Eat. Pray. Love. At Gokarna.

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With my daily humdrum life in Bangalore, the closest I could come to nirvana, was Gokarna. A small sleepy temple town on the Western coast of India, is by far my best bet to go to if one wants to unwind in every sense of the word. The place is so relaxed that is will make you want to shut your brain down even if you don’t want to! With this massively enticing thought in mind we boarded our night bus from Bangalore to Gokarna.

Usual sights at Kudle beach

Now Gokarna is known for its religious attractions (which we decided to put for the later part of the trip) and its multitude of beaches. The most famous one of course is the Om Beach, which is well as the name suggests shaped like an Om! Being the most famous, it also is the most crowded of them all. Especially if you end up going on a weekend (which most people do) the beach is thronged by families and kids running all over and ladies washing their scarves, sarees et all in the waters.

So for a quite stay the best bet would be to go to Kudle beach. It is a little more deserted and quiet and mostly has foreign tourists who don’t want to give a damn about the world! You can wake up early in the morning, chill on the beach and do some yoga with cows and dogs for company, get some delicious omelettes and pancakes at one of the few shacks for breakfast and repeat this for as many days as you can!

The shame is however, that not many people go to any of the other beaches beyond Om and Kudle. Om is the most accessible and as we move further to Kudle, Half Moon and the Paradise beaches, the ease of accessibility reduces tremendously.

For Kudle we had to do a small trek down a hill, but the most fun was the Half Moon beach trek. It’s through a jungle, over a hill, the path is barely two feet wide (I’d wonder if you could even call it a path) and it precariously overlooks the steep fall to the sea. Definitely not the best way to take if you’re scared of heights or water or both! The only other way to access the other beaches is by boats which again are not all that frequent.

But that trek which brings your heart to your mouth is well worth it! Imagine after that freaky trek arriving at a beach where you are the only person till as far as the eyes can see! These beaches I had heard were secluded but no one ever mentioned that secluded meant your own private beach with no one else around!!

 

The "path" to Half Moon beach

The seclusion is worth the trek

So next time your souls yearn for peace and to forget the world, without thinking much pack those bags to Gokarna!

A Walk in Washington

“Traveller, there is no path.

The path is made by walking.

Traveller, the path is your tracks

And nothing more.

Traveller, there is no path

The path is made by walking.

By walking you make a path

And turning, you look back

At a way you will never tread again

Traveller, there is no road

Only wakes in the sea.”

~ Antonio Machado

We were creeping close to yet another weekend in the American summer, and were itching for yet another American city to be discovered through our own eyes and minds.

This time up, it was Washington, or simply D.C., the beloved capital of the United States of America! *polite applause*

A Greyhound bus from midtown Manhattan at an early am will take you to Washington which is close to 4 hours away or so. The city was just about waking up but we could hear the enticing calls from the National Mall charming the history freaks in us!

National Mall, the two mile green stretch is one of the most (if not THE most) powerful and historic stretches of land in the world! With the US Capitol, the White House and Lincoln Memorial on the three ends, and housing the Smithsonian, this is the epicenter of civic America and Washington tourism!

We started our journey from the eastern end, from the Capitol building.  This massive white building, surrounded by gardens with flowers in full bloom, the seat of the Congress built in neoclassical style was thronged by over enthusiastic tourists (like us) even that early in the morning! Though the visitor center was closed that day, but just the walk around the grounds admiring the blossoms and the neighboring architecture is good enough.

Capitol Building

We then moved west ward towards the Smithsonian. But before that we were greeted by a crowd of more than a hundred, dressed in the most colourful outfits and carrying the Bolivian national flag. Turns out we were right in the middle of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations . This was the early morning parade by different folkrolic groups representing the pride and heritage of their countries.

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations

After lots of culture and sun soaking, we walked further down to the Smithsonian. Collectively known as the Smithsonian Institution, the complex consists of 15 separate museums and the National Zoo. One can spend pretty much the entire day weaving in and out of the several museum galleries.  

A short walk away, is the monument for the founder of the republic, the Washington Monument. Legacy of the country’s first president looms large over the city in the form of the world’s largest stone structure and its tallest obelisk. Unfortunately, it was closed during our visit (it had been closed since an August 2011 earthquake, opening only recently this year), but I can just imagine the amazing panoramic views of the city from the top of the tower.

 

On the Washington Monument grounds

Further up in our history lesson were the different war memorials. The enormous World War II Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial, all of them so moving so as to remind one of the countless ultimate sacrifices made by thousands of soldiers.

 

World War II Memorial

Finally, the most impressive memorial of them all, dedicated to the leader who saved the republic, the Lincoln Memorial. Grand is an understatement as one climbs up the stairs of the memorial to see a massive Lincoln in Zeus style in a Greek temple! Engraved at the entrance are the words of Martin Luther King’s immortal “I have a dream” speech. As one stands at the stairs, backed by the mighty Lincoln, overlooking the reflecting pool and the Washington Monument all the way to the Capitol building, one cannot help but recreate the scene from that morning when Dr King delivered his speech to a swelling crowd.

Magnificent Lincoln Memorial

Grand is too small a word!

Inspiration!

View across almost the entire National Mall!

The White House

Finally last stop for the day was the National Zoo, which like other members of the Smithsonian Institution, has free entry. The zoo, one of the oldest in the United States, has several interesting exhibits including the Giant Panda trail, the Elephant Trails, the Great Cats and it definitely one of the most wonderful and tiring ways of concluding our very fascinating walk through history and DC!

Thank you America for yet another amazing weekend to write about!

Gingee: The Hidden Treasure of Tamil Nadu

“Half the fun of travel is the aesthetic of lostness” – Ray Bradbury

Every person, every traveler has that one that one kind of place that they keep going back to..in their journeys through time and physical places and their minds. For some it may always be finding that secluded spot on a beach and counting the waves as they slowly die and reincarnate again and again, and for some it may be spending hours studying and watching people in a bustling market. For me it will always be the ruins. Nothing gives me the sense of satisfaction, of discovery, of peace and calm, of humility as sitting alone in the midst of ruins, imagining how a century ago, that very same spot could have been used to sell fruits in a Sunday market, or by a courtesan enthralling her audience, or by a king making important (or not-so-important) decisions! Just the time travel in my mind gives a sense of awe that nothing can parallel.

So while we were on our weekend getaway to Pondicherry (and getting bored out of our minds by the second day...no offence to Pondy lovers!), we decided to check out Gingee (yeah Lonely Planet had like one paragraph about it in their South India section, but just those few lines were captivating enough).

Gingee lies almost midway between Chennai and Pondicherry and it’s close to a two hours drive from the latter. 

The town is located between three hills and the most famous attraction of this otherwise nondescript town is the Gingee Fort. Gingee Fort (also known an Senji, Jinji, Senchi or Chenji) is one of the few surviving forts in Tamil Nadu and was tipped as the “most impregnable fortress in India” by the Maratha ruler Shivaji and the British were so kind as to call it the Troy of the East.

The Gingee Fort

Within the Gingee Complex

One of the many corridors to take you back in time

The Venkataramana Temple in the background

The site originally built by the Chola dynasty in the 9th century AD, has since then passed through the leadership of the Vijayanagara Empire, the Marathas, Bijapur sultans, the Mughals, French and finally the British. The complex is nestled between three hillocks: Krishnagiri to the north, Rajagiri to the west and Chandrayandurg to the south east. Apart from the fort, the complex houses a 7-story building called the Kalyana Mahal (marriage hall they say), granaries, prison cells, temples and several tanks. If you’re lucky then you’ll have almost the entire complex to yourself to explore and relish in peace, otherwise like us you may have to share it with bus loads of weekend travelers and school kids!

Though the complex in itself is absolutely beautiful, but your mind really begins to get blown when you start the uphill climb to the fort. The steps are more like huge slabs of rocks and climbing those can totally replace the lunges one does in the gym and to top that the climb is at least 45 degrees if not steeper. And if this wasn’t enough there will be monkeys jumping around trying to take your belongings just for fun or kids trying to race each other to the top or to the foot! But still, despite all this, with every few steps when you just look around, without fail one ends up heaving a huge sigh (party due to breathlessness), but mostly because there’s nothing else that you’d do at that very moment but soak in the feeling of (almost) being on top of the world!

View from on the way up

And yes, you'll usually find company

Before the climb I had read the ASI description about the fort being impregnable, but I truly understood the meaning when I got on top and realized that there was a real draw-bridge across a massive crevice which separated the actual fortress on the top from the rest of the structure! And crossing that bridge is not for the faint hearted, or those suffering from vertigo like me! At that height, with the winds howling, you feel like you’ll be blown away like a stray kite with every step that you take!

Ranganatha Temple on the way

What's a fortress without a draw bridge!

But once you finally station yourself on top, and look down at the rest of the world, the complex which would have once been teeming with people, the granaries with produce, the chants of the priest in the temples, the two other hillocks guarding the complex and everything else takes a back seat. In those few moments lie the little joys of life which make the rest of the weeks and months worth going through.

Venkataramana Temple complex

The temple replete with monolithic pillars

Near the complex is the Venkataramana Temple which was built by the Nayakas. This is usually comparatively more secluded than the inner fort, maybe because this edifice is actually quite secluded. The entire temple brims with large monolithic pillars, which adds the Mummy Returns sort of eeriness.

