The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
January 26 - Republic Day in Delhi
Today is Republic Day -- India's Independence Day. It is a national holiday (which means, among other things) that most businesses are closed and restaurants can't sell any alcohol. But Delhi is the capital of India and site of the massive Republic Day Parade. We had the opportunity to get tickets but ...
For us the highlight of the day was lunch with Lalit and Manjari Nirula, my former classmate. He wanted to take us to a golf club tucked away in the middle of the city. It was a gorgeous setting, dotted with old monuments ... but we found the restaurant was closed in observance of Republic Day.
Plan B was an outdoor restaurant in Lodi Park, right across the main road from the India Habitat Centre where we are staying. We enjoyed the company and conversation as much as the cuisine. Weather-wise we couldn't have asked for anything better -- sunny and about 70 degrees with a gentle breeze on a tree-shaded terrace with good friends. There is a God.
But eventually we had go our separate ways. They headed for home and we decided to stroll through the park before walking back to our room. Lodi Park was packed with families just lolling on blankets on the lawn and doing what families anywhere do. The vibe was very mellow. The park itself holds several historic monuments -- old tombs actually -- which make the place very special indeed.
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