From Calcutta to Darjeeling... !

This may ring some musical bells ? (Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren, but they started in New Delhi).

Calcutta ! We thought it would be a hard introduction to India but it was wonderful. The first evening I was wandering about our part of town with a permanent smile on my face. Difficult to describe how I felt. Of course the beggars are there too, sleeping and probably dying in the streets. But the general impression is of a permanent joyous miracle amongst the chaos, noise and dirt.

Then imagine us in Darjeeling sitting having a pot of the eponymous tea in a beautiful old cafe cum bakery called Glenary's which looks out onto the snowcapped 8000m high mountains. On one side a very elegant English couple, 70ish, who must be staying at the old Windermere Hotel (thank you letters from eg Nehru on the walls of the lounge), on the other a backpacker or two, and the rest locals, visitors from all over India having tea too and excitedly discussing their visit/pilgrimage, wrapped in bright locally knitted scarves and bobble hats over their best traditional clothes.

We're really glad we came up this far inspite of the complicated drive up and chilly damp room. The traces of British life are all around, which, added to the many charming Tibetan-origin inhabitants, the bright temple bunting and of course the spectacular Himalayan backdrop make the whole place quite unique. We were so lucky, with blue skies the whole time. Not even the serious rubbish problem cam really break the charm.

Everything has to to brought up by 4 wheel drive, then on the backs of porters, attached by a band to their foreheads. Their small bent bodies are almost hidden by the load as they trot uphill in an attempt to lighten it. It makes you think differently about what's available and what isn't, not to mention what they decide is worth carrying downhill...

Then we had three hours bumping, hooting and swerving down to the airport and on to Delhi, spotting Everest on the way.

Comments

[zaza]

je trouve le coin salon et d'autres lieux assez cosy et très jolis avec ce bois sur les murs, bon je ne lis pas en anglais même si cela me le ferait travailler demain peut être bise à vous 2