Clear sparkling waters, cute little boats and seafood – 3 phrases which best describe the quaint township of Sausalito, the Bay Area gem. Located in Marin County of California, Sausalito is one of the best Day Trip options from San Francisco. You can hike, sail, bike, shop or just sit, eat and drink by the Bay – Sausalito has it all.
Sausalito is known for its views of the San Francisco Bay, especially the Golden Gate Bridge. It consists of both leafy hillside as well oceanic waterfront. It grew as a shipbuilding center in World War II and later attained a reputation as a wealthy and artistic enclave, a scenic residential community incorporating large numbers of houseboats. The town is adjacent to, and surrounded by, the protected spaces of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Sausalito is a small town – 5.9 sq. km in total, of which 78% is land, the rest being underwater. (Source: Wikipedia)
Getting There
I took this day trip to Sausalito in April last year with my cousin who’s a resident of SF. We took a Golden Gate Ferry from the Ferry Building (or Pier 1) on the Embarcadero. The 30-minute ferry ride was fun as it offered splendid views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Chugging across the water with the wind in my hair was a wonderful feeling. (It’s actually really windy so hang on to your hats!)
Port of San Francisco
SF skyline
View from ferry
Golden Gate Bridge
View from ferry
Approaching Sausalito
Tip: The ferry departs sharply on time, so do arrive well before the scheduled time. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines located at the Ferry Building dock. Fares are around $13 one way. You can also travel by the Blue and Gold Fleet from Pier 41 / Fisherman’s Wharf.
Upon reaching Sausalito and dismounting onto the dock, we set off walking. Strolling along the waterfront, we admired the crystal waters of the San Francisco Bay. The sun glinting off the water making it sparkle like a gem was a sight to behold. On the opposite side, separated by the main street of downtown Sausalito – Bridgeway, is an array of pretty houses and cute shopfronts. The attractive architecture and appealingly decked up houses were a visual treat.
We nipped in for a quick snack of yummy brownies at one of the bakeries before we set off on our walk again. We reached a fork and turned right onto Princess Street and set off into the more residential area of the town. The hike through the leafy, shaded hill-road was soothing and peaceful. We enjoyed the exercise and the calm atmosphere. Finally we rounded onto San Carlos Avenue to double back to Downtown. It was now lunch time.
Tip: Be sure and pick a Visitor Map at the Tourist Kiosk (near the dock where you get off from the ferry). It will give you an idea about all attractions, restaurants, galleries etc.
Seafood Haven
After some quick research on Google, we chose the Seafood Peddler restaurant situated right on the Sausalito Yacht Harbour. The restaurant looked onto the harbor with its myriad boats floating on the turquoise water. We had mixed seafood platter and lobster bisque – melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness! All of this with that magnificent view – heaven!
Sausalito Yacht Harbour
Our last stop of the day was the Sausalito Yacht Harbour. Rows upon rows of boats of all kinds – speed boats, sail boats, houseboats, yachts, dinghies – docked at the harbor in their assigned lots. It was a picturesque sight indeed. We walked about in the docks admiring the shiny vessels and dearly wished we could climb aboard one and zoom across the water.
Sausalito Yacht Harbour
Then, it was time to get back to the ferry dock for our trip back to SF mainland. Our return was on the Blue and Gold fleet ferry to Pier 41 via Angel Island.
Major Attractions in Sausalito
We spent an ideal relaxing day in Sausalito; lazy hikes and good food with the best company and lovely views. We gave certain attractions a skip while we missed out on a couple which I would have liked to see. However, I have no regrets because that day was an amazing one!
I suggest you arrive early and plan to spend a full day here and visit atleast a few of the below attractions.
Golden Gate Vista Point: This view point provides fantastic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay.
Bay Area Discovery Museum: This is an indoor/outdoor museum inspiring kids’ creativity via interactive exhibits, a play space & art classes.
Marine Headlands: A 5 mile stretch of coastal basalt headland & habitat for bobcats, coyote, deer & abundant birdlife
Marine Mammal Center: All types of marine mammals are cared for & rehabilitated at this non-profit facility.
Battery Spencer: Fort Baker 19th-century concrete battery featuring panoramic views of Golden Gate & San Francisco.
Fort Baker: Former U.S. Army post with many historic buildings & trails overlooking the San Francisco Bay.
Rodeo Beach: Pebbly beach popular for surfing & sunbathing, with restrooms, trails, a lagoon & picnic tables.
Point Bonita Lighthouse: Historic active lighthouse reached by a half-mile trail; offers scenic ocean views, not to mention – an actual lighthouse visit!
If you are not inclined to any of these, then simply sit back and relax and let nature weave its magic on you. Sausalito is a must visit day trip destination from San Francisco.
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Durga Puja may be a religious festival but it is also a time for festivities and celebrations, of family and togetherness, of fun and enjoyment. In my last post, I shared with you the religious part of the festival – the rituals and the lores, the prayers and worship. Today I bring you the fun (and my favorite) parts of this grand festival – the gifts, the pandal hopping and the food.
Gifts
Pre-puja we i.e., Bengalis, embark on a mission of vigorous shopping. We shop for clothes, matching accessories and shoes for ourselves and for all relatives – it’s such fun choosing for parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, siblings. Then we visit each other’s houses to gift these clothes and accept ours in return. For me, since childhood, this has been one of the attractions of puja – new clothes! Donning our new clothes and getting all decked up, we then go out pandal hopping.
Shopping
“Pandal” Hopping
A pandal is essentially a marquee or a tent which is erected during any event or in an open space. But for Durga Puja, a pandal is not a simple marquee – it is an elaborate affair with designs and decorations which are mind-blowing. They are works of art; in fact there are artists hired to envisage a theme and design the pandal. While some pandals are basic structures consisting of interwoven colorful fabric, most are thematic, extravagant edifices which are honestly jaw-dropping. Months are spent in planning and executing those designs which include attention to minute details and the overall picture.
The pandals are the best part of the “pujo” according to me. I brave the sun, the foot aches from the walking and the exhaustion at the end of 5 days just so that I can go around the city and get to see all the marvelous pandals. Below are some of the best ones that I have seen over the years. Pictures speak better than words in describing the awe-inducing craftsmanship and ideation.
Pandal decorations made entirely of balloons
Ballons have inscriptions on them
Idol decoration of balloons as well
Cardboard painting decorations
Cardboard painting decorations
Cardboard painting idol
Pandal decoration to represent activity on the water
Inside the pandal depicts underwater life
Supporting the “Go Green” movement
Supporting the “Go Green” movement
Supporting the “Go Green” movement
Figures made of hemp rope
Figures made of hemp rope
Representing a bee hive
Representing a bee hive
Theme: Colour
Theme: Colour
Theme: Colour
Representing a regional culture in India – food, people, items
Culture of Rajasthan
Culture of Rajasthan
Culture of Rajasthan
Culture of Rajasthan
Woven figures
Handstitched canvas
Woven figures
Woven figures
Woven figure detailing
Origami decorations
Origami decorations
Origami decorations
Origami decorations
Clay lamp chandelier
Various dance forms of India -1
Closeup of the a dance form (in a claypot)
“Chhau” (masked dance form)
“Chhau” (masked dance form)
Ode to music – 1
Ode to music – 2
Cloth flower decorations
“Samundra Manthan”
Theme: Cartoons
Theme: Cartoons
Ceiling decoration – 3D map of Kolkata city
Ceiling decoration – 3D map of Kolkata city
Golden Temple pandal
Idol carried on a chariot
Some of the most beautiful Durga idols
Lighting
Apart from the pandals, there is the lighting. The whole city gets decked up in colours and lights during this time. Kolkata is never more beautiful than during Durga Pujo. All pujo have fancy lights to brighten up the decorations but some have intricate lighting panels depicting some story or some figures etc. Some examples here:
The Food
We Bengalis love food. We say we “live to eat, not eat to live”. I totally go by that mantra. The pujas just give us another excuse to splurge out and eat all sorts of food. Be it biryani or chowmein or kosha mangsho (meat curry) or our favorite Kolkata street food fare; cuisine doesn’t matter, we love to gorge on anything delicious! Between all that hopping between pandals, we will do our “pet pujo” meaning, worshipping our appetite. My favorites are:
Phuchka: fried puffed flour/semolina balls stuffed with spicy mashed potato and tangy water.
Chicken Roll: rolled flat bread stuffed with spicy chicken mixture.
Papri Chaat: mini flat flour tacos topped with a mix of potato, onions, peanuts and a sweet-tangy sauce.
