Srinagar – In The Calm Of The Lake
A restorative break in one of the most beautiful houseboats on the Dal Lake, aptly named Sukoon.
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MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES
These are the accounts of those places particularly close to our hearts. Not necessarily because they are the grandest or the most picturesque but for the experiences that felt vastly more meaningful and memorable than others.
Hampi – The Echoes of Glory
The empire is long gone. Its relics scattered across a breathtaking boulder strewn landscape once chosen for its impregnability. Desolate ruins, lacking the antiquity of Egypt, the precision of Inca stonework or the mathematical coding of Angkor Wat. But Hampi’s stones – those chiselled by man into intricate divine forms, as well as those worn smooth by the elements – whisper stories. […]
Read MoreSalutating The Sun In Zadar
At the ‘Greetings to the Sun’ installation on the Zadar waterfront. And here I was, thinking the Hitchcock quote was all hype!
Read MoreSan Sebastian – Favourite Pintxo Bars
The fact that San Sebastian is home to two of the top 50 restaurants in the world and boasts more Michelin stars per capita than any other city, is common knowledge and an indication of the Donostiarra passion for food. That many residential complexes come fitted with state of the art community kitchens in lieu of gyms or swimming pools, is even more telling. […]
Read MoreThe Pagoda Fields Of Bagan
Bagan has always been synonymous with Burma for me. The vivid imagery of hundreds of mystical pagodas rising out of vast misty plains or silhouetted against a gloriously golden sky has beckoned me for as long as I can remember. The reality however was unexpectedly mixed. The temples are stunning from afar. Close up, the mystique gets eroded somewhat, and you begin to understand why a […]
Read MoreJodhpur – Marwar Meets Andalucia In Mehrangarh…..
The fusion of traditions at the Jodhpur Flamenco and Gypsy Festival is a visual and emotive exploration of rhythm! Of the passion and pathos of the Cante, with the joyous, raucous melodies of the Thar desert. The mellow tones of the acoustic guitar, with the shrill keening of the Kamaicha and the Sindhi Sarangi. The power and the poise of the […]
Read MoreZanzibar – The Allure Of The Familiar
Everything, barring the intensely turquoise waters of the Indian ocean, felt startlingly familiar. The sultry weather, the spicy coconut infused curries, the colorful attire, the ornately chiseled doors. Even the traditional game of Bao. My Indianness, and the fact that I had grown up watching monsoon winds billowing the lateen sails of Arab dhows and dreaming of following in the wake of mythical adventurers, […]
Read MoreSerengeti – The Gnu & Its Wanderlust
We very nearly missed the river crossings we had come to the Serengeti to witness. Rains arrived early this year. And the wildebeest herds, following some primal genetic coding that propels them on an arduous trek across the Savannah in search of fresh new grass, had already moved to the Northern plains. Perhaps even crossed over to the […]
Read MoreRwanda – Rubbing Shoulders With Silverbacks!
The magnificent mountain gorillas are Rwanda’s major draw. I am more of an urban explorer and yet, when asked to pick my most memorable travel moments, it is our precious hour with the silverback gorillas that first comes to mind.
Read MoreA Dreamy Afternoon At The Rock
Accessed by boat at full tide and on foot over a narrow coral embankment when the tide is out, the setting of this picturesque shack perched on a rocky outcrop of the Michamwi Pingwe coast of Zanzibar, justifies its inclusion in many top restaurant lists And our 90 minute taxi ride from Stone Town!Sipping on a chilled mango and […]
Read MoreThe Light Of Faith
The crowded, choreographed, almost Bollywoodesque obeisance to the Ganga in Varanasi, is more spectacle than religious ritual. Performed daily at sunrise and sunset, the Ganga aarti was conceived by the savvy pujari (temple priest) Babu Maharaj in 1992, and it’s popularity has spawned more such spectacles in other cities along the banks of India’s holiest […]
Read MoreGolden Hour At Pre Rup
Bakheng is the most popular spot for sunset viewing in Angkor. And natuarally the most crowded. So we chose Pre Rup instead. The relatively quieter state temple of the 9th century Khmer king Rajendravarman II. There couldn’t have been a more fitting finale to our four day visit than to watch the sun slip quietly behind the […]
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