The traffic snarls as we drive into Yangon, even with the ban on two wheelers within city limits, are reminiscent of Bangalore. But the roads are surprisingly wide and well laid (mostly). And they are garbage free! Pristine lakes and gardens abound. Splotchy red betel stains on sidewalks are familiar. Spotless public toilets, not. Vehicles with right hand steering […]
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Its been eerily silent this past week. I normally revel in the quiet of my neighbourhood, but this is the silence of devastation. Of a city knocked to its knees. I miss the sounds I whined about. Of engines backfiring in the distance. Of the howling of strays or the keening of koels that shake me from my sleep at […]
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Curious about the terracotta horses of Chettinad? Read all about the painted clay horses and the Ayyanar temples where they are traditional offerings.
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Curious about the traditional Chettinad houses of Karaikudi? Here’s all you need to travel to Chettinad and explore its food and architecture.
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No visit to Getaria can begin without knowing the answer to this simple question: Who was the first person to circumnavigate the earth? What you and I learned in primary school, it appears, is the wrong answer! Ferdinand Magellan did plan and embark on the ambitious voyage from Spain. He did discover the strait that led to the Pacific ocean (whose name […]
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The Madaba Mosaic Map in Jordan is the oldest aerial view of Palestine. Read all about the history and Biblical imagery of this ancient mosaic map.
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For our 40th anniversary last month, (You read right. And ditch the math, I am not quite as old as you are thinking right now!) we consciously decided to give showy sights a miss for a slow savouring of food, wine and languorous coastal villages. And the Basque region came up trumps on all counts. With just the right amount of […]
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My recent focus on Jordan had me browsing through my archives and I thought this piece on Petra merited revisiting, So here it is, edited and revamped with a gallery of new images for those of you who have already read it before. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed revisiting this incredible […]
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Jordan as a destination has typically played second fiddle to its larger neighbours and usually ends up an add-on to a longer itinerary in Egypt or Israel. Last week the Jordan Tourism Board kicked off a mega tourism campaign in an attempt to alter that statistic. Eighty eight international digital influencers from over fifteen countries, along with a few local media persons, were […]
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The 1st century Oval Plaza and the colonnaded Cardo Maximus (main street) of the Roman city of Jerash as viewed from the temple of Zeus. The new city in the background is a striking contrast. Many thanks to the Jordan Tourism Board for making this post possible. While you are here, do take the time to read the history and legends of […]
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R and I went to Jordan in 2010 en-route to Egypt. But I was forced to cut out a number of things from our itinerary due to ill health caused by a severe reaction to antibiotics. Being in no shape to walk back through the Siq for the candlelit spectacle of Petra by Night has remained one […]
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I don’t think I have ever seen as many people with infants in strollers as I did during our recent visit to Spain. Or as many with dogs of every breed, size and colour on leashes. After all the disturbing stories about how deeply most everyone we interacted with during our trip was affected by […]
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The Urge To Wander 