St. Anne church is a hidden gem in the quiet Olaulim village. We found it while riding around Pomburpa village, during our stay at the Loja. In the evening, churchgoers gather here for mass. The rest of the day, the Church stands quietly. Witnessing life passing by for the last 266 years or so. The gentle sway of trees, the white of the church, and the slightly overgrown and abandoned feel of the garden in front of it … something wild and peaceful. Saint Anne was the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. She is the patron of housewives, women in labor, cabinet makers and miners. Her emblem is a door (I tried…
-
-
Top Things to do in Vietnam
“Vietnam. It grabs you and doesn’t let you go. Once you love it, you love it forever.” Anthony Bourdain Things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam The French Old Quarters is the heart of Hanoi. It feels straight out of Arabian Nights, with old buildings, temples, pagodas, and markets. Most travelers stay here. It is close by popular destinations, such as the Temple of Literature, Hanoi opera house, National Museum of Vietnamese History, and many temples and pagodas. The best way to see this area is on foot with frequent stops for iced coffee, banh mi1, and bun cha2. 1 The Vietnamese version of a sandwich made with baguette filled with a mix of meats,…
-
Cantonment Railway Station – An Illustrated Travel Story
Urban Sketching At Cantonment Railway Station Last weekend, our Urban Sketchers meet was at the Cantonment Railway Station, Bangalore (BNC). While most of us were geared up to sketch amidst the bustle and chaos of a typical Indian railway station, what we found was a place of astonishing stillness. The arched walls and green rooftops look as though they simply stood still and refused to move to make way for Bengaluru! A group of Railways employees was conducting a Swachh Bharat survey. They asked us a few questions and moved on to complete their round of the station. A train with a vivid red engine stood by the platform the entire time…
-
Benne Dosa at Gururaj Canteen, the Oldest Dosa Canteen In Davengere
On our way to Sirsi, on a hot summer afternoon in May, we stopped at Davengere, to sample the Benne Dosas which have made this tiny city so very famous on the Karnataka map. And of course, we wanted to have it at the most authentic place possible. After some scouting around in the busy city street, typical of small towns like this, with fruit vendors, flower sellers, goli soda carts, and small eateries, we gathered that the place to be at is GURURAJ CANTEEN. We walked around, avoided the larger shops with bigger boards until we found out this hole in the wall shop. It was in a small…
-
The INTACH Warrior of Orissa: Anil Dhir
‘Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.’ – Ibn Battuta Orissa is often in the news for all the wrong reasons – a cyclone, famine, political issues. Living outside Orissa for many years, I have often found friends and colleagues clueless about the cultural and historical significance of this ancient land. So, this year I was planning to travel to Bhubaneswar for a longer duration and was keen to explore its cultural footprint. I wanted something beyond the touristy articles listing Khandagiri, Udaygiri, Puri, and Konark. I asked friends, family, and searched online for authentic travel books on Orissa. This search led me to Mr. Anil Dhir; a…
-
The Last Stalk Standing at Cubbon Park
The Withering Bamboo Grove Be Like the Bamboo The Higher You Grow The Deeper You Bow – Chinese Proverb Bangalore’s sprawling Cubbon Park was teeming with people as usual. Quintessential young couples lost in their world. Fitness enthusiasts sprinting while chatting breathlessly. Nature enthusiasts Instagramming away. Photographers doing portfolio shoots of one too many expecting moms (a new trend). I spotted one lady lying down on her back, toys placed all around and on her, an assistant blew soap bubbles while the photographer tried various angles, while the husband and the mother in law displayed a sea of emotions. A furlong ahead a family played throw ball. A group of theatre actors…
-
The Joys of Travel Sketching
Getting Started with Travel Sketching: Travel sketching does not require any training – the best way to learn is to sketch whenever you are traveling.
-
Zoned Out at Pepper House
Pepper House is a hub for arts, with posters of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014 still adorning the notice boards. One side of the building faces the canals. I remember seeing the magical view of the waterfront with ships passing through, providing an ideal photo op for lover of this specific setting- maritime, colonial structures, the retro feeling and the leisurely elegance of having a coffee amidst such historical ramparts.
-
Yearning for a Boat Ride on Chilika Lake
Satpada, nestled on the southern tip of the lake, marks the point where Chilika meets the Bay of Bengal. It is visited by over 150,000 migratory birds during winter. At Satpada, one can watch a host of birds, including the pink Flamingos, Sandpipers, Kingfishers, and Golden Plovers. This lake is also home to the largest number of Irrawaddy dolphins.
-
X-tacy of travel: An Ode To Wanderlust
In the unnamed streaming rivers of Chamba In the always satisfying, deceptively simple shopping complexes of Chandigarh In the maddeningly addictive street food places of Delhi
