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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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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…
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The Red Dress Run
There is something exciting about discovering a city for the first time. You never know what to expect on the next corner. Strange sights. Beautiful freeze frames. Or just plain hilarious moments. Yup, downtown Montreal didn’t disappoint in that respect. Something I don’t see too often. A horse waiting patiently at a traffic signal. It’s not every day that one gets to see a horse wait patiently at a traffic signal. Wedding guests dressed in their brightest and best, willing and more than happy to pose for you. Or men walking and running around in red dresses like it was the current fashion rage. Everybody in their finest, all set…
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Go against the flow
There’s always one amongst us all. The one who does the exact opposite of what’s expected. The backbencher. The loner. The rebel. The one who breaks the rules because they’re meant to be broken. The one who veers to the left and thinks it’s right while everybody else is wrong because they are right. Right. There’s one amongst us all. And there’s a bit of that person in all of us. Right, Happy Hour, I say. Cheers to all! Like this post or want to read it later? Pin me.
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Quan Thanh Temple – protector of Hanoi
It’s amazing, the number of places that are there, waiting to be discovered when walking around Hanoi with no definite plan. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter in the evenings and you realise it is the same bridge you have seen written about in innumerable blogs, with its bright red lights. It’s on one such walk that I discovered Quan Thanh Temple. View of the entrance to Quan Thanh temple from the shrine A bit of history The Quan Thanh Temple, formerly known as Truch Vu Temple, is a temple that has been built to face the North. It is one of four sacred temples that were…
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The extra passenger
Like this fella taking a free ride, standing on the back bumper of a taxi heading into Shillong. The driver didn’t seem to mind unless he wasn’t aware of his presence. Nor were the passengers concerned. There’s something universal about traveling like this, getting from place to place, without actually paying for your trip. Am sure we’ve all done it at least once. Sometime. Somewhere. Surely. 😉 Like this post or want to read it later? Pin me.
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A visit to Pasteur Street Brewing taproom in Hanoi
There is a revolution that has been slowly brewing in Vietnam since 2015. In a reverse of sorts, it’s been so contagious that it has finally spread from Ho Chi Minh City all the way to the Hanoi. Not to fret though. It’s a revolution of a different kind. Say ‘cheers’ to Pasteur Street Brewing taproom and their excellent selection of craft beers. The Coffee Porter and Jasmine IPA When I first visited Vietnam in 2007-8, there weren’t any craft beers available. At least none that I was aware of. To be honest, I wasn’t too aware of craft beer myself. It’s only in the last 10 odd years, on…
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Vietnam Military Museum
For those visitors who wish to understand a bit on Vietnam and its many wars for Independence, then a stop at the Vietnam Military Museum, or simply known as Military Museum is a must. It is Hanoi’s oldest museum. It opened its doors to the public on the 15th anniversary of the Vietnamese Army Day, in 1959 – a mere five years after they defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu. View of the B-52 wreckage in the courtyard A bit of history Vietnam’s history, especially the last century, has always been about fighting for independence. In the beginning, it was waging a war to get the French to leave…
