PAUSE @ Lake Bled

Cooped up inside our homes, unable to step out, a holiday seems like a distant dream at the moment. The wanderlust in our hearts pines for green highlands, sun-sprinkled beaches, placid lakes and dense forests. A small ray of mad hope tells us that this agony will soon be over. Once again, the sun will shine as the dark clouds of suffering recede. When that happens we can all hope to bring our worlds closer again but until then all we have are some old pictures and some fond memories.

In the late winter of 2017, my wife and I embarked upon a somewhat unusual honeymoon trip. Unusual in the choice of place, we opted for south central Europe over the typical Paris or Switzerland. And instead of fancy hotel rooms we booked ourselves into local apartments in residential neighborhoods. Over two weeks we discovered a world of royal cities, enchanting waterfalls, temperate woods and serene lakes as we travelled through the erstwhile Austro-Hungarian empire well into the Balkan region. Our final stop in this most exotic itinerary was the beautiful town of Bled in the Julian Alps of Slovenia.

Nestled between mountains, this fairytale town can get really busy during the touristy summer months but if you choose a relatively lean period like us you will be able to appreciate the quiet charm of Slovenian country life. Of course you couldn’t swim in the lake and such but there’s a spa or two around here to make up for that. You can go for a morning run around the lake or a leisurely stroll in the evening will do just as well. There are cafes and shops lining the north-eastern shore where you can shop for souvenirs or relish the famous Bled cream cake or Kremsnita. Take a day trip to lake Bohinj, just 30 km outside Bled or go skiing on the pistes of Vogel. Take a hike up the gurgling Vintgar gorge or a self-guided tour of a medieval castle. There’s enough to fill up your days for a whole week in my opinion and the nights are enjoyed best sipping on some home-made Blueberry schnapps next to a small fireplace.

Romantic or Cheesy, this life sized heart frame on the shores of Lake Bled is a photo-op you don’t want to pass up or your gf/ wife won’t let you at any rate. There’s plenty of wire to hang them lovelocks too if you’re into THAT kind of LOVE….

The 220 steps that climb all the way up to the castle can be a daunting task for some. But it can also be fun if you like a bit of exercise like us. The steps are well laid out and well-maintained.

In not more than 15 minutes, you find yourself in the courtyard of the Blejski Grad or Bled castle as it is popularly known. The oldest castle in Slovenia, Blejski is a popular attraction in the region. It houses a museum of sorts alongside a restaurant, a giftshop, a chapel and a wine cellar. Even though the castle itself is not as exuberant, the views from up here make it worth while.

On a clear sunny day this view would be very different. The moisture trapped in the valley makes for misty conditions this time of the year. But you can’t miss the silhouette of the Bled island and it’s bell tower in spite of the reduced visibility.

The wine cellar in the castle is really just a tourist trap if you ask me. I don’t know if the wine sold here is any special. Not to mention it comes at a souvenir price. Don’t mind the free photo-ops though.

A bird’s eye view of lake Bohinj from atop the Gondola station at Vogel ski resort. The wind here is phenomenal and in the March cold you’d have to be brave to stay on for more than a few minutes. The largest glacial lake in the region, Bohinj is a popular day trip from Bled.

Vogel is a popular ski resort in the region. Perched on top of mount Vogel in the Triglav National park it is one of the largest in Slovenia. A gondola takes you up from lake Bohinj to a height of about 1500m. There is a panoramic restaurant and many sun decks here. So, even if you are not up for skiing as such you can just enjoy the sparkling white snow from the comfort of your patio chair.

The cheesiest mushroom risotto and a Chicken Burger larger than Big Mac. Wash it down with some chilled Heineken. And keep on those reflectors at all times.

Just another quaint village along the Slovenian country roads. The grey-black sloping rooftops are characteristic of buildings here. Sparsely populated and hauntingly beautiful.

A truly fairytale experience in Bled can be a self rowed boat ride with your partner to the Bled island in the middle of the lake, that is of course if you know how to row.

If not, you can always hop on a country boat full of Chinese tourists for an 8 EUR round trip.

Locals believe that a groom must carry his bride up these steps to the Bled island chapel in order to ensure a happy and successful marriage. I told Sonam she’d have to lose like 20 pounds if she wanted our marriage to be a runaway success. In the end we settled for a customary photograph.

The 52 m high bell tower comes with an extra fee. One can climb up to the top to see the large bells which strike every 15 minutes. On the way up you will see different kinds of time telling apparatus used over the centuries. The views from the top are marred by the dense grille frame against the windows if you ask me. But climb up nevertheless; for some exercise if nothing else.

Legend has it that the lady (some old medieval widow) of the lake grants your wishes if you ring this bell on the roof of the church. The rope connecting the gong descends into the main chapel and a good tug does the trick. For no extra cost, this is a superstition I recommend whole-heartedly.

When you’re not rowing a boat or ringing the church bell or exploring the castle, take a moment to admire the many birds of the lake. They are almost all over the lake and have enough colors between them to keep an amateur ornithologist busy for the better part of his day.

Even in late winter the water current in Vintgar is impressive and the gushing crystal clear water makes enough noise to drown out your thoughts. Unfortunately, we couldn’t venture quite far as parts of the wooden walkway were under repair.

Sometimes I wish I could close my eyes real hard and when I open them again all the madness and all the suffering would be gone forever and a misty lake Bled and an empty country boat are all I would have in front of me. Press PAUSE.

Un viaje Andaluz- Seville & Granada

It is no wonder that Spain is one of the most visited countries in the world. A large and diverse nation with landscapes ranging from mountains to beaches and climates from temperate to continental, it has a rich culture that transcends food or clothing. Steeped in history, its many provinces have a distinct identity of their own which is often bolstered by a unique language or dialect. The cuisine, the dress and even the etiquette changes as you move from one region to another. In this respect, Spain is a lot like India.

After our first dates with the Spanish and Portuguese capitals we turned back once again towards the Iberian peninsula; this time to get close and personal with the most singular region of Andalusia. Surrounded by mountains to the north and flanked by Mediterranean and Atlantic to the East and West respectively, this region is known for its dry hot summers and boy is that right. We arrived in the last week of September and day time highs were still in their mid 30s and the heat wouldn’t subside even in late evenings. But the nights were relatively cooler and a table fan was more than sufficient. As we arrived on an overnight bus from Lisbon which dropped us off at the main bus station rather early we spent most of the morning sleeping in our comfortable Airbnb. A 10 min walk across the Puente del Cachorro, in the famous Triana neighborhood, our little rental was optimal in every way. Although it did involve crossing the river everytime we had to go into the old town, we didn’t mind the serene views over the Guadilquivir at all.

To begin our tour of the Andalusian capital we naturally picked the Plaza de Espana.

Plaza de Espana, as seen from the South tower. In the centre spurts the Vicente Traver fountain.

The buildings along the edge can be accessed by crossing one of the many bridges on the semi-circular moat.

There are many such tiled alcoves running all along the inner walls of the buildings, each representing a different province of Spain. This alcove like others is flanked by two covered bookshelves which on this occasion were empty.

Built in 1929 for the Ibero-American exposition, this building is the undisputed symbol of Seville, the Andalusian capital. It is an iconic building which brings together many styles of architecture, the most noteworthy being the Neo-Mudejar style which is typical of this region. It refers to the heavy influence of Islamic styles that gained popularity during the 700 year rule of Moors from North Africa. These included different dynasties over the centuries who are often clubbed together under the Moorish title laying stress on their common origin. The actual plaza and surrounding buildings which presently house government offices are located at the end of the largest green area of the city- Parque de Maria Luisa. The park in itself is a great way to spend the hot afternoons where you can enjoy the ornamental fountains, ponds and exotic plants from different parts of the world. The city council has taken much pain to restore and maintain both the park and the plaza. My personal recommendation is to come here in the late evening as there is enough natural light till after 8 pm and the scorching sun is out of the way.

The moat ends in a square shaped pond on each edge of the semi-circular plaza before turning along the diameter. These ponds are full of colorful fish and ducks which are happy to feed from visitors hands.

The beautifully tiled staircase of the central building makes for some interesting photo-ops. There was a street artist playing his guitar on the middle landing that afternoon. The plaza is popular with many street performers including Flamenco dancers.

When you are done feeding the ducks and watching street performances at the Plaza turn left towards the Seville university. After you cross the university on your right you will see the iconic Puerta de Jerez plaza with the Hispalis fountain in the centre. Stop by to marvel at the regionalist architecture and march onward on the Constitution avenue till you bump into only the largest Gothic cathedral in the world.

The largest Gothic cathedral in the world, Seville cathedral as it is popularly known is a UNESCO world heritage site and you can enter for EUR 9 per pax

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See or Seville cathedral covers more than 11,500 square metres in area and as is the case with so many buildings in this part of Spain it was built replacing Almohad structures which stood here until after the Reconquista. During our next trip to Turkey in 2019 I couldn’t help but be amused by the reverse order of things in that country with respect to Spain. Whereas in Spain the Christian rulers reclaimed the Muslim Iberian peninsula in the name of their God, in Turkey the Muslim Ottomans pushed out the Christian Byzantines in the name of theirs. Godly manipulation, eh?

What is remarkable though is that successive rulers in both countries in spite of their religious leanings continued to preserve what is beautiful and exquisite. The Christian monarchs of Andalusia were patrons of Moorish art and architecture which continued to flourish through the centuries and has been immortalized in the numerous Mudejar buildings of this region.

The main door or the door of Assumption on the west facade is well preserved and lights up beautifully under the setting sun.

The Giralda which serves as the bell tower of the cathedral is the only remaining structure of the Moorish mosque that once stood here. Naturally, it is the oldest section of the cathedral and the Islamic architecture gives away at once.

The stunning church of the Divine Salvador was built after the Reconquista on the exact site of the grand mosque built by the Almohad Caliph in 1198 AD.

Travel back in time to a medieval Seville on a classic horse carriage.

Walking around old town you feel transported to a distant past as medieval Spain comes to life on the paved streets being trampled by the hoofs of Andalusian horses. Pass them along and continue towards the river in the direction of the Isabel bridge and you will be rewarded with yet another Andalusian curiosity in about 5 minutes.

The paved streets of Seville are narrow for the most part. The tall buildings on both sides help keep direct sunlight at bay thus keeping the passage cool during the scorching afternoons.

Plaza de Toros, a 12000 capacity bullfighting ring right in the heart of the city is not only a memorial to the somewhat cruel but centuries old traditional and cultural sport of bullfighting but an active stadium that hosts the most popular bullfighting festivals of Spain every year. Built in the 18th century this ring has a royal box that is reserved for the Spanish royalty only. Others can buy tickets to the fight itself or a EUR 9 guided audio tour which takes you through the history of bullfighting and this building over an hour or so.

A famous bull head on display at the gallery is typically commemorative of a particularly feisty bull who had put up a great fight.

A festooned traditional outfit of a famous Spanish bullfighter on display in the museum at Plaza de Toros

The circular bullring at Plaza de Toros which hosts the most popular bull fighting festivals in the world every year. The gallery between the two floodlights with sculptures on its top is the Prince’s box which is reserved for the Spanish royalty.

Exhausted after an eventful and active day you might want to grab a bite or two or simply sit down for a cool refreshing drink. There are so many places in the city that I wouldn’t know where to start but if you’re in for some local flavor and none of that touristy bustle, come to Mercado de Triana, just off the Isabel bridge on the other side of the river. My personal recommendation is to start with a fresh cup of Gazpacho to cool it off.

Octopus makes for some great tapas in Seville. We spotted this one in Mercado de Triana, a food market on the western bank of the Guadalquivir but given my lack of appetite for most things marine, I stuck to the good ole Gazpacho

Start your next day as early as possible and devote at least 3-4 hours to the one and only Real Alcazar of Seville. We had missed buying our tickets online and were forced to stand in a queue for over 30 minutes in the afternoon sun which in my view was completely avoidable.

The Almohad dynasty lost Seville to Castilian monarchs in late 1200s. Their royal palace Al-Mubarak which stood in this spot was demolished during the Reconquista to make way for a new palace for the Christian rulers of Seville. There is little that is left of the original structure today and what we know as the Real Alcazar of Seville is the palace King Peter built and others continued to enhance over the next 500 years. Peter or Don Pedro was an orientalist of sorts and went to great lengths to preserve and promote Islamic architecture of the Moors which was at its peak then. The amalgamation of these elements with the 14th century needs of the Christian monarchs and the other dominant styles of the next 500 years of European architecture have given shape to this exquisite palace. Take an audio guide or a map to help you navigate your way through this great historical journey.

The hunting courtyard serves as a distributor of the main residential parts of the palace. Back in Almohad times, it housed Islamic style garden in this open space,

Islamic palaces are inlaid with gardens and ponds to give a sense of paradise or Eden. The flowing water is a typical feature which is symbolic of an oasis and thus life itself.

The upper levels of the courtyard of dolls are private quarters of the Spanish royalty and are later additions of the 19th century. The glass ceiling lets natural light in illuminating the intricate plaster work on the arches.

The courtyard of maidens is at the centre of Peter’s palace. In typical Islamic style it has an enclosed garden with water and vegetation. The ground level is from Peter’s time while the upper level was added by the later monarchs and thus the difference in styles.

Captivating mosaic tiles adorn the floors of Peter’s palace

The stunning dome of the Hall of ambassadors with its guilded wooden roof was the throne room of King Don Pedro who would receive dignitaries and ambassadors from other kingdoms here.

The spectacular artistry of the Mudejar palace or palace of King Peter who embraced the rich Islamic architectural heritage wholeheartedly and brought artisans from Granada to decorate this magnificent palace makes generous use of stucco or plaster work.

The House of Trade is a section of the Gothic palace within the Alcazar which came into existence as the Spanish empire began the colonization of the Americas. As you can notice the trade vessels and explorers in the painting above, this house was created to control the increasing trade with the new world colonies.

The famous Mercury pond which has featured in a number of films including the hit HBO series- The game of thrones. It is the highest point of the gardens and uses Roman aqueduct engineering to facilitate gravity based irrigation of the other gardens that sit downhill.

An ornate fountain in the gardens of Alcazar. One of many locations across the complex filmed as the mythical kingdom of Dorne.

Interestingly pruned shrubs in the Maze garden which was built in the 20th century. The plants include cypresses among other aromatic shrubs and trees.

Possibly the only place in Spain (outside a zoo) where you will find our national bird moving around in the gardens.

A view of the ladies gardens from the Grotto gallery.

A day spent at the royal palace will tire you out and I wouldn’t push for another big attraction for the rest of the day. But you could enjoy a liesurly stroll around the old town or explore the different bridges over the Guadilquivir. There are some other attractions which can be easily covered while you stroll. The Mushrooms of Seville offer great photo opportunities from the platform and the observation deck. Local children gather for fun activities like martial arts or free style dancing here. Torre del Oro on the river bank can also be accessed by paying EUR 3 or you could simply go around for free.

The Triana neighborhood is famous for its Flamenco bars and if time permits, do indulge in an evening of Flamenco music and dance at your neighborhood bar. Seville has much more to offer but having seen the things we wanted to the most, it was time for us to move on to the other great city of Al-Andalus.

The typical Mudejar architecture which is an amalgamation of Islamic and European Christian styles is evident in many restored buildings of the old town.

While crossing the Guadilquivir on Puente de Isabel, one of the main bridges in Seville, walking from Tirana to the old town..

Torre del Oro, as seen while approaching the San Telmo bridge. The 12 sided tower is another reminder of the Almohad dynasty which once ruled this part of Europe. A chain anchored from the tower on one side that ran across to the other bank was used to control the movement of ships on the Guadalquivir.

The mushrooms of Seville or the Metropol Parasol is your window into the modern Seville that is contemporary and chic. There is a viewpoint on top which has paid access and an archaeological museum underneath.

The narrow streets of Triana sport interesting decorations to welcome revelers and tourists alike.

A 3 hour bus journey will bring you to Granada, another historically and culturally important city in the region. The seat of the last Muslim dynasty that ruled in the Iberian peninsula before the whole of Spain was once again reconquered by the Christians, the emirate of Granada was ruled from what we know as the Alhambra. For most tourists, Alhambra is the primary or even the sole reason to visit here. There are a few other attractions which can help you fill another day but if you have other places to go, book yourself an online tour of La Alhambra before you come and dedicate your full day to this mountain perched palace of the Nasrids.

Before you begin don’t forget to get you fill at any local tavern of your choice. We got ours at a local bar with simple but filling Chicken paella.

A small bar called Cristobal below our Airbnb in Campo del Principe serves mouth watering Chicken Paella. We couldn’t have asked for anything better.

With the snow capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background, the Alhambra is a sight to behold at both day and night. Unlike the Alcazar in Seville, the original palace of the emirs of Granada was never fully demolished but several additions and refurbishments were made to it after it fell into disrepair for many many decades. Napoleon’s military misadventures also caused much damage to the older sections of the complex. As a result what you see today at any rate is a renovated Alhambra which has evolved over many centuries.

Court of the myrtles as it is called has long hedges skirting the central pond- a most picturesque section of the Nasrid palace.

The beautiful inscriptions on the walls of this oratory are verses from Koran and praises for the Nasrid rulers.

This intriguing stucco pattern in the ceiling using a stalactite like motif is called a muqarna. Personally, I find it very tripping. You’ll see it in many halls of the Nasrid palaces.

The most photographed section of the Alhambra is the courtyard of the lions. It is so called after the central fountain supported by 12 lions spurting water from their mouths. There is also an inscription at the edge of the fountain praising the ingenuity of the hydraulic system behind it which ensured that a different lion would spurt water every hour back in the day. Sadly though you don’t get to see that today but the spurting is still on.

The patio of the lions is by far the most featured section of the palaces. The central marble fountain resting on 12 lions is very Moorish and exquisite to say the least. The patio gives access to different royal chambers of Sultan’s wives. It was built around the reign of Muhammad V.

This hunting scene is seen on the ceiling of one of the vaults in the hall of kings. Restoration took over 10 years to bring back this sheepskin based work of art back to life. It is believed to be from the late 1300s.

A beautiful mirador of the city from one of the royal chambers.

A view of the fortified walls and towers of the Alcazaba from the square of cisterns

The Alcazaba is a fortress that precedes most sections of the Alhambra in its construction. Once the royal residence of Nasrid rulers, it was later used for military purposes only after the completion of the palaces. There are some interesting views of the town below from the watch tower.

The red roofs of the buildings in Granada match well with the reddish exterior walls of the Alhambra.

Although many experts argue that the authenticity of the Generalife gardens as they stand today is questionable on account of the myriad alterations and renovations carried out over the centuries, the gardens aren’t half as bad. Flowing water, fountains and exotic flowering plants and trees here will remind you of the Shalimar gardens of Kashmir. The summer garden palace of the emirs, Generalife is actually separated from the Alhambra by a ravine and requires a slight climb. Enjoy the cool shade and aromatic air of this paradise and picture the Nasrid royalty doing the same. Not to mention it’s a great way to escape the sun beating down your head.

Running water, a symbol of life in oasis is seen across the Alhambra and Generalife and is epitomised by these tasteful marble fountains

Generalife or the architect’s gardens are formed by two groups of buildings connected by this patio. This complex is separate from the main complex and it is believed that the emirs came to these gardens to relax and get away from stately matters.

To the right of the patio of irrigation ditch is the courtyard of Sultana’s cypress- a rectangular pond with a myrtle hedge around it, a stone fountain in the centre and beautiful flowers on each side.

Enchanting rose bushes adorn the gardens of Generalife

Orange trees are a frequent sight in the gardens at Alhambra. This tree stands tall in the Daraxa gardens, perhaps since Nasrid times.

By the time we concluded our tour of the Alhambra and Generalife, the sun was no longer visible above the horizon but the day was still bright. The numerous birds in the garden trees filled up the atmosphere with their evening cacophony and the wind began to flow again. We began climbing down the hill to Campo del Principe, our home for the night and even though climbing down is easier on the legs we knew we had expended our energy reserves for the day. I strongly suggest another day for Granada that may be spent loitering around the town, simply taking in the sights and smells.

Waiting for our morning high speed connection at Antequera- Santa Ana railway station on the Malaga- Madrid main line.

I must admit that for someone from the Indian subcontinent, the Islamic influence in Andalusian architecture may not be completely new or awe-inspiring given our own rich Indo-Saracenic heritage. But what you will certainly not find back home is the amalgamation of so many different styles- Roman, Renaissance, Baroque, Moorish and the list goes on.

Even though you don’t find any Muslims in the peninsula today, the legacy of the Moors is well preserved in its most remarkable buildings and public spaces. Cordoba, once the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate is another significant site of Moorish heritage that must be included in your Andalusian itinerary if you have the time. We had other plans for the next and final week of our holiday. So, bidding adieu to Al-Andalus we continued our journey north to the great Catalan capital of Barcelona and further to the great Pyrenees.

In case you are interested in finding out more about our trip through Spain and Portugal, read my other entry- A tale of two cities.

A tale of two cities- Madrid & Lisbon

La Tomatina of Bunol to El Encierro (running of the bulls) of Pamplona, there is no dearth of popular cultural references to Spain in films or TV. Sun, wine and football are the first images that flash through your mind when someone spells Espana. What we don’t get to see in the films, however, is the rich history, the warm people or the life in the streets. When Sonam and I were packing our bags in September of 2018, we were looking forward to all of that and more.

A 10 hr flight later, when we landed at Madrid Barajas International, the warm and dry air outside the terminal felt familiar yet distinct. Much like Delhi, Madrid is land locked and mostly flat, having a temperate climate with longer than usual European summers. In late September, days are still warm and sunny. So, don’t forget to bring enough sun block.

*To begin in style (use mastercard lounge access)*

We hopped on the suburban Cercanias (C1) from T4 and changing once at Nuevo Ministerios arrived at Sol in around 40 minutes. For all practical purposes Puerta del Sol is the city centre of Madrid and serves as the starting point for all excursions around the royal city. Naturally, we had booked our Airbnb as close as possible. Within 5 minutes we were in Calle Bordadores, just opposite the famous chocolateria- San Gines. Our very first impression of Sol was that of a vibrant and lively plaza bustling with activity, people both young and old, street performers, tourists and locals. It all looked inviting but we were exhausted after the long flight and just wanted to get to a comfortable bed.

I cannot think of a better way to start your tour around Madrid than a quick bite at the most chic yet authentic food market in town. Mercado de San Miguel was a short walk away and we hopped in as early as 9 the next morning. After scanning all the bright and colorful stalls of fresh fruit, Iberian ham, seafood, pastries and a myriad other tapas, we settled on something simple- freshly squeezed juice and equally fresh bread. This wrought-iron and glass structure is more than a 100 years old and after renovation back in 2003, it’s become a trendy hotspot for tourists and locals alike given its central location.

*Start an eventful day of walking through Madrid on a full stomach. Get your fill at the fresh and colorful Mercado de San Miguel just off Plaza Mayor.*

*If you are a seafood lover you are in just the right place. Breakfast doesn’t have to be about simple carbs in the royal capital.*

Or savor the world-famous chorizos (shavings of Iberian ham). After all aren’t we in Spain? Fun fact: For Jamon ( cured ham) to be labelled Iberian, at least one of the parents has to be a pure bred black Iberian pig.

*Don’t get worried my vegetarian/ vegan friends. There is something for every palate at Madrid’s central heritage tapas market.*

*A bespoke selection of Spanish tapas which don’t care for any time etiquette.*

Less than 3 min away from Mercado is one of the oldest and largest public squares of Madrid. It has nine different entry gates and is surrounded by 3 storey high buildings on all sides. Over the centuries it has changed form and names several times besides witnessing 3 major fires. The statue of Philip III in the centre makes for great photo ops and the periphery is dotted with cafes and stores aimed at tourists. Admire the architecture and wonder what it would be like to have a window or balcony overlooking the square.

Come and immerse in Madrid’s public life in Plaza Mayor. Originally built in early 16th century during the reign of Philip III, the plaza hosts the annual Christmas market now. His statue in the centre stands tall since 1616.

*While in Madrid, a rendezvous with Spanish royalty becomes unavoidable. Although the current royal family no longer resides here, Palacio Real is still used for all ceremonial purposes.*

A 10 min walk from the Plaza are the official quarters of the Spanish royalty. Palacio Real is spread over 135,000 square metres and has more than 3000 rooms. You can take an inside tour to explore the different parlors, saloons and chambers if you have the time. But if like us you feel you have seen way too many palace museums by now, just stroll around the exterior walls from Plaza de Armeria to Sabatini Gardens. There is enough to look around and it’s completely free. The multi-style palace has some interesting history. It was built on the site of a Moorish Alcazar from the 9th century (makes you wonder at the reach of the African Islamic rulers into the Iberian peninsula) and was rebuilt after the fire of 1734. Several eras of renovation have seen Italian, French, Victorian and Baroque styles being adopted to add different sections of the palace as it stands today.

Royal Palace as viewed from Plaza de Armeria has to be the most photographed facade. You can purchase admission for EUR 13 for an inside tour or just walk around the walls and srike Insta-worthy poses.

*While you are in town catch the latest opera of the season or simply pose outside the Teatro Real (Royal theatre)*

*Plaza del callao. The iconic Schweppes building is the first thing you’ll see as you approach Gran Via from the royal palace.*

If you begin to feel overwhelmed with royalty and history, turn around and head back towards Gran Via till you hit the iconic Schweppes building. You have now left behind the uptight world of etiquette and formality, so let your hair down and unleash that shopping bug cos you are on the trendiest commercial street in Madrid. Explore the high end fashion, the boutiques, the theatres and hotels. Indulge in some people watching but keep your senses about you at all times. Spanish cities are notorious for their pick pockets and snatchers and while you are ogling at that gorgeous dress in the display window, someone could be eyeing your sling pouch. I don’t mean to put the city down in any way but this happens and there is nothing wrong with being mindful. When you hit the other iconic Metropolis building on Calle de Alcala, you’ll know you have come to the end of the street. Good things seldom last long.

*And when you see this in the background you know that you have walked to the end of Madrid’s broadway, passing by the fanciest stores, cafes and hotels in the capital*

Palacio de Cibeles, formerly a centre of post and telecommunications, now serves as the City council. As you enter the Retiro neighborhood, approaching from Gran Via, you won’t miss this beautiful white building on your right. At night, the facade is tastefully lit up, somewhat reminiscent of the Victoria terminus building in South Bombay.

As the afternoon sun gets higher and stronger, look for some shade in the city’s largest green neighborhood of El Retiro. Formerly a royal retreat, it became a public park in late 19th century. It has many sculptures, galleries, gardens, monuments and water bodies that will easily occupy your entire afternoon. The glass house or Palacio del Cristal and the central lake are not to be missed. The park is free to enter and is used by locals and tourists alike. In my opinion, it’s a great place to observe the recreational styles of ordinary Spaniards and to experience a relaxed and authentic Madrilenian way of life.

Sultry Iberian afternoons are best spent in siesta but if you’d rather be outside, look for a shady spot in El Retiro; there are so many across this 350 acre green haven on the eastern edge of the city centre you won’t be disappointed. Alternatively, you can row a boat in the central reservoir

Even in late September, most of Spain is still hot and you can’t help but relate with these lazy, motionless creatures basking under the afternoon sun. At El Retiro, these turtles can be seen stretching around the many ponds.

Take a picture outside Palacio del Cristal. Built in 1887, it was a greenhouse originally. Today, it is used mainly for art exhibits. Made almost entirely of glass and iron, it’s an interesting addition to the park.

Call it a day if you are exhausted or head to a neighborhood bar to unwind. If you are a night creature, there’s plenty of nightlife too.

There is no such thing as a Spanish breakfast. Most Spaniards start their day on a coffee and some bread. But if you are here for just a few days, I recommend a treat of Churros as a day-starter. It’s filling, ready to go and simply yum. Luckily for us, one of the most reputed Chocolaterias in town was just across from our Airbnb and we decided to gorge on this amazing specialty before starting our city tour on the second day.

No matter what your preferences, Churro cannot be missed while in Spain. A delicious combination of fried-dough pastry and hot chocolate, it’s a great snack to start your day or end it or for the in between.

*One of the busiest Chocolaterias in central Madrid, just off Puerta del Sol, San Gines serves the best churros in town. To our utter delight, it was located just across from our apartment building.*

*You won’t run out of picture-perfect frames anywhere in Madrid, least of all around the royal palace. So on our second day in Madrid, we decided to start again from the same spot.*

Jardines de Sabatini are a great spot to view the royal palace from close quarters. Dedicated to Francesco Sabatini, an Italian architect who designed the royal stables that once stood here, the gardens are free to access.

As far as city centre goes, almost every place can be accessed on foot easily. Most notable attractions are within a 3 km radius and the most you will walk one way, say from Lago to Retiro is not more than 5 km. If you choose to stay near the centre, you can manage your daily excursions on foot alone and that’s precisely what we did. Of course there were the occasional rides on Cercanias from the airport to city or to the railway station and those were pretty comfortable too. After a leisurely stroll in Sabatini gardens on the northern flank of the palace, you might choose to walk towards Plaza de Espana which is another important public space in Madrid. Come face to face with a larger than life Don Quixote and Sanchez in bronze here. Walk a little further and witness an ancient Egyptian temple from the Nile basin overlooking the city of Madrid. All the walking around can make you hungry very quickly and if it does, there are a few cafes and restaurants just across from Temple of Debod but most open late in the day but a simple serving of Spanish Tortilla or patatas bravas can be found any time.

For the literately inclined, Plaza de Espana is a special attraction. A tribute to Miguel de Cervantes and his immortal creations Don Quixote and Sanchez, the plaza will be under renovation till early 2021. Edificio Espana, the most prominent skyscraper (also under renovation) in Madrid can be seen rising behind it.

An interestingly out of place structure, just a little further from Plaza de Espana, throws you off by nearly 2000 years or 3000 km depending on your orientation. It feels like one has walked over into another dimension or time capsule where ancient Egyptian landscape has suddenly come alive. The temple of Debod, which once stood on the banks of Nile in Aswan, was re-erected in Parque del Oeste of Madrid in 1968. It was a gift from the state of Egypt to Spain and was removed from its original site to make room for the Aswan dam reservoir.

This live statue near Puerta del Sol is a long running attraction in city centre. If you were to google it, you’ll find a wikipedia citation from July 2014 with the same guy. I must congratulate this guy..he is almost an institution now.

If you are an art lover, head out to the national museum or Museo nacional del Prado. If you would rather not pay for it, come back later at 6 in the evening. Free entrance between 6 and 8 on weekdays is a great way to explore the museum bit by bit. If you are spending a few days in Madrid and don’t mind queuing up for the free entrance, make use of this great opportunity. Alternatively, go to Reina Sofia if you are a Picasso or Dali fan between 7 and 9pm, also for free.

*Waiting outside El Prado. Another national museum for lovers of art. Free entrance between 6 and 8 pm on weekdays.*

Museo Reina Sofia, the national museum of 20th century art is a great way to get to know some of Picasso and Dali’s best works among other contemporary Spanish and international artists. If you are an art lover, you will appreciate it more than us. Entry is free between 7 and 9 pm on weekdays and Saturday.

Some of the other sights that might interest you include the lookout point on Pricipe Pio hill or the Casa Campo park. These are in the same area and can be accessed on foot. It is important that you don’t crowd your day with too many attractions and plan your walking tour in a circuitous fashion to optimize your time and energy. As much as we wanted to explore more of Madrid, we were getting closer to our time of departure for the next destination. So we came back to Sol to pick up our bags and boarded the Cercanias once again to get to Chamartin- the other big railway station of Madrid.

Puerta de San Vicente: The original structure built by Sabatini was dismantled in 1892 but the city council decided to reproduce the original and in 1992, this replica took over this round about. Another reminder of Madrid’s resolve to preserve its heritage no matter what. We shall come back to see more of that. **Hasta luego Madrid!**

Almost like an accompaniment or side, Lisbon often ends up being paired with Madrid or Barcelona in tourist itineraries. Unlike Spain, the westernmost country of continental Europe has very few popular film references. Bollywood for one, has not ventured thus far yet. So naturally, most people from our part of the world think of including Lisbon only as a secondary destination when time and budget permit. But you’ll find that truth is often surprising. Lisbon has a great vibe of a historic city with many trendy neighborhoods. The architecture is intriguing, the food is inviting and the people are warm and helpful.

As we got on our overnight sleeper train from Madrid to Lisbon, we found out that there was separation of sexes. So we were going to spend the entire journey in separate cabins with total strangers. Like this was not enough when we got to the dining car we learned that a couple of stale looking tapas, mostly seafood based and some port wine were the only items on the menu that night. We were exhausted and starving at this point and nothing could salvage this journey. The only good thing that happened to us that night was good conversation, some peanuts to munch and the port wine we bought in the pantry, all of it courtesy a kind stranger. Lisbon (cos I don’t remember her actual name) loaned us some cash to buy the port wine and peanuts as they wouldn’t accept card and we had run out of euros. Over the wine we got talking and she shared many interesting stories about her life in that city and elsewhere, gave us some recommendations too. Next morning she even offered to drop us off at our Airbnb in her son’s car but we didn’t want to take advantage of her hospitality and said our goodbyes at Santa Apolina at half past seven in the morning.

Naturally, we started our first day in Lisbon from Praca do Comercio. From our Airbnb near Roma it took us 11 minutes or 7 stops on the metro. The moment we got off the subway I could smell the sea-breeze instantly. We stepped out in the lively street and saw a woman dressed in a white wedding dress sitting right in the middle. Her face was also painted white and she had a white floppy cap on. The whole ensemble looked creepy to say the least. If anyone knows what it’s meant to be, please leave it in the comments.

I’m not quite sure what her deal is but if you ask me she’s kinda creepy for a street artist. We saw her just outside Praca do Comercio, the largest plaza in Lisbon. Most people seemed to ignore her.

While walking around the plaza for some time and admiring the interesting Pombaline architecture of the post earthquake era, you might begin to wonder what it truly represents. The rising wealth of imperialist Portugal that came from African and Asian colonies like our own was channeled through this complex right here. The buildings surrounding the plaza housed customs and tariff offices which kept records of the spices and gold unloaded from ships coming in through the Tagus after long and frightful voyages on distant seas.

The temp setup in the centre of the plaza kind of ruined it for us. It would’ve been nice to see the magnificent icon of Lisbon in all its glory. Praca do Comercio was built on the site where once stood the Royal Ribiera palace which was destroyed in the great earthquake of 1755. It lies on the Tagus river and was the passageway for Portugal’s imperialist wealth carried from its colonies in Asia, Africa and the Americas over the centuries.

While wandering around if your tummy begins to rumble, take a break from the scorching sun in a trendy food market that brings the widest variety of traditional and contemporary Portuguese delicacies from celebrated chefs under a single tin roof. The Time Out food market is about a 10 min walk from the Praca in the direction of Cais do Sodre. You won’t miss the building once you are on the 24 July street. The ambience is lively and it could take a while to find the right table. Just look for something close to the kiosk you would like to order from. We had a hearty meal of fish and a pasta/ noodle dish. I’m not big on seafood so many options were beyond my reach but there’s something for everyone. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one.

Time Out food market is a great way to familiarize oneself with the best contemporary flavors of Lisbon. The place is bustling with swarms of tourists and locals going from one stall to another, wondering what to eat. The modern and hip food hall is located in the historic Mercado de Ribeira, originally built in 1890s.

*With more than 35 kiosks at the Time Out market you’ll be spoilt for choice. After much deliberation we settled for fish and something with flat noodles. The food certainly lived up to all the hype.*

As you step out of the food market, turn right towards Rua Cor de Rosa or the Pink street as it is popularly known. Hop in the famous erotic themed bar if you will. If not, carry on up the road to Bairro Alto. You can spend the rest of the evening walking up and down the alternating stairs and ramps, or admiring the colorful graffiti, navigating the orthogonal blocks or taking in the symmetry of Pombaline facades of this historical Alto neighborhood which can go from quiet during the day to maddening loud at night once the multitude of bars come alive. You can also catch panoramic views of the city from the viewing balcony at Mirador de Santa Catarina. Unfortunately for us, the balcony was under renovation in Sep 2018 and we had to settle for a beer with no views at the little bar next to the balcony.

The hilly bairros of Alto and Alfama are criss-crossed with narrow streets that go up and down transforming into stairs and ramps. Come prepared for some serious cardio if you intend to find that perfect Mirador.

Ascensor da Bica, a colorful ride to take you uphill from Rua de Sao Paulo all the way to Rua do Loreto in Misericordia. Built in late 1800s this is a unique funicular of a kind where two cars linked by a cable ascend and descend simultaneously. Don’t miss a joy ride on this graffiti covered car when in the neighborhood

Rua Cor de Rosa or the Pink street as its called did not turn Pink quite that long ago and honestly the pink has now turned into a dirtier version of it’s original self and is in dire need of touch-up. Traces of the colorful history of this street which was once a red light district can still be seen around.

Our streak of bad luck continued when after waiting in queue for a ride on the Santa Justa elevator for over an hour we had to abandon our posts and return for the day. It can get really crowded in the evenings as people gather for that perfect sunset view from the observation deck. I guess this was the travel God’s way of telling us to come back to this most interesting city.

Santa Justa elevator is a great piece of Lisbon’s history that can be enjoyed using the same Lisbon city transport card. It connects the Baixa with Bairro Alto neighborhood. The observation deck on top of the lift offers great views of Baixa below and of the outstretching city

A moving view of the Lisbon bridge also called 25 de Abril Bridge in the memory of Carnation revolution. A great way to take in the views of the city is to hop on the suburban line to Cascais which runs parallel to the waterfront for most of the route.

Next day, we continued our tour of greater Lisbon in the westernmost municipalities of Cascais and Sintra. Given that we had just one day marked out for seaside exploration, we decide to start in Cascais and continue to Sintra thereafter. If you have more time, I would recommend doing this over 2 days but if you are pressed for time like us, start early and hop on the Cascais line that runs all along the Tagus till the river merges with the Atlantic.

Cascais is a popular beach resort in Portugal and tourists, both local foreign flock to its fine sand beaches and glitzy casinos every year. It is one the richest municipalities in the country and you can tell that immediately upon arrival. The houses are bigger and swankier, the streets are wider and the cars are fancier. As you get in from the station, colorful mosaics on cobbled streets welcome you to the historical centre. Walk a little further and a vista of the famous Queen’s beach opens up before you. Stick to the marine drive and you will soon come upon the shiny marina.

*Instagram away on trippy streets in Cascais.*

A view of the Cascais sea from the Marine drive

The main place of interest on a Cascais day trip however, is Boca do Inferno. You can hop on a bus from the station or rent a bike or walk leisurely along the marine drive to get here. The violent crashing Atlantic waves against the arching cliff make for a dramatic view during the winter storms, not so much in summers. But come anyway and enjoy a snack at the viewing platform which is free to access.

Boca do Inferno, a sea side cave formation is a popular tourist destination in Cascais. People come from afar to watch the violent waves crashing on the cliff. The Boca wasn’t quite infernal in late September though.

When you are done exploring Cascais, come back into the city and board a bus to Cabo da Roca from the main bus terminal. A 40 minute ride later you will be dropped off at the westernmost edge of continental Europe. A plaque with the exact coordinates is placed under a cross announcing this fact. If the selfie crazy crowds begin to bother you , start walking along the railing till the end where there is nothing between you and the wide Atlantic anymore. Nothing but a sheer 100 m drop. Let the wind overpower your being and your thoughts drift away on it but do watch your step at all times. When you have had your fill of the cool sea breeze hop back on the circular Scottrub bus and continue to Pena palace.

Tick another one off your bucket list- **traveled to the western edge of Europe**. Cabo da Roca, marked as 9*30’W is located on a cliff nearly 100 m high and overlooking the vast blue Atlantic. Don’t forget to take a picture to memorize this for the posterity

*The rocky cliffs at Cabo da Roca are characterized by sparse succulent vegetation and super strong winds. Better hold onto that bandana.*

Sintra is a destination in its own right and there’s enough to explore over 2 days. But if you don’t have as much time, head straight to the Pena palace. It’s the highest point in the Sintra hills now that the Alta Cruz has been displaced. The Romanticist style in which the palace has been built is somewhat reminiscent of the Disney castle. The rich use of colors like blue, yellow and red set it apart from the myriad monochrome castles and palaces you’ll see across Europe. Even if you are not into the history, the terrace under the clock tower is a great place to enjoy unspoiled views of the Sintra forest. I would recommend a good 2 hours to go around the palace and the park, exploring the lifestyle of the Potuguese royalty that used this palace as a summer residence.

If you manage to do as many things as we did in that single day, by now you’ll be tired to the bone and it would be best to catch the next train back to Lisbon. If you are spending the night in town, head back to the centre and enjoy a nice drink before curling in.

The front facade of the Pena Palace as seen from the entry gate. Built on a hill-top in Sintra mountains, the palace is a national monument of Portugal and can be seen all the way from Lisbon city on a clear day.

The architecture is a mix of many styles and the remnants of the old Pena convent which stood on this very site before the great earthquake are still preserved in the section with the clock tower (seen in the background)

Sea and aquatic life have inspired much of the palace architecture and decoration. Conchs, shells, corals and marine life feature prominently in many sections. The Arch of Triton is a must see in the purple section of the palace.

Overlooking the Sintra forest, the wide terrace at the bottom of the clock tower is popular for the panoramic views it offers. A great time of the day to visit is at sunset when the dusky hues take over the beautiful landscape.

*Steal a glimpse of the Moorish castle downhill from the palace from the balcony around the clock tower.*

*Chapel of our Lady of Pena convent in its original 16th century layout. The chapel is one of the few remnants of the convent from before the earthquake that are well preserved.*

*Exquisite stained glass windows of the chapel provide spectacular imagery especially around sundown when the soft light falls on the walls at just the right angle.*

Cruz Alta or the High cross was once located at the highest point (528m above sea-level) of the Sintra hills and once could have a 360 view of the landscape which included places as far as Lisbon on a clear day but today it’s placed in the Pena Park after it came down a few years ago on account of lightning.

Lisbon has so much more to offer that you will need enough rest to start again the next day. If possible, plan 3-5 days for the entire region and make sure to block a whole day for Belem. A civil parish located in the western part of the district it can be accessed using the same Cascais line. The area commemorates the sea-faring past of the Portuguese with monuments like the Belem tower, the Discoveries monument and the Jeronimos monastery, all of them within walking distance of each other.

Gago Coutinho’s seaplane monument near the Belem tower commemorates the first flight across the South Atlantic in 1922. This plane is an exact replica of the original which dove in the Atlantic just off the coast of Brazil and stands in the same parkland from where the original flight took off.

Built in the 16th century, Torre de Belem played a vital role in protecting the mouth of the Tagus river from incursions and to provide a safe passage to the incoming ships loaded with riches.

The monument of discoveries is simply commemorative and not as old. You can pay entrance to go up to the observation deck but you might want to bring extra sun block. I reckon you can spend 1-2 hrs going around the Belem waterfront, exploring these monuments from the outside. If you choose to take inside tours, it could take upto 4. It is natural to feel hungry at some point. Look no further than Pasteis de Belem next door to the monastery.

A scale model of Torre de Belem cast in Bronze was placed outside the actual monument not long ago to aid the visually challenged. You can see the long queue of tourists waiting their turn to get in. As you can see the looks of it were not encouraging, especially in the summer heat.

Torre de Belem on the Tagus is an important symbol of the city of Lisbon. You can pay an entrance to explore the bastion from within or simply go around the tower. Either way you can’t marvel enough at this 16th century Renaissance fortification.

Turn left from the Belem tower and you will see one of the more recent structures of Lisbon- the Monument of discoveries. Dedicated to the Portuguese age of exploration this 1960 building on the northern bank of the Tagus has a deep Indian connection.

*The third gentleman from the left is that deep Indian connection I just spoke of. Any guesses, people?*

*Strike a pose in front of the massive Jeronimos monastery or take an inside tour.*

Do what you may but don’t miss out on the world famous pastel de nata (custard tarts) from the best in business- Pasteis de Belem (next to Jeronimos monastery). Don’t get intimidated by the queue, it doesn’t take long for the next batch of tarts to arrive. Best to take away.

*This custard tart is prepared using a secret recipe, centuries old, from the Jeronimos monastery next door. It is soft and warm and stands out among the myriad pastels you can find all over Lisbon*

If you would like to explore some more, why not hop on a Cacilhas ferry to Almada on the southern bank of the Tagus. Few tourists make it to this side of the river and you’ll have ample time and opportunity to observe ordinary local life in the biggest metropolitan area of Portugal. Calcihas has some amazing fresh fish if you are into it. You can walk or ride on a bus further up to Almada to visit the Christ the King monument. And of course, while you are here, take some great photos of the 25 de Abril bridge. If none of that appeals to you just have some cake with your beer and sink in a comfy chair as the sun goes down.

*Take a ferry ride across the Tagus to Cacilhas for the sheer joy of riding the waters like Lisboetas do.*

*Empty cafes lining the streets of Cacilhas, waiting for the evening rush*

*Close the day with a nice red velvet pastry and a pint of tap beer, watching Lisboetas rushing back home after a long and hot workday.*

Both Madrid and Lisbon have a lot more to see and do and we hope to go back again soon. But while you prepare for your Iberian voyage, some of these tips might be useful.

There is a direct flight from New Delhi to Madrid, three times a week. If you book well in advance, you could get a bargain too.
Late September is shoulder season but some attractions can still get crowded.
Bring ample sun block.
Cercanias or the Madrid subway is a great way to travel between the airport and the city as well as around the city.
You can buy a Vodafone tourist SIM for EUR 20. It works across most of EU and comes with ample data for your search and social media needs.
Burger King in Spain has the best milk shakes ever. Unfortunately, they don’t have any vegetarian meals, neither do any other fast food chains.
You can book your trains on www.renfe.com using any international card.
Viva Viagem card is a great way to access public transport in Lisbon.
Use Scottrub day pass for full day access to all of their bus routes across Sintra and Cascais. This also includes your return train fare from Lisbon.

To continue on our journey across the Iberian peninsula, come back to check out my next entry Un viaje Andaluz!

Merhaba Turkey!

Whether it is the secretly illustrated book for Sultan Murad of 16th century Ottoman empire which Pamuk’s miniaturists are killing over or the 30th June LGBTQ parades in Erdogan’s capital, Turkey’s flirtations with changing mores that often conflict with religion or tradition have continued to enrich a society that is both old and new.

After many years of gestation, the idea of an Anatolian sojourn finally fructified in the summer of 2019. A recently launched direct flight between New Delhi and Istanbul made it evermore realizable and a birthday dinner get-together gave shape to a 10 day long (actually short for a country that is a museum in its entirety) trip with friends to Turkiye.

Although our original direct 6 hr flight turned into a hopping 10 hr ordeal, the company of good friends and red wine in paper cups made it worthwhile. We arrived at the new Istanbul airport on the Black sea which is an understatement for gigantic. Posh terminals, tons of shops and never-ending walkways is a more adequate description in my view. I did some quick online shopping while we waited for our connection to Kayseri. An hour and ten minutes later, we were hailing cabs and collecting our bags at the largest airport of the central Anatolian region, very much in the geographical heart of Turkey. A long day of flying and checking in and out of bags came to a close a little past midnight in Ibis, Kayseri which is less than 5 km from the airport. A fine 3 star hotel with great value for transit tourists like ourselves.

Next morning, we were picked up by our transfer service in a traveller van to bring us to the first proper pitstop on our itinerary. Welcome to Goreme, Cappadocia! A small village/ town in the middle of strange rock formations, Goreme has turned into a tourist hub, thanks to those enormous hot air balloons you see on postcards. Other than the rock formations themselves, the balloon business is the only reason that brings throngs of tourists from around the world to this small town of a little over 2000 residents. The entire municipality is littered with big and small cave hotels which are mostly family run businesses. These so called cave hotels are usually extensions of the original caves left behind all over this region by Christian minorities of a different era who used them as shelters during times of war, invasion or persecution by the new Islamic rulers of Turkey. Our first lesson in the grim history of religious persecution that this country has seen so much of. Today, there are tours designed around the different land formations and underground cave cities, named after colors and led by a state certified tour guide who takes you through glimpses of this sordid past with humor and subtle demands for tips.

Emerging from Derinkuyu, the deepest underground cave city in the region, you will notice an old derelict church in the middle of the village plaza that nobody has bothered to enter in hundreds of years perhaps. The windows are boarded up and the gong is missing it’s bell. Surrounded by overgrown grass and bush this little stone structure serves as a reminder of a time gone by as well as the futility of a place of worship. After all, who needs a Christian altar in Derinkuyu today. The gods of Derinkuyu rest elsewhere.

Although most people will miss this oddity in the plaza, what they will remember for years is the ingenuity of the people who built settlements as large and deep as Derinkuyu, colonies that could house upto 20,000 inhabitants at a time, living one above another in as many as 7 stories with passageways for air and water running through. What will stay with many are the claustrophobic stairways connecting the different levels, the cross shaped prayer room at the bottom or the underground cemetary.

Hiking along the valleys and exploring as many cave cities as the tour allowed we came to a lunch by a stream which in all likelihood ran into the Kizmilrak, the longest river in Turkey. As anticipated the tour inclusive lunch was simple and limited while many extras could be purchased on top. We settled for freshly squeezed orange juice to wash down our Turkish fish/ chicken main, lentil soup with side of bread and a largely lettuce based salad. It wasn’t a bad setting at all except that one of the boys in the kitchen tried to get a little too friendly with one of the girls but I believe it was quite harmless and we all got a hearty laugh out of it.

The lucky damsel (second from left); her husband (second from right) not at all annoyed.

The next day was the big balloon flight. Woken up in the wee hours, we were picked up from our hotel Kayatas, a small 8 room guest house in Goreme and transported in tour vans to the open valley from where we would be taking off later at sunrise. As they prepped the balloons, hundreds of tourists like ourselves waited, wondering which one would they be riding in. The ride itself is about 60 to 90 minutes depending on what you pay but the transfers and the prepping take up another 2-3 hours easily.

I was a little nervous in the beginning but on realizing how reassuringly stable the basket actually was, I felt at ease and slowly the entire peninsular landscape opened up before us. The sun was just coming up on the horizon and the mound like hills below kept changing colors from white to pink, pink to red and red to ochre. Once you are up in the sky, It’s almost like a contest between the hundreds of balloons as to who can rise the highest. The gas furnace keeps blasting hot air into the balloon with an intermittent whooshing sound until you have risen to the highest point of your captain’s choice and judgement and up there it is almost as still as it can be. You have left the sounds of the terrestrial world below you and the sky is dotted with colorful lit up balls all around. The roads and valleys now appear as long grey lines on a canvas which is a splatter of fields, rock and shrub. Instagram, anyone?.

I guess with friends time goes by quickly and between the selfies and groupies you don’t realize before it’s almost time to begin descending. With much effort and practice, the ground crew of each balloon tracks the expected landing site which depends on wind direction and speed of descent. A constant relay of coordinates between the captain and the ground crew establishes the exact spot where the captain intends to land and the ground crew appears at the right time almost magically. 4 to 6 men tug and pull on the ropes hanging from the basket once it’s a few metres above ground, bringing it into the exact landing position just above the flat trailer which will carry the basket back to the yard. It’s nearly a gladiator match and the crew gets rewarded with an unrestrained applause. This is followed by a customary champagne toast and photo-op, not to forget the little souvenir certificates.

For 160 EUR/pax, this came out to be the second most expensive flight of the trip but now I’m the guy who has been on a hot air balloon and I think that’s something in itself. We spent the rest of our day catching up on sleep and lazing around town, eager to try the much talked about pottery kebab, a local specialty. Someone recommended a fancy place in town and we got ourselves a reservation after taking much attitude from the manager. I can say as an Indian, not only was the food disappointing, it was just not worth the pain. My twopence- give it a pass.

We spent the next and final day in the region exploring by ourselves. After renting a self drive tourist van big enough for 8 we set out on the popular red tour- visiting the quaint and quiet town of Avanos on the meandering Kizmilrak with its riverside parks and old winding streets where we spent hours just languishing in the June heat, ruminating over sex, fidelity and commitment (we tend to get philosophical when we have nothing better to do) and ended the day on a high note, literally, at the highest point of Cappadocia- the Uchisar castle.

Wrapping it up in Goreme later that day, we took the overnight bus which brought us to Pamukkale. Closer to the south-western coast of Turkey, Pamukkale is a thermal spa town known for its Calcium travertines and the ruins of Hierapolis, a Greek settlement that was later occupied by Roman empire stretching into Asia minor. Most of the ruins seen today are of Roman times when the necropolis attained its golden period. It is believed that Cleopatra and Anthony frequented the hot springs here among many other luminaries of the Roman period. There is an antique thermal pool named after the Egyptian queen which offers the unique experience of bathing alongside historical royalty for an additional fee but given the scorching heat of late June and the swarms of tourists, we chose to give it a pass. By far, the most remarkable structure is the amphitheater believed to be built after the great earthquake of 60 AD. It is the best preserved part of the site and makes for some great pictures. My advice for Pamukkale is to start early, before the crowds converge and avoid the time-wasting guided tours. It is best to approach the closest gate and find yourself a guide (if needed) for Hierapolis near the entrance.

Next to the Cotton castle (Pamukkale travertines)

One of the activities to fill your day at Pamukkale

So glad we stumbled upon this tiny Gozleme place in Pamukkale. Gozleme comes closest to stuffed parantha and is best enjoyed with yogurt.

Next morning, we got on a Turkish railway train from Denizli which is the closest big town with a train station. Any means of transport coming into or going out of Pamukkale typically goes through here. A regular service, 4 times a day runs between Denizli and Selcuk, our next point of interest. An early morning Dolrum transfer to the railway station and a breathless sprint to the train platform later we were on a clean and comfortable albeit not adequately air-conditioned suburban train to Selcuk. Selcuk’s claim to fame is the Greek (later Roman) megapolis of Ephesus. Of all the excavation sites I have seen thus far, Ephesus is not only the largest but also the best preserved. I don’t think that a few pictures or words can do justice to this open air museum and it’s worthy of a whole piece in itself but like our excursion on that hot June Mediterranean afternoon let us stick to the highlights.

Celsus library, Ephesus. One of the largest and only remaining libraries from the Roman empire.

Relief of Greek goddess of victory, Nike

The largest amphitheater in Roman Asia Minor at a capacity of 25,000

Our guide whom we hired at the entrance was state certified and clearly knew his stuff. The heat didn’t seem to bother this elderly gentleman who took time to take us through the different eras of the settlement, Greek, Roman and Byzantine. His commentary helped us to visualize how the Aegean sea once touched the very harbor of Ephesus, just outside the enormous amphitheater before silting up and denying the once prosperous residents of this city their trade and livelihoods.

His detailed description of the Roman houses, both rich and poor, the ingenious sewage system, the hospital, the library as well as the city brothel as if brought a distant past alive before our eyes. If only I had asked for his business card, I could have left a great recommendation here. Selcuk has many other sites that warrant more time including the Selcuk museum which has many artifacts from the Ephesus and other excavation sites around. But we didn’t have much time left and decided to move on to Izmir airport where we picked up our rental cars to drive out to the Cesme peninsula on the Aegean.

Ocean road to Cesme dotted with windmills

An old coastal Greek town on the Cesme peninsula, Alacati is a popular beach resort lined with boutique hotels and trendy coffee shops. The trendiest of them are in the heart of town spreading out from the old 19th century windmills overlooking a hill. Following the Greko-Turkish war, most Greeks who were the original inhabitants of this peninsula either fled or were emigrated under the exchange of Greek and Turk populations displaced due to the war. Turk Muslims fleeing the Balkans and Greek islands were settled in the abandoned stone houses of the Greeks. Ironically, today the resettled Muslim population can be seen trying very hard to retain the Greek heritage of Alacati, almost overdoing it to invite both domestic and international tourists looking for surf, sand and sun.

Other attractions in Alacati include the beach, the bay and a yacht marina. You can enjoy a nice walk along the marina and follow it up with a fine dinner overlooking the yachts; don’t expect great food though. Most restaurants here are about the view and not so much about the food in my opinion but if you come across a great place with good food, please enlighten me.

Wouldn’t mind waking up to this view every morning, now would I?

Our hospitable hosts at Villarenk, Alacati gave a whole new meaning to the Turkish breakfast spread. Strongly recommend this place!

I think by now we could sense a certain amount of exertion after almost 5 days of travel and Alacati helped us take care of just that. Lazy afternoons in the pool and sundowners on the patio was the order of the day with short excursions in between of course. But personally for me, the high point was when the housekeeping lady (who I think was a Croat) at the hotel, not knowing any English or Hindi, managing mostly with sign language and a few broken words, told us how she loved Raj Kapoor and we all began to hum ‘mera joota hai japani’. It is just incredible how Bollywood can connect the most unconnected people.

Refreshed and re-energized we arrived in Istanbul, the city that straddles two continents. Our final and most important pit-stop, Istanbul was everything I had imagined it to be and more. For years, I had fancied coming face to face with this melting pot of civilization, where East meets the West and I wasn’t going to let exertion or homesickness get in the way. Over two and half days, we explored as many points of interest as we possibly could. And yes, some of these we rushed but gave enough time to those which were deserving. Much like Bombay, Istanbul has that typical vibe of a harbour city and I could sense that familiarity from my childhood. The best way to explore any seaside city is to observe its skyline from the water and that was the first thing we did- an evening cruise on the Bosphorous.

Blue mosque in the background, as seen from a docked boat.

A typical sunset cruise is a great way to see the skyline both in daylight as well as when it lights up after dark. The PA system on board our boat was rather inadequate and although we didn’t quite know the buildings or bridges we were crossing, people watching was pretty fun and the cool sea breeze in my hair brought back many fond memories. The expanse of the city became clearer and clearer as the tour advanced along the Bosphorous and yet we knew there was a lot more beyond the last buildings we could see from the deck.

Beyond the cruise there are several historical buildings and streets from different eras- Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, as well as modern. It’s a crazy mix of different styles and times. As you cross the Bosphorous on the Ataturk bridge, approaching from Taksim, the Valens aqueduct from the Roman times can still be seen standing bang in the middle of this wide and busy street in Fatih. Built in the 4th century, it was the primary water supply system to the great city of Constantinople and remained in use during Byzantine and Ottoman rule. Today, the last prominently surviving section is seen as an arch bridge across the Ataturk Bulvari street.

As you turn to the left just 200 m before the aqueduct itself, into the narrow lanes of Fatih you will see many old houses of the Ottoman quarters leading to Suleymaniye, the imperial mosque commisioned by Suleyman, the magnificent in mid-16th century. It is a most elaborate specimen of Ottoman architecture from when it was at it’s peak and though not as big as the Hagia Sofia, standing in its courtyard you can’t help but feel the magnificence Suleyman must have envisioned for his memorial. His mausoleum can be found in the same complex along with a school of Istanbul University (formerly a madrasa), a women’s hospital (formerly darussifa) and many touristic restaurants (formerly Ottoman soup kitchen). On your way to the mosque you might notice some old derelict timber houses from Ottoman times and wonder if they were last occupied by the learned elite of 16th century Istanbul or the wealthy immigrants fleeing persecution in other parts of Ottoman empire in the 18th.

A view of the Golden Horn from the gardens of Sulemaniye

If you have the appetite for some walking continue navigating through the narrow but clean lanes of Fatih like we did for another 20 minutes in the direction of the Marmara sea and you will find yourself upon the greatest symbol of the Byzantine empire, a symbol that has stood the test of times and continues to represent Turkey from postcards to geography text books alike.

Hagia Sofia or Ayasofya museum, once a great Greek Orthodox Christian cathedral built by the Byzantine king Justinian, then recommissioned into a great Ottoman imperial mosque by Mehmet, the conqueror, now secularized by Ataturk as a museum since 1935

I strongly recommend an audio guide if you are travelling alone or as a couple. The place is brimming with more history than you can grasp in under 2 hours. And if you are a nerd like myself, read up a little before you go in. Start early as the queues can get long during the day and most importantly, come here before you go to the Blue mosque which is just 400m across. You see, both the Blue mosque and Suleymaniye are active mosques where Istanbullus offer their daily prayers and there is no entrance, meaning no queues. Also, parts or whole of the mosques are closed to visitors during the azan intervals and you could get stuck in the courtyard if you arrive at the wrong hour.

A decent audio guide can be rented for about 30 Lira on top of the entrance fee of 40 Lira

Inside the museum you will notice many superimposed relics from the Cathedral and the mosque. The central dome is in the original Byzantine style but the motifs have been replaced with calligraphy in Arabic script.

The murals of archangels were plastered over and the Islamic star was used to cover up the face during the conversion

You will notice the asymmetrical mihrab (altar) which was built indicating the direction of Mecca

Another restored Christian mural which was plastered over by the Ottomans

Built in 537 AD, the Hagia Sophia remained the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a 1000 years until the Seville cathedral and then served as the primary imperial mosque of the Ottoman empire for nearly 200 years until the construction of the nearby Sultan Ahmet or Blue mosque. The monument has stood the test of time and been restored several times. Ataturk converted it into the first museum of the republic of Turkey and that decision has become a target of criticism in recent years under an Islamicizing Erdogan. Nevertheless, it continues to be one of the most visited sites in all of Turkey and you shouldn’t miss it for any reason.

Between all the history and art, when you find yourself missing the modern and contemporary, head to a trendy bar near Taksim for some expensive cocktails, although you might not find a place to sit but who cares when you have good company. Or go on a shopping spree on the most colorful Istiklal avenue which is bustling with activity 24X7, literally. The stores are open all night long and some deals you can find here will make e-com shopping look expensive. There are places to eat all kinds of cuisines, street food stalls and sweet marts specializing in the mouth-watering baklava. Street musicians and performers will keep you entertained and above all there is the simple joy of people watching.

Taksim Tuneli, a heritage tram service that runs through the lively Istiklal avenue can be a less strenuous way to explore the street, assuming you can find a spot on the tram.

Kumpir or baked potatoe with cheese and various toppings of pickled vegetables, corn, olives and hot dog

While you are in the city, do take out some time for a traditional Ottoman bath also popularly known as the Turkish bath or Hamam. A traditional community bathhouse called Hamami was brought to Turkey by the Ottomans and became a part of ordinary public life over the centuries. These days the oldest royal or public baths cater to luxury tourists who don’t mind throwing money for an elaborate spa involving thorough cleansing, massage and different kinds of therapy. However, there are a few old gems that may not have the fancy buildings that you will find in the Fatih district but bring back a time gone by for their patrons just the same. We picked Cinili hamami in Uskudar district where for 80 lira/pax you can experience an authentic Turkish hamam session ranging from 30 to 50 minutes. It is located in a nondescript residential neighborhood which can be easily reached by public transport. We boarded the underwater Marmaray train from Fatih to Uskudar and then a 5 min bus ride later we were on the street leading to the Hamami. With a few English phrases both Sonam and I managed to admit ourselves to our respective sections (male and female are separated, naturally) and 10 min later I was being escorted inside the bathing section. A central dome with tiny windows for light and a large hot hexagonal marble platform under it is the heart of the bathhouse. A masseur pours buckets of lukewarm water over you before he escorts you to the central platform where he will then scrub you, exfoliate your back, arms and legs while giving you a moderately rough massage. He uses a special muslin to create mountains of foam over your body which at times can cover all of it. I think this is more of a gimmick to fascinate other spa goers waiting for their turn so they might pick him. After all, the masseurs do expect a customary tip from their patrons at the end of their bath. The ritual comes to an end with excessive volumes of cold water running down your head to toes and a nice snugly wrap in hamami provided towels. When you are ready to leave, the deal is sealed with a complimentary cup of Turkish cai (tea).

There’s tons of things to see and do in Istanbul and I can assure you 3 days are not enough, not even close. I know that I’m going back again, whenever the opportunity presents itself again. You can’t go 2 miles without crossing a museum, mosque or other historical relic and each one more beautiful than the last. On this trip I could barely glance through the preface of this ornate and exquisite book. The tome of history and culture that it truly is will surely take many more.

Just another astounding mosque on the way..

Don’t forget to shop for those bright and colorful lamps or the turquoise ceramics in a medieval bazaar where haggling is pre-medieval

Or steal a carefree laugh with Turkish nines

Or try to catch the attention of some of the oldest bullus (and they are everywhere)

Or exchange notes with 007 at the Basilica cistern.

Or stroll through the royal gardens of Topkapi palace

Or maybe just ride the Bosphorous without a care in the world

Some useful tips if you’re planning a trip to Turkey

Public transport in Istanbul is great and if you are traveling alone or as a couple, do make use of it. Buses, trams, underwater subway, funicular and ferries, everything is covered under one Istanbul card which can be bought at many different transport points in the city and you can top it up easily at the same machines.
If you are traveling in a group of 3 or more, look for taxis as they will come out to be the same price more or less. Taxis are plentiful but hard to find (ironical, isn’t it). Use radio taxi apps like Uber or Bitaxi in Istanbul.
In smaller towns, there are local buses called dolrums. Don’t hesitate to check for one if you are traveling a short city distance.
Book your hot air balloon flight well in advance and whether you pick 60 or 90 min should not really matter. Pricing however, varies.
Bring lots of sunblock and umbrellas if you intend to venture out during the day from June to August.
Overnight buses are comfortable and a worthwhile way to travel.
Bus journey can also be booked at the station on the day of travel but if you prefer booking in advance, try www.busbud.com
Suburban or intercity trains are clean and comfortable and never too crowded. Buy your tickets at the station on the same day except during public holidays maybe.
There are plenty of options for vegetarians, just ask for them.
Helios transfers in Cappadocia are a reliable and professional service. Contact them here: http://www.heliostransfer.com/en
Beach bars in Cesme do not open until after June, so if that’s your thing, plan your time of visit accordingly.
If you have the time, include Ankara on your list.

Solo in Salzburg

When the sky is overcast in May and the wind still chilly, the quaint touristy town of Salzburg is not far from Munich. A day wandering through the streets of Old town, a hike up and down the Hohensalzburg or a picnic lunch along the banks of Salzach are some of the many things that can fill your typical day out here. The place is thronged by tourists almost all year round but early May is not particularly crowded. You can still get lost in the narrow back alleys, sauntering at your own pace, latching onto the occasional free Wi-Fi outside a random cafe or boutique.

