With Communism long dead, Europe’s most eccentric city tries hard in reviving its former glory.

Autumn in Budapest – The skies are gray; the days are short, and the weather is wet. To warm up, I popped into one of the city’s numerous smoke-filled cafes. Not speaking a word of Hungarian, I ordered a hot coffee in the universal language-pointing to the Coffee cup illustration on the wall. ”So how long have you been here”? asked a young woman behind the counter. “About a week here in Hungary and two weeks in Eastern Europe”, I responded. “We are not in Eastern Europe”, she almost shouted. “We are in Central Europe!”

It seemed I had touched a nerve. Hungarians see themselves as Central Europeans, like the Austrians, rather than Eastern Europeans, and much of their meat-based diet, comes from the East (Hungarian is a Finno-Ugric language with origins in the Ural mountains and nothing in common with any European language except Finnish), Hungarians insist on looking westward.

Source – Flickr – Budapest by ** Maurice **.

Budapest is actually a European goulash, shaped by Hungary’s past rulers. The Turks withdrew 300 years ago, leaving the city with dozens of hot mineral baths; the Hapsburg dynasty contributed picturesque architecture and a chain bridge across the Danube permanently linking the cities of Buda and Pest; the Nazis get dubious credit for mass graves filled with most of the country’s Jewish population and many of its Gypsies, and the Soviets left behind kitschy statues dedicated to leaders of the proletariat (now gathered together in an unusual theme park). Needless to say, the country’s history has forced Hungary’s central bank to change its currency all too regularly.

Today, the official currency of Hungary is called the forint though Hungary is part of the European Union; you get about 235 of them for an American dollar and around 275 for a Euro. Good Hungarian wines like Bulls Blood are less than $2 a bottle, and a trip to the city’s famous hot mineral spas is just $1-5. If the Turks built the spas, it was the Soviets who educated their workers -at the Joseph Stalin charm school.

“I’d like to use the mineral thermal baths,” I explained to the receptionist at Budapest’s immense art-nouveau Hotel Gellert, which is connected to one of the city’s oldest hot-spring baths. “Baths! Yes!” responded the middle aged woman. “Where?” I asked. “Baths! Yes! She answered again. After some needless confusion, I paid my three bucks and spent the next 15 minutes wandering through lobbies trying to find the famous baths.

Finally, I was drawn to a trail of humidity from the back of one of Gellert’s lobbies. I found dozens of mostly nude older men (men and women bathe separately) in a primitive locker room. I was then handed a piece of see-through fabric about the size of a paperback book (remember, Arnold in the opening scene of Red Heat). “Change!” ordered a bath guard. I removed my clothes and slipped on the G-slipped like garment. “Are there lockers here”? I asked the man in charge. “Lockers! Yes! He responded. After about five minutes of what sounded like an Abbott and Costello script, a traveler from Germany finally directed me to secure lockers.

Source – Flickr – Budapest : Holocaust Memorial by Bettsy1970.

Seconds later, I met another Mafiosi bath guard.” Shower!” he ordered, pointing me towards a large, wet, gloomy room. After what seemed like hours, I made it to baths -hot, steamy relics of Turkish rule. It was indeed relaxing -30 minutes of much needed self-pampering.

In the evening, I took a trip to another Hungarian institution, the Tanchaz (dance house). Like most things Hungarian, the Tanchaz was shaped in part by decades of Soviet rule, when folk traditions were discouraged in favour of a homogenous national culture.” During communism, there were three types of music,” explained Daniel Hamar of Muzsikas, Hungary’s leading folk revival ensemble.” There was one that was supported, one that was banned and one that was between -not supported and banned.” In Budapest, the Tanchaz is filled with couples of all ages, eager to learn the dance moves that were formerly repressed.

“This is Transylvanian music”, explained a young woman named Eva, who asked me to dance with her in the ballroom. “Egy, ketto, harom, balra, jobbra, balra,” said her companion. Not so difficult, if you understood that it meant”, one, two, three, left, right, left.” Most of the young women chuckled at my attempts to keep step.

“Dracula’s Transylvania used to be part of Hungary”, said Eva. “Now it is Romania. Our country used to bigger”. I heard similar comments from Hungarians throughout my visit. Hungary lost much of its territory after siding with the losing German armies in both world wars.” Parts of Slovakia, Romania, Croatia, Ukraine and Yugoslavia were all once in Hungary”, added my Tanchez partner. “Today people like these Transylvanians are living as minorities in other countries. Perhaps it is because they are minorities who fight to retain their culture, even more so than us here in Hungary.”

Source – Flickr – Budapest by Night by Porfirio

Budapest is a fascinating place-a mix of East and West, old and new, castles and shopping malls. Decades after the collapse of communism, most of the young people are learning English as a second language and have been picked up a few lessons in common courtesy from the western service industry. After all, they wouldn’t want to be thought of as Eastern European.

Getting There

Air: Hungary’s Malev Airlines has direct flights from most airports around the world. Major international airlines, including British Airways, Northwest/KLM, Air France and Lufthansa, have flights to Budapest but require a change of planes in Europe.

Train: There is rail service between Budapest and most major European cities. Vienna, Austria, is just three hours away by rail, as is Bratislava, Slovakia. From Prague, Warsaw and Berlin, service is overnight trains, the extra for a sleeper car is money well spend.

