Smitten by Kashmir.

 Kashmir, the mere word sounds poetic! And when the opportunity beckoned us to visit, we were surely not going to let it pass.

The visual delight started very much mid-air when the Western Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Ranges came in our view. Landing temperature in mid - September was a comfortable 26 degrees. The drive from the airport was scenic- Srinagar could possibly be among the most beautiful provincial capital cities in the world. We headed straight to our resort near the Dachigam National Park, on Harwan road; a perfect hideout. Classy, cozy and curated- Nadis offered a Mountain- view like no other- close enough to hear the crickets and birds, East facing giving us a picturesque sunrise which all of us grew up illustrating, between mountain peaks. The lawns were peaceful and cute. 

After a refreshing Kahwa, we set out for our Shikara ride on the Dal Lake overlooking the  Zabarwan Ranges- a must do. Since we had driven past the lake and more importantly, shy of doing the typical romantic rowing in the lake, we initially resisted; but good sense prevailed else we would have missed a surreal experience. 

We savoured every bit of the experience- our knowledgeable boatman narrated fables, historical and cultural tidbits and movie trivia to keep us engaged. Floating , mobile stalls selling curios, jewellery , Lilly buds and flowering seeds, kahwa to shawls further indulged us. We rowed past lotus plantations, houseboats till we reached Meena Bazar. This being off- season, we were spared the burgeoning crowds. We lusted on Walnut wood  furniture, handicrafts and bought souvenirs. 

 

Satiated- we had dinner at Ahdoo’s of Nadru Yakhni and Bamchoont - curried quince apples.

Next morning, we planned a day- long trip to Gulmarg- approx. 50 km from Srinagar. We set out after a hearty and blissfully set breakfast at Nadis, bathing in the morning sun, watching the mountain ranges. 

The mandate for our guide was simple- walk or hike away from the crowds to show us the typical life / routine of Kashmiris. We drove till Tangmarg ( approx. 38 km). From here on , considering the winding roads, the job is not of the faint hearted. Our special guide with his Scorpio was waiting and started onward after hot, milk tea. We first headed to Drung waterfall, finished with our clicks. Then walked and explored the Drung village alongside the gushing waters in the stream from melting glaciers also called Firozpur which harboured the trout fish. Lunch would comprise freshly fried trout fish. But before that, the village walk; rich with abundance of foliage, fruits and flora - Lupins, Lavenders, wild apples, walnut trees laden with fruit- some of which eagerly peeped out of the outer shell , wild berries…. The highlight was when little Abu and Salim randomly picked me to hand over a bunch of Lupins- such a touching and sweet gesture. I felt like the Chosen One with a Halo on my head. 

After a hearty meal of trout fish, we drove uphill to Gulmarg. 

Nestled within the Pir Panjal- sprawling green meadows set against a crisp day with clear blue skies was a sight to behold! Traversing the route less travelled on foot approx. 6-7 km overlooking the Tangmarg village through tall, coniferous trees several hundred years old was as refreshing as the Kahwa we sipped before beginning. 

We drove back and called it a day after a delicious meal of Goshtaba, Tabak Maaz and warm seviyan. 

Next morning, we set out for Dachigam National Park famed for cute Asiatic Black bears who made their presence felt at regular intervals including one climbing down the tree and shying out of sight- too cute 

After a hearty brekkie of Chole Purie washed down by coffee and Girda Bread, we bid goodbye to this mesmerising place- pledging to return someday at leisure.    

      

Charming Ha Noi Old Quarter and the Ha Long Bay- where Mountains Rise from Emerald waters..

What is it that one desires in a 3 day break from a busy professional life ? Living slow, strolling along narrow lanes adorned by vintage buildings offering a barrage of dining options, quaint coffee shops and some breathtaking visuals….

Loving the vibe? Read on.

A good journey often begins at a welcoming abode and ours started at a tastefully curated The Chi Boutique Hotel, just off the narrow Church street in the Old Quarter. 

We couldn’t have asked for a better start. A shoutout to Ms. Lily Dang and her team! Lily gave us the right recommendations and travel tips helping us navigate multitude options to maximise our culinary experience. Her team ensured our stay was as comfortable as it could get. 

Having checked-in late evening, we headed straight to Lanong in the Old Quarter and picked options from Menu- of- the- day. Refreshing cocktail, Saigon Beer, pork ribs and crispy rice paper rolls filled with crunchy cucumber, spring onions, pineapple strips, fresh herbs of basil, mint and ham slices with a flavourful dip marked just the right beginning of what was to follow. As we strolled along the Old Quarter feeling the pulse of the city, we encountered numerous stalls displaying attractive tropical fruits. We bought our mango smoothie from a vendor on the street across an ancient pagoda reverently celebrating the Buddha’s birthday (Kinh Mung Dai Le Phat Dan). The vendor’s sweet daughter soon became our interpreter enthusiastically guiding us to the surrounding monuments.

Next morning, after a sumptuous breakfast at The Chi Hotel including a hearty, warm bowl of the quintessential Pho…Vietnam took full control of our senses. 

The Old Quarter is marked largely by the old - world charm of family owned diners, antique shops, boutique hotels , cozy cafes, courtyards, pagodas and churches. 

We visited a couple of pagodas ( Ba Da Temple and Temple of the Ly Dynasty ) and soaked into the calm & quiet the place offered. 

Nursing a sore throat and nasal congestion, thanks to the humid weather, we healed ourselves with Ga ac tan thuoc bac ( Herbal black chicken stew) alongwith Bun Bo Nam Bo ( Meat noodle salad) in a hole- in- the- wall place thronged by locals called Nha hang Bach Phuong. The meal threw our ‘under the weather feeling’ out of the window. Rejuvenated, we strolled some more….and some more!

When in Vietnam, coffee as the Vietnamese do. Introduced by the French, improvised by leaps and bounds- from a slow drip ritual to adding condensed milk to - hold your breath - Egg Yolk …..seriously ?!!! Beaten to perfection, it is a delicious concoction.

Having had our fill of Egg Yolk coffee, we set out for our drive - cruising through the highways to Ha Long Bay. We booked a place at the Bai Chay, a little away from the main centre of Ha Long, quieter, overlooking the sprawling bay….just what we needed.

Dream Cruises offered a 6 hour experience along the bay: the breathtaking emerald sea was encrusted with Limestone islands called Karsts ( mountains) and islets ; a fallout of tectonic uplifts followed by erosive forces of the sea millions of years ago resulting into conical peaks called fengcong and isolated vertical towers called fenglin - no wonder it is UNESCO recognised!  

From afar, these mountains appeared lifeless; come closer- and the mountains sprang to life with dense foliage of ferns and orchids, aroma of petrichor from fresh raindrops and crickets providing just the right music to our ears! 

The cruise was enjoyable, packed with great seafood and activity. A Bamboo boat-ride through naturally formed tunnels to a lagoon was serene, 

a walk through a large cave with dramatic stalactites and stalacmites was enchanting 

but the crescendo was a  real workout of 700 steep steps leading to a mountaintop - stunning panoramic views! 

We celebrated our last evening at Ha Long at the seafacing Vinh Restaurant in Bai Chay: polished off the shrimps in passion fruit sauce and mud crab in tamarind sauce in no time!

The early morning pristine Bai Chay beach bath with the warm water caressing us while watching the limestone mountains meeting the overcast sky……the waves, mountains and the clouds with mild showers and sailboats at the horizon…..Nature painted a perfect picture before us as we bid it goodbye.

Having driven back to the Old Quarter, we spent our last evening strolling by the French Quarter, right adjacent to the old quarter, marked by broad roads and high- end boutiques. The promenade around the Hoan Kiem Lake gave a community vibe with locals and foreigners alike doing their own evening thing- running, engaging in laughter clubs, Taichi while some just soaked in the evening with their favourite coffee. We strolled past and stopped by an art house to pick an art work by a local artisan depicting the Old Quarter with vendors wearing the typical Vietnamese conical bamboo hat. We spotted a quaint cafe on Trieu Street …manned by a lady of a house with a vintage Vietnamese slow drip coffee- maker on display. We had to pay a visit and have coffee in her unique cafe set in her drawing room displaying cute family photographs, a television set playing old English songs, a cabinet with curios and low set wooden chairs and tables in a high ceilinged room which needed no air conditioning as the blades of the fan rhythmically made its presence felt. As we waited for our coffee to brew amidst the aroma, we felt so much at home just like an aunt having us over for coffee. She coyly brought us our coffee mugs; we were reminded of old Girgaum ancestral houses we visited in childhood; overwhelming! 

Dinner was all things lotus - at Sente. 

Beautiful setting; again resembled a house with a courtyard converted into a restaurant which only accepts patrons with prior reservation. The ushers were kind enough to accommodate us on a couch and a table separated from the other tables with a ‘ Bunai’  partition - vintage!  We treated ourselves to Salad of pomelo, shrimp and crunchy lotus stems, mini finger-millet pancakes with meat and lotus roots, later washed down with lotus seeds and jelly in coconut milk and steamed whole peach with an interesting garnish of Cordyceps : a fungus known for boosting immunity. We called it a day by treating ourselves to our quintessential favourite of mango smoothie from our lovely vendor and her sweet daughter. 

We picked up some filter coffee powder from the Cong Ca Phe to take home a priced memory of the coffee aroma.

 

Lastly, it is the people who make the place it is - simple, congenial, preserving the old and embracing the modern …which truly gives Ha Noi its unique character. 

Such places and people truly add beauty to the World. 

Ha Noi made us ask for more….alas….only if time stood still! 

 

Driving through Dandakaranya ( Bastar to Araku): The less travelled route

 

We embarked upon our approx. 600 km road journey (Raipur to Vizag) on a crisp Sunday morning after a hearty breakfast of the regional favourite : the Rice Chilla ( rice flour crepe). 

Raju our local guide and ace driver organized by Uniglobe Travels (www.uniglobestar.in) made sure we cruised through the well maintained NHs and SHs.

 

As we moved away from the city, baskets of local wild produce sold by native women lined either side of the roads. Custard apples in season this time around adorned the baskets and we bought our share. Besides, local market at Keshkal introduced us to some handwoven everyday stuff like brooms as well as the Mahua flowers…..more about them later.

 

Our first destination was the famed Chitrakote waterfalls.  Enroute Chitrakote , we halted at Kondagaon to buy tribal artwork from indigenous musical instruments to innovative lampshades of dried bottleguord, we could not have enough of this display.  

 

Bhanpuri led us to the massive horseshoe shaped falls on the rocky plateau by the river Indrawati. The name Chitrakote is derived from herd of deer ( Chitar meaning deer) that once inhabited this region considering the vast forestland in the surrounding area. 

 

Being the widest falls in the country particularly this time of the year, the voluptuousness and the sheer grandeur of these falls is indescribable!

 

 

As opposed to most other falls which occur from the mountain ranges at a height, these occur over the plateau and hence one can lust on the entirety of the falls from the river of origin to the base with their misty exit!

Also the quartzitic sandstone over which the falls occur amplify the sound effects echoing in the entire area comprising of the Baster forestland.

 The setting sun on the calm river across the falls just made the surroundings mesmerising!

 

Having spent a couple of hours soaking in and a quick snack of onion fritters in a shack overlooking the falls as well as seeking blessings from a monolithic cave temple nearby, we made our way to the Bastar Jungle Resort for our night halt. A charming place  with clean and comfortable rooms albeit with elementary facilities, it was located away from the bustling traffic of the nearby town of Jagdalpur at the outskirts of the National Park. Chitter chatter of birds at dawn woke us up and as we strolled in the sprawling campus of misty grass dazzling in the rising sun, our lungs were inflated with pure oxygenated air ( As Raju jockingly mentioned that the air here had more oxygen!). 

Piping hot upma and well set curd further rejuvenated us as we set out with little knowledge of what lied ahead!

 

Raju had a surprise in store for us and must we say, it far exceeded our expectation!

