London

It seems rather absurd to be writing about a vacation that transgressed ages ago. Then again, a far greater crime would be to let the transgression wane away. So here I am trying to relive the magic of the past.

As I had envisaged in my dreams, reality was more demystifying than the actual.  From the moment I set foot in London, my whole concept of realism was transformed. Greeted by small London cabs, the American dream seemed larger than real.

Narrow old world roads lead to beautiful minion houses in atypical English neighborhood.  As I looked outside the window of my swerving cab, I couldn’t help but notice the Asian influence in the air.  For a moment my mind drifted to the galis of India. I was entranced by the eastern influence. It seemed like the English Raj was still much in awe of its colonies.

The cost misty air also took me by surprise.  June was by no means a scorcher in this European terrain.  Dark clouds were looming by, and colorful umbrellas were beginning to spruce up the air. This made the city more ethereal. Walking by the streets and watching the famed red London double Decker bus roll around the street corners, I couldn’t help but smile. Of course, the boutiques stocked up in the latest European trends priced at oh la la pounds made me gasp for cover. Coming from a country of deals, this was a tad above my expectation.  Just, as I was about to loose my balance, the quintessential London pubs made my smile once again. Brit accent emanating from the pubs mixed with the smell of beer lightened by spirits.

We began our traverse in Greenwich Village.  Making our way through the maze of colorful London tubes, we reached our first stop. Grabbing our umbrellas in a typical English fashion, we undertook a walking tour of the city. There were Fish and chips eat outs in every corner. And the old fashioned telephone booths beckoned us. This felt like renaissance. 

Having tasted the old country feel, we made our way to another extinguished landmark, “ The London Eye”. A mammoth glass enclosed giant wheel encircling London city seemed like the perfect end to our day. As I soaked in the famed landmarks like “Big Ben” and “Buckingham palace”, I was ready for an adventure.

And thus began our Big Bus London tour. Starting at Buckingham Palace, we made our way through the crowded London streets. Past the Victorian cathedrals, svelte apartments, sprawling parks, trendiest shopping districts, and streets owned by the queen, we were treated to the most luxurious and eye candy sights.  Standing in Trafalgar Square, surrounded by the history and ethnicities, we were lost in time. As time lost travelers we made our way to the penultimate stop, the “Tower of London”.  The day marked to a close with a boat ride past the London Bridge. And all I could think of was my daughter’s favorite rhyme

London to the naked eye is a city of thoroughbreds. High fashion and culinary finesse is second nature to the locals. On the one hand, the hopeless romantic can get lost in the cathedrals and the Victorian landmarks. On the other end, a hopeless nomad can revel in the street arts, rustic English countryside, beer and strawberries. That to me is the brilliance of London.

Summer Holiday

We are going on a summer holiday, if you want to come you can. We are going to London and Scotland highlands. Holiday!

It seems rather queer to be writing about a vacation in the offing. Then again the magic begins way before the actual journey. And this is no ordinary entourage; it’s our first in Europe. Incidentally all the mesmerizing stories, odd warnings and first hand reports from family and friends, make this future time travel surreptitiously enticing. Taking into account all the back and forth analysis, it seems like an anticlimactic finish, which ultimately led to the ticket booking this weekend.

In my travel bible- Europe is the penultimate touristy destination. And as we take our first step, my mind is focused. “The Tourist” in me seeks redemption. So over the next few months, as we gear towards our destination, I hope to find some method in the chaos around me. 

Strap on, fun is about to begin!

Kanyakumari- Heaven on Earth

I continued on my spiritual journey to the southern most tip of the Indian subcontinent- kanyakumari. This penultimate trip drew to a close an exhausting yet dynamic year for me. It was a year of changes, adjustments and self-discovery. A self imposed sabbatical had in many ways given me fresh perspectives in life.

As fate had intervened we set forth to Kanyakumari by railways. It was the first train journey of sorts for my little one. I was excited and petrified by the prospects of sharing the berth with her. In hindsight, the train must have been jailbreak for her, a welcome relief from the tiresome constraints of the flight. It was fun to watch her absorb the new environment. Her excitement was infectious, and I got tugged into her world. As I watched her look outside the windows and leap at will from the berths I couldn’t help but wonder how miraculous a simple journey could be.

Alas the destination couldn’t have been any further from my imagination. Hoping to see traces of my sinagara Chennai, I encountered a blistering northern invasion of the seas. The streets resounded with cries of Hindi and Bengali interspersed with some south Indian dialects. It therefore came as no surprise to see Punjabi dhabas outnumbering the idly joints. If paradoxes were to be believed it was right here. And to think this was only a miniscule of the charm of this coastal city.

According to Hindu legends, the wedding between lord Shiva and Kanya Devi never got solemnized, turning the grains to stone and giving this coastal town its signature name. Its ironical that the land presided by the virgin deity is a honeymooner’s paradise. Indeed the mesmerizing waters heralded romance and adventure.  And with the clouds setting in we began our tumultuous boat ride to the majestic Vivekananda rock, where we paid homage to the devi and sat ruptured in the quaint meditation center. From a distance we could see the thundering silhouette of Thiruvallur. This definitely felt like heaven.

Kanyakumari also became our roadway to discovering our forefather’s deities. Our religious peregrination took us to the quaint towns of Tirunelveli and Valliyur. The journey was like a colorful postcard. We came across small villages and watched people in their simple existence. Thatched dwellings, myriad temples, and giant flock of farming animals greeted us travelers. Just as I was soaking in the flavors of rural India, I came across herculean windmills adorning the mountain retreats. So there it was: rural India had forged ahead with renewable energy. The old ways of the people had so effortlessly embraced the new world.

The journey to me was more fulfilling than the final destination. As we headed back home, I felt a strange calm. I discovered I could embrace changes with an open mind and cheerful disposition. And with a child like joy and vigor, I decided to explore my world.