Beautiful Shimla

Thanks to some contacts that I made at the EPA, I was invited to attend and speak at the National Conference for Forest Solutions in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, located in the Western Himalayas. Shimla was the former summer capital of the British Raj, providing a much needed break from the summer heat of Calcutta, as it is located about 7,000 ft above sea level. It still has many buildings that follow the colonial architecture. Along with the sheer beauty of the mountains and forests that sprawl in every direction, Shimla is also great to visit because many of its streets are closed to cars, allowing pedestrians the freedom to roam the streets without having to keep their eyes constantly peeled for dangerous obstacles. Perhaps the only negative aspect of the region is the number of pestering monkeys that create quite a nuisance by stealing tourist’s eyeglasses and cameras, demanding a hearty amount of junk food before returning them back to their rightful owner. (Thankfully I did not fall victim to their tricks). Here are a few photos from my trip:

In case you were wondering, I will add another post with more insight on the conference.