Weekend in Kasauli

Last weekend we drove up to Kasauli for a couple of days of relaxation. It was Elisha's first vacation and her first trip to the hills. She was so good, slept the entire journey, but woke up when we stopped at Cafe Coffee Day on the way, cooing and looking around contentedly, then falling off the sleep again once the car was in motion.

Kasauli is one of our favorite close-by destinations and somewhere that I have been going since I myself was a baby. I studied in boarding school on the next hill and on Sundays we would walk to Kas as we called it and indulge in bun-sams, or bun-samosa's, g-jams (gulab jamuns) and hot jalebs. We always went to Gupta Bros to check out the photos, as he was and still is the official school photographer.

When we visit we always stay at the Kasauli Club which has really great views both of Chandigarh as well as Sanawar, Dagshai and the Simla Hills. The club has a several blocks of rooms, many with very interesting names such as Arcadia, Shangri-La, and some boring ones such as Snow-View (overlooking the snow covered peaks beyond Simla), Court View (overlooking the tennis courts) and Capital View (overlooking Chandigarh). There are of course the requisite Honeymoon cottages as well. We stayed in Court View 1 which has a full kitchen in it for long term stay.

The Clubhouse itself has lots of facilities, including a reading room and a great library, pool and billiards, table tennis, and card and bridge rooms. For most of the year the Club is quiet, with visitors only coming on the weekends, but June (due to Kasauli week and the heat of course) and the first week of October (due to Founders celebration at Sanawar) are super busy and very crowded.

There are always lots of flowers blooming all year round. The windows are of the card room.

The back verandah is a great place to sit and have a beer. On clear days the views of Chandigarh are great, and there's always a lovely cool breeze here.

The large window of the Bridge room, with the verandah on one side and a passageway on the other. I love how the photo is part reflection, part reality.

Clear blue skies and passing clouds make for some interesting sights. As good as people watching while sitting at a cafe!

Nothing like a tall glass of chilled shandy to sit back and relax.

And, if you've got company then it's all the better!


A close up of a lovely colored geranium on the back verandah.


Window in our room overlooking the Sanawar hill. I wanted to move the sofa-chair by the window to read, but it was too noisy and little E was sleeping, so made do with this chair.


A window in the kitchenette of our room. The area outside was a little private garden of sorts.

All the cooking and eating utensils you could need stacked up nicely in front of another window in the kitchenette.


The rooms are decorated very simply, but the floral chintz curtains are a must for every room!

We woke up to a rainy and misty day. I went out to explore and loved the chilly breeze and thick mists that one could actually see moving.

Such a wonderful feeling to be enveloped by such lovely coolness!


That's me wandering around in my nightie and a jacket. How could I resist a vacation foot shot!

A misty view of my old school, Lawrence School Sanawar, through the wire mesh of the window.

As is always the case, it always clears up to lovely clear skies in Kasauli, which gave me good opportunity to go explore and take photos. This is on the front sitting area of the club.


A view of the main clubhouse (on the left) taken from the side verandah. The large red sloping roof is of the squash court.

 A new gazebo overlooking Chandigarh. It was great to find it empty, since it's a popular spot.


Detail of a hanging plant at the gazebo.

So that was our trip to Kasauli. Wasn't it a wonderful time!

Comments

a wonderful time well spent dear.love you.laksh
hugs to elisha
Anonymous said…
These are pictures & descriptions of a perfect ... well deserved break!!!

I'm sure the little one enjoyed herself...

The beer glasses... are inviting.. *wink*
Kamini said…
Ah so lovely. I can almost feel the mist on my face. The rooms look so simple and beautiful! I especially love the shot of the chair by the window. Hope you and little E had a great time.
Shalini said…
Thanks Lakshmi, Patricia and Kamini.

Glad you enjoyed our little trip too :-))
Anonymous said…
I haven't been here but am bookmarking it- thanks for sharing!
GB said…
Hi Shalini, this is bringing back memories of trips to Kasauli (I did my masters from Chd.)....I loved the crisp cold air up there... :)Lovely post.
Suma said…
Sounds like the perfect get-away :)
Shalini said…
Aditi, glad you liked it!

GB, that's so cool! Memories of college days are always the best :-)

Shuma, yes it's the quickest place to go to in the hills which is still unspoiled and peaceful.
Glad you got some time for relaxing:-)

Kasauli looks like a lovely place, loved reading about your experiences as a student:-)

Arch
Kits said…
Ah shandy :D I heart shandy - the best summer drink ever invented. Lovely lovely fotos. Looks like soo much fun and relaxation happened in 'Kas' :)
Shalini said…
Thanks Arch...yes, Kas always brings back so many memories. My father studied at the same school, and has been visiting Kas since he was a few years old too :-)

Kits, ah yes, what's summer without shandy!
Chitra said…
Lovely post and beautiful pics, Shalini. Seems to be a lovely place to spend some time. Glad you had a wonderful break.

I tagged you in my recent post. Do visit my latest post and see what you need to do :-)
My Dream Canvas said…
Shalini, I am so nostalgic...you make me want to go to Kasauli NOW!! Miss all my summer vacation there :-) Love to everyone at Charmwood!
Shalini said…
Chitra, thanks...we always love going up there.

Anu, yes, so many memories for you as well, especially with mausa having studied at Sna as well.

Last few days here, enjoying the relaxing times. Will do :-)
Shilpa said…
I'm glad you got sometime in the mountains. I remember they always rejuvenate you.

nice to know Elisha loved travelling :)

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