Day 11 Shimla

What!!! It’s not snow but rain ! It’s going to an interesting few days here -but so far no Delhi belly only head colds ! Nice hotel -it has a bar that actually has gin but it’s cold in the hotel !
I had thought that Shimla was just one street but it sprawls over the hills and on a clear day the panorama must be great ! It became the Summer capital in 1886 before the railway was built for the Brits escaping the heat !
We head out and the rain stops and we visit Rashtrapati Niwas ("President's Residence"), formerly known as Viceregal Lodge, located on the Observatory Hills . It was the summer residence of the Indian Viceroy, the British Raj leader who governed the whole of the Indian subcontinent between 1888 until 1946. Within the Viceroy Lodge many significant decisions from this era about India were devised, discussed and agreed upon. Photos inside this throwback to Mock-Tudor cum Scottish stately homes are not allowed so ...internet sourced!
It’s a odd maze of streets crossing the hills . To get to the walk or promenade The Mall and The Ridge we use the tourist lift to go up and then walk l
the shops and sights which must be very colourful in sunshine ! The Scandal , the old Gaiety theatre - music hall , the town hall and other odd old buildings ! Then it really does snow ! And the place is filling up with Indian tourists who want to see the snow !
It’s tea and biscuits in the warm !Læs mere