Getting Around
Budapest built the world’s first subway system 100 years ago; its three lines reach most parts of the city. At 75 F (35 cents) per ride, it is a great bargain. The one drawback is that trains stop running at 11 p.m., so if you are out late. You’ll have to wait for a bus or streetcar or catch a taxi. It is best to call for a taxi. The reliable Fotaxi charges less for a typical 10 minute ride, compared to the steep price you’ll pay if you hail a taxi in the street.

Source – Flickr-Cityscape Budapest by Gyorgy Kovacs.

Folk Music

Tanchez : Virtually every evening, you can clutch authentic Hungarian village music in the heart of Budapest. Specific information about who is performing at the dance houses can be found in the English language magazine Budapest Week, available at local newsstands.

Gypsy Music : There are essentially two types of Gypsy music in Hungary: the music that Gypsies play for Gypsies (folk music on guitar, milk-jug percussion and vocal bass) and the restaurant music that play for tourists (primarily on violin and cimbalom). Kalyi Jag is Hungary’s best-known Gypsy folk ensemble. Over the past 20 years they have recorded over a dozen albums, founded a cultural center and helped scores of young Gypsy bands launch musical careers.

Jewish Budapest
Budapest has one of Europe’s Jewish population, second only to Paris. Most of the 75,000 – 100000+ odd Jews live near the olden ghetto surrounding the spectacular Central Synagogue in Budapest’s VII District. In the country yard, there is a beautiful willow-shaped memorial dedicated to the hundreds of thousands of Hungarian Jews killed by the Nazis. In the surrounding blocks, there are kosher restaurants and a religious seminary.

Hungarian Pastries
Cafe Mozart has some of the best pastries in Budapest. Although it charges tourist prices, the black-forest cake here is absolutely delicious.

Statue Park
When the Berlin Wall fell, Hungarians ran through the Budapest and rounded up all the huge Soviet moments. What to do with scores of 30-foot statues of Lenin and proud proletarians in revolt? Build a theme park. Much to many Hungarians’ chagrin, Statue Park is one of the city’s most popular tourist stops. Don’t miss the gift shop, which sells empty cans of air marked “The Last Gasp of Soviet Breath”.

Source – Flickr – Budapest by mdid.

Important Websites

http://english.budapest.hu/Engine.aspx

http://www.tourinform.hu/

http://wikitravel.org/en/Budapest

Contributed by Ross Fortune, a traveller and blogger who blogs at http://www.websnacker.blogspot.com

24 Dec 2008 (Day 1)

It is with great enthusiasm my family was looking forward to visiting Ranthambhore – after all, we were taking a break after several years (owing to kids higher education), so me, my wife (Sunanda) and my son (Anshuman) went to bed early on 23rd Dec in the hope of waking up early the following day and kicking off the Ranthambhore drive much before others hit the highway. To me it was special, as I was re visiting the place after 20 years!

I woke up at 4AM and got ready by 5AM. I then woke up my folks at 5AM, by which time my driver and maids also landed up to help us with the early morning tea and other sundries. We were all up and ready soon. My driver (Ravinder) loaded up the Scorpio with all the luggage and warmed up the engine early morning. We all came down , hopped into the car, bid goodbye to our helpers and at 6:22AM .I moved the car into the 1st gear to head off to our dream destination.

I have always believed in leaving Delhi early in the day, much before the usual crowd catches up and roads get congested. Since it was winter, not many ventured out even at 6 in the morning, so I was lucky – we could cross Gurgaon within 40m and when I saw on my dashboard we clocked the 1st hour, we were well on the Jaipur highway. Sunanda had already set out the breakfast menu – ‘Alu Paratha in a Dhaba on the way’ so around the 8AM mark (after Behror), I was avidly looking for a good Dhaba, we finally found one ‘Pram (read Prem) Pavitra Restaurant. I didn’t want to turn the breakfast break too long as I was clocking well since morning and wanted to keep the run rate going. But despite all the rush, it still took us a good 30m before we finished two rounds of hot Alu Paratha, hot Chai and we hopped into the car again.

The drive from there to Jaipur was great, interrupted by huge trucks often, but navigating constantly from left to right (as some truck wallahs will never give you side) I managed to clock a good average and reached Jaipur outskirts by 10AM. We then decided to take a break at Jaipur, do some shopping (Sunanda’s menu), have our lunch and leave for Ranthambhore later. That is what we did, spent the time at Sanganer Market (wholesale market for bed sheets, churidars, etc.), M I Road (lunch at Niro’s – good restaurant; also don’t miss to have Lassi from Lassiwala opposite the road) and left for Ranthambhore at 4:22PM. The Jaipur – Tonk road is a NH (NH 12), but a single road and very congested. So you can hardly speed here. Still with all the might of the Scorpio and revving up the gears constantly, I managed to overtake many a truck and finally reach the cut to the left from where you get off NH 12 and get into a SH that takes you to Sawai Madhopur (which is the Railway Station for Ranthambhore). This was one hell of a road; most parts of it were under construction, so very dusty and full of road diversions. You can barely pick up speed here. We took one final chai break just before Sawai Madhopur before reaching Ranthambhore Bagh at 8PM (!) where I had my tented accommodation reserved already. Ranthambhore Bagh (www.ranthambhore.com) is a nice accommodation, a bit expensive at 5K a night (including Dec surcharges and food). There are obviously all kinds of accommodations from Budget to 5 star Hotels in Ranthambhore.  We had some light food in the night and retired soon after the day long journey. We were told by the receptionist to arrive at 6AM the following morning for what was going to be our 1st safari.

