2017: Year of the Rooster

New Year sign in Hanoi

I just got back from a much awaited trip to Vietnam. Although our New Year was long over and forgotten; while there, I would come across multiple 'Happy New Year' or 'Happy Tet' wishes in the form of large billboards or flowers everywhere on a daily basis. I was visiting close to the Vietnamese New Year: Tet and the Chinese Lunar Year after all.

Flowers of all colours and varieties; varieties that are hard to come by in a large country like India. All major roads and monuments had been lined up with multi coloured lights and beautiful, freshly cut flowers. Besides all the lovely flowers, there was something else that kept reminding me of its forgotten presence (at least in my world). The rooster. 

Chilling with the hen folk in Hue

I saw it walking around uninhibited on busy side walks amongst  hoardes of people, with an army of chicks in the quiet country side or simply lazying around inside houses. I am not sure if it was because this is the rooster's year or if it is that common or a lucky sign that I kept seeing it. Nevertheless, it surely made its presence known. No matter which part of the country I was in, I would wake up to its crow at the break of the dawn. Instantly reminding me that I was somewhere else.

At the airport check in counter

And when it was not waking me up, it would show up in the uncanniest of circumstances!

Follow the chicken - Cu Chi, Ho Chi Minh city tour guide

Around Kerala in 7 Days - In a Caravan - Munnar

   

We passed a lot of fruit plantations on our way from Kochi to Munnar. You could see tiny pineapples, bananas and guavas peeking out from under the trees. A delightful sight which you wouldn't come across in normal life. Bananas in all colours were being sold on the roadsides. I even saw some fruit I did not recognise, looked a lot like custard apples. 

On the way to Munnar

Being the rainy season, there were waterfalls of all sizes that had sprung up on hill sides, adding charm to the already breathtaking scenery. We stopped at a big one to take pictures. Greenery surrounded us. We passed through some thick forests and could feel a dip in temperature. Our driver suggested we stop at a Spice Garden to pick up fresh spices. It was a well laid out nursery with medicinal herbs, herbal plants, flower plants and spice plants. The owner gave us a tour of the nursery; while sharing valuable information about the healing properties of various plants. My friend picked up a herbal face creme. I picked up a lot of fresh spices for home.

                        

We reached our guest house late evening. It had a beautiful garden and a fantastic view of the unending tea plantations. The next day, after breakfast, we set out to explore Munnar. It was a lovely, sunny day. The air was cool and crisp. We went to Eravikulam National Park, home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr as well as several species of rare animals, birds and butterflies. We were enveloped by the mist once we reached the park entrance. We walked about 500 mts to catch a glimpse of the  very unique looking - Nilgiri Tahr and took a few pictures. 

View from the hotel

Mist everywhere

Nilgiri Tahr

After this, we went to the Tata Tea Museum & Gardens for a stroll and got some lovely shots of us. In the evening, we treated ourselves to an authentic Shirodhara Ayurvedic massage in a blink-and-you-will-miss-it massage parlour, recommended by a local. It was definitely the strangest massage experience I have ever had. I was made to lay on a wooden bed, which wasn't comfortable for obvious reasons. I couldn't switch off and enjoy the experience as I was very aware of my surroundings. This was also the first time I left a massage parlour with oil all over my body. I would still recommend it though :p

Later,we got some funny, oily pictures out of it. 

Tea Gardens everywhere

Thekaddy, Periyar National Park, was our next stop. 

Around Kerala in 7 days - In a Caravan

A few friends and I decided to make a trip down to Kerala - Venice of the East, as it is fondly known. Pristine white sand beaches, charming backwaters and Ayurvedic retreats lured us to explore this southern gem on the western coast of India. We took the train from Mumbai all the way down to Kochi.

This was one of the most scenic train journeys that I have ever undertaken. Passing through rolling hills, flat land, the ocean on one side for some part of the journey; and fruit plantations marking the entry into Kerala. The tourism guys have got it spot on. It indeed is; God's Own Country.
We were lucky to find a cheap hotel next to the train station. The room was fairly clean. Without wanting to waste time in exploring Kochi, we freshened up and made our way to the harbour. We got a fantastic view of fishing boats, ships, tankers and islands dotted around in the distance. Surprisingly, we didn't find any restaurants serving local fare in the vicinity; and ended up eating at a food court instead.

Hello Kochi!

Kochi market

The next day, we set off to go and explore Fort Kochi - famous for its sights, cafes and fishing nets. The 15 - 20 minute ferry ride from the harbour to Fort Kochi is joyful. We passed a couple of islands on our way there, including one which is inhabited by an indigenous tribe which has little to no contact with the outside world. Everything they need is on that little island, I was told by our guide. The Chinese fishing nets, St. Francis Church, Mattancherry Palace and the beach there are definitely worth a visit. A one day trip to Fort Kochi is enough to visit all major attractions here. It is also a foodies paradise, known for its eclectic cafes and restaurants.

The ferry

Chinese Fishing Nets

As we were planning to travel from Kochi all the way down to Kovalam, we asked around for a good deal on a cab. In the end, we got a plush caravan with leather seats, a TV, driver and a fantastic music system. All this in 10,000 bucks! We also got good discounts on hotels and sightseeing because of our driver's contacts.

The gorgeous tea county of Munnar was our next stop.

5 reasons to visit Prague

If you’re planning your next European holiday, Prague must feature on your To- Visit list. Here’s why:

1. It’s cheap – You can have the best of Czech culture, history and shopping without burning a hole in your pocket. It’s a beautiful city offering the very best of Romanesque & Gothic architecture, Czech beer & delicious food, lively nightlife and lovely cruises down the Vltava River. According to current rates, one US$ amounts to 22 Czech Koruna and one Indian Rupee amounts to 0.35 CZK. So, if you’re looking for a budgeted holiday to Europe, this is probably your best bet.

