INDIA – South Asia Travelogue: day 12

DELHI, INDIA

Sun Apr 3, 2016

Belinda and I were suffering from head colds which we picked up in Bhutan, so both of us were feeling kind out of sorts.

After breakfast, we headed with the group to Qutub Minar, located in Delhi. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Qutub Minar complex was built by the first Muslim invaders who swept into this area of India in the late 10th century. Initiated by Qutb-ud-din Aiba, the first Muslim ruler, it is famous for a mixture of Hindu / Islamic style of architecture as well as the tallest brick minaret in the world which was completed in 1368. While the huge minaret is the centerpiece, the site is surrounded by many historic ruins as well as nice gardens.

After touring the site, we stopped by the beautiful Lodi Gardens in New Delhi. Popular with the expats and locals, this huge park is dotted with 14th and 15th century tombs, buildings and walls. Belinda and I enjoyed our walk through this beautiful park as we tried to identify many of the flowers and birds in the area.

After lunch, Belinda visited a Kashmir Silk store with some in the group and purchased some beautiful material for a future sewing project.

In the later afternoon, while the group visited some of the modern sites of New Delhi, Belinda and I stayed back and rested, trying to shake off our colds before tomorrow’s flight to Rajasthan.

We had a quiet dinner of Tapas with Jerry from our group at Seville, a Spanish Restaurant at the hotel.

Tomorrow, we will fly to the pink city of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan.