Himalayan India

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Monday 2 June

Went to Wagha to watch the "closing the border" ceremony just before sunset. There were 10,000 people on the Indian side but fewer on the Pakistan side. There were people dancing & a lot of patriotic chanting. It sounded like they were saying "Hindustani, Hindustani, Ra Ra Ra" but I expect it was something more significant.

Then the soldiers on both sides, who were smartly dressed with fan shaped decorations sticking out of their hats, started to take it on turns to march up to the border at top speed using a variety of different high kicks. It reminded me of Monty Python's Ministry of silly walks. This was all appreciated by the crowd who cheered enthusiastically. Eventually the gates were closed & the flags of both countries were lowered slowly at exactly the same time. It was all very entertaining but it was scary when we came to leave because of the mass of people trying to leave at the same time & for some reason they stopped some sections of the crowd leaving at first so everyone was pushing to leave but we could not go anywhere. Eventually we got out of there but the car park was as bad & there was at least one bump. Not involving us fortunately.

Svaasa, 47-A The Mall, Amritsar. We have been staying in this small, querky hotel. It has lots of outdoor space such as covered verandahs around the outside of the first floor bedrooms, a central shaded courtyard on the ground floor & a roof terrace next to our bedroom on the top level. All very nice apart from all the stairs most of which are outside so not so good if it rains!

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