Rajneesh and his wife Urmi were an absolute pleasure to spend the day with. Founders of Aamcho Laadi, a sustainable homestay, Rajneesh Panikar met and married lovely Urmila Nag, a native of the region and set out on a mission to give a superlative experience to their patrons . We were greeted with a traditional tikka and flowers and ushered into their humble dining area. Mainly catering to French tourists, Rajneesh introduced us to Mahua, a local alcohol brewed from the dried flowers of the Mahua tree found in abundance in that region. Mahua cocktails caught the fancy of the French who introduced the World to this drink as a tribute to the Mahua Tree through Mah (www.mahspirit.com). Described as “ Sweet and juicy, they (Mahua flowers) are dried, fermented and distilled to produce a drink so delicious that spirits, animals, birds and humans are said to love it with equal relish.” Having learnt cocktail making from the legendary mixologist Lucas who was put up at Aamcho Laadi during their annual Mahua Workshop, Rajneesh indulged us with this organic mahua cocktail with mint, butterfly pea flower, lemon and sugar. This was followed by simple but wholesome ingredient based lunch cooked by the lovely Urmi herself. The Gordon Ramsay, having tasted Chapda ( famed red ant chutney) during his stay with Rajneesh and Urmila described it as the best chutney in the World ( healthy as well!) and included it in his menu!! ( www.indiatoday.in)  “ Red- ant chutney from Chattisgarh makes it to celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s menu” . Flavourful drink, sumptuous meal later, Rajneesh took us to the Kanger riverside alongside his home which overlooked the densely forested National Park. 

We were lost in the calm broken by soft ripples of the river and melody of birds!

One cannot have enough of such moments ; but alas it was time to bid goodbye to our hosts.

Next morning we set out early for a drive to the Araku Valley with plans to make it in time for a cup pf Araku filter coffee.

The drive was pleasurable cruising through dense forests of Bastar comprising largely of Saal trees interspersed by lush paddy fields considering we were driving into the rice bowl of India. 

We soon drove into Orissa and the landscape slowly but surely changed from Saal in the background to Nilgiri trees.

 

We stopped over for a quick roadside brekkie of rice chila. It’s amazing how the same dish undergoes regional modifications occur in the same dish. While the rice chilla in Chhattisgarh is pan cooked, the one in Orissa was steam puffed and further south in Andhra as we know it gets transformed into the legendary dosa..…These subtle and interesting transitions can be noted on road trips only. Pleasures of driving through our diverse yet unifying regions !!

After a pleasant drive among the most stunningly beautiful countryside with mountains, rivers, terrace farms we reached Araku.

 

There are a lot of coffee plantations in India, but perhaps the most unexplored remains the Araku Valley Coffee Plantation. 

Since coffee was the main focus, we headed straight to the coffee museum which was all about the story of coffee from Ethiopia to Araku. Araku takes pride in growing Arabica coffee. The aroma of Arabica coffee led us to the Barista where we enjoyed our Peaberry coffee  and some confectionary.                     

Invigorated by the coffee and its theory, we headed to  Ananthagiri coffee plantations. It encompasses almost 25 hectares of plantations interspersed by pepper. Meandering the ghats we reached Anathagiri. A reasonably good trek gave us the breathtaking views of red coffee beans on the shrubs with pepper creepers on the tall tree barks.

With our hearts and minds full of heady coffee, we moved on towards Vizag!

 

Mythologically, this region is referred to as Dandakaranya, translated ‘ the forest of punishment’  ….it wasn’t a favoured land then and even today remains largely mysterious for anthropologists and historians. The denseness of the forests, the virgin landscapes, pure air and relatively preserved indigenous culture mark the uniqueness of this region. Also a special mention of the exemplary roads which made our journey so pleasurable!! 

We feel so fortunate to have had an opportunity to explore these lush forestlands. 

Our Bangkok Sojourn (June 2023)

Our Bangkok Sojourn

Bangkok is a city which evokes different reactions from people based on their expectation, experience and aspiration. 

Well this was our second trip to Siam (the older name for Bangkok) and we decided to dedicate our blog to this fab city. 

Unlike our last trip where we spent all the days at the nerve center of the city ( Siam Square) ; this time around we started our trip with a fairly quaint surrounding @ Bangkok Noi or simply put on the banks of the River Chao Praya .

 

This was a quiet little boutique hotel, off the main road at the banks of one of the canals of the river. Sitting by the river, sipping some thai Ice coffee and watching the boats with tourists pass by…that’s what laidback Bangkok feels like!  