Delapidated Structure

25 Dec (Day 2)
We woke up at 5AM to get ready and reach the reception by 6AM as advised. At Ranthambhore Park, they regulate the number of vehicles inside the Park. There are open Jeeps (Gypsy) and open Canters those are the only vehicles permitted inside. We were on a Canter which can take 20 people, the seats are nicely made and very comfortable to sit. The only problem is once inside the Park, it is fairly dusty so do expect to have a good shower after the Safari.

At 7AM, our Canter grazed past the Park’s main entrance Gate and that marked the beginning of our eagerly awaited Safari. It was still a bit dark, the sun had not risen and it was very very cold! We were each given a blanket from the Hotel, I was wondering why needed to carry such a bulky thing – I soon realized why! Soon after the entrance, we spotted a Leopard, yes! It was parched high up on a tree at a distance. Since I didn’t have my zoom lens then, I could not take pictures. But from my Nikon binoculars, I could have a good close look at it…

An early Leopard raised hopes of the next best thing – the Tiger! We went around Zone 3 (the Govt pre decides which Zone each vehicle will ply on) the rest of the morning upto 10AM. Alas, we could not spot the elusive Tiger. Our driver was quite an expert, but that did not help. As they say, spotting a Tiger is a matter of patience and luck. I guess we ran out of both that morning. However we had ample share of other animals – Crocs, Sambars, Spotted Dears, Peacocks, Langurs, Antelopes, Mongoose, Wild Boars and nice scenic jungle beauty!

Ranthambhore currently has 38 tigers and has one of the highest tiger densities in the world. The forest is the dry deciduous type. It has two mountain ranges – the Aravalli and the Vindhya. The total area of Ranthambhore Park is 282 sq km which is split into the Core area and Buffer area. The Core area is where most of the predators and animals live and this is where we get to do the Safari.

After a quick and short afternoon lunch and some rest, we were all set for our next Safari trip starting 2:30PM. This time we were allocated Zone 5. But even this one turned out to be a damp squib with respect to tigers. But I managed to get nice snaps of spotted dears grazing right in front of our Canter. Its not that cold in the evening as it is in the morning. We didn’t need blankets. Completely dusted and a little bit sleepy / tired, we return back to the Hotel at 6PM with lady luck still not smiling at us.

In the night, we had a peaceful dinner amidst Rajasthani folks songs being sung by local artistes live. That was very soothing. I must admit the food wasn’t that tasty though.

26 Dec (Day 3)

We were woken up middle of the night hearing the crackling noise of some animal inside our tent! I knew what it was as I had spotted it just before bed – the famous Indian rat which finds its way into every plastic packet that has food! I carefully packed all the open bags and we went back to bed. Within a minute or so, my wife jumped up screaming at the top of our voice – our friend managed to find his way right on top of her blanket! Scary!! Not knowing what else to do at that hour, we just put the room lights on and slept – that seemed to have worked.

The team was tired out of two consecutive early mornings, so the day started a bit relaxed. Anyway, we did not plan a Safari this morning, but instead wanted to trek up the Ranthambhore Fort, on top of which is the famous Lord Ganesh temple. This is the only temple where Lord Ganesh has 3 eyes!

Most of the Hotels in Ranthambhore (including where I stayed) are all on the same road that leads to the Park. They are all in the 5 to 10km distance from the Park entrance. So we drove out of our Hotel this morning and proceeded to the Park entrance, about 6km. From the main entrance you are allowed to go inside upto the point where the Ranthambhore Fort entrance is (about 5km). Private vehicles can go no further and only listed Canters (LCVs altered to have 20 open seater arrangements) and Gypsies are allowed to do the Safari which is farther away from the Fort entrance. The booking for these vehicles needs to be done fairly in advance. I did my Hotel booking about 45 days and still could not get the Gypsy, had to settle for the Canter (perhaps because it was end Dec).

I parked my Scorpio at the Fort entrance (there is a car park) and we hired a guide for 150/- who would show us the Fort and the famous Ganesh Temple inside the Fort. The guide is a nice simple guy, who did a sincere job – he is also well educated about the Fort. He is Naresh and reachable at 99503 59028. The climb to the top of the Fort is not that tough and one can easily do it in 40m with breaks.  This Fort is the 2nd largest Fort in Rajasthan (next to Chittorgarh), spread over 7km and over 1000 years old! It has a rich history to it, which I will not elaborate here for want of space. One of the buildings, Badal Mahal is a must see. We went to the top of Badal Mahal and spent about 30m just appreciating the beautiful views of the Hills, Ravines and Lakes of Ranthambhore Park. If you are really lucky, you can spot a Tiger from the top as well. We did spot several Sambars and Crocs though (you need good binoculars though).

Then we had darshan of the Lord Ganeshji temple. This is a very famous temple and the only place where devotees write letters to Lord Ganesh. The idol is supposed to be 6500 years old! Everyday the postman carries a 35kg load of letters to the Lord which he opens and reads out aloud to the Lord. After spending some quite moments at the Temple in prayer, we started our descend. I would also like to give a nice tip here – there is a deep gorge right behind the Temple, so if you have 30m to spare, I would recommend you follow the Fort boundary just behind the Temple and take a look at the deep valley below – it is quite scary, but revealing! In the evenings, you do hear rants of various animals echoing in the valley.

The descent from the top of the Ranthambhore Fort was quick. It was past noon time so we were looking for a decent Dhaba – we found one Nikunj Dhaba on that main Ranthambhore road itself. The food was decent.

