A Day In Hyderabad And Surrounding Sights, 31 January 2011

All our pictures from Hyderabad can be seen in the following Flickr album:

001 30 Jan 2011 Club Room at The Taj Krishna, Hyderabad P1000935

Rose early but still managed to faff around over ablutions and breakfast.

Set off just before 9 to Golconda Fort (30 minutes drive outside town). Our guide is called Jonny Wilson (really!)

Daisy & Jonny

We do the fort (all 360 steps up and surely fewer steep ones down)with several parties of Indian school kids. Daisy dances with one of the school teachers on the way down.

Daisy Dancing

Then on to the Qutb Shahi Tombs nearby. We explore one properly but Johnny denies this the other six or seven.

Qutb Shahi Tombs
Charminar

Next stop, the Charminar palace complex. Then on to the nearby Makkah Masjid – a vast mosque.

Makkah Masjid
Ged Ladd In Laad Bazaar

Then around the Laad Bazaar area – bought some citrus squeezer is And bangles from Michael and John’s girls.

Next stop, the Salar Jung museum which didn’t do all that much for us, although I liked the music o’clock at 3 pm.

Next a bit of a wild goose chase for the cricket stadium but eventually got in to the poor old ruin (Lal Bahadur Stadium).

Final stop, a craft shop that did little/nothing for us. So, home to rest/change for dinner at the Falaknuma Palace.

Before dinner we have cocktails in the Gol Bungalow.

Gol Bungalow

…and Falaknuma you too!

We tried a lamb (ghost) starter with thin medallions of amazing tenderised lamb. Plus a trio of haleems, veg, chicken and lamb. Main course a different chicken murgh with coconut served with bread and some rice. Absolutely delicious.

Driver Pasha takes us home – excitedly discussing cricket.

Romantic evening in the extreme!

Journey From London To Hyderabad, 29 & 30 January 2011

In the Taj Krishna Club Room before dinner

Watched some of the Aussie women’s [tennis] final (Kleisters beat Li Na) before Mohammed collected us [from Sandall Close].

Uneventful journey in club (no upgrade as no first class).

Arrived Hyderabad 4:45 India time – met by Basquar – arrange/bargain our way into early check-in at Taj Krishna.

Restful day sleeping, sorting, checking out hotel etc. Arrange to eat in Indian restaurant. Take massage before dinner.

Tried wonderful Hyderabad dishes – Haleem with Sheermal (wonderful slow cooked lamb) and Dumka Murgh – creamy gravy chicken dish – plus some Lamb Biriani Hyderabadi style. Absolutely superb.

Cooking it in the Firdaus Indian Restaurant at The Taj Krishna, Hyderabad
Eating it in the Firdaus Indian Restaurant at The Taj Krishna, Hyderabad