IMG_20160514_114921117_HDR — Inside Hohensalzburg

IMG_20160514_141821932_HDR — Intriguing street art

IMG_20160514_141547157_HDR — Walk by them love locks

IMG_20160514_140448611_HDR — The Yellow one- Mozart’s residence

IMG_20160514_135404597 — Ambitious advertising inside tunnels

IMG_20160514_134800077_HDR — The most colorful palette ever

IMG_20160514_133449963_HDR — The funicular track as seen from the cemetary

IMG_20160514_122548749 — The town below as seen from the castle

IMG_20160514_110006644 — Some more street art

IMG_20160514_102351417 — Graffiti dedicated to the maestro on the subway

When I first arrived on a Flixbus the night before, it was raining to my utter annoyance and the black light jersey I had on was not going to keep me dry or warm for long. I realized that my hostel was more than 10 min away on foot from the place where I would be dropped off and I’d have to trot my way through the now dark and wet streets of Salzburg. Google maps got me to the right place just before my hoodie got soaked and here I was being greeted by a warm smiling blonde at the reception. After sharing my dashed hopes of a dry sunny day in Salzburg and paying up my deposit for the night, I led myself to the dorm above which I would be sharing with a noisy bunch of Swiss teens later. Chugging on my Bavarian beer through the 2 hour drive between Munchen and here had helped induce a sweet amount of sleep and I ruled in favor of hitting the bunk. Sometime later in the night I was woken up by the noisy brats I had mentioned before but I chose to ignore.

IMG_20160513_231555297 — The lower bunk in YOHO dorm- my nightly abode

Next morning while it was still pouring I woke up to be greeted by my adolescent roommates who offered their apologies for being adolescent and I got a move on. The day was opening up and I thought perhaps I can still redeem my plan to go around this beautiful medieval Stadt. I treated myself to a full Milka chocolate bar and grabbed a low fat milk from one of those early stores- “breakfast to go”. I began hiking towards the first place of interest on my list. The Mozart plaza. Now, I’m not sure if that’s what it’s called but it has a bigger than life size statue of the famous composer right in the middle and an interesting fountain with four stallions galloping out of it a few meters away. After a few clicks with the maestro in the background I proceeded to get a closer look of this fountain and while I stood there admiring the architecture, 2 young European girls sneaked up on me from behind and with beaming faces held out a pad with some kind of petition to sign on. They told me that it was for poor children or something and on realizing I was Indian , quickly began to fake their endless love for Bollywood and in the middle of all that animated conversation, at some point, I signed the petition, only to be told immediately after that I was expected to make a donation of any amount I like. I knew I was trapped and to exit this unsavory situation I had wound myself into, I quickly took out the Euro in my pocket and with an apologetic smile excused myself from the ladies.

IMG_20160514_110634043_HDR — The fountain with stallions

IMG_20160514_111206237_HDR — Old world carriages at the plaza

The first lesson of my solo travel across Europe- Avoid smiling faces with petitions who like Bollywood.

IMG_20160514_112023125_HDR — The globe and the game of chess

This plaza has old fashioned horse driven buggies and carriages lined around it which gives it an almost old world feel and if you are lucky enough to have no other tourists in the frame, you could pass your click as evidence of time travel. I got the Bollywood loving scammers in mine. The next square has a big Golden globe with a boy’s statue atop and a giant game of Chess laid out next to the globe. I’m not sure what these structures signify but they are not medieval for sure. From here you can either spread out in the old town or take the slope which goes up the castle. I took the latter and gradually the town became smaller and farther as I went up that winding road. After about 10 minutes and an equal number of selfies I arrived at the entrance where for 8 Euros I got access to the castle and a ride on the funicular on my way back. The castle perched on top of a hill is somewhat smallish but has some of the best views of the town and as if the Rain gods were answering to my prayers, the skies began to clear as I trekked up the cobbled path and the splendid vistas began to play out before me. The historical significance of the place was mostly lost on me as I spent most of my time clicking different parts of the town below from as many different angles and marveling at the beautiful scenery. One could see the Salzach snaking through the landscape, dividing the town into two parts as the washed rooftops of the Austrian houses shone under the spring sun which was now somewhat peeping from behind the clouds. Everywhere I looked I saw vast stretches of green below and grey-blue above. The castle has a few canons laid out in galleries with their mouths pointing towards the town. Other than this, there is one medieval archaeological site, a square with a well in the middle and a small chapel inside the castle. Going around at any rate is not more than a 30 min affair. It’s the views that you pay for. I could have spent more time at the many vantage points but chose to move on and get back to the town below.

IMG_20160514_113140182 — The washed rooftops

IMG_20160514_130606723 — The town below divided by Salzach

IMG_20160514_115718220_HDR — What are we aiming at?!

IMG_20160514_115821916_HDR — Bring them on!!

The next place of interest for any tourist in Salzburg is the Mirabell garden. The other reason why Salzburg remains relevant in popular culture is the famous musical “Sound of Music” which was shot almost entirely here. There are several spots in the town which you will recognize easily. As a matter of fact, there are Sound of music tours designed around these spots, keeping the tourists engaged with fond movie memories. It is in this garden where the Von Trapp family is seen singing Do Re Mi in the film. The garden itself is not as vast as some of the others you will see in Europe but it’s laid out beautifully and is adorned by intricately carved sculptures. Many spots for colorful selfies and views of the surrounding hills, the Hohensalzburg castle included will keep you busy for the good part of an hour. Fortunately for me, by now the skies had cleared much and the warm filtered sunshine made the weather just lovely.

IMG_20160514_142937506 — The entrance to Mirabell gardens

IMG_20160514_143831232 — Sculptures and fountains

IMG_20160514_133537869 — The cemetery where the Von Trapps hid

After stepping out into the streets, I was hungry again. So once again I walked into one of those departmental stores and walked out with a packed burger, some fruit cuts and an Austrian beer, hoping to find that perfect spot along the banks of Salzach for my first ever solo picnic. Who knew that this was to be the highlight of my day in Salzburg. I sat on a public bench facing the river below and the castle above the hill. The murky waters of Salzach were gushing under the bridge as tourists and locals passed me by. Lovers, walking hand in hand, dogs playing by their masters, toddlers in their strollers, I watched people enjoying their day, each in their own special way. All this people watching tired me out eventually. I began to feel lazy and dozed off for a bit under the warm sun.

IMG_20160514_160004486_HDR — Picnic by Salzach

The power nap helped me regain my zeal to explore further and I headed back to the cemetary where the Von Trapps went hiding from the Nazis. This time of the year, it was overgrown in places but retained it’s charm nevertheless. There was restoration work going on in places but that didn’t seem to deter tourists from trying to find that exact spot where our dear Von Trapps tried to conceal themselves. Other than this, the cemetary doesn’t have much on offer for the curious tourist. Later I wandered off into the streets again, walking tirelessly, marveling at the quaint buildings, the back alleys, the weather and the people; wondering if the Von Trapps walked here or there. The town of Salzburg can be easily covered on foot within a day. You may start in the old town and wander off in the direction of your choice. For avid Sound of music fans, there are a few other filming locations outside the city such as the lake where they go boating among others. All you need is good weather and two sturdy feet. Bring yourself an umbrella if you don’t like getting drenched or go wild like me. Spend your day gazing people or street art installations, putting a lock on the bridge with your loved one or lazing by the Salzach. Nothing here is monotonous or overwhelming. A trip to this Austrian town is like the famous musical itself, leaving you with a happy, light and warm feeling inside.

IMG_20160514_152625615_HDR — The love-lock bridge

IMG_20160514_164531721_HDR — The quaint back alleys to get lost in

IMG_20160514_195627213 — Digital display inside ICE

IMG_20160514_192910466 — Salzburg Hauptbahnhof

IMG_20160514_192859575 — Do they get any neater?!!

IMG_20160514_201115486 — Austrian countryside as seen from on-board ICE to Innsbruck

Masai Mara- the greatest Safari ever!

The vast yellow grassland has an eerie yet endearing sense about it. It lets you look out blankly into nothingness for as long as you please with *no conditions apply. The eye wanders for a while till it fixes its gaze upon something peculiar, something that moves, something that feeds or something that is looking back at one. The gaze is weighed down by the contours of the hump, the grizzliness of the mane or possibly at the agility of the gait and one is transfixed as time loses relevance. Such is the magnificence of nature, that which is beyond our control.

As a keen student, the geography textbook always fascinated me. I would flip through the pages to look at places that hadn’t been even covered by the teacher yet. It wasn’t a subject to me, it was like a fantasy. I would look at the illustrations and wonder what it would be like to be in this place or that. And of all the places, Africa had a different allure altogether. The sheer expanse of the continent, its diverse and unique landscape, the turbulent history of its people, everything about it made it almost enigmatic. It seemed so far away and growing up I always felt a strange beckoning to this dark continent. Of course, it is so vast, it would take anyone a lifetime to touch every last corner and I wouldn’t even commit myself to such a lofty resolution but the Eastern horn of Africa as it is called has a special place in the world of natural history and what could be a better start to my journey of Africa than that. The idea began taking shape sometime in 2015 when a colleague went away to Tanzania with his family. Upon his return he couldn’t stop describing the plethora of wildlife they witnessed over three days and at such close quarters. His stories brought to life the visions I had carried from my textbooks and all the Discovery films I had seen over the years. A little later another good friend mentioned it and I started imagining my African Safari already. I pitched the idea to a few like minded people to see if they would be interested. Soon enough, I had gotten two other friends and Sonam on board. We knew what we wanted to see but which reserve was to be visited was the question. August is that time of the year around which I plan my week-long annual holiday and hence, the natural choice was Masai Mara. The great migration arrives in Mara by August and the lions are spoilt for choice. There is plenty of game in the park and the big cats are out hunting. There couldn’t really be a better time to be in Kenya- the safari capital of Africa.

Kenya is a country located right on the equator but the Mara reserve which runs along the south western flank of the country falls in the southern hemisphere. Nairobi, the capital city and the first stop for all international tourists also lies a little south of the equator and hence, the weather in August is mildly cold which is surprising for most first timers. The overall topography of the country renders it cooler than most tropical destinations. The Kenyan government, in a bid to boost tourism has introduced e-visa for most countries making the process, literally, a cake walk. You sign up on the website, submit a copy of your passport, fill out your details and pay up USD 50. All in an hour’s work and if there is nothing wrong with your application you can get your visa in a day or less. Mine arrived the day after and I knew we were off to a good start.

img_20160812_090155186 — Downtown Nairobi as seen from our Safari operator’s office.

Flights from India are not abundant but there are a few good options like Jet-Etihad which if purchased well in time can get you a good deal. We bought ours 5 months in advance for less than USD 500 each. The flight was comfortable with average leg space and palatable food. Abu Dhabi airport which was our transit was less than impressive but then again my reference is Dubai or New Delhi which isn’t really fair. It was crowded and felt cramped. Anyhow, the transit was about 2 hr and hence manageable. We arrived in Nairobi a little past 1 p.m. at a not so remarkable international terminal but the immigration process was crisp and in spite of the long queue we were through in less than an hour. There is a bureau de Exchange counter inside the terminal which gives you a good rate unlike some other airports I have been. 1 USD to 100 shilling was the going market rate then and the counter gave us 99 if I remember correctly. You will see a Safaricom kiosk as you move out into the lobby where you can purchase a prepaid SIM for voice or data or both without any hassle by just producing your travel document. We bought one for 2000 KSH which gave us more than enough voice and data than we needed for the week. There are other operators too but Safaricom has best countrywide connectivity and offers good rates. The average Indian will find voice calling in Kenya 3 times more expensive than home and I think the locals feel the pinch too as many prefer calling over internet to save costs. But the ease of procuring a SIM in any part of the world as opposed to India makes me pretty sad. Anyhow, with the SIM in my phone, we were on our way to the apartment we had rented near Strathmore university halfway between the international airport and the city centre. Here, I feel I need to mention that my experience with booking a place through Airbnb in Kenya wasn’t as smooth as it usually is. Two of my prior bookings were cancelled by the hosts days before the actual travel for some hard to believe reasons. But our stay at Kipngeno’s apartment was problem free and since we were spending just a night in Nairobi, it didn’t really matter as much. Later that night we called a cab to go downtown using Uber and that worked just fine too. Surprisingly, the native Kenyans in general and Nairobians in particular speak remarkably good English and communication can be a breeze for foreigners. Our cabbie was friendly and helped us narrow down our search for a good pub pretty quickly to Havana Bar. This dimly lit pub has a friendly vibe and from what we could see is popular with expats and tourists. The staff at the bar was helpful and amiable. The girl waiting our table was rather confused at our strange request for hot water with our whiskey. She had to ask us twice if we wanted hot or room temperature. The music was loud and we didn’t try explaining about our soar throats and running noses. The food was above average and the liquor cheap (by New Delhi standards). We enjoyed observing the locals, sampling the kinky urban art on the walls and the warm whiskey going down our throats made the chilly Nairobi night as pleasant as it could get. Happy high we went out of the bar, tipping our waitress more generously than we would back home.

img_20160811_221735526 — A mural on the wall of Havana Bar in Nairobi

One peculiarity I couldn’t help but notice in Nairobi was that the navigation display unit in all the cars we sat in was in Chinese or Japanese or one of those languages from the Far East that I cannot read. The make of the car didn’t matter really and when I asked one of the drivers about it he said he had noticed it too but had no clue why. I assumed that possibly, they depend heavily on importing CBUs in Kenya. My assumption was further strengthened when I saw the price of a mid size car advertised on a hoarding outside a dealership in the town. This car was easily more than twice as expensive than home where the car market is predominantly local manufacturing.

Next morning we were picked up by Ambrose, our driver and guide for the next 3 days. Ambrose wasn’t particularly happy with us since we were late for the pickup. A day long flight and last night’s whiskey had their effect and we took longer than anticipated to pack up and leave. Before leaving town, we went into the city centre once again to make the final payment at the safari operator’s office and picked up some much needed breakfast from the local favorite- Java Coffee house. The breakfast was simple but filling. Banana cake, boiled veggies, sandwich and fries. The coffee was above average without doubt. A really good brew made from the world famous Kenyan beans and yet somehow they choose to call themselves Java House. Irony.

Nearly after two hours on the road we were treated to our very first view of the rift valley. I could hardly contain my childlike eagerness to get a closer look and began to bug Ambrose to pull over.He stopped a little further at some kind of a tourist point where there were several other vans like ours. There was also a curio shop and a snack bar. The view from here was fantastic to say the least. As far as you ran your sight you could see the unending flatness of the depression below. For miles together, the African bush just lay there, undisturbed, uninhabited and perfectly wild. A closer inspection with our binoculars threw up a TV station deep in the valley to relay signals from the cliffs above. The local shop owners tried selling us food and curio among other things. After a brief stop, we continued our journey further into the valley. The total run from Nairobi to the reserve is about 6 hours and if you break in between, it can go upto 7. We stopped by a roadside restaurant somewhere midway for lunch . This place was run by an Indian Kenyan couple. The heavily pregnant Gujarati wife walked around yelling instructions to her mostly native staff. She spoke in Swahili of course but to many of her Indian traveler customers she spoke in fluent Hindi too, serving vegetarian specials upon request. The Indian influence on everyday life in Kenya is more than noticeable. The diaspora from the sub-continent has penetrated almost all strata of the Kenyan society. They are merchants, business owners, executives, restaurateurs and even travel agents. They have lived here for more than a couple of generations now and identify themselves as Kenyans of Indian descent. However, most of them retain their Indian family connections and keep shuttling between their home and place of nativity. For lunch, we washed down some African rice, chapatis, corn, veggies and lamb with the good old Tusker. Well fed and contented, we got back on the road and soon enough I dozed off at the window. Having missed some part of the landscape, I was shaken out of my slumber when the caravan got off the main highway an hour or so later and the dust from the dirt road started to blow in my face. As we pulled up the windows and the rural landscape became clearer, we could see women selling fresh produce from the farms by the side of the road very much like home. There were children staring blankly at us, some even waving. Little flat roof huts strewn around the landscape with cows and sheep around. The vegetation in the valley is mostly dry and deciduous. There are several shades of dusty green, a lot of brown and yellow. The dirt road was pretty rough and for the rest of the ride we could hear little stones flying under our truck, sometimes hitting the chassis. But that didn’t seem to bother Ambrose who was flying at about 70 or even 80 kmph now as opposed to the 50 he never crossed on the highway. On inquiring he told us how there are speed monitoring patrols all along the main highway and drivers are not supposed to cross the limit. Yet another area in which Kenya beat India successfully- *impressed*.

img_20160812_102406315 — Our first view of the Rift Valley

Arriving at the camp a little before 4 in the evening, we were welcomed by the manager and shown to our tent shacks. The Miti Mingi eco-lodge and a few others are located just outside the entry gate of the reserve. The camp is basic with limited electric supply. The common kitchen serves three meals a day in a buffet and any specials can be requested to the chef. The typical shack has 2 single beds with bedding and mosquito nets. The nets often have holes. Fortunately for us, there were few mosquitoes in August and the precautions we had taken were more than sufficient. The camp staff would also prepare a bonfire at night around which campers would sit to eat, drink and relax. Later that evening after our arrival at the camp, we took off for our first game drive a little past 5. At the reserve gate, local Masai women began to flock around the safari vans, trying to sell handicrafts and curios. The handicraft trade is an important source of income for the local communities. The same curios when bought in a retailer’s shop in the town can cost twice or even thrice as much. Naturally, the premium you pay in a shop is the retailer’s margin who buys the handicrafts at nominal prices from the original craftsmen. Hence, we decided to buy it from these women directly, both of us getting a better deal in that way.

