Delhi: It’s raining men

I’m going to be writing about things a bit out of order, lots of thoughts to catch up on.

We just returned from our mini foray into northern India. One of the most salient observations we had in Delhi is that there are almost no women in the streets. On a journey into the market on a Monday afternoon, three American girls would have stood out anywhere in India. But here, we stuck out even more because every single person we passed was male. It was disconcerting. Whether they were shop owners, shoppers, beggars, drivers, etc., all men. We thought that maybe it was just this area, but even when we were back near our hotel, women were completely absent from sight. This had not been the case in Mumbai. The only exception was when we entered what we’ve nicknamed the “wedding section” of the market, which I’ll write about later. So where are all the women in Delhi?

Have a smokey day

What do you think the different types of weather are? You have sunny, cloudy, rain, snow, sleet, hail. Partly cloudy, overcast, windy, etc.

In India, I’ve been introduced to a new weather forecast: Smoke. When I opened the Weather Channel app here, it said 24 degrees (that’s Celsius) and “Smoke” with an image that looks like a moon with a wispy cloud in front of it, except it’s a daytime forecast. I don’t really know why this qualifies as a type of weather, but when I stepped out onto the rooftop terrace, the weather was warm and sunny with the distinct smell of smoke. (See previous post about the smells of Mumbai.) It was a bit hazy out, but visibility was relatively clear. The only thing that was “smokey” about this beautiful day was the smell. Curious…

Sugar and Spice

You always hear about how the food is spicy in India, but what no one ever mentions is how sweet it is, too. I know, seems like a contradiction, but if a dish isn’t spicy, then it’s sweet. Coffee and tea are both served with enough spoonfuls of sugar to please Mary Poppins. My favourite dessert, Gulab Jamun, is fried balls of dough in sugar syrup. Even today, a member of my project team ordered a pizza; it was basically a salad on top of pizza dough that was coated in brown sugar. Conclusion: This is the land of sugar as much as it’s the land of spice.

Second first impressions of Mumbai

When I walk around Mumbai, I can’t help but notice the diversity of smells. Some are pleasant scents, like roasting wood or spicy curry. Some are… not, like decaying garbage and human excrement. One moment, something disgusting catches your nose, and just when you think you can’t bear it anymore, the breeze wafts in something sweet. I’ve never been as aware of scent as I am in this city.

New York is dominated by sound, Paris by sight, Florence by taste, and Mumbai, most definitely, by the sense of smell.

Marrakech 411

[originally posted December 27, 2010]

I’ve only been in Marrakech for 48 hours, and I still have a bit more than 24 left, but I feel as though I’m ready to collect my overall thoughts.

As mentioned, on day one, we toured Yves Saint Laurent’s gardens, a palace and the Medina. The gardens were truly lovely. Yves loved to collect cacti, of all things, so there are easily more than two-dozen varieties from all over the world. There was also a museum in the gardens showcasing some of YSL’s Moroccan-influenced couture ensembles, and his Christmas cards from over the years. This was definitely a highlight for the remaining fashionista in me.

Some of Yves Saint Laurent’s cacti collection

Some of Yves Saint Laurent’s Christmas card designs

I don’t remember what the palace was called, but it left me feeling a little underwhelmed. There were beautiful mosaics, courtyards and decorative ceilings, but the Alhambra in Spain and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul were much more elaborate and impressive. I know that makes me sound spoiled, but it was just lacking that “wow” factor.

A Moroccan palace

The Medina is the old city, full of “souks” – stalls of merchants selling trinkets, leather goods, slippers, spices, etc. These merchants sure know how to SELL. The first shop we stopped into, on our guide’s recommendation, was a “pharmacy.” They sold spices, natural remedies and cosmetics. After being shown everything from a 35-spice mix to henna lipstick, we made our selections.