The highlight of our stay @CHANN Bangkok Noi was the chef’s special tasting menu at its IMM Restaurant in a private room by the river side.

Soon it was time to explore the sunny tropical side of Thailand and so we head out to Koh Samet, an island located about 20 mins speed boat ride off the coast of Rayong District. The beauty of this island is that it lies within the National park and offers some stunning visuals of unique foliage not to mention the treat to Ornithology enthusiasts. 

Thailand is a very tourist friendly nation; considering our booking and planning was done online and by the concierge at the hotel; it was time to sit back, relax and enjoy the trip. 

Our journey from Bangkok to Koh Samet took about 3 hours and we reached about in the late afternoon.

And there we were in a corner of the island, in a resort with access to its own private beach. 

 

The evening was spent well strolling & eating at the main beach Sai Kaew.

When you are on a beach holiday, you sometimes get carried away to do something funky … or a little more adventurous as some may like to call it. So Kayaking was a thing we thought we could take up. So here we were the two of us, ready with our kayak on our very first Kayak adventure on rather rough sea (or maybe it was just that time of the day where the sea would not allow us to kayak at all). One hour into merely trying to get on the kayak and then we gave up. 

Good sense prevailed and we took a motor bike to go sightseeing all over the island.  A 7 km long island with some of the most stunning visual sites specially at the tip of the island called Tray koh viewpoint ( end of Koh Samet) near the Pha Kra Rang beach. 

 

 

Dinner was by the private beach of the Jep’s restaurant on bean bags with our bare feet caressing the soft and cool sand on a full moonlit sea. As if the setting was not enough, the food served was delish to say the least with the freshest ingredients the island could offer…the Tom Yum Goong had the freshest shrimps and enoki mushrooms, fragrant with lemongrass and kaffir lime and galangal, spicy with tender chilli with the right amount of tanginess. The freshly grilled squids was the perfect accompaniment.

  

 

The next morning was time to swim at the very nice Ao Prao Beach with low lying mountains of dense foliage on either side of the beach providing a mesmerising setting.

This was followed by breakfast at the beachside Kerala Coco restaurant. Post breakfast it was time to head back to the ever so pulsating Bangkok. 

This time around we stayed in downturn Bangkok at Pathun Wan which is largely known for its larger than life shopping areas – Gayson village, Chitlom Centre, Central world, Central Embassy and of course the Siam Paragon, a little down the street.

We are foodies at heart and since the last time we checked out the street food scene at Bangkok, this time around we decided to check out some uber fine dining places alongwith some old gems. Whether it was Kub Kao Kub Pla with the most tender ox tongue stew and crispy fish and morning glory fritters or the clam omlette with quintessential dessert of mango sticky rice at the Inter Restaurant nestled in Siam Square since 1981, we were not disappointed.

Supanniga Eating room overlooking the Chao Praya river offered us some superb appetizers like Ma Hor, Mieng Yong and Khao Tung Nam Prik Pao Kak Moo alongwith some surprising toppings on rice cake for dessert

The fish bowl noodles offered by the Lofters eating area in Chit Lom Central were refreshing. Ros'niyom at Siam Paragon delighted us with the crispest mussel pancakes and crab meat curry with steamed rice. Coconut and Toddy palm pie was the best way to wash it down with at the dessert place by its side. 

Nara by Inka at Central Embassy with its Thai inspired modern menu gave us some out of this world culinary experience of on the house appetizer of diced fresh cucumber with salted egg with the right measure of stimulation on the taste buds accompanied with green apple mocktail.   

A trip to Bangkok cannot be completed without the customery Thai Massage , and we booked ourselves at the highly recommended The Health Land at Asoke area for a rejuvenating end to our trip. 

Massage done it was time to leave for the Suvarnabhumi ( golden land) airport , and what a befitting name for the land which has abundance of all of mankind needs – sunshine ,food and  warm people .

Bangkok conjures up different images for different people …. One that was largely portrayed in the movie Hangover and the other which we explored from arty Bangkok art and cultural centre (BACC) to Open house @Embassy mall and to its culinary delights .  

So until next time, Khob Kun and Sa wat dii BBangkok!!