Fish Fry – deep fried crumbed fish fillets.
Chicken roll. (PC: 4.bp.blogpost)
Phuchka (PC: Ribbons to pastas)
Papri Chaat (PC: The Kolkata Buzz fb page)
Chowmein Kolkata style (PC: NDTV food)
Fish Fry (PC: Zappfresh)
Jhal Muri (puffed rice spiced up with onions, tomato, masala) PC: Jiyo Bangla
Kolkata yummy food!
A Time to Just Be
In the busyness of everyday life, we barely get time to meet friends or family or to simply relax. Durga Puja is, at its root, a time to take a break from the rigors of life. We catch up with friends, meet our extended family, forget our stresses and just enjoy.
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It’s October! This means Durga Puja in Kolkata to me. Durga Puja is my absolute favorite festival. This is the time of the year I most look forward to – when I take a trip back to my hometown to celebrate the festival with family and friends. This post is dedicated to “Pujo”, as we Bengalis fondly call it – the “pandals”, the food and the rituals.
Durgotsav
Durgotsav literally translates to “the festival of Durga”. Held during the Bengali month of ashwin (gregorian calendar months of September/October), this festival celebrates Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon, Asura. The lore says, Durga was created by the gods to defeat the king of demons, Mahisasura. She was shaped as an epitome of female strength and was empowered with weapons in her 10 hands for the battle. She fought and emerged triumphant over evil.
Every year Durga, along with her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh, travels to her maternal home for 10 days. These 10 days mark the occasion of Durga Puja though the main celebrations are held from the sixth day, “Shasthi. Five days of festivities follow, at the end of which – on the 10th day, Dasami / Dussera – she returns to her marital home in Kailash (abode of Lord Shiva). This is symbolized by submerging the deity in the waters of the holy river Ganga.
Durja Puja is a sarbajanin festival meaning it is held for the people / masses. Generally they are held in para (colony/block) / area/ locality wise or in apartment buildings /societies rather than in individual houses. In older traditional zaminder families/houses, they are held in respective houses usually in their ancestral homes.
The Rituals
Puja (prayer) is conducted on each of the 5 days of the festival twice a day – morning and evening. Additionally, there are various special rituals carried out each day. Alongside all rituals and prayers, one traditional custom is the beating of drums or “dhaak“. Every year when I hear the dhaak bhajna sounds, it fills me with excitement and joy!
Puja ceremony in a traditional ancestral household
Bringing home Durga maa – on Day 5 “Panchami”
Evening “arati” to the beats of dhaak
Shasthi (Day 6)
This is when the festival officially begins. The devi’s face is unmasked on this day as part of the opening ceremony called bodhon. Then we carry out the“astradaan” ceremony wherein the goddess is armed with her weapons formally. She holds sword, chakra (discuss), trishul (trident), axe, bajra (thunderbolt), khitaka (mace), shankh (conch), padma (lotus), bow and arrow, snake in her 10 hands. Each of the weapons were gifted to her by each of the gods.
Traditional idols of Durga and her family.
Saptami (Day 7)
On this day, we bring home the wife of Ganesh – by bathing and worshipping her on the ghats of Ganga – lovingly called “kolabou snan”.
Kola bou snan
Ashtami (Day 8)
This day – considered to be the most auspicious day – sees us holding prayers at midnight “shandhi puja” by lighting 108 diyas (lamps) and offering 108 freshly bloomed lotuses (Padma ful). This is the day we offer our prayers with flowers at the goddess’ feet – “anjali” – in the morning. “Kumari puja” is also observed on this day when we worship a young girl whom we consider to be the form of the goddess Durga.
Shandhi Pujo
Navami (Day 9)
This is the day we perform the well-known “dhunuchi naach” where evening prayers (“aarti”) are accompanied by dance with incense lamps. This dance is art form in itself. One must watch to know the mesmerizing beauty – and fun! – of it.
Dhunuchi naach
Dasami (Day 10)
The last of the week-long festival (day 10), Dasami, is when womenfolk worship all five gods and goddesses, feed them sweets and water as a final goodbye ceremony. Then there is the playful “sindur khela” where we put vermillion (meaning: sindur) on each other’s faces and foreheads as a form of good wishes. This is a fun ritual which I love to participate in!
The idols are then taken to nearby pools / the Ganga as a procession which goes round the streets with people dancing accompanied by dhaak and shankh sounds as part of the goodbye ceremony. Finally, we immerse the idols in water – “bisarjan” – and bid the goddess and her family adieu with cries of “Bolo dugga ma-i ki jayy!” (meaning: Hail the Mother Durga).
Aasche bocchor abar hobe! (meaning: until next year).
Dasami rituals – last prayers and sweet offerings and sindur-khela. From my apartment puja.
Procession
Revelries
Visarjan – idol immersion
Shubho Bijoya!
After immersion, we take our elders’ blessing by touching their feet and exchange sweets to end the festival. Over the next few days, we visit family and friends, bringing home made sweet meats and offerings our well wishes and greetings for the year ahead.
So this was about the holy rituals and ceremonies observed during the festival. In the next post, I will be writing about the most fun parts of the “pujo” – the pandals and the food! Happy Puja everyone!
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Last Sunday, my favorite tennis player Rafael Nadal won his 20th major and 13th French Open title. I was ecstatic! I can’t explain this happiness people derive from sports but we sports fanatics get immense joy when our favorites win. This inspired me to write about the 2 instances of my brushes with tennis personally: the only time I watched a live tennis match –Davis Cup – and when I visited the home ground of one of the biggest tennis events – Wimbledon.
Davis Cup – India vs. Spain
Dreams do come true. And when they do, you still can’t quite believe that they have. For me, since the day I became a tennis fan, it had been a dream for me to watch Rafael Nadal play live. This dream came true one fine day out of the blue, when everything fell into place!
“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” – Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist.
How it came about
Pre-match Arrangements
One random day, while reading the newspaper, my husband saw an advertisement announcing that India’s Davis Cup tie with Spain was to be held in Delhi a week hence. He remarked as a joke: “Do you want to go?” Let me say here, I don’t live in Delhi – it’s a 2 hour flight away. But when I heard this, I jumped and said “Yess, let’s!!” (Husband had probably thought I would scoff and say duh!)
I was never going to get such an opportunity so I took the chance with both hands. Tickets were free!! However, they had to be collected in person from the venue! Thankfully, a relative of mine who’s a Delhi resident very kindly obliged to collect them for me. And, in the blink of an eye, flights and hotels were booked and we i.e. my husband and myself were ready for a weekend trip to Delhi! I am a very non-impulsive person and believe me this was not a small feat.
The day I awaited with bated breath finally arrived. We took a flight at an ungodly hour (caught it by a narrow margin) and landed in Delhi on D-day bright and early. After spending the day with aforementioned relatives, we made our way to the RK Khanna Stadium. It was match time!
RK Khanna Stadium, New Delhi
The day before, various news sources said that Rafa had caught a stomach bug and probably wouldn’t play. I despaired but held hope. Davis Cup matches don’t have fixed players since it’s a country match-up; contenders are announced moments before the match starts. So, praying with all my might, I entered the stadium. And, the first thing that met my eyes was – Rafael Nadal in a blue sleeveless t-shirt practicing on court!!! I stood transfixed. For a few (long) moments, I truly forgot everything else and just stared. Eventually I came round and we proceeded to our seats. The matchup was announced on the screen and Rafa would be playing!! It was a doubles match; India’s Leander Paes and Saketh Myeni vs. Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez.
First sighting
Team Spain…Rafa leading
Team India…Paes tailing
Spain doubles team
Indian doubles team
PLAYERS
THE Match
The match was an amazing contest. There was some superb tennis – long rallies, unbelievable DTL forehands, slashing backhands, powerful smashes and cheeky drop-shots. There were tense moments especially in the tie-breaker which lead to even more astounding tennis. That was my only live tennis match and the experience is unforgettable not just because I was watching Rafa but also because I realized what high quality tennis looks like at close quarters. The adrenaline was high and the atmosphere in the stadium was electric. Spain won 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4. Read detailed play-by-play here.
Toss
Serve
and Volley
Point!
Serve
Point!
Teamwork
In play
Well played!
Match photos
This was the only time when I did not root for India in a sporting event – sorryyy! However, while I was already a Rafa fan, that day made me a Leander Paes fan too. I knew he was a great player but that day I saw what he was made of. He played a high level of tennis and almost brought the match home to India. But Rafa was just too good. Rafael Nadal was pure poetry in motion. Powerful shots, calculated angles and that famous topspin! It was really a dream come true for me. I cheered for him throughout the match but I did applaud any and all good shots. Tennis won that day. It was truly the experience of a lifetime.
Wimbledon
I visited Wimbledon 2 years ago during my trip to London when I accompanied my husband on his office tour. While he was busy with his work, I went about exploring London. On one of the days in my week- long trip, I had the pleasure of taking the Wimbledon Tour Experience. Also included was the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum tour.
The Tour
I used my London Pass for booking the tour. The 90-minute long tours start every 30 minutes in front of the statue of Fred Perry, the famous British player. The tour guide explained about the history of the club from its foundation as All England Croquet Club and eventually to what it is today – home to the most prestigious Grand Slam, The Wimbledon Championships.
Starting from the outer small show courts – only viewed from the outside lanes – we moved on to the media center including the BBC studio from where the tournament is broadcast and commentators relay the game to the world. Next we walked through the players’ entrance – oh what a thrill it gave me! We were then taken to the main Press Interview room and each of us had a turn sitting at the table pretending to answer journalists’ questions. And, finally, the Centre Court! Though we weren’t allowed to actually get onto the court, we could access the upper galleries and look down upon the brilliant green court which still displayed the score from the last match held – the men’s single final of 2018 Wimbledon Championships. The feeling of awe and reverence held me in its thrall for a long time.
Players’ entrance
Show Courts
Winners’ board – Ladies’ Singles
Winners’ board – Gentlemen’s Singles
BBC Studio
WIMBLEDON TOUR EXPERIENCECENTRE COURT!
The Museum
The museum contains various tennis artifacts, interactive displays and films/videos about tennis history and/or events. There are tennis equipment used thought the ages, their evolution, tennis fashion, trophies and varied players’ souvenirs. The Museum tour comes with an audio guide (included in the overall Tour & Museum ticket) which gave further information and guided me through the museum. It took me about an hour or so to cover the whole museum. At the end there is a Museum Shop which sells Wimbledon themed collectibles and mementos. I have a purple-green umbrella and some pens.
London pass & Wimbledon ticket
Helpful Information
The address for Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and Tour Experience is:
All England Lawn Tennis Club (Championships) Ltd.,Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19.
Nearest railway station: Wimbledon (15 minutes from Waterloo)
Tours are held daily from 10 am to 5.30 pm except on The Championships days and 24-26th December + 1st January. Upon arriving, make your way to the Museum Shop to collect your tickets and guides.
My two tennis-related experiences occupy a special place in my heart and memories; experiences any tennis fan would feel privileged to undergo. I’m sharing it with you now as I take my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s My Friend Alexa.
Valour. Honour. Integrity. That’s what the Marathas stand for. Pratapgadh Fort situated in the Satara district of Maharashtra – land of the Marathas – is a statement of the Maratha courage and loyalty and one of the founding stones of the Maratha Empire.
A weekend trip to Mahabaleshwar turned out to be a mix of relaxation, fun, food and history. This was the only trip we were able to take in 2020 before our world got confined to our homes. 25 kms. away from the popular hill station of Mahabaleshwar lies the historical Pratapgadh Fort. We made a day trip to the Fort from Mahabaleswar and spent most of the afternoon learning about its fascinating history.
Pratapgadh Fort from the foothills
History
Located at 3500ft, Pratapgadh Fort is a veritable bastion of Maratha bravery and craftsmanship. It was built in 1656 by the talented architect Hiroji Indulkar and Prime Minister Moropant Pingle on the directions of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It marks the site of Shivaji’s famous win over Afzal Khan in the Battle of Pratapgadh. Afzal Khan’s tomb is located nearby (can be seen from the Fort) as an act of respect by Shivaji.
Battle of Pratapgadh
This battle was fought between the Shivaji’s Maratha forces and Afzal Khan – a 7.5ft tall giant weighing 285Kgs. It is said that Shivaji invited Afzal Khan to his Fort as a sign of truce. However, Afzal Khan betrayed the truce and brought along his army hidden at the entrance to the Fort, displaying use of guerilla warfare tactics. He then tried to kill Shivaji with a concealed dagger after Shivaji had welcomed him into this chambers. Shivaji retaliated and instead fought and killed Afzal Khan with his bare hands (so it is said). The Maratha army defended the fort and defeated the enemy. The cleverly constructed Fort was especially helpful in guarding the King and his armies.
Pravesh Dwar
The Fort
Ramparts
Fort Architecture
The Fort was constructed as a place of ruling for Shivaji but more importantly as a defense line against enemies. This is clearly visible in the architecture and layout of the Fort. It is perched atop a hill which makes approach difficult anyhow. Then the entrance is built in such a way that soldiers can observe all entries to the fort but are themselves invisible to the newcomers. The higher ramparts contain concealing places for the soldiers who could attack would-be invaders long before facing an attack themselves. The Fort drops away to sheer rock face on all sides which makes it impossible to access it from any angle.
Entrance gate
Angled entrance
Some of the 475 steps
Vijay Cannon
Temple with golden top
The Fort includes a 350 year old Hanuman Mandir where Hanumanji’s statue has a full face blessing hand and the Sadariya Khalbat Khana or the Diwani-i-khas. It also houses the Vijay cannon which has a 2.5 km range, now moved from its original position atop the hill to the entrance passage. The gomukh gate is located atop the Balli (meaning, small) killa. On display near the temple is a sword owned by a soldier which has stars on it to indicate killing of a 1000 men!
There are a total of 475 steps to reach the very top!!
Present Day
View from the Fort
Today the Fort is home to 40 families descending from the soldiers or the staff of the royal house. It is a tourist attraction due to its rich history and its scenic location. The view from the top of the fort is beautiful. The fort offers 360 degree views of the impressive Western Ghats. There are shops selling food, souvenirs etc. run by the aforementioned families. They are the caretakers of this Maratha jewel.
In 1957, a 16 ft. statue of Shivaji riding a horse was built in his honor. A beautiful garden has been constructed surrounding the statue.
16 ft. statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji
Indian Haat: When we had visited in February, there was an indigenous “haat” being held there. Local handicraft goods like bags, toys, hats, jewelry etc. were on sale. The colorful merchandise was very tempting and I bought a few knick-knacks.
Tip: Make sure to hire a guide to tell you about the enthralling history of the fort and the Maratha Empire. All the above information was gleaned from our guide who was a descendant of a Maratha soldier.
To Reach: We drove from Mahabaleswar which took around 45 minutes. You can also reach via train, nearest station is Satara.
Tip: Make sure to reach early to get parking near the entrance, otherwise it will be a bit of a hike to reach the fort if you park further down the hill.
Other activities in Mahabaleswar
Trek to Elephant’s Head viewpoint – this is the most famous viewpoint here, you can see the mountain shaped like the head of an elephant. To be honest though, after several attempts we could not figure out where that elephant was! The view in general though was picturesque.
Ride a boat on Venna Lake – Surrounded by mountains, this lake is a lovely spot for a serene boat ride.
Visit MaproGarden – Mapro offers a wide range of squashes, jams, ketups etc. They have a processing unit in Mahabaleswar (outskirts) and it is now a tourist attraction with restaurants, shops, picnic spots. A must try is their strawberries with cream.
Eat strawberries – Mahabaleswar is famous for strawberries and produces 80% of the country’s output! So be sure to try out some.
Buy leather shoes – This area is also known for its leather goods, especially shoes. There are shops galore so choose well.
While we did do the first and last activities, we chose to skip out the rest and relax at our hotel,Jameson Villa. It was a colonial era cottage with big grounds, large leafy trees, 2 cute dogs and good food. We enjoyed a game of badminton in the cool evening air before unwinding with a hot cup of tea on the verandah. Ah, pure bliss. It was a weekend well spent.
View from “Elephant’s Head”
Tip: It gets quite cool after sunset so remember to pack your jackets.
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Would you like to climb aboard the Hogwarts Express? Walk through the Diagon Alley, maybe stop at Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes? Visit Godric’s Hollow? Try a Butterbeer maybe? You can go crazy doing all these and more at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter, in London.
A Little History
Harry Potter is a phenomenon that has left few people untouched. The story of an orphaned boy who discovered he was wizard – a very famous one – took the literary world by storm in 1997. Soon, it pulled millions of readers – be it children or adult – under its spell. The book series – seven in number – were made into a movie franchise – consisting of 8 movies – which became equally big (if not bigger) than the books.