It was about time to make our last Safari of this trip starting 2:30PM. The Canter came in finally a bit late and we all rushed into it to grab the best of seats. I was lucky to get the 2 front seats empty (next to the driver). It is less dusty and bumpy from here! But unfortunately we got a very disinterested driver and guide combo, not enthusiastic at all! They took so much time at the Park entrance itself to get the ticketing done that all the rest of the vehicles went in, while we were patiently awaiting our duo to get back! This time our allocation was Zone 4. I was just praying that this trip does the trick. Our hopes raised! As soon as we entered the Park, we heard the opposite vehicles waving at us to rush as they spotted a Tiger right up that road. The spot was at least couple of kms away from where we were. Our driver immediately revved up his engine and we dashed to that point – but alas, the Tiger had moved from that spot already behind the bushes and was no more to be seen! We missed it by a
whisker. We continued our ride inside the Zone 4 of the jungle. This part of the jungle has a very interesting landscape – there is a huge lake inside which had many animals – Wild Boars, Gazelles, Sambars and several species of birds / storks there. I took quite a few pictures at this point. We continued our journey in the wild and reached some tents where a couple forest guards live – wow, it sounded too scary when I talked to one of them. They live right amidst all the predators nearly becoming part of them! They need to keep an eye on the animals, their whereabouts, and lookout for any poachers, forest grazers, etc. The guard was telling me that he sees the Tiger ‘everyday’!

By then it was already quite late and we had to head back to the Park entrance. We started our journey back while I continued to keep my vigil on the sides of the road, just in case there was a Tiger hiding behind the bushes my guide and driver could not spot! That was not to be… So the journey of Ranthambhore ended at 5:30PM. I take back several memories of having seen and spent several hours in the wild. That itself was a very satisfying experience. The kuccha roads of the jungle, the early morning rising sun behind the hills, the freely grazing animals in ‘their’ world, Badal Mahal of Ranthambhore Fort , the darshan of the rare Lord Ganesh deity – all will remain etched in my memories for a long time to come. The elusive Tiger is the reason why I will come back to this beautiful Park once again. Now I know why Shruti my daughter missed to be with us in this trip. She had to join the rest of us one more time in our hunt of the King of the Jungle amidst the wild terrains of Ranthambhore…

“Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never  did.”
-      Dr William Butler

Strawberries…A fruit synonymous with the Wimbledon in London, where strawberries with cream are the order of the day in summer. Every year about 27,000 kilos of strawberries are eaten during the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, together with 7,000 litres of cream. The popularity of serving strawberries with cream is possibly as old as the event itself. Strawberries & India…a legacy that dates back to the 1920’s when the British first introduced them to India. Today this beautiful, passionate fruit has taken India by storm.

Strawberry - Source FlickR - Anushruti

A fruit reserved for the kitchen gardens of the British Sahib under the British rule, now adorns our tables, & this beautiful berry can be found at every nook & corner in India in season. Mahabaleshwar, a hill station located in the Western Ghats range in India, about 120 km southwest of Pune, was hit by the strawberry revolution in 1992. The area now produces over 15000 tonnes of this luscious, yet fragile fruit every year. A fruit which is finding its way into our everyday cuisine, be it just eaten as a fruit, as a coulis, in ice-cream, in shakes, or then in spectacular desserts.

Facts:
Strawberries are low fat, low calorie; high in vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, potassium
Strawberries are a member of the rose family.
Strawberries, as part of a 5 a day fruit & vegetable program, can help reduce the risk of cancer & heart attacks.
Over 53 percent of seven to nine-year-olds picked strawberries as their favorite fruit.

Strawberry is the 2nd most popular natural flavour in the world, chocolate being the first. I’m going to share a dessert with you today that combine the 2 flavours beautifully, a dessert that I created with strawberries in mind.

STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE YOGURT MOUSSE
Recipe by Deeba Rajpal
Biscuit base
Ingredients:
100gms digestive biscuits; ground
4 tbsp melted butter

Method:

Mix the crumbs in with the melted butter to form the crumb mixture for the base.

Strawberry Mousse

Ingredients:
200gms Curd Cheese (made by hanging yogurt for 24 hours)
200gms Cream
2tbsps gelatin
200gms Strawberries; pureed
4-5 tbsps powdered sugar

Method:
•Line the mousse tins with baking parchment.
•Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup water, & leave in a bowl of hot water until it becomes a clear liquid.
•Blend the curd cheese, strawberries & powdered sugar together until smooth. Add the clear gelatin & whisk again till well blended.
•This makes the dark strawberry mousse. Once you use a portion of this in the first mousse layer, add the whipped cream to the rest to make the light strawberry layer.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:
200gms dark chocolate
100ml Cream
1 tsp gelatin

Method:
•Sprinkle gelatin powder over 2 tbsps of cold water, & leave over a bowl of hot water until clear.
•Put the dark chocolate & cream in a pan over low heat till melted, cool & stir in the clear gelatin. Mix gently but uniformly.

Assembly
•Line the tins with baking parchment on the inside. Line a tray with foil, & place the tins upright on them.
•Put 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp of biscuit mixture into each tin, & press down firmly with the end of a narrow glass to make a base.
•Top with about 1-2 tbsps of the dark strawberry mousse (sans cream) into each. Now mix the cream into the mousse & divide equally among the tins.
•If you don’t have metal moulds or rings, you can always set them in glasses.
•Divide the chocolate mousse between the tins, topping the light strawberry mousse. Leave to set for 4-5 hours, or better overnight.
•Gently dislodge from tins before serving. Garnish with fresh strawberries & chocolate flakes etc.

