Traveller India

e`e @ e @
Happy Places
GOA COPENHAGEN TAIPEI TUSCANY
WHY EVERYBODY LOVES SOAKING UP SOME DRAGONS AND MYSTERY AND BEAUTY AT
THE SUNSHINE STATE DANISH CHEER DUMPLINGS A YOGA RETREAT
n a t i o n a l g e o g r a p h i c t r av e l l e r i n d i a
DECEMBER 2016
CONTENTS Vol 5 Issue 6
HAPPY PLACES
56 64 74
EVERYBODY LOVES GOA HOW DANES SPELL THE GETAWAY GAME
From experiencing susegad to holidays HAPPINESS A mad dash to Taipei for 72 hours of
without agenda, there is always a new lease Outdoors and insoaking up some dragons and dumplings in a city that soars
on life in the sunshine state Copenhagen cheer Text by Mickey Rapkin
By Saumya Ancheri, Neha Dara, Kamakshi By Saumya Ancheri Photographs by Dina Litovsky
Ayyar, Fabiola Monteiro, Diya Kohli, and
Niloufer Venkatraman
90 97 JOURNEYS
CHASING VENUS BLISS INDEX
Mystery, beauty, yoga, and missing Be it snow yoga in Montanas mountains
baggage on the trail of Botticellis goddess or booze-free raves in Shanghai, these 102
in Tuscany 11 experiences provide a mental and THE SONG OF TRINIDAD
Text by Melina Bellows physical reboot Drumming and dancing, singing birds
Photographs by Catherine Karnow Text by Jennifer Barger and sound wavesthis Caribbean island
Illustration by James Taylor marches to the beat of its own steel pan
Text by Eric Felten
Photographs by Aaron Huey
L. TOSHIO KISHIYAMA/MOMENT OPEN/GETTY IMAGES
64
Copenhagen, Denmark
8 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

30
VOICES
DECEMBER 2016 `150 VOL. 5 I S S U E 6 N AT G E O T R AV E L L E R . I N
52 Take Five
Inspired spaces where artists and writers once lived
20 Clan Rules
Discovering a new world, one bicycle ride at a time SHORT BREAKS
22 Guest Column From Mumbai

A well-travelled Dalai Lama defines the journey Happy Places 116 From a century-old guardian deity to chic cafs
GOA COPENHAGEN TAIPEI TUSCANY
to happiness WHY EVERYBODY LOVES

THE SUNSHINE STATE
SOAKING UP SOME
DANISH CHEER
DRAGONS AND
DUMPLINGS
MYSTERY AND BEAUTY AT
A YOGA RETREAT
and pubs, a day in Pune straddles many eras

ON THE COVER Stay
N AV I G AT E From high mountains
ASTRAKAN IMAGES/APELGA/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (CAF), WLDAVIES/E+/GETTY IMAGES (GIRAFFE)

to big cities, some special 120 Cocooned in comfort at the Ahilya Fort by the
24 Wellness spots around the globe Narmada river
From Bihar to Krakow, spiritually and physically ll visitors hearts
moving pilgrimages and minds with good
40
cheer. This image by
26 Book Extract Canadian photographer
Fierce and friendly encounters with the tigers of Lise Gagne captures the
Ranthambhore National Park joy of a group of friends
at New York Citys tourist
30 The Essence hotspot Times Square, as
Learning the Swedish art of fika, with coffee, sweet
they take a sele.
treats, and a friend
34 Tech Travel
Discovering Bengaluru on a techie treasure hunt
40 48 Hours
Wildlife, modern skyscrapers, and Swahili culture
mingle in Nairobi city
LISEGAGNE/ISTOCK (COVER)
46 The Experience REGULARS

Stepping into a Famous Five adventure at a
lighthouse in Wales
14 Editors Note
50 The Comeback 16 Notebook
Inside the newly restored Royal Opera House 122 Inspire
in Mumbai 128 Travel Quiz

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Editors Note | N I LOU F ER VEN KATRA M A N
THE HAPPY-MAKING TREAT
M
y friend has a zero-ending the excitement in our home is steadily rising.
birthday coming up in a few Though the departure is still a month away, my
days. In celebration of this daughter asks a new question every dayabout
milestone, she is being treated meeting lions, and giraffes, and hippos, and her par-
to two back-to-back surprises ents friends shes never seen before. Well before
she definitely never suspected the trip even begins, the anticipation is generating
or imagined. Last week she travelled to Bangkok warm, fuzzy delight.
for a weekend with a friend. To her great surprise, Every now and again I find it absolutely essential
the husband had organised for three more of her to plan such a treat. It doesnt need to be associated
girlfriends from around the world to be there as with a milestone birthday or anniversary, though of
well. And the ladies have now whisked off for a few course those are great excuses too. With the kind
days in Chiang Mai. That girly-holiday treat which of stressful urban pace we keep, a trip anywhere at
Facebook tells me includes zip lining, base jump- all is increasingly becoming a necessity. We need
ing, and foot spas ends about 24 hours from now. to insert some contentment and zest into our
I consider And, just as my friend reaches Bangkok airport routines, and travel is such a memorable way to
travel the to fly back to Mumbai, shes going to get surprise do that. To friends in Mumbai who say they cant
number two. Her ticket home has been cancelled spare more than a weekend, I suggest they go to
salve that and rebooked for three days later. Waiting for her Matheran, to Lonavla, even to Borivali National Park
at the airport are going to be said husband and if nothing else is possible! I consider it the salve
makes the their two young children. I can just picture a whole that makes the daily grind bearable, the blossom
daily grind lot of smiles, even tears, and so much joy! I can at the end of a cold snap, the glue that individuals
imagine her talking about this next year, ten years and families need to keep the madness at bay.
bearable and from now, forever. So as another supremely hectic year rolls into
Many years ago, my husband travelled 12,000 memory, give a little thought to a trip you could
the blossom kilometres across the seas to surprise me. It was treat yourself and your dear ones to. More pre-
at the end of a a thrilling moment, one of shock, incredulity, and cious than gold or diamonds, more fun than a party
confusion knowing that at the time the journey had splurge, and definitely more gratifying than a night
cold snap emptied his bank account. I ended up taking a week of getting wasted in a bar. If youve never treated
off from my work and had to frantically catch up yourself to a vacation, you so deserve it; if youve
later, but it was so well worth it; the happy memo- never travelled a great distance to surprise a loved
ries of that trip are still fresh in my mind so many one, maybe the right time is now.
years later.
As this year draws to an end, I have a big, well-
deserved treat planned for the family. Its not a sur-
prise. In fact with our
current work schedules
no thunderbolt like that
could possibly work.
What Ive planned, after
considering everyones
schedules, is a 20-day
break in South Africa.
This trip is a happy-
making splurge that
fulfils two of my long-
cherished travel goals:
to visit friends Ive
been meaning to see
for over decade, and
to go on a real African
ARTIGA PHOTO/CORBIS/GETTY IMAGES
safari. Notwithstanding
the somewhat tedious
process of getting all
the arrangements and
paperwork in place,
MISSION
OUR
National Geographic Traveller India is about immersive travel and authentic storytelling, inspiring readers to create their own journeys and return with
amazing stories. Our distinctive yellow rectangle is a window into a world of unparalleled discovery.

Notebook | CONNECT
@natgeotravellerindia @NGTIndia facebook.com/natgeotraveller.india 3,33,857

BEST OF WEB
Gods Own Country

Bid the year goodbye in Kerala, amid palm-fringed views, Ayurvedic massages, and
tranquil boat rides. Pick the ideal getaway, from luscious meals in Calicut to ritual
theatre in Kannur and surf lessons in Varkala.
See Getaways>Inspire Me!
Adventure For All

At the NGT Meetup in
November in Mumbai,
adventure-trip organizer
Andr Morris, sailing
instructor Ayesha Lobo, and
music educator Priyanka
Pandit, who plans adventure
holidays for her family of five,
chatted with NGT Indias
Deputy Editor Neha Dara
about adventure trips anyone
can take.
Q Train for a trek by walking

Munnar, Kerala up stairs with a loaded
backpack. Start by climbing
ten storeys 4-5 times, and
OFFBEAT BOLLYWOOD MOUNTAIN STAY ART BY THE SEA
increase the number steadily.
Set tours of stars homes, Find a home in the Himachali Copenhagens Louisiana Q Pick a tour operator with
dance classes, and karaoke village of Beral, with abundant Museum of Modern Art is a experience in the region
nights feature in this quirky nature and wholesome food. delight for families, art buffs,
and local guides who
Mumbai guide to the beating See Trip Ideas>Mountains and seekers of quiet.
heart of the Hindi lm industry. See Trip Ideas>Culture
understand the areas
See Trip Ideas>Culture topography and weather.
Q Families bond over
GO TO NATGEOTRAVELLER.IN FOR MORE WEB EXCLUSIVE STORIES AND TRAVEL IDEAS adventure travel. In a raft,
everybody must work
together and listen to
PICTURE POSTCARD There is a special spot diagonally across the each other.
flying buttresses of the Notre Dame cathedral Q Sailing is not as expensive
An Evening in Paris in Paris, by the banks of the River Seine. Its as you think: Sign up for a JAKUB MICHANKOW/FLICKR/CREATIVE COMMONS (TEA GARDEN)
where people drink wine, read, and watch the 15-hour beginners course for
boats go by. Sitting there and watching the `20,000 to learn to sail solo.
illuminated city by night was one of my favou- Q Andaman & Nicobar
rite experiences in Paris, and something that I Islands are a beautiful,
shared with a friend before her maiden trip to affordable place to learn
the city. This is the postcard she sent me, as she scuba diving. A beginners
imagined me in the picture. It is a still from course costs `18,000-22,000
a French documentary film, and captures the and takes 3-4 days.
citys great beauty through a simple image. It is
also made special by her words which tell me NEXT MEETUP:
she too walked the same streets and sat by the 9 December 2016, 7.30-9 p.m.
languid Seine. Now Paris belongs to both her Venue: Title Waves bookstore,
and me. Senior Associate Editor, Diya Kohli Bandra (West), Mumbai.

Notebook | CONNECT
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
An Intercontinental
Burger Quest
I was at a baseball game in New York in 2012 when I met one of
my lifes greatest lovesthe Shake Shack Shroom burger. One
bite into its crisp patty, and sunshine-yellow cheese oozed out. I
was smitten. Ive pined for that Shroom burger ever since.
Earlier this year, I was flying back to Mumbai from Barcelona
via Dubai. Id heard that the Dubai airport had a Shake Shack
counter. I prayed that my flight gates would land close to it,
since I only had only 90 minutes to make my connection. As
luck would have it, my flight landed nowhere near the burger Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham played in my head, because my
counter, the aero bridge didnt work, and our bus to the terminal reunion with the Shroom Burger was exactly like the one Shah
took a scenic route to drop us off. I had about an hour to take an Rukh and Jaya Bachchan had in the movie. Im happy to report
intra-terminal train, make a mad dash to Shake Shack, and rush that I made it, with under five minutes to spare. That meal filled
back to my boarding gate. On most days I wouldnt have thought a three-year-old, burger-shaped hole in my heart and is the most
I could make it, but the memory of that yummy goodness gave breathtaking airport meal I have ever had.
me strength. All along, the theme song from Karan Johars Online Features Writer, Kamakshi Ayyar
NGTINDIA@WORK
Jungle Calls
On a recent whirlwind trip through the jungles of Madhya
Pradesh, one of the highlights of our forest safaris was the
different breakfast spots wed stop at mid-morning after a
gratifying exploration of the jungle. We ate under a sprawling
mahua tree at the edge of an elephant camp, and next to a
forest department watch hut overlooking a watering hole. But
the most spectacular setting of all was this rocky outcrop beside
a reservoir at Satpura National Park. A swarm of wandering
glider dragonflies swirled in the air, as our naturalist told us
tales of a recent tiger spotting in the area. Tree branches shook
as langurs frolicked among them, sending the birds that were
sunning themselves on treetops, flapping into the sky. No cup
SPOTTED IN PARIS of coffee or brownie has ever tasted better.
Deputy Editor, Neha Dara
Space Travel
KAMAKSHI AYYAR (BURGER), FABIOLA MONTEIRO (MOSAICS), ERWIN DROSE (PICNIC)

Last year, while travelling through Europe I spent a weekend
in Paris during which Id set aside time to stroll around
Montmartre, the citys art district. Id read that legends like
Monet, Dal, and Picasso worked in and around the area, and
I was eager to see street artists with their easels, replicating
everyday Parisian scenes on their canvases. Instead, my first
glimpse of art in Montmartre was a Space Invader!
Id read about the anonymous street artist Invader a few
years ago. He (or she) leaves small, colourful mosaic space
invadersinspired by the arcade gameon street corners
around the world, and here I was, face to face with one of them.
I was star-struck. I went on to see two more Space Invaders
that day. One I spotted right around the corner from the first,
and another later in the day in the Les Halles neighbourhood.
Now, every time I find myself in a new place, I visit Invaders
website to check if theres a mosaic waiting for me nearby.
Online Features Writer, Fabiola Monteiro

Voices | CLAN RU L ES
The Other Family Aditya Daftary

is a Mumbai-based radiologist
who likes to wander. While in the
city, he spends more time on his
DISCOVERING A NEW WORLD, ONE BICYCLE
bicycle than in his car, and hopes
RIDE AT A TIME that soon family vacations will
also be the same.
N
o more running or squash. Switch to swimming or me keep up with the group. Words of encouragement, bottles
cycling, Dr. J said to me examining my knee. I was of water, electrolytes, and nuts were shared. When we reached
aghast and felt like I had just been read a death sen- the top, we all felt exultant at our achievement and darted down
tence. I was 38 years old. I had been running for ten the mountain to our campsite at 15,000 feet, where a hearty
years and playing squash since I was 15. This couldnt be hap- meal and smiles of the rest of the group awaited us. It was hard
pening to me. After a few days of moping, I decided to pick my- work and a tremendous achievement, which was followed by
self up, dust off negative feelings, and move on. The writing on collective laughter. It was on this trip that I felt that my travel
the wall was clear, the choices were limited, I had to go out and companions had started to become a kind of family.
buy a bicycle. Next, our group decided to use the love for bicycling and
As I aimlessly pedalled the streets of Mumbai at 5 a.m., wanderlust to do a charity ride from Delhi to Mumbai. We
familiarizing myself with every pothole, I watched my friends worked like a well-oiled machine. Logistics, training, and fund-
running and chatting. I cursed my luck. But with each passing raising were all handled with aplomb. Besides our own
sunrise, the runners faded a bit from my horizon and cyclists I enjoyment of the journey, we also raised a signicant corpus for
had never noticed before began to emerge. At rst my cycle rides a great charity. As we rode into Mumbai at the end of that trip, I
were slow and the weekend rides tended to eat into family time, could hardly believe what we had achieved. The magnitude of the
which was at a premium. physical achievement faded in comparison to the companion-
But slowly I began to get absorbed into the culture of cycling. ship and camaraderie that the team had further built.
I met more and more cyclists; everyone with a different agenda Every once in a while, someone in the group travels and comes
and tness level, until I eventually became good friends with a back with stories of renting a bicycle or taking one along to explore
small group of avid cycling enthusiasts. All of us had a common their destination on two wheels. We share pictures with the group
thread, we were looking to push ourselves in ways we hadnt and discuss where our next ride should be. As the WhatsApp
before. We were people who liked to travel on bicycles and cycled group buzzes to life almost daily with new suggestions, ideas,
wherever we travelled. Before I knew it, I had joined a growing technical tips and tricks, my wife sees the smile creep across my
band of people around the world called MAMILs (Middle Aged face and knows I will be off on a new adventure very soon.
Men in Lycra). Little did I realize that my death sentence would mark the
The group I became a part of was called Wurlee 545, named beginning of some wonderful travel adventures with a riding
after the morning starting time and location in Mumbai, and group thats like a second family to me.
was fabulous. Aged 30-60, we came in all
shapes and sizes, everyone looking to be tter
and faster, with interesting personalities,
fascinating stories, and wanderlust. And,
of course, we all had families we needed to
get back to after our workdays. My rst trip
with them, that stretched beyond a three-
hour ride, was an expedition to do the Tour
of the Nilgiris. There is something incredibly
simple about a bicycle and the experience
was phenomenal; it set the tone for more
aggressive annual cycling trips.
Our next expedition saw us riding from
Manali to Leh. Exploring the Himalayas
on a bicycle is not something I had ever
imagined I would do. The wide expanse of
clear sky above, the wind in my face, and not
RAY PHOTOGRAPHY
a sound of a motorised vehicle around me

it was exhilarating. As we all huffed and
puffed up the 17,500-foot-high Tanglang
La pass, my friends slowed down to help

Voices | GUEST CO LU M N
Costas Christ
is Editor-at-Large of National
Geographic Traveler (U.S.) and
Joy to the World

is one of the worlds foremost
experts on sustainable tourism.
A WELL-TRAVELLED DALAI LAMA TAKES US ON A

JOURNEY TO HAPPINESS
T
ake it from a traveller who knows: Trust leads to less than 50 per cent of the population as happy. Even in the
happy days and happy lives. Thats what the Dalai so-called land of happiness, being happy can prove elusive.
Lama told me when I asked him how seeing the world Could it be that the clearest path to happiness is not through
can lead to peace. Short answer: Travel teaches us to policy, but something more direct? For a happy life, physical
trust. Strapping on a backpack as a 20-year-old, I didnt need well-being is important, but true wellness must include a
to search for happiness; the very act of setting out on a distant happy mind, the Dalai Lama told me. He advised that when
journey was bliss. As the years stacked up, the happiness we focus too much on problems we can make it worse and if
of engagement with other cultures became a deeper quest. we always think about what is wrong, it appears unbearable.
My travels led to Bhutan, drawn by that nations policies to By maintaining a wider perspective, we create a lot of room
encourage happiness. Visitors to the kingdom get to savour some to keep hope and enthusiasm. To me, this insight means that
of the results: With more than half of the country protected travelling really can make the world a happier place because
in national parks and reserves, trekking through Bhutans it forces us to trust one another. So strike out on that journey,
meadows and majestic old-growth forests, home to rare species experience cultures, and stay true to compassion. For real
such as black-necked cranes and greater one-horned rhinos, happiness, a warm heart is more important than a brilliant
will bring a lasting smile to any passionate traveller. Bhutans mind. Remember that your best, most reliable friend is your
happiness checklist ranges from protecting the environment to own intelligence and your own warm-heartedness. Let this be
promoting traditional heritage. Yet a national survey classied your guide to a happy life.
For a happy life, physical

well-being is important, but
true wellness must include a
happy mind
FABRICE COFFRINI/STAFF/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

NAVIGATE
TECH TRAVEL 48 HOURS THE COMEBACK
34 Discovering Bengaluru on a
techie treasure hunt
40 Wildlife, skyscrapers, and Swahili
culture mingle in Nairobi city
50 Inside the newly restored Royal
Opera House in Mumbai
At Bodh Gaya in Bihar, a

g tree such as this one
shaded Buddha on his
journey to enlightenment.
Mind, Body, Soles

PILGRIMAGES THAT MOVE YOU SPIRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY
BODH GAYA of the mountainHindus to pay their followers of four major faithsHindus,
Bihar, India respects at Shivas abode, Buddhists to Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists.
The spiritual hub of Buddhism is Bihars honour the Buddha Demchog, and Jains Pilgrims undertake one of three treks to
Bodh Gaya, whose famous g tree in reverence to their rst tirthankara. reach the summit and pray to the sacred
was said to have sheltered Siddhartha footprint, usually travelling through the
Gautama as he meditated for seven days ST. PAUL TRAIL night in the hope of catching a beautiful
during his quest for enlightenment. Turkey mountain sunrise.
Today, the tree (a descendant of the This rugged, almost 500-kilometre
original) and the nearby pyramid- path partly follows St. Pauls journey to ROUTE OF SAINTS
shaped Mahabodhi Temple are among spread Christianity. Leading from Perg Krakow, Poland
Buddhisms holiest sites. or Aspendos to Antioch (now known as Wawel Hill features a 14th-century
Yalva), the route forges past fragrant cathedral with 19 chapels and an
MOUNT KAILASH pine forests and mirage-like lakes. ornate cluster of tombs, including one
DIANE COOK & LEN JENSHEL
Tibet of Polands patron, St. Stanislaus. See

This nearly 22,000-foot Trans- SRI PADAYA (ADAMS PEAK) embroidered scenes from his life on
Himalayan mountain in southwest Sri Lanka a 500-year-old robe displayed in the
Tibet is an important site for Hindus, A sacred footprint enshrined on the cathedral museum. On foot, follow
Buddhists, and Jains. Pilgrims circum- summit of this 7,329-foot-summit in Krakows Route of Saints, which links
ambulate a 52-kilometre path at the base southern Sri Lanka is venerated by 16 beautiful churches.

