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Of show stoppers and other characters
For most first-time visitors to New York, their first stop is Times Square. It was no different for me when I landed there for the first time in 2009. Since then it’s stopped being just a place to pass through, to either head uptown or further downtown. It’s a convenient place to hook up with friends, and then progress elsewhere (if you’ll ignore the mass of tourists and locals). In fact, I’ve more reasons to avoid it now, since Toys “R” Us decided to close their flagship store a few years ago, and eventually file for bankruptcy. But that’s another story. One of the things that caught my eyes then,…
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Sailing on the Ganges
I last visited Varanasi in 1990, in my first year of college. It was the holidays, and I needed to get out of the city, and explore another place, another country. It was also the first time I was doing a solo trip. Close up of one the structures at Dashashwamedh Ghat While I am not a solo traveller, this was a journey I enjoyed from start to finish, if you will ignore the various mishaps that transpired along the way. Which is how I found myself in Varanasi. View of Ram Mahal Ghat The border guard at the Nepal-India border had taken some dollars that I was carrying, leaving…
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Discovering Brahehus Castle
A drive from Stockholm to Copenhagen take can anywhere between seven to eight hours, depending on traffic and how quickly you want to get from point A to point B. I like my pit stops. In fact, the more, the better. Once you are outside Stockholm city limits, find and get onto the E4 highway. This is an excellent motorway (though it can get monotonous) and stretches all the way to Helsingborg. From there, it’s not too far to the Öresund Bridge that connects Sweden with Denmark. Keep an eye on the road signs as you wouldn’t want to miss out on Gränna. In about four hours (for me it…
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Road tripping from Stockholm to Copenhagen
I love road trips, though I haven’t done too many. I’ve always got my ears and eyes open to an opportunity whenever I travel with friends. Be it between cities, states or even countries. Which is how, on our second day in Stockholm, we figured that driving to Copenhagen wasn’t such a bad idea after all. As we were staying close to Stockholm Central, a visit to the Hertz office close by made sense. The drive time between these two cities is somewhere between seven to eight hours, depending on traffic and how quickly you want to get from point A to point B. However, as I was going to…
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A quirky look at a self-proclaimed republic
When you are in Vilnius, why not visit an independent republic within the city limits itself. It is, surely, one of the only few republics with a sense of quirky humour. As one of the smallest republics in the world – Užupis measure less than 1 sq km, it has its own constitution, currency, a government and a president. It even has its own navy. Beat that. Literally translated as ‘beyond the river’ or the other side of the river’, its name is in reference to the Vilnia river. It’s been a popular district with those looking with an artistic bent of mind, and draws comparison with Freetown Christiania in…
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The train from Oslo to Stockholm
In Oslo, we had time on hand and no clue on where we wanted to head to, or when. Which is how, walking around one evening, we found ourselves, quite by chance, in front of Oslo Central Railway Station. After a bit of discussion, we figured Stockholm was the prime next destination, and bought our rail tickets for the next day. I know there are various modes of transport between these two cities. A direct flight takes about an hour, but that isn’t as much fun. Besides, getting ready and heading to the airport a couple of hours before the actual flight can be a drag, especially when you know…
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How not to plan a trip to Norway
Landing at Oslo airport has to be among the most surreal experience I’ve had in awhile. Not for anything except that it was the lousiest bit of planning I’ve done in ages. The problem was that we only decided to go there during a night of heavy drinking (which is generally when the grandest plans are made). All we had were our Schengen visas and our multiple entry visas into the UK. And so, that happy night in London, we decided, just like that, to head to Norway, with no further idea of what we planned to do there. We also figured that since we were going all the way…
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S-21
One would think Chao Ponhea Yat High School is just another regular school. On entering the gates, it looks like any high school, with five buildings that face the well-maintained lawns. Note: viewer discretion is advised as some of you may find the contents and images distressing. It is now called Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. However, between 1976 and 1979, the Khmer Rouge, who had overrun Phnom Penh had named it S-21, or Security Prison 21. They immediately set about converting it into a prison that would hold an estimated 20,000 inmates, including men, women, children and infants. The adults and children were photographed and then interrogated and tortured until…
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The Killing Fields
A lot of travellers who visit Cambodia head to Siem Reap and its iconic Angkor Wat for its culture, while those who love the sea and the sand head to the seaside town of Sihanoukville, a new discovery. In the process, they either give the capital city Phnom Penh a complete miss or use it as a transit point to get in and out of Cambodia. Which is a shame unfortunately. Agreed, Phnom Penh may not have what either Siem Reap or Sihanoukville has to offer. What it does have though, is a reminder of Cambodia’s turbulent history, especially that of the latter part of the 1970s. Note: viewer discretion…
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Peace in Siem Reap
Most visitors to Siem Reap make Pub Street their focal point. With the Old Market close by, this area is teeming with people, both local and tourists. However, look above, beyond the roofs, and chances are you’ll spot a pagoda towering over all of them. This is the Preah Prom Rath pagoda. Situated next to the river, Wat Preah Prom Rath is bang in the center of this area. And it’s a beautiful place to visit, sit around, and generally soak in the calm atmosphere. History has it that it was founded more than 500 years ago by a monk who landed ashore from his sinking boat. However, the complex…
