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Peruvian Delights

Sumitra — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:59:48 +0000

Peru is not only naturally blessed but has also been the cradle of civilization where one gets an interesting insight into the tireless striving of man and his endeavors to understand his environment. We spent a week in Peru, traveling deep into the Peruvian Amazon basin as well as saw at first hand the grandeur of the Incas in the Sacred Valley.

A visit to the Sacred valley in Peru takes you back centuries and today you see the remains and vestiges of a grand civilization whose people hobnobbed with the sun, moon and stars, and were fascinated and mystified by the heavenly bodies and sought to comprehend their movements. These became their mysterious powers which they worshipped and built in their name vast structures which were not just structures but were symbols of their deep comprehension of the celestial bodies in whose honour they built temples hewing and transporting gigantic rocks and putting them together as mammoth structures that still bear witness to their imagination. Their obsession was with the movement of the sun, the winter solstice on 21st June that heralded the sowing season as the sun changed course. The myths, the mysteries that they sought to unravel and that archaeologists are still trying to explain surrounded us on all sides as we toured through the sacred valley.

With the charming Hotel Sonesta Posada del Yucay, a convent converted into a hotel, as our base we toured the valley. Yucay is the name of the place. We saw the heritage sites of the Incas at Ollantaytambo, where Wiracochan, the first man is hewn into the mountainside, and across the hill were structures on the mountainside used as granaries and for military purposes perhaps. We shopped in the Pisac market for the lovely handicrafts and weaves of the valley, visited the circular terraces of Moray, the salt mines of yore in Maras, were enthralled by the weaves of Chinchero and it’s cute streets, made a trip to the corn brewery at Cusquena, lunched at the Alla Manka restaurant in Urubamba to the sweet music of the pan flute. Everywhere we were intrigued by the suggested depiction of shapes of birds and animals of the region, the puma, the condor, the flying lizard in the creations of the Incas. And of course all around us were the fabulous terraces everywhere for holding the mountainside and used as our guide informed us, for the special cultivation of medicinal flowers. The countryside was a paradise, surrounded by the high Andean ranges and snow peaks, rivers gurgling, the fields of corn, potato, quinoa and sugar cane. Peruvian food was another delicacy to savor.

Cusco, which is at a height of 11000 feet is at the centre of this cocktail of myth and mystery and its various manifestations in the form of the monumental remains that we see today around us in the sacred valley. The massive Sun temple on top of the hill where we saw our first llamas grazing peacefully. The city has a colonial, European look, cobbled streets, a pretty town square with the Santo Domingo Cathedral dominating it. The spanish superimposed the cloisters on the magnificent stone enclosures and temples dedicated to the stars, lightning, rainbow built by the Incas and how they aligned the still existing corridors with the constellations. These astronomical observatories predicted the climate and weather conditions that were so essential for the right sowing season.

But the holiest of the holies is Machu Picchu. An early morning bus ride to the train station at Ollantaytambo was a wake up call for the pilgrimage that lay ahead with the Andes at a distance. The excitement was palpable as we boarded the train at Ollantaytambo at 07:05, for my record, Coach A, seat number 42, for the next leg of our sacred journey. As the train chugged forward we were accompanied by the Urubamba river to our left, its frothy waters musical as it tumbled, then fell in sudden tempestuous rapids above the sound of the train. The sight of the river with the hills rising above its banks and the valley filled our hearts with joy, seeing nature at its best as the train went through the Dead Woman’s tunnel and the Cloud forest.

As we stood in Machu Picchu, with the Waynapichu towering above us, the mountains around, covered with the densest of forests, seem to be closing in on this most sacred of monuments to the energy and imagination of the Incas. It is at once a citadel, a sanctuary, a hideout of the Incas, deep in the Andean ranges, a space meant for the finer and higher pursuits of life. the sheer beauty, and splendor of the location is breathtaking. I wish I had the energy to do the Machu Picchu trail, a trek of three nights and four days and then it would’ve been a true pilgrimage, a most spiritual pilgrimage it still remains in my memory. I was uplifted from the ordinary into the extraordinary, from the temporal into the divine, from human to supernatural, as I tried to comprehend their purpose in Machu Picchu and I felt the same delirious excitement that Hiram Bingham felt when he first discovered it in 1911.

Ecotourism in the tropical rain forests in Peru is wildly popular as you are in the proximity of unspoiled nature, and experience the sights and sounds and smells of a tropical rain forest. We landed in Puerto Maldonado from Lima, drove through the country roads after equipping ourselves with torchlights. The bus wound its way through the forest, mainly cleared for crops and came to the bank of the Tambopata river, a river that has its origin in the Andes and eventually flows into the Amazon. A long boat, much like a canoe awaited us and there we started on a most exciting boat ride upstream on the Tambopata. As darkness fell the boat glided through the dark waters with a gorgeous starlit sky above us. Our guide and boatman shone the torchlight on to the banks of the river instinctively and in the shrub we saw the most amazing rodents, up to 60 kgs in weight. Cleverly camouflaged in the scrub there were innumerable of these rodents. And then we saw some caymans too.

A trek in the dark took us to the Posada Refugio Amazonas lodge. It was an impressive all wood lodge with a large lobby and dining area, open on all sides and rooms with no electricity, doors or windows and open to the forest on one side. In the still of the night one could hear sounds of innumerable creatures, one was constantly digging somewhere under my room.

The next day we spent all morning in the forest following our guide carefully through the forest, on the Brazil nut trail, hearing the whistling of the chestnut ant bird that I recorded on my mobile phone. Our guide Caesar showed us the white bark Jacaranda trees, the rubber trees that brought exploitation to the region, the Brazil nut trees which are perhaps the second longest living trees, living up to 700 years, and the Ironwood trees near a swamp used for parquet flooring. The Brazil nut tree yields pods that contain from 10 to 24 large edible nuts. We looked for monkeys in the bamboo groves, sighted the blue crowned trogon, heard the screaming Pia, looked at the White fronted nun bird through Caesar’s binoculars, and almost stepped on the Cicada hoppers’ nests by the trail. Later we came to the canopy tower with its deterring steps up to 40 metres high to reach the top. But with determination and ease we all climbed to the top of the tower to look around us at the vista of the being above the rain forest canopy. The green expanse spread before us as far as the eye could see filling us with awe at a sight of the earth as it was before man exploited it.

Caesar took us to a plantation across the river to show us the various varieties of trees, plants and herbs that are cultivated in these areas. And we viewed with delight several birds, the Emerald Toucanette, the Tropical king bird, woodpeckers, that he could locate for us on the trees as the parrots flew overhead. On our return we saw the amazing Sumitra canoeing all by herself in the Tambopata and the fearless Sujata frolicking in the river as she swam in its muddy waters.

No account would be complete without a mention of the beautiful pottery at the Seminario. We also managed to squeeze in a half day tour of Lima where the highlights were the beautiful main town square and an interesting visit to the Museo Rafael Larco Herrera that is the collection of one man dedicated to the people of Peru.

Text by: Manju Dhall

Manju got her masters in Political Science from Allahabad University and a masters in Human Rights Law from SOAS in London. Taught English to high school students in Delhi, worked at the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in Delhi. She has a deep interest in human rights issues, reading and gardening. Lives currently in Noida.

Pictures courtesy: Sumitra Senapaty

Restaurant Review: Amour, Its French for Love!

Sumitra — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:51:19 +0000

Hauz Khas Village is bursting with interesting eating out options. A not so recent addition to this list is Amour, the Patio Restaurant, Café and Bar. Amour cashes in wonderfully on the best thing the village has to offer- a great view. Overlooking the charming Hauz Khaz Lake and monuments, the outdoor wood-planked terrace is a great place to enjoy a Sunday brunch or a candle lit dinner. The ambience of the place is unbeatable and we were especially lucky to find ourselves dining there on a beautiful moonlit evening.

The great ambience is perfectly complimented with a very intelligent, and considering the variety, a reasonable priced wine list. The sommelier was at hand to answer our queries about which wine to pair with our food. But it was the bread I fell in love with. The breads at Amour include sour bread, brioche, oatmeal, herbed and more and are all served with butter mixed with parsley, garlic and rosemary.

That said, the place claims to be many things, and as often happens with places that offer a wide variety of food under the sweeping moniker of Mediterranean Food, it’s a bit confused. There is a live grill and a wood oven tossing pizzas; there is also the Moroccan Rasoul Hanout and the surprisingly the Cognac New Zealand Lamb Shack; and all sort of dishes ranging from the French to the Tuscan. This eclectic mix might take away all claims of any kind of authenticity but that in itself is not always a bad thing. And what comes to the food’s rescue is the attention paid to details. The chicken rasoul hanout, though not very Moroccan was served with roasted onions and herbed garlic. The pizza was thin, light and quite perfect, and one has the option of walking to the oven and creating one’s own signature pizza! But the tenderloin for one left me a little disappointed, not least because of the fact that they use ‘buff’ and not ‘beef’, which of course keeps the price reasonable but the taste buds yearning.

But then again the evening was perfectly salvaged by a wonderful Tiramisu. According to me there is just one other place in Delhi where one gets good tiramisu, but the wonderful flavours of the tiramisu at Amour makes me almost topple the Diva dessert off the top spot.

All in all I would absolutely insist you pay Amour a visit. Go for the good though not great food, the absolutely charming decor, interesting wines, excellent desserts, scrumptious breads and the perfect view!

Address: Amour – The patio restaurant, cafe & bar, 30 Hauz Khas Village

New Delhi

Phone no: 9654126687, 9212126687

Ø Timings: 12:30 pm- 1am

Ø Liquor license: yes

Ø Pricing: Rs 1200/- for a meal for two (exclusive of alcohol)

Capri…In The Deep Blue Tyrrhenian Sea

Sumitra — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 06:47:21 +0000

On the Amalfi coast in the Gulf of Naples, lies an intriguingly beautiful island – Capri, one of the most visited destinations in the Campanian region. I took a day trip to this island from Naples and boarded the hydrofoil from the port of Molo Beverello. In approximately 40 minutes we set foot on Marina Grande – the port of Capri. From here, one must take a furnicular ride up to the centre of Capri town, the Piazzetta.

View from Capri

Capri looked like it was straight out of a Hollywood film set! It was adorned with white-paved walkways, palm trees, plush resorts with people splashing in swimming pools, designer stores lined up on either side and women wearing over-sized hats! It is no wonder then, that this picturesque island welcomes nearly 50,000 tourists a day during summer!

Capri is a fairly large island covering approx. 10.5 sq. kms with a hilly terrain. You surely need a map to get around! Atop the Piazzetta is the charming Church of Santo Stefano. Built in baroque-style architecture, this is the principal place of worship in Capri town.

We then walked up the winding, steep paths lined with pretty coffee-shops and restaurants to Giardini di Augusto (Gardens of Augustus). These botanical gardens, with their ornate floral decorations, a fountain and marble statues (including one of Lenin) while overlooking the strikingly blue water-front are a welcome delight for tourists beaten down by the Italian summer heat.

Beautifully refreshing Gardens of Augustus

German industrialist and marine biologist, Friedrich Alfred Krupp fell in love with Capri during one of his visits and funded a paveway in the early 1900’s to connect the gardens to the Marina. Considered a work of architectural and engineering genius by Emilio Mayer, eight sharp switchbacks were made by cutting through rock, hugging the cliff with a panoramic view until it reached the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Winding sinuous curves of Via Krupp

After a hiatus of over 30 years owing to falling rocks, Via Krupp was opened in 2008 to the public with a plaque exulting the sinuous curves as Alfred Krupp’s eternal symbol of liberty and homage to the beauty of nature. Dipping our feet in the cold blue waters made every bit of the climb up the steep eight winding curves worthwhile.

Alfred Krupp dedication plaque

When one visits Capri, a trip to Anacapri (situated at 150 metres above Capri, connected by a bus service) is a must! Unless you are afraid of heights (like me), don’t miss the chairlift ride up to Monte Solaro (589 metres, 1932 feet) for a breathtaking panoramic view of the coast! From Anacapri, one can also reach the Punta Carena Lighthouse.

