I spent a few days in Amsterdam earlier this month. Being my second visit to the city, I wasn’t overawed. (Awe has diminishing returns which is one of the key criticisms of travel). The Netherlands is proof that sea-level rise due to climate change is not going to be the end of the world. If … Continue reading Amsterdam Notes
Last year, I spent half a day riding a horse in Pahalgam. Though it was a typical touristy thing to do when in Kashmir, the experience was exhilarating. To get a sense of a horse’s power, its intelligence and to appreciate why it was so central in human civilization, I would highly recommend getting on … Continue reading On Horses
I did a day trip to Patna which was also my maiden trip to this historical city. The little that I saw of the city from the airport to the Sardar Patel Bhavan looked very much like Ranchi and Rourkela. Somehow, the poverty was also starkly evident – rundown buildings sharing space with incongruous flyovers, … Continue reading Day trip to Patna
Last year, I spent a long weekend in Lucknow. While the cuisine was the main draw, the Shiite influence over the city is unmissable. Large and small Imambaras dot the city and remind us of the relatively short-lived dynasty of the Nawabs that ruled Oudh. (Imambaras, unlike mosques, are not merely prayer spaces but structures … Continue reading Lucknow’s Shiite Influence
St. Helena is an island in the middle of nowhere. Being situated in the direct line of the South East Trade Winds, it was just a matter of time for it to be discovered in the 16th century. For that was when the Portuguese began crossing the Cape of Good Hope on their way to … Continue reading Saint Helena and its two iconic residents
I spent the Dusshera weekend in Dharamshala. It was only after booking the tickets did I realize that the India-New Zealand World Cup match was also happening there at the same time. With the snow-capped peaks as the backdrop, it is little wonder that the cricket stadium is India’s prettiest. Like a typical tourist, I … Continue reading The Dharamshala Weekend