As we drove into the gate, we saw black spots strewn around the yellow brown grassland ahead of us. Moving a little further, the spots began to take shape and we could now make out their movements too. Tails wagging, horns locking, their grizzly goatee beards swaying, this was my first real sight of the much talked about Wilde beast. I’m positive I have seen more documentaries on this species of wild ungulates than any other. The great migration is a subject studied and researched by more wild life experts than any other possibly. As the day was drawing to a close, most of the beasts were resting or feeding callously. It was evident that there was no sign of immediate danger as the animals looked rather carefree. This meant that there were no big cats in the near premises. As we moved further inside, the African wild began to charm us in all its glory. A family of giraffes being led by the male head on our left, a solitary ostrich ducking and hopping in the grass to our right. A wild boar here, a gazelle there and a gang of baboons charging away. Our presence in their natural habitat was almost unnoticed as they went about their business without being bothered. The engine noise would occasionally startle a deer or two but in every other respect, Ambrose made sure that we were a part of the surroundings we were in and the animals were not disturbed. The setting sun cast interesting shadows through clouds on the grassland. One moment we would be under the sun and the next under a cloud’s shadow. The solitary van moving ahead of us against the infinite grassy slopes and the orange blue sky looked like a picture postcard come alive. The wind was in my face and it felt like I had time traveled into another world like an eccentric Dr. Who. From the sweltering humid honking of Delhi streets only a few hours ago to a boundless quiet in the cool wind of the African wild. If only this could be done anyday, anytime.

A solitary ostrich ducking its head in the ground

A poser Zebra with Wilde beasts in the background

After about a half hour of off-roading, we stumbled upon a hillock and somewhere on our right, behind a bush, the American journo riding with us spotted the elusive rhinoceros. It seemed like he was trying to conceal himself, looking away, trying to tell us to go away. We waited for it to emerge out of the bush and just then it began to pour. The chances of getting a good shot of the bashful rhino were reduced by half but the idea of soaking in a bit of the African rain was welcomed by all. So we stood motionless with the hood of the van still open, waiting, getting wet and somewhat cold till the rhino emerged and when he did, we were all dumbfounded. To spot a rhino at close quarters in the Savannah is rare on account of the heavy poaching this poor species has suffered over the years. Today, it is an endangered species listed under IUCN red category. Ambrose did not fail to impress upon us that we were with the best guide in all of Mara.

The rain got heavy and we had to shut the open roof of the caravan. As we turned around to go back the trail we had taken uphill, Ambrose got radioed of something exciting. After driving mad for a few minutes, we arrived at a clearing half the size of a football field. Far in the distance, near some trees, we were directed to look. With the help of our binoculars, we finally began to spot some movement and in no time were we sure of what we were looking at. To be able to see two of the Big African five on the very first day was no joke but to see them like we did, speechless. As they gradually began to emerge out of the bush and come closer to us, we were able to count not one, or two or three but at least six almost full grown young male lions. Boy, just to look at them gave me an unparalleled high. Here, I would like to mention that I have been to at least six different national parks all over India and never actually spotted a big cat in the open wild. I had seen many wild animals before but not a cat and to begin that streak with the African lion was nothing ordinary. The playful lions would go to their fresh kill from time to time to nibble on whatever was left of it. Clearly, one dead Wilde beast was not sufficient to satiate the hunger of six young lions. Soon enough, the sun began to go down and more and more caravans started pulling in. By now, almost all the safari drivers in the park that evening had been radioed in by their mates. One of the lions crossed the vans to go over to the other side of the clearing and took his seat atop a rock right next to us. To say that we were thrilled would be an understatement. A slew of selfies with the young male in the background followed, of course no flash photography was indulged in to avoid startling the animal, thus filling our phones with countless grainy images. As we stayed longer, a pattern began to emerge. Slowly, all the lions began to fix themselves in certain spots, a little away from each other, gazing incessantly in a singular direction. They weren’t in the least bothered by the large crowd of excited tourists but kept staring at a herd of Wilde beasts a little to our right. In our excitement of spotting so many lions on our very first game ride, we had failed to take notice of what was really happening around us. These young guys were going into an ambush to launch an attack on the closest herd of prey. The focus on their faces was something unseen before. I thought they were waiting for it to get dark enough so they could take advantage of their specialized night vision and catch the prey completely off-guard. Of course, staying till after dark is dangerous and against the rules of the park and when the drivers came to know of an approaching patrol van, they all began to disperse. We learned that the drivers are not supposed to off-road from the trail marked by the park administration but they do and therefore, the patrol vans can come in like flying squad from anywhere, anytime. As the night began to take over, we started moving back in the direction of the same gate we had entered through and soon enough we were back in the camp to stretch and rewind.

A young male lions stretching on the rock

Like I had shared before, the camp in itself was very basic but the collection of so many interesting people around us made up for the lack of any indoor recreation. Our Masai guard cum handyman helped us build a bonfire in the open space outside the kitchen and gradually many campers began to gather around it. Americans, Canadians, Norwegians, Chileans, Sierra Leoneans , Somalians, Japanese, Chinese; journalists, World bank officials, students, teachers, photographers and boring jobs like us. I had never been in the same place with so many nationalities before and what is a better conversation piece in such a gathering than a racist joke that everybody finds funny. As the alcohol warmed our bellies and the fire, our exposed limbs, the laughter got infectious and before we knew there wasn’t one nationality around the bonfire that hadn’t been ambushed so to speak. From Chinese manufacturing to Indian head bobble, from Japanese expressions to Canadian Maple syrup, every known stereotype was indulged in. To be honest, that night I realized that us Indians are by far the most racist lot out there and didn’t quite feel proud of it. Few of our co-riders from the Safari were a team of young journalists covering the ongoing human crisis in South Sudan. A sudden surge in violence had forced them to take refuge in neighboring Kenya for a few days. They decided to make the most of it by going on the world famous safari in Masai Mara. The young Sierra Leonean Mustapha, who was one of them began to talk about his work and as he moved on from one crisis to another, poor Sonam began to well up and by the end of the conversation she was visibly upset. The rest of us decided to pick on our storyteller for making her cry and everybody had a good laugh. The night grew darker and the fire began to go out. We returned to our rooms drunk on aperitif and life stories.

The next morning, we set out as early as 7 following a filling but simple breakfast of Toast with butter, some beans, Mandazi, eggs and Coffee. As we arrived at the gate, once again we were welcomed by the Masai women selling curios. This time we bought a couple of bead necklaces and hand crafted miniature wooden animals. Being back in the park early in the morning gave us ample opportunity to see the landscape change its contours in the constantly increasing daylight. The morning was cold and the wind forced us to duck inside the caravan, rising up only when an animal came along. A whole day safari not only presents a plethora of opportunities to sight the many animal forms in the grassland but also brings with it some very real challenges like where to pee, what to eat, stretch your legs which are tired from hours of crouching among others. For us men, pissing in a field is as natural as it is for any wild animal, but the female tourists find it difficult given the terrain and the need for cover (modesty). Food is generally packed by your Safari operator and brought along. Caravans gather in a pre-decided spot where the tourists are allowed to come out and devour their packed lunches. We stopped on a hilltop overlooking the Savannah under the scorching noon sun for our picnic lunch after having spotted the third of the big five- the leopard. Technically, we saw two of them. The first was lying in a tree high up on a hillock, far from us and thus barely visible through binoculars. We were told by our guide that leopards evade tourists and are hard to spot. But a little later, we were called out to a bush where another leopard was busy nibbling on its kill without a care for all the caravans surrounding it and excited tourists stealing photographs. The animal seemed rather smallish from where we were and we assumed that it was a young solitary male.

Post lunch, we descended back into the valley below spotting many other animals, Cape buffalo among them, thus taking our Big Five count to 4. As the day drew closer, we advanced towards the river crossing over the Mara where the Wilde beast congregate to cross over. We were unaware of where we were going and as we approached nearer, a strange kind of excitement gripped Ambrose who started talking in an animated Swahili to his radio mates and began speeding away from all the caravans which had lined up along the bank. It appeared to us that he was following something but we weren’t sure what it was. As we got closer, we realized that we had been chasing a large herd on our side of the bank which was preparing to cross any minute now and just as we pulled over next to the last caravan, a stampede of its kind began to brew as Wilde beast one after another began climbing down into shallow river, passing right beside us. It was a mad crowd with a singular objective in mind. There must have been thousands of them as the crossing went over a good 5 minutes while we filmed. I cannot imagine getting caught up in that frenzy. This is a sight many come to Africa to behold- wildlife experts, photographers, film-makers and tourists. Without even expecting it, we had been blessed to see it right where it belongs, not on a TV screen or in a Nat Geo magazine, but in the heart of the East African grassland, the Masai Mara.

img_20160813_135409108_hdr — The wilde beast in Great migration on Mara

Almost as if the park knew what was missing from the most eventful day we could have, minutes later we were up, close and personal with a pride of full grown lions and lionesses, lazing under the bush, avoiding the 4 o clock sun. With a few great shots in our camera, we bid adieu to the king of the jungle and moved on for a rendezvous with a family of African elephants. As is the case, the female elephants (mothers) lead the clan and young ones follow. The family we met was busy playing with mud and water besides eating foliage. Few of the family almost exclusively posed for our camera before moving own. Having ticked the Big Five off our list besides a host of other animals exclusive to the African grassland, we concluded the longest safari yet, exhausted and content.

img_20160813_145859922 — The lazy king of the jungle

The next morning, after a final 2 hour game drive, we set out on the road to Naivasha, our next and final stop in Kenya. Somewhere midway, we bid adieu to Ambrose and hopped onto a different van which would take us further. We thanked our driver and guide with a barely opened bottle of French Aperitif and 2000 shilling, something I would call pretty generous by Indian standards but he expected more I thought. Anyhow, we were back on the road alongside a Spanish couple and another French-Polish couple onward to Naivasha. Once again, we were treated to the beautiful country landscape rising and falling from time to time, yellow green grass with lonesome trees in between.

Arriving in town a little after 4, we checked into Jane’s Guest house just outside the city centre. The swimming pool was clean and empty. We couldn’t resist ourselves and jumped in. After a lot of coaxing, Sonam finally agreed to slide down the little plastic ramp on the edge. Yunush, however, did not yield to any amount of persuasion. After the late afternoon dip, we decided to relax and unwind in the garden but as the sun went down it began to get cold pushing us back into the chalet. Next morning we started for the lake after breakfast, arriving at the shore around 10. Our guide and captain gave us life jackets and a few instructions and we were good to go. The sun was out and the soft warmth of the sun-rays made the cold morning comfortable and enjoyable. We pulled out our binoculars as the guide began pointing in different directions. Lake Naivasha has rich bird life as well as some wildlife along the shores and underneath. We spotted hippos who as expected were almost entirely under water at this time of the day. Their sensitive skin doesn’t take too kindly to the equatorial sun and they spend most of their daylight hours under water emerging only after dark to graze. They can be aggressive and should be avoided at any time. We observed from a safe distance as two of them began to hump. This particularly is a very sensitive time when you wouldn’t want to disturb them so we moved on. Over the next one and half hour we spotted several birds such as pelicans, cormorants, herons, ibises and storks. But the showstopper was the Fish eagle without doubt. When our guide first tossed the fish in his hand into the air, the eagle sitting on the far edge of the tree did not seem to bother. She is nesting, he explained. After two more failed attempts and his repeated mimic calls there was no sign of the eagle emerging out of the trees to fetch the little catch. But as every show must end with a grand finale, the fourth time our captain threw the now very dead fish into the air, a gliding eagle descended from the tree tops to pick up the catch which had barely landed on the water and even before one of us could capture it on film, flew away into the tree tops again. Content with everything we had been able to see and absorb in our 90 minute boat ride, we returned to the shore. Thanking our captain, we started once again, this time for our very last destination- Hell’s Gate.

The African fish eagle hovering above us

img_20160815_114702158_hdr — Fischer’s tower near Elsa gate

Hell’s Gate National park has earned its name from the dramatic rock formations that mark the entrance of the park, the most popular being Fischer’s tower. Geologists till date have not been able to find a satisfying explanation for the appearance of these strange other worldly structures. Being here is like being on the sets of a Hollywood adventure movie shot in some unreal world. The weather was nice on our last day of adventure in Africa. We rented these half broken bikes at the Elsa gate where we were dropped off by our driver. There are no other options available. If you want better bikes, bring your own. Having come unprepared, we were forced to carry our picnic lunch and water supply in plastic bags on the handlebars of our bikes which obviously was as uncomfortable as it could get on that terrain. All along, there is a dirt road that runs through the park for some 8-10 Km before merging with the asphalt road ahead going to the Olkaria geo-thermal power station. As we rode along this path, sometimes off-roading to get a closer look, we saw grazers like the Zebras, hog-warts, deer and baboons. We also saw the shadows moving clouds formed between the cliffs on both our sides. As the sun came up in the equatorial sky, the sweat came out and riding became more difficult. Sonam, in spite of her weak legs, pedaled through it all till the picnic point above the gorge. Here we sat down to eat our packed lunch alongside opportunistic monkeys and baboons, looking sideways as we quickly gobbled down our sandwiches, protecting them from the ever hungry primates. The road further was all uphill and riding up seemed more than what we could take. With the Olkaria spa in mind we decided to give it a try only to realize within the first 10 minutes that we wouldn’t make it. I was heartbroken to say the least. The possibility of soaking my sore body in warm therapeutic waters of the bath was slowly dying in front of me. With much grief, we called off the plan to continue further and decided to return to Elsa gate, the point where we had started. The ride back was that much more tiring and took its toll on us. We dropped off the bikes at the gate and continued walking back to the main road which is almost a kilometre further. On the main road, we hopped onto the famous city matatu and rode back into town.

The last dinner in Kenya was a special prepared by the home-chef at Jane’s. We were exhausted and hungry. Fortunately, we had the whole kitchen to ourselves and the food was pretty good. It tasted homely and that lifted our spirits a little. As every year it was time for Sonam’s birthday cake which I had ordered from a local baker. As I had ordered pretty late, there wasn’t much choice left and I had to settle for blackforest pastries instead of a red velvet which was my first choice. Poor Sonam, after the most tiring birthday ever, seemed happy to have a cake at least. In that moment I felt so proud of her. She had gone through the whole day with the rest of us just to be with me, to not miss a single moment of us.

kenya-173 — Us, cycling alongside grazing Zebras

Next morning, we started back for Nairobi International Airport. Since, we had some extra time, we decided to stop by the famous Masai market on Kijabe street near the Globe flyover. After much haggling, we managed to pick up a few curios- fridge magnets, ornaments, miniature wooden tribesmen and a safari hat. At the international terminal, our African sojourn came to an end with all of us carrying many memories and images of the African wild and the people back home with us. I am positive that anyone who ever took this journey would find himself richer with a very unique experience. An experience which is overwhelming and humbling at the same time. There are many other corners of the African continent which are worth visiting and I’m confident this was just the beginning for us.

So long Africa!

img_20160813_120339596_hdr — Playful elephants

img_20160813_101506438 — Cheetahs feeding on fresh kill

img_20160815_212035550 — Sonam’s birthday cake (4 pastries arranged together really)

Lethargic rhinos basking on the Mara river

img_20160815_175803487_hdr — Hakuna Matata, your Boda Boda is here

Photo courtesy: Prince Arora and self

München München

Munich is like a Utopian village where everything is in the right measure and size. The city is big and yet not too big to make it impossible to live and work on different ends. It is cosmopolitan and yet not too crowded or degenerate. It’s old but modern and not at all in decay. Whether you are in town for work or play take out enough time to explore the multitude modes of transport this city has to offer. The U-bahn (Underground Tube), suburban trains, trams and buses together weave a seamless connectivity for the daily commuter and tourist alike. Of course, Europe is best explored on foot but cycling around is also a great way to discover this beautiful city.

