A great day with friends

A wry smile at breakfast led to a great day as I bonded with an American professor and his charming wife over our mutual dislike of soggy ' omelettes' . This first chance glance was a serendipitous one as I discovered a similar age couple with shared interests, backgrounds, family, etc and enjoyed a delightful day in their good company.

Thanks also to their expense budget I traveled in the relative comfort of a tuk tuk rather than the crowded metro and ...I had my first cappuccino since leaving England on Jan 7th. Real coffee!! In the comfort of an upmarket restaurant rather than standing at a street stall. At one pound fifty it seemed so extravagant, how will I ever get used to prices back home. Oh but the caffeine hit was wonderful!

Together we escaped the city streets for the massive Humayun's tomb complex, second only to the Red Fort in Delhi's majestic past. This 16th century Emperor had an unlucky life, exiled in Persia and then dying by falling down the stairs soon after finishing his elaborate palace, transforming its use into a mausoleum for his white marble tomb.

Humayun of the superb tomb

The marble tomb in solitary splendor . A chamber adorned with delicate filigree doors, embellished arches and inlaid domed ceiling 

The huge garden tomb of the 16th century mutual emperor Huyamun

Looking down on the south gateway used by the mutual family during their reign. The complex was designed by an exiled Persian architect hence the strong Persian influences

This lovely couple and I then headed for Lodi Gardens and the site of another archeological monument, Safdarjung's tomb. The park was an oasis of glorious flower beds, green lawns (watered by cheap labour) and walled arbours where we sat and whiled away time chatting. I do not mind being alone but I struggle at times with loneliness, especially in places like Delhi where the mad world whirls around me as if I am invisible so being with like minded people discussing everything from politics to face cream was heaven.

Fountains powered by cheap labour

Mosques in the garden in a design divided into 4 parts in the Islamic concept of paradise.

Safdorjung's tomb in the fragrent Lodi gardens

Emotive Embelishment

Extra bonus: by sheer coincidence they leave tomorrow at the same time as me, though in their case for England to explore as they are about to embark on a years' posting in Norwich. So a) they are giving me a lift to the airport, bless them, which saves me a tenner and more importantly the task of organising the taxi and b) hopefully our friendship will be a lasting one.

I am bound for Amritsar, the Golden Temple awaits. Then on to Simla before returning once more to Delhi to shop.  Internal flights limit my purchases to bare essentials until I acquire an extra 15 kgs for the international homeward bound leg so when I'm next here it's not the sights I'll be visiting, it's the markets!