Page 148 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2023 SPECIAL CRUISE EDTION

their faiths, different gods and the histories of
the comings and goings of the princes and dif-
ferent invaders from Afghanistan, Iran and
elsewhere. Even the poorest have positive
spirits and concerns for others in this country
of 1.4 billion, second only to China in popula-
tion and third largest economy in the world af-
ter China and the U.S.
We traveled in September, just after the
monsoon season when most areas are clean
and green, with temperatures easing from
their summer highs, and before the prime and
cooler travel months of October to April. Our
guides arranged meals in a family home, on an
island on a peaceful lake in the countryside, in
a UNESCO recognized restored boutique hotel
(Haveli) tucked on a quiet side street away
from the cacophony of Old Delhi thorough-
fares and aggressive street merchants (each
with the best deal in town) and in non-Indian
restaurants. Lunches and dinners included
from six to ten dishes, with different levels of
spiciness. The foodies in our group picked up
on the different styles, with some dishes being
dry and others in a cream sauce. Beyond curry,
we enjoyed dishes with an array of spices fine-
tuned to our Western tastes, including tikka
masala, coriander, garam masala, cumin, car-
damom, cloves, black pepper, garlic, onions,
ginger, and chili pepper. For variety, we en-
joyed Japanese, Italian, French and basic
American (breakfast choices) during our tours,
including a Chinese restaurant in New Delhi
with a three-star chef.
Experiences included riding camels in a wel-
coming parade around the entry to one hotel.
An engagement party invited us to join the
family fun at another (more later). We visited
classic forts, tombs and mosques in five cities:
Mumbai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Agra and New Delhi.
We stayed one night in a hotel in a booming
tech center near the airport. From its dining
room, we could see familiar logos atop nearby
office buildings -- call center headquarters for
companies from all over the world.

148 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SPRING 2023