My first Blog from Shimla

• Robdy2k's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Shimla

Trip Start May 31, 2008 Previous
Entry Trip End Jul 31, 2009 Next
Entry

  Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Preface -  The very nature of a blog is that it is something which is published online. Presently this cannot be achieved, so this may be considered a diary of sorts, with aspirations to metamorphosise into a blog soon! SORT OUT MY INTERNET CONNECTION YOU BASTARDS! Ahem...
 
God is an experimentalist, his very nature means that he himself is his own ongoing experiment. Therefore, in my eyes at least, God is an anarchist. I like the idea of God being an anarchist, it sits well with my perceptions of India thus far and also of life as a whole.
 
My arrival in Shimla from my brief overnight stay in an apartment near Delhi international airport saw me collected from the domestic airport by a driver from Koenig Solutions, the training company I am a student with

Shimla - first few days

. There was not much conversation but this was not required as I smiled to myself at seeing my first cows in the   winding pine tree laden road. Stray dogs were also averted scavenging for food amongst the   beautiful purple blossom on green the trees.
 
As we neared Shimla I began to notice men chilling out here+there with nothing much to do (it was a Sunday) as well as women washing clothes in mountain stream.
 
My time to discover Shimla  was to be limited as I spent most of the day canceling a Credit Card lost or stolen (probably lost!) somewhere between Delhi and Shimla.
 
I did however find time to have a wonder up the Mall in central Shimla where I looked on in wonderment at it's lower level bazaar with it's monkeys and tradesmen and it's markets with it's fine Sari's and varied food.
 
Day 3 in this fine country has found discovery, both of my course with Koenig and my tutor Durgesh and also of Shimla and its summer festival, it's beggers young and old (one of each), it's crazy drivers on the mountainous roads of this the state capital all trying to outdo each other

Shimla - first few days

.
 
The weather has thrilled me with its changeable nature and extremes which can make one's heart sing when it complements the lush mountainous environment with it's rays of glorious summer sunshine.
 
Finally I have met Sanjeev - purveyor of the Agro Stone Cottages (www.ravicottages.com) which sound delightful and which I may visit to relax after my course. He seems like a nice genuine bloke and I met another traveler Mat last night who is going there also. Organic vegetables and apple groves enveloped in peaceful countryside sound just the ticket as I hear the festival PA blaring out across the Valley at full whack at 22:30 at full whack. Like most other places in the world apart from England, India knows how to through a great public festival.
 
I was also delighted and charmed to meet Purdy in a coffee house where I had my evening meal this evening, a former anthropologist who taught at an Indian University and a retired civil servant who managed the East Indian Railway. Respectful to my elders I let him hold the majority of our conversation as there was much to learn from this wise and intelligent man who knew a lot about various aspects of science, history and religion (more knowledgeable than me about Christianity than me for sure but someone with some very balanced and enlightening opinions on most belief systems)

Shimla - first few days

. He came up with idea of God as an Experimentalist, I reflected that he could be seen as an anarchist...
 
I could write more for the record but I will spare you, so much experienced in such a short time I feel I might burst with all this culture! Alas, the altitude takes it out of you and I am a tired.
 
Goodnight until next time when I hope to have done some study!

Postscript - having to use the flaky net at the training centre during my lunch. If they don't sort my access at the hotel there won't be much more until  uhh - later... ;)

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

Shimla - first few days	Shimla - first few days	Shimla - first few days	Shimla - first few days
Shimla - first few days	Shimla - first few days	Shimla - first few days	Shimla - first few days
Shimla - first few days	Shimla - first few days	Shimla - first few days

Slideshow Print this entry Share

Previous Entry Next Entry