Navigate | BOOK EXTRACT
Living with Tigers

FIERCE AND FRIENDLY ENCOUNTERS WITH THE TIGERS OF RANTHAMBHORE BY VALMIK THAPAR
Dramatic ghts between

tigers and crocodiles,
and other anecdotes of
human-animal interaction
make Living with Tigers an
engrossing read.
F
or most of us, tigers are fearsome, majestic creatures to be lm for the world to see. It was
admired from afar. But for conservationist Valmik Thapar, they Machlis rst litter. When these
have been teachers and companions who have given greater cubs were nearly ten months old
meaning to his life. Living with Tigers chronicles Thapars 40-year- a remarkable event took place
long relationship with the tigers of Ranthambhore National Park near the shores of Padam Talao
in Rajasthan. and close to Jogi Mahal. It was
Rose Corcorans elegant black-and-white sketches between the related to me by my nephew
pages bring to life numerous tigers from ferocious Genghis, to gentle Jaisal Singh. Machli and her
Laxmi, and famous Machli. Thapar describes their personalities, three cubs were feeding on the FLPA/CHRIS BRUNSKILL/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (ANIMALS)
habits, and whims in great detail, helping the reader connect with their LIVING WITH remnants of a sambar at the edge
stories and the larger struggle to preserve these wonderful beasts TIGERS of the lake. It was a hot day and
Valmik Thapar
and the forests in which they live. Between explanations of animal
(Aleph Book
the carcass stank. The waters of
behaviour and sharing lessons learned over the decades, expect to Company, 2016, the lake had receded because of
read about one predator usurping anothers kill, about submission and `599) a drought the previous year. As
confrontation in the tigers world, and other captivating anecdotes. a hot breeze blew an enormous
Here is an excerpt: crocodile got wind of the carcass
and left the safety of the water to
Indeed, 2005-08 were some of to contribute to the worlds start his slow walk towards the
the worst years for wild tigers in knowledge of wild tigers. smell. My nephew was watching
India. However, Ranthambhore One such contribution was Machli from the forest. Jaisal
recovered gradually and its a rst in the world of natural was unaware of the crocodiles
amazing tigers continued history and was recorded on approach. Suddenly Machli

Navigate | BOOK EXTRACT
became alert as the prehistoric

reptile lumbered towards her.
She watched intently and when
it was about 25 feet from her she
attacked it. The 12-foot crocodile
was taken completely by surprise.
He could not get back to the
safety of the water and now had
to confront a ferocious tigress out
to defend her cubs and her kill.
The crocodile put up a valiant
struggle with ailing tail and
snapping snout but it could not
match the agility of the tigress.
She was half his size but they
battled for nearly an hour. Jaisal
lmed the encounter from behind
a bush. Machli grievously injured
Machli was quite

comfortable in the
presence of jeeps. She
slipped in and around
them and used them for
cover especially while
ambushing deer
the crocodile. The next morning

the tigers were gone and a chunk
from the crocodiles ank had
been eaten. This was the rst ever
encounter between a tiger and
crocodile in the wild to have been
recorded. Ranthambhores tigers
were once more rewriting the
chronicles of natural history. That
dry season Machli killed three
more crocodiles. The shortage of
water meant that crocodiles were
moving from one pool to another
more frequently and this made
them much more vulnerable to
the tigers attack. This illustration to see her. One of her spectacular humans have done with kings and
Machli was quite comfortable in by Rose encounters, which was also people in positions of power over
Corcoran
the presence of jeeps. She slipped depicts tigress
photographed, was with a big the centuries. Peace descended
in and around them and used Machli in all male tiger on a day when he had without injury to either. Her
them for cover especially while her splendour. killed a sambar. While he was ability to resolve conict was
ambushing deer. Visitors loved Nicknamed away quenching his thirst Machli remarkable. I will go one stage
her, especially as she was seldom Queen of decided to sneak in and feed on further and infer that Machli had
Ranthambhore,
aggressive. Through the rst Machli was the the carcass. The big guy did not preferences for particular male
decade of the twenty-rst century parks most like this and when he returned tigers. She kept miles away from
she became Ranthambhores photographed he confronted Machli. They both T24 when he entered her area but
star attraction and had a huge denizen, who rose ferociously on their hind legs enjoyed greeting T25 and even
passed away in
following. Her area of focus was August 2016.
snarling at each other but after a T28. Tigers seem to assess their
the lakes. Visibility here was few minutes Machli gave in and preferences for each other based
excellent and she performed at submitted with a little bow of her on the very different characters
will for the hundreds who came head, falling to the ground just as that evolve in their society.

Navigate | T HE ESS EN C E
The Fine Art of Fika

SOCIALIZING THE SWEDISH WAY, WITH COFFEE, SWEET TREATS, AND A FRIEND BY NITIN CHAUDHARY
Swedes take coffee seriously,

and coffee shops encourage
guests to linger for their ka:
slowing down over a cuppa to
chat with old friends or make
new ones.
W
ithin days of moving to often included in employee contracts. of one type of sweet bun. Kanelbullar,
Sweden, I had acquired Strong, dark coffee is central to the or cinnamon buns, are the national
the basic vocabulary: concept of ka, but the standing of bullar favourite, and so popular that 4 October
hej (hello), hej d (bye), cannot be underestimated. Tradition is celebrated as Cinnamon Bun day.
and tack (thank you). But the most demands that a proper ka should Every morning around ten, Kristian
important word I picked up in those include seven kinds of cookies, buns, and I would walk to a nearby k, a caf
early days was undoubtedly ka. or pastries but the typical ka consists where one can have ka, and catch up
At rst, I mistook it to mean coffee
break. I was promptly corrected by my GET FIKA IN SWEDEN
colleague Kristian. No, no! Fika cannot Drop Coffee history. It is frequented by Swedish royals
be translated into any other language, Located on a hidden bylane in southern who have their summer houses in nearby
he explained. Its a very Swedish idea. Stockholm, Drop Coffee is a hip, award- Soero. Try their vanilla hearts (www.-
It is about more than just sharing coffee winning roastery and caf. Co-owner lundgren.se; coffee SEK50/`375; pastries
and bullar, or buns. Fika serves a very Joanna Alm is the current Swedish Coffee from SEK30/`225).
important purpose in Swedish culture Roasting Champion. Drop Coffee roasts
its about taking a few minutes to slow and sells coffees from highly regarded Lilla Kafferosteriet
farms and cooperatives. Try their This caf is located in an old, beautifully
TIM E WHITE/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE
down daily.
espresso blends (www.dropcoffee.com; done 16th-century house in the heart of
Indeed, most Swedes have ka several
SEK25/`190). Malm, the third largest city in Sweden.
times a day, during the week and over Lilla Kafferosteriets speciality is freshly
the weekend. While at work, the pre- Flickorna Lundgrens roasted, high quality coffee. For a caffeine
ferred time slots are around 10 a.m. and Located in the small shing village of hit, try their Buddha Special, a caf
3 p.m., but the concept is so ingrained Skret in southern Sweden, this caf latte with four shots of espresso (www.
that taking a ka break in the middle of started by seven sisters in 1938 has a rich lillakafferosteriet.se; SEK45/`340).
the day is absolutely normal. Fika time is

Navigate | T HE ESS EN C E
on office gossip and local news. Our k Though ka is a year-round pursuit, a caf. Its a good time to strike up a
was bright and airy; typically of Nordic summer is an especially fantastic time conversation with a friendly barista or
minimalism, there was little furniture of year for it, as it moves outdoors. someone new, while relaxing over a cup
besides high stools and wood tables Cafs bring out their wicker chairs and of coffee.
along the walls. The k was invariably light blankets, and parks are ush with While I know many more Swedish
busy at this hour, considered peak work ka get-togethers: people sprawled on words now, ka remains one of my
time elsewhere. Our best ideas come the grass enjoying conversations with favourites. Mainly because its so
during ka, Kristian told me, sipping friends and family. much more than a word: its a simple
a dark brew. He was right: I have had Travellers to Sweden too can get experience of bonhomie over a cup of
some of my best meetings informally the essence of ka, while taking a coffee and a bun, and a little time away
over these breaks. break from a hectic travel schedule at from the grind.
FIKA ACCOMPANIMENTS
TIM E WHITE/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (COFFEE), ASTRAKAN IMAGES/APELGA/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (WOMAN),

A perfectly brewed cup of coffee is incomplete without a sweet treat. Cinnamon buns are very popular, while custard-lled vanilla hearts
are a Swedish speciality.
1 Kanelbullar or Kardemummabullar (Cinnamon or to black, sugarless coffee. A favourite of the Swedish king.
cardamom buns) 5 Hallongrottan (Raspberry jam cookies)
A. FARNSWORTH/AGE FOTOSTOCK/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (FOOD)

These sweet, buttery, scroll-shaped buns laced with cinnamon Hallongrottan translates into raspberry cave. These are butter
(kanel) or ground cardamom (kardemum) have an irresistible cookies lled with raspberry jam. They taste best when fresh.
aroma. They taste best warm from the oven. 6 Chokladbollar (Chocolate balls)
2 Mazarins Chokladbollar are covered in coconut akes and look like rum
These small pastries with an almond lling and sugar glaze are balls, but they dont contain any liqueur. They are made of
common across Europe. Named after an Italian cardinal, they oatmeal, sugar, butter, and cocoa. They look dense from outside
are stocked in nearly all Swedish cafs. but are surprisingly light when bitten into.
3 Punschrullar (Punsch liqueur rolls) 7 Grddbullar (Cream buns)
This cylindrical pastry is covered with marzipan and dipped in Grddbullar are more like chocolates than buns. They have
chocolate, lled with cookie crumb, butter and cocoa mix, and a marshmallow-like centre coated with plain chocolate or
avoured with traditional punsch liqueur. chocolate sprinkled with shredded coconut.
4 Vaniljhjrta (Vanilla heart) 8 Fastlagsbullar (Semla buns)
This heart-shaped shortbread lled with vanilla custard has Fastlagsbullar is a sweet bun traditionally made for Lent in
a thin and fragile outer crust, and crumbles easily. Vanilla Sweden. The buns are mostly lled with marzipan paste and
hearts melt easily in the mouth and are a perfect companion whipped cream.

Navigate | T EC H TRAV EL
Geocaching is 21st-century treasure

hunting, with GPS-enabled phones
and geographical coordinates.
Cache Me If You Can

DISCOVERING BENGALURU ON A TECHIE TREASURE HUNT BY HEMA RAMAPRASAD
T
he thrill of nding your rst didnt exist until that moment. When I nut and has a rolled-up log sheet inside
geocache is a bit like walking rst pluck out a magnetic thumbnail- that I ll up. I should have found it
through a wall at Kings sized nano cache after searching in the a lot sooner, considering I have been
Cross Station in London, and same place for what seems like hours, I to Lalbagh, a 240-acre park in south
OFFICIAL WINDOWS MAGAZINE/CONTRIBUTOR/FUTURE/GETTY IMAGES (MAN), MICEKING/SHUTTERSTOCK (LOGO)

emerging on the magical Platform 9. am amazed that it had managed to elude Bengaluru, more than a thousand times
It opens up a whole new dimension that me all this time. It looks like a metallic since I was a child. But thats the beauty
GEOCACHING 101
Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor and even non-traditional sizes like the interesting geological features, Multi-
treasure hunting game, played using nano (ngernail sized). Caches are split up, and Event Caches may
a GPS-enabled device, a smartphone Cache descriptions include helpful hints, take you to an event.
or tablet. It can be played through the photos, and meters to indicate overall Geocaching can be played solo or with
website geocaching.com, or via the app difficulty, terrain, and size of the cache. multiple players, though in my experience
available for both Android and iOS. Theres a log of previous ndsoften a a pair works best. Its fun, safe, and
The games aim is to nd caches great place to look for clues. discreet.
hidden in spots around the world, using Locations are indicated using actual Look up Geocachers Creed (www.
GPS coordinates and clues provided in geographical coordinates (latitude and geocreed.info) to understand the ethos of
the cache description. To play, create an longitude) listed in DMS format (degrees, the community. Check out the glossary
account, log in, and look up the geocaches minutes, seconds). (www.geocaching.com/about/glossary.
closest to you using the search function. After nding the cache, players record aspx) to familiarise yourself with jargon.
There are over 2.9 million hidden caches their details in a log sheet. If the cache The Geocaching
all over the world, scattered over 180 contains a small gifttrinkets, comics, community is very
countries. India has about 250 caches in collectibles, memorabilia, action gures, active and the
Bengaluru, Mumbai, NCR, Goa, Jaipur, and etcthe nder is expected to replace it Groundspeak
even assorted locations in Ladakh. with something similar in size and value. Forum (forums.
Caches are physical containers of There are many types of geocaches. The groundspeak.com)
varying types and sizes, ranging from simplest are known as Traditional Caches. is a great place to
micro (the size of a lm canister) to Others, like Mystery or Puzzle Caches get help on solving
large (a box with a 20 litre capacity), have difficult clues, EarthCaches lead to difficult caches.

of geocachingit forces you to look at in the CBD where I often meet friends.
familiar neighbourhoods and landscapes Theres even one inside the citys urban
with fresh eyes. The sweeping arc of a forest, that I have never visited.
tree branch. That signboard you never And so, hoping to add some spark to
noticed. The sculpture that became a my agging romance with the city of
blind spot. The art deco bungalow with my birth, I try my hand at caching in
a shady garden. That view of the city Bengaluru over a weekend, with mixed
youd forgotten. results. I nd four caches, earning me
But for all my newbie enthusiasm, it smileys on the app, and I am forced
turns out I am about 16 years late to the to post DNF (Did Not Find) on the
geocaching party; the rst geocache was remaining three. If you live in Bengaluru
planted in 2000. A friend introduced me or are passing through the city, heres
to it a few months ago, around the time a primer to the citys best geocaching
when Pokemon Go was all the rage. He spots. In the spirit of the game, Im not
claimed Geocaching was a better game. giving away any spoilers to the cache
I just had to get outside and explore locations, which Ive listed here by their
using a combination of geographical names in the app.
coordinates, hints, and my phones GPS
to track down caches listed on the GARDEN CITY PARKS CACHE #1 - RED
Geocaching website and mobile app. GARDEN (LALBAGH)
Caches are physical containers of This fantastic Multi-Cache involves
varying types and sizes. They can be solving clues provided at three
magnetic containers, pillboxes, lm listed locations to arrive at the nal
containers, military ammo cans, and coordinates. Finding this cache
often, Tupperware boxes (TTOTThe turned out to be a great way to explore
Tupperware is Out There! is a common the 256-year-old botanical garden,
exclamation among cachers). They are commissioned by Hyder Ali in 1760 and
hidden all over the worldin cities, nished by his son Tipu Sultan. Lalbagh
parks and wooded areas, around houses over 1,800 species of plants and
monuments, atop mountains, inside trees, has shaded paths, formal gardens,
cavesjust about anywhere. At a a glass house, a bandstand, a nursery,
minimum, caches contain a log sheet. and a lake that attracts migratory birds.
Often with a pencil for recording your The puzzle formed by the three clues is
nd. Larger caches can contain small easy enough to solve, even for those not
gifts for the nder or even disposable very mathematically inclined. The real
IDAHO STATESMAN/CONTRIBUTOR/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE/GETTY IMAGES (HAND), TIRCA83/GETTY IMAGES (JAR),

cameras to document your nd. challenge is being discreet and steering
My rst geocaching experience was clear of muggles when you nally arrive
DENNIS DRENNER/GETTY IMAGES (NOTEBOOK), ULLSTEIN BILD/CONTRIBUTOR/GETTY IMAGES (WOMAN)

in Mysuru, and I was hooked from that at Ground Zero or the geocache location.
moment on. It involved walking up hills, If a non-player discovers the cache,
scrambling through thickets, ghting it might get stolen or damaged. I was
off bugs, and peering behind rocks, almost convinced this cache was lost,
while trying to appear nonchalant to and nding it was my eureka moment.
muggles, who in geocaching parlance As Lalbagh is popular with morning
are unsuspecting people oblivious to and evening walkers, its best to hunt
caching. When I posted about it on for this cache during the afternoon lull,
Facebook and Instagram, I realized most preferably on weekdays. If you do solve
people were in fact muggles, despite this, like me, treat yourself to masala
2.9 million caches and an even higher dosa and coffee at MTR, the iconic
number of active cachers worldwide. restaurant located across the road from
A site search tells me that Paris has Lalbaghs main gate.
over 2,500 caches, London close to
2,000, New York over a thousand. To PENINSULAR GNEISS
my disappointment, I nd that India One of two Peninsular Gneiss caches,
has less than 250 caches in all. And this is a veritable delight for nature lov-
Bengaluru, my backyard, has just under ers and geology nerds. Although it isnt
ten with three of those on the citys a physical cache, it will put you right on
outskirts. On the bright side, all of them Geocaches come in various sizes and top of a three-billion-year-old rock for-
shapes. The smallest can be the size of a
are in interesting locations: in a leafy ngernail while big ones can have gifts for
mation and a historic watchtower in old
park, opposite my favourite outdoor the nder, or entertaining displays like that Bengaluru, not far from Lalbagh (where
caf, a stones throw from a great bar of a music band. the larger Peninsular Gneiss is located).

This is an EarthCache, described by the beautiful remnant of old Bengaluru. the street to Rogue Elephant Caf for
Geocaching website as a special place The heritage park is named after M.N. a pick-me-up iced tea. Located in the
that people can visit to learn about a Krishna Rao, the former acting dewan of garden of a rambling heritage house, the
unique geoscience feature of our Earth. the princely state of Mysore in the 1940s. cafs antique furniture and charming
To log this cache, nders have to send The park has beautiful raintrees with ambience will lift your spirits, whether
answers to a set of questions to the massive canopies, and is popular with you nd the cache or not.
owner of the cache. Peninsular Gneiss is morning walkers and yoga enthusiasts.
within easy walking distance of Gandhi The Traditional Cache (the original KORAMANGALA SHOPPING
Bazaar, a quaint old part of south type of geocache, fairly straightforward) This is perhaps the easiest cache to
Bengaluru. Celebrate your EarthCache hidden here is disappointing, as the nd in Bengaluru, and is logged often.
with a snack at Vidyarthi Bhavan. nal coordinates lead to the edge of Though the location is not much to
the park, which is strewn with garbage. speak of, it does put you in the vicinity
DNA After scrambling for a while, I gave up of restaurants, and good shopping and
By far, the most challenging of the caches because of the litter, and headed across entertainment options.
in Bengaluru, this Mystery Cache is a
hard one to crack. It took me enormous
amounts of internet research and head
scratching to solve a colour-coded puzzle
and get the nal coordinates (and I
must confess that a spoiler picture had
given me some indication). But if you do
crack this without visual clues, this is an
exhilarating nd. Reward yourself with a
pint of beer at one of the several nearby
watering holes. Attempt this one during
off-peak hours to avoid attention from
muggles, and maybe the traffic cops!
THE TURAHALLI FOREST CACHE

Venturing deep into Turahalli Forest, a
few kilometres off Kanakapura Road,
is an astonishing experienceeven for
someone who has grown up in the city.
It doesnt look like much at rst; when I
walked in through a grove of eucalyptus
trees adjoining a building called Forest
HEMA RAMAPRASAD (PROMENADE), BRIAN D CRUICKSHANK/LONELY PLANET IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES (PARK)

View, I was sceptical about leaving my
car and worried about encountering
dodgy loiterers. But once inside, apart
from a couple of morning walkers,
there wasnt a soul in sight. Enveloped
by the forest I really appreciated the
efforts of citizen groups whod fought to
protect this patch of prime real estate.
The forest has lovely trails and hillocks,
making it ideal for cyclists, runners,
and rock climbers. The hike up to the
nal coordinates of this cache was easy
and the views from the top rewarding.
Unfortunately, the cache, last logged a
few months ago, appeared to be missing.
But I was still thrilled by the discovery
of this salubrious spot in my city. Best to
attempt this cache with company as the
forest can be isolated at times.
THE CACHE OF KRISHNA RAO PARK

M.N. Krishna Rao Park, located in While geocaching, players peel back layers of the city, looking beyond everyday sights at places
Basavanagudi, a genteel neighbourhood like M.G. Road Promenade (top) and Lalbagh (bottom) in Bengaluru. The trick is not to arouse
in the southern part of the city, is a suspicion among muggles (non-players) even as you walk around babbling into your phone.

Navigate | 4 8 H OU RS
Nairobi Moments
THE KENYAN CAPITAL IS A TRUE URBAN JUNGLE BY AANCHAL ANAND
Rhinos graze in Nairobi National

Park against the backdrop of
the citys skyline. The park is
located only ten kilometres
from the city centre.
U
rban sprawl, great restaurants, nairobi-national-park; park 10 km babies and their relationships with their
vibrant markets, and a south of Nairobi city centre; entry adults keepers. Located in the suburb of Karen,
national park. Thats Nairobi $43/`2,870, children $22/`1,468; tour southwest of the city centre, the DSWT
in a nutshell. Whether you are operators organize half-day trips for is an orphanage where rescued elephants
there for work or play, Kenyas capital $140/`9,380; full day $200/`13,400; are raised and slowly reintegrated into
and one of East Africas most energetic they also offer package deals with other the wild (www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.
cities has so many facets. Nairobi wildlife attractions). org; general admission 11 a.m.-noon
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust I was daily to watch elephants at their mud VERNICA PARADINAS DURO/MOMENT OPEN/GETTY IMAGES
EXPLORE watching baby elephants play in the bath; entry $7/`470 per person; no
Nairobi National Park A capital city mud when Ambo, a six-month old advance booking required). The evening
with a national park within it: Thats bull, stole my heart with a sneeze. I session is only for foster parents who
the reason Nairobi is often dubbed the ended up adopting him and getting a can watch the elephants return to their
Safari Capital of the World. Nestled more intimate look at these adorable stockades just before bedtime (open
in the citys southern suburbs, the daily 5-6 p.m.; adopt an elephant for a
park promises close encounters with A capital city with a national year for $50/`3,350; book two weeks
giraffes, zebras, baboons, black rhinos, in advance).
and lions. It is not uncommon to spot park within it: Thats the Giraffe Center Another spot where
the wildlife against the backdrop of the reason Nairobi is often both kids and adults go wild is
citys skyscrapers. An extraordinary sight the Giraffe Center in Karen. This
with an important lesson: humans and
dubbed the Safari Capital conservation and education centre
nature can co-exist (kws.go.ke/parks/ of the World allows visitors to get close to the

endangered Rothschild Giraffe and feed

these towering mammals grass pellets
from elevated platforms. There are
plenty of opportunities for photos and
seles (giraffecenter.org; open daily 9
a.m.-5 p.m. ; entry adults KES1,000/
PETER LANGER/PERSPECTIVES/GETTY IMAGES (ELEPHANTS), ARTERRA/CONTRIBUTOR/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/GETTY IMAGES (BUILDING),

`670, children KES500/`335).
Karura Forest Head to Karura Forest,
just north of central Nairobi. This urban
forest is safe and there are rangers
around to guide visitors. There are
waterfalls and caves to explore, and
trails that you can walk or cycle on
(bicycles are available on rent). If you
go early in the morning there is a good
chance you will spot monkeys, dik-diks
(small antelopes), and civets (www.
friendsofkarura.org; open daily 6 a.m.-
6 p.m.; entry adults KES600/`400,
children KES300/`200).
Kenyatta International Convention
Centre Head up to the rooftop of one
MICHEL RENAUDEAU/AGE FOTOSTOCK/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (SHOP)

Keepers use milk bottles to feed orphaned elephants at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (top
of Nairobis most iconic buildings.
left); The helipad and viewing deck on the 32nd oor of Kenyatta International Conference Cen-
Named after Kenyas rst president, the tre (top right) offers 360-degree views of the city; The Maasai Market (bottom) is a great place to
32-storey high convention centre offers buy sisal bags, colourful clothes, and the writers favourite souvenir: Africa-shaped stone boxes.
spectacular views of the city. If youre
blessed with a clear day, you can also of Kenyas major ethnic groups. Its a cultural history, Nairobi National
grab a shot of Mount Kenya in the north unique immersive experience that gives Museum has a botanical garden with
and Mount Kilimanjaro in the south travellers a glimpse of Kenyas diversity. numerous trails perfect for a relaxing
(kicc.co.ke; rooftop access Mon-Fri Dont miss the energetic music and afternoon walk. The adjacent snake park
9 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat-Sun 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; dance shows (www.bomasofkenya.co.ke; is hugely popular. Its best to get a tour
entry KES400/`262). open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; entry adults guide to make the most of the exhibits
KES600/`400, children KES300/`200). (www.museums.or.ke; open daily 8.30
CULTURE Support the Bomas project by purcha- a.m.-5.30 p.m.; entry for museum and
Bomas of Kenya Boma is Swahili for sing handicrafts at the shop on site. snake park adults KES1,500/`985,
an enclosed dwelling. Bomas of Kenya Nairobi National Museum This is no children KES1,000/`657).
is a visitors village that showcases ordinary museum. Besides being a Karen Blixen Museum The Oscar-
sample homes and villages from each window into Kenyas natural and winning movie Out of Africa, starring

Meryl Streep and Robert Redford,

was based on the autobiography of
Danish author Karen Blixen. She had
a farm and house at the foot of the
Ngong Hills, southwest of the city.
Located about ten kilometres from the
city centre, the museum does a great
job of transporting visitors to her life
in colonial times (www.museums.
or.ke/content/blogcategory/13/19;
open daily 9.30 a.m.-6 p.m.; entry
adults KES1,200/`788, children
KES600/`394). The coffee garden
about a kilometre away has a restaurant
with a great menu, in a beautiful setting.
EAT
Nairobi has an excellent restaurant and
caf scene. Here are the top picks.
Talisman The New York Times called it
the best place in town and I agree. The
decor is eclectic but I suggest you head to
the idyllic gardens. They will bring you a
patio heater powered by wood for when
it gets chilly. Tali as it is affectionately
called offers everything from American
burgers to Swahili dishes. Its an ideal
spot for an evening with friends or a
romantic candle-lit dinner over chilled
Tusker beer or a glass of dawa (a
Kenyan concoction of vodka, honey, and
lime). (320 Ngong Road, Karen; www.
thetalismanrestaurant.com.)
Zen Garden Another winner when it
comes to a beautiful garden. Among
the menus on offer are the European/
American Jade Menu and the Asian
Bamboo Menu. Dont miss the tree
tomato juice. (Lower Kabete Road; www.
zengarden.co.ke.)
Mambo Italia Try pizza with a Kenyan
DAVID KEITH JONES/IMAGES OF AFRICA PHOTOBANK/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (MUSEUM),

twist. The Swahili Beach comes with
a delicate coconut curry sauce topped
with prawns and calamari, and the
Zanzibari is loaded with chicken and
beef in a tangy, fruity chutney from
Among Nairobi National Museums displays (top), look out for the skeleton of Ahmed, a elephant
SIMON MAINA/STRINGER/AFP/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (VAN)
Zanzibar. (Lavington Curve, James whose tusks weighed nearly 70 kilos each; Most Nairobi locals use matatus (bottom) or shared
Gichuru Rd; mambo-italia.com.) minivans to get around the city. The vans sport a splash of colours, graffiti, and funny slogans.
Abyssinia Care for an Ethiopian detour
on your Kenyan adventure? Abyssinia Maasai Market. It is in a different and souvenirs (three outlets: The Hub
offers exotic Ethiopian foodspiced location (usually a mall) every day of (Karen), Sarit Center, and The Junction;
curries served on spongy injera atbread the week; bargaining is completely www.bananabox.co.ke).
which is both eaten and also served as acceptable (schedule at www.facebook.
the platter. Its an experience not to be com/MaasaiMarketNairobi; no market BONUS TIP
missed. (Muguga Green Rd, Westlands; on Mondays). Utamuduni Craft Centre For a true local experience, ride a matatu
abyssiniarestaurantnairobi.com.) has shops where visitors can interact (shared minivan) or a boda boda (bike
with artists as they browse handicrafts taxi). They are cheap, fast, but the rides
SHOP (Bogani East Road; utamadunicraftshop. are bumpy. However you havent experi-
Get your hands on some authentic com). Banana Box is pricey but has enced East Africa if you havent ridden at
African handicrafts at the moving cute products that make excellent gifts least one, if not both, of them!

