Tag Archives: India

Sunset at Shanti Stupa

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We had made it back from the city tour in the early afternoon and in time for a late lunch. I could certainly feel the altitude having a toll on my, so had another restful afternoon, again with a pot of tea and my book.

In the early evening the group did come together again for the trip up to Shanti Stupa for sunset. The stupa, complete with a golden Buddha statue – opened in 1991 – sits on a hill overlooking Leh and the valley. We spent time here checking out the stupa, watching people go by their religion – and taking in the great views all around.

Exploring Leh – breathing hard

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Today was another slow day, as we continued to get acclimatized to Leh’s elevation. As such we had a leisurely trip around Leh’s main sights.

First it was up to the old castle on Tsemo Hill for great views over town and valley – views even turned out better after the climb of some steps up to Tsemo Maitreya Temple (which unfortunately was closed).

It was now back to the cars for the short drive to the next stop a hundred meters below – Leh Palace. Leh Palace is the former royal palace, today a museum and open to the public. After learning about the palace’s history, taking in more views and (occasionally) taking a rest to catch our breath, it was into town for masala chai and Leh Market for a first souvenir shopping opportunity (Kashmiri Kahwa Tea anyone?) and (more important to me) a proper espresso.

Into thin Air – on to Ladakh

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We had a very early start today, leaving our hotel in Delhi at 01:30 to catch the 04:55 flight to Leh. The flight turned out quiet spectacular as we reached the Himalaya range – with great mountain views (limited for me, due to me being in an aisle seat).

After a bit more than an hour flight time we arrived in Leh at around 06:00 to a fresh, sunny morning. Despite this being a short domestic hop, our surroundings were very different now compared to just a few hours earlier. We had swapped the hot and humid monsoon with a very dry desert-climate; the air – now at an elevation of 3500m above sea level – turned out much thinner. Also there was a clear cultural shift – this did not feel like India anymore … with a Tibetan-style Buddhism being the main influence here. Only the food remained distinctly Indian – daal, paneer and galub jamun continued to be our (almost) daily staples.

A quick drive got us to the hotel, where our rooms were already waiting for us – as was breakfast. I made it back to bed after breakfast to catch up on a bit of sleep and ease the adjustment to the elevation. After lunch I continued to take things easy – over a pot of tea and a book … and enjoying the views from the rooftop of the hotel.

Back to India

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And here we are – travel continues – I am off to India today.

When I did my trip to Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Bhutan last year, several people in my group recommended to check out Ladakh – which is, what I am doing now. So, this trip will bring me back into the Himalaya region – and back to (likely) slightly different flavors of Tibetan Buddhism (and very different flavors of Buddhism compared to what I have seen in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia earlier in the year).

This trip started in Delhi, where we arrived in the middle of the night. The first day was a sightseeing day in Delhi. We kicked it off in Old Delhi around the big mosque – Jama Masjid – to then venture out into the small market side streets around Chawri Bazar and some first street food.

From here it was on to the Rajghat Memorial at the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. After a stop at the India Gate we ended up at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib – a big Sikh temple with a golden dome and a pool of water. Similar to my last visit here in 2014 we also checked out the kitchen, which produces ten thousands of meals daily for the temple’s visitors.

Back to Kolkata ..

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We made it back to Kolkata half an hour before the planned arrival time; immigration and customs were quick (well – for most) and we were soon picked up for the transfer to the hotel and the rest of the day was in our hands.

Together with two fellow travelers I was now on a quest for a traditional High Tea. Unfortunately the go-to-place for that – the Oberoi Grand – was closed for renovation, so our destination was another high-end luxury hotel with an attached tea lounge. It took as more than an hour to walk the 3.5km, first following Park Street (passing by the seat of the archbishop) and then through the market along Chowringee Road – what a culture shock after our quiet time in Bhutan. When we arrived at the hotel, we were quick to realize that the tea lounge had survived only in name – and not as a place for a traditional cuppa with cucumber sandwiches and scones. A bit disappointed we gave the hotel’s restaurant a go – had a cup of tea along with some sandwiches – followed by cake in the hotel’s bakery … essentially a DIY High Tea. This was all washed down with a nice local orangy Gin & Tonic, before we hit a taxi, to get back to our hotel.

We left Kolkata in the early morning of the next day for our flight back home.
This has been another great trip, a great itinerary, an superb group and outstanding tour leaders – combined with the best weather, natural beauty all along and fabulous views. A clear recommendation!

Along the Teesta River into the Lowlands

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Today started with an orchid tour around the hotel premises – after which it was back to the cars for a final long drive of about 170km, now heading into the lowlands of West Bengal towards Jaigaon and the border crossing into Bhutan.

As yesterday we were initially following the Teesta River, until we used the Coronation Bridge to cross the river and continue East towards the border. Soon the scenery changed – instead of a mountainous forest we were now driving through more of flat bush land (well, some of those bushes turned out to be tea gardens). We made it to our hotel near Jaigaon in the late afternoon, with little to do around.

Downtown Kalimpong

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On the way from the temple to our hotel we were dropped in downtown Kalimpong for a leisurely walk through the Raja Dorjee Market and “high street”, making the final mile to the hotel by foot and getting in a bit of physical activity after a day of driving.

On the quest for Blueberry Cheesecake

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After our Buddhist morning, we were all ready for a more secular afternoon. Our cars got us into downtown and we were dropped next to Gangtok’s main market – Lal Bazar – for a market visit. From here it was back to MG Road and the rest of the day was on us.

During the walk around the area yesterday with two of my fellow travelers, we had seen several cake shops – incl. some with rather good-looking blueberry cheesecake –  exactly what we were craving for now. A first search was unsuccessful – and we eventually ended up in a cafe with Sikkim-grown and in-shop-roasted coffee and Japanese cheesecake (close – but not close enough – though the coffee made up for it). The quest continued … and we were not able to find the bakery from the day before (or they simply had sold out) – sheer luck got us into another cafe, where I simply ordered the thing – and ended up with a slice of blueberry cheesecake – yummy …

I challenged my luck once more this day – by ordering the “special cocktail” in our dinner place later on. We had been here the day before – and then no one had been able to explain, what it is … well, there is only one way to find out – a nice watermelon based drink – going nicely with the Gobi Manchurian 😉