi is a Curry flavored stew of
mainly Potatoes (aloo) and cauliflower's. I learnt this recipe in GOA,
while working there on a restaurant. Like all Indian foods it has a
million ways to be prepared depending on the location.
A basic recipe will however contain:
Potato
Cauliflower
Ginger
garlic
Onions
Cumin seeds (jeera)
Spices: Turmeric, coriander, Massala and paprika.
Tip: Indian food cook the seeds first.
Indian Curries are normally dry.
Heat pan with olive oil and add Cumin
seeds, wait 10 seconds and crushed garlic and ginger. Stir constantly
for another 10 seconds and add the onions chopped in small pieces. Cook
until translucent.
On separate pot steam the cauliflower (separated in branches) and the
potatoes (cutted in irregular dices ). Cook 3/4, you will finish them in
the curry mix
When onion loosed its juices add the
spices already mixed and stir. Add the steamed veggies and mix well.
Cover and let cook until potatoes are soft.
Back to Top |
|
Image Code:
Image Code:
Image Code: