Flora at Renuka

Renuka does not only have a rich fauna but equally a rich flora also. I went there when it is not really a flowering season but still there were several flowering plants and trees. Also there were several kind of creepers as well as water plants. 

In abundance were these red, orange and yellowish flowering plants with a height of 5-10 foot.

Red and Orange flowers

Around the Renuka lake there are trees with huge girths denoting that they are quite old trees.

A huge tree with multiple trunks

Some of the creepers make very beautiful patterns. The creepers would climb any tree be it the Dates or any other tree with a strong trunk.

A creeper on a Date tree

Then there were beautiful water flowers growing in the lake itself.

Beautiful White small flowers with big leaves

The Date trees I think are not part of the local ecology but has been planted there.

A monkey resting on a Date tree

The Renuka lake is located in the Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh and the nearest town is Nahan.

General vegetation around the Renuka lake 

Renka has only one hotel by the same name itself run by the HPTDC whereas all other properties are at least three kilometers away.

Water on a Lotus leaf

The water in the lake is relatively clean though some parts of the lake are now being consumed by the silting and the weeds.

A creeper completely covering a tree

Renuka is a serene little place away from the hustle and bustle of the main tourist circuits.

White flowers and lemon like wild fruit

Best time to be at Renuka would be from October to March.

Wild flowers

Once you gain height above the Renuka lake the Pine trees start. At lowers heights these are small in size but become larger and larger with the increase in altitude. These are replaced by deodar once one reaches areas where in winters there is snowfall.

Pine trees

More red flowers with dense vegetation in the background.

Flowers

I would write on the aquatic life is another post.

Fauna in Renuka

I had gone to Renuka in Himachal in 2011 but I was not able to write all the posts due to work commitments and also due to my travelling to Canada and China.

I have written four posts earlier about Renuka and these can be accessed here - 

Accomdation at Renuka

Renuka - the Reclining Woman

Pray Without Effort?

Nature...

This time I decided to write about the fauna of the place. I found a snake lazing around - either it was its siesta time or it was not hungry as it was almost not moving.

A snake enjoying the sun!

Of course the place was full of colourful butterflies

The Troika of the butterflies

The place had its share of monkeys and sometimes they can be quite a bully and would alsomost try and snatch stuff from your hands. Noticed this happening with lot many people when they were trying to feed the fish in the lake. Though the particular monkey in the photo below was quite content to sit on this sloping date tree.

Monkey on a Date Tree

Then there were 'Langurs'. Now these are very different in nature compared to the monkeys and would normally not disturb you as long as you do not disturb them.

A Langur on the roof of the Hotel at Renuka

If one goes around the circumference of the lake one would be able to see several kinds of deer as well as other animals.

Deer at Renuka

I could spot Barasingha deer. The place also had bison, tiger, lions and bears. The roar of the lion could be heard even a kilometer away!

Barasingha

What you see in the picture below is not hanging nests on the tress but are huge bats hanging upside down. The area is a habitat to thousands of these huge bats who are hanging on these tress for most part of the day.

Hanging Bats

But in the evening they all get out of their slumber and then fly around and then one can see the huge wings of these bats.

Huge Bats flying

Thought there were several birds that I saw I can hardly name a few except for example the kingfisher. The bird below that I clicked is probably the Yellow wagtail.

Yellow Wagtail?

Great Wall of China

At the beginning of Year 2012 while coming back from a trip from Canada I stopped in Beijing (also known as Peking) to go and see the Great Wall of China which is one of the Greatest Wonders of the World. A literal meaning of the Great Wall in Chinese is  - Long Fortress.

The Great Wall is a series of stone and earth fortifications built in the Northern China from as early as 5th Century BC to 16th Century AD as a protection against intrusions. The Great Wall measures an astounding 8852 km.

I went to see the Juyong Pass (or Juyongguan) section of the Great Wall which is about 50 kms from Beijing in the Changping county. It is one of the three greatest passes on the Wall.

The Great Wall of China

This particular section was completed in 1368 during the reign of the Ming Dynasty. I have taken the photo of the details displayed there about this section of the Wall and have pasted below for further information.

Description about the Great Wall - Juyong Pass Section 

Some of the sections of the Wall are very wide and some narrow. Some sections have a ramp whereas others have staircases (some are very steep). In fact at the narrow section there was almost a traffic jam as can be seen in the photo below.

Traffic Jam on the Great Wall of China

After every 50 to 100 meters (on this section of the Great Wall) there are structures that are meant for defense and shelter purposes.

Myself with the Backdrop of the Great Wall for Posterity!

The central portion of this section also has guns as a further deterrent against the invaders.  In fact on the flatter portions of the Great Wall automobiles can ply! This section is in the mountainous region therefore vehicles cannot ply as there are stairs also in some portions.

Guns on the Great Wall

The place gets really cold in the winters as can be seen in the photo below where the water body is completely frozen on both sides of the wall. The cold is further intensified by the  strong winds which increases the chill factor.The current temperature in Beijing during my stay was around Minus 8 degree Celsius!

Frozen water near the Great Wall

I am thankful to my driver and my guide for showing me this greatest man made wonder in the world in the short time that I had in China along with showing some other places in the Beijing City.

My Driver, Myself and My Guide

Wish You a Happy 2012

May the dawn of 2012 bring you what you aspire and strive for. Year 2011 has been good for me in most respects - be it work, travel or in various other things.

A Dawn in the Beautiful British Columbia

I do hope that 2012 would brings to me as well as to those of you who like traveling new and more avenues of travel.

This is my last post of 2011 writing from Canada. I fly on the very first day of 2012 to Beijing and hope to see the Great Wall of China there.

I would blog about the visit to Canada and China as soon as I get the chance to write these posts.

Happy traveling!

Boxing Day in Canada

I went to the Oakridge Mall in Vancouver today for seeing what happens on a Boxing Day. Well it was dissappointing as neither did I see huge ques nor fabulous discounts. Most discounts were in the order of 40 to 50% - but these discounts were already in place even before Christmas! Such discounts are common now round the year in India!

Boxing Day Shopping

As far as crowds were concerned - it was no different from the previous week. Except for one store where I saw some que outside, all other stores had normal rush - or the lack of it - in this mall.

Compared to this the 'Apple' Store had ques outside the store even before the Boxing Week.

Merry Christmas

I wish all the readers of my blog and friends across the globe a Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas

I am writing this small post from the beautiful British Columbia in Canada. All places here- be it houses, streets, markets or malls -  are lit for the Christmas festivities!

Accommodation at Renuka

This post is subsequent to my earlier post wherein I had stated that I would write about the accommodation scenario in Renuka.

Renuka in itself has only one hotel and that is 'The Renuka' managed by the HPTDC which is a Himachal Government enterprise. The closest private hotels to Renuka lake are at least three kilometers away and therefore at least in location no hotel can beat The Renuka.

The Renuka hotel has two wings - One is the newer wing as can be seen in the photo below. It has good looks from outside and the bath and toilet facilities are modern. This wing also has the dining hall and the kitchen. But then the good points about this wing stop here. No mediocre architect also would have aligned the wing in such a position that the rooms do not face the lake! That is the travesty of the modern India. People do not know how to make rooms!

Newer wing of Hotel Renuka

Compared to this the older wing was built nearly 60 years back (that is where I stayed) which gives you the best view from all rooms (as well as if you sit outside the rooms) of the lake. I would give 10 out of 10 for the positioning of the rooms.

Older wing of Hotel Renuka

You can see the lake (see the photo below) right from where you are sitting throughput the day. The older wing actually was a Forest Rest House earlier and only later became Hotel Renuka.

View of the Renuka from my Room

The rooms in the older wing have very high ceilings compared to the new wing and have 'roshandaans' or high windows for light as well as cross ventilation of air so that even in summers one may not require an air-conditioner despite the fact that Renuka's altitude is not very high.

High ceiling Rooms

I would definitely recommend the old wing for staying because of all the reasons cited above. The only problematic thing in the old wing is that the toilets are 'Indian' in all rooms except one. Also in the hotel rooms though the TV with satellite facility is there but it hardly works (though this was a boon for me as I prefer not to watch the idiot box when I go out of Delhi).  

Boat as flower pot at Renuka

An interesting use of the boats that have now been discarded is that they have been turned into huge flower pots as can be seen in the photo above as well as below. The boat shaped flower pots in the photo below are not boats but are side attachments of a boat. These were diesel boats that used to pollute the lake.

Side attachments of boat as flowerpots at Renuka

Boating facility (only pedal boats - which is good for the lake) is available here though I feel it is expensive (Rs 300 to 500 for half an hour).

The food at the hotel is decent and not very spicy. The best bet for breakfast is 'Aloo Parantha'. I stayed there for six days (normally people stay either less than 24 hours!) as I wanted a leisurely holiday. Therefore, I found the menu 'limited'. The 'Sabudana Kheer' was prepared well.