Travel report : Delhi, Mumbai

Recently returned from work-family-friends travel to Mumbai and Delhi. I had a blast, but I'm also very glad to be back..

First, for those who complain about traffic in Bangalore - you ain't seen nothing yet. Apparently 1-2 hrs in traffic in Mumbai is just par for the course. The average Mumbaikar prepares for the commute: fat book to read while stuck in traffic - check. Water to drink while ditto - check. Umbrella in case one has to de-vehicle and walk the rest of the way - check. Nothing was mentioned about adult diapers, but I have my suspicions.

Delhi has none of those issues - roads are wide and the city is well-planned. However, the weather is reminiscent of an overheated sauna even while ostensibly at a mild 33 degrees. Tests the strongest deodorant, I must say. The smart delhi-ite refuses to budge from the A/C, global warming be damned.

Food
Instead of waiting a polite duration before introducing this topic, I'll just jump right in, shall I ? Better people than I have raved about Swati Snacks in Mumbai. Exotic (to me,at least)snacks like Panki and Sabudana Kichdi ...yummm. My only regret is that I have but one stomach to give to this incredible, unpretentious, squeaky-clean restaurant.

Under the Mango Tree sells single-source honey via Moshe's in Mumbai. These folks bring honey from a single type of flower to the market. Each type of honey (Mango, Clover, Seame etc) has a unique and distinctive taste. Alas, when I went by Moshe's they'd run out of everything but the clover honey, but I grabbed a huge bottle of that. Don't cry for me, Argentina.

All kinds of silvery and showy sweets, plus assorted namkeens from small stores. In Chandni Chowk, pure sweets from the venerable Chaina Ram's near the Mosque at the end of the road. I was treated to generous samples of various sweets before I put togeher a box for my near-and-dear ones. What with the calorific helpings, plus gigantic jilabis from (self-named) Old and Famous Jilabiwallah and a lemon soda (aka banta) from Pt. Ved Prakash.....

....on top of the heavenly veg biryani from the Park Baluchi that I gobbled up for lunch, well, I just could not eat a bite for dinner. However, I managed a Sangria at La Sevilla and part of a neer dosa at Sagar.

That night I dreamed about meeting a long-lost and model-skinny friend who frankly and scornfully disdained the weight I'd put on.

Guilty as charged.

But that didn't stop me from scarfing three parathas with snow-white, freshly-churned butter for breakfast the next day.