Darjeeling monasteries and tea

April 1-2, 2010

Where in this small world can you wake up to a Muslim call to prayer, listen to church bells for Mass at brunch, relax with Buddhist chants and prayers for tea and then be inundated with the clamor of Hindu bells, yells and other noises at dinner time? Darjeeling – that’s where. This high country tea town is amazing with stunning views of the Himalayas (when the clouds clear), people from every culture, steep, clean walkways and roads, colorful and stench-free markets (well –almost) and tea plantations sculptured out of the steep mountainsides. We found the Choling monasteries (no kung fu Grasshoppers) just in time to listen to great prayer chanting, drums and horns. We even chased down the toy train in the fog again after filling-up on Happy Valley tea at the hillside plantation. Laurie is now a tea expert on curing, fermenting and making tea – we just leave out the picking part. I think the handling process left her unimpressed though; the tea lays on the floor and is shoveled into baskets by dirty barefooted workers using broken snow shovels – and this was the good stuff destined for to Harrods in London. We had our heart set on trying to see a rare Snow Leopard and a Red Panda but had to settle on seeing them in captivity at the Himalayan Zoo and Breeding Center – oh well

Photos posted are of the oldest Buddhist monastery in Ghoom and Steve by the Buddhist prayer wheels.

Off to Kalimpong today.

Steve