Harry Potter book set. Pic credit: Pinterest
The films were almost exclusively shot in the Leavesden Aerodrome (converted into studios) on the outskirts of London. Warner Brothers opened up the studios for public view to showcase the enormous talent and hard work that went into the making of one of the biggest film series in history.
Every Potterheadhas, at some point or another, wished that they were a witch or wizard. They kept hoping an owl would one day bring them a letter informing them that they could attend Hogwarts from September 1. They dearly wanted to try leaning against the ticket barrier between platforms 9 and 10 (at whatever train station) and see if anything happened – maybe they’d fall through and come face to face with the Hogwarts express? Each one of you have tried, haven’t you?
The “Making of Harry Potter” Studio Tour will give you a chance to do all of the above and more, much much more. So dive into the Pottermania along with me as I take my blog to the next level with Blogchatter‘s My Friend Alexa.
Making my way to Leavesden
How I got there
The closest station to the Studio Tour is Watford Junction. I took the train from London Euston which is a 20 minute journey. At the Watford station there are shuttle buses available leaving for the Studios, which depart every 30 minutes. This leg of the trip took 15 minutes. The last return bus is when the Tour closes at 10PM.
Tip: The bus ticket costs £3 but a Tour entry ticket/booking confirmation is needed to avail this service. Entry tickets cost me £41 each; current price is £47 + £9 for a digital guide and paperback souvenir.
Book entry tickets on their website (here) and convert to actual tickets at the Studios. Train tickets can be booked via trainline.
Tip: There are other indirect trains to Watford as well but they will take longer.You can also drive – directions are provided on their website. Bus Transfers are also available from Central London (prominent stations) in partnership with Golden Tours. Learn more here.
The shuttle bus
Magical Beginnings
The Great Hall
With nerves pinging with excitement, I entered the premises and was shepherded towards the start point of the tour. Rows of chairs sat facing a wall in front of which stood our guide. She explained something about the history of the studios which had been the home of these actors for more than a decade. As she finished her welcome, the wall behind her magically faded away to reveal the unmistakable doors to the Great Hall of Hogwarts! We all gasped. It was a wonderful beginning to what already promised to be a blast. Alohomora!
The Great Hall was occupied with the four house tables all laid out with cutlery (no, unfortunately they did not magically fill with food). Behind each table stood a shield to denote the house it belonged to. At the end of the huge room stood the top table with the teachers standing in front (life-sized mannequins) with Dumbledore leading with his speech. The walls were adorned with the Hogwarts crest while from the ceiling hung Hagrid’s carved pumpkins. The sheer amazing-ness of the Great Hall set the tone for the rest of the tour.
Tip: It is not a guided tour, you are allowed to roam around freely as you wish. You can however, book an audio guide as I mentioned above.
Rooms
Dormitory, Classes, Burrow
From the Great Hall, I moved into the next part of the tour which was basically the whole of Hogwarts. The starting aisle displays pictures and quotes from the movies, some videos of the actors’ experiences etc. which opens up to this huge room broken into sections / parts. This is where I wished I had a thousand eyes to look in every direction possible at everything at once. Wherever I looked, there was something unmissable.
There was the Announcements wall with framed notices beside which was the moving staircase. Then I looked up at the huge Hogwarts Clock beside which stood the stone griffin which guards Dumbledore’s office. One can also see the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets with the snake puzzle thingy. Press a button and the snake slides to open/close the door! There was also the Mirror of Erised. What do you think you’ll see in it? I’m keeping mine a secret.
Announcements Wall
Staircase to nowhere
Prefects’ bathroom taps
Fat Lady’s portrait
Dumbledore’s office entrance
Further ahead was the Gryffindors’ dormitory with 5 beds made up. It was fun identifying which was whose. Then there was the Gryffindor common room. Next came the classes – especially the Potions Class with self-stirring cauldrons. I then darted to the next room – Dumbledore’s office which stood complete with the books, portraits, the memory cabinets and the Pensieve. There was also Hagrid’s hut with pots and kettles hanging from the ceiling.
Gryffindor common room
Harry Potter’s dormitory bed
Potions Class
Ministry of Magic
Umbridge’s Room
The Burrow
Chamber of Secrets entry
“Magic is Might”
I also found a scene from the Burrow living room. To magically make things happen like they do at TheBurrow, I press a button and the iron automatically presses clothes and the knife chops the carrots automatically! Heee!! Then there was the Ministry of Magic (with green fireplaces) and Umbridge’s room (with pink belongings).
Before leaving this room, I took wand classes from an actual human teacher – swish and flick etc. movements and words! It was a fun 10 minutes.
Props
Costumes and Equipment
Scattered throughout this huge room were glass cases and shelves of props – the Time Turner, the Remembrall, the Golden egg from the 2nd task of Triwizard Tournament and what have you! Looking at these brought to mind the stories attached to them. On the side stood the box of Quidditch balls – there was Harry’s favorite the winged snitch! There were handwritten letters, the Marauder’s Map, school books, Daily Prophet papers and innumerable other small and big things. The sheer scale of work involved can be understood when you look at these props which were used to make the books come to life on the silver screen.
Assisting the props were the brilliant costumes. The room was interspersed with mannequins wearing Harry, Ron and Hermione’s costumes – be it their school robes, their Yule Ball fancy clothes or their Gryffindor colours.
Lastly, you can also view the Knight Bus, sit atop Hagrid’s bike or inside the flying Ford Anglia.
Animals and Creatures
Goblins, Dobby, Fawkes
The magical world includes a number of creatures and animals which were an indispensable part of the stories. Amazing special effects, prosthetics, make up and sheer talent that went into creating the incredible movies. From Dobby to Goblins to Lord Voldemort, all prosthetics, model animals were preserved for visual treat of viewers.
Places
Godric’s Hollow, Diagon Alley, Enchanted Forest
Enchanted Forest came at the very end of the huge room. The setup is so real and life like that I literally felt scared to enter and when Aragog descended from the ceiling suddenly I actually shrieked and ran. Anyway, I moved on eventually to bow before Buckbeak who bowed back at me!!
The penultimate part of the Studio Tour included famous places of the Harry Potter saga. You can pay tribute to Lily and James at the Potters’ residence in Godric’s Hollow or jump and catch letters at No. 4 Privet Drive.
But my favorite place was Diagon Alley. The narrow crooked road with all kinds of magical shops on both sides was breathtaking. It was as if it had come alive directly from the pages of the book. Gringotts, Ollivanders, and Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes! I went mad with excitement and joy, it was so brilliant.
The Letters from No one
The Potters’ house
Gringotts
Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes
Madam Malkins
Diagon Alley
Hogwarts Express
9 ¾ and Hogwarts Express
The absolute showstopper of this Studio Tour is Platform 9 ¾ and the Hogwarts Express. The shining scarlet train was brilliant to look at. I clicked what seemed like a thousand photos and posed with it as well. You can climb aboard it and walk down the passage to peer into the compartments, which has some props set up to awaken your imagination. At the very end is the food trolley filled with the students’ favorite sweets.
The Castle
Model, drawings
The last part of the Studio Tour is Hogwarts itself. These set of rooms are dedicated to the castle because an unimaginable amount of work went into making the castle what it was. Drawings, manuscripts with calculations, small scale model parts and a HUGE scale model of the castle and its grounds. This part of the tour will blow your mind away. You have to see it to believe it!
Hogwarts Castle Design
Shops
Wands, clothes, Butterbeer
Before you leave, don’t forget to do some shopping for mementoes and take-aways. There are 3 shops in the tour. Enchanted Forest shop has forest themed souvenirs; Studio Shop has wands, confectionary, clothes etc.; Railway Shop has train related gifts and clothes, sweets, house themed souvenirs. I bought a Hogwarts scarf, a Gryffindor notebook and a Slytherin ball-pen. I was so pleased with my loot. You can also check out their online shop.
Tip: Do try the Butterbeer, its supposed to be yummy; I unfortunately ran out of time to do that. It’s my one small regret.
Felix Felicis
The tour ends at the life-size model of the castle but what you saw will stay with you forever, it will keep you dreaming and star struck for ages to come. What I have mentioned here is only a part of what there actually is to see and imbibe in the tour. The 4 hours spent there seemed to fly by like that. It was like a little dose of Felix which kept me happy for a long time after I left the tour with a smile on my face.
Tip: I would suggest you consider to be there for at least 6 hours so you enjoy each and every tiny detail there is.
History was, and still is, being made. We all went through unprecedented times which aren’t over by a long shot. We were locked down inside our houses barely able to venture out except for essentials. Even though we are now in “unlock” phase, life has by no means returned to normal. It’s a doubt it ever will. For travel lovers like me, times are even tougher. Wanderlust is biting at our heels but there’s nothing to be done to appease it. Or is there?
