I'm nicely cossetted (love that word) in the Aroma Palace Hotel in Chamba ... one the nicest places yet! Clean, a great view, hot water, tv, towel even toilet paper!!!
I came to Chamba from Dalhousie this morning on a "bus" (if I can call it that) trip that Lonely Planet describes, quite accuratly, as hair-raising. ... a wild mountain road that passes thru a black bear sanctuary and an Indian Swiss style meadow and resort ... bizarre ... The valley is steep, the mountains high and the road very narrow.
Dalhousie was almost deserted ... very much the "off season" and bitterly cold at over 7000ft. It's kept going by the army and a couple of huge "public schools" - a cross between American Military Acadamies and British Public Schools ... boarding schools where priveleged Indians send thier darlings to be educated and moulded. Many of the buildings and hotels reek of Raj Era India Glory ... or ... again to quote Lonely Planet others just reek.
Chamba is relaxed provincial centre in the Valley ... very much a working town .. I havn't seen any other Westerners here yet.
As I was walking around checking the place out this afternoon I saw a bunch of Fireman sitting outside the Himachal Fire Brigade Headquarters beside an ancient fire truck .... I asked if I could take a picture and they were delighted and insisted on posing in front .... before i knew it I was in the Fire Chief's imposing but ancient office having tea with him .. he seated behind his enourmous desk and his men on chairs around the edge of the office - he asked me questions about Canada and I told him my brother is a volunteer fireman - he was delighted .. and kept translating everything I said to the men in Hindi ... He then asked in a quieter tone if I liked whiskey ... at which point I told him I'd been on the wagon for a few years ... discretion seemed to dictate that this was the wisest decision .. and I left .. promising to send him the picture - these sort of things seem to happen a lot here.
Tomorrow it's off to Bharmaur ... right behind the mountains from McLeod Ganj ... and way off the beaten track .. with any luck I'll be back to Chamba in a couple of days ...
I came to Chamba from Dalhousie this morning on a "bus" (if I can call it that) trip that Lonely Planet describes, quite accuratly, as hair-raising. ... a wild mountain road that passes thru a black bear sanctuary and an Indian Swiss style meadow and resort ... bizarre ... The valley is steep, the mountains high and the road very narrow.
Dalhousie was almost deserted ... very much the "off season" and bitterly cold at over 7000ft. It's kept going by the army and a couple of huge "public schools" - a cross between American Military Acadamies and British Public Schools ... boarding schools where priveleged Indians send thier darlings to be educated and moulded. Many of the buildings and hotels reek of Raj Era India Glory ... or ... again to quote Lonely Planet others just reek.
Chamba is relaxed provincial centre in the Valley ... very much a working town .. I havn't seen any other Westerners here yet.
As I was walking around checking the place out this afternoon I saw a bunch of Fireman sitting outside the Himachal Fire Brigade Headquarters beside an ancient fire truck .... I asked if I could take a picture and they were delighted and insisted on posing in front .... before i knew it I was in the Fire Chief's imposing but ancient office having tea with him .. he seated behind his enourmous desk and his men on chairs around the edge of the office - he asked me questions about Canada and I told him my brother is a volunteer fireman - he was delighted .. and kept translating everything I said to the men in Hindi ... He then asked in a quieter tone if I liked whiskey ... at which point I told him I'd been on the wagon for a few years ... discretion seemed to dictate that this was the wisest decision .. and I left .. promising to send him the picture - these sort of things seem to happen a lot here.
Tomorrow it's off to Bharmaur ... right behind the mountains from McLeod Ganj ... and way off the beaten track .. with any luck I'll be back to Chamba in a couple of days ...
posted by Andrew Smith at 6:37 AM
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