Sweating Over Samosas

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Well it took three days, but I finally got sick.  Not "Delhi belly" sick, but like strep throat type of sick.  I can only imagine what the bacteria was that found me. Fortunately I was able to walk to the market next door and find a pharmacy.  Antibiotics are over the counter here and don't require any type of prescription or examination.  I simply asked the pharmacist for Amoxicillin and pointed to my throat. She gave me 15 pills for 400 INR (about $5).  I spent the next two days ordering room service and watching the one English-speaking channel on TV, which played three shows: Young Sheldon, Future Man, and Schitt's Creek.  I finally understand the obsession with Schitt's Creek and secretly wouldn't mind another binge session.

A few days later I went to a farmer's market in Sunder Nursery (a park).  The park required an admission fee, which probably cut down on the crowd.  There were several Muslim families enjoying the park and visiting the buildings and tombs which dated back to Mughal Empire.  Since I had yet to venture very far from the hotel, I underestimated the 100 degree heat and the need for water. So by the time I ate my first samosas and the chilly spice kicked in, my Nalgene was empty.  I saw a sign pointing to restrooms and drinking water and found a metal tank with a spout that people were using to fill their bottles.  I've seen these tanks scattered around the city and wasn't too sure of the filtration.  So after a quick Google search of water quality in Delhi, and reading that Delhi ranked last in national testing, I decided against it.  So with spice in my through and sweat on my face, I went back to the market and took a chance on the chilled mamousa juice. I had never heard of mamousas before, but anything chilled sounded lovely.  Turns out they are a sweet lime and the vendor took about 5 from a cooler and squeezed them into a cup - it doesn't get much fresher!  

I took some more time to enjoy the park and stroll around fountains, ancient buildings and gardens.  The parks feel like little pockets of serenity sprinkled against the chaos of the city.  The restoration and preservation efforts to keep these green spaces available are priceless investments!  

















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