A “pharmacy” in the Medina

At another stall, I splurged on a handmade leather bag. I was able to bargain the price down to less than half the original asking price (!) but it still wasn’t cheap! We wandered the market for about 1.5 hours, and then drank sodas in a café overlooking the main square at sunset. The view was lovely, and the atmosphere above the action was somehow serene. It was such an interesting juxtaposition between the calm setting sun and the hustle and bustle of the markets.

The sun sets over the Medina

For dinner, we ate at an authentic Moroccan restaurant. I say “authentic” with hesitation, since everyone who ate there was a tourist, but the dishes were traditional: salads, tagine, cous cous, etc. The food was pretty good, although some of the spices were too strong or strange for my palette. The highlight was probably one of the salads, fresh tomato chopped up and mixed with cinnamon—an odd yet delightful combination.

Today, we hired a driver to take us up into the Atlas mountains, about an hour outside the city. Our guide from yesterday told us that we would see “many beautiful things.” The views were spectacular, especially as we ascended higher up the cliffs. We also got a glimpse of some local villages and an argan oil co-op. Aside: The production is argan oil is a, um, colorful process – see Wikipedia.

The Atlas mountains, just outside Marrakech

We returned by lunchtime and spent the rest of the day relaxing and reading beside the hotel pool. I know, I know, not cultural at all, but the weather is so perfect—sunny but not scorching—that we couldn’t resist.

Tonight, we dined at a restaurant offering both Moroccan and “International” fare. I wimped out and ordered pasta. After the meal bellydancers came out to perform for the entire restaurant. The dancing was simple, nothing fancy, but the outfits were… well, they definitely weren’t tasteful. Something tells me this wasn’t actual Moroccan bellydancing, but rather bellydancing that male Europeans would enjoy. One of the girls wore a blonde wig, and unsurprisingly, her bra was full of the most tips at the end of the performance. Afterwards, we tested out the hotel casino and nightclub before calling it a night.

Marrakech has been… well, not quite what I expected. Not that I had many expectations to begin with, but there’s really not a whole lot to do here. At least, not a lot that interests me. Of course the views from the Atlas mountains are beautiful, and the souk is exciting, but I don’t feel like I had any truly novel experiences here, and I can’t think of anything I MUST DO before leaving on Wednesday.

The city reminds me a lot of Jerusalem and of Istanbul. Jerusalem had tons of interesting history, and Istanbul’s markets and palaces were much nicer, leaving Marrakech without much to fend for in my memories.

The Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel

A palace in Istanbul, Turkey

Also, the people here seem to be warm and friendly, but 48 hours of experience seems to have taught me that, well, they’re mostly full of it. Any “advice” is dispensed with the goal to get you to buy something, and whether it’s hotel staff or street vendors, no one seems able to give you a straight answer to a question. Obviously I’m a tourist, so I’m expecting to be treated with a bit of disdain, but the persistent dishonesty is unsettling. Having the opportunity to practice my French has definitely been a major plus, but there’s a certain warmth (perhaps due to the French influence?) that’s lacking here.

I’m definitely glad that we came, but all in all, I don’t think I’ll be rushing back to visit Marrakech again any time soon.

Bienvenue a Marrakech

[originally posted December 27, 2010]

Well, we made it! Our trip has been wonderfully snag-free since arriving in Marrakech late Saturday night.

We’re about to head out to the Atlas mountains. Yesterday, we hired a tour guide to take us through the Medina (old city), to a palace and to Yves Saint Laurent’s gardens. The latter two were very beautiful, and the Medina… well, it was lively. It reminded me of the old city of Jerusalem and the markets in Istanbul – lots of people selling lots and lots of stuff. I bought a handmade leather bag and a henna lipstick, nothing terribly crazy. We also tried some traditional Moroccan food, like tagine, breakfast soup (not sure what they call it here, but it tastes like minestrone), cous cous and salads. The local mint tea is also amazing. It’s made simply by stewing lots of fresh mint leaves in boiling water. Delish!

Okay, gotta run, but more detailed updates and pictures to come…