IMG_20160510_220040976_HDR — The Orange tube station at Marienplatz. Its sharp contrasting colors set it apart from the other stations

Like most European cities, Munich is laid out around a central plaza known as Marienplatz. This is where all the action begins. Shops, stores and cafes abound. The legendary state owned beer hall- Hofbrauhaus is also located nearby, barely a stone’s throw from the plaza. A visit to this hall is essential by all means. It is only here you come to understand the historical context of the beer guzzling culture of this city and how it has evolved (albeit remaining true to its roots) over the centuries. Legend has it that the water supply in Munich was not potable back in the day often leading to disease. As an alternative to unsafe drinking water, the monks of the city began to brew their world famous Bavarian beer which they offered to the gentle folk of the city (even for free). Alas, the days of free beer are long gone and now you need to shell out 8 euros for a beer jug the size of 3 pints at the Haus. But the loud atmosphere of revelry that marks this hall is something to witness and behold. Buy a pretzel if you like dry salty bread or a whole meal and sip away on what the world knows as “Hofbrauhaus Original”.

IMG_20160510_200137047 — The original beer hall. The last standing state owned beer hall in Munich.

On my visit here, I was denied entry to the upper hall with the live performance as entry to this hall is only by reservation. I got up politely and went down to the hall on the ground floor which has no such reservation policy and you can grab any table that is not occupied. Of course finding an empty table during the evening hours is pretty much impossible. After scanning the hall for a bit I found an empty seat opposite another lone visitor who I later discovered was a business traveler like myself. He was British which meant conversation (negligible language barrier). We talked over an hour about politics in the UK, India and the US. The resurgence of the far right and its dangerous consequences for the world stood out as the single biggest concern for the both of us. After he had left, I realized that my British beer mate had finished his pretzel with laudable finesse while I had created a total mess with all the salt I had been chipping off of my pretzel. In my defense the Bavarian pretzel is too salty for the average Indian palate.

IMG_20160510_202313734 — The upper storey with the live music. Entry by reservation only.

IMG_20160510_203417400 — The enormous pretzel I ordered to go with my dark beer. Too salty for the average Indian palate.

Other than Hofbrauhaus, attractions around Marienplatz include the giant Gothic structure we all know as Neues Rathaus or the New City Hall. The imposing structure is possibly the most photographed building in the area with its stunning exteriors that make you look at it more than once in order to appreciate the intricate detailing of the architecture. At the centre of the square stands the Mariensaule with the Virgin Mary at the top. The square leads into the main market street which terminates at the Karlplatz Stachus which has a beautiful fountain arrangement at the centre.

IMG_20160510_214711702 — The New City Hall or Neues Rathaus in all its Gothic glory at night

IMG_20160510_190143518 — Karlplatz Stachus in late evening

IMG_20160510_194852632 — A Viktualien market that closed early

IMG_20160510_194742815_HDR — The interesting sign board in the centre of the market

IMG_20160515_224255900 — The beautiful fountain at Karlplatz that comes alive at night.

There is a Mac Donald’s right on your left as you exit the street where you can grab a quick bite to make up for all the calories burned walking up the busy street. Along this street, you can find every possible store selling from clothes & jewelry to electronics and souvenirs, chain stores like H&M and a multitude of cafes. Another place worth visiting near the Marienplatz is the farmer’s market also known as Viktualien market. The market as the name suggests is popular for its fresh produce and local specialties made from farm fresh ingredients. When I arrived at the market a little past 7, the vendors were already closing down but it could have been on account of the rainy weather. There is a beer garden here where you can enjoy Bavarian specials over some nice conversation with friends. The city centre is architecturally appealing and offers a plethora of sites for anyone with an eye for beauty.

As you move a little further from Marienplatz towards another plaza, the Odeonsplatz, you find yourself looking at a structure not only aesthetically important but also historically relevant. The first world war was declared to the people of Bavaria from the Feldernhalle at the far southern end of this plaza as many nationalists, a young Hitler among them, cheered on from the crowds below. This and many other events of modern German history including the Beer Hall Putsch unfolded on this very plaza. In the years leading up to the second world war, Hitler converted the Feldernhalle into a sacred Nazi site where several demonstrations took place. When looking at the this structure, you will find on your left, the northern end of the München Residenz. As you enter through the gate, what catches your eye is the beautiful boulevard that runs all along the front of the Residenz which is now on your right. On the left side of the boulevard is a beautifully landscaped Hofgarten with several fountains and a central temple. There are ducks in the fountains which give this place a nearly fairy-tale look. The park is popular with locals who come here for fresh air and the beautiful sights, especially during the spring and summer.

IMG_20160511_193311245_HDR — The imposing Feldernhalle at Odeonsplatz

IMG_20160511_193019887 — King Ludwig’s statue just outside the platz

IMG_20160511_193452465_HDR — One of the two majestic lions at the entrance of the halle

IMG_20160511_193736768_HDR — My first view of the Munchen Residenz. Of course, this is just the northern flank.

IMG_20160511_194709354 — The Hofgarten outside the Residenz with its many fountains.

IMG_20160511_195004367_HDR — Locals gather under the central temple dome as it begins to drizzle outside

The next day for some heavenly reason unknown to me, our meetings in the second half got cancelled which meant an early start to my sight seeing. Taking the suburban train from Hauptbahnhof, I arrived in Dachau a little past 1 p.m. The weather was tending towards rainy from the very beginning. Stepping out of the station, the town appeared like any other suburb with fewer people, smaller plazas, narrower roads and lesser traffic. At the bus station, I asked for the route number that would take me to the memorial site and one of the conductors very cordially led me to a bus waiting at the station. However, this was the second person there that I had asked for the same. The first time I was ignored as the two conductors to whom my enquiry was directed seemed preoccupied in a very animated conversation and looked offended at my interruption. At this point I would like to add that it appears to me a cultural difference that the Germans have with us Indians. Here in India, it is considered acceptable and even normal for a person to interrupt an ongoing conversation if they are in need of help and do so very politely but in Germany I understand it is considered impolite, even rude to interrupt a conversation even if you are about to miss a bus or a train. The accepted behavior might be to stand next to the gentle folk whose attention you mean to draw and imploringly wait for them to eventually turn to you once they have completed their dialogue to a certain degree of satisfaction and then proceed with your inquiry. This is an observation based on at least two incidents. The other took place at the BMW Hochhaus a couple of days earlier in Munich. Anyhow, I got in the bus and just to be sure checked with a fellow passenger if my weekly pass covering six rings would also be valid for this bus ride to which I was told I would need to get a fresh ticket as beyond the Dachau station began the seventh ring and my ticket did not cover it. I quickly went to the driver who asked me to place the requisite change on the tray next to him and did the needful. Most transactions of this sort are automated all over the developed world and need the pressing of a couple of buttons only and you have your ticket. As I took my seat in the front (so not to miss the stop), I was greeted by unmistakably South Asian face. In a few seconds, he was speaking to me in fluent Urdu which is very close to Hindi and therefore well understood by most Indians, telling me about his home, his family, where he worked and how happy he was to make an acquaintance with a mate from the subcontinent here in Dachau. My kind and friendly bus-mate was a Pakistani and let me tell you that whenever I have met a Pakistani anywhere outside the subcontinent, the warmth I have felt is unmatched, whether it was in a Tokyo pub or on a city bus in suburban Munich.

IMG_20160512_143305925_HDR — The first look of Dachau station as I arrived on the suburban train

IMG_20160512_150836202 — The entrance tower of the Dachau Concentration camp

In about 15 minutes, we arrived at the memorial site and as I got off the bus, I could see many teenagers flocking out of the camp, laughing, chattering and being themselves. Looking at them once again, I thought to myself, the guilt of the war is not theirs, it is not even German. They are as far removed from the crimes of the early 20^th century as any of us but to know your history is important, necessary even. At the information desk near the entrance I learnt that there were no more English language tours or audio guides available but all the sites were marked and well described on the information boards. I wouldn’t miss anything if I looked carefully and so I did. As, I entered through the watch gate, a solemn feeling of overbearing heaviness took over my heart and mind. The consciousness of being in a place that had shaped our modern history in such a cruel, inhuman way made my feet heavy as I dragged them on the gravel ground to the administration block where a masterfully curated museum has been set up to educate the uninitiated. There is heaps of information in over 5 or 6 rooms displayed through black and white photographs, enlarged paper clippings, posters and election manifestos along with helpful notes. The museum takes one through the rise of Hitler, his anti-Semitic propaganda and the life at Dachau concentration camp over the years leading up to the war. It tells you who the inmates were, where they came from, what they did while at the camp and how many of them were exterminated or how many survived. If you choose to go through this museum, reading almost everything, you will easily need over an hour. After the museum, I proceeded towards the barracks. There are only two of these standing today, both in one row while all others remain razed down. As a matter of fact, these two barracks have been reconstructed after they were bulldozed at the end of the war. Today they serve as a museum for the curious. As you go along the length of the barracks, you see the beds in which the inmates slept, how they got narrower over the years as the occupancy surpassed the original capacity by over 4 times in the 40s. The toilets, twelve cramped up in a 6×10 ft space, tell you of the humiliating state of their everyday life here. But the barracks are not the uncomfortable part. As you move out of the barracks and walk through the passage in between, the poplars swaying in the wind on both sides, you can see the many different memorials built by the Jewish, the Russian, the Polish among others on the other end of the camp. As you stride away from the memorials, you see the only other exit which goes over a moat into an area surrounded by thick bush. There are watch towers all along the boundary of the camp just outside the moat which ensured nobody escaped from here. As you enter the annexe, you find a little to your left, the large crematorium which was built somewhat later to deal with the high number of cremations as the death toll in the camp increased over the years. Here you will find the ovens in which the bodies were tossed, at times, more than one at a time which would combust them to ashes within minutes. As you walk further, you step into one of the most dreaded places in modern human history- the gas chambers. At first sight, it looks like a chamber of no particular significance till you notice the gas vents coming out of the ceiling and wall. It is when you absorb the reality of your position, the horror of it all strikes you and you almost want to get out of this place. But curiosity takes you further to the end, where there are massive incinerators which the SS guards used for disposing off the gassed clothing of the poor inmates whose bodies had been tossed in the ovens I described earlier. The whole experience was horrifying as it was and somehow the universe knew I was there in that moment of time. The overcast sky began to pour down on me and by the time I reached Dachau station my best suit was half drenched. With a heavy heart I got back to my hotel room thinking about what I saw and what I pictured. Dachau was the first and the longest serving concentration camp the Nazis built anywhere in Europe. It was liberated by the Americans and served as barracks for American troops in the post-war years. In the subsequent years it served as refugee camp for ethnic Germans from all over Europe and was finally closed in the 60s. Today, it serves as a hauntingly beautiful memorial site which is a must see for anyone visiting the Bavarian city of Munich.

IMG_20160512_155124961 — The surreal and haunting memorial

IMG_20160512_155717866_HDR — The recreated barracks

IMG_20160512_160101513_HDR — The humiliating toilet

IMG_20160512_160237503 — Poplars on both sides of the passage that divided the barracks into two blocks

IMG_20160512_162330734 — The dreadful gas chambers

IMG_20160512_161936626 — The furnaces where the bodies were incinerated

IMG_20160512_162633398 — The incinerators for the clothing of the gassed inmates

On one of my other wanderings around the city, on a sunny/ drizzly afternoon I walked off Olympiazentrum towards the old Olympic village. As I navigated towards Connollystrasse using Google maps I was thinking about that fateful night when the unassuming Israeli athletes were taken hostage in Building No.31. I was thinking whether the perpetrators had walked the same road as I was walking now. Whether they had approached it from this side or that. As I walked through, I crossed many a student who are the current occupants of these buildings. The village has been absorbed into the university campus and houses students, faculty and their families now. I kept thinking to myself what are the chances one of these people here would know the exact building where the drama unfolded. All of them look the same and are lined one next to another. By just looking at them from the outside, you can hardly tell. I tip toed under all of them wondering, assuming, guessing even but could not muster up the courage to actually ask one of the passers by. A little later it began to drizzle and I was forced to cut short my investigation into the most notorious terror attack in Olympic world history. It seems Olympiazentrum has a liking for trouble. A few days back there was news of some gunmen opening fire at clueless shoppers in one of the malls in this neighborhood. Terror strikes on civilians seem to be getting much more frequent in Europe lately. Not sure if this is going to lead to another war somewhere. Hope not.

IMG_20160510_161521054_HDR — One of the many replica buildings in the Olympic village where the Israeli hostages were killed

Moving on from an unfortunate incident, let’s talk about my late evening visit to the Nymphenburg palace. I have to admit that of all the European palaces I have seen (and I have seen a few), I was most impressed with the exteriors of this royal building. The water body laid out in front of the palace is a visual treat. It may be simple but it’s expanse and the beautiful birds that inhabit it make it look like something live out of a children’s book. By the time I reached the palace the sun had set but the summer sky was still illuminated. I could easily appreciate the contours of the building, the intricacies of the architecture but what stood out the most were the violet flowers in full bloom all over the gardens. The setting sun gave them an almost Instagram filter appeal. The entry to the palace was unguarded and I could see people strolling in and out of it. To my good surprise, the interior gardens were still accessible. It was very quiet as there were no more tourists around. Just a few locals out for their evening stroll. I walked through the beautiful gardens laid out on both sides of the gravel path, discovering the many sculptures lining this path. Towards the end of the geometrically laid out gardens is a continuation of an endless green space which is almost like an English garden in its landscape. This green space is interspersed with a large water body, something like a pond lined by a walkway. I walked along this path as it got darker and darker, enjoying the quiet when I reached an open space facing the pond and sat down on a bench. Here I sipped on my beer listening to the birds in the bush while time drifted away. Later, coming out of the palace, I hopped onto a tram that took me back to the city centre. Entry to the Nymphenburg gardens is free and they can be accessed till very late in the evening. I strongly recommend a visit.

IMG_20160511_203849610_HDR — The first view of the Nymphenburg palace from the main road.

IMG_20160511_204659327 — Beautiful birds around the water body are fed by locals. They don’t seem to shy off.

IMG_20160511_205204149_HDR — The cute nymphs that adorn the front facade

IMG_20160511_204941749_HDR — The enchanting flower beds

IMG_20160511_210248609 — One of many life like sculptures in the gardens

Like many things in Munich, I couldn’t visit the National Science and technology museum. I shall regret this until such time I visit the city again. But I must admit that there is so much that the city offers to a backpacker or a budget traveler which doesn’t involve buying tickets but can be enjoyed almost for free. Beer in the supermarket is cheaper than water or soda and can be consumed anywhere on the street. Of course people don’t get drunk and unruly and the same is expected of tourists too. Among all of these free access places my favorite from this visit, hands down, is the Englischer Garten. Spread over 3.7 sq km, it is one of Europe’s largest urban parks. It has several entry points and can be easily accessed by the U-bahn. The park has large green spaces with walking, cycling and horse tracks. A stream of the river Isar called Eisbach flows through the park almost dividing it into two. The current is smooth though and there are several crossing points all along. There is a large lake in the centre with a cafe on its banks. Other than the lake, the park includes many other attractions like the Chinese beer garden, the Monopteros (which on this occasion was under restoration) and my personal favorite, Surfing on the Eisbach. An artificial standing wave is produced by water pumps near the main street at the end of the park where surfers take turns to test their skills. It’s great fun to watch them trying to ride the wave, falling every few seconds, some better than the others. The water is pretty cold and thus wet suits are advised. Amateur surfers might want to stay away as the man made river is shallow and you could hit your head on the concrete below if not careful. During m week long stay in Munich, I visited the English Garden almost every day, breathing in the fresh clean air, watching people run, cycle, walk their pets and almost everyday I would come back with some more pictures. On a hot sunny day, locals like to grab a picnic or a beer and relax by the river which turns into a great dipping spot. The garden is also a popular spot for sunbathing, even nude sunbathing. Yes, you read it right, it is totally legal and absolutely acceptable to sunbathe nude here. So, if you happen to be in Munich next summer, take out some time to stroll the garden but leave your prying goggles at home.

IMG_20160509_073126075 — A beautiful May morning in the Englischer Gartens

IMG_20160509_072757570 — Eisbach, a branch of the Isar flowing through the gardens

IMG_20160510_075432421_HDR — The Monopteros which was closed for restoration

IMG_20160510_074156492_HDR — The caution signboard at the Eisbach.

IMG_20160510_074726967 — Locals surfing on the Eisbach. The water is really cold and wet suit is a must.