In short, Gingee is a jewel. When in Chennai or Pondicherry, it is a must visit!

Bidding Adieu to Summer, Bilbao style!

“Bizarre travel plans are dancing lessons from God – Kurt Vonnegut”

This September I went back again to France (in an attempt to make this an annual thing, and make it sound all fancy!), and luckily for me, this year, the (European) weather Gods were in a much better mood! The 10 days that i was there i soaked up more sunshine than I actually ever have in Bangalore in the last 1.5 years!!

Since last year I had managed to cover a lot of places in France, so this year I decided to drive down further and visit the areas of the Basque Country which lie in Spain (obviously it’s a blessing when you have an adoring boyfriend willing to drive you down to wherever you want!)

Our first stop was Hondarribia.

Hondarribia, which in Basque means sand fort is a quaint border town located on the west shore of the Bidasoa river. The first thing that hits you when you step foot on here, is how different the pace of life is from France which is just a couple of kilometres away! Almost felt that the car ride was more than a ride, it was a journey back in time (or forward?!), to a space where good food, good ambience, walking by the beach, watching pristine white sailboats and colourful yachts on the deep blue waters, meandering aimlessly on cobbled streets define a way of life instead of the madness that consumes us as we run every morning from home to the gym to work to the local bar to back to bed. It was a Wednesday and we only planned to stop for a few quick hours to walk around the town, but it almost felt like in the middle of a festive season with kids running all over the place, people old and young sipping on wine and gulping down beer on the tiny bar stools that pockmarked every walkway and lively music floating through the air.

Apart from chilling, soaking in the good life and leaving all worries behind, the other things to do here would be to relax some more (!!) and maybe to visit the Ermita de Guadalupe, a small church situated on the hill top.

From postcard to reality!

Cobbled pathways of Hondarribia

Next up was the city, which is now a part of my ‘favourite cities’ list; Bilbao. Before coming, the usual things one would have heard about Bilbao were..umm nothing more than a small gritty industrial town, but it is magnificently surprising to see how culturally oriented the city has become with marvels of art to stumble upon at every second turn you take!

First up of course is the most famous attraction – the Guggenheim Museum. Designed by Frank Gehry, the building in itself is an architectural masterpiece. And even before you can enter the museum, you are hit by a blast of art by from the several installations around museum premises.

Installations outside the Guggenheim Museum

That moment of pride - Anish Kapoor at Guggenheim

The Guggenheim is situated right next to Casco Viejo, the old town which is full of charming streets, quaint houses, magnificent churches, boisterous bars, quirky shops and lots of good food!

When in Bilbao, one must try the pinxtos (Basque tapas), and we were just lucky to have landed right in the middle of the pinxto festival! This is when almost every pub (which double up as cafes during the day) serve their specialties and compete with each other to win the best pinxtos award!

Now since Bilbao is a valley town nestled between mountain ranges, it’s a pretty good use of one’s time there to take the funicular as it creaks and moans its way up Mount Arxanda from where one can get spectacular views of the entire city.

At Mount Artxanda

Sunset at Mount Artxanda

Finally on our way back to France, we decided to make on last stop at Donostia- San Sebastian. If ever you have dreamt of what the perfect beach would look like, then Playa de Concha and its extension Playa de Ondarreta would be the epitome of that dream! With the golden sandy beach stretching till the eyes can see, water more blue than you’ve ever witnessed, hundreds of toned bodies soaking up the sun, it is easily one of the best beaches I have ever been to! Walking towards the western part of the beach, you reach Playa de Ondarreta and if the sumptuous beach wasn’t enough to enthrall your senses, then definitely the sculptures embedded in the rocks would. The installations by Eduardo Chillida, create a mystical harmony between human art creations and the creations of nature. 

Playa de Concha

Installations at Playa de Ondarreta

San Sebastian, screams art, culture, history and positivity from every brick! No wonder it has been named as the European Center of Culture for 2016. One can spend hours walking around the old city, savoring the pinxtos followed by the churros, witness wedding celebrations at the Ayuntamiento de San Sebastian, laze around in the courtyard of the Plaza de Constitucion, walk up to the sculpture of Christ as the Good Shepherd or just check out the Aquarium at the end of the pier.

Plaza de Constitucion

It is true that visiting Spain is tantamount to a visit to India, it’s a collection of small nations working together, each with its own distinct art, flavour and culture and yet fusing together so effortlessly. A weekend in the Basque region will most probably be spent OD-ing on art and beauty and letting the smells and tastes overwhelm your senses.

These are not the most advertised European destinations, but by far one of the most beautiful and fulfilling journeys I have taken.