Itching to travel?
Well, there is a close substitute we can opt for. We are in the digital age where all information is available at the tips of our nimble fingers. We can use this to our advantage to feed our travel thirsty cells.
The whole world has simply gone online – whether it is their work or shopping or socializing or entertainment. That is the only way to travel right now. Even if tourism, hotels etc. are opening up, we have a long way to go to be safe and free from this deadly virus. Until then, “virtual” is the way to be.
The various ways in which we can do so are enumerated below…
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
The social media and internet is filled with images of anything and everything. I choose to look at travel pictures posted by individuals or groups whether it be Insta or Twitter or Pinterest or blogs or plain old Google images. I follow Insta accounts of avid travelers who have been to places I would someday like to visit. Just ogling those images brightens my day.
For example, the picture below. It’s like I am there in Manarolo – walking along that brick path, hearing the chugging of that boat coming in to shore and feeling the impact of the amazing blue waters against the sheer rock face.
Manarola, Italy. Pic credit: cinqueterre.eu.com
Reflections…relive 10 days in 10 minutes
Revisit your own memories and travel back into that vacation again. I like to take out my pictures and scroll through them – it brings backs those experiences as if they were yesterday. It spawns a conversation like: “Remember when we climbed those 100 steps?“, “Heywasn’t this where we ate that yummy chilli chicken?”, “We got stuck in the snow here, remember?”, “We shopped till we dropped“. It’s like you live that trip again in those 10 minute conversations and pictorial memories.
Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India – from my trip last year
Live Vicariously
Visit blogs and read about/see another person’s journey. Blogs about travel, about exotic or ordinary places, about experiences will take you on virtual tours of places known and unknown. There are a few blogs and vlogs which I follow; through the narration of their visits, their experiences they take me to those places, help me get an idea of what a place looks, feels and sounds like.
Some of my favorite blogs are The Ordinary Traveler, Earth Trekkers, Wanderlust Crew and Our Escape Clause.
You can also look at the posts on my blog 🙂 I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter‘s My Friend Alexa.
Some of my favorite blogs
Knowledge is Power
Read up on the history, geography, culture, weather of places you would like to visit someday. Know more via Wikitravel, Google and similar websites, travel books etc. Knowledge helps you visualize, helps you create a picture of the place and will ultimately help you plan for your future travels.
About Italy on Wikitravel
From Britannica
Virtual Reality
You know what I discovered on a social media site?! There are virtual tours which you can go on! These are of varied locations, monuments etc. This particular one I saw was of Africa – a guide and a photographer will take us along and introduce us to an African national park and a prominent city. That sounded so exotic to me! I aim to join this and learn about the culture, heritage and simply enjoy a new country while sitting in India.
Virtual tour on Facebook
Think Ahead
The best thing to do now, in my opinion, is to plan for your next trip. Dream about where you want to go when the cursed lockdown is finally over or at least things are back to normal. Use this time effectively to make up your travel calendar – when to go where. The points I mentioned above are steps towards planning for your vacations. Research to your heart’s content while you’re working from home.
Look up images
Read up on the history of your destination
Know about other people’s experiences via TripAdvisor or,
Visit personal travel blogs. The blogs I mentioned are part of what I use to plan my trips actually.
Take virtual tours to understand more about the place before you even visit the place. Were we ever able to do this in the old times?
Planning keeps you satiated but also keeps you motivated to pursue your goal to visit lands unknown or revisit known places like maybe your favorite holiday spot.
Pic credit: VectorStock
Pic Credit: AMA Insider
Planning…
I hope this post made your day a little bit happier and helped to not lose hope but look forward to the future.
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ~ W.B. Yeats
Paris is beautiful. There is no other way to describe it. It is a visual treat, a balm to the mind and a joy to the heart. Sometimes famous things do not live up to the hype (one such example is mentioned later on in my post) but Paris will live up to all you have heard about it. The City of Love will win you over; clean bowled!
Not the Best Beginning but who cares?!
Long flight-challenges-excitement
Unlike my last foray, this time I did fly over international waters. I faced a few challenges upon landing – my luggage arrived at the very end, my international sim card didn’t seem to be working and then it took ages to locate Albert who was to receive me. It took over an hour to reach our destination – the Novotel (company-arranged) which is where I put up during my stay. I gave myself an hour to get freshened up since it was already nearing midday and then…I started my Paris sojourn. All this drama had not dimmed my excitement one iota; I kept thinking “I’m in Paris, I’m in Paris!”
Tip: The receiving area at the CDG airport is actually inside the airport itself. If you have reached the taxi ranks know that you have crossed that receiving lounge.
Tip: The Schengen visa process for France is a relatively simple one though it requires a lot of documents. You need to book an interview slot, be there to submit your documents, answer a few questions and get your biometric done. The visa should reach you in about 5/7 business days.
Day 1
Louvre-Monalisa-Street Music-Seine-Ile de la Cité-Notre Dame-Berthillon
I had planned extensively on what to do in the mere two days that I had to play tourist and I was eager to get started. You know what they say, “best laid plans…” I started out with my little “planner” diary but hit a literal roadblock almost immediately. The metro stop closest to my hotel was closed for renovation – in fact, so was a major chunk of the routes I had planned to use – since the day before. But, no worries, Google Map to the rescue; it was my savior then and throughout my trip! It rerouted me via buses/alternate metro stations to my 1st stop of the day – collection of my passes/The Louvre Museum.
Passes
There are various types available online – Paris Pass, Paris City Pass, Paris Pass’lib, Museum Pass, Transport Pass being the most common ones. These passes allow you to visit most attractions for free, give discounts on some activities (cruise, shopping, eating) and most passes also have the additional “skip-the-line” advantage. Based on which attractions I wanted to visit and the time I had on hand, I chose the Museum Pass and the Transport Pass. These would cover all museums plus some added attractions and my inter-city travel respectively; cost was also the most optimized.
Tip: The Paris Pass includes both travel and sightseeing but you will not be able to take full advantage of its benefits in only 2 days, trust me. It is also costlier than the Museum and Transport (2 days) pass combined.
Note: Eiffel Tower is not included in any of the passes, it requires a separate ticket altogether (which you can book online).
Street Music
Violinists – street music
I walked from the metro stop to the Tourist Office to collect my passes (ordered online). As I walked, I gazed at the buildings and streets – everything was so neat and colorful and just so pretty. On the way I chanced upon a group of musicians playing on the street – a mini orchestra with violins. I stood there and listened to the wonderfully melodious music for a while basking in the sunshine. I think I fell in love with Paris then.
Tip: Remember to pick up information booklets and city + transport maps of Paris from the Tourist Office. They are really helpful.
Armed with my passes, I walked to my first attraction of the day – The Louvre Museum. I skipped right to the front of the line due to my museum pass and entered the vast main hall, collected my tickets and an information booklet.
The LOUVRE
Louvre Pyramid
Ariel view of the 3 wings. Pic Courtesy: Inexhibit.com
There are 3 wings in the Louvre – Denon, Richelieu and Sully – named after notable Frenchmen. Each of the wings is spread over 5 levels and houses an unimaginable plethora of paintings, sculptures, antiquities of varied styles and from various eras dating as far back as 4000 BC!!
The Denon wing contains many of the best-known works of art, the Richelieu wing has sculpture terraces and apartments of Napoléon III and the Sully wing focusses on the history of the Louvre.
The Louvre is vast and it is impossible to see everything in a day; in fact, it is said you would need atleast a week to visit each of the exhibits! Well, I had only a few hours so, predictably, I chose the Denon wing which, among others, housed the famous ‘Monalisa’. [Currently, the painting has been shifted to Galerie Médicis in the Richelieu wing.]
The Denon wing had some really wonderful sculptures and paintings which I thoroughly enjoyed. I actually lost track of time in wonderment of the diversified artwork and ended up spending over 3 hours there – and I had only covered a fraction! – but it was an amazing 3 hours.
Ceiling Fresco
Egyptian art
I exited from the museum proper onto the courtyard in front of the famous Louvre glass pyramids and spent some time taking photos and feeling star-struck. I fondly remembered the last scene of the Dan Brown novel and (the movie buff and geek that I am) recalled the last poem,” The Holy Grail…”
The Louvre also includes the Carrousel and Tuileries Gardens and the Musée Eugène-Delacroix. They are situated at 5- and 15-minutes’ walk from the Louvre respectively. The Tuileries Gardens is known for its flower beds and shaded groves and is an open-air sculpture museum. Do visit these if you have the time; I didn’t since I spent way too much time inside the museum.
Monalisa
I may be crucified for what I am about to say but the Monalisa disappointed me; it didn’t really amaze me and left me puzzled as to its fame. But I am not an art connoisseur and am probably wrong. It is a small painting really, hanging solitary on a huge wall and cordoned off within 4 feet. There was quite a crowd in front of it, all snapping away gaily. I, however, did feel a sense of awe knowing that I was in the presence of the most famous work of the great Leonardo Da Vinci.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Monalisa
The one painting which I did love and was awed by was the Wedding Feast at Cana by Veronese which hangs on the opposite wall of Monalisa. Measuring 22 ft. by 32 ft. this painting was fascinating.
Wedding Feast at Cana by Veronese
Île de la Cité and Seine
From the Louvre I took a bus to the next stop on my agenda – the Notre Dame Cathedral. The cathedral is located on “Île de la Cité”. The Ile de la Cite is an island which lies at the centre of Paris and is connected via bridges to the mainland. It is a charming place with cobbled streets, vibrant shopfronts and cute houses.
My bus stop was actually on this side of the Seine River and I walked across one of the bridges to the island. It was a pleasant stroll in the breezy afternoon and I stopped midway to enjoy the beautiful picture the river posed. There were several street performers on the bridge as well – singers, magicians (I enjoyed that for a few minutes) and guitarists. The atmosphere was such a joyful one!
NOTRE DAME
A few minutes’ walk into the Ile de la Cité will bring you to the Notre Dame Cathedral. It took almost 200 years to build this glory of Gothic architecture which was the largest religious building in western Europe until the mid-13th century. This symbol of medieval Paris is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Notre Dame allows free entry into the cathedral proper. As a result, the queues were huge on a Saturday – it would take me atleast 2 hours! So, I chose an alternative.
Notre Dame cathedral facade
The towers of Notre Dame are its most famous feature. Victor Hugo’s famous novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame described them as “beautifully balanced parts of a magnificent whole”. This is where I headed. Entry to the towers are chargeable but I got free entry via my museum pass although there was no skip the line allowed and I had to stand in queue (much smaller one than the cathedral one). Visitors are allowed to go up in groups of 20 every 10 minutes.
To get to the top of the tower, I had to climb 400 steep steps which kept getting narrower the more I arose. The first stop was the Chimera gallery which gets its name from the statues gracing the façade; the most famous one is “styrga”.Next comes the south tower belfry which houses the cathedral’s 2 largest bells dating back to the 17th century!
After the strenuous climb, I was awarded with the most stunning view – the entire city of Paris laid out in an incredible vista before me. I could see the Eiffel Tower, the gleaming Sacré-Coeur, the Seine and the pretty houses of Paris. It was one of the best experiences of Paris for me. I stayed there for ages just gazing out at the beautiful sight.
Stairs to the tower top
Views from Notre Dame tower top – city of Paris
Eiffel Tower as seen from Notre Dame tower top
Notre Dame bell
Views from Notre Dame tower top – river Seine
Gargoyles
Crepes and Berthillon
It was now time for lunch. This was when I understood one thing about Parisians – they love and almost always eat, al fresco. You will find the inside of restaurants empty, but the outside tables brimming with patrons. But the Indian in me couldn’t bear to sit in the sun for so long – I ate inside. I chose French baguette ham sandwich and crepes for my meal. The baguette was melt in your mouth tasty and the crepe was to die for! Perfect introduction to French cuisine.
I followed up that delicious meal with ice cream from Paris’ famous shop Berthillon; one scoop of salted caramel and raspberry each. O my my, the cold creamy goodness made my day!
Crepes
Ice cream!
Berthillon
I wanted to end the day with shopping; however, when I made my way to this shopping district – Latin Quarter – all shops were closed!! So, I roamed the pretty streets just looking into and admiring storefronts before heading back to my hotel. On the way back, the bus stops confused me a bit and I got lost – Google maps turned me round and round in search of a particular bus stop for almost an hour! Thankfully, I spotted it in the end after which I called it a day.
Tip: Most shops (not restaurants) close by 7PM and are closed on Sundays as well, so plan your shopping stints accordingly.
Tip: Strange and notable thing about Paris bus stops – there may be a stop A and there may be a stop B but sometimes there may be a stop A-B. So, when you are looking for a hyphenated name most always it is an in between stop on a small by-road.
I began the next day nice and early. The first agenda of the day – the Eiffel Tower!! A 45 minute metro ride and a 10 minute walk took me to Champs de Mars, the location of the Tower.
EIFFEL TOWER
The first sighting of the icon was when I was about 2 minutes away from the actual location and its sheer size amazed me. But the real wonder of it dawned on me when I finally stood in front of it. The Eiffel Tower was breathtaking! Towering 1063 ft. above ground, the wrought-iron lattice structure is a thing of beauty.
The Eiffel Tower
There are 3 levels – the top one being at 906 ft.! To buy tickets, I had to stand in line for almost 1.5 hours and the top level got filled out by the time it was my turn, unfortunately. There is a limit to people allowed on each level due to space crunch and top level being significantly narrower, gets crowded quite soon. I was told I could go up once it freed up a little. Though slightly disappointed, nothing could dampen my mood on this gorgeous sunny day.
Tip:The first 2 levels are part of the normal entry ticket while there is an extra charge for the top-level observation deck. Tickets can be bought online but remember to book it well in advance. Online tickets will state date and time and will save you standing in line.
I rode the lift to the first floor – it’s an angled rise along the “legs” of the tower. The elevator ride itself is an exhilarating experience. You can also take the stairs but it will be a daunting task – believe me because I climbed down them and the steps seem never ending. The view from the 1st 2 levels of the tower is a phenomenal one. The 360-degree view of the Paris landscape is mesmerizing. I spent a long time simply admiring the view until it was time for me to leave.
Panoramic view from 2nd floor of Eiffel
2nd floor viewsAt the base of the monument is a head statue of Gustave Eiffel, an ode to the creator of this incredible monument which is a wonder of the world.
Walks
Random photos from street walks
After I descended from the tower, I spent some time photographing it from the lawns of Champs De Mars. I then walked to my lunch appointment with a relative. Walking in Paris was one of my favorite memories of the city. Colorful alleys shaded by trees and pretty houses all make the soul so happy. This time I had lunch al fresco keeping in trend with the Parisians – it was an enjoyable experience. Post lunch, we spent some time roaming the streets, over the numerous bridges – most notable The Pont Alexandre III. Strolling along the river with the breeze on my face will forever be etched on my mind. We ended up at my next sightseeing attraction – The Orsay Museum.
MUSEE D’ORSAY
The Orsay Museum is a renovated railway station which was inaugurated for the World Fair 1900. It was converted to a museum in 1986. It boasts of a diverse range of paintings, sculptures, photography which represent the evolution of western world art from 1848 to 1914.
Monet Blue Water Lilies
Self Potrait of Van Gogh
Art @Orsay Museum
Orsay Museum was more my kind of museum – I admired and just loved the paintings because I understood them, they were more identifiable and overall appealed to my novice senses. Monet’s famous “Blue Water Lilies” resides here and is enthralling to look at. Degas, Manet, Van Gogh, Gauguin – amazing collections of these famous artists blew my mind. I enjoyed wholly and whole heartedly here. The high arched ceilings draw your gaze while what captures your heart is the massive Victorian station clock at the end of the building – a remnant of the original building. This is a definite must visit, I recommend!
SAINTE CHAPELLE
After spending almost the whole 2nd half of the afternoon at the Orsay, I made my way to the last attraction of the day – the Saint Chapelle.
Located in the center of Île de la Cité, the Saint Chapelle is a royal chapel of the Palais de la Cité. It was built between 1242 and 1248 as per Louis IX’s wishes to house the relics of the Passion of Christ. The relics were displayed in the upper chapel while the lower chapel was a place of worship for the palace staff.
Lower chapel
Today, the lower chapel houses a statue of the Virgin Mary and, on its left wall, the oldest wall painting in Paris – a 13th century fresco depicting the Annunciation. The upper chapel is a thing of wonder – its brilliance leaves you dumbstruck! The reason is the famous stained-glass windows which are breathtaking.
The 15 tall, arched and glamorous stained-glass windows contain 1113 scenes depicting the story of mankind from Genesis to Christ’s resurrection. 14 of these are to be read left to right, from bottom upwards, while the 15th which tells the story of the relics are read boustrophedonically. Boustrophedonically means reading from bottom upwards and alternate lines are read in opposite directions – left to right then right to left. The windows left me gaping at them while I tried to absorb the magnificence of the shimmering and dancing colours and patterns.
SEINE Cruise
My last activity of the day was a different kind of sightseeing – a cruise. I took a cruise on the Seine river. The cruises run from 10.30am-10pm and are of three types – lunch, dinner or plain sightseeing. I chose the last one. There are various companies offering their services but upon reading reviews I settled on Bateaux Parisiens.
Aboard the deck of the panoramic boat, I looked up at the towering Eiffel again and admired it – the cruises depart from the foot of the monument. One glance at this wonder is simply not enough. Once the cruise began, though, I had a lot else to look at. The 1-hour ride with commentary was another memorable experience in Paris. The wind in your hair while you glide through the water, under arching – and sometimes dangerously low – bridges, with the pretty city of Paris surrounding you – it is just the most amazing feeling! The tour gave glimpses of Les Invalides, La Place de la Concorde, L’Assemblée Nationale, La Conciergerie among others.
Cruise scenes
All too soon, we were turning back to return to our starting point but not before one last surprise. As evening fell and we approached the end of the cruise, the Eiffel Tower lit up in welcome and did its light dance – they sparkled and winked for 5 minutes and was the perfect end to my cruise and the day. My love for Paris was cemented in place.
Day 3 & 4
Work-French Food-Bye
This was a work trip and that’s what took up most of the next 2 days – work and some more work. However, at lunch and the end of each day, we i.e. my colleagues and I went out for French food. Those 4 meals were filled with classic French cuisine – confit duck, flammekueche, a fabulous starter with pork fat tuna and last but not the least – blue cheese! The foodie in me was entirely satisfied.
After 4 ½ days in Paris, it was then time to say goodbye to this beautiful city which had made a permanent place in my heart.
Some places which I missed out on due to scarcity of time, are mentioned below.
In summary, for a 2-day Paris trip:
Day 1: Louvre, Tuileries Garden, Notre Dame (do not miss the tower!), Arc de Triomphe & Champs-Élysées, Pantheon, shopping.
Day 2: Eiffel Tower, Orsay Museum, Sacré-Cœur, Saint Chapelle, Seine Cruise.
They say “there’s a museum at every corner in Paris”, so be sure to take in your quota of atleast 2-3 museums when in Paris. I had sorely wanted to visit the Palace of Versailles but it is located quite a bit outside the city and the journey to and from would be about 3 hours. Sadly, I had to let that dream go.
2 days barely scratches the surface of Paris but it will give you a taste and feel of what an amazing city it is and will leave you wanting more. I know that I am definitely going back there some day for an encore.
Tip: There is fear of pickpockets in most of the tourist spots, so it is advisable to not use backpacks; rather wear your bag cross-bodied and keep your belongings close to you and within your eyesight at all times. This is something a lot of people have advised me including resident Parisians.
One never forgets their first international trip, I believe. A scope to see what the world outside your world looks and functions like. Dubai was a realization of fantasies, of images transforming to actual 3D! When the opportunity to visit Dubai arose as part of my work, I jumped at the chance. I waited with bated breath for the day to arrive when I would fly over international waters (not literally in this case).
Godspeed
Arrival-Fancy Lodgings
I arrived in Dubai late on a Sunday evening along with a colleague (my boss to be precise). It is just over 3 hours from Mumbai to DXB airport. We flew Emirates which, in my opinion, is the best airlines ever. Visa procedure is quite simple for UAE; in my case it had been arranged by my company.
Tip: Single females need to get a permission slip signed by their guardian for travel to UAE. However, the rule may have changed in the last 5 years, please check the same.
We stayed at The Sheraton Hotel, Deira. Deira is the erstwhile commercial center of Dubai. It is an area which caters to tourists with its many hotels and restaurants. Since the booking was done by my company, I did no research for this part. I can say though, this was a superb hotel with an amazing breakfast spread!! For me, that was the standout. Location wise it was great as well, since it was surrounded on all sides with restaurants and shops within walking distance. The main tourist attractions were also close by – a 20-minute cab ride away.
All That Glitters
First look-Teaser
My first impression was that Dubai was so shiny! Everything gleamed and twinkled as we made our way from the airport to the hotel. The roads were wonderful, there was no traffic to speak of, and all around me glass and chrome buildings sparkled. I couldn’t wait to go out and explore this magnificent city.
In the backdrop of all this was the heat. Even in the month of September, it was crazy hot in Dubai (and I’m from India!). In the daytime, the “loo” wind was like a sharp slap to the face – oppressively hot. It is only then you are reminded of the fact that Dubai is in fact a desert. Other than that, the opulence of the city, the brilliant greenery (which is missing in Mumbai even) can make one easily forget that the Emirates are supposed to be a desert.
All Work and No Play
Work-but yummy food
The first 3 days in Dubai were spent in work – 9 to 7 – meetings, work, work and some more work. Those first 3 days, most I saw of Dubai were the streets, inside of cabs and the hotel room. I did get some chance to go out for dinners to the nearby restaurants in Deira and try out Arabic and middle-eastern cuisine. It was lip-smackingly delicious – kababs, breads and hummus!
We did go for some shopping in local supermarkets and gift shops. There was nothing to write home about in those shops but buying even normal stuff in a foreign country feels so thrilling!!
Tip: For foreign currency, in my experience, the best way is to use your credit card for payment rather than forex cards because in the end the card payment comes cheaper after exchange rates and GST.
Sharjah
Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
Dubai Mall-Burj Khalifa-the Souks
Finally, though, the day arrived when I could play tourist. On the penultimate day in Dubai, we got off work early. So, we set off to explore Dubai. We headed to the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa.
Dubai Mall
Dubai Mall is the second largest shopping mall in the world and hosts top brands of any imaginable category. It is so huge that simply walking from one end to the other would take hours! We took quite a bit of stops in between at various shops especially the candy shop. So many varieties of candy – it is very tempting to even grownups let alone children.
Dubai Aquarium
Candy!
@Dubai Mall
The mall houses the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, which apparently has 300 species of marine life. I unfortunately did not enter the actual zoo due to lack of time, but I did see the aquarium. I stood gawping at the beautiful and varied collection of fishes for ages. Do visit this place from the inside when you are there.
It also has a beautiful wall of waterfall that is a piece of artwork. In addition, the mall has direct access to the Burj Khalifa, which is located right beside it. The “At the Top” entrance to the Burj Khalifa is actually inside the mall itself. You can purchase tickets to the top view decks from inside the mall.
Tip: Tickets for top deck view were for $95 – 4 years ago. If you book in advance online, they are much cheaper.
There is also an air-conditioned footbridge which connects the Mall metro station to the mall directly. With so much going on, the Dubai Mall is a must-visit on a trip to Dubai if only to be amazed by its sheer size!
Burj Khalifa
BURJ KHALIFA
The iconic landmark of Dubai, Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. It stands tall at more than 2700 ft. while its spire is another ~2700 ft. The Burj Khalifa is 165 stories high and includes commercial, corporate and residential floors. At the top, it has viewing decks open for tourists which gives a panoramic view of the entire city of Dubai.
I, however, did not get the time to go upto the view decks. I did go to the front of the building and oh my! Let me tell you it is a sight to behold! Calling it huge is an understatement but craning your neck up to look at the lit-up façade is an amazing feeling.
Tip: You aren’t allowed to stop in front of the structure for only viewing purposes, so the best photo-taking opportunity is to enter nearby streets and stop for a while.
The Souks
The last day in Dubai, we had just an evening free before our flight back to India. We decided to visit the famous Dubai “Souks” i.e. markets. There are three main bazaars – Gold Souk, Spice Souk and Perfume Souk. What amazing sights we got to see!!
If I’d thought Dubai glittering before, it was nothing compared to the souks. Dazzling with colors of all kinds, it was a place to get lost in wonder. The blindingly bright gold souk with series of gold shops on both sides of the long canopied street, beckoned me. Even though I was sorely tempted, I resisted and did not buy anything.
Tip: Even though the 24k gold is cheaper than elsewhere, the making charges are actually higher than in India. Do keep that in mind while gold shopping. Also, customs only allows Rs. 50,000 worth of stuff to be imported into India.
The spice souk is an assault on the senses – colors and smells of varying kinds. Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and the most famous of all – saffron. Saffron is of the highest quality here and at very reasonable prices.
Lastly, my favorite one – the perfume souk! The shops here were so attractive! There were rows and rows of perfumes in fancy bottles lined up on the shelves. We chose a shop at random and entered. I had such a gala time there exploring the innumerable perfumes. Sweet, spicy, sharp, subtle – you name it they had it. I bought 4 types of perfumes which they packed for me in these cute tiny bottles. To this day, they are one of the best fragrances I have ever used.
Apart from these main ones, there were the usual touristy shops and I did buy a few mementos – magnets, postcards, keyrings and the like.
Tip: Be ready to haggle and choose wisely.
Spice Souk. Pic credit: Musafir
Alvida
The time in Dubai seemed to be over so quickly. All too soon, it was time to return home. Before that, one last memory of Dubai was its airport. Dubai Airport is enormous and is a mall in itself. Roaming the shops was quite a good time and I did some duty free shopping of chocolates, make-up and more perfume (eek!). An apt way to say good-bye to this city.
There are a few experiences we all wish to have some day. Call it the Bucket List if you will. One such wish of mine was to be in the midst of live snowfall. I hail from Kolkata in India and the coldest we get there is 10 deg. C. Snowfall was like a fantasy to me. My first experience with snowfall was in Auli, Himachal Pradesh. But that did not lessen the wonder and joy I felt when it started to snow on the way to Sandakphu from Tumling.
I visited Tumling with my family during the 1st week of January this year. It was a 2-day visit but it was an experience of a lifetime! It is such a quaint and picturesque village that I felt like simply roaming the streets and just staring in wonder at the beauty that surrounded me. Tumling has a rustic charm that beckoned me and got me hooked.
Tumling in panorama
Day 1
Maneybhanjyang-Land Rover-Tumling
We traveled to Tumling in a hired car (pre-booked) from Darjeeling. The car took us only upto Manebhanjyang, a pit stop for every traveler. It takes about 1.5 hrs to reach there – a distance of 26 kms. The drive is a pleasant one, with cold winds and amazing views of the Himalayas.
Tip: The fare from Darjeeling is in the range of Rs. 1500-2000 but do negotiate on this, especially if it is off-season.
Beyond Maneybhanjyang, conveyance is all under the control of the Land Rover Owners Welfare Association. There is no option other than hiring a car from the association. The rates for the cars are fixed based on your end destination, whether it is a round trip and whether or not you want the car to stay “overnight”. There are 2 types of cars available – an actual Land Rover or a Bolero (4-wheel drive); allocation is based on your destination (Tonglu/Tumling or Sandakphu).
Tip: Overnight means, the same car will be back the next morning to pick you up; the car doesn’t actually stay overnight. So be sure to let your driver know of your early morning plans if any. (In case your end destination is Sandakphu, then the car will stay over.)
Car rate card for Singalila National Park destinations
We hired a car for Sandakphu. This was actually a spur of the moment decision, one we were both thankful and regretful for the next day. I’ll explain why further on.
Tumling
Tumling is a tiny village located on the border between India and Nepal at an altitude of 2970 m (~9750 ft). It is an open border and you never even realize when you cross over to another country altogether. There is a stone pillar-ish outcrop that says “BHARAT” meaning, India. So the road to the village belongs to India but the actual village is in fact in Nepal.
It is a part of the Singalila National Park. To enter the national park, we were charged a fee of Rs. 100 per person and per car, per day. Singalila hosts a wide variety of flora and fauna, the most noted of which is the Red Panda. We, however, did not have the fortune to encounter one.
On the way to Tumling, we stopped at the village of Meghma to visit a famous monastery around 70 yrs old. Sadly the monastery itself was closed for prayer. But OMG the views from there are stunning and worth a visit for that reason itself! And there’s a cute little shaded bench on the edge on the mountain, where you can sit for eons and enjoy the view.
View from Meghma
Stupas @ Meghma Monastery
Monks enjoying a game of cricket
Reaching Tumling at about noon – 1 hour 15 minutes from Manyebhanjan – we were met with freezing weather and biting cold winds. But the village itself looked like a picture postcard! The car bumped along broken roads to drop us at our hotel – Shikhar Lodge.
Tip: Shikhar Lodge is a picturesque lodge with great services. Other lodges in Tumling are – Siddhartha Lodge, Satkar Lodge and Mountain Lodge.
The village of Tumling
Dumping our luggage, we took a walk about the area. The cold was enervating and we embraced it. We took some snaps against our cute little lodge, of the fabulous views of the hills and of us smothered under layers! Lunch consisted of simple homemade food – rice, daal, sabji and egg curry. The smoking hot, delicious meal was the perfect antidote to such cold weather.
Post lunch, we took off to explore this picturesque village. Tumling has only about 10-15 houses altogether, including lodges and teensy shops. Time slid away as we walked along the village road with a breathtaking mountain panorama spread out in front of us. We walked up the road leading to Sandakphu, upto a small temple at the crest of that road, where prayer flags fluttered wildly in the breeze. It was an enjoyable walk and the view coupled with the cold was wonderfully refreshing.
Prayer flags – Tumling
Road to Tumling
Evening was colder still so the lodge guys lit a fire for us creating a warm cozy atmosphere. Hot tea and pakodas while roasting our hands in front of the fire! That was a memorable evening and exactly what you’d imagine when visiting such places.
Tip: Wear layers – thermals, jackets, sweaters – as well caps, gloves and socks. Cover your nose as that keeps the warmth within.
Tip: Lodges are basic so be prepared. It would be better to have meals at the lodge itself since there aren’t any restaurants around, only one small snacks shop making momos and the like.
Day 2
Sunrise that wasn’t-unreachable Sandakphu-Snowfall!!
We woke up at 5 am and layered up to go out and watch the sunrise. Breaths freezing in our lungs – ZERO degrees!! – we climbed the mountain. Alas! It was a cloudy day and we couldn’t see a thing. On a clear day, the sun-rays sparkling on the Kanchenjunga would have made for a stupendous view – a golden Sleeping Buddha!
Tip: Be sure to catch the sunset in the evening.
Nepalese bread – sweet but yummy!
Sandakphu
View from Sandakphu. Pic credit: Wikipedia
Sandakphu is the highest peak in West Bengal (India) and Mechi (Nepal). It is known for its magnificent views of four of the world’s highest peaks – Mt. Everest, Mt. Kanchenjunga, Mt. Makalu and Mt. Lhotse. Sandakphu-Phalut is a popular trekking destination – the route beginning in Maneybhanjan and going through Tumling. Nowhere else in the world will you have this privilege of looking at the highest peaks of the world at the same time!
Sandak-Phu routes and distances
It was a cloudy day and there were forecasts of bad weather as the day wore on. Our car arrived late and we had to make a decision whether to abort our Sandakphu plan or not. Ultimately, we decided to take the risk – we would go until the point where it was feasible and then get back.
This journey offered us a different type of scenery – towering oaks and rhododendrons creating an arched pathway for us. This drive was one of the most scenic I have ever experienced. And then, partway into the ride, it started to snow.
On the way to Sandakphu
Wow!! We started in wonder at the snow as it rapidly carpeted the road. We stuck out our hands and tried to catch the snow (so childish I know!). Stopping at some random place, we got off to take some photos. But it was so cold, so cold that we got back into the warmth of the car pretty quickly. Crossing Jaubari, Gairibas and Kayakatta, we reached Kalapokhri, a mere 5 kms away from Sandakphu.
Kalapokhri was beautiful; it has a small holy lake and a cute temple residing among the mountains. It was beyond FREEZING by the time we reached there and snowing heavily. My hands were numb and my fingers barely moved as I tried taking photos. Standing in the midst of the buffeting wind and snow though, that feeling was unparalleled.
Kalapokhri
We spent about 15 minutes there after which the cold forced us to retreat into the car. Going further was pointless and risky so we decided to turn back from Kalapokhri. The journey back was fraught with tension. We were held up for a long time, since other cars were stuck in the 4-inch deep snow. Eventually we reached Tumling, picked up our luggage and drove back to Maneybhanjyang, and further onto Siliguri for our return to Mumbai the next day.
We regretted not being able to see the view from Sandakphu but boy were we thankful we got to experience the snow! It was a superb adventure!
Tip: The drive to Sandakphu is about 2.5 hours from Tumling and about 1.5 hours to return. Maneybhanjyang to Sandakphu return trip is about 6-7 hours. So, plan your trip accordingly. You can even stay at Sandakphu itself, it has homestays.
If you are looking for a vacation to a place off the beaten path, look no further than this charming village straddling the border. It is THE idyllic vacation which will relax and freshen your mind.
