Patna/Darjeeling
April 22, 1986
Here we are in Darjeeling, known to many as “The Himalayan Queen” an elevation of 6812 ft., and a West Bengal, Hill Station.
This Himalayan Queen’s hilly terrain shares her fruity floral aroma the Black Tea with the world that has no equal, and differs from season to season.
Recalling history of which I am not too sure of, this Tea planting was born in 1841 by a Dr. Campbell where he used seed from China.
What a sue case this would be today; ‘China’s seed and Darjeeling’s reaping’ Dr Campbell must have bought the seed from China, so the case is dropped, no suing, please.
Break time from history for a laugh at Clare, who ‘still’ has her only souvenir from Darjeeling, a packet of Darjeeling Black Tea bought in 1986. Twenty-two years later, this souvenir stares at one in Clare’s food pantry, has never been used.
Does Tea taste better with age like wine does?
Our one night stay at Sinclair Hotel was not a happy one for me. I recall having water shortage in the bathroom area and was happy to leave the following morning for Calcutta. Credit is due here, for the inspiring view of the Himalayas from our bedroom window of this hotel.
The day was spent visiting, The Toy Train, Tiger Hill, Ghoom Monastery and Zoo Park leaving the rest of the day strolling down their main street.
Houses in Darjeeling are built of concrete, brick and lumber very closing knit on the sloops of this Hill city.
Darjeeling’s inhabitants were mostly Nepalese and Tibetans, several temples in view reminding one of their Buddha.
THE TOY TRAIN:
The Toy Train is quite close to the Ghoom Monastery, where Mount Everest the world’s highest peak can be spotted in the distance. This Toy Train a UNESCO World Heritage site is a treacherous rail journey.
TIGER HILL:
Tiger Hill is also near the Ghoom Monastery where there is a 9-hole golf course for you golf lovers.
GHOOM MONESTERY:
Here one can see a 4.57-m high statue of a seated Buddha.
ZOO PARK:
This is a lovely place to visit, the Siberian Tigers and the Himalayan Black Bears two of my favourites were seen. These Tigers are beautiful animals, from a distance of course.
Tomorrow we leave this Black Tea scented air, Himalayan Queen city, for Calcutta.
Do you get that feeling this long vacation is finally catching up on Clare?
No, not as yet, the closing chapter is the funniest and happiest, lots happen here.
The day after our arrival in Calcutta our driver will drive us to, ‘My Beloved Kharagpur’, seeing her for the first time, thirty-six years later.
Secretly hoping, she has not changed too much since the Exodus of the British Raj folks.
345 Third Avenue, Kharagpur, my home, with our favorite Mango Tree and the two Neem Trees that graced the front of our home, wonder if they will be still there waiting to welcome me back home.
Good night, see you in Calcutta.
God bless
Clare
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Delhi/Kathmando
Delhi/Kathmando
April 18, 1986
Our overnight stay at the Taj Mahal hotel in Delhi followed a flight to Kathmando, Nepal the following morning.
On our arrival at Kathmando, Nepal we were driven to Hotel Del’Annapurna, a small more on the modern style hotel.
Kathmando, capital of Nepal is a city of pilgrims, carved brick temples on every street, mobbed by beggars, monkeys, accompanied with dusty crowded roads.
Afternoon Prayer
Prayer Bells
Nepal’s history is largely the history of Kathmando Valleys on the southern slops of the mid Himalayas with a population of more than 26 million people made up of over 40 Races and Tribes.
The endless viewing of the exterior of these temples between the crowds of people was tiring. One had to be careful where you stepped. Having lived in Taiwan, both Eric and I were familiar with the open drains known as the Binjos in Taiwan, laughingly I told Alan he better look where he was walking, a few minutes later Alan had stepped into one of these Binjos.
Here is Alan washing the waste matter off his shoes, at the Hotel.
Indian Jewelry
While in Kathmando a helicopter flight over Mount Everest was on our itinerary, however, both the wives of this foursome group declined this adventure. One can say a helicopter flight over the most famous Mount Everest is one of Eric and Alan’s biggest achievements, where so few have had this opportunity.
Our Tour Guide’s Legend of Kathmando:
“Legend speaks that this valley was once covered by a Lake until the Bodhisattva Manjushi raised his sword of Wisdom and sliced a passage through the mountain walls draining the water and creating this first settlement.”
The country was frequently called The Gorkha Kingdom, the source of the term “Gurkka” used for the Nepali soldiers.
In Kharagpur, India, where I was born, we had Gurkkas living at the Armory, neighbours to The European Institute in Kharagpur. If my memory is correct, these Gurkkas in WW2 were Britain’s number one fighters in Burma.
The following has nothing to do with Kathmando, since I do not have much to add to this visit, I thought I would end it with Mark Twain’s words on India.
“So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature to make India the most extraordinary country that the Sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten nothing over looked.”
Mark Twain
“Following the Equator”.
We leave Kathmando April 21, 1986 via New Delhi arriving Darjeeling April 23, 1986.
The end of this 1986 three-week vacation of India is coming to a close. Memories of this vacation will always be with me.
Are you up to meeting me at Darjeeling?
God bless
Clare
April 18, 1986
Our overnight stay at the Taj Mahal hotel in Delhi followed a flight to Kathmando, Nepal the following morning.
On our arrival at Kathmando, Nepal we were driven to Hotel Del’Annapurna, a small more on the modern style hotel.
Kathmando, capital of Nepal is a city of pilgrims, carved brick temples on every street, mobbed by beggars, monkeys, accompanied with dusty crowded roads.
Afternoon Prayer
Prayer Bells
Nepal’s history is largely the history of Kathmando Valleys on the southern slops of the mid Himalayas with a population of more than 26 million people made up of over 40 Races and Tribes.
The endless viewing of the exterior of these temples between the crowds of people was tiring. One had to be careful where you stepped. Having lived in Taiwan, both Eric and I were familiar with the open drains known as the Binjos in Taiwan, laughingly I told Alan he better look where he was walking, a few minutes later Alan had stepped into one of these Binjos.
Here is Alan washing the waste matter off his shoes, at the Hotel.
Indian Jewelry
While in Kathmando a helicopter flight over Mount Everest was on our itinerary, however, both the wives of this foursome group declined this adventure. One can say a helicopter flight over the most famous Mount Everest is one of Eric and Alan’s biggest achievements, where so few have had this opportunity.
Our Tour Guide’s Legend of Kathmando:
“Legend speaks that this valley was once covered by a Lake until the Bodhisattva Manjushi raised his sword of Wisdom and sliced a passage through the mountain walls draining the water and creating this first settlement.”
The country was frequently called The Gorkha Kingdom, the source of the term “Gurkka” used for the Nepali soldiers.
In Kharagpur, India, where I was born, we had Gurkkas living at the Armory, neighbours to The European Institute in Kharagpur. If my memory is correct, these Gurkkas in WW2 were Britain’s number one fighters in Burma.
The following has nothing to do with Kathmando, since I do not have much to add to this visit, I thought I would end it with Mark Twain’s words on India.
“So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature to make India the most extraordinary country that the Sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten nothing over looked.”
Mark Twain
“Following the Equator”.
We leave Kathmando April 21, 1986 via New Delhi arriving Darjeeling April 23, 1986.
The end of this 1986 three-week vacation of India is coming to a close. Memories of this vacation will always be with me.
Are you up to meeting me at Darjeeling?
God bless
Clare
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