Travelogue
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Relax at Live Oak Brewing Co’s Taproom
If you are looking to try out some great food, drinks and music, then I’m not sure if there are too many places that beat Austin, Texas. Sure, I missed out on the music. So, I won’t comment on that. But the food and drinks are something else altogether. Selection of beers for the day A few years ago, when visiting a friend’s mom there, we decided to go check out a craft brewery. Without having done any research, I was at a loss, trying to figure out the best place where we could head. Thankfully, our host knew of a couple of places. Outdoor picnic table and benches with…
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Arabian fantasies
Whether you like it or not, in a mood to bargain over a souvenir or just do a bit of window shopping, claustrophobic or comfortable in a crowd, a visit to a souq is an absolute must. Especially when you travel to some of the Middle East and Levant countries. Traditional lanterns hang on the ceiling It’s the same when it comes to Muscat, Oman. And one of the best places to experience it is in Muttrah Souq. It’s also called Al Dhalam by the locals, which translates to Market of Darkness. That’s because there’s no natural light that comes through. Frankincense burning in a shop For a first-time visitor,…
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Vienna’s friendliest bartender is at Centimetre VII
The next time you are in Vienna Austria, why not take time off your sightseeing and make a trip to Centimetre VII. Once there, find yourself a comfortable table with a view, or sit at the bar, order your favourite pint and get down to feeling right at home. A customer sits by himself enjoying his lunch at Centimetre VII Vienna That’s what we did when we were in Vienna. On our first full day in the city, we found ourselves outside Alser Strasse Station. As we tried to figure out how to reach our first destination for the day, figuring whether we go north, south, east or west, something…
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Bara Bazar
Going to a market isn’t among my favourite things. However, at the insistence of a friend I was staying with, we headed to Iewduh, the local market in Shillong one early morning. We needed to buy grocery supplies to feed over 100 guests at his residence that evening. A crowded alley in the market Turns out Iewduh (pronounced yyoh-dohh), or Bara Bazar as it is popularly known as, is one of the oldest and biggest markets in the Northeast in India. It’s also one of the most cramped markets I’ve been too. Too bad if you’re claustrophobic. Even worse if you get lost. Finding your way to that exact same…
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The historic Tram # 7N
While I am sure there are lots of cities around the world where you can see vintage trams, and perhaps travel in them, Stockholm offered me the opportunity to experience it firsthand. Grand Hôtel Stockholm The Djurgårdslinjen Line service between Norrmalmstorg and Waldemarsudde, also called Tram # 7N, is a well-maintained piece of history that plies this historic route. Some of these trams go back as far as the 1910s, right up to the 1960s, with most of them from Stockholm. However, a few of them are also from Gothenburg and even as far as Oslo. The Djurgården Line service Like the rest of the tram routes in Stockholm and…
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Sivukirjasto in Kallio is cool
A good indication of how expensive a city Helsinki can be on your wallet is to order a pint of beer, for starters. Helsinki Central Station Having just crossed the Baltic sea, from, well, the Baltic States, I noticed a gradual rise in the price of beer – from Vilnius (cheapest), through Riga (cheaper) and into Tallinn (cheap). However, once we were across the sea and had finally set foot in Helsinki, I thought 7-8 euros was daylight robbery. A tram line in Helsinki While the first few days went discovering all that the city had to offer, and spending those hard-earned euros, it was only a few days later…
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A bird’s eye view
When travelling to several cities, and if you have a limited number of days devoted to each of them, then there is nothing like visiting small cities that are close to each other. That’s how we found ourselves in Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, a UNESCO World Heritage city. Town Hall Square Tallinn While most of Europe is fantastic for that, the Baltic States is what comes mind immediately. Getting from city to city take about four to five hours by bus. Each of these capital cities is also accessible in a day or two, leaving you with ample time to chill and take it easy, or simply soak in the atmosphere…
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Bremen Town Musicians
What do perestroika, the Brothers Grimm and this statue in Riga, Latvia have in common? Depends on your understanding of history, especially during the early 1990s, when Europe was going through winds of change. View of St Peter’s Church in Riga On one of those wet afternoons while in Riga, my travel buddy and I managed to find ourselves in front of St Peter’s Church. Originally built more than 800 years ago, turns out it is one of the city’s most important monuments. And while only a few walls and pillars are what remain of the original construction, it still has some of the most amazing Gothic architecture. The highlight,…
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Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder
When you’re traveling to a new place, there’s as much sightseeing you want to do in a day. At some point, you’d give those tired legs of yours a break and park yourself somewhere. It has its perks, believe me. Yup, discovering and savoring the local brew is one of those perks and joys of traveling. Chilled or at room temperature. In a mug or straight from the bottle. At a roadside joint, a local pub, or an outdoor café… it doesn’t matter. It’s a chance to mingle with the crowd and do as they do. Sit back, stretch those weary legs, watch as life goes by, and appreciate what…
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The legend’s graveyard
Driving through the highways in Oman, there’s one sight that you’re sure to see, time after time. A Toyota Land Cruiser J series. Beaten. Rusty. Or spanking new. And still cruising. Two Toyota Land Cruiser J series pickups resting while their drivers take a break. Am not sure why, but the 2-door SUV and the 2-door pickup seem to be a favourite vehicle of choice for many Omanis, and especially fishermen by the coast. On any day, you can spot several of them rumbling along the highway, desert roads and along the beaches in varying condition. Shiny brand new, or rusted and beaten down, they all seem to keep going…
