A mini retreat…

Spent the last weekend (add two more days to that) at Bhimtal – being from Uttaranchal, it shouldn't come as a huge surprise that our family’s favorite vacation spot is always somewhere in the himalayan hills. (You could also read this post I did a while back). 

Bhimtal was beautiful. The verdant greens, the pine forests on hills surrounding the so many “taals” (lakes), the placid waters, the serene ambiance – sheer bliss and complete therapy for the dust laden, hurried city souls. 

I am in awe of the leisurely paced life in the hill towns of Uttaranchal. Yes, there are infrastructural issues and a lot of everyday hardships that we “tourists” tend to brush under the carpet so as to not taint our idyllic version of the landscape, but the charm of kumaon is undeniable. The clean air, the fresh dew, the rejuvenating sights and sounds – all make you forget the filth and grime that lurks a couple of hours away.

This time the highlight was our boating experience at “saat taal”. Since October is considered an off-peak season, there was hardly any sign of human life around – and that itself was very soothing for the eyes and heartening for the spirits. We hired a pedal boat and pedaled the entire length and breadth of the lake, which was spread out in all its glory only for us. We soaked in the calm of the silently rippling waters and the gentle sway of the wind, wishing that these moments would last forever…