During our stay at Landeda, we ambitiously volunteered to cook an Indian meal for our hosts; an offer they accepted with alacrity by inviting a few of their friends as well. We drew up a menu and made a list of the ingredients required, which was when it began to dawn on us that we … Continue reading Bites of Bretagne- II (Indian/s cooking)
If I go to another place, I want to eat the food of that place. Period. Not for me the pleasures of hot 'pav-bhaji' in the Alps or 'dosa' in the Acropolis, thank you very much. (these are real-life examples told to me by some tourists) So, although I was quite surprised to see two … Continue reading Bites of Bretagne- Part I (Desserts and Fruits de Mer)
My visit to Landeda in Brittany was memorable for many reasons: the breathtaking view of sea and sky, the glorious weather and the solitude. But what I absolutely loved about the place were the tracks that had been made for those who wanted to walk along the shore. One could just step outdoors, select a … Continue reading Mujhe chalte jaana hai… bas chalte jaana.
Lucy, one of my favourite characters from the comic strip Peanuts, called her little brother Linus a 'clumsy ox' when he messed up or dropped something that belonged to her. I use that phrase quite liberally for my beloved offspring because: a) it's snappy and apt and; b) it rolls easily off the tongue. But … Continue reading Clumsy ox… Who? Me?!
A visit to the magnificent Ellora caves was illuminating in several ways, most of which were unexpected. We did however, follow one sensible course of action- we decided not to venture into the caves by ourselves, but in the company of someone who could enlighten us about their history. We were privileged to have the … Continue reading A matter of perception
Facebook has this habit of throwing up memories in your face every morning- this day last year or five years back; whatever. Most of the times I dismiss them with a shrug but the one that popped up today was something truly special. It was on this day last year that I arrived in Paris … Continue reading The First Time is for ever.
Travel is not just about going to new places or revisiting an old favourite one. It's also about the people that one meets along the way. It's not about forming lasting friendships but about ships that pass, bump into one another; nod, chat a while or simply move on. One thing I've noticed is that … Continue reading People and Places
The world heritage site of UNESCO informs us that "Hampi’s spectacular setting is dominated by river Tungabhadra, craggy hill ranges and open plains, with widespread physical remains. The sophistication of the varied urban, royal and sacred systems is evident from the more than 1600 surviving remains that include forts, riverside features, royal and sacred complexes, … Continue reading Heritage of Hampi- carved in stone
My stern in-house critic has commented disparagingly on the brevity of my blog posts. My protests that I wanted the focus to be the pictures not words, were dismissed with a shrug. So, this post will have more of words, though not all will be mine; I've used some by Sarojini Naidu as well. As … Continue reading Heritage of Hampi- in the Bazaars of Vijaynagar
There's a lot to see in Hampi and much to marvel at, the monuments are a photographer's delight and the panorama of huge boulders among green trees, fields and lawns; dotted with ruins of the Vijaynagar empire, stretches as far as the eye can see. It's a visual treat. But what I really, really wanted … Continue reading Heritage of Hampi- Live life King (elephant) size!
