Luke in the Big City

After an uneventful ride down the mountain and a very noisy train ride filled with returning vacationers, Anna and I arrived in Delhi. It was hot and muggy, the scene at the train station was as chaotic as usual, but once the hotel man picked us up and we were driving the short distance to the hotel, I became very happy. I love big cities. I love Delhi.

This is spite of the fact that when I arrived at my friend's apartment where I was staying until I left for Ladakh, the houseboy had had a family emergency and I had to wait on a very hot stairwell until my friends arrived. Once they arrived, I went to sleep as quickly as possible only to be awakened in what felt like the middle of the night to be told we were going to a party. I dutifully got up, made myself as presentable as I could and went off to a gay party where I remet some of the people I had met a year and a half ago on my earlier trip. They are activists of various sorts, very bright, very well-educated, very energetic and very inspirational. They give me some hope for the future of India.

I had two days in Delhi. The first day I just got some business done and then we had a great meal at my friend's house. The second day I did some shopping, had a great massage from my friend's masseur and a talk with the houseboy about being gay in India if you don't belong to the upper middle class (and even there it is not easy).

Then I had a nap and headed out for the airport to meet my friend Caroline so we could go to Ladakh together. Unfortunately, she had failed to get a visa so was turned back at the airport. Fortunately, a Swiss Air representative found me and I got to talk to Caroline by phone. Then I made my way to the domestic airport and waited for my 5 a.m. flight. I was a bit of a wreck, but the flight is spectacular. My window faced the rising sun so my pictures didn't turn out well, but the mountains are very close, very clear and very big.

I was met at the airport and taken to a very nice guest house. I have a room apartment with a great view of Leh palace. But the Ladakh story will have to wait for the next blog.

P.S. This is the report on the great Kashmiri dinner I had in Mussoorie at my friend Anna's friend Vikram's parents' house. There was awide range of dishes. My favorite were potato balls which I think were steamed and then deep-fried so they had a crispy exterior and soft interior. They are a very sophisticated version of French fries. Anna and I had been eating simply for five weeks and this was a great change. The food was great, the house was beautiful and filled with amazing objects, and the hosts were very cordial and charming.