Palace  Cathedral

2. Gothic Architecture – Prague’s myriad of architectural styles wow you from the moment you set foot in the glorious city and completely blow your mind. The Gothic style architecture of the Palace Cathedral caught my attention, in particular. I remember standing in the middle of the Old Town Square for at least 10 minutes, taking a 360 degree view of all the beautiful, period buildings around me. The oldest working Astronomical Clock in the world, is a medieval delight, with 12 apostles passing by the window above the astronomical dial and with symbolic sculptures moving alongside.

View of the city from Petrin Gardens

3. Bohemian crystal – You can find gorgeous pieces of intricate, handmade Bohemian crystal decoration pieces in shops all over the city. The sheer variety and low prices will definitely give you a bang for your buck and memories galore. I picked up a pair of reasonably priced beautiful, hand painted, pink wine glasses and a couple of decoration pieces from a market on the outskirts of Prague. I absolutely treasure my pink wine glasses and wish I could’ve picked up more.

Prague at night

4. Nightlife – Prague offers something for everybody and is known for its vibrant nightlife. You can find everything from pub crawls to Mozart concerts to some of the best nightclubs here. Pubs and clubs are open till late, perfect for all the party animals out there. If you just want to have a relaxed evening with some good food, wine and music, there are a lot of jazz clubs to choose from. While I was there, I was lucky enough to encounter a live cultural show featuring the very best of Bohemian music, dance, Czech beer and street food. There are numerous events that are organized by Czech Tourism the year round, most of which are free to attend, so check the Events calendar and plan your trip accordingly.

5. Jewish Quarter – or Josefov, is a town quarter and a former Jewish ghetto in the middle of Prague. Steeped in history, going all the way back to the 12th century, you can learn a lot about the Jewish community and their strife. Six synagogues remain from this old settlement which includes the Jewish Town Hall and the Old Jewish Cemetery - the most remarkable in Europe. If history is what you are after, a day trip to Terezin is well worth it, as can be seen in my previous post.

Don't listen to what they say. Go see. 

                                                Chinese Proverb

My visit to Terezin Concentration Camp

Some trips remain forever etched in memory, a trip to Terezin Concentration camp on the outskirts of Prague, Czech Republic was one such trip. I had always been curious about the Holocaust and wanted to learn firsthand about the mistreatment of Jewish people during that time. So, while planning my Euro trip itinerary, I made sure to have an extra day in Prague so that I could visit Terezin.

Terezín is a fortress built by the Enlightenment ruler Josef II and although, the building named after his mother Maria Theresa was supposed to be used for defense, it paradoxically became infamous first of all as a prison, and later during World War Two as a Jewish ghetto and concentration camp.

It was a cold and windy day. The sky was overcast, adding to the eerie environment. Right outside the entrance to the fortress, a gigantic Christian Cross and Star of David caught my eye. It was one of the largest cemeteries that I had ever seen. There were hundreds of graves with specs of red on them - poppy flowers were placed on each of the graves; mass graves as I later learnt. It was a melancholically beautiful sight. 

There were a handful of tourists around who soon disappeared. I started the tour of the former military base and fortified city, following the map that I had been provided with, at the entrance. I hadn't opted for one of the organized group tours from Prague as they were charging double the price and I was trying to spend the bare minimum, being on a shoestring budget. Seemed like everybody else was on a group tour!

I first went to the museum to learn more about Terezin and the atrocities that had been committed here. One of the walls was full of the names of the people who had died at the camp. I could not imagine a 7000 people facility being used to house up to 60,000 people! The cramped enclosures, unhygienic conditions, lack of food and basic amenities that they had to live in was appalling and disheartening, to say the least. And yet, they had spirit! This can be seen in the copious pieces of beautiful art, musical and theatrical works of the prisoners that have been well preserved.  

                             

I think we have much to learn from these prisoners. Sometimes, we find ourselves stuck in our own little prisons/ situations where we feel completely immobile. I think the key is to stay strong and keep working towards creating our own "masterpieces" without letting the outside environment get to us. 

            

          

I walked around the rest of the dilapidated fortress feeling overwhelmed. The howling wind and the desertedness of the streets put me on edge. Soon enough, I stumbled upon an antique store which was full of WW2 treasures. I came across beautiful bohemian cutlery, antique guns, old cameras, amongst lots of other interesting stuff. Unfortunately, I could not pick up much as I was in the middle of my backpacking trip through Europe and was unable to carry more stuff. I picked up a couple of WW2 love letters which are really close to my heart.

I completely lost track of time in the antique store and almost missed my bus back. I hurried to the bus stop and did not find the last bus standing there, as scheduled. I panicked and tried to find somebody who spoke English. The tourist office had shut and the handful of locals there only spoke Czech. I had no option but to wait. And hope. And pray. While I was trying to figure out how to get back to Prague, an elderly beggar with crooked, yellow teeth and grey, piercing eyes was slowly limping towards me with the help of a walking stick. 

Internally, I was freaking out but I put up a calm face for him. I tilted my head sideways, indicating that I would not be giving him anything. For a minute, he frowned, staring devilishly into my eyes. That's when I thought here goes my passport and all my money. Thankfully, he walked away, hitting the dustbin with his stick, out of frustration. Right after, my bus arrived.

Terezin was a good learning experience for me. Not only did I learn about the braveries of Jewish people but at the same time, that I am brave. 

“No man is brave that has never walked a hundred miles. If you want to know the truth of who you are, walk until not a person knows your name. Travel is the great leveler, the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass. A long stretch of road will teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of quiet.” - Patrick Rothfuss