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The Three Graces
When in London City next, make sure to catch two installations around Piccadilly. While one is obvious, the other one is something you will need to crane your neck up to and is a lot more interesting – The Three Graces. Statue of Eros outside Piccadilly Circus station On every visit to the city, having passed through Piccadilly Circus so often, I have barely ever noticed my surroundings, absorbed as I am with the throngs of people that come here and other worldly distractions. Until one summer day, on my last visit. Taking a break from all the window shopping, I stepped out of one of many stores and decided…
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The Haas Haus
How do you seamlessly unite the past with the present? Or the historical with the modern? And still not rub purists the wrong way. For that, you don’t need to look further than Haas Haas in Vienna. The mirror facade on Haas Haus I’m sure that would have crossed Hans Hollien’s mind, when he went about designing this masterpiece in 1987. Walking through the historical part of Stephansplatz, you can’t help but notice Haas Haus building, or Haas House. It’s in stark contrast to the other buildings in its surroundings, including Vienna’s oldest architectural masterpieces – St Stephen’s cathedral, which is bang opposite this building. St Stephen’s cathedral Its history…
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Art above and below
When I head to a large city anywhere in the world, the first thing I try and figure out is how to move using local transport – buses, trams or the metro. Bucharest didn’t disappoint. Advertising billboard inside Izvor metro station Moving around like a local Whether it is buses, trams or the metro, over years of travelling, it’s finally sunk into my head that it is the quickest, cheapest and most effective way to move around the city. The afternoon after checking into my hotel, I collected a map of Bucharest, and made sure the receptionist explained anything and everything there was to be explained. This included making sure…
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A road trip unlike any other
There are some drives you do. You know you can and look forward to that long road trip. And then there are some drives that you wouldn’t. Not for lack of wanting to, but because you know it requires certain skills, none of which I have. Ladakh is one of those places. Pit stop just after Khardung La rest area Making friends Thankfully, as part of the package, I had a driver through our five-day stay in Ladakh. From the moment he picked me up at the airport, right to the moment when, five days later, he dropped me right outside the airport, once again. Our driver through my stay…
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Bridge over troubled water
The Huong River, or Perfume River, runs through the city of Hue, dividing it between the old-world charm of the Imperial City and Thien Mu Pagoda on the one side and a more modern setting on the other. Bridging these two sides is the iconic Truong Tien Bridge. The iconic Truong Tien Bridge A bit of history A rattan bridge was initially built during the reign of King Le Thanh Tong who ruled between 1460 and 1497. Over the years, it was upgraded with wood. However, the bridge that we now know is a little over 100 years. It was built in 1899 by the French who ruled over Indochina…
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People watching
“I know what boys like I know what guys want I know what boys like I’ve got what boys like” The Waitresses On a wet evening, a few summers ago, a brief shower had me scampering for shelter on one of the streets in Downtown Manhattan. Once safely protected from the elements, it gave me ample time to soak in the atmosphere and do what I like to do – people watch. As people scurried to wherever they had to get to, there was this one guy who liked what he saw. As he went by her, he turned around one more time. Just confirming. I guess. Like this…
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Boudhanath Stupa – the great tower
As the plane takes a turn and starts its decent through Kathmandu valley, peer a little through the window on the left hand side and you will see a huge circular dome, with two large eyes intently watching you as you watch it. This is Boudhanath Stupa. The eyes of Buddha at Boudhanath Stupa Nepalis refer to it as simply Chorten Chenpo, which translates to ‘Great Tower’ or simply ‘Great Stupa’. Towering at 36m high, it is one of the largest stupas in the world. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, since 1979. An incense burner As you leave the hustle and bustle of the busy road behind,…
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Bhaktapur – the city of devotees
As the minibus gets out of Kathmandu city and weaves its way through heavy traffic to Bhaktapur, you know you are journeying back in time. And long before you reach your destination, the first sights that catch your eye is the rooftop of the magnificent Nyatapola Temple. Narrow alleys inside Bhaktapur Immerse yourself in culture Depending on who you speak with, Bhaktapur or Khwopa, is known variously as the City of Culture, Living Heritage, Nepal’s Cultural Gem, An open museum and City of Devotees. There is a reason why it would have so many names. With its great architecture, detailed woodcarvings and intricately designed statues, the Malla dynasty did well…
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Break of dawn at Manmandir Ghat
There’s something magical about rivers. Silent and serene most of the times, and yet devastatingly powerful when they choose. The Ganges, especially when you are in Varanasi, is one of them. The best time to gaze at its beauty is early in the morning, just before the sun rises, from any of the 85 ghats that dot the bank. Steps leading to a small temple The highlights of a visit to Kashinath temple is to make it for the first aarti, or prayer offering. It’s offered before the sun rises, between 3 and 4 am every day. However, you need to be there much before that, as there normally is…
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Postcards from Galle Fort
If there is one place where you can see the rise and fall of western empires, it must be Galle in Sri Lanka. And nothing encapsulates that better than Galle Fort. View of the Galle Clock Tower from the Moon Bastion It was originally built by the Portuguese in 1588. Then along came the Dutch who fortified it further from 1649. The British, not wishing to be left behind, went about with their own modification from 1796. It was finally the Sri Lankans who, immediately after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, went about restoring it to its present glory. Views of the town within the walls of Galle Fort Today,…
