Holiday in India & Bhutan (7): Darjeeling
Jenny and I missed the sunrise yesterday but today (Tuesday), together with Gavin and Ann from our group, we caught it. Rising at 4.45 am, it was a mere 10 minute walk from our hotel to a local viewing point for the sun’s appearance at 5.33 am.
It was a magical experience: only a few local people there and clear skies with just a few lines of cloud. Once the sun was up, the birds tweeted and girls from a nearby school sang.
As well as the sunrise, we had wonderful views of the world’s third highest mountain, Kanchenjunga (28,189 feet or 8,586 metres). The only higher mountains are Mount Everest (29,032 feet) and K2 (28,251 feet).
Kanchenjunga means ‘the five treasures of the high snow’ and the local Lhopo people believe that the treasures are hidden but reveal themselves to the devout when the world is in peril. This would seem to be the right time for such a revelation, but clearly we are not devout enough.
Starting at 9 am, our tour group spent the whole day in downtown Darjeeling. The weather was mild (20C) and the town was bustling with celebration of the Durga Puja festival which starts today. We seemed to be the only tourists.
Our Indian guide Kiran took around and provided information. A highlight was the Chowk Bazaar with stalls side by side and opposite each other on narrow lanes selling all kinds of food and clothing especially. We had one stop for tea tasting at a place called “Golden Tips”. A few colonial buildings remain, including the Anglian church of St Andrew’s and the main post office which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
After this morning tour, we had a free afternoon. Jenny and I had lunch with some other group members at a restaurant called “Glenary’s” which was founded in 1885. Then we strolled around, making a few purchases and having a drink at a former colonial building which is now the Windamere Hotel. We were back at the hotel soon after 4 pm so it was a less busy day.