A walk along the South Bank in London

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The plan was to head to the London Eye and take a ride to see London city from atop but what happened that day was completely different and pleasantly so. After our trip to the British Museum, a small account of it here, we had planned to visit the London Eye and the Tower Bridge … Read more

Chimi Lhakhang – Tales of the Fertility Temple in Bhutan

The prayer wheels around the Fertility Temple, Bhutan

Bhutan can be quite a scandalous place! It is possibly, the only place where Phalluses are worn as charms! I swear! They are! And if you find this first line shocking, well, then a quick alert before you proceed to read this post. While there is nothing obscene about the post, it could get you … Read more

A Royal Stay in Bikaner with Narendra Bhawan

When Narendra Bhawan in Bikaner, sparkles like the star at night

All through my earlier posts on Rajasthan, especially Bikaner, I expressed a desire to relive that era. Mostly for its luxurious residences, its rich lifestyle and the little quirks that the royalty used to indulge in. Little did I know that my wish was going to be granted – without me going back in time … Read more

The Sprawling Estates of Chateau de Labourdonnais

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Mauritius does tend to keep its tourists and travelers occupied with its beaches, adventure sports and nature parks. And rightly so, given the plethora of beaches and mountains that they have. Mauritius has a lovely fusion culture and the one thing that people often miss out or skip here is – digging deeper into the … Read more

The Lure of Lucerne

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In one of my earlier posts for Valentine’s day, I mentioned a town called Lucerne from Switzerland as one of my 10 romantic destinations. A few days back, I was browsing through my memories of Europe and that got back to my visit to Lucerne. I honestly, spend only half a day here but that was enough … Read more

Discovering the Houses of Goa Museum

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Goa is a perfect confluence of East meets West. The blend of the Portuguese culture with the Indian roots is what makes is such a colorful and delightful place. This fusion was evident to me during the heritage tour of the Fontainhas with its narrow streets and bright houses. However, it was a visit to the … Read more

10 reasons to visit Flores in Indonesia

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My last trip to Indonesia was discovering a world beyond Bali. There is no doubt that Bali is beautiful but wandering beyond it to explore the hidden gems of Flores Island was even more enthralling. Given my own experience, I would definitely recommend that one looks at including Flores, if they are headed to Indonesia. Here are … Read more

Bandipur: A tale of a European Newari Town in Nepal

The charming Juliet Windows giving their European Touch to Bandipur

Have you heard of a European style town in Nepal? If your answer is No, then I know that I am only human – for before I visited Bandipur in Nepal, even I did not know a town of that sort even existed. For me, Bandipur was just a forest in South India. Thus, when … Read more

Meeting Kumari – the living Goddess of Nepal

Present day Kumari of Kathmandu

As I stood staring at the Kumari Ghar in Kathmandu Durbar Square, I thought to myself – there has to be some connection that brought me back to this country so soon – in fact, within just 3 months of my first and previous visit. If you have followed my earlier trip, you would have known … Read more

Celebrating Indra Jatra festival in Kathmandu, Nepal

Lakhey Dance at Indra Jatra

Meeting Kumari – the Living Goddess of Nepal was only possible due to the Indra Jatra – an 8-day annual festival of Nepal; one for which I was invited by the Nepal Tourism Board. I had heard of this festival during my previous visit when I discovered the cultures and traditions of Nepal. It seemed … Read more

Lost in the Lanes of Kathmandu Durbar Square

View from the Basantpur Palace Corridors

Historically, Kathmandu in Nepal has had three major Durbar Squares (Kingdoms) – Patan, Bhaktapur and the Kathmandu Durbar Square. All three of these are now UNESCO World Heritage sites and are major attractions for any traveler visiting Kathmandu. Rightly so, given the rich heritage and culture that is still preserved within the crumbling yet beautiful … Read more

5 reasons to do a Spice Plantation tour in Goa

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India is often referred to as a “Land of Spices” and rightly so, given the spice-enriched flavors that one encounters across the length and breadth of our country. It is not unusual to find visitors to India carrying back myriad packets of these colorful and fragrant spices. However, the best way to appreciate these better is to … Read more