Category: Travel Tales

Art Deco at the Oval

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I snoozed the alarm at least three times and the urge to lie in and laze on a Sunday morning when the entire household was sleeping was a temptation that was pulling me deep into the covers.

But then I remembered how I had missed this walk the week before and maybe the opportunity would never present itself again.

So I threw back those covers and pulled open the curtains to let the sun shine on my face.

I reached the decided starting point of the walk and when I reached the end of it and hour and half later I was so much more enriched in my knowledge about architecture and was visually fortified.

Sharing with you the pictures taken between me and Rachna Shetty  another enthusiast (and a better photographer and the only one with a camera)

If these picture astound you and make you wonder how did you miss such a great wealth of architectural prodigiousness, I suggest you get in touch with the organisation that made it possible for me to re-look at the structures that I would normally pass without being awed by their past and importance.

http://www.artdecomumbai.com/

 

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The beautiful Ivorine – french and classy

 

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The windows that make you think of beautiful dressing tables

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Oval View – a name so apt

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Making the most of being a corner prime real estate – Shiv Shanti Bhuvan

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Belvedere Court and a fountain frozen in concrete grill work

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The most photographed building on the walk

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Do not miss the vertical frozen fountain that also lights up the stairway naturally 

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A crown – we were still shking off the Raj Era and were still mesmerised

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Another colorful diagonal vertical panel that brought in natural light 

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No this is not Goa – this is in Mumbai opposite the Oval Maidan, the very tropical Rajjab Mahal

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A ship has just entered the harbor, this majestic Empress Court definitely courts attention

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View of the courthouse captured aptly in the name but do not miss the recurring frozen fountain

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The Era of elegant social evenings probably shut doors when Eros shut its doors but one cannot but stop and stare and wonder about its glorious past

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Unique Tonique

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So what makes Tonique unique?

Firstly, it’s the largest liquor store in India, sprawled over 15,000 sq. ft. and housing more than 500 brands of wines and spirits.

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It is not just a store, it is an experience as quoted by Anith Reddy, its managing director.

In a state that loves it liquor, the store is like a dream come true for the spirit lovers. Open for little over a year now the store has had amazing footfalls. Mostly women was my observation, seconded by the staff.

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The sharp sales people do not tag behind you but notice very well what you browse through and very subtly nudge you if you look stuck.

Knowing Anith Reddy who has a knack for doing things that others would not even dare to dream about I was not surprised by the effort and thoughtfulness that has gone into his pet project. But the man is a continuous dreamer and is forever striving to do things bigger and better than anyone else.

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Next on cards is a huge wine tasting room with sommeliers from across the world sharing their knowledge.

 “Most women head to the first floor, the selfie spot,” says Anith, pointing to a huge faux bottle of Moet & Chandon inside an ice tub. Though I was totally tired from my journey and washed out from a day of running around I could not resist a click myself.

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To those who would crinkle up their noses at the very mention of spirits, I recommend a dekko for you will find some soft drinks, sodas, munchies and a variety of chocolates too.

I spent a good amount of time browsing through because the whole ambience is that of a relaxed luxury shopping destination, I wonder who wouldn’t want to spend time there to lift their spirits.

 

When you visit Switzerland for the first time (first part in the series)

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I was more excited than my 7-year-old son, it was my first visit to a destination I had only dreamt about.

I attribute all my desires and dreams to Yash Chopra for shooting his movies in the most exotic locales. I grew up on images of snow mountains with beautiful Indian actresses clad in flimsy chiffon sarees braving the cold. I was not romantic enough to try that though.

When the day arrived I was jittery and jumping at everything (remember have always been like that before a school picnic).

So when I finally reached my destination I was totally jet lagged and tired mostly from travelling alone with my son (who was very co-operative thankfully).

But all tiredness drained away when the girls (wives of my husband’s colleagues and two female colleagues) suggested we visit Triberg Waterfalls.

The adventure began at Basel station where we bought tickets for Triberg but noticed we were given tickets for Freiburg. After much confusion we realized the Swiss pronounce Triberg as Tree-Berg and not Tri-Berg.

Three trains later when we arrived at the quaint village station it seemed like I was still in a dream.

We hiked up to the entrance of the waterfalls in still a dreamy state. The area around the entrance to the waterfalls is reminiscent of a Fairyland.

The waterfall is the highest in Germany and has an overall drop of 163 metres over 7 cascades. We only managed to see the last cascade.

Ice-cream in the cold is an experience I have always enjoyed and browsing through the local shops selling tourists cuckoo clocks, wood carvings, souvenirs we wandered the streets just losing ourselves in the misty mysterious town. The countryside around Triberg is fascinating.

The Cuckoo clock museum is worth a visit and if you are a lover of souvenirs get a Cuckoo clock, it is one of those things that you will love for a very long time. These are high quality craft products and if you do not wish to carry it along with you for the rest of the trip the shops can arrange to ship it to your home so that you will find it right at your doorstep when you are back.

The trip covered various other places and I feel I cannot do justice to all the places in one post so I am going to do a series of posts.

So keep coming back for a peek into what goes on in a traveler’s mind when you visit Switzerland for the first time.

Pikes Peak with TAG Heuer

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This race is a legend in the mountains of Colorado. Its name? “The Race to the Clouds”. It always takes place without safety barriers.

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19.99 kilometres, 156 bends, a climb of 1440 metres to an altitude of 4300 metres. It is the world’s last real #DontCrackUnderPressure race.

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TAG Heuer – the official timekeeper for the greatest and most legendary events in motor racing history – couldn’t miss this occasion to celebrate the race’s centenary.

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Colorado Springs, USA – 26th June 2016 – TAG Heuer celebrates the 100th anniversary of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb as Official Timekeeper for the race, paying tribute to the magnificent performance of Romain Dumas, who finished the race in 8.51.445.

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In 2016, more than 100 participants took part in the race, divided into 17 categories of cars, motorcycles, quads and trucks. The “Unlimited” category is always the most spectacular with its +1000-HP supercars.

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Created in 1916 by Spencer Penrose, it is the only race in the world still worthy of the #DontCrackUnderPressure tagline.

Its breathtaking stats: the track measures 19.99 kilometres over 156 turns, climbing an impressive 1440 metres from the start line at Mile 7 (2862 m) to the finish at the summit at an altitude of 4300 metres.

It is one of the hardest races in the world – tough on the drivers and on their vehicles: the high altitudes slow down the driver’s reflexes, straining their brains and cramping their muscles, while the engines can lose up to 30% of their power.

The race has very few safety barriers. With almost no guard rails, the slightest miscalculation on a bend could send them plummeting into a ravine. And, at the track’s summit, this is some 600 metres.

The Pikes Peak has therefore become legendary for its spectacular crashes. An extreme race which has become legendary, an event in which TAG Heuer’s philosophy #DontCrackUnderPressure is particularly appropriate.

Ramoji Film City

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The Ramoji Film City in India is located in Hyderabad. At 2000 acres, it is the largest integrated film city in the world.

One of the largest and glamorous film studios in the world, Ramoji Film City has also place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Spread across an area of almost 2500 acres, it is one of the major film making facility of the country offering everything related to pre and post film production. The architecture of the studio and the wide range of settings makes it one of the favourite spot for many film makers.

With a capacity to accommodate close to 50 film units at the same time, Ramoji Film City offers umpteen numbers of film sets such as London Street, Hollywood sign, Japanese gardens, airport, hospital, etc. , landscapes and buildings as well as laboratories.

It is also a popular tourism and recreation centre, containing both natural and artificial attractions including an amusement park.

The self sufficient film city with its facilities and setting is enough to make a complete movie. The place makes for an amazing sightseeing places catering to each and everyone. For those looking for accommodation, the film city has two hotels as well namely Tara and Sitara. One can visit Ramoji film city from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm. On an average, the film city sees almost 10,000 visitors on usual days. There are various bus services operating from the main city to the Ramoji Film City. Once at the film city, you can take vintage buses providing visitors a ride of the area.

Interactive Entertainment: Ramoji Movie Magic brings the interactive entertainment of the films to tourists who be left in awe; as it stands out as a participative Odyssey into the realms of the reel where filmmaking is experienced live by the tourists actually participating in it.

Action: This enlivening attraction offers to turn anyone into an enthusiastic filmmaker on a 25 minute stint. Experience the audio-visual illusions of the reel world by being part of special effects, dubbing and editing through chroma screens.

Filmi Duniya, sends you through a virtual tour across the time zones and timeless cities on the globe. Descend upon the cities that featured in world famous movies in matter of eight minutes.

Ramoji Tower: Simulating the harmless but stunning experience of earthquakes, children playfully shout out of excitement when they feel the tremors and several other acoustic effects at Ramoji Tower.

Eureka: From the cultural imports of ancient India to the medieval forts, rich tales come to life through attractions and shows. Modelled on the lines of royal medieval forts, the colossal edifice of Eureka lavishly welcomes the guests into a host of experiences from welcome dance-and-song ceremonies to memorable merchandising in theme bazaars, a battery of thematic restaurants to children’s play courts and most exhilarating amusement rides. Eureka assumes the form of a time-machine that the visitors step into and stroll past the magnificence of Mughals, majesty of Mauryas, ruggedness of the American Wild West and the pomp of medieval Meena Bazaar.

Pictures are by me

Courtsey : http://www.hyderabadtourism.travel/ramoji-film-city-hyderabad

City

The Pie

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She looked famished as she walked in, tired too. Her son and her husband (I presume) who accompanied her made a beeline for the buffet table. Her elfin face showed signs of agitation or was it just…

Source: The Pie

Get a portrait once in a lifetime

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Vain or not everyone of us has this desire to see ourselves as the wold sees us.

“What is it that people see in me?” It is a question that has crossed our minds at least once in our lifetime or more importantly “How do they see me?”

Well I put my demons to rest on that one at a recent trip. It is but a well known fact that travel sets us free and I shed my inhibitions on this one.

So I stopped just admiring at the artistry of this quaint village and succumbed to getting a portrait.

I enjoyed all the attention to detail the artist had an eye for and admired his imaginative concept too.

The cherry on the cake of course was when he compared me to ‘Indira Gandhi’ when he found out about my origins.

And needless to say the lotus in my hair is symbolic to his imagination of my homeland.

The artist who did my portrait is Petrovic can be reached at petrovic.artist@gmail.com.

The other artist who did my son’s pencil sketch is Blanc and can be reached at artdeblanc@gmail.com