You can read more about Deeba’s mouthwatering recipes in her blog.

Source: Information about India

I remember the famous lines from Paulo Coelho’s Alchemist –“If you really want something, the whole universe conspires to help you to get it…” Last December as I sat in my office in Chennai wondering how it would feel to get a taste of winters up north, I had no idea the opportunity would come to me in the guise of work. A week- long trip for work to a Club Mahindra resort in Kumbhalgarh was more than I could have asked for.

Reaching Kumbhalgarh is fairly hassle-free. If you are one of those people who like to save time on travel, the quickest way would be to take a flight to Udaipur and then take a taxi to Kumbhalgarh. Since I was on an official trip and had little time to waste, I did just that.

The drive is just over 2 hours.  The road is good in parts and under construction at rest of the places. It cuts through hills and passes through several small villages; a treat for all who love the countryside. Once I reached Kumbhalgarh I immediately felt the impact of fresh air and the new surge of energy flowing in through the clean, pollution free environment.

Club Mahindra Fort is set right in the lap of nature. It was late in the evening by the time I reached and I could feel the mercury falling. After a warm welcome from the staff, I was ushered to my accommodation – A luxurious tent; set up picturesquely by the hill behind the resort. It was quite a surprise to see how the tent was loaded with all the elements of luxury– exquisite furniture, beautiful lighting, a heating system to keep you warm and an attached bath. These tents offered an alternative accommodation option to guests who want to garnish their stay at the resort with a hint of adventure. Having slept very little, I was too tired to explore the resort so after an early dinner, I dozed off.

My Tent at the Resort: Loaded with luxury!

The next morning, I woke up at 7. I put on my track suit and headed straight for the gymnasium. I have recently got into a fitness regime and it felt great to find a well equipped gymnasium ready for the onslaught. After a light workout I returned to my tent and took a hot shower before heading for breakfast.

With full justice done to a lavish spread, I got involved with the real purpose of my visit – work. I must confess though that I was enjoying it like never before and could feel my efficiency go up substantially.

I spent the afternoon exploring the resort. All in red brick, the resort stands true to its name – “Fort”. Spread over a wide area with a variety of apartment options customized for an individual’s accommodation needs, the resort is quite a treat to the eye. I strolled past a bunch of kids enjoying themselves as they splashed the cold water of the outdoor swimming pool which allows you to enjoy a swim with a beautiful view of the mountains. A flight of stairs descended to ‘Svaastha’, Club Mahindra’s chain of spas. I made a mental note of coming back later for a rejuvenation session if time permitted me. To the right of the spa was the holiday activity centre; a place with is abuzz with kids and families having fun in the evenings. One can enjoy a variety of board games, indoor games, pool etc. There are also facilities to rent movies and books for those who like to spend some time by themselves in their rooms.

The Resort Swimming Pool: Beautifully set up with a view of the mountains

By the time I was through with my stroll around the resort, it was time for lunch. After a sumptuous breakfast I was really looking forward to a second meal and I wasn’t disappointed.

I moved out of the resort at around 5 in the evening to visit the famous Kumbhalgarh fort. The fort is famous for its 36 Kms long wall; believed to be the second longest wall after the Great Wall of China. It is also the birthplace of the famous Rajput warrior and king Maharana Pratap. A resort staff suggested that I should go in the evening before sun set and stay back till it was dark to see the beautiful lighting of the fort which is quite an attraction for the tourists.

The Kumbhalgarh fort is a testimony of the grandeur of the Rajput kings. A steep climb leads all the way to the top of the fort from where one can see the valley below and the clusters of temples built by several kings centuries ago. One of these clusters has as many as 52 temples, a delight for heritage lovers.

Fort Kumbalgarh

As the sun set, I climbed down to position myself at a high point outside the fort to see the famous lighting. The lights turned on almost one at a time and I realized that the sight truly worth the wait and the effort. I missed not having a good camera with me, my mobile phone’s camera definitely couldn’t to justice, but atleast it helped me capture a memory.

The roads around the resort offer quite a ride to the adventurous traveler. If you are one of those who like to drive then going around the precipitous turns should definitely send the adrenalin rushing for you. But the real sense of adventure comes to you when you go for the Jungle Safari on a 4 wheel drive open jeep. I woke up at 5 the next morning and geared up for the trip. As advised by the friendly resort staff, I left back my wallet in my tent. This was to prevent it from getting lost in the tall grass of jungle in case it fell out of my pocket while the jeep moved over the rough terrain.

A local guide who accompanied us told us that the chances of spotting a wild animal are greater during the night or the early hours of the morning. As we moved across the dense forest, I kept a vigil for the slightest movement in the bushes lest I missed the chance to spot an animal. We saw several langoors, deer, and peacocks on the way but the famed leopards of the area did not come in sight. I had nearly lost all hope when almost out of nowhere I saw them– 4 cubs playing just by the side of the jeep’s track! We stopped a few meters away and observed quietly as the clubs playfully pounced on each other and then almost as if to reprimand them for their behaviour, a beautiful leopard popped out from underneath a huge rock and pulled the cubs – one by one – back inside the rock opening.

During the evenings, you have several options – you could decide to sit in the warmth of your rooms and watch a good movie, enjoy a chit chat with family and friends or you could join the rest of the holidaying families for special programs staged at the resort. Since I was travelling alone, I chose the latter. The program in the evening was a folk dance presentation. The 2 hour long performance by a group of talented Rajasthani folk singers and dancers left the audience spell bound; in fact I can still hear the songs ringing at the back of my head.

