Ponto de Vista

We’ve had frequent and intense rain in Delhi as the temperatures have soared. Last week I got off a bus and within the 20 seconds it took me to dash to the pedestrian underpass (or ‘subway’ in the local lingo), I was soaked. The rain battered the city for about 20 minutes and when it settled to a steady drizzle, I decided to walk home. But, the drainage in South Delhi sucks! So I had to retrace my steps, take detours, completely turn around even, and then finally, when I was about 50 yards from home — I got stuck! I was marooned on a 1-foot square of dry land and I really had no other way to go except through calf-deep muck! 😉 Then I saw inspiration. This dude was coming crab-like along the lower part of the corner house wall, thereby avoiding the flood below. So once he hopped on to dry land, I took his place and went the way he’d come — inching sideways along this random person’s house. And that’s how I got home without having to take my sandals off and wade through dirty, murky water! Hurray!

A few weeks ago, we were at the office late and I had an even later dinner to attend. I knew I’d get a raging headache if I waited until I reached my friends’ place so I stopped at the Cafe Coffee Day in the lobby of our building to pick up a sandwich. It being a bit late, they’d run out of options. From the vegetarian sandwich I had very few choices but this one — the Spicy Chinese Veg Sandwich — was the one I couldn’t resist. It turns out to have “Veg manchurian” — that most Indian of Chinese dishes — and, wait for it, chow mein. Yes, a noodle and cabbage sandwich. 😆 And it was pretty damn tasty. This past week, I made Maya try it. She liked it!

Dilli is blooming. There is purple jacaranda blossoming all over and boughs laden to the verge of drooping with yellow lanterns of laburnum at intervals. But nothing gladdens my heart more than the vivid splashes of orange and deep red the Gulmohurs bring. My heart is smiling.

On Saturday, a bunch of us from work plus other friends went to the poolside lounge at the Park hotel near Jantar Mantar. It’s called Aqua and it was lovely. I loved, loved, loved it.
There was a cool breeze blowing, a dj spinning great lounge and house music, pitchers of LIIT and Passion Bay … we even got to sit at the edge of the pool and dip our feet in. Aaaah! And of course we danced, the lack of a dancefloor being no object.
Earlier, 6 of us had gotten ready together at my house over sandwiches and Bacardi … and it was like being back in college. Later we went to the Yellow Brick Road and had a variety of random things (coffee, tea, soup, dessert, and a sandwich) between us ;D)

Spotted in Lajpat Nagar: hollow-headed clothes horses. Literally. Go figure. 😉

I miss cinnamon rolls. I really do. I even miss the Pillsbury DIY (pretty awful) kind of cinnamon rolls I’d pop open at my brunches 🙁

When she was visiting, mom picked this up for me and I got so excited. But it was totally misplaced excitement. It’s not a cinnamon roll. In fact, it’s not even sweet. Noooo … this ‘confectionary’ is actually a mint/pudina roll. It’s spicy and … just not what my eyes and taste buds had perked up about. So sad 🙁 Next to it is depicted what was a sinfully good lemon tart.

I’ve promised folks pancakes for brunch someday. When I have a life …

A comforting sign in the elevator at the Kumars’ (no, not the Kumars at Number 42.)

Last afternoon I was chatting with V, and somehow it came up that McDonalds in India (as in most countries) has customized its menu for the Indian palate. What he didn’t know though was that India is the only country in which McDonalds home delivers. I was astounded myself when I first found out, but I now know at least two people (S&T, yes, this is you) who are quite happy to use this service! Anyway, I got off the phone and headed out to return a library book and then catch up with a friend and see a film. Voila, a few houses away was the McDonalds delivery dude, waiting patiently for his payment to arrive from inside. I asked him if I could take a photo and he assented 🙂 Charming, no?

I see these billboards advertising footware and sunglasses every morning. What i didn’t see until recently was that they’re housed in the National Tribal Museum (The Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh). Yup John Abraham is shilling shoes right under a statue Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar and others. The walls and the doorways of this building are beautifully wrought in tribal work as is the main gate. It boggles the mind to fathom what the Museum folks were doing when they decided to also make it a factory outlet!

These are my drugs. Three tiny alcohol-and-something-else-soaked sugar pills for my allergies to dust, pollen, and, well, Delhi 😉 It could be a placebo effect but the hay fever and sore throat symptoms have decreased dramatically. Yay for placebos and alternative medicines. Yay to not being hooked on allegra.