Our Final Guests

We hosted what very well may be our last visitors to India.  Our move is scheduled  but before we close out this chapter of our adventure Uncle N was able to visit along with his friend L.
Uncle N was the first person when we announced we were moving to India three years ago exclaimed "Oh great!  That has always been on my bucket list"  With that enthusiasm we are so happy to have been able to host his trip.  Had it not been for L and her information gathering and encouragement he may not have ever come, thanks L!
We had a very full itinerary for their visit but the two most perfectly suited for these two adventurers and food aficionados were the tours we enjoyed with Delhi Food Tours.  http://delhifoodtours.com/  This is the true and original DELHI FOOD TOURS not to be confused with other copy cats IE Delhi Food whatever else you can end with. 
On Day Two in Delhi we were driven out to a family farm house where Momma Indu greeted us with her hospitality and beauty into her kitchen set up for lessons.  We enjoyed a day of cooking lessons complete with a spice talk.  It was all a beautiful experience made only more beautiful by our warm hostess and teacher.

The DELHI FOOD TOURS day of Indian cooking was closed by a full meal served to us family style.  Eaten just as it would be at home.  Momma Indu at the head of the table fussing over every detail to be correct.  And correct it was, perfect from start to finish.

 

To follow this commercial break you will find a photographic itinerary of the quick 5 day trip Uncle N and L spent with us in Delhi. 

Day One:  Tour of Old Delhi and shopping

 

 

 

Day Two:  An extraordinary cooking class experience with www.DelhiFoodTOURS.com

 

 

 

Day Three: We enjoyed an early morning elephant ride, some tours in Delhi, more shopping, followed by a movie with friends. 

 

Day Four: Was the bucket list topper for Uncle N.  Aside from visiting us, he wanted to see the Taj Mahal, we paired this day trip to Agra to see the Taj with a tour of the Agra Red Fort.

 

 

 

Day Five: Was our final day with our guests.  We sent them off with full bellies and smiles on their faces.  We ended the same way I began this post, with Delhi Food TOURS.  Our tried and true friends at Delhi Food Tours showed us how to eat in the hidden gems within our current home city.  We enjoyed the sights, the sounds and the cultural lesson from our Delhi Food Tour guide and food expert Prashant Kalra for one last tour before their flight out.  All in all the perfect ending to our coming to an end in India.  Thanks for visiting!

One FULL Saturday

For those who have never been to New Delhi or visited Dilli Haat, Surajkund Mela may be hard to imagine.  Have you ever gone to a craft fair?  Visited something similar to a church bazaar?  In all of these likenesses; Dilli Haat, craft fair, church bazaar, now imagine them on steroids and place them into the spatial likeness of a fair grounds.  It’s HUGE! Surajkund mela has many “zones” with crafts from all over India, and this 2013 year from all over the world.  It was decided last year to increase the foreign visitors to the event the organizers of the mela have now transformed this annual mela to Surajkund International Craft Mela.  These same vendors are found in likeness showing crafts that rotate through the Dilli Haat shopping areas in New Delhi (both locations).  For two weeks, February 1-15, visitors can shop for crafts from all over the world.  From what I saw it was mainly crafts from India, two or so from Africa and one from Pakistan selling marble vases and tables. The food court area becomes very busy from 1:30pm onwards, as does the mela itself after 1:00pm.  I attended the mela twice this year, once during the week and the other on Saturday and both days the mela was very crowded around 1:00pm.  I would suggest an early morning arrival.  There is a 50 rupees entrance fee and gates open at 9:30am but many vendors do not have their booths uncovered and selling until 10am or later.  It was sunny but not hot both days I attended and the colors were bright and cheerful. Entertainment spills out into the main street in the grounds and all walks of entertainment keeps visitors interested and looking for more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This particular Saturday, after the morning and a large part of my afternoon was spent at the mela I stopped at home long enough to change my shoes, bake a gluten free cake for a birthday girl (friend) and collect the family for a night out.  We didn’t go far, a simple drive to the American Community Support Association (ACSA), our local club we are members of.   Saturday’s dinner special was seafood which satisfies the majority of our family's taste buds except kid three who is far too picky for most menus.  Also the band, The Paisleys of New Delhi, was scheduled to play at 7:30pm and they are always a great show.  They had guest performances from some AES students.  Very well done!

The Paisleys Of New Delhi India

It was a fun and full Saturday of entertainment.  For those of you following our saga, we also have our new driver.  He has been employed with us for one full month now.  We hope he can stay working for us until we leave this summer.  Oh yeah, and we are planning to leave this summer.  We will not be returning to the state where we own our home but instead we will look for housing in the state where moms and dad are living. More to come in later posts, we will be adding “transitioning out of India” as a label.