Being a travel freak, I ventured on to visit a few other places around Kumbhalgarh as well, one of them being the famous Parshuram Mahadeo temple at around half an hour’s drive from the resort. Reaching the temple is quite an arduous task as one has to climb a flight of stairs and move across the rough terrain to reach the temple premises which are inside a cave. If you have the stamina to pull through a 2 hour long walk -both ways put together-  the journey would be worth it.

There are several other tourist spots around the area, mostly temples, if you have time in your hands. By the end of 5 days, I had managed to complete my work and do a bit of sight seeing around Kumbhalgarh. On the day I was to fly back, I decided to leave early to explore Udaipur.

Udaipur, rightly known as the city of lakes, is a haven for tourists. The city has a very quaint feel about it and one can spend an entire day just moving around the narrow lanes exploring shops selling trinkets and sundry exquisite items. I did some shopping for hand made notebooks with beautiful leather covers. A word of caution: Make sure you bargain hard on the prices or be ready to pay thrice the price for what you buy!

As the flight took off from the airport, I looked down fondly at the slowly disappearing buildings, lakes and trees. If my work continues to bring me such memorable opportunities to travel, I doubt if I am ever going to retire.

There is romance in the air and traveling by itself , according to me is completely romantic . There is a bit of discovery, a sense of being lost, a moment of warmth , a dash of magic and a feeling of letting go. Our writers go gaga over places that turn them on and recommend their romantic wish, nay claylist..

Pic : Indrani

Indrani says an ideal place to drool is Udaipur

At sundown maybe you can take your beloved for a boat ride ala Venice on the lake too and enjoy the myriad shades of a glorious sunset.

If you are energetically inclined, hike up to Mount Kalsubai, Maharashtra’s highest peak at 1646 m. This is a day’s trek from Bhandardara, and can be combined with Ratanwadi, 22 km away; the 8th century Amruteshwar temple; and the 400-year-old Ratangad Fort where the Maratha warrior Shivaji rested on his laurels. The ancient Agastya Rishi Ashram on the banks of the Pravara River is another attraction. The ashram is mentioned in the Ramayana as the spot where Ram met Agastya Rishi.

For Charukesi, the hills of Matheran beckon her with a romance in the air.

Pic : Charukesi

My vote is for Matheran. In a world that boasts of largeness and moreness, a charming board at Dasturi Naka enroute Matheran proudly announces – Matheran is the tiniest hillstation in the world. Awwww… And more importantly, Matheran is the only pedestrian destination in Asia. Imagine, no cars, no blaring horns, no fumes… Traffic jam is when two ponies meet midway on opposite sides to their ride to and from the top and exchange pleasantries… Other than that, only the green hills, and during the monsoons, thick grey clouds. Matheran to me is the perfect place to get lost.

Celine says it all with flowers at the Valley of Flowers.

Imagine picturesque narrow mountain roads, scenic landscape, the ephemeral clouds wrapping the mountains – some green, some bare and a few snow-clad. Picture scenes of rich vegetation and forests interspersed with craggy rocks, gusts of winds and drizzle on and off, the meandering rivers shifting their shape in the valleys, sometimes serene, other times turbulent.

Pic : Celine

Can you visualize scenes of mist on the trails with a transitory tone of its own, awesome valleys, the intriguing melting glaciers, the gushing clear water from the mountain streams, and green meadows carpeted with beautiful wild flowers. With the mountains, peaks, valleys, meadows, trees, streams, rivers, glaciers, nature is in its unsurpassed splendour at the Valley of Flowers!

So often I’ve stopped on my tracks, gazed at the magnificent mountains, gasped in silence and taken in its beauty. Nature has so much on display that I felt like staying there forever to fully appreciate and enjoy what it offers.

The mystery and magic of romance needs the perfect surroundings for it to blossom in all its beauty. To me, no other place has been more romantic than the Himalayan mountains of the Valley of Flowers!

For Udit Baranwal, the cool Kasauli calls for intimacy.

Pic : Udit Baranwal

Kasauli is a perfect valentine destination this season. A very calm and beautiful place provides everyone an opportunity to any couple to run from routine life and indulge in a rare privacy. Unlike close destinations like Shimla or Manali, Kasauli provides the silence and privacy any couple can ask for. Romance is mixed in the air and one has to feel it to live the experience.

I would like to soak my emotions and head to a beach. In the temple town called Gokarna along the Karnataka coastline five virgin beaches beckon me and my favourite is OM Beach…nothing to do with mythology , as the picture shows.

Pic : Lakshmi Sharath

Vamsee has lost her heart in San Francisco and she writes this with a song in her heart.

Pic : Vamsee

Not Rome, not New York, not Sydney, not even Paris – for us, San Francisco is the most romantic city in the world. Every single time we went to SF, we would come back happy and more in love than ever. The city that forms the backdrop of more than half of Hollywood’s love stories leaves an indelible mark on every visitor. For the perfect experience, take a ferry from Oakland. As the boat goes under the bay bridge, San Francisco reveals its stunning skyline. Not as impressive as Chicago or as intimidating as Manhattan, San Francisco has a charming mix of heritage buildings and new age skyscrapers. The ferry building beckons you with its stylish European stores selling everything from Provence Lavender to Burgundy wine to Russian Caviar. Eat some fresh fruit at the farmers market on the Embarcadero and settle down at ‘Slanted Door’ for the best Vietnamese food in all of California and perhaps the US.

Shop at the stylish boutiques of Union Square or check out the free outdoor music / dance performances. Foot board the historic cable car and experience the rush of climbing the nearly vertical streets of Nob Hill. Walk down the world’s most crooked Street while admiring the colorful dahlias and French hydrangeas and come upon the most glorious view of the Pacific Ocean and Angel Island. Sights of couples (gay and lesbian and heterosexual) kissing and hugging on the street inspire you to indulge in public display of affection. Go to Ghirardelli chocolate factory and share a banana split ice cream with hot fudge. Late in the evening, walk towards Crissy field and watch the sun set behind the golden gate bridge. Finish off the day by going to ‘Greens’ an organic restaurant at Fort Mason. Order some biodynamic wine and raise your glasses in toast to the most romantic day in the most romantic city. On your way back home, don’t be surprised if you start singing

I left my heart in San Francisco High on a hill, it calls to me. The morning fog may chill the air I don’t care! My love waits there in San Francisco Above the blue and windy sea .

Kodachadri- Kodachadri is a mountain peak (altitude – 1343 m above sea level) in the Western Ghats middle of the Mookambika National Park.

Accommodation – We stayed at Bhatra house (Temple Priest’s House). The hall can accommodate a group of 20 and there are several small rooms too. But one needs to abide to the rules such as no alcohol ,smoking is not allowed and one has to wash the plates after eating. But the experience of staying with this family itself was worth the visit. An Inspection bungalow is the only other alternative; one of our colleagues had booked a room there and the toilets and bathroom came much of a help for us.

How to get there – From Bangalore, drive to Shivamoga; Shivamoga to Nagara and a deviation at Nagara towards Kollur; At Sampe katte turn left to reach the base camp. A shop at base camp can provide you tea and breakfast. We had to park the vehicle there; only jeeps ride up the mountain till Bhatra house which is 10Km from base camp. There is also another route through Nagodi forest check post, but it is a longer route.

I would like to recollect some of the special moments in the trip rather than giving detailed account. Let the pictures speak the rest.

Moment -1
Two days before our scheduled journey it was raining badly at Kodachadri. Bhatru told that we may not be able to stay it his place if it rained so. Off season rainfall had shattered our plan. But most of us came to a decision that we would go to the mountain in spite of the condition. Thankfully the rain stopped two days before our visit.

Moment -2
The hike itself was amazing. Even though we had to follow a jeep track, we did take off route trails. Due to the rainfall, the mountain was very green and beautiful. We had rice roti for breakfast. A colleague’s friend who lives in Sagara was nice enough to pack food for all of us from his home.

Moment -3
Midway between, I stopped for my friends to catch up. I sat alone midst the mountains watching the clouds flow from the valley and spread across. It was a beautiful sight. I penned down few thoughts in my journal.

Moment-4
The food at Bhatra house was amazing; Rice, S?mbhar and Thambuli (A dish made of butter milk and herbs). The jeep drivers play cards in the veranda. The women were busy cooking; the men had stories to share with visitors. It was interesting to notice that the jeep drivers and newspaper was the only means of communication with outer world for the Bhatra family.

Moment -5
My dialogue with Bhatru was interesting. In his talk he told how important it was for tourists to not just come to a place for its scenic beauty but also to experience the culture, the people, their tradition and their life style. I thoroughly enjoyed that talk.

Moment-6
The summit is 2 km hike from the Bhatra house. There is a Sarvagnya peeta (Shnakaracharya Peeta) on the peak. Shankaracharya spent 12 years of his life here and he installed the first temple here and later in Kollur. On the way I met a villager who walks about 10 Km daily to sell butter milk and snacks near the peak. I was touched by his story. Questions began to rise in me – How much would he earn? Is it worth all this pain? …I preferred not to answer my questions.

Moment -7
At the peak, I met two old men from Kasargod. We discussed about their travel and Yakshagana. They recalled the older times when the drum beat of yakshagana would attract a huge crowd as the sunset and would keep them entertained all night. They forced me to go to Chitramulla which was 1km down the mountain, claiming it was a beautiful sight from there. Some of my friends did not wish to hike. He told me- Tomorrow after you go back and people ask you whether you had visited Chitramulla, you would feel bad to reply no. I had made up my mind instantly after listening to that and for the visit , it turned out to be the best part of the entire trip.

Moment -8
Chitramulla is a steep hike down the summit on the other side. A cave where Shankaracharya meditated overlooks the Ambha vann. A natural spring falls beside the cave year round and is considered sacred. The water was very sweet and I kept going back to drink. I met two swamis’ here; a man and woman from Kerala. My broken Malayalam and a translator among the visitors helped me understand the conversation. I thoroughly enjoyed every single word that the two swamis’ spoke to me. The man had walked all the way from Shabarimale (Kerala). He said they would spend few months here. Biscuits or just water was their food. He showed me the bottle of water and said – One can spend days with just this. Kollur temple is viewable from here on a clear day. When asked, if he would visit the temple during festival, he said – It is too crowded there, but from here it is just Goddess and me. I was touched by their simplicity and niceness. I found them to be so peaceful and happy. On their face, as they spoke was a smile that I had never seen before on anyone. I wondered if it is possible to maintain a balance between the two worlds that looked so apart yet so united.

