I went to Shimla again over the weekend, since I was in Chandigarh on business on Friday. This time the weather cooperated. The shot above is the same one I took in September---but now you can see the mountains.

There is a temple above the town, past the landmark Christ Church which was built by the British when they first started using Shimla as a hill station in the early 1800s. Winding through residential areas all the way up, the last bit is quite steep, and left even the school boys out of breath when they reached the top. They rent walking sticks for 5 rupees, which are as much to beat off the monkeys as to aid in the climb.

I made the climb in 45 minutes, which classifies me according to the table above as "absolutely fit."

One thing I noticed here especially, even more than Chennai, is the way people are used as beasts of burden. Almost everywhere (and you see this in Darjeeling as well), men are laboring up the hills with huge loads---the guy at left is transporting lumber, and the one below is stopping to take a rest after coming down the hill to the shops below the church.

And, like everywhere, construction consists of several people (and a foreman who only watches) laboriously moving rocks and dirt on bowls carried on their heads.