We were in Shimla

It was not as per our plan. We got up at 3.30 in the morning, got fresh as quick as we could and got into the railway station by 4.15. We had no idea that there would be huge queue in ticket counter. We first did not understand the mess there, but gradually managed to get ticket.

If you have not visited, earlier series of this tour,

Introducing Tour 

Visiting Amritsar

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‘Run! Our train is leaving in next 2 minutes!’ we ran quick. Ahh, train moved late. We caught train upto Chandrigarh. At 10, we were at Chandrigarh, where we had plan to eat at some dhaba, some great tandoori. But, Chandrigarh was such organized place, and we were mess. Name of places were kept on the basis of number! Oops! We had to rush to bus stand to catch bus to Shimla.  Sector 42?

We took some stupid lunch at bus stand, and got into the bus – We were heading to Shimla - Summer capital of British India. It is capital of Himanchal Pradesh today.

On the way

We all wanted to see scenery, so we captured 6 window seats. People on the bus were cool. A guy was drinking beer. Oh, we were thirsty too. Girls were cute. Roadway was fine, some what of Nepal. Some where travelling from Dharan to Bhedetar? Or, Charikot to Jiri? Or somewhere in Nepal. One beautiful scene was a hotel at the top of the hill, and you have to use Cable Car to be there. That was something beautiful to watch from the window.

4 lane road. Ain't it beautiful?

 

Funny Hotel

After realizing, agents could always manage best room than we can find our own, we followed Khan bhaisap. He showed us cheapest room that we could never manage with six beds for all of us, and three bathroom for us. So, taking his commission, he disappeared. It was already 4 pm. We were in a hotel, which was a house. Or a house which was a hotel. Series of beds below, and above, the owner used to stay with small kitchen, so if any one had to pass, they had to pass through our room. Frequently, people used to enter, and go towards owner, via our room.

Again, next morning Khan bhaisap came with 11 guys. They were from Chandrigarh, and were on bike. Travelling in the night, they were seeking for bed in the morning. Now, Khan bhaisap wanted us to give our beds to them. We clearly rejected. He convinced us to go to Manali that very time, because we would miss scenes during the night time. Oh, Gaurav scolded him, and he was silent. But seeing pathetic condition of those young boys, we thought of allowing three of our beds to them.

The hotel we stayed was near to Old Bus Park.

Evening Walk

On the very day, when we reached Shimla, we went to Mall Road. We had to climb small hill for reaching there. There was provision of lift, but we were Nepalese, and we had courage to walk. On reaching top, we found a different experience. Mall Road was different than our imagined Durbar Marg, or Lakeside of Pokhara. It was standard, clean, and smart people. Basically, tourists were into that streets. By tourists, I mean both domestic and international. Evening time walk, with lights around indeed was fun. The cool air, made us wear our wind cheater. Rusen, me and Gaurav, we decided to walk a bit longer, and we walked down through market. 

We were addicted to selfie! After all, we had selfie stick too.

Me, a cameraman. My friend posing, and expecting me to click.

That was night view of Shimla.

Beautiful weather and girls

Only after reaching to Mall Road, we realized people from Delhi, Chandrigarh and other places generally come to Shimla, basically for good weather. The weather was like, ‘Bhedetar’ for Biratnagar. Cool and pleasant. We required something strong to wear in the evening. During the day time, the weather was joking with us. Sunlight for five minutes, again cloud would cover that. Seriously, as if sun and cloud were playing hide and seek with us. I imagined the snows during the winter all over.

Clouds playing hide and seek, maybe entertaining us? Or being tricky to us?

Okay, let me come to next thing, there were beautiful girls too in Shimla. Mall Road, Ridge had lot of beautiful girls, and for people like us, who had been residing in some village of India, we probably felt being in Venezuela? Our eyes were busy, whom to watch? Okay watching her for more than couple of minutes would miss the another beautiful girl. So, optimal utilization of eye indeed was necessary. No snaps of beautiful girls were taken. Maybe we didn't want to spend time on taking pictures, or maybe as a concern of respect.

The Ridge and Scandal Point

There was nothing so special about Ridge. Just that on top of hill, there was this open space. Okay, imagine on top of hill, a huge Patan Durbar Square like environment without any cultural monuments, but few British built beautiful buildings There was still further above an hour trek route, which we ignored. Despite of spending entire evening previous day, we did not feel that Ridge was just above the Mall Road. Had we known, maybe we would have spent time there too. But, we had next day, where we spent our time. Making promise to return back in the evening for coffee there, we were moving around searching Scandal point. Oops, and then we realized we had already crossed Scandal Point, from where entire Ridge could be observed. That was beautiful place just above Ridge. 