IMG_20160510_080435365 — The responsible citizens of Munich are asked to use these red plastic bags placed at short intervals throughout the gardens at a post like this for disposing their pets’ poop. Hence, a poop free English Garden.

IMG_20160510_081226408_HDR — The beautiful lake with the cute little cafe on the other side

IMG_20160510_081306886 — Locals walking their dogs in the morning.

I am optimistic of returning to Munich sometime soon and there’s a lot that needs to be marked off my to do list. Until then, be safe München.

IMG_20160509_115259302 — The swanky BMW fourcylinder headquarters

IMG_20160509_163153864 — Entry to the captivating BMW Welt is free for the car enthusiasts

IMG_20160513_114245430 — One of many innovative designs on display at the BMW history museum, this one here tells you the chronology of all major launches and events.

Second time is a charm…finally got to see the Monopteros in all its glory on my second visit

Also, treated myself to an authentic Bavarian Beer at the famous Chinese beer garden

That vanilla horizon

As I stood anchored in that spot, I could feel my legs sinking deeper. The snow was almost up to my thighs and as far as my eyes could see, I saw a steep white ascent sparkling under the spring sun. My friends had disappeared beyond that vanilla horizon long before and the only sound in my ears was that of the wind rustling and flapping against my hood. The singular choice was to munch on a fistful of ground till it turned into ice cold water and wade on.

At 12,000 ft. in the Uttarkashi Himalayas, when the March sun shines in all its glory, the snow turns soft, no matter how deep it may be and your feet sink into what (deceivingly) appears as solid ground, sometimes getting entangled in branches of trees which are now several feet under you as opposed to above you where they were only last summer. At 12,000 ft. after over four hours of uphill climbing, when you are severely dehydrated and have no water, you chew on ice and focus on the summit. The summit which is no longer about the panoramic view of the entire Bandarpoonch range, the Tibetan border or the Black Peak, but is mostly about crossing the finish line. At that point in time, it stands for every challenge, every race, every test ever taken and surmount it you must.

So I tightened my fluorescent gaiters once again and began the last lap of the trek. The climb to Kedarkantha climaxes with a narrow and precarious ridge which requires sincere navigation. About 15 minutes later I could see my friends and the guide perched atop a naked rock looking like they were done. I drew in a deep breath and lifted up my head. The 4 o’clock sun was right up in the sky and there were snow capped peaks all around us. Silence.

Later that night in the base camp, I thought to myself that a summit feels much smaller once attained and what you eventually remember is how hard the climb was or how thrilling the slide on the way down. We dried our wet bottoms around the bonfire that night and sipped on some really sweet tea as the rice cooked away. A fellow camper rolled up some leaves and travel stories began to flow, under a sky full of myriad stars.

The following day fresh hail, followed by light snow woke us up to a damp and cold morning. Pulling over my windcheater I went into the woods without a sufficient amount of toilet paper, thus paving the way for a whole new experience. Cleaning yourself with fresh snow amidst sky kissing pine trees is unlike anything you will ever experience at home. But to experience it so close to home is a privilege I did not know I have. I think like Kipling said now that I have smelled them once, I would keep coming back to the mountains to die (till I die).

IMG_20160326_113804 — Spring on the ground

Photo credits: Vikas Lathwal

Rhododendrons everywhere in Deoria Tal

It all started with a Ruskin Bond essay about Tungnath and its ladder of heaven. Reading through his countless short stories and essays back in school, I would often stumble upon mesmerizing accounts of snowy peaks and quaint hamlets in the mighty Himalayas and form mental images of these remote places. But Tungnath and Deoria Tal were exceptional in the way they captured Bond’s imagination and mine through him. I may have consciously put my yearning for these places aside but the thoughts kept coming back from time to time- pushing me back to the road that snakes along the Ganga, higher and higher.

Most travellers will suggest to do it in one go- Deoria Tal, Tunganth and Chandrashila, in that order but when you have a full time and demanding job like mine, taking out 5 days together can be tough or should I say next to impossible. Hence, I decided to do it, one at a time, taking not more than 3 days off work at once, thus making 2 trips in less than 8 months.

In April of 2015, I set out on my first trip to Deoria Tal. Nestled atop an 8000 ft hill, this lake is surrounded by thick forest on one side and snow covered peaks on the other three. One of these peaks is the imposing Chaukhamba whose reflection can be seen in the waters of the lake during the day.

IMG_20150414_073554383_HDR — The imposing Chaukhamba

This phenomenon is a nature photographer’s delight and one can see several tripods lined along the shore on a good weather day. We started our journey from Delhi on a state roadway bus which brought us to Rishikesh by evening. It was almost dark by the time we got there and were forced to abandon the idea of continuing further uphill. After getting some rest in a small hotel in the city market, we started early next morning for Sari, the village which was to be our last road head before beginning the trek. Unfortunately that morning, there were no jeeps/trekkers plying uphill and we had to turn to the bus. Typically the trekkers move faster and are marginally more comfortable, naturally being the

IMG_20150413_114051234 — The snaking NH58 along Ganga

first preference for less hardy travellers like ourselves. The bus began its uphill climb from Rishikesh, along the winding road we call NH58 with Ganga flowing all along. As we passed one little village after another, the air became cooler and the scenery more breathtaking. I cannot recall the number of times I have travelled along this road but each time is a treat unto itself. Our next stop was Srinagar where we changed buses to continue our onward journey to Rudraprayag and then further towards Ukhimath. On the way to Ukhimath, the bus became smaller and more crowded. As a result, the two of us found ourselves cramped up in a corner with another young couple who were headed for Chopta. They were nearly our age and it was a relief to meet someone nearly as crazy as us. After having changed transport 4 times in 14 hours on the road, we were tired and somewhat irritated (at least my co-passenger was). On the bus, we googled about camping arrangements near Sari so we could camp overnight at the lake and luckily enough we stumbled upon the legendary ‘Mr. Negi’ of Deoria Tal fame. Mr. Heera Sing Negi runs a small guest house for tourists in Sari along with camping equipment rental. He offered us a night of camping on the shore of the little lake and meal for two from a small dhaba which is located just outside the camping grounds for a sum of 1800 INR. Without much thought, we decided to head straight for Sari.

Upon our arrival in Sari around 4 pm in the noon, we were greeted by Mr. Negi and his family. He told us how he was the first choice among campers at Deoria Tal and had been in this business for long. The equipment he offered was basic- a tent for two, 2 sleeping bags and 2 mats. The sky was clear and there was little chance of rain which gave us confidence and we decided to camp after all. After some tea and chit chat, Mr. Negi’s son asked us to follow him up the mountain trail which was going to take us to the lake. This trail is cobbled for the most part, thus making it easier to climb in regular sports shoes.

IMG_20150413_173530514-EFFECTS — The cobbled trail

There are mules available on hire for those who are unable to climb themselves. There are several vantage points on the way up where you can stop to catch your breath and feast your eyes on the spectacular views. You will need these pitstops as the climb is steep and a young healthy individual could take upto 2 hr to complete the trek.

IMG_20150413_181056598_HDR — One of the pitstops with Tungnath peak in the backdrop

By the time we reached the top, it was almost dark. So we decided to pitch our tent as quickly as possible. Our guide gave us his torch before leaving which proved to be very helpful as it gets completely dark up there once the sun has set. There were other tents around but the light coming from them was not at all illuminating. Not only had it gotten dark but the cold also started creeping in on us. We pulled out our sweats and jackets and rolled out our sleeping bags. At this point, we decided to open the Red label we had carried with us so carefully. We mixed our drinks in plastic water bottles for the lack of anything like a glass and sipped on them while time ceased to exist. As we reminisced over childhood memories and complained about overprotective parents, we began to feel hungry and were reminded of the dhaba where a simple but heart-warming meal awaited us. The meal we had that night was simple but nutritious. Dal, roti and sabzi made us contented and we were ready to call it a night. After all it had been a long and tiring journey so far. After dinner, we came back to our tent in the pitch dark using just the light from the torch, got in our sleeping bags and dozed off.

What we witnessed the next morning can hardly be described in words. Bring on all possible filters in your DSLRs and iphones but you cannot rival what we beheld in our eyes that morning. Having arrived after dark at our camping site, we had not been able to assess the quantum of beauty that lay around. In a way, I would say it worked for us, the feeling of waking up to such heart-breaking beauty is indescribable. In front of us lay the mighty snowcapped Chaukhamba and several other peaks. On our right were the crystal clear waters of Deoria Tal and right behind us was a dense forest of Oak trees.

IMG_20150414_062241766_HDR — The waters of Deoria Tal

Rhodendrons were in full bloom and could be seen all around. Along with the red, there were several shades of white, pink among others.

IMG_20150413_182145688_HDR — Rhododendrons everywhere

The weather was cold but the scenery warmed us up inside. We took a stroll around the lake and even got up on an observation deck on the other end of the lake. From here, you get a 300 degree panoramic view of the Himalayan range and a multitude of bird sightings.

IMG_20150414_064343927 — The observation deck

Most of these birds were unknown to us but their brilliant hues will remain etched in our minds for a very long time. After an array of selfies and much fresh air in our lungs, we returned to our tent and began to pack up. Before heading back, we stopped for a quick bite at the same dhaba and this time around we were treated to aloo parathas.

As we trekked our way down from the lake, I remembered a quote from Kipling – “That is the true smell of the Himalayas, and if once it creeps into the blood of a man, that man will at the last, forgetting all else, return to the hills to die.” I don’t know about death but I had to return in less than 8 months, once again to these hills, this time to romance the highest shrine dedicated to Shiva- Tungnath.

Transit Tokyo

IMG_20150123_150218630 — Waiting for Hikari

Sometimes transit can be the most interesting part of a trip and the likelihood of that happening is more so during a business travel. Typically, business trips are squeezed between long, monotonous meetings and obligatory dinners in standard restaurants. Taking out time for anything remotely recreational is difficult to the extent that I often choose to forego a couple of sleeping hours or skip a meal altogether to do something fun. During my week long stay in Hamamatsu I was faced with the same time crunch that has plagued so many business trips and I could find no opportunity to absorb any local flavor or culture. January being the peak of winter, days were short and local exploration after 6 pm in the city was pointless. Having no company, I did not venture out in search of pubs or cafes which are anyway few and far in between in the sleepy industrial hub of Hamamatsu. Even before I knew our one week of business in Japan was over and it was time to head back home. We wrapped up our final presentation early on Friday morning to catch the afternoon Hikari back to Tokyo from where we were to fly back home the next morning.

IMG_20150123_171221269_HDR — The hotel room

We arrived in Shinagawa district around 5 in the evening. As we waded through the strong Tokyo wind to the lobby of Hotel Prince which is right across the Shinagawa Metro station I stumbled upon a white envelope with more than 150 thousand Japanese yen in it. The envelope was addressed to someone and looked like a payment of sorts. With our miniscule understanding of Japanese we had no way of returning it to the rightful owner. So we decided to hand it over to the hotel staff that could in turn locate the rightful owner and return the money. We can only hope that they actually did return it but knowing whatever little I have learnt of the Japanese people, they must have. The Japanese are typically more honest than us Indians I believe. We checked into our rooms and as warned found ourselves in cubicles, literally. My room was on the 14^th level in the East wing of the hotel overlooking the station across the main road and boy was it small. The single bed by the wall left just enough room for one person to pass through to the washroom on the other end. The only other elements in the room were one looking glass, a TV and a wardrobe. If there is a country that has given meaning to the word compact, it has to be Japan. The tariff for this room was about 8000 JPY which is more than what I would pay for a double occupancy room with twice the amenities and certainly much more space back home and this is when hotels are expensive in India too. Anyhow, I changed into denims and a bomber jacket and set out for the night. The idea was to make the most of whatever little time I had left before the early morning flight back to New Delhi. I had taken some tips from Ryo Imai, a Tokyo local whom I met during my working week in Hamamatsu. He was kind enough to give me a printed map of the Tokyo metro network which can be pretty complex for a first timer to understand. He asked me to get on the Yamanote line from Shinagawa and get off a few stations later at Shibuya.

Shibuya is downtown Tokyo where I was headed to a local club called “The womb”. If you are coming to Tokyo looking for nightlife, you will typically be directed to one of the two stations- Shibuya or Roppongi. I picked the former and not the latter because I wasn’t looking for that kind of fun. As I arrived at the Shinagawa metro, I started scanning faces once again. Up ahead in a corner, I found a white face that didn’t look at all touristy. So I walked upto this tall British (I could tell by his accent almost instantly) man and asked him for the Yamanote line. He quickly turned to his wife who was clearly Japanese and with her help I was off to the Green line. On the train I met two desi looking blokes who turned out to be Nepalese as it was. They spoke Hindi and we discussed Bollywood for a bit. I suddenly felt at such ease. In a few minutes, we arrived at Shibuya and I got off the train. In that instant I was so excited to get out on the street that I completely forgot about Hachiko and missed it. This is something I must live with until I visit Tokyo again.

IMG_20150123_191446926 — Outside a random Love Hotel

IMG_20150123_192624921 — Entry to The Womb

As I got out on the street I turned on Google maps and started walking towards “The womb”. A lounge quite popular in the Tokyo International Party circuit , the womb isn’t far from the Shibuya metro and can be reached on foot. On the way, I took a few selfie pitstops outside indiscreet Love hotels in the bylanes of Shibuya. Even though I would have loved to check out one of these from the inside, going in all by myself would have seemed pretty sad. So I took my selfies and moved on. Arriving at the womb I learned about the online website of Tokyo International Party circuit where I could register and get a discount on the cover charges. So I did and got in for a mere 2000 JPY. Now, this is a measly sum to pay for 3 hours of boozing anywhere in the world, especially in India, so I was just bloody happy. I put away my things in one of the lockers in the passage and got in. What I thought was a club turned out to be a sports lounge with an international football game running on the big screen. At first, I thought of turning back but then more people started coming in and I just happened to strike conversation with a Polish bloke I had met in the lobby. This guy was a student of International relations learning the Japanese language at Tokyo university, planning to enroll in a masters program later. While talking to this guy I had an epiphany. This guy was living my life. I was supposed to be him. I had an overwhelming feeling of realization and a distinct sense of sadness at the same time. I’m not sure if all of this was not triggered by the Shochu on the rocks I had been pouring down my throat but it was real and it was happening to me at the Womb, in Shibuya, Tokyo. Over the course of the evening, we discussed, politics, races, people, women and culture among ourselves and with some others who cared to join us. Clearly, we weren’t the only ones not interested in the game. Here, I met two Paki blokes, one other guy from India, a couple of American girls (who showed no interest whatsoever) and people from almost everywhere. I do not remember interacting with so many different people from so many different worlds in one place anywhere else in my life. Somewhere around my 4th shochu, we started talking to Lisa. Lisa stood in a corner with another Indian guy and Zach (Polish guy) initiated the conversation. In no time, Lisa was telling us about her Indian origin and her visit to Wadala in Bombay. Once again, I felt at home in a distant foreign place as memories from my Bombay childhood rushed back. Our conversation was interrupted by some music towards the end which wasn’t bad at all really. I think I remember congratulating our German DJ at the end of his gig and before we knew it was time to go. For all the curious travelers out there, Tokyo in spite of being a true world city goes to sleep at half past ten and I mean that literally. The whole city shuts down, even the clubs and other party places and the only store that remains open in this sleepy megalopolis beyond 12 is what the locals call the Donkey Store.

IMG_20150123_234102641_HDR — The groupie

Lisa and Zach took me to the Donkey store where I purchased a pair of touch screen gloves for my sister in a half drunken state following which we came back to the Shibuya metro. On our way back we took a bunch of groupies as we discussed Lisa’s boyfriend in detail. We closed it with some heart to heart advice for little Lisa and decided to call it a night. They put me on the train back to Shinagawa and pushed off themselves. As I rode back on the metro, I reflected upon the events of that night, how within a short span of time, I had made friends with two completely random people and how easily I had been able to connect with them in a strange town far away from home. I realized how only traveling can bring you closer to people you would never know otherwise, people so different and yet so similar.

IMG_20150124_240802553_HDR — Drunken reflection

Sometimes, transit is better than the destination because you know that it’s not over yet, that something lies ahead of you. It can be more meaningful than the destination itself because of the experiences it brings you. It is ephemeral, yes, but it is also forever.

	prateeklovestravel on Solo in Salzburg
	prateeklovestravel on Transit Tokyo
	prateeklovestravel on Transit Tokyo
	HOBOinkaps on Transit Tokyo
	prateeklovestravel on Transit Tokyo

	prateeklovestravel on Solo in Salzburg
	prateeklovestravel on Transit Tokyo
	prateeklovestravel on Transit Tokyo
	HOBOinkaps on Transit Tokyo
	prateeklovestravel on Transit Tokyo