Navigate | T HE EXPE R I EN C E
Treasure by the Sea

STEPPING INTO A FAMOUS FIVE ADVENTURE AT A LIGHTHOUSE IN WALES BY RAMYA SRIRAM
A handsome border collie welcomed

us, insisting on a stomach rub. Here was
the quintessential dog, without which an
English novel isnt quite complete. I see
youve already met Archie, said Frank,
the owner, as he greeted us.
Inside, a spiral wooden staircase
curved up around a wishing well,
leading to our rooms. On the rst level
was a bookcase with DVDs and books.
A lighthouse-shaped cookie-jar sounded
a startlingly loud foghorn when its
lid was lifted. Mothers love it, Frank
grinned. They know when their kids
are indulging.
At the inn, a door with a

porthole lead to the dining
room. Two decades ago,
porpoises and sea otters swam
in these waters, almost at
arms length from the window
The wedge-shaped rooms had a
nautical theme, with an All Aboard
sign on a mantelpiece, lifebuoys
suspended from hangers, and an old
barometer on a washbasin. Ships in
bottles, wooden sailboats and anchors
this had to be some sort of Famous Five
adventure, I thought, looking around for
a treasure map on yellowing parchment.
The roof boasted an open-air hot
tub and a replica of the time-travelling
TARDIS from Dr Who. But I had already
been transported to another age. The
The West Usk lighthouse is unlike conventional tower-like lighthouses. It used to be located on
an island until the land around it was reclaimed in 1856. glass-covered lantern room on top
was full of antiques: an old telephone,
F
rom the roof of the lighthouse century. During the Second World a sailors jacket, a rusted telescope. A
I watched white-tipped waves War, it had served as a lookout post. gilded Om symbol on the oor and
lap against jagged rocks below. I shivered, thinking about the historic framed mandalas on the walls added a
Distant ships dotted the sea, events it had witnessed, and the dark layer of mystery.
and a strong wind blew ominously. secrets it harboured. The lighthouse was decommissioned
PHOTO COURTESY: WEST USK LIGHTHOUSE
I could hardly believe I was going to be Now, the West Usk lighthouse is a in 1922, and in a shambles when
staying at this 190-year-old lighthouse, refurbished B&B, and my mothers Frank and his wife Danielle bought
overlooking the Bristol Channel in an birthday seemed to be the perfect it in 1987. The painstaking restoration
obscure corner of Wales. occasion for my parents, husband and took two years. The original lantern
The pages of Enid Blytons books me to visit over a weekend. I could feel was replaced with a stained-glass
leapt to life as I conjured up tales of my heart beating with anticipation as one, which is lit every night, making
storms, shipwrecks, and underground we drove down a deserted, rutted road, it a magical sight. I could imagine the
tunnels. The tower, built in 1821, had towards the circular structure, perched rotating beam, that once extended for
signalled ships to safety for about a on the edge of the land. miles, warning sailors.

Navigate | T HE EXPE R I EN C E
The Cabin Room (left) is the smallest and quirkiest of the four rooms at this lighthouse turned B&B, and offers the best sea views. Guests need to
climb on a stool to get into bed; Antiques on display (right) give visitors a glimpse of the life of a lighthouse keeper back in the day.
For dinner we drove to bustling Grazing cows stared at us balefully. pounced on us. We opened the door and
Newport, 15 minutes away. On our At the inn, a door with a porthole he sprinted into the elds, barking at
return, as the noise of the city faded leads to the dining room. Two decades us to follow. We hurried along. Finally
away, we saw the lighthouse silhouetted ago, porpoises and sea otters swam in someone was going to lead us to a buried
against the sky, and the unblinking light these waters, almost at arms length from treasure. Would it be a chest of gold or a
from its lamp guided us up the road. the window. Now, human presence has bag of bones?
Back in my room, I sat by the window, pushed them further away. Breakfast
watching the never-ending theatrics was a hearty affair, seasoned with THE VITALS
of the sea and sky. I slept reluctantly, Franks robust conversation. He told us Getting There The West Usk
only to dream that I was the lighthouse that the lighthouse is a popular wedding Lighthouse is located at the meeting
keeper who had to wake up periodically venue. This might not be enough if point of the Severn and Usk estuaries.
to ll the lamp with oil. youre planning an Indian wedding, he It is 8 km south of Newport in Wales,
Early the next morning, we set out trailed off. U.K., and 230 km/3 hr west of London.
for a walk. The estuaries seemed like Frank explained how he and his wife Cardiff, 43 km/45 min away, is the
translucent sheets reecting the mood came to acquire this unusual property. nearest airport.
of the sky. A muddy track took us It was, apparently, as simple as spotting Accommodation The lighthouse
has four rooms (doubles from
through a green meadow that seemed an ad in a magazine. We wanted to get
150/`12,240, including a scrumptious
oblivious to the drama of the rocks and away from the London rush, he said. breakfast, with vegetarian and vegan
waves just beside it. A small stream Lifes been good here. Archies never
RAMYA SRIRAM
options). A self-catering yurt is also

ran through a eld where swans glided even been on a lead! He goes and comes available at 100/`8,153 per day
placidly, a curious contrast to the as he pleases. (www.westusklighthouse.co.uk).
seagulls soaring above the adjacent sea. As we walked into the hall, Archie

Navigate | T HE CO M EBAC K
Back For an Encore

A HISTORIC PERFORMING ARTS VENUE REOPENS IN MUMBAI BY DIYA KOHLI
F
ollowing Google Maps directions was nally shut down due to losses. detailed plasterwork has been repainted.
to the Opera House, I nd myself Exactly 23 years later, the opera The historic ceiling has been restored to
outside a sweet shop in Girgaum, house has nally reopened its doors its original baroque style and the royal
a historic neighbourhood in south after undergoing a remarkable facelift. boxes have been retted. The foyer with
Mumbai. The signboards around me The Gondal family commissioned its beautiful Minton tiling is decorated
indicate that I have arrived. Yet, there conservation architect Abha Narain with elegant marble statues and
is no sign of the famed building that Lambah to restore the building in 2010. magnicent 19th-century chandeliers.
gave the area its name. When I nally It took six years for her team of civil Walking through, I imagine that the
turn a corner, I gasp in amazement. contractors, conservators, stagecraft three-level auditorium looks exactly as
This shining white beauty in the heart and acoustic specialists to refurbish the it would have a century ago. The rst
of Girgaum is the newest old kid on the old structure and renovate the interiors few events after its reopening included
block. It is a window into the citys grand to t modern standards of comfort and an operatic performance by Mumbai-
baroque past and a piece of living history safety. The buildings status as a heritage born soprano Patricia Rozario as well
that both residents and visitors can enjoy structure threw up numerous challenges as the opening ceremony of the citys
once again. as the team worked to convert the Opera MAMI lm festival. Asad Lalljee, curator
Inaugurated by King George V in 1911, House into a modern state-of-the-art of programming at the Royal Opera
the 574-seater Royal Opera House hosted performance venue while retaining its House has an exciting roster of events
operas and lms from around the world, original design. In some cases, layers scheduled, ranging from traditional
drawing the citys elite to its doors. As of later renovations and plasterwork operas to TED talks. The plan is to make
the popularity of cinema grew, so did were removed to reveal the original the Royal Opera House a centre for the
the opera houses lure as one of the citys baroque detailing. In others, damaged performing arts again, and return a
premier movie theatres hosting the bits were carefully recreated after piece of heritage to the city. At par with
most popular lms of the time. In 1952, consulting old records. some of the great opera houses of the
Maharaja Bhojrajsingh of Gondal Today, the interiors are in a rich world, this is an invaluable addition to
bought the space and it continued red-and-gold palette betting a grand Mumbais urban landscape, and another
screening lms till the 1990s, when it opera house. The wooden panelling and reason to visit the city.
The century-old Royal Opera

House, which reopened in
November, has brought baroque
grandeur back to Girgaum.
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE MUMBAI STAFF PHOTOGRAPHY

Navigate | TA KE F I VE
Artistic Origins
INSPIRED SPACES WHERE ARTISTS AND WRITERS ONCE LIVED BY KAREENA GIANANI
MUSEO FRIDA KAHLO Mexico by traditional Tehuana folk attire. Dal described it as a real biological
Six decades after her death, a cobalt Casa Azul also has objects that structure Each new pulse in our life
blue building in Mexico Citys Coyoacn evoke Fridas passionate but turbulent had its own new cell, its room. Visitors
neighbourhood still channels the ery marriage with painter Diego Rivera: can see two of his unnished works,
spirit of Frida Kahlo. The iconic painter Miniature cups on the kitchen wall are while in other spaces two projectors play
spent a signicant part of her life in arranged to spell out the couples names, Dal-themed lms on loop. Outside,
Casa Azul (Blue House), which is now while neatly arranged les in another in the olive grove, is a round structure
a museum brimming with her personal room hold their letters. known as the Pots Tower which was used
belongings and artworks like Vida La (www.museofridakahlo.org.mx; Tue and by the artist as a secondary workshop for
Vida. For Frida, art was poultice to Thurs-Sun 10 a.m.-5.30 p.m., Wed 11 his sculptures. Dal stuck clay pots with
the life-long agony she endured due to a.m.-5.30 p.m.; entry MXN120/`400 on holes on the towers facade so that they
polio and a debilitating road accident at weekdays, MXN140/`470 on weekends.) whistled when the wind blew over them.
18. Her wheelchair sits facing an easel, (www.salvador-dali.org; entry adults
with her paints beside it. The plaster SALVADOR DAL HOUSE-MUSEUM Spain 11/`815, children under 8 free; prior
cast corset she wore after the accident A penis-shaped swimming pool, a stuffed booking required; check website for
is a poignant reminder of how pain polar bear gleefully holding a lamp, and opening timings.)
shaped her painting. Her deep love for giant eggs on roofs would be out of place
indigenous Mexican art shines through anywhere except in Salvador Dals home. CLAUDE MONETS HOUSE AND
her collections of folk art, in particular The seafront house at Port Lligat in the GARDENS France
of Judases made of papier mch, which Spanish town of Cadaqus, where Dal Walking through Claude Monets home
are usually burnt in Mexico during lived from 1930 and 1982, is a window to garden in the village of Giverny is like
Easter. Visitors can see her signature the artists mind. plunging into the reds, yellows, blushing
wardrobeloose blouses, long skirts, Visitors can walk through the home, pinks, and dreamy lilacs of his paintings.
and owery headpiecesinspired converted from seven shermens huts. It was here, 75 kilometres northwest
PHOTO COURTESY: FONDATION CLAUDE MONET, GIVERNY/DROITS RSERVS
From water lilies to portraits, Claude

Monets cosy studio-turned-living room
maps different stages of his career.

Navigate | TA KE F I VE
Traditional Mexican crockery adorns the kitchen at Casa Azul (left), where Frida Kahlo loved cooking meals over rewood; Seats shaped like lips
and eggs atop roofs (right) at Salvador Dals home in Port Lligat seem right out of a surrealist painting; In addition to visiting Leo Tolstoys home
(bottom), visitors to the Yasnaya Polyana museum-estate can catch temporary art and literature exhibitions.
of Paris, that the passionate artist and bungalow is chock-full of glimpses of week before his death, drawings by his
MIGUEL TOVAR/STF/CONTRIBUTOR/LATINCONTENT WO/GETTY IMAGES (KITCHEN),

gardener found ceaseless inspiration his private life. brother and children, the chair he read
RAPHAEL GAILLARDE/CONTRIBUTOR/GAMMA-RAPHO/GETTY IMAGES (EGG),

for his evocative works. Some walls of the home are lined in, and the books he referred to while
Monet lived in this house in northern with Narayans quotes and sepia-tinted working on War and Peace. Tolstoys
France for 43 years, from 1883 to 1926. family photographs. Visitors can walk personal library, which has over 22,000
Visitors can walk in the garden Monet through rooms that hold his personal books and periodicals in 40 languages,
VYACHESLAV ERDNEEV/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (BUILDING)

lovingly tended, arranging beds of effects like books, spectacles, woollen is part of the UNESCO Memory of
oriental poppies, peonies, tulips, and coats, and shawls, and even spy the the World Register. Visitors can pay
irises in ways that accentuated their laundrymans initials still visible on homage to the writer at his grave, which
shades, just like on his palette. Inside the collar of one of Narayans shirts. is an unassuming mound at the edge of
the house, Monets favourite sets of Light oods the study through bay a ravine on the estate.
crockery adorn his dining room, while windows overlooking a frangipani tree. (ypmuseum.ru/en; opening hours
another room displays his collection In My Days, his autobiography, he vary with season; estate entry adults
of Japanese prints. The studio holds writes about how the windows afforded RUB50/`53, free for visitors under 16;
a selection of his paintings, including him views in every direction, the guided tours of estate and the Tolstoy
some from his Water Lilies series. Chamundi Hill temple on the south, a House in English must be booked a
Loved for his surreal renditions variety of spires, turrets, and domes on month in advance and are priced from
of light and reections on water, Monet the east, sheep and cows grazing in the RUB4,000/`4,200 for a group of less
also constructed a water garden near meadows on all sides. than 15 people.)
his home. A quaint green Japanese (D 14, Vivekananda Road, Yadavagiri,
bridge arches above the pond, framed Mysuru; open daily 10.30 a.m.-5 p.m.;
by white lilies, maple trees, and weep- entry free.)
ing willows. It is a scene Monet depicted
very often with his brush for his LEO TOLSTOYS ESTATE Russia
Japanese Footbridge series. About 200 kilometres south of Moscow
( fondation-monet.com/en; open daily is Yasnaya Polyana, the family estate of
between 24 Mar-1 Nov, closed for Leo Tolstoy. It was amid the parks and
winter; 9.30 a.m.-6 p.m; entry adults fruit orchards of the 1,018-acre haven
9.50/`705, 7-18 years 5.50/`410, that the Russian writer wrote his clas-
under 7 free.) sics Anna Karenina and War and Peace.
Tolstoys home, the servants quarters,
R.K. NARAYANS HOUSE Mysuru and the building he turned into a
Writer R.K. Narayans home in Mysuru school for peasant children, now form a
is without grand embellishments and museum. The objects on display evoke
surprise twists: much like his stories in touching details of his life: A label
Malgudi Days. Instead, the two-storey for a medicine prescribed to him a

IN FOCUS
GOA DENMARK TAIWAN
56 Why everybody loves the

sunshine state
64 Soaking up a whole lot of
Copenhagen cheer
74 72 hours of dragons and
dumplings in Taipei
IMGORTHAND/E+/GETTY IMAGES
90
Tuscany, Italy
DECEMBER 2016 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA 55

A dream destination
Tel: 011-26236525 | Email: mauritius@omtourism.com

www.tourism-mauritius.mu
In Focus | HAP PY PL AC ES
Everybody Always a New Lease on Life: Getting to

the Heart of the Sunshine State
l ves goa
Q GOA
JAMES SPARSHATT/PERSPECTIVES/GETTY
XXXXXXXXXXXX (XXXXXXXXX) IMAGES (BEACH), SUNDARI/SHUTTERSTOCK (BOAT),
DE ASS/AGE FOTOSTOCK/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (CHILD), HUBSKYI_MARK/SHUTTERSTOCK (YOGA)
GOOD THINGS HAPPEN IN GOA

By Saumya Ancheri
M y distinct memory of Goa is of palm-fringed

shorelines rushing past our car windows on a family
road trip, 1980s tunes blaring from the stereo system in my
broke up the party. Little did we guess that the magic would last.
Two years later, I watched my friend marry the man from that
night, with a teary joy that cemented one belief: Good things
lap. It seemed so laid-back after the bustle of Mumbai, even happen in Goa.
the salty breeze smelled of holiday. I next visited Goa over It was here that I returned for a road trip on my 30th birthday
a decade later, for a friends wedding. In the 24 hours I was with my best friends, to revel in the carefree vibe that made us
there, I watched dolphins it by my boat, ate the most delicious feel like we were back in college. My last visit to Goa was for
(and cheap!) seafood, twirled poi sticks for the rst time, and the Zambhala spirituality festivalthree days of meditating
SAIKO3P/SHUTTERSTOCK
watched shooting stars y over the wedding drum circle. I was under the stars and in the sea, being introduced to concepts and
hooked. A year later, on the last night of a last-minute girls people who taught us not to settle for less in our daily lives. On
trip, a young man came over to our table at Arambols Loekie that same trip, I interrupted a burglar in our hotel room, and
Caf after singing at the open mic, drawn by the resemblance of fortunately lost nothing. Goa isnt all twinkling cocktails and
one of my friends to a news anchor on Canadas CBC. It was a glorious sunsets, but theres something in the air (or the water)
wonderful evening, marred only by a couple of drunk cops who that makes me feel like the world is a good place to be in.

Q GOA
TIME SLOWS DOWN

By Neha Dara
T he rst time I went to Goa, I arrived on a hot and sweaty

day in the middle of summer. I remember sitting at a
restaurant and chang at how long it was taking to get a glass
slowed down, my body stilled, and I seemed to move slower
too, but more uidly, more at ease with myself and my
surroundings. Ive gone back to Goa many a time seeking
of water. My friend, who I was visiting, lazily waved a hand, that ease and never come away disappointed. Oddly enough,
brushing off my complaints. In Goa, time works differently he though time slows down in Goa, my holiday there always gets
told me, introducing me to the concept of susegad, a word that over sooner than expected.
every visitor to Goa picks up sooner or later. Its the quality of Over the years, Ive been at the other end of the equation,
unruffled contentment that permeates the place, and draws telling friends and family Ive travelled to Goa with to take
many of us to it. it easy. Once youre in Goa, whether you want to dial things
Over a weekend spent on the back porch of my friends down or not, Goa compels you to adapt to its languid pace.
bungalow, an old Portuguese style place he had bought cheap The process begins right at the airport, where on my most
and xed up, I contemplated this elasticity of time. I noted recent visit, the attendant at the prepaid taxi counter made
how everything seemed to move slower than usual: The drop small talk while slowly counting out my change, oblivious to
of water sliding down the side of my glass, the y hovering the line snaking through the arrivals area. There was a time
over a plate of garlic prawns, the swirl of smoke rising from a when I would have complained; now I just smile and think to
cigarette, palm fronds nodding lazily in the breeze. My thoughts myself, This is Goa.
FERENTLY HE TOLD ME,

E WORKS DIF INTRO
, TI M DUCI
GOA NG
M
IN E TO
THE
CONCEPT F SUSEGAD
O
MURGERMARI/SHUTTERSTOCK

UNWIND, ALWAYS ALLOWING U

UR FAM ILY, GOA SPELLS S TO SLU
FOR O MP INTO SS
RELAXING NOTHINGNE
NO AGENDA VACATIONS
By Niloufer Venkatraman
I n my mind Goa has always been the happy family holiday

place. For many of us who live in the western or southern
half of India, Goa is something of a no-brainer vacation spot.
castles, all day in the pool, chocolate pancakes for dinner.
The great thing about a family holiday in Goa is that I can
go there without a list of things to do. Ive been there with
Children are always occupied when there is sand and water and grand expectations and none at alland both times Ive been
Goa has no dearth of either. Hotels are available in every price satised. For our family, Goa spells unwind, always allowing us
bracket, for every kind of budget. Even planning a last-minute to slump into deep, relaxing nothingness. We go to eat lots of
trip is easyyou will nd something that works. seafood and drink rum and Cokes, and enjoy the sunshine. We
I went to Goa as a little girl on a family trip. I went there as a go to walk aimlessly on the beach, to frolic in a warm ocean, to
AXIOM/INDIAPICTURE
newly-wed on a holiday I won through a contest. Goa is where play in the sand and sink our toes into its comforting softness.
my husband and I have taken our daughter several times. Even Goa works so well for a family because we can head there
though I was barely nine on my rst trip, I remember it vividly without an agenda. Sleep late and we miss nothing. Sleep early
as a place of much fun, just as my daughter does now. She and we miss nothing. Were there to meet no one in particular.
associates Goa with happy times: that bouncy hotel bed, sand Do nothing more than bliss out.

