(an Internet glitch prevents me from loading the pictures tonight ... to follow, then! But I shoot a max, it's a celebration. Check tomorrow or the day after I put in as and when the photos "late")
January 18
I decided to stay in Main Bazaar and read, having brought with me a book on Indian art. I understand better now the history of this country and, especially, the relationship between Indians and Muslims, dating back over 1000 years. Delhi was a sultanate.
If you want to see the wonders of "classic" - I had seen a few of the Guimet Museum on the occasion of an exhibition a few months ago - looking on the Web era Gupta Buddhas. Splendor. I had never seen such beautiful, delicate, refined, fluid, inside ... magical. I wrote an article about the show you might find still www.artnet.fr (signed: Etienne Faure).
But I have to change hotels and I found, not far away, in a small street parallel, a "trick" 250 rps (approx. 4 EUR) per night. I installed myself and join my "bistro" for tcahï (Indian tea), 0.15 euros
I enter my reading-cutting by strolling through the neighborhood, I explore the streets, take the photos.
I return to the pub and continue my reading.
I meet at lunchtime, with a nice French couple, designers, living about 4 months a year in India and Nepal where they make their creations they then sell on the markets of Ardeche. I learn a multitude of different things and stuff: reliable address for a trip, guesthouse still cheaper and much safer for tomorrow (they gave me a tour of their room nicely) Korean cigarettes to 30 rps (less than 0 , 5 euro), etc.. We spend a great evening together. After that I start to read then I end the evening, the whole night came, with photos of street at night. Emboldened me more and more of these nocturnal shadows.
Since my arrival at the hotel I ask for a second cover (it is really cold at night), but no way. Finally, I was told tonight on my return I have to pay extra - I give up. The toilets do not work (it's boring for them than for me). I hear the hum of the neighbor as if we shared the same room.
The only advantage of this hotel is its "restaurant" on the roof: there you can see much of the neighborhood and nothing like the aerial views. "Main Bazaar from the Sky"!
The fog is nearly constant, the nights are cold. There is nowhere heating (hotels, bistro, ...)
I will now try to sleep, put on a sweater 4th, the largest in coarse wool and wrap myself in the one small coverage.
Good night all!
____________________
January 19
After a memorable night (feeling of having slept naked on a board, and clock rates), I leave the room as fast I can and will move in the guesthouse filled by the friends met the day before. Indeed: clean and even cheaper for 2, and ... 2 blankets. In a narrow alley of a meter, but not even close to the German bakery and ... some local friends that I'm getting here!
After a good read, my day was spent taking photos. Late afternoon, I spent a long and enjoyable time in the shop that sells a kachmiri different kinds of scarves and other creations. We sympathize, laugh (because we laugh a lot here). Other friends of his are there, I make pictures of each ... (It takes off his shoes when entering the shop and we sat down; my hosts are Muslims of Kashmir). An Italian of Naples was there too long and we stayed together to discuss anything about a chai (tea corner: tea, spices, milk, sugar). After dinner I go and what I found by chance my nice pair of designers and dinner is going excellently well. I returned to the guesthouse to shower, there should be hot water. Yes, phew. Then I leave for a last little photo safari in the dark streets of Main Bazaar (no lighting), only the headlights and the fronts of shops, which closed one by one, illuminate the scene. Everywhere, small groups of men or women (or children) light fires in the street or even the "sidewalk" for warmth or cooking. All day and at regular intervals, it is possible to eat at one of these trucks that produce good smells in the street. For Indian food is so cheap that it is more interesting to eat there than to make oneself to eat.
the days strikes me this fact: we live in the street. It's harder than I have lived in Italy. Certainly, as a tourist, you get alpaguer every minute for a rickshaw, a pair of glasses, hash (often ...), and it is "my friend" to everyone. But everything happens with a smile. After a few days in Main Bazaar, I admit even begin to feel the neighborhood!
I met a young Indian, 26 years old taxi and sinful, who managed to make its way in France. Located in Bormes-les-Mimosas, he makes the markets where it sells the clothes he imports from India. He returned to France on February 16, his French is almost perfect. On my last safari This late afternoon, we discussed at length.
Main Bazaar is an amazing area ... this is comparable to nothing that I could live or see (on TV) in Europe. The photos do give a very faint idea of the bustling and chaotic life of the streets and alleys where everything mixtures: odor, male and female, human, lost pets, dogs, cows, ... ; Garbage ... beautiful young schoolchildren in crisp red uniforms crammed into a rickshaw, beautiful women in their saris, left destitute of the world, and maimed sadous, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, ... You end up finding this mix and these contrasts quite natural. And those eyes, those regardds, those eyes and always looks ...
One thing is certain: I will be happy to leave Delhi to see anything but Main Bazaar India will remain a unique experience to date in my life - and I recommend it. But you have to stay a few days.
I hope to upload pictures as soon as possible!
A fiesta "INDIA" in Paris in February is beginning to take shape ...
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