Moment -9

The view from summit was amazing. The clouds had spread everywhere and we looked down at them. As the time for sunset arrived, the clouds cleared and unwrapped a orange sun as it melted its way into the grayness.

Moment 10

Next morning we left early to watch the sunrise at a near by hill. After having breakfast there, the group decided to hike down. Five of us stopped back for a while and watched the nature blend together. Several nice thoughts emerged out in me which I recorded in my journal then and there. We did not speak at all but heard the birds chirp; trees swing slightly with the breeze; clouds flow into valleys like a water fall at still. It was an amazing moment. I wondered if nature speaks only when man is silent. Today I wonder what each one of us were thinking at that same instant? After that 5minutes of silence, we walked back. But on the top of Kodachadri hill, just after sunrise, there was a moment which summarized the entire trip into a meaningful purpose.

Thanks to my friends for these wonderful glimpses they have captured.

The Sunday Times in its review had said that this book is “best avoided by patriots with high blood pressure.” Travel writer Paul Theroux’s tongue in cheek perspective of the British and their sensibilities, mannerisms, quirks and eccentricities justifies the above statement. The Kingdom by the Sea is an American’s account of the United Kingdom and is more about people than places with dollops of humour thrown in.

It is the summer of 1982 and the hot topic of the moment is the Falkland War .The author living in London as a foreigner decides to travel clockwise around the coast across England, Wales, Scotland and ireland . He walks – an average of 15-20 miles a day , stops by ports and fishing villages, travels in trains and buses ,lives in country inns and hotels which offer bed and breakfast and narrates his encounters with people he meets .The stiff upper lip slowly thaws revealing its unique traits.

The proverbial English weather is discussed along with politics and royalty in the same vein. Theroux slowly turns into a bit of a literary tourist , stopping by at a Dickensian town or showcasing Shakespearre Cliff or the place where Keats edited Endymion. While the war is raging in the backdrop and urbanisation becomes a key theme, the context however is more about the British way of life and their take on everything. As he travels, the American point of view becomes more pronounced as he reflects on the mannerisms of the English with the classic dry humour. Sample this for instance .
“The whole enterprise of bed and breakfast was carried on by the woman but done with a will, because she was actually getting paid for doing her normal household chores….Usually I was treated with a mixture of shyness and suspicion but that was traditional English hospitality – wary curiosity and frugal kindness. “

Or their take on the Queen –
“I saw the Queen ,” he said , and he winced , remembering.
“How did she look ?”
He winced again. His name was Dougie. He wore gumboots.He said.” She were deep in thought.”
Dougie had seen something that no one else had.
“ She were preoccupied.Her face was gray. She werent happy.”
I said,” I thought shewas happy about her new grandson.”
Dougie disagreed . “I think she were worried about something .They do worry, you know. Aye,its a terrible job. “
He began to walk slowly, as if in sympathy for the hard pressed Queen.
I said,” Being Queen of England has its compensations.”
“Some compensations and some disadvantages,” Dougie said.”I say its half a dream world and half a nightmare.Its a gold fish bowl.No privacy ! She cant pick her nose without someone seeing her.”
Dougie said this in an anguished way , and I thought it was curious, though I did not say so,that he was pained because the monarch could not pick her nose without being observed .”

As the reader travels with the author, Theroux’s genius as a travel writer comes through , best summed in the lines – “ All travellers are optimists, I thought. Travel itself is a sort of optimism in action. I always went along thinking : I’ll be alright, I’ll be interested, I’ll discover something, I wont break a leg or get robbed, and at the end of day, I will find a nice old place to sleep.”

The Corbett national park is named after Jim Corbett, (the Indian-born British hunter, who later turned into a wildlife conservationist) who played an important role in establishing it.

Courtesy Arun Bhat - paintedstork.com

The Jim Corbett National park is a sanctuary for the critically endangered Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris bengalensis).

Tiger - Corbett. Copyright FlickR Candle Tree

Abundant in flora and fauna, the Corbett National park is ecologically diverse, with around 480 different species of plants.

Rich in Flaura and Fauna - Source FlickR netlancer2006

The Jim Corbett national park is situated in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, and experiences temperature in the range of 5 degrees to 30 degrees celcius (in summer).

Misty Corbett - Source FlickR - Eileen Delhi

The area also experiences light to heavy rainfall during the monsoons.

Hills of the Kumaon - Corbett. Source: FlickR Rocky aka Rakesh Barua

I am yet to find another city that flaunts its varied cultural heritage with such unabashedness as Bhubaneswar, also called the temple city of India.

Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Orissa is a pleasant blend of progressive development and cultural worship. This mindset of the city is evident seeing its meticulously painted murals scattered all across the city.

Pic : Ravi Kumar

With the initiative of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, the quaint and laid back city is draped neatly with its own cultural fabric. Each of these murals speak a story by itself and bear testimony to its kaleidoscopic rich tradition, be it the tribal life, monuments, festivals, delicacies, dance, and folk lore. The murals are painted across wide roads, government office walls, parks and flyovers and are a delight for unprepared eyes. The murals are hand paintings drawn withvaried colours in accordance to different themes.

Pic : Ravi Kumar

Converting neglected dilapidated walls into pieces of cultural exhibits, makes you admire them with awe. The novel idea has revived the dying art of mural painters and brought them to mainstream.

Pic : Ravi Kumar

These murals of Bhubaneswar are a fine example of sustainable solution of preserving cultural heritage along with modern growth.

Pic : Ravi Kumar

If you happen to visit the city, spare some time to marvel at these paintings