Q GOA
SOLO SPARKS
By Kamakshi Ayyar
I ve been visiting Goa even before I learnt to read properly.

Ive built castles on its beaches, spotted dolphins in its wa-
ters, and eaten bebinca until I couldnt move. Each of these
looked up at the wondrous grey clouds. Lunch done, Id strap
on my sandals, grab an umbrella and wander the village paths
around Anjuna. Most of the stores would be shuttered, their
trips was in the company of family or friends, and mostly we owners enjoying an afternoon siesta; a couple of kids would be
stayed at one of the larger resorts. But a few years ago, I went walking back home from school. The afternoon stillness made
to Goa on my own. I had a couple of days off between jobs and my ears ring; all I could hear were the dragonies buzzing
decided to take up a family friends offer to stay at his gorgeous about and the monsoon breeze blowing gently. My mind was
heritage home in one of Goas quiet villages. a blank slate, and I felt a lightness as I concentrated only on
Though it was just a four-day trip, I was nervous about putting one foot in front of the other. Incredibly green elds,
spending so much time by myself; the only company in the tall, swaying coconut trees and picturesque, windy cliffs were
house was a friendly caretaker. I packed extra books, even a just some of the landscapes I encountered. The evenings were
pack of cards if I felt the urge to play Solitaire. As it turned out, spent chatting with the local villagers whilst I loaded up on
I didnt need any of it. My time alone allowed me to discover a more poyie for dinner (eaten with delicious aloo curry and
side of Goa Ive always missed, a side beyond the high walls of dal the caretaker made), before watching the sunset from the
resorts that hug the beaches. nearby Chapora Fort.
I fell into a routine on my rst day: It started with a basket Those four days cemented Goas place in my heart as one
full of warm, freshly baked poyie, a local bread that I still of my favourite getaways. I had the time to think, and more
dream about, slathered in chunky, golden, peanut butter. I importantly to do nothing, a luxury I never have in chaotic
then squeezed in a solid hour of reading, followed by at least Mumbai. I barely touched my cellphone or looked at a screen
three hours in the pool in the backyard. It was the monsoon, of any sort. I experienced an internal detox, the Goan susegad,
so I fashioned a small makeshift shelter for my speakers so I that was new to me; its something that will keep me coming
could listen to Jamie Cullum while I oated on my back and back for the rest of my life.
OLEH_SLOBODENIUK/E+/GETTY IMAGES

ILT SANDCASTLES AND

RI EN DS AND I BU DANCE I GHT, GETHER
Y F D I NTO TH E N TO
M
E NIGHT SKY
AND SPOTTED FAMILIAR CONSTELLATIONS IN TH
CEMENTING BONDS
By Fabiola Monteiro
I n Goa, the heat is welcoming, the sh-curry-rice lip-

smacking, and the warm tropical breeze a break from the
congested air of a city. Its in this setting that Ive found myself
that conversation are sketchy, but the comfort that I felt in that
moment is crystal clear. Its a conversation that shaped and
cemented our friendship. Now, no matter how busy we are, or
forming closer bonds with the people Im travelling with. how little we keep in touch, when we meet, the jigsaw pieces of
A couple of years ago, my friends and I celebrated our our lives t together neatly.
impending graduation with a trip to the stamp-sized sunshine Another time in my life, when my sister and her husband
state. It was to mark the end of an era: my friends and I had lived in Goa, my dad and I made numerous trips to visit them.
studied together for ve years, seen each other day in and out, Together, we went on long bike rides to quiet beaches, explored
laughed, cried, danced, and mended broken hearts together. the mossy ruins of the church of St. Augustine in Old Goa,
We had no idea when wed be in the same place again, or what and washed down platefuls of fried tiger prawns with cold beer.
lay ahead. Naturally we reasoned that only the sweet salve of It was the perfect fodder for happy memories. Wed grown up
cheap beer and long sunny days on the beach could ease away with family vacations each summer and these visits felt like
our fears of stepping out into the real world. hitting the refresh button on old bonds built during those
AXIOM/INDIAPICTURE
That week, my friends and I built sandcastles and danced childhood holidays.
into the night, and spotted familiar constellations in the night Goas unhurried vibe allows me to stay in the moment, which
sky together. One night, as the waves crashed against the shore, in turn makes me treasure the people Im with. Whether its new
a friend and I curled up in a large hammock, discussing our adventures in the ruins of a fort or napping on a beach, I always
futures, feelings, and everything under the sun. The details of come away from Goa with happy memories and stronger ties.

Q GOA
KEEP COMING BACK

By Diya Kohli
I n my teens I went to Goa, and when I came back I wrote this:

If life was a beach Id wear cockle shells in my ear
Id douse my hair in yesterdays leftover beer.
loved one by my side made this trip quietly special.
Over the years, some of our friends moved to Goa and as a
result we too have learnt a little about its civic issues, local poli-
Id swim with seahorses pretty and wee tics, the vibrant local tiatr, snake species, and much more. Each
Id dance every night by a moon-washed sea. journey has brought something new. Made me see Goa in a new
Id wake every day wondering which crustacean to skewer light and fall in love with it all over again. Over myriad plates
Id go to bed dreaming about a pink and juicy porker of sh-curry-rice and feni cocktails Ive found myself talking of
While the poetry of my youth might be dubious, my vision buying a little home in this beautiful state. And despite a bank
of life as a beach bum was heartfelt and pure. Somewhere in balance in the red, in Goa these pipe dreams always seem real.
between that rst trip and the most recent one, Goa sneakily One February, I made my way to the carnival at Panjim where
made its way from my belly to my heart. King Momo, the official king leading the parade, grabbed my
I came here as a fresh-faced teen, with a liver strong enough hand and enveloped me in a bear hug. His beaming smile and
to down beer by the gallon. That college trip was a whirlwind bonhomie was heartwarming despite the sweltering evening
tour taking in all-night Anjuna raves, rickety bus rides to and his faux satin robes.
old churches and ruined forts, and nights spent lying on On my most recent trip, I spent an evening at a dinner party
nondescript beaches, watching stars and listening to someones with a diverse bunch of Goansfrom a gregarious ex bootlegger
off-key renditions of Bob Dylan. On those nights in Goa, I felt to a poker-faced chef from a cruise liner. The table groaned
that I would be forever young. under the weight of the incredible feast cooked by the hosts
The next time round, I was older, wiser, and ringed, and with great love, while melodramatic Konkani folk songs played
the place that greeted me and my husband was churned by on loop. That night as I made my way home sated with food,
the wild seas. I came to a Goa clad in vivid shades of wine, and good humour, my heart lled with all the sunshine
green. Long, wordless seaside walks with the comfort of a that this little state has brought to my life.
EXOTICA/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY

HOW DANES
SPELL
HAPPINESS
OUTDOORS AND INSOAKING UP
SOME COPENHAGEN CHEER
By Saumya Ancheri
Q DE N MARK
PHOTO COURTESY: TUALA HJARN, KBENHAVNS KOMMUNE/COPENHAGENMEDIACENTER.COM
The candy-coloured
waterfront of Nyhavn is a
cheery place to grab lunch
at a quayside restaurant,
or drink beer and watch
the yachts bob by.
A late August sun shines like a giant disco ball over

Copenhagen harbour. Happy picnickers beam as they
dig into beers and hampers on canal steps and aboard
yachts. The brightly coloured waterfront buildings of
Nyhavn are lined up like an open box of crayons.
Music pours out from boats and buskers of relaxation, intimacy, and warmth.
in a city that is clearly enjoying being Everywhere I look, theres a sense
alive. Who would believe it is late of consideration in the city planning;
afternoon on a weekday? Unlike my Scandinavians seem to enjoy designing
compatriots, Danes work a 37-hour to the last detail, I think.
week, and staying in the office later than I notice that the chairs at establishments
4.30 p.m. is frowned upon. Copenhagen are elegant and comfortable, the lighting
is ranked one of the worlds most liveable is cheery and inviting, that big windows
cities, and the country has been ranked harness the scarce sunshine. Typically,
three times by the UN as the worlds the cosiness of candlelight invokes hygge,
happiest nation. but, as I nd through conversations with
In this capital city that seems so much the locals I meet, the concept has as
at ease with itself, catching sunsets is many interpretations as there are Danes.
just one way in which life is geared to One young man dened watching TV or
GODFROY/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (PLAY AREA), PHOTO COURTESY: CULINAIRE SAISONNIER, KBENHAVNS KOMMUNE/COPENHAGENMEDIACENTER.

PREVIOUS PAGE: THOMAS VILHELM/PHOTODISC/GETTY IMAGES (CHILDREN EMBRACING), JOHNER IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES (COTTON CANDY), ELLY
keep residents happy, stable, and healthy. playing backgammon after work with my
This is a city that embraces green living. girlfriend as hyggeligt or full of hygge;
Copenhagens waterfront is so clean its another as taking out old family crockery
residents swim in its harbour. Im headed for a cookout with friends.
to the rst and best-known harbour bath As I tour the city, I note that in
at Islands Brygge. I watch kids somersault Copenhagen, open spaces are beloved.
off springboards to join adults bobbing in Adults picnic while kids spin cartwheels
the rippling blue river. Our party of seven in Denmarks oldest royal garden at
ve journalists and two hostspile into a GoBoat, a solar- Rosenborg Castle. Everywhere, people lie back on the grass
COM (SALAD), FRANK FELL/AGF RM/DINODIA (FISH), TIM GRAHAM/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (SMRREBRD)

powered picnic boat made partly of recycled plastic bottles. even in the serene gardens of the Assistens Cemetery. My
We nervously jet our way through the canals, past waterbuses, favourite stop however, is Superkilen, a funky urban park in
kayakers, and revellers on home-made wooden boats. People Nrrebro, an ethnically and socially mixed neighbourhood. Its
wave as we pass them. The clear, brittle Nordic light lls the fascinating to learn that the sprawling park was designed as
harbour, whose skyline is unobstructed by skyscrapers that are part of the citys response to riots and conict in the area. Its
banned in the city centre. The burning sunset is spellbinding. playground has elements from 60 countries, from Jamaican
New structures blend seamlessly with the historic. The jukeboxes, to a Moroccan fountain, Palestinian soil, neon signs
glittering granite facade of the Black Diamondthe modern from Qatar and Russia, and a Thai boxing ring. Superkilen has
extension to the Royal Library, the largest in the Nordic world happy memories for our guide Sine, who often plays here with
rises alongside the iconic dragon-tailed spire of the Old Stock her kids.
Exchange. On the riverbank opposite stands the striking Playful urban design is also palpable at Papiren, or Paper
red Cirkelbroen, one of the citys new car-free bridges, built Island, a part of the city I visit later the same evening. Once a
exclusively for cyclists and pedestrians. paper warehouse, the industrial area is tagged for redevelopment.
We pass a oating caf and funky houseboats that double up Despite the fact that its got a year to go before the re-
as Airbnbs or studios with tiny artworks in the windows. Fancy development starts, I dont see anything in shambles or looking
LINDA BERG/FOLIO/GETTY IMAGES
yachts are moored beside simple vessels; people converse on depressed. In fact there is vibrancy here as Papiren has turned
decks over beer and pop music. into a lively, pop-up creative hub with food trucks, galleries and
As luck would have it, on our return, we pass GoBoats museums. Grabbing plates of the iconic smrrebrdopen-
fortnightly summer music concert under a canal bridge. As our faced sandwiches traditionally made with pickled herring
boats gently bob in front of a oating platform in the fading I take in the waterfront view. On the riverbank opposite gleams
light, huddled like moths around cellists sending quivering notes the Royal Danish Playhouse, to the right the Royal Opera House,
over the water, I wonder if this would count as a taste of the and to the left, the latest car-free bridge, Inderhavnsbroennew
core Danish concept of hygge (pronounced hoo-guh): a sense cultural landmarks of a city undergoing urban revival for the

Q DE N MARK
KIM PETERSEN/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (FOOD TRUCK), PHOTO COURTESY: CHRISTIAN ALSING, KBENHAVNS KOMMUNE/
COPENHAGENMEDIACENTER.COM (FAMILY)
Danes greet the summer by sunning themselves in parks (facing page), diving into cool harbour bathsthe most popular is at Islands Brygge
(bottom), or digging into ice cream (top). Gammeldags isvaffel is ice cream served the old-fashioned way: in a waffle cone, accompanied by
whipped cream, jam, and chocolate-coated marshmallow.

Q DE N MARK
Strget, one of the worlds longest

pedestrian shopping streets,
thrums with the music of buskers
at the iconic Stork Fountain.
TELIA/SHUTTERSTOCK
Graffiti in Copenhagen ranges from political comment to whimsical visions (bottom), but the writing on the wall is at its most vivid in the utopian
commune of Christiania (top).
last 30 years. A feeling of excitement and spontaneity is tangible will close and reopen as an urban farm.
everywhere. One evening, my Danish friend Astrid picks me up for a night
Its in the laid-back, cosy interiors of Manfreds restaurant that walk through the city. Like most Danes, she arrives by bicycle,
I nd another Danish path to happinessthrough the stomach. which she pulls alongside us on the pavement. Vesterbro was
ROBERT HARDING/INDIAPICTURE (CYCLISTS), PYMCA/UIG/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/DINODIA (MURAL)

Here I get a taste of the New Nordic cuisine that has turned once famous for its sex shopsDenmark was the rst country
Copenhagen into such a lure for foodies. This culinary movement to legalise porn in 1967and it is intriguing to pass from the
has turned the focus on Danish cuisine and using local, seasonal gentried area with its pumping clubs, to a dimmer stretch
produce. The food movement was spearheaded over a decade with neon-lit stores displaying erotica. A sticker on one wall
ago by the founders of Copenhagens Noma restaurant, but its catches my eye: A happy hooker only exists in your imagination.
manifesto has trickled down even to the trendy farmers market It strikes me that this sticker represents a dialogue the city is
at Torvehallerne, with its artisanal cheeses and brews. Manfreds having with itself as it keeps changing.
co-owner Chef Christian Puglisi stops at our table to chat; he left We walk back to Skt. Ann (St. Anne) hotel in gentried
Noma and its focus on foraging ingredients to start a restaurant Nyhavn. This boutique property was once a pleasure house fre-
(the more formal Rel, opposite the street) with quented by sailors. Nearby Strget, once known for
certied organic, seasonal produce grown on local its traffic snarls, is today one of Europes longest
farms. I scrape the last morsel of the exquisite beef pedestrian shopping streets. I love that the street
tartare complemented by the satisfying crunch of hosts not just the swish shops that make it a design
watercress and rye-bread croutons. It is happy- lovers mecca, but also the agship Lego store.
making, and the most memorable meal of my Just back from visiting her home on the Danish
trip. Manfreds shares its street with other divine island of Bornholm, Astrid is excited about join-
establishmentsone serves ice cream made with ing medical school in a few days. College is paid
nitrogen, another is a bakery by Nomas Claus for by the Danish welfare state, which in return for
Meyer, one even does variations on porridge. Noma high taxes, also covers childcare, unemployment,
unfortunately is completely booked up, but what pensions, healthcare, and early retirement. Hap-
I nd interesting is that for all its fame, it is still piness in Denmark seems to stem from a sense of
reinventing itself. At the end of the year, the stability and contentment with ones lot. As I listen
restaurant, voted three times as the worlds best, to her easy-going, wry conversation, I think about

Q DE N MARK
PHOTO COURTESY: KBENHAVNS KOMMUNE/COPENHAGENMEDIACENTER.COM (ATRIUM), KIM PETERSON/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (CASTLE)

Danish architecture embraces the outdoors. The atrium of the Black Diamond library (left) offers a fantastic view of the harbour, while Rosenborg
Castle (right) hosts the countrys oldest royal gardens, popular with picnickers and joggers.
how it all starts in infancy. Ive noticed in amazement that in controversial hash-dealing street. The sweet, pot-scented breeze
Copenhagen, well-swaddled babies are left sleeping in prams reminds me that Christiania is the only place where Denmarks
outside establishments, while parents shop or eat inside without marijuana ban is relaxed. Still, this is not its most famous liberal
a worry. Its a Scandinavian tradition that springs from the belief stand; Denmark was the rst to recognise same-sex unions in
that fresh air, even sub-zero temperature air, encourages hearty 1989, so I can understand how it ranks high on personal freedom
naps and healthy constitutions. Watching these babies alone in on the world happiness index.
their strollers was, to me, the surest sign of a community that Today, Christiania employs eco-friendly technologies like
feels happy and secure. solar energy and rainwater harvesting, and recycles what it
For me, part of the Danish secret to happiness is their emphasis cannot reuse. It has funky performance venues and restaurants,
on community, and the commitment to nding well-designed and artsy shops. I loved the jewellery at Kvindesmedien, an iron-
solutions to any situation. My favourite glimpse of their creative works store run by three women blacksmiths. The communes
thinking is at Christiania, a neighbourhood and alternative most famous product is the sturdy Christiania cargo bike, which
living social experiment. The semi-autonomous community was I spot all over the city. While its urban solutions may differ from
formed in 1971, when squatters and artists took over abandoned the rest of the city, Christiania provides a welcoming, hyggeligt
military barracks and created a bohemian commune. For space for Copenhageners to kick back and relax.
decades, the community struggled against the government until A few hours before our ight back home, my companions and
a resolution was reached in 2013. Christiania now has 84 acres I stride through Copenhagen in the wee hours of the morning,
of green spaces, a lush lake, eco-friendly buildings, and creative reluctant to call it a night while the bars are still kicking. The
businesses. The free town has an easy vibe that draws both joy is infectious; I smile when I see people dancing in the street
locals and travellers. I spot an Alice in Wonderland theme in the to music pumping from a 7-Eleven store. A silver-haired woman
gorgeous, vivid graffiti murals that lead into the commune and spots us from opposite the road and raises her hands in the air.
enliven almost every wall. A stocky man walking by in a brown Have a great time in Denmark! she hollers. If only it wasnt
T-shirt and pink tutu adds to the surreal atmosphere. Like the end.
every other Dane Ive met, our guide Morten glows with pride
for the community in which hes lived since the 1970s. Property SAUMYA ANCHERI is Assistant Web Editor at National Geographic
is collectively owned here, he tells us, and decisions are taken Traveller India. She loves places by the sea, and travels to shift her
by consensusthe most recent being to close down the long own boundaries.

THE GUIDE
Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and the coun- bus, train, and metro within the Copenhagen region,
trys largest cityalthough its compact enough for which includes the airport. Discounts on food and
half its citizens to commute everywhere by bicycle. shopping are included. Cards are available for
This historic city lies on the east coast of Zealand durations from 24 hours (DKK379/`3,715) to 120
Orientation island and is known for its chic design, cutting-edge hours (DKK839/`8,222), from the time of activation.
restaurants, and green initiatives. The card is particularly useful for families, as two kids
under the age of ten can be added for free to the card
of a paying adult. To ensure the card is useful, check
that the attractions youre interested in are open on
Flights from India to Copenhagen require a short
the day you plan to visit.
layover in a European city such as Munich, or a Mid-
dle Eastern hub like Dubai.
Getting There z While many hotels offer bike rentals, a convenient
way to pick up and drop off bikes at stations across
the city is via the city bike, Bycyklen. Create a user
Indian travellers to Denmark require a Schengen visa. prole on the website bycyklen.dk; the username and
A 90-day, multiple-entry visa costs 60/`4,600 plus password can be used to unlock a bike. Alternatively
a service charge of `1,537. Applicants must have a create a prole on the touchscreen tablet attached to
return ticket, a conrmed itinerary, and travel medical a city bike parked at a station; the tablet is also used
insurance with a minimum coverage of 30,000/ for payment and navigation via GPS.
`22 lakh valid for the duration of the visit across EU
Visa states. For application forms and documentation z Take a guide wherever possible. Our tour guide
details, visit dk.vfsglobal.co.in. It is best to apply for a Sine Louise Schmidt is the founder of Cph:cool
visa at least 15 days before departure. (www.cphcool.dk; from DKK1,650/`16,010 for 1-6
people). The Christiania Tour Guides Group has
neighbourhood walks run by locals like our guide
How to be Danish by Patrick Kingsley is a short Morten Nielsen (www.rundvisergruppen.dk; from
primer on contemporary Danish culture that is both DKK50/`485 for groups of 6 and above). Some guides
insightful and fun to read. even come in costume, such as Richard Karpen who
What To Read took us on a Copenhagen walk dressed as the 19th-
century fairy-tale author Hans Christian Andersen.
Our guide William Jansen at Kronborg Castle,
z The Copenhagen Card offers free entry to a said to be the setting of Shakespeares Hamlet,
number of top attractions such as Designmuseum narrated the action while walking us through the
Danmark, canal tours, entry to the Tivoli Gardens castle dressed as the courtier Horatio (In Hamlets
amusement park, and Den Bl Planet aquarium, Footsteps runs Nov-Mar; see kongeligeslotte.dk/en;
as well as attractions in Greater Copenhagen such adults DKK140/`1,360, children 4-17 DKK95/`920).
Tips as Kronborg Castle in Helsingr and the Louisiana Their depth of understanding of the local culture is
Museum of Modern Art in Humlebk. The card gives invaluable, and will make you feel more a part of the
free access to public transport via bus, harbour fabric of the city.
z While English is commonly spoken, conversation is

smoothened with a few words of Danish such as tak
for thank you and skl! (skol) for cheers.
z Copenhagen has several vantage points for an out-

standing view of the city. Climb the 400 steps to the
top of The Church of Our Saviour. In Tivoli Gardens,
take the Star Flyer, a carousel ride that spins people
as it ascends and descends, for a whirling view of the
CHRISTOPHE BOISVIEUX/AGE FOTOSTOCK/DINODIA
citys majestic sprawl. Kayak beyond the city harbour

to watch the sun rise over the windmills.
z The summer months between June to August

bring Copenhagens most pleasant weather, lighting
up the faces of the locals too. Go now for festivals
like the party-centric Distortion, the Copenhagen
Jazz Festival, the Copenhagen Cooking and Food
Festival, and the cultural Roskilde Festival, plus Red
Bulls sporting contests and free Sunday concerts at
Christianias Caf Nemoland. Carry along a swimsuit
to jump in the clean harbour waters.

PHOTO COURTESY: NICOLAI PERJESI, KBENHAVNS KOMMUNE/COPENHAGENMEDIACENTER.COM
Danes have a strong appreciation

for effortless, intimate, quality time,
whether its spent jamming with the
gang (facing page) or sharing a quietly
romantic moment on a canal.
In Focus | HAPPY PL AC ES
XXXXXXXXXXXX (XXXXXXXXX)
For the best view of

towering Taipei 101 and the
city skyline, head to the
top of Elephant Mountain.

