20th February, 2016. Exploring New Delhi and Old Delhi and our welcome get together and dinner

We awoke early for day 2 of our holiday which was really the first active day following our arrival and settling at the beautiful Oberoi Hotel Delhi.

Not surprisingly there was continuing heavy pollution and there has been no rainfall for over 7 weeks here in Delhi. We again have breakfast I'd the restaurant named 360 and then collect out Tauck details and proceed to the Club Bar just of the Main Foyer and Lobby.  We then enter this elegant lounge and wait for our tour guide , Pewter Pappas, to begin speaking.  He provides a comprehensive introduction, details his extensive experience which includes 63 prior "Portrait of India" tours.

it is a fascinating and detailed explanation of our tour including a detailed list of does and don'ts including food and drinking water.

Following this 70 minute introduction and itinerary description we are asked to board our coach and we meet our driver and his assistant then we are introduced to our beautiful guide Samidhna (Sam) who over the next 2 days provided comprehensive insights into the history, politics and religious enactments associated with India and the sub continent over the last 3,000 plus years.

We commenced with a drive through various parts of the 8 cities of Delhi as we drove initially to Humayun's Tomb an inspiring tomb created by the Muslin wealthy.  It is set in superb and beautiful Persian gardens and is a designated World Heritage site.  We spend almost 90 minutes climbing stairs and walking through the various chambers.  Like so much of what we see the challenge associated with upkeep and maintenance is proving a significant challenge.

From here we travel to see the Qutb Minar Victory Tower, but in 1193 with its exquisite carvings and decorations as well as the remains of the associated towers and buildings.  The colour of the red and orange sandstone dominate everything.

we then visit Mahatma Ghandi National museum and thoroughly enjoy the graphic presentations and descriptors of his initial background in South Africa with the associated discrimination prior to again visiting his museum and the many artefacts.

We then all take in the Global peace gong.  There is also a large statue in bronze.

We then drive through this capital city and explore the old and New Delhi, with its spectacular avenues and boulevards and grand vistas and the lasting impact of the colonial mansions.  Government influence is everywhere from the Imperial Government buildings and also the impressive Embassy  district where our Oberoi Hotel is located.

Lunch is served at the highly esteemed Olive Restaurant and Bar, a solitude of peacefulness and calm just away from the furious flurry of the ever changing and confusing tangle of the traffic.  We have 3 courses of soup, then pasta and finally desert. The ambiance is perfect, conversations enjoyable as we meet more of our fellow passengers.

The afternoon then continues with a 2 hour drive through the classic secretariat buildings , the Parliament House and Presidential Palace flanking Vijay Chowk, a grand piazza known as Victory Square.  Our travels then take us through the spectacular Victory Square, we drive passed India Gate,Chichester we will see in closer detail tomorrow. 

We are dropped off back at the hotel by 4.40pm with our Welcome reception to be held in Travatines restaurant before dinner in 360.

It has been an inspiring first day of touring and our group of 30 seems easy and there are several people who we know we will enjoy as company.  

At our Welcome function each couple introduces themselves and briefly comments on their travels.  It has been an excellent start to our tour.