The Ridge View 1. You see the church in 3 idiots right before Intermission. The place where they park their car, and ask Chana Masala wala, where Ranchod Das stays.

The Ridge, view 2. This is the scene you see right after intermission in 3 Idiots. They hear the name of Wangdu for the first time.

Okay, check your memory power, if you remember the scene right after intermission of 3 idiots, that is The Ridge. Ahh, these places indeed are memories. Did I remember Pun Hill? Pun Hill is much more natural. We returned back in the evening again, and Ridge was still beautiful. However, the coffee wasn’t good at all.

Rastrapati Niwas

It was formerly the residence of the British Viceroy of India. It houses some of the most ancient articles and photographs going back to the times of the British rule in India. We had to walk around 2.3 kms away from Mall Road to reach there. There were provisions of vehicles too, but we decided to save money and walk. We had to spend much more in days to come. So, the troubled thing was, we were not answered by anyone about direction to this place. On asking paanwala, he would call agent, who would describe us the rate. On asking other shops, some where they themselves were agents. Ahh! We decided to use Google Map and GPS Service and followed it. Bunch of people were walking too.

We assumed this was a golf court. Did you see helicopter there?

The road was beautiful. We were tired. This beauty dragged us.

  

There were beautiful scenarios to watch, that we would surely miss if we had taken a ride. The buildings, scene down below, something like golf court, with helicopter nearby, that was fascinating. We reached the place, and came to know entry fee is there. Now, what we were aware was, there is nothing inside. No matter in Mysore palace, or be it in any museums, entering inside is something foolish. Hence, we decided not to enter inside.

We were tired, and sitting there. Tired enough to click photos. So if anyone appeared, their prime task was to take our photo.

Like I mentioned, we did not enter inside. This was the best close that we could capture.

After returning back to hostel, Tuya, my classmate from Mongolia told Henry 

Irwin, being the architect of this place, who designed Mysore palace too. Oh wow! I also found out that, I have seen his designs in Chennai as well.

Foods at Shimla

Momos

Starting up the story of food, we found Momo’s there. What would we want more than Momos? So, right after getting into the hotel, we came for Momos. Mutton Momos this time. I did not like the taste at all. Oops! I could not eat them all. Was that just the shop or for entire Shimla? We did not dare to try momos twice. However we saw momo shop frequently like that of Kathmandu, and people used to eat momo in two bites style, and with hand here.

Momos!

Gulab Jamun and Jerry

South India has a different taste of sweets. They are really very sweet, and I feel if someone says you to eat more than couple of piece of sweet, that marks ‘ ‘punishment’. I admit, I must be wrong, else those sweet shop would not exist at all. Okay, talking turkey, Gulab Jamun was so good, it reminded me of those available in Unique Sweets of Biratnagar. We did not mind having it twice. Jerry was equally good too. Maybe, Nepalese love food of North India more than South India.

Apples

Apples of Shimla are world famous – A guy selling apple told us. Maybe it was, but we had no idea. Still, I decided to eat apples for my breakfast. So two apples of 400gms was my breakfast. It was good. Green Apple was worth eating, and some healthy diet too.

I tried to make Apple's logo in real. I took the bite.

Bhel Puri?

I don’t know the name, but this was some small old hotel. Too much of crowd, and people were there in large proportion. We went inside, and they brought some big puri like thing, with vegetable. Ahh, we don’t remember the name, but it tasted good. Was that Bhel Puri?

This indeed is old hotel, crowded where we had Bhel Puri? Oh, I don't know the name.

 Few other snaps

Gandhi is respected throughout India.

That was Aakashwani. All India Radio's Office.

My messed of photography. I prioritized her eyes, ending with that stupid wire there distracting building.

St Michael's Cathedral Catholic Church

Buildings were beautiful.

I suggested them to bend a bit, and stay in order. None of them agreed.

Capturing Photographer's Photo.

Bidhan Bhawan of Shimla.

Old beautifully designed building.

New beautifully designed building.

 

 

Stone Man was standing in the Mall Road somewhere.

I felt he is Nepali. Not just cap, he was selling some Nepali products too.

That probably was respect for Indian Army.

I will post about Manali Diary after sometime.

Stay Updated.