Undoubtedly the starriest attraction of Capri island is Grotta Azzurra (the blue cave). There’s blue, deep blue and electric blue! Sunlight comes in to this sea cave through an underwater opening, thus giving it an eerie dazzling blue shade. It is believed that this once used to be Emperor Tiberius’ private bathing pool. The opening to the cave is only about 2 metres wide and 2 metres high, however the cave itself is approx 80 meters wide and 80 feet deep.

‘Sit at the bottom of the boat, bend backwards and lie flat!’ we were warned as we got in to the Blue Cave in small row boats.

The bright, electric blue tones of the water were an inexplicable sight. As our boat-man sang Italian songs for us in the blue cave, I wished I too had a private swimming pool as beautiful as this one.

View of the coast from Capri island

Text and photos: Archana Srivatsan

The Untold Stories of Ramgarh

Sumitra — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:41:36 +0000

I first went to Shekhawati about five years ago. A simple weekend getaway to unwind till I realized I had unknowingly stumbled into a land of stories… stories told in colourful frescoes. After a magical three days, and an impassioned dissertation proposal to further spend some time unravelling these frescoes (which incidentally got rejected), a study on Marquis de Sade and the humdrum of daily life pushed the coloured walls out of my view.

The Ramgarh Fresco

This December when my sister planned to visit another area in Shekhawati, Ramgarh, to celebrate the New Year, only the promise of those glorious wall-paintings prompted me to leave behind friends and drunken revelry for quieter celebrations with the family. And that’s a decision I will never regret.

A Haveli in Ramgarh, the peeling fresco is a reminder of it's former glory

Ramgarh is a charming town, and the charm lies in the fact that it is not a place where one would expect to find a hotel or plan to spend a ‘holiday’. Yet that’s exactly what a brave couple Sanjay and Ruchi Khandelwal have done. They have restored an old haveli, formerly known as the Khemka Haveli and opened it to vsitors as the Ramgarh Frescoe Hotel. The approach to the hotel is nothing like the scenic sprawling heritage properties one is used to, but through a crowded narrow lane. So while my father was agonisingly trying to manoeuvre his car into the lane, I was busy reminiscing about the days spend in ancestral homes in small towns, except for one tiny detail- the Havelis and houses in Ramgarh are resplendent with brilliant frescoes.

The narrow lanes of Ramgarh

Shekhawati is an area in Rajasthan which known as ‘the largest open air gallery in the world’, and some claim that Ramgarh has the largest number of painted buildings in the area. Out of these The Ramgarh Frescoe is possibly one of the best preserved havelis and all because of the work put into restoring it. The haveli has lovely frescoes, the most fascinating being the train that runs the breadth of its front facade. A common image in frescoes all over town, it’s an interesting and detailed depiction of the steam engine with faces peeping through the various windows. A rich insight into colonial art, the various compartments in the train have occupants of different ethnicities with a complex set of symbols differentiating one from the other. I often spotted brown women with bonnets and what must have been a perception of a European styled gown, or white men drawn in the Mughal miniature style. On the side wall of the haveli is a woman riding a penny farthing, and a dog looking into a gramophone. Interestingly, inside there is a woman looking into a gramophone while a glass of tea lies forever frozen in her lap.

Woman riding a penny farthing

The painted train

The inner courtyard though has the beautifully blue Krishna along with, a woman on a swing, wearing a black saree, with a wonderfully bare shoulder and a hint of the side of her breast. Is this Radha? Was Radha often depicted wearing black? Is it a symbol of the black Shyam wrapped around her body? I need to know these stories, but alas there is no one to tell me. No one remembers and no one is inventing them either.

The facade with the painted train and gorgeous windows

Inside Ramgarh Fresco, a charming library

I feel strongly about Shekhawati. It’s a heritage that is being lost due to complete and utter neglect, and soon it’ll be too late to do anything about it. Fortunately though, because of people like Sanjay and Ruchi there is hope. Yet, they lack the expertise and the funds to carry on the proper restoration process. The hastily touched up frescoