I am home for a full week now, still working through jet lag and the bronchitis I picked up on the way over.
What is so interesting to me is the dreams I have been having almost every night about one aspect or another of our trip. They have been about the people we went with, vivid pictures of places we visited and conversations with people we met. India has a way of staying with you even when you are not there.
Today a book I ordered yesterday arrived from Silver Tips Tea in Tarrytown, New York, US headquarters for Makaibari. The book, "The Rajah of Darjeeling Organic Tea Makaibari", is by and about Rajah Banerjee, owner of Makaibari Estates tea plantations and his efforts to bring the biodynamic agriculture model to his family tea estates. Margaret and I were so fortunate to have Elizabeth Clarke, Director of the Windamere Hotel in Darjeeling, go out of her way to set us up with a visit to her friend Rajah, as he likes to be called. (His name is actually Swaraj Kumar Banerjee) She provided us with a car, driver, and box lunches and off we went down the mountain to meet Rajah who was home for just the one day.
We stopped for a flat tire at an observation spot and there in all its glory was Katchenjunga, highest peak in India and third highest in the Himalyas. Our next stop to repair the tire was adjacent to a group of young guys who were singing and playing guitar.
We met Rajah at his office and were promptly turned around so that we could tour the factory, which was empty and opened especially for us so that we could learn about the process of tea making. When we got back, he conducted a tasting for us of the wonderful variety of teas produced by Makaibari. We learned the technique of tea tasting, then picked our favorite and enjoyed a cup of heavenly Darjeeling tea.
Afterwards we went up to his home and met his lovely wife Sriupa and had our pictures taken with one of the tigers gracing his living space. From there it was a short walk to the garden, drinks and our box lunches. Rajah is a force of nature, and I am grateful to have met him.
What is so interesting to me is the dreams I have been having almost every night about one aspect or another of our trip. They have been about the people we went with, vivid pictures of places we visited and conversations with people we met. India has a way of staying with you even when you are not there.
Today a book I ordered yesterday arrived from Silver Tips Tea in Tarrytown, New York, US headquarters for Makaibari. The book, "The Rajah of Darjeeling Organic Tea Makaibari", is by and about Rajah Banerjee, owner of Makaibari Estates tea plantations and his efforts to bring the biodynamic agriculture model to his family tea estates. Margaret and I were so fortunate to have Elizabeth Clarke, Director of the Windamere Hotel in Darjeeling, go out of her way to set us up with a visit to her friend Rajah, as he likes to be called. (His name is actually Swaraj Kumar Banerjee) She provided us with a car, driver, and box lunches and off we went down the mountain to meet Rajah who was home for just the one day.
We stopped for a flat tire at an observation spot and there in all its glory was Katchenjunga, highest peak in India and third highest in the Himalyas. Our next stop to repair the tire was adjacent to a group of young guys who were singing and playing guitar.
Afterwards we went up to his home and met his lovely wife Sriupa and had our pictures taken with one of the tigers gracing his living space. From there it was a short walk to the garden, drinks and our box lunches. Rajah is a force of nature, and I am grateful to have met him.
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