Q TAIWAN
A mad dash to Taipei for 72 hours of dragons

and dumplings in a city that soars
BY M I C K E Y R A P K I N
P H OTO G R A P H S BY D I N A L I TOVS K Y
D AY O N E
9 am
7 am
Caffeine!
Taipeis coffee culture dates
back to the Japanese occupation;
hence the vintage Japanese
siphon equipment on display at
one of the citys original coffee
houses, Fong Da, which opened in
DUDE, WHERES MY HOTEL? 1956. But the full Nordic caffeine
experience is on offer at Fika Fika
Cafe, in the Zhongshan District,
I show the cab driver my hotel on my phones map, but the address appears only in English. where single-origin brews are
He pulls over to try to gure things out. Frustrated, he whips out his own iPhone, calls up the served in a minimalist setting
Google Translate app, and speaks into it in his native tongue. It translates his words directly straight out of a glossy lifestyle
into English. It doesnt work perfectlyunless he really does want to melt me downbut magazine. Barista Taylor Kuo is
soon we nd the hotel. This was some real Star Trek stuff. Travelling to new cultures can be serious about her macchiato.
humbling in the best way. When I leave mine on the counter
a beat too long, she insists on
brewing me a new cup so I can
enjoy it the only way one should:
piping hot. Pair it with a piece of
house-made rabbit cake, which
is a pretty awesome name for
9.48 am
Marvel at 10.25 am carrot cake.
the MRT MOBBED AT ART CENTRAL
Taipeis subway system The National Palace Museum is home to, arguably,
(MRT) is only 20 years old but
the nest Chinese art in the world, a 1,000-year-old
its intuitive and clean and (best
of all) cheapbetween NT$20-
collection culled from Chinas emperors. (Check out
65/`42-135 per ride. The locals the Ju ware porcelain, among the rarest anywhere.) The
wait in single-le lines for the museum is Taipeis answer to the Louvreand just as
train and a whimsical jingle plays crowded. Chinese tourists swarm the building, making
when the thing approaches, sort it tough to navigate. A friend later comments on
12.30 pm
of like the neighbourhood ice
cream truck.
the ood of mainland Chinese visitors, joking: Chiang
Kai-shek stole their art. Theyd like to see it again. Perfect
Noodles
Its time to hit Yong Kang Beef
Noodles, a family-owned dive
(and favourite of American chef
and TV host Anthony Bourdain)
thats been serving up Taipeis
savoury bowls since 1963. The
line at Yong Kang is already out
the door but Im seated quickly,
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: ANDREW JOYCE
sharing a small table alongside

two college students from
mainland China. I skip the steam
hog large intestines and opt for
11.48 am At the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, I a bowl of the half-cattle tendon/
catch the changing of the guard, an hourly affair half beef noodles in a Sichuan-
style hot broth. The tender meat
where soldiers move with the precision of Beyonc. falls apart on my fork.

Q TAIWAN
Visitors to
Lungshan
Templeoffer
prayers and
incense.
1.11 pm 2.47 pm
Tea With a
11.17 pm
Gone
IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS Master Shrimping
Hsing Tian Kong Temple, in the Zhongshan District, Still thinking about Lifes I am on Zhishan Road in an
welcomes about 10,000 visitors every day. I approach a Big Question, I make my way to open-air building, seated by a
temple helper, an elderly woman dressed in a qipao, a Dihua Streetone of the oldest giant pool, trying to catch live
traditional robe in baby blue with a high collar. She looks thoroughfares in town. I stumble shrimp with a wooden pole. People
into a tea shop called Chen of various ages sit beside me on
like Estelle Getty, the American actress who played
Wey Cha Yuan, where an ageing plastic chairs, nearly three dozen
Grandma Estelle in Stuart Little, and offers to cleanse
shopkeeper takes a break from in all, shing rods dangling in the
my soul. She asks me my name and proceeds to shake his calligraphy to brew a pot of water. The ponytailed man who
burning incense all around me. I admit, I sometimes DongDing oolong tea (which rents me the rod shows me how to
struggle with the existence of God. Yet her kindness tastes almost milky). He answers bait the hook with a piece of liver.
and grace are so overwhelming that I nd myself on the questions patiently, then unwraps Two girls in sweatpants laugh at
verge of tears. Hsing Tian Kong Temple is dedicated a cheesecloth to reveal a prize: a me as the slippery liver escapes
to Guan Yu, the patron god of businessmen; visitors rare tea called Oriental Beauty. my hands. The man does it for me,
come to have their fortune interpreted. After choosing then throws the lure in the water.
a stick with a number on it, I head inside where a man I wait. Then I wait some more. Im
about to quit when I feel a tug.
dressed in a robe interprets the Chinese characters on
Im ashamed to admit this next
my fortune. What did you ask the saviour? he says.
part but, when I pull the shrimp
Um, I recently moved to Los Angeles, I say, and from the water, Im afraid to touch
things havent been working out exactly as Id planned. the thingwhich squirms like
Did I make a mistake? He nods his head then looks crazy. One of the girls grabs the
at the slip of paper. I am totally dazed but I remember crustacean with her bare hands
him saying: You have to open your heart. Dig deeper. and drops it in my bag.

Q TAIWAN
There are thousands of temples in

Taipei, and they come in all sizes.
Some are crammed into a kiosk
the size of an ATM and some take
ight over grey sidewalks.
D AY T W O
8 am
9.30 am
Wheels of
Fortune
Taipeis bike-share pro-
gramme, YouBike (NT$10/`21
for the rst 30 minutes), is the
POOL MEDITATION best way to see the city, provided
you dont mind pedalling through
thick, steamy heat. Worthwhile
Jet lag! I reset my body clock with a dip in the pool at my hotel, Humble House, a 235-room stops along the way: Daan Park
(Taipeis Central Park), Songshan
boutique property in the commercial Xinyi District. The outdoor pool is an oasis of cool in
Cultural and Creative Park (home
the centre of an industrial playground. I do laps in the shadow of Taipei 101, a 1,670-foot-tall to Taiwans Design Museum),
skyscraper that was the tallest building in the world from 2004 until 2010. (Its still pretty tall.) Jianguo Holiday Flower Market
Staring up at all that steel and glass around me, I nd myself meditating on one famous rabbis (open weekends), and Dajia
teachings: I am but dust and ashes. For my sake was the world created. Riverside Park.
Come to
Ximending
Pedestrian
Zone for
the people-
watching.
Q TAIWAN
Soup dumplings, sitcoms, 6.12 pm
one-night standsgood ones In the Zone

Ximending Pedestrian Zone is
leave you wanting more. a mash-up of New Yorks Times
Square and Tokyos Harajuku
area: all bright lights and home
Eddie Huang, Taiwanese-American chef and author of Fresh Off the Boat to fashion-conscious youth on
parade. Lose yourself in Taipeis
famous Tattoo Street, lined
with ink parlours. Or park on
the street, get a bubble tea, and
watch a ash mob of local kids in
pink T-shirts hawking some prod-
uct. Is that the music pumping or
the citys for-real pulse?
11.12 pm
11.32 am
Delicious 12.47 pm Beverages!
SHOPPING HAPPENS
Lunch of steamed soup At Double Check, a dimly lit
dumplings (or xiao long bao) at bar where the only thing cooler
the original Din Tai Fung, a global The best Taipei afternoons are spent exploring the than the music is the beer on
eatery with an unlikely origin citys skinny alleyways, packed with gems like Boven tap, a friend of a friend presents
story. Din Tai Fung opened in me with a fresh coconut thats
a subterranean library stashing current and vintage
the Daan District here in 1958 been outtted with a metal
fashion magazines and architecture titles dating back
as a retail shop selling cooking pop-top from a soda can. Its a
oil, but when interest in the oil to the 1960s. This is the ultimate hipster hangout; Frankenstein of a drink. My head
tanked in the early 1970s, Din Tai NT$300/`635 gets you access to the reading room. is spinning.
Fung was reborn as a steamed Continue the cool-kid crawl with a stop at Take5, which
dumpling and noodle joint. While trades in the best Japanese selvedge denim. Then go
traditional Shanghai dumplings treasure hunting at 70s Vintage, a perfectly edited
can be heavy, you can see the second-hand shop in the Daan District selling lived-in
soup swimming inside these
Levis, aged Barbour jackets, and a slim retro Patagonia
delicate pouches of dough. The
secret supposedly lies in its
raincoat I somehow thought I could survive without
18 ffolds.
ld . but am now hunting for on eBay.
12.30 am Sad Love Songs

Karaoke is the national pastime, especially in summer when the air is so stiing one can only
survive indoors. At CashBoxin a 15-storey office building open 24 hours a day and teeming
with private karaoke roomsmy new friends chain-smoke indoors while singing Maroon 5
songs before launching into a marathon of depressing Chinese ballads. While Americans favour
cheesy 80s songs at karaoke, pal Duke Wu explains, the locals here are all about sad love songs
sung with zero irony. Someone picks a phone off the wall, and a waiter magically enters with
beers, Glenlivet Scotch, and dumplings. We eat, drink, and sing for hours. I love this city.

The waitresses at Club Omni

rain down fake money on a table
of nightclubbers. Each bottle
of champagne is delivered by a
different waitress.
Q TAIWAN
D AY T H R E E
10 am
GET OUTTA TOWN
I force myself out of bed and take the MRT to Xinbeitou station en route to Beitous
celebrated hot springs, a 50-minute ride that works like a time machine, depositing you in a
natural theme park formed by volcanic rock. Beitou, an area built out by the Japanese during
the 50 years they occupied Taiwan, is rumoured to have been home to brothels for visiting
soldiers. While theres a public hot spring in town, open to anyone in a bathing suit, I go for the
complete Japanese onsen experience at Villa 32, a boutique hotel and Zen retreat. Its raining
outsidea glorious downpour that only adds to the contemplative solitude of Villa 32s eight 5.19 pm
pools of therapeutic water bubbling up from the Earths depths.
Tall Things
After a quick change at the
hotel, I take advantage of the
clear skies and visit Taipei 101,
riding one of the worlds fastest
1.46 pm
So Hot 3.17 pm elevators up to the 89th-oor
observatory. Though I instantly
remember just how afraid I am of
heights and immediately take the
Right Now #BLESSED next elevator back down to Earth.
I head next to Elephant Mountain,
one of Taipeis Four Beasts
Exfoliated and relaxed I Before I head back, I stop at Taipeis most blessed mountains. The hike is short and
dry off and visit the scenic site: the Nung Chan Monastery, a Buddhist temple de- steep but seriously rewarding:
Thermal Valleywhere the signed by Kris Yao of Taipeis Archtech Inc., inspired After a 20-minute uphill climb,
steam is so thick you can mostly on wooden steps, I come
by a ower in sky, moon in water. A note on the sky:
barely see two feet in front of upon the most Instagrammable
Taipei suffers from a smog problem, nowhere near the views in all of Taipei. Neon lights
you. The valley oor can reach
90C. Not too long ago, locals
magnitude of Beijing but noticeable. The ood of mo- below icker to life. A breeze
actually boiled eggs in a tor scooters in the city is partly to blame. Thankfully the comes in. It feels like the city is
stone sink lled with hot early morning rain washed away the particulates, and just waking up. Which means its
spring water. the sky is blue as a whale. time to
8 pm Salad in a Bag
take it to the streets. At Tonghua Night Market, a smaller, off-the-beaten-track fair, Im
joined by Kathy Cheng, a local writer. We sip glass jellya drink made from some kind of
Chinese mint, dark as night and tasting vaguely of licoriceand pass unlikely food carts,
including one selling basically salad in a bag. I doubt theres a better bite in town than the
peppery sausage on a stick I eat here, sliced down the centre and served piping hot.

Day or night,
biking may be
the best way to
explore the city.
Midnight D E PA R T U R E
Noon
I leave my comfort zone rmly
mly
behind and hit Club Omni, a Question
serious nightclub (American n Answered
producer and DJ Skrillex has s I revisit Din Tai Fung to make
sure the soup dumplings are as
spun here) where I dance forr good as Id remembered (they
hours. Four Pikachus on stag ge are). When I board a 14-hour
ight home to Los Angeles, Im
shoot laser beams out of the eirr still thinking about that mo-
ment at the temple when the
eyes as Taiwanese rich kids a andd Taiwanese Estelle Getty rocked
my world. Had I made a mistake
expense-account warriors frrom in uprooting my life and career to
move west? Maybe there are no
abroad order bottles of Mo t. mistakes. There are only roads
diverging into the future. Open
Its the perfect mind-reset. your heart. Dig deeper.

Love locks hang

from a metal art
installation overlooking
Rainbow Bridge.

Q TAIWAN

THE GUIDE
is available at www.boca.gov.tw. Applications
Orientation Where to Stay
Taipei is the capital of Taiwan, and located have to be submitted at the Taipei Economic &
at the northern tip of the island nation in the Cultural Center in Chennai (044-43024311; New Humble House Taipei
No. 30, Norton Road, Mandaveli) or Delhi (011- TAIPEI CITY HALL STATION
Pacic Ocean. Taiwan is about 150 km off the
southeastern coast of mainland China. 46077777; No. 34, Paschimi Marg, Vasant Vihar). This 235-room boutique hotel near
Those residing in other cities can enlist a travel the Taipei 101 skyscraper is celebrat-
ed for its eco-friendly LEED certica-
Getting There agent to procure a visa.
tion and clean lines. Come for the
There are direct ights from New Delhi to Indian applicants who have travelled to the
linens, stay for the outdoor poolthe
Taiwans Taoyuan Airport (about 45 km west of U.S., U.K., Japan, Canada, Australia, New best escape from Taipeis extreme
Taipei; well-connected by express airport bus) Zealand, or Schengen countries in the past ten humidity (humblehousehotels.com;
operated by Taiwanese national carrier China years and have the visa in their passport only doubles from NT$6,025/`12,745).
Airlines. Flights from Mumbai, Bengaluru, require a R.O.C (Republic of China) Travel
Villa 32
and Chennai require one stop, in a hub like Authorization Certicate available via the
BEITOU
Bangkok, Hong Kong, or Kuala Lumpur. Taiwanese consular website (niaspeedy.
A sleek mountain retreat in the hot
immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast/language
springs hub of Beitou, Villa 32 offers
Visa Action!showForm). Only the passport and a ve elegant suites for overnight stays
Indian passport holders require a visa to go to print-out of the Travel Authorization Certicate but is also open to the public for
Taiwan. The visa costs `3,000 and the form is then needed by the traveller to enter Taiwan. soaks in its eight pools of thermal wa-
ter (villa32.com; thermal pools week-
days NT$1,980 /`4,200 per person,
weekends NT$2,580/`5,470; suites
Top Picks in Taipei doubles from NT$19,336/`40,981).
To Beitou Taipei Rapid Transit Lines

Addiction Aquatic
ASIA
National
Palace
Wenhu
Tamsui-Xinyi
Development Where to Eat
Museum
AD XINGTIAN TEMPLE STATION
CHINA
Taipei SHILIN
SHI
SH
S HII L I N ZHISHAN
RO
Songshan-Xindian
Zhonghe-Xinlu
Formerly known as the Taipei
& Drink
TAIWAN PACIFIC Shilin
S hilin Bannan
OCEAN Shi
hiinnlin
Shinlin
Nighgght
Night hht 1 mi Fish Market, this is 20,000 Shilin Night Market
Maarkkeet
Market
M
AUSTRALIA
1 km
square feet of seafood JIANTAN STATION
Jiantan
Jian
anttaan
Jia
ZHONGSHAN
spectacle complete with a With more than 500 food stalls, Shilin
high-end grocery and ower is one of the largest night markets in
1 Keelung market. Walk past stainless Taipei. Stinky tofu, stir-fried innards,
DAJIA
DA
AJJIA
A A RIVERSIDE PARK
NEIHU steel tanks full of live crabs sausage encased in sticky rice? Its
Ta m s u i
Addiction Aquatic
to nd the standing sushi bar all here (Lane 101, Wenlin Rd, Shilin
Development TAIPEI
NEW SONGSHAN serving (relatively cheap) fatty District; shilin-night-market.com;
TAIPEI Hsing Tian AIRPORT
Xingtian
Kong Temple salmon sashimi. Or select your open 5 p.m.-1 a.m.).
Chen Wey Temple
Cha Yuan favourite fresh sh from a tank
DATONG T A I P E I SONGSHAN and have it grilled on demand Ounce
(No. 18, Alley 2, Lane 410, Minzu XINYI ANHE STATION
Fika Fika
Ximending Cafe E Road; www.addiction.com.tw; A speakeasy tucked in the back of an
Pedestrian Zone Double Check Songshan Cultural
Tattoo Street Boven
and Creative Park open 6 a.m.-midnight). unassuming caf in the Daan District,
ZHONGZHENG OMNI
Fong Da Coffee Jianguo Holiday Taipei
Ounce is perfectly cosy. The red-
Flower Market
Longshan
Temple Din Tai
City Hall Humble
House Taipei
Lungshan Temple themed room seats maybe 30 guests.
Xinyi
Fung
Longshan Anhe Taipei 101 LONGSHAN TEMPLE STATION Bartenders mix cocktails such as
Temple Chiang Kai-shek
Yong Kang DAAN Alchemy Xiangshan
Memorial Hall
EST
Beef Noodles FOREST
Ounce
XINYI More than a hundred deities Snake in the Grass, made with
WANHUA DAAN Tonghua Elephant
RK
PARK
Night Market Mountain
1,607 ft are worshipped at this temple bitter melon syrup, a house-made
490 m
known as the meeting place of spiced tincture, and rhum agricole,
the gods. At least one of those made with cane juice (No. 40, Lane
National Palace Museum must be the god of immortal- 63, Section 2, Dunhua S Rd, Daan
SHILIN STATION ity, because the place has been District, +886-2-27086885; Mon-Sat
Its collection is a mother lode of nearly 7,00,000 paintings, ceramics, destroyed at least three times 5-11 p.m., Sun 6-11 p.m.).
sculptures, and calligraphy from ancient Chinese dynasties, which by earthquake, typhoon, and a Alchemy
Chiang Kai-shek rescued (or stole, depending on whom you ask) be- World War II bombing. Consider XIANGSHAN STATION
fore the Cultural Revolution. In addition to rare 12th-century Ju ware your own resiliency, then take a
Another speakeasy (look for the hid-
pottery, highlights include an exquisite miniature bok choy cabbage deep breath (No.211 Guangzhou
den entrance behind a bookshelf at
carved from a single piece of jadeite (npm.gov.tw; open Sun-Thurs Street; lungshan.org.tw; open 6 the Marquee lounge), Alchemy comes
8.30 a.m.-6.30 p.m.; Fri-Sat 8.30 a.m.-9 p.m.; entry NT$250/`530). a.m.-10 p.m.). with a live jazz band and a no-stand-
ing policy. Bartenders display the kind
of showmanship that lands Alchemy
MICKEY RAPKIN is an American journalist and screenwriter whose book Pitch Perfect inspired the on lists of the best bars in Asia (No.
NG MAPS
lms. Of his introduction to Taipei karaoke he says, I love a crowd that doesnt just appreciate a 16-1, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd, Xinyi District;
weepy ballad but actually demands it. DINA LITOVSKY is a New York-based photographer. +886-2-27200080; 9 p.m.-2 a.m.).

Colourful Characters to Know
T
aiwanese entrepreneur ShaoLan developed the bestselling Chineasy method as a way for her two U.K.-born children to
learn Mandarin. Chineasy breaks down the language into building blocks, teaching the story behind each character and us-
ing memorable graphic illustrations by Noma Bar. Her latest book, Chineasy Everyday, was published in May and includes
a chapter devoted to travel. Here are 12 words to help you rent a car, go shopping, and order some fried chicken on a stick.
boat (zhou )
1
not; no (bu4) fish (yu2) dollar (yuan2)

chicken (ji1) car (che1) man (nan2) stand, station (zhan4)
ILLUSTRATIONS COURTESY: NOMA BAR/CHINEASY

how many (ji3) woman (n3) water

(shui3) tea (cha2)
Note: Numbers indicate tones. 1: high level tone; 2: rising tone; 3: falling rising tone; 4: falling tone. No number: neutral tone.
Mystery, beauty, yoga,

and missing baggage on the
trail of Botticellis goddess
of love in Tuscany
Happiness is a solitary
BY MELINA BELLOWS
track and a lone
cypress tree in Tuscany. P H O T O G R A P H S B Y C AT H E R I N E K A R N O W

Q ITALY
Botticellis Venus
reigns at an Uffizi
Gallery gift shop,
in Florence.

F
or the past ve years, a poster of Sandro and make my pilgrimage to Venus at the Uffizi Gallery.
Botticellis Birth of Venus on my office The airline lost my luggage, but Im chill. The Chianti Classico
wall has intrigued me. I stare at the countryside is visual Xanax. The town of Barberino Val dElsa
Venus on the Half-Shell and sense that looks like it sounds: undulating green hills of lush groves and
she wants to tell me something. But vineyards punctuated with the stiff quill of a cypress here, a
what? Does she have a secret? Some beautifully ageing farmhouse there. I arrive at the villa where
ancient wisdom to soothe my 21st- Im staying, La Chiara di Prumiano, and stroll among the pome-
century, working-mother soul? I imagine granates, grapes, and olives. I gorge on fruit.
what the goddess of love might say if we That evening I meet the 30 other yoga participants, an eclectic,
met at the corner coffee shop. Pulling international group ranging in age from early 20s to mid-70s.
myself back to reality, I add viewing the Our rst practice is an al fresco session of sun salutations under
Renaissance painting to my bucket list. sun-buttered oaks.
One day while walking in downtown D.C., I spot something The aroma of oregano and roasting tomatoes lures us to dinner
shiny on the ground. Never one to overlook a free dime or sin- in the garden. Seated at a long table under a canopy of vines, we
gle earring, I stoop to pick it up. Its a small silver charm with feast on focaccia dipped in olive oil (pressed on the premises),
a gure I cant make out on one side and, on the other, a large chicken cacciatore, and sorbet made from backyard gs.
M with Italy stamped beneath it. A Google search reveals that As we share our vino, our teacher, Greg Marzullo, a popular
Ive found a Miraculous Medal. Since 1832, Catholics have been Washington D.C.-based yogi, offers an introduction to our week.
wearing them, believing in Marys promise that all who do will This is about disrupting the pattern, Greg explains. You
receive great graces. have left your life for a period of time. Put down the laptop
Its a sign. Im going to Italy. and phone and make space for mystery to have her way with
you. We return to our rooms exhausted from our rst day. I
IM AT A YOGA RETREAT in a Tuscan village an hours drive feel tentative about having roommates. Im bunking with
from the regions capital Florence. I am here to exercise and eat Jackie Sparks, a blonde, Amazonian free spirit whos been an
La Chiaras garden
supplies gs and other
fresh ingredients for
communal meals.
Participants gather
at a yoga retreat
at La Chiara
di Prumiano, a
centre for holistic
wellness.
Q ITALY
art teacher and air traffic controller, and Wendy Evans, an I look at him bewildered. He doesnt seem surprised. We were
opera-loving cardiac sonographer and grandmother of three. singing a sun chant in a mode that slows brainwaves to a medi-
Both offer to share their essentials until my luggage arrives. tative state, he says. Ancient cultures have sun chants. Their
Wendy hands me a new toothbrush and a postcard of Davids purpose is to bring light to dark places.
marbled anatomy. Mystery is making her appearance all right.
Keep it, I bought 12, says grandma Wendy. Im sending them
to my daughters. And my mother. A GARDENER PUSHES a wheelbarrow lled with shiny fen-
nel heads and an orange bouquet of zucchini blossoms. People
WHEN JACKIES IPHONE RINGS at 7 a.m., I regret my sit alone with a book, journal, sketchbook, or camera in the
miscalculation that this yoga retreat will be relaxing. I join backyard sun. Jet-lagged, everyone wanders in and out of their
the line of coffee pot pilgrims. Our salvation is espresso so rooms to nap.
unrelenting it swallows milk Bermuda Triangle-style no matter My sandal strap snaps while Im walking. No luggage. Now no
how much you pour. shoes. Borrow mine, says Wendy.
Lets go, yoginis, chirps Greg, leading us outside into a eld. I dont know why its hard to accept help from strangers but
As the sun slices through pink and orange clouds, he teaches us it is. Once again the cryptic message Can you receive? oats
the verses of Jesce Sole, a southern Italian folk song. We sing through my thoughts. Reluctantly I do.
in cascading rounds. Gregs operatic voice and the heavenly light That evening Greg offers an alarmingly graphic visualization
are so beautiful that I nd myself sobbing. of our bodies burning away. Your bones crack and turn to
The act sweeps my busy mind clean and allows a simple, if ash, he says. The blood boils, sizzles, and steams away. The
cryptic, question to surface. Can you receive? skull pops open, letting the boiling content ooze out like lava.
I feel something shift inside. Im the tiniest bit unmoored. Jackie gasps.
Thats ecstasy, Greg whispers. You know those paintings of Imagine them turning into something, Greg directs. I picture
saints with tears streaming down their faces? Ekstasis means an a soaring white bird. That image is a gift, he says.
out-of-body experience. At bedtime we compare notes on our gifts.
The centre is located near the

village of San Donato in Poggio,
where housekeeper Rettori
Vanna sweeps up at local inn
La Locanda di Pietracupa.
Meditation brings
yoga practice to a
close at La Chiara.
Happy baby isnt just a yoga pose
in the Tuscan village of San Donato
in Poggio, where cars are not
allowed within the medieval walls.

Q ITALY
A black-domed pyramid temple, says Wendy. I think it a word to each other. The latest trend, Zen Retail: Silent Outlet
means higher learning. ShoppingI want to joke to Wendy and Jackie, but cant.
I pictured a green ball that turned into a human heart, says
Jackie. Which is what I want, a new heart. But that was really WE LEARN THAT our silence has been to prepare for the
over-the-top, didnt you think? ancient, ecstatic dance, the tarantella. Greg apprenticed with
Alessandra Belloni, a world-renowned percussionist and
O
n the fourth day, the villas owner, Antonio Pescetti, healer who taught him Italian shamanic techniques, including
strides toward me. Hes tan and handsome with the tarantella and its mystical history. From as far back as the
longish salt-and-pepper hair and Italian-preppy 16th century, this fast, spinning dance has been used to cure
clothes. Your luggageno trace! he informs a hysteria brought on by the bite of the poisonous wolf spider,
me apologetically. as well as psychological and psychic distress, before the era of
The next thing I know, were in Pescettis Volkswagen bounding pharmaceutical aid.
through the countryside toward the town of Poggibonsi to buy We learn the steps quickly (think pogo stick meets carousel)
some basics. and the up-tempo music starts. Greg bangs his drum and we
We were among the rst in Tuscany to practice organic whirl like dervishes. I feel like an ant on a turntable. Above me
farming, he explains along the way, Chianti Classico, olive oil, the green trees and blue sky swirl together like spin art. I twirl
jams from gs and plumswe tried everything. so quickly I fall to my knees. Yet the turntable keeps spinning
Back then, La Chiara di Prumiano didnt seem like the most around me. Others pull me up, urge me to keep going.
obvious hotel. No heating, two bathrooms, he says. By the time the experience is nally over, ve of us have fallen,
Over the decades, however, he and his wife, Gaia, renovated four vomited, and one participant sobbed so hard she was
the 17th-century farmhouse (once owned by a Florentine keening. I loved it!
nobleman, Principe Corsini), retaining the architecture while We close and dinner is ready, but nobody breaks the circle.
adding sustainable updates like biomass heating systems and Physically and emotionally spent, we gape at each other, saying
photovoltaic panels. without saying that something happened.
My daughter was born here and my sister is buried here. We Perhaps that something is that less than a week ago we were
built a little chapel on the land. I feel like, how you say, roots? a group of strangers, and now were bonded into a solid group
says Pescetti, who considers his guests extended family. We of shared experiences. Weve eaten, slept, sweated together, and
love to take care of people. People come here sad and we watch now we can add surviving a musical exorcism.
them change. Ill miss the nightly musings with my roommates. Weve
covered everything from the days epiphanies to the specics
THAT NIGHT AFTER OUR CLASS we discover a large mirror of each others snoring. Weve discussed suicide, addiction,
in the middle of our yoga circle. Greg calls us up one at a time heartbreak, divorce, and our childrens diagnoses. On our last
to take a long look. Reactions vary from serious to smiley. Subha day, as we reluctantly pack up our room, Jackie declares, You
Maruvada, the woman next to me, returns to her mat weeping. are both very generous people.
Its my turn. Finally I hear what hes whispered to each of the
T
others: Stare into the eyes of the goddess. here is one last thing I need to do to round out my
I try, but Im distracted by my aws: my lank, dirty hair, the soul-searching week: nd Venus. Florence is the
circles under my eyes. I kick myself. Then I kick myself for birthplace of the Renaissance, the cultural shift that
kicking myself when Im supposed to be staring into the eyes of introduced diplomacy to politics, observation to
the goddess. Can you receive? Apparently not over the din of my science, and perspective to art. Perspective is exactly
self-criticism. what Ive come to seek.
At dinner, I indulge in the hot-from-the-oven focaccia, despite One of the oldest museums in the world, the Uffizi displays
my gluten restriction. Im not the only one straying from dietary works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio. But
connes. The peposo, beef braised for hours in red wine, pep- I go straight to Botticellis Birth of Venus.
percorns, and garlic, is so tender I watch vegans have seconds. Reaching this moment has taken me ve years, 7,026
Afterwards, I ask Subha what she saw in the mirror. kilometres, four airplanes, and the synchronization of a yoga
Casey, my cat, she says. He died after 17 years. retreat. I sit on a bench directly in front of the enormous painting,
and my eld of vision is lled withbuttocks. Tourist buttocks of
A
nother evening Greg concludes our 10 p.m. class all shapes and sizes.
with a surprising instruction: Between now I catch glimpses of the seafaring, voluptuous goddess with
and tomorrow night there will be no talking, he alabaster skin and Rapunzel hair. Art critics have deemed Venuss
says. Absolute silence. Give yourself this chance to elongated proportions anatomically improbable and her pose
go inward. impossible, as she would certainly tip over her shell and face-
At breakfast the only audible sound is the clink of spoon plant into the sea. Its also true that her dark outline and lack of
against bowl, the percussion of chopping in the kitchen, the shadows renders her at, like a sticker you can peel. Everything
crunch of gravel underfoot. in the painting is moving, uttering. Yet Venus herself looks as
But that doesnt stop a group of determined outlet shoppers calm as the clamshell she rode in on.
unwilling to let the days mandate get between them and a Note to self: Be calm.
Prada bargain. Next, I notice her gaze. She is looking toward us, but her eyes
You may speak to the salesperson, Greg negotiates. But not indicate that her thoughts are far, far away.

Go inward, I think.
Bruschetta at
How to decipher her expression? A slight smile plays upon her La Chiara di
lips, but her eyes look wistful. Is she happy? Sad? Homesick? Prumiano.
Tender is the best I can surmise.
Be tender.
Shocking display of white skin, belly gently rounded.
Be authentic, vulnerable, and brave.
Eventually I rise to leave. No dramatic aha moment, but one
cant argue with the subtle wisdom. I make my way through the
throngs for a close-up goodbye. As soon as I draw near the can-
vas, my head lls with one word. Its as if the volume of my female
intuition is turned to its highest setting. Love!
I want to smack the painting. Venus drags me all the way to
Florence to tell me the secret to life is love? Doesnt everyone
know that? Can she be a bit more specic? No. Venus sticks to
her monosyllabic script. Love, love, love, love, love.
As I leave the Uffizi, it hits me. Venus didnt let me down at
all. She simply nished my souls incomplete question: Can you
receive love?
MELINA BELLOWS is National Geographic Partners Editorial Director

for Kids and Family. Contributing photographer Tuscanys (square), the Leaning Tower
survived World War II bombs
CATHERINE KARNOW leads photo workshops in Italy. Treasures
that ravaged the rest of
Uffizi Gallery this Tuscan city of science
FLORENCE
and learning (Galileo was
THE GUIDE born here). Visits to the
Home to the worlds nest
Orientation Leaning Tower, which involve
collection of Renaissance
Tuscany lies in western Italy, with Florence as its main climbing 294 steps, must be
centre. It is brimming with vineyards, centuries-old villas, paintings, the Uffizi is
reserved online 12-20 days
and historic landmarks. The Chianti region, which stretches probably the one sight you
in advance (opapisa.it; entry
between Florence and the city of Siena, is famous for its should see in Florence if
18/`1,325).
wine and green vales. It is in the midst of such scenery, that you see no other. To avoid
the town of Barberino Val dElsa is located, about 30 km/ the long entrance lines
Wine Tasting
40 min south of Florence. year-round, reserve a pre- CHIANTI
timed ticket in advance
Getting There Many small wineries in the
(renzemusei.it; open
Flights to Florence from Indian metro cities require at least Chianti region between
Tue-Sun 8.15 a.m.-6.50 p.m.;
one stop at a European gateway city. To reach Barberino Florence and Siena offer
entry 8/`590).
Val dElsa, take a bus from the SITA bus station next to short, informal tastings
Florence train station (several buses daily; tickets from and tours. Find a winery
Il Campo
2.3/`170). Visitors can also rent a car outside the inter- with a sign saying Vendita
SIENA
national airport at Florence (www.rentalcars.com; small Diretta (direct sales) or
Intimate and manageable, Degustazioni (tastings).
cars from 35/`2,600 per day; requires International
this medieval walled
Driving Permit).
city south of Florence is Adapted from the National
Visa crammed with culture. Geographic Traveler
Indians travelling to Italy need to obtain a Schengen visa by Il Campo is the sloping, guidebook Florence &
applying to one of the VFS centres in cities such as Mumbai, scallop-shaped square Tuscany.
Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Guwahati, Jaipur. at its heart, where the
A conrmed ticket, medical insurance, and other travel and annual Palio horse races Visit Tuscany
nancial documents are required. The processing can take up take place. Branching from with Nat Geo
to 15 days (www.vfs-italy.co.in; `5,505). there, narrow cobblestoned The 10-day itinerary for
lanes are lined with shops National Geographic
Stay
selling Florentine stationery, Expeditions Inside
The 17th-century villa of La Chiara di Prumiano is a B&B
and wellness retreat. Regular yoga sessions are held by rainbow mounds of gelato, Italy trip includes visits
the resident expert. Participants practice hatha yoga and and other Tuscan goods. to the Tuscan cities of
meditation among other things. (www.prumiano.it; from Pisa, Lucca, and Florence
45/`3,350 per person in a twin or triple room; yoga ses- Campo dei Miracoli (natgeoexpeditions.com;
sions free for guests.) PISA $6,575/`4,39,170 per person
In Pisas central piazza for double occupancy).

RELAX
By
B
y Jennifer
Better Living
B
TO
g on a Scale From....
y
f Barger IIllustration by James Taylor
INDEX
11 Experiences That Provide a Mental and Physical
V !
RAVE!
Reboott
LJUPCO/GETTY IMAGES (BICYCLE), NERTHUZ/GETTY IMAGES (TELESCOPE), FIZKES/GETTY IMAGES (YOGA), MIKHAIL ABRAMOV/SHUTTERSTOCK
(LOWER PEONY), OLEGGANKO/SHUTTERSTOCK (UPPER PEONY), JOAKIM LEROY/GETTY IMAGES (STONES), SOLEG/GETTY IMAGES (SEAGULL),
REBIUS/GETTY IMAGES (AIRPLANE)
Enjoy the
silence at a Andean birds
Quebec City and llamas
convent. galore! Get
soaked
in a British
spa town.
Who
invited
the camel
to our sand
bath?
COURTESY INKATERRA (BIRD-WATCHER), YSBRAND COSIJN/GETTY IMAGES (SWIMMER), TEREX/GETTY IMAGES (GOGGLES),
1
LE MONASTRE DES AUGUSTINES (STATUE AND YOGA), JACKF/GETTY IMAGES (GUANACO), JAMES TAYLOR (TULIP),
3 4
Honour Your
Mother
AGUAS CALIENTES, PERU
Before journeying up to the Inca

Decompress
COOL CLOISTER
QUEBEC CITY, CANADA
ruins on Machu Picchu, give your
mother a call. Mother Earth,
in the Desert
TAKE THE WATERS MERZOUGA, MOROCCO
KANOKSAK DETBOON/GETTY IMAGES (CAMEL), SOLEG/GETTY IMAGES (BIRD)

that is. At traditional payment
Recently opened in the heart
to the Earth rituals at Inkaterra BATH, ENGLAND
Think of it as a sand bath. During
of Old Quebec, Le Monastre Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel the sweltering months of July and
des Augustines offers the (one of the National Geographic This British towns mineral- August, blue-turbaned Berbers
serenity of a convent but Unique Lodges of the World), a rich geothermal waters dig bathtub-size holes in the
with options for yoga and shaman helps guests honour are purported to increase ochre Sahara sand, wait for the
scrapbooking thrown in. The Pachamama (Mother Earth) by endorphins and reduce joint grains to heat up in the sun, and
burning a gift-wrapped package. then bury customers up to their
65-room wellness retreat is pain. The Celts and Romans
The two-hour ceremony pays necks. Participants stay in the
partly housed in the restored tribute to the apus (mountain
wouldnt have used those ground about ten minutes, and
cloister of the Augustinian gods). Im not a spiritual person, exact words to explain their afterward are wrapped in blankets
Sisters, healthcare pioneers but when the shaman bundled attraction to this area cen- for an hour and rehydrate with
who founded here, in the things together and put them turies ago, but they might tea. The sweaty sauna-like
17th century, the rst hospi- in the re, says Noa Artzi-Weill, still feel at home at the new treatment soothes muscles. Most
tal in North America outside who participated in the ritual Gainsborough Bath Spa, with hotels in the area, including the
this year, I was moved. (www. castle-like Ksar Merzouga, can
of Mexico. (monastere.ca/en; its Doric columns and mosaic
nationalgeographiclodges.com/ organize a bain de sable, or sand
packages from CAD74/`3,735 lodges/south-america/inkaterra- tile. (www.thegainsborough- bath. (ksar-merzouga.com/en;
per night, per person for machu-picchu; doubles from bathspa.co.uk; doubles from tent doubles from `2,980, room
double occupancy.) $274/`18,282.) 216/`17,656.) doubles from `2,660.)

Q WO RLD
Tweet this Seaplane is
birds-eye the only way
view of the to access
Adirondacks. this Labrador Caution:
lodge. Share bike
lane with
zebras.
Its a thing:
snow + yoga =
snowga.
6
7
GURUXOOX/GETTY IMAGES (SNOWGA), LECHIENGRAND/GETTY IMAGES (FLOATPLANE), EDSEL QUERINI/GETTY IMAGES (FLY
FISHERMAN), BURAZIN/GETTY IMAGES (GIRAFFE), PRAPASSONG/GETTY IMAGES (ZEBRA), 4X6/GETTY IMAGES (BICYCLIST)
5 8
Yoga
Mash-ups MOUNTAIN HIGH
MONTANA, U.S.A. AND SWITZERLAND
In winter, Montanas Ranch at

LABRADOR, CANADA
Two-Wheel
Fly-shing expeditions and
WALK ON TREETOPS
Rock Creek (one of the National
Geographic Unique Lodges
backcountry camping are Safaris
just some of the activities in SOUTH AFRICA AND SWAZILAND
UPSTATE NEW YORK, U.S.A.
of the World) offers snowga.
Participants cross-country ski or Mealy Mountains National Safarigoers use cycling legs,
Get a birds soaring perspec- snowshoe up to the mountains, Park Reserve. Now the larg- not jeeps, on African Bikers
tive on the Adirondacks thenwith boots and snowshoes est park in Eastern Canada, small-group tours, which pedal
via the new Wild Walk, an on and skis offpractice warrior the 10,700-sq.-km. wilder- past zebras, hippos, and impalas
elevated, bridge-like board- poses in the snowpack. At the ness is co-managed by native amid the dramatic granite peaks
historic Gstaad Palace in the and soothing grasslands of the
walk, ranging from two to Innu tribes, who also run
Swiss Alps, woga classes take Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, in
four storeys high, that winds place in a heated pool where
Park Lake Lodge, which can Swaziland. Daily rides range from
through the forest canopy. instructors hold yogis up during only be reached via seaplane. 18 to 60 kilometres and cruise
Along the way, visitors get a seated positions so theyre never Guests bunk in rustic rooms through Zulu villages and Kruger
peek at surrounding moun- fully submerged. (The Ranch, and when they arent trying to National Park in South Africa,
tains, lounge in a human-size www.nationalgeographiclodges. land the big one, they learn to and along the Indian Ocean
spider web, and play in a twig com/lodges/north-america/ make hide boots in Innu-led shoreline. Get out of the saddle
the-ranch-at-rock-creek; doubles for visits to crafts collectives and
tree house. (wildcenter.org; from $1,600/`1,06,770, including
craft lessons. (parklakelodge.
Durbans Indian spice market.
opening times on website; all guided activities; Gstaad com; 3-day package from (africanbikers.com; 13-day cycling
adults $20/`1,330, children Palace, palace.ch; doubles from CAD2,995/`1,51,160 per per- tour in Eastern South Africa and
between 5-17 $13/`865.) CHF650/`44,160.) son per night.) Swaziland $2,395/`1,59,615.)

These boots Surfs up in DJ got us

were made Indonesia! fallin in love
for walking with early
Australia. mornings.
NO_LIMIT_PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES (HIKER), BRIAN MCENTIRE/ISTOCKPHOTO (BOOTS), 4X6/GETTY IMAGES (SURFER),

9 10
CHORALE MILES/DAYBREAKER (DANCING WOMAN), OPOLJA/GETTY IMAGES (DISCO BALL), ANDREW RAUNER/
HEAVENLY HIKE
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
The 103-kilometre Great

Ocean Walk meanders
Waves of
Wellness
SUMBA ISLAND, INDONESIA
Surfers travel the world in search

of those adrenaline-inducing
perfect waves. At Sumba
Islands Nihiwatu resort, fronting
11
DANCE AT DAWN
MULTIPLE CITIES WORLDWIDE
Daybreaker, a series of early

through deserted beaches the Indian Ocean, theres a a.m. raves launched in New
juxtaposition of trade winds,
and the Otways rainforests, swell direction, and distance from
York, brings booze-free yoga
before ending in view of storms, says part-time surng and DJ-fuelled dance par-
the offshore limestone instructor Terry Simms. It creates ties to nightclubs. The clean
stacks known as the Twelve some of the smoothest and most fun can be found in London,
undisturbed swells in the world.
DAYBREAKER (YOGIS STRETCHING)
Apostles. Hikers might spot Paris, Washington, Shanghai,

Experienced boarders tackle
kangaroos, wallabies, or Occys Left, a barrelling, long left and Hong Kong. Theyre pow-
whales. Do the whole trail break; beginners can take lessons ered by juice and fair-trade
in about a week (there are using rental equipment. Guests coffee. I love that you see all
campsites along the way), can stay in thatch-roofed villas shapes, ages, and sizes danc-
that mimic traditional Sumbanese
or just portions via a guided ing and smiling, says D.C. JENNIFER BARGER is a writer
houses. (nihiwatu.com; doubles
trip. (visitgreatoceanroad. from $650/`43,320 for minimum fan Deepa Venkataraman and fashion stylist based in
org.au/greatoceanwalk.) 3 nights.) (dybrkr.com). Washington D.C., U.S.A.

JOURNEYS
102
Trinidad and Tobago
STEVE BLY/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE

In the land of the hummingbird, valleys trill
with birdsong and coastal formations such as
Cathedral Rock on Paria Beach frame the sea.
THE SONG OF TRINIDAD
Drumming and dancing,
singing birds and sound waves
this Caribbean island marches
to the beat of its own steel pan
BY ERIC FELTEN PHOTOGRAPHS BY AARON HUEY
Journeys | T HE ESS E N C E
Large crowds gather to support their favourite

band at the nals of Panorama, the annual steel
pan band competition. The nals are held at
Savannah Park, the huge green space at the heart
of Port of Spain, on the Saturday before Carnival.
Q T R I NI DA D AN D TO BAGO
STEVE BLY/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE
THUNDERING.
CLANGOURING.
The air around me throbs and shatters with the sound of steel pans. Im in Queens Park
Savannah, a big patch of green in the heart of Port of Spain, capital of the island nation of
Trinidad and Tobago, and I can barely move. To my right, more than a hundred musicians
hunch over their pans, their hands moving in a choreographed urry as they strike at their
steel drums. To my left, 120 more play just as furiously. In front of me, yet another steel-pan
orchestra makes its own riot of sound as it competes with its rivals.
We all are backstage at the nals of Trinidads top steel- on wheeled racks; fans and pannists together roll each bands
band competition, Panorama, held the Saturday night before drum battery along the pavement and, eventually, up the ramp
Carnival. Ten large bands have lined up along the paved track to the stage. I wedge my way through the crowd looking for
that leads to the Grand Stand stage. Each is jamming in a bands familiar to me. I spot Phase II Pan Groove, one of the
nal rehearsal before the contest begins, hurtling through its top large steel bands in recent years, headed by Mozart of
competition piece. My ears try to absorb the astonishing clash the pan Len Boogsie Sharpe. The players, in exuberant red,
of grooves and melodies, astonishing in part because the sound yellow, and green vests and caps, show the easy condence of
is earsplittingly loud without electronic amplication. Its as if front-runners.
the modernist Charles Ives had composed in the Caribbean. Nearby I nd the Supernovas, a young band fresh from the
Many of us think of steel drums as the default sound of the northern hill town of Surrey. Until last year, the Supernovas
Caribbean islands, a sort of aural equivalent of an umbrella had competed only in small-band competitions. Now theyve
drink. But this percussive instrument belongs to Trinidad: The bulked the band up to 120 players and, in their rst go at the
improbable feat of turning discarded oil drums into sweetly Panorama semi-nals, almost bested Phase II. It doesnt hurt
melodic instruments was conceived in the rougher and rowdier that theyre led by Amrit Samaroo, son of one of the great origi-
neighbourhoods of Port of Spain. nal pan men.
Called pan locally, the steel drum is a deceptively difficult in- I grab a Trini-brewed Carib beer from one of the stalls that
strument to master. Unlike the piano or, my instrument, the line the track and press through the fans until I can no longer
trombone, where notes are arranged in a line, on a pan a C isnt move. Above, a banner proclaims Desperadoes. The fans
next to a C sharp, its on the opposite side of the bowl. This both right here arent just more plentiful, theyre more intense.
ummoxes and captivates the jazz trombonist in me. Always As is the music. Somehow, in the tightly packed quarters,
on the hunt for new sounds and musical ideas for my own jazz people are dancing to the erce rhythms of the Desperadoes
orchestra, I couldnt wait to get to this, the worlds most in- Steel Orchestra.
tenseand joyfulshowcase of pan playing. This band, affectionately known as Despers, connects right
Im in the middle of a crush of fans who have come to help back to pans mean-street origins in the years around World
their favourite bands by pushing pan. Sets of steel drums sit War II, when no respectable Trinidadian parents allowed their

kids to have anything to do with the instrument. As one early the green-winged motmot (it seems embarrassed to be making
pan innovator, Carlton Zigilee Constantine, said of the bands any sound at all) and the squeaky chittering of thrushes. The
in the 1940s and 50s, You must have a little villain in you bearded bellbird (bearded thanks to its throat wattles) makes
to be a pan man. Bands would ght, sometimes violently, over a noise like a race-starters buzzer, followed by what sounds like
girls, turf, songs. Typical was this 1950 headline in the Trinidad the banging of a lead pipe on an old brake drum.
Guardian newspaper: Steelbands Clash; Corrosive Fluid, That buzzer sound is a warning to other male bellbirds or in-
Cutlasses Used. truders to back off, says guide Caleb Walker, while the clank-
The Desperadoes formed in Laventille, a gritty neighbour- ing is a come-hither call. The green-backed trogon alternates
hood in the hardscrabble hills that overlook Port of Spain. A lin- a mewling whistle with the toot-tooting of a third-grader tak-
gering bad-john reputation remains a measure of the groups ing up the recorder. But to my ears, the best of all will be the
authenticity, which clearly is valued by the loyal following I see extravagant call of the yellow-tailed crested oropendola, a song
here on the track. Some say that street brawling gave rise to the that starts with the roll of a toy snare drum and surges into a
Panorama competition, devised to channel any hooliganism comical calliope arpeggio.
into something more productive around the time Trinidad and Midway into this new game of mine I discover birds Id much
Tobago achieved independence from Britain in 1962. rather see than hear. Topping the list is the scarlet ibis, Trini-
N
dads national bird, which visits Asa Wright but congregates in
ot that anyone in Trinidad needs a reason to start a the Caroni Swamp, an estuarine reserve south of Port of Spain
competition; Trinidadians will turn almost anything that will be my next stop. First impressions underwhelm: Hard
into a contest. Among the dozens that lead up to by a highway exit I nd a dirt parking lot and a small dock
Carnival will be one for Calypso King (best calypso where a jumble of boats with bench seats moor in a canal.
singer) and for Soca King (best singer of the islands One boat is inviting passengers, so I board and we head out.
modern, calypso-derived pop). Trinis, as Trinidadians call Within minutes the canal gives way to mangrove-cloistered
themselves, even consider the singing of birds a sportnot sur- estuaries that open onto a string of serene tidal lakes. As the
prising on an island that counts more late-afternoon sky eases from blue to
than 450 bird species and honours an dusky mauve, clusters of scarlet ibises
eight-time Calypso King named Mighty TRINIDAD CULTURE IS BUILT (more like electric-crimson ibises, so
Sparrow. In a park one afternoon, I spot AROUND HABITS OF SOCIA- intense is their red-pink hue) swoop
men hooking birdcages to stands. The in low and fast over the water and, in
bullnches inside begin tweeting and BILITY, ESPECIALLY LIM- a urry of apping, pull up to roost in
whistling in what are known as bullin the mangroves. There are so many of
ING, A TRINIDADIAN TERM
sessions, which can last the day and them, thousands, that their red feath-
include no small amount of betting on FOR HANGING OUT. ONE CAN ers against the green foliage make the
which birds will sing the most. trees look like giant pyracantha (re-
Birdsong is both lure and reward
MAKE A LIME ANYWHERE thorn) bushes.
at the 1,500-acre Asa Wright Nature AT A BAR, AT A PARK, BY THE For a place only 13 kilometres from
Centre, a top Caribbean birding spot the capital, Caroni Swamp feels im-
that sits high in the crease of a mountain SIDE OF THE ROADANYTIME probably remote. The same could
east of Port of Spain. I barely have my be said about Trinidad. Whether by
bag out of the car trunk when Im startled by some unseen choice or an admirable indifference to touristy imperatives,
fowls hoarse call, followed by what sounds like the klaxon honk Trinis have not gone out of their way to make their natural at-
of an old Parisian taxi. Crickets, frogs, and breeze-blown trees tractions easy to get to. Im eager to visit Paria Bay, a secluded
provide a background hum. cove known for a natural stone arch. I could reach it by driving
Perched on the hillside before me is an elegant dowager of the winding roads into the hilly Northern Range, to roads end
a plantation house, white with narrow green shutters. Bird- at the village of Brasso Seco, then embark on an hours-long
watchers armed with binoculars and telescopic lenses ock to hike. Or I could hire, as I now do, a shing boat at the coastal
the veranda, which overlooks a valley lush with ferns and palms village of Las Cuevas, an hours drive northeast of Port of Spain.
and owering vines. A disproportionate number of the birders I nd a sharp-nosed skiff skippered by Barry; on board is a sh-
seem to be retired computer-science professors, but I also chat erman named Neil. The sky is cloudy as the boat slaps across
with the leader of a Canadian Bee Gees tribute band. rough waters past the hamlet of Blanchisseuse. Neil stands
Guides on the veranda and along the forest trails help with bird at the prow scanning for rocks and reefs as we wend our way
spotting, pointing out everything from green-winged parrots around jutting cays topped by lonely trees.
(difficult to see in the foliage) to deftly darting hummingbirds. Tarps strung just behind Paria Beach ag where a handful of
Many birds initially are identied by their song, which rallies families live; otherwise the cove feels deserted. At the far end
the musician in me. I pick out the modest little whooping of of the sand I make out a high stone arch buffeted by waves.

Emerald shades sparkle

in a white-tailed, golden-
throated hummingbirds
plumage and in a
costume at Carnival.
WENDELL STEPHENJAY REYES

Dappled with Carnival

colours, a merrymaker
echoes the bold hues of
a white-necked Jacobin
hummingbird.
Ahead of Carnival,
kids have their own
day to celebrate in
Port of Spain.
Its such a striking spot that just about any country eager for time visitors to Trinidad; many smaller routes arent marked.)
tourist dollars would have paved a road to the waters edge. But Soon were on a road following a stream. Through trees, I see
Trinidad has built its economy around its primary resources, families and friends picnicking riverside. Nicholas hollers to
oil and gas, not tourism. As one Trinidadian expat I know said, a clutch of men in swim trunks, cooking over campres on a
drawing herself up with pride, Were a nation, not a tourist sandbar. They wave us down.
destination. Bindra Singh and his friends greet us with beers icy from the
Which may be why I now have a remarkable place like Paria cooler. We shoot the breeze over a boom box blaring chutney
to myself. I stroll the sand to the arch, known as Cathedral soca, the Trini music that mixes pop with Indian rhythms and
Rock, which, I now see, frames a rock pillar that looks like a Hindi lyrics (thousands of Indians came to Trinidad as inden-
pulpit. On the way I keep an eye on the water for leatherback tured labourers in the 1900s). A lime is all about friends and
turtles, 10,000 of which cross the Atlantic Ocean every year food, says Singh. They feed their res driftwood and bits of
or two to nest along Trinidads beaches in one of the worlds broken bamboo to heat pots arranged on three river rocks. I
largest leatherback gatherings. They usually begin arriving in ask whats cooking. Curry duck and provision soup, the lat-
March, however, and its only February. None cruise by. ter a mix of bananas, peas, peppers, carrots, dasheen (taro),
T
dumplings, and whatever else might be on hand. I get a rst
rinidad culture is built around habits of sociability, bite of the duck, which comes out of the pot as sizzling hot as
especially liming, a term Trinidadians invented for it is spicy.
hanging out. One can make a lime anywhereat a A gaggle of kids splash around downriver as parents lounge
bar, at a park, by the side of the roadanytime. But along the banks. Other limers plop foldable tables right in the
the essential lime is the weekend river lime. stream, for one cool picnic. A young man wades past with a
On a Sunday afternoon I head with guide Gerald Nicholas homemade spearguna hand-carved gun stock rigged with
into the Northern Range, the chain of low mountains that rears rubber bands to catapult a sharpened shank of heavy wire. Hes
up east of the capital. (Opting for a guide is a good idea for rst- hunting sh for a lime of his own.

Another popular lime is hanging out at a pan yard. A few over repeating riffs. Its a happy, easy-going vibe: Where the
nights before the Panorama nals are to take place Im in the Supernovas were taut with youthful ambition, Phase II grooves
pan yardessentially a paved lotwhere the Supernovas Steel with the relaxed ease one expects of winners.
Orchestra rehearses in its hometown of Surrey. Its past 9 p.m. Relaxed would not be the word to describe the Desperadoes
and Supernova musicians are still arriving, many straight from as I watch them rehearse the following night in a borrowed,
their jobs more than an hour away in Port of Spain. As the play- dimly lit pan yard in a scruffier part of Port of Spain. When their
ers set up, the various sections begin working on their parts. In cowbell counts off, its an entirely different soundheavier,
front sit the high-pitched tenor pans that usually carry the darkerthat I hear. Despers play pan with a wide-shouldered,
melody and the double tenors that harmonize with them. To muscular swagger, and if the musicians arent exactly scowling,
the left are the guitars, cellos, and larger mid-range pans I dont see many gratuitous smiles, either. This is a serious
that strum chords under the tenors. On the right sit the oil orchestra rehearsal.
drumsas many as a dozen per playerthat bang out the During a break I recognize Clement Franklin. We had met
bass notes like industrial timpani. On a platform in the back earlier in the day at the Gill Pan Shop, where Id watched crafts-
is the engine room, with drum kit, congas, bongos, and other men pound out 55-gallon steel barrels into pans. Clement is a
rhythm instruments. tuner; he works his magic at the end of the pan-making pro-
All are playing their own trickiest bits over and over, a cess. Using a small hammer, he shapes the curves of every note
discordant jumble of sound that builds and builds as more on the pan until the intonation rings pitch-perfect. In his hands
players arrive and join in. That is, until three sharp bangs from right now are the rubber-tipped mallets of a pan man. He also,
a cowbell bring instant silence. Its drill master Sonalal Killer yes, has a smile. Playing pan with the Desperadoes is what I
Samaroo, who, after a pause, raps out a rhythm that starts live for.
D
the song.
What happens next astounds me. esperadoes will be the penultimate band to perform
Ive heard plenty of steel pan, but always by small groupsa at Panorama, so its nearly 2 a.m. when they nally
couple of pannists at a party, a pan soloist in a jazz band. But take the stage. The Grand Stand crowd hasnt waned
Id never heard a full steel orchestra perform live, so am utterly a bit. As the players position their many steel pans,
unprepared for the onslaught of sound when more than a hun- commentators doing a national TV broadcast note
dred pannists strike in sync. how long it has beena 16-year droughtsince Desperadoes
And the Supernovas are very much in sync. Tightly drilled, came out on top.
eager, attentive, they stop and work the hardest sections over Finally, a drummer raps out a rhythm ... and theyre off, with
and over. The cowbell kicks them off fast. Then they do the part all the ferocity Id heard in the pan yard a few nights before,
again, this time at a snails pace, then once more at just the performing a piece titled Different Me. The pannistswomen
right tempo. and men, youths and greybeardsdance rhythmically as they
Theyre playing a seven-minute arrangement by Amrit Sama- drum, bobbing, lunging, hopping, and twirling, leaning over
roo, whose fatherand Sonalals brotherJit, started a little their pans, wringing music out of steel.
family steel band as a school kid in the countryside and became By 3 a.m. the last band has played and the announcer calls out
one of the great pan pioneers. Everything I learned was from the scores. Third place is a tie, 283 points each for the Renegades
him, Amrit says. anddisappointing their fansPhase II Pan Groove. Second
Plenty of pannists read music uently, but the tradition replace, with 284 points, goes to the young hopefuls from Surrey.
mains to learn every note directly from the pan of the arranger. The Despers fans begin to roar. Desperadoes have nished
Even now, just days before Panorama, Amrit goes from section rstby one point. The band, nally, is beaming.
to section tweaking the arrangement and showing players new In an age of world music, where producers scour distant
variations, little surprises for the judges come the nals. places to capture every sort of indigenous song, there still
This all is wonderfully new to me but old hat to the residents is music that remains elusiveelusive because recording
of Surrey. Instead of complaining about the racketwhich, af- it cant come close to reproducing the actual experience of
ter all, has been going on for some two months now, every night its sounds. This may be nowhere more true than at the
until two or three in the morningthe neighbours are out on Panorama Finals. What I now know: You cant grasp steel-
their porches, liming. pan music until youve heard a large pan orchestra play live
T
in a pan yard; and you cant know Trinidad without doing
he pan yard where Phase II Pan Groove practices, in the same.
an upscale part of Port of Spain, is another experience
altogether, brightly lit and billboarded with ads Writer and musician ERIC FELTEN lives in Washington, D.C.,
for Yellow Tail Chardonnay. Bleachers teem with where he leads the Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra. Photographer
the bands many fans. The players are rehearsing AARON HUEY recently published the photo book Where The
Madd Music, a dance tune with a singable melody bouncing Heaven Flowers Grow: The Life And Art Of Leonard Knight.

A winged devil experienced in the

risky art of re breathing throws out
ames for night-time Carnival goers.
THE GUIDE
The Caribbean nation of Trinidad

and Tobago is a twin-island country
300 mi
about 11 kilometres off the coast
300 km
of northeastern Venezuela. The
erstwhile Spanish colony has a Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
diverse population, comprising
Orientation descendants of Africans, Indians, Tobago
and South Asians brought here to AREA Paria Beach
work as indentured labourers. It is ENLARGED
VENEZUELA Las Cuevas Blanchisseuse
the point of origin of music genres
like calypso, chutney, chut-kai- Brasso
pang, among others. Seco
r n R a n g e
N o r t h e
Trinidads Piarco International Asa Wright
Nature Centre
Airport is 27km/30 min southeast
of the capital Port of Spain. There Laventille Surrey
are no direct ights, so travelling Port of Spain
from India to Piarco requires one Arima
URIAH WAY
or two stops. Tobago is a 30-min Gulf of Caroni PIARCO
HIGH
Getting There ight from Port of Spain. Those Paria Swamp INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
BUTLER
who have a US visa can y direct 5 mi
to Newark or JFK, and take a con- 5 km
To Pointe-a-Pierre T R I N I D A D
venient connection from there. Wildfowl Trust
Indians travelling to Trinidad and Tobago do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days. It is advisable to carry
your travel documents and itinerary, along with nancial documents stating you have sufficient funds for the
duration of your stay. Do check if you need transit visas at any of your layover points.
Visa
TRINIDADS HIGH NOTES
Panorama Finals 1,400-acre nature preserve on the lands of a onetime cacao and
PORT OF SPAIN coffee plantation. Feeders draw an array of hummingbirds; trails
Arguably the Caribbeans most exuberant musical event, this offer sightings of toucans, oropendolas, and more. Guests may
steel-pan championship held in the capital showcases Trinidads overnight in simple, cosy lodge rooms (asawright.org; centre
top steel bands. The run-up includes regional pan competitions open 9 a.m-5 p.m.; guided tours at 10.30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; adults
in Arima, a town in the foothills of the Northern Range, and San $10/`670, children over 12 yr $6/`400; lodge doubles from
Fernando, a west coast city once home to the worlds largest sugar $170/`11,370).
renery. For ticket information see pantrinbago.co.tt.
Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust
Queens Park Savannah POINTE--PIERRE
PORT OF SPAIN This gem of a nature preserve (celebrating its 50th year) nests
The capitals largest park is a 260-acre swathe of green dotted with within the Petrotrin oil renery complex. Its 75 acres encompass
sports elds. Site of many events, including the National Panorama wetlands and trails, where you see some of the 80-plus bird
Finals, its ringed by the Royal Botanic Gardens and a row of historic species recorded here, including scarlet ibises and macaws
Victorian buildings known as the Magnicent Seven. (papwildfowltrust.org; weekdays 9 a.m-5 p.m., weekends
10 a.m.-5 p.m.; reservations to be made in advance by calling
Brasso Seco +1-868-6584200).
NORTHERN RANGE
Tucked into Trinidads northern mountains, this funky village has Caroni Swamp
become a gateway for hikers and birders. Excursions include a SOUTH OF PORT OF SPAIN
13-kilometre hike to Paria Bay, shorter waterfall treks, and joining A 12,000-acre wetland of international importance, mangrove-
weekend river limes. lled Caroni is a top roosting site for Trinidads national bird, the
scarlet ibis. Best times to visit are in the morning and at sunset.
Asa Wright Nature Centre Out-tters include Nanan Bird (nananecotours.com; daily tours
NG MAPS
ARIMA VALLEY at 4 p.m.; for reservations visit website or call +1-868-6818274,

The oldest nature centre in the West Indies, Asa Wright is a +1-868-7762046).

SHORT BREAKS
FROM MUMBAI STAY
116 The historic wadas, steamed

modaks, and hip cafs of Pune
120 Cocooned in comfort at a fort
complex by the Narmada
Time Travelling in Pune

FROM A CENTURY-OLD GUARDIAN DEITY TO CHIC RESTAURANTS AND PUBS,
A DAY IN PUNE STRADDLES MANY ERAS | BY CHAITALI PATEL
A
n elderly woman deftly strung jasmine buds discover was the older part of the city where life still The ruins inside
into garlands at her ower stall outside the goes on as it has for generations. Shaniwar Wada
complex can
Kasba Ganpati temple. She looked up at us On our guided tour of old Pune, history unfurled be seen from
occasionallya motley group of individuals exploring at every corner (www.puneheritagewalk.com; from the rst oor
the older parts of Pune on a crisp winter morning. Her `250 per person; Sat-Sun 7 a.m.). It is also possible to hall above
routine existence was, for us, a peek into the heart of explore old Pune on your own, starting at Shaniwar Delhi Gate.
the city. Wada and visiting the many historical sites that are
HEMANT PATIL/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY
Pune has always been one of my favourite weekend within walking distance, or following the trail below.
getaways from Mumbai with friends or family. The
citys pleasant weather provides a welcome respite from EXPLORE
Mumbais balmy climate, as does its laid-back vibe. Yet
after many encounters, I realised there was a side of OF KINGS AND LEADERS
this city unknown to us. I knew its IT prowess and The Peshwa ruler Bajirao I built his grand residence
cutting-edge automobile companies. I knew the leafy Shaniwar Wada on the right bank of the Mutha River.
avenues of Pune Cantonment, and the chic cafs and Tales abound of the magnicence and opulence
boutiques of Koregaon Park, but what I was about to of Shaniwar Wada, but a re in 1828 reduced the

HERITAGE HOLIDAY
2+ D AY S
Mumbai 150 km Pune
complex to ashes. Today, it is a shadow of its former self. Mahatma IN A CELEBRATORY MOOD
Among the few standing structures are the fortied Gandhi was Walking ve minutes southwest down narrow lanes,
imprisoned for
boundary walls and the Dilli Darwaza or Delhi Gate two years in the
we came to the 19th-century home of Bhau Lakshman
named because it faces Delhi directionally. We walked magnicent Aga Javale, an acclaimed Ayurvedic doctor. Born into a
around gardens set amidst ruins, trying to recreate in Khan Palace in family of dyers, and fondly known as Bhau Rangari, he
our imaginations the grand structure that was a symbol Yerwada (left); and two others started the public celebration of Ganesh
The original
of Peshwa power and might. Chaturthi as we know it today. In the late 1800s, at a
Bhau Rangari
EPHOTOCORP/AGE FOTOSTOCK/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (PALACE), DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (IDOL), STA/SHUTTERSTOCK (FOOD)
Behind the pomp and glory of the past are Ganapati statue time when Indians across different castes were not
stories of betrayal that led to the eventual fall of the from 1892 is allowed to interact and congregate, Bhau Rangaris
mighty Peshwas. After Bajirao Is son Balaji Bajirao made of paper sarvajanik Ganeshotsav became a way of uniting peo-
died, the mantle eventually fell to his youngest and pulp (right); ple. A few buildings away from his house, the original
Spicy, tangy,
son, Narayanrao. Barely a year after he ascended and sweet,
idol from 1892 made of paper and pulp is still displayed
the throne, his jealous uncle and aunt plotted his bhakarwadi is in a small shelter. Modest in size, but not lacking in im-
murder. Narayanrao was chased down the corridors the ubiquitous pact, Ganpati is shown slaying a demon, symbolizing
of Shaniwar Wada, and eventually brutally killed Pune snack freedom from the colonizers ruling India at the time.
(bottom).
by the conspirators. It is said that even today, on a full As we turned onto bustling Bajirao Road, we saw
moon night, you can hear his desperate cries for help majestic Vishrambaug Wada. Despite the chaos around,
(Shivaji Road; open 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; entry Indians `15, the red facade was a restful sight with an ornamental
foreigners `200). balcony overlooking the road and carved pillars, each
A few minutes walk from Shaniwar Wada is said to be made from a single teak tree. In the early
the reconstructed Lal Mahal, Chhatrapati Shivajis 1800s, Peshwa Bajirao II built this complex as his
official residence in the city. Shivaji spent his childhood residence, and lived here until he was arrested by the
and married his rst wife Maharani Saibai here. In British. The wada today houses an exhibition on Punes
1645, he moved to Torna Fort on the outskirts of Pune history through the centuries, a handicraft shop run by
and Lal Mahal fell into ruin. Despite the historical a local NGO, and a post office. The mansions intricately
signicance of the site, the reconstructed mahal was carved wood pillars and window frames offer a peek
not very visually appealing so we didnt stay long. into its glorious past. Our guide tells us that when the
We lingered instead at Kasba Ganpati temple, mansion was built, the Peshwa would spend `60 a
closely tied to Punes history. The temple year, a small fortune at the time, to hire people to
was originally built by Shivajis mother Jijabai light hundreds of oil lamps around the complex
next to their home, to house a Ganesha (open Tue-Sun 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; entry `10).
idol that was found in Pune. This idol of the Across the road from Vishrambaug Wada, I
Kasba Ganpati is considered the gramadevta spotted an outlet of the iconic Pune sweet and
or the guardian deity of the city. In old Pune, farsan store, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale. I dashed
the belief in Kasba Ganpati has survived the test over to get my hands on every Punekars favourite
of time. snack: bhakarwadi, a savoury and spicy namkeen,

Short Breaks | F RO M M U M BA I
with a hint of sweetness. It was barely an hour since the Young people for its delectable European fare (No. 2, Vrindavan
shop had opened, but packets of fresh hot bhakarwadi hang out at Apts, Lane No. 6; 020-26152710). The all-vegetarian
Caf Mocha
were ying off the shelves (Bajirao Road, Sadashiv in Punes chic
Italian joint Darios serves up delicious handmade
Peth; 020-24473208; chitalebandhu.in). Koregaon Park pastas (Lane 1, North Main Road; 020-26053796;
neighbourhood www.darios.in). Many Punekars take pride in growing
AROUND TOWN (left); The High and eating organic food; to sample some farm-to-table
Spirits Cafe
Even outside its old city, Pune has plenty of history. In produce, go to the restaurants at ABC Farms. Started
is popular for
Yerawada, nine kilometres away, stands the splendid its daily live in the early 1990s, this group of restaurants uses fresh
Aga Khan Palace. In 1892, Sultan Muhammad Shah performances produce grown on their farm on the citys outskirts
Aga Khan III commissioned the building, set in a 19- (right); The stat- (Survey No. 35/36; 020-26880555; abcfarms.com).
acre plot, to generate employment in a city then struck ue of Bajirao I This is also a city with a superb live music scene with
stands outside
by famine. The building played a vital role in Indias the Delhi Gate
most of the action centred around Koregaon Park.
freedom struggle, as it was here that Mahatma Gandhi, of Shaniwar From jazz to rock, there is a band for everyone and a
his wife Kasturba Gandhi, his secretary Mahadev De- Wada (bottom). gig on most nights of the week. The High Spirits Cafe
sai, and Sarojini Naidu were imprisoned. (North Main Road, After Kalyani Bridge; 86000-
The rooms on the ground oor display paintings 63174; dahigh.com), Swig Bar & Eatery (28/2, SBI
MELANIE STETSON FREEMAN/CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR/GETTY IMAGES (CAF), REENA JOY (BAND),
and rare photographs depicting the life of Gandhi. Training Centre, North Main Road; 9960466417),
Also on display are some of his personal belongings and Shisha Caf (ABC Farms; 020-65200390;
like letters, clothes, utensils, and books. Walk across shishajazzcafe.in) are favourite venues in the city,
the well-maintained gardens to the side of the building with an exciting roster of local and international acts
to see the samadhis of Kasturba Gandhi and Mahadev through the week.
Desai, both of whom died here in captivity (open daily Pune is a beer lovers paradise with numerous
9 a.m.-5.30 p.m.; entry Indians `15, children under 15 microbreweries offering craft beers ranging from
free; foreigners `100). traditional weiss (wheat) brews to adventurous
ones with underlying avours like Ratnagiri mango,
BACK TO THE PRESENT lemongrass, and jaggery. Effingut Brewerkz is popular
Pune has always attracted the young and the for its traditional beers with interesting spice and
elderly. For retirees, the slow pace of life, fruit additions (Serenebay, Lane 6, South Main
the small-town vibe, and pleasant weather Road; 8390907410; effingut.com). Independence
are the biggest draws. A large number of renowned Brewing Company is an elegant space with tasty
educational institutions specialising in everything from wheats and malty stouts on offer (79/1, Zero One
economics and lm to law, bring thousands of students Complex, Pingale Vasti, Mundhwa; 020-66448308;
to the city, resulting in a thriving cultural scene. www.independencebrewco.com). Doolally or the
DINESH SHUKLA (STATUE)
Koregaon Park, known for the hippie German 1st Brewhouse as it is now called is among
Bakery and the controversial Osho Ashram, is the the earliest microbreweries in the country,
perfect neighbourhood to experience this modern side serving up a avour packed apple cider
of Pune. Between large palatial bungalows and parks, (The Corinthians Resort and Club, NIBM
you will nd some of the citys nest boutiques, Annexe, Mohammed Wadi; 020-30189660;
restaurants, and bars. Arthurs Theme is known www.thecorinthianspune.com).

Q M AHARAS HTRA
PUNE
STAY
Pune
e Airport
i p
With a large number of business travellers, Pune has
international chain hotels like the Taj, JW Mariott,
Hyatt, and Hilton.
In Koregaon Park, the O Hotel offers stylish Aga Khan
n
accommodation coupled with the advantage of a e
Palace
great location. Designed by South African designer

Les Harbottle, the rooms offer a mix of comfort
and aesthetics. Facilities include a gym, spa and
salon, swimming pool, meeting and banquet rooms
(North Main Road; 9503000024; pune.ohotelsindia.
Mumbai
MAP PUNE
German Bakery
n
nal
na
Osho International
com; doubles from `7,000). Hotel Shreyas, located Me
Meditation rt
Resort
off the busy Apte Road, offers great value for money. Koregoan Park
The hotel has 46 rooms, in-house dining and
conference facilities (1242 B, Apte Road, Deccan
Gymkhana; 020-25531963; www.hotelshreyas.in;
doubles from `1,960). Shaniwar Wada Fort Gramdaivat Shree
N Kasba Ganpati Mandir
Lal Mahal
EAT pune
Vishrambaug Wada
Pune has always prided itself on having great local

Maharashtrian favourites as well as food from other
parts of India and the world. Located on the busy Ukadiche modak two from `600). For Pan-Asian food, head to Malaka
Fergusson College Road, Punes popular South Indian is a steamed Spice (Lane 5, North Main Road, Koregaon Park; 020-
Maharashtrian
restaurant, Vaishali is worth a visit at any time of delicacy thats
26156293; www.malakaspice.com; meal for two from
day (1218/1, FC Road; 020-25531244; vaishalihotel. an essential `2,000), which is a restaurant and bar coupled with an
in; meal for two from `500). Getting a table here is part of Ganesh art gallery.
a matter of great patience and effort. Try their wafer- Chathurti Kayani Bakery on East Street is an old-time
thin sada dosas, and crisp-but-soft sabudana vadas, celebrations. Pune institution and a fantastic place to stock up
and wash it all down with some strong lter coffee on food souvenirs like the melt-in-your-mouth,
served in tall glasses. buttery Shrewsbury biscuits. Other favourites
The Maharashtrian thali at Hotel Shreyas is are their khari, nan khatai, and a variety
authentic, and popular with locals, especially of cakes. Go early as everything sells
during Ganapati. Ukadiche modaks or out fast (6, Dr. Koyali Road, East Street;
steamed modaks are available year-round 020-26360517; Mon-Sat 7.30 a.m.-1 p.m. and
(020-25531963; www.hotelshreyas.in; meal for 3.30-8 p.m.).
SHASHANK MEHENDALE/EPHOTOCORP/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (FOOD), AASHNA JHAVERI (MAP)

THE GUIDE
The second largest city in Maharashtra, Pune is 150 km southeast of Mumbai. Considered the states cultural
ORIENTATION capital, Pune was once the seat of the Maratha empire and home to an important British cantonment, now under
the Indian Army.
Air Almost all major airlines connect Pune to the metro cities in India. The city also has limited connectivity to a
few international destinations such as Dubai, Frankfurt, and Abu Dhabi.
Rail Pune is connected to most major cities in India via rail, including the Jhelum Express and Goa Express that
run daily from New Delhi. Numerous daily express trains also run between Mumbai and Pune.
GETTING THERE
Road The Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai-Pune Expressway is a scenic six-lane, high-speed road connecting the
two cities in approximately 3 hours. The road weaves through the Sahyadri mountain range and is particularly
fabulous during the monsoon, with low-hanging clouds, verdant mountains, and plenty of waterfalls.
Deluxe buses ply the route regularly (about 4 hr; from `300 one-way; most bus services can be booked online).
Inside the city, use autorickshaws, buses, and taxis to get around. Private taxi operators like Ola and Uber operate
GETTING AROUND
here. Most hotels can organise transport on request.
Pune is known for its moderate to cool climate most of the year. Summer (Mar-Jun) is hot and dry with tempera-
SEASONS tures occasionally going up to 40C with cooler nights. During the monsoon (Jun-Oct), temperatures are 22-28C.
Winters (Nov-Feb) are cool and dry, with minimum night temperatures sometimes falling to single digits.

Short Breaks | STAY
QUEEN OF HEARTS
COCOONED IN COMFORT AT A FORT COMPLEX BY THE NARMADA | BY KAREENA GIANANI
PANORAMIC IMAGES/PANORAMIC IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES (COURTYARD), PHOTO COURTESY: AHILYA FORT PHOTO LIBRARY (FOOD)
Dotted with old idols, pots big and small, and tanks of lotuses, the courtyard (top) at Ahilya Fort is a great place to curl up with a book; Meals
include regional dishes (bottom) cooked with fresh vegetables from the hotels garden.
T
wo heaving, panting pugs prance around the courtyard, privy to the conversations of guests
my ankles as I walk in through the aged who sit in the restaurant nearby. Daubs of fresh
wooden doors of Ahilya Fort hotel. Only af- vermilion shine on the foreheads of deities in a
heritage
ter Ive rubbed their coats do they let me walk into small shrine near the garden. Slim wooden pillars
the garden, gone a tad wild post-monsoon. I lean support verandas outside the rooms, whose roofs
against a railing, high up on the mighty are buried by clusters of climbing plants.
ramparts of this fortress once ruled Most of the 11 rooms are named for
by the 18th-century Maratha the trees that thrive around them. I
queen, Ahilyabai Holkar. Be- am in the spacious Kachnaar room,
low me, the ginger-coloured where wooden columns, a planters luxury
waters of the Narmada River ca- chair, and wooden beams on the
ress the ghat. ceiling take me back in time. It
The Ahilya Fort hotel is part opens into the vegetable garden
of 200-year-old Ahilya Wada. outside, where I spot leek, hibis-
The complex comprises the fort cus, and avocado plants, and the
and living quarters of the beloved Pug Mahal: kennel for the canines
queen, whose fair and erce reign won I met earlier.
over the hearts of her subjects. The hotel, The rooms at Ahilya Fort have neither
built in a part of the queens living quarters, feels television nor room service, and Im glad to have
like a well-worn and well-loved Maratha home. more reasons to step out. Almost every corner
Gnarled neem and tamarind trees stand sentry in here pays homage either to the river or the familys

Q M A DH YA PRADES H
MADHYA PRADESH
Indore Bhopal
Ahilya Fort
THE VITALS
Getting There Ahilya
Fort is in the town of
Maheshwar, about
90 km/1.5 hr south-
west of Indore in
Madhya Pradesh.
Frequent buses and
taxis (`1,800 one-way)
ply between the two
places. The railway
station in Indore is
well connected to
major cities.
Accommodation
Ahilya Fort has two
suites, 11 rooms, and
two tents spread
history. Black-and-white photographs of the
across seven buildings
Holkar family and artefacts from their collections (ahilyafort,com; doubles
line the walls around the hotels courtyard. These from `26,334 per night;
share space with beautiful watercolours of the minimum stay 2 nights).
town and river painted by artists that Ahilya Fort Breakfast is a mix of
has hosted over the years. continental and Indian,
I keep nding new nooks and corners, and while dinner includes
sometimes dont meet another soul for hours. The dishes from around
homey library has a vast collection of ction and the country. Meals are
non-ction, and it is easy to sink deep into one served in the garden, at
of the armchairs on its chequered oor. When I the restaurant or beside
feel like shaking off the languor, I climb the forts the pool (on request).
steep steps and marvel at the panoramic views of
Maheshwar it offers. I sip cool jasmine water by
the pool, and take short walks along rows of plants
in the organic garden.
Ahilya Fort, like all of Maheshwar, derives its
energy and spirit from the Narmada River and up eating sweets for several years after Ahilyabais
ghat. In the morning, after watching priests in death in 1795, and refused to celebrate festivals.
the fort complex make 15,000 tiny shivlings of Later, I watch weavers make stunning
clay as part of a centuries-old daily ritual, the Maheshwari saris at an NGO centre. In the
thwack-thwack of washing bats mingling with evening, the hotel packs me a picnic to take on
the clanging of temple bells summons me to the a boat ride to Baneshwar temple, which stands
water. I walk down, and watch goats halt in their in the middle of the river. On the way back, the
tracks to observe some men soaping themselves boatman unfurls a bright orange sail, emblazoned
PHOTO COURTESY: AHILYA FORT PHOTO LIBRARY
vigorously or muttering prayers as they take a dip with the name of the river. The sun sets over the
in the river. ramparts and the ghat, where a man slowly dances
Watch everyday life
Over the course of the day, I learn more about and stretches to music. The riverside thrums with
unfold on the ghats
the towns history from Basant Maheswarkar. travellers and pilgrims, and I gravitate with them along the Narmada on
He is the wizened, toothless manager of a small towards the Narmada aarti, performed by local a boat cruise down the
museum lying just outside the hotel. It displays men and women. river (top); The earthy
artefacts from Ahilyas life. We sit in a small circle, That night, over dinner featuring Chettinad tones, wooden ceilings,
and grand furniture in
some pilgrims and I, listening to Maheshwarkar chicken and Kashmiri lauki, I sense time slowing the rooms (bottom) pay
recount the tales he grew up with. My favourite down. As Maheshwar and the Narmada sleep, I slip tribute to Ahilya Forts
was about how the residents of Maheshwar gave into to the calmness only small joys can bring. royal Maratha past.

Inspire | NET HE R L A N DS
NORTH
SEA
UNITED
KINGDOM NETHERLANDS
Efteling
GERMANY
FRANCE
EFTELING: WORLD
OF WONDERS
KAATSHEUVEL,
NETHERLANDS
An hour south of Amsterdam,

in the village of Kaatsheuvel,
lies the fantastical Efteling
amusement park. When it
was built in 1952, there was
only a playground and a
single attraction. Today, it can
take more than two days to
experience everything Efteling
has to offer.
The parks centrepiece is
the Fairytale Forest, featuring
beautiful tableaux from tales
like Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio,
and Tom Thumb. Expect to
be enchanted by the witchs
gingerbread house from Hansel
and Gretel or encounter trolls
and dragons along the way.
Before leaving, dont forget to
dump your waste paper in the
open mouth of one of the Gijs
when they shout Papier hier.
These cleverly designed waste
disposal units are always ready
to gobble up your trash!
The parks magnicent
roller coasters include a hair-
raising indoor ride themed
on Vogel Rok, the giant bird
from Sindbads adventures.
The wooden George and the
Dragon roller coaster has two
competing trains hurtling
towards a dragon, that appears
at the end of the ride, to slay it
with either re or water (www.
efteling.com; open year-round,
hours vary with season; entry
from 34.50/`2,552 per
person, children under 3 free).
Rumela Basu

FRANS LEMMENS/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE

Inspire | U.S.A.

CANADA
U.S.A
Busch Gardens
Tampa Bay
MEXICO
BUSCH GARDENS
TAMPA BAY
FLORIDA, U.S.A.
The 300-acre Busch Gardens

in Floridas Tampa Bay area
opened as an African theme
park in 1959, and grew to
include a variety of thrilling
rides and games. A steam-
powered train runs through it,
and theres a cable car perfect
for those who want a birds-eye
view. Busch Gardens has about
12,000 animals. Amongst its
various enclosures is Edge of
Africa, which has lions, Nile
crocodiles, giraffes, and more.
Bird lovers can meet tropical
avians at the Bird Gardens.
Walkabout Ways marsupial
inhabitants often come up
to the fence to be scratched
while giraffes, antelope, and
wildebeest roam freely in the
expansive Serengeti Plain.
Busch Gardens runs various
conservation programmes in
the wild and undertakes animal
rescue and habitat protection
initiatives as well. Rides like
the Cheetah Hunt, SheiKra, or
Cobras Curse roller coaster
offer an adrenaline rush and
a different kind of jungle
adventure. Its a stomach
clenching experience dropping
over 300 feet down on the
Falcons Fury ride, while the
RSBPHOTO1/ALAMY/UNDIAPICTURE
Jungle Flyers zip line allows a

smooth glide over the trees.
(seaworldparks.com; open all
year round 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; entry
from $79.99/`5,340).
Rumela Basu

Inspire | U.A.E.
Ferrari World
U.A.E.
SAUDI
ARABIA
OMAN
YEMEN
ARABIAN
SEA
FERRARI WORLD
ABU DHABI, U.A.E.
All those fascinated with the

iconic Ferrari race cars will
nd their personal paradise at
Ferrari World. This indoor park
located on Abu Dhabis Yas
Island has a cherry red facade
that was inspired by Ferraris
trademark logo. Visitors can
outspeed an F1 car in the
worlds fastest roller coaster,
the Formula Rossa, which goes
from zero to 240 kmph in 4.9
seconds! The other record
holder is the Flying Aces ride, in
which visitors zoom around on
the worlds tallest roller coaster
loop. The park also showcases
different aspects of Ferraris
history, cars, and ethos.
At BellItalia tots get a
chance to circle through a
miniature version of Italy in
small-scale Ferraris from
the 1950s. The Junior Grand
Prix lets kids try their hand
at some real F-1 driving on a
scaled-down Grand Prix track.
In Tyre Twist, families can have
a spot of fun while spinning
around in Ferrari tyres. A 4D
experience at Speed of Magic,
where you travel to unimagined
realms with the animated
character Nello and his Ferrari,
is a good way to end the day
(ferrariworldabudhabi.com;
open all year 11 a.m.-8 p.m.;
adults from AED275/`5,000,
children from AED230/`4,175).
Rumela Basu

PHOTO COURTESY: FERRARI WORL

TRAVEL QUIZ T E S T Y O U R T R AV E L I Q
2
WHICH
1
NAME THE EUROPEAN COUNTRY WHICH
LANDMARK
ACTUALLY HAS A TOWN NAMED MONSTER.
BUILDING IN
LONDON IS
NICKNAMED
THE GHERKIN?
THIS PERUVIAN
CITYS STREET PLAN
RESEMBLES A PUMA,
SACRED TO THE INCAS. 3
6
WHICH COUNTRY HAS THE LARGEST ABOUT 5,000 OF WHICH
PRECIOUS STONE ADORN THE
GUILLEM LPEZ/AGE FOTOSTOCK/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (TEMPLE), ARAVIND CHANDRAMOHAN/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (MOUNTAIN), EDWARD
NUMBER (51) OF UNESCO WORLD
(BUILDING), FRANS LERNMENS/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (CITY), UPUNGATO/SHUTTERSTOCK (MONUMENT), JOHNEY LYE/SHUTTERSTOCK (RIVER),

HERITAGE SITES? STUPA OF THE SHWEDAGON
JTB PHOTO/UIG/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (ROAD), CARMA CASUL/AGE FOTOSTOCK/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY
PAGODA IN MYANMAR?
4 5
HOW MANY
WESTMACOTT/SHUTTERSTOCK (FISH), KAROL KOZLOWSKI/EASYFOTOSTOCK/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (MAN)

DAYS DID IT
TAKE ENGLISH
EXPLORER ED
STAFFORD TO
WALK THE ENTIRE
LENGTH OF THE
AMAZON RIVER?
WHAT IS THE POPULAR

7 DRIED FISH EATEN IN
PORTUGAL?
9
8 KHIZANAT AL-
QARAWIYYIN IN FEZ,
MOROCCO, WHICH
REOPENS LATER THIS
MONTH, IS THE OLDEST
WHERE WOULD YOU BE IF YOU TREKKED TO THE OF ITS KIND IN THE
HIGHEST PEAK OF THE WESTERN GHATS? WORLD. WHAT IS IT?
8. BACALHAU OR COD 9. A LIBRARY

ANSWERS 1. CUZCO 2. A SKYSCRAPER CALLED 30 ST MARY AXE 3. NETHERLANDS 4. ITALY 5. 860 DAYS 6. DIAMOND 7. ANAMUDI PEAK IN MUNNAR, KERALA

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CONTENTS Vol 5 Issue 6

L. TOSHIO KISHIYAMA/MOMENT OPEN/GETTY IMAGES

8 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

22 Guest Column From Mumbai

to happiness WHY EVERYBODY LOVES

and pubs, a day in Pune straddles many eras

ASTRAKAN IMAGES/APELGA/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (CAF), WLDAVIES/E+/GETTY IMAGES (GIRAFFE)

46 The Experience REGULARS

10 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

12 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

THE HAPPY-MAKING TREAT

14 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

@natgeotravellerindia @NGTIndia facebook.com/natgeotraveller.india 3,33,857

Gods Own Country

Adventure For All

Q Train for a trek by walking

16 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

KAMAKSHI AYYAR (BURGER), FABIOLA MONTEIRO (MOSAICS), ERWIN DROSE (PICNIC)

18 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

The Other Family Aditya Daftary

a sound of a motorised vehicle around me

20 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

Joy to the World

A WELL-TRAVELLED DALAI LAMA TAKES US ON A

For a happy life, physical

22 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

At Bodh Gaya in Bihar, a

Mind, Body, Soles

Tibet of Polands patron, St. Stanislaus. See

24 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

Living with Tigers

Dramatic ghts between

26 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

became alert as the prehistoric

Machli was quite

the crocodile. The next morning

28 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

The Fine Art of Fika

Swedes take coffee seriously,

30 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

TIM E WHITE/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (COFFEE), ASTRAKAN IMAGES/APELGA/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (WOMAN),

A. FARNSWORTH/AGE FOTOSTOCK/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (FOOD)

32 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

Geocaching is 21st-century treasure

Cache Me If You Can

OFFICIAL WINDOWS MAGAZINE/CONTRIBUTOR/FUTURE/GETTY IMAGES (MAN), MICEKING/SHUTTERSTOCK (LOGO)

34 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

IDAHO STATESMAN/CONTRIBUTOR/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE/GETTY IMAGES (HAND), TIRCA83/GETTY IMAGES (JAR),

DENNIS DRENNER/GETTY IMAGES (NOTEBOOK), ULLSTEIN BILD/CONTRIBUTOR/GETTY IMAGES (WOMAN)

36 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

THE TURAHALLI FOREST CACHE

HEMA RAMAPRASAD (PROMENADE), BRIAN D CRUICKSHANK/LONELY PLANET IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES (PARK)

THE CACHE OF KRISHNA RAO PARK

38 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

Rhinos graze in Nairobi National

40 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

endangered Rothschild Giraffe and feed

PETER LANGER/PERSPECTIVES/GETTY IMAGES (ELEPHANTS), ARTERRA/CONTRIBUTOR/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/GETTY IMAGES (BUILDING),

MICHEL RENAUDEAU/AGE FOTOSTOCK/DINODIA PHOTO LIBRARY (SHOP)

42 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2016

Meryl Streep and Robert Redford,

DAVID KEITH JONES/IMAGES OF AFRICA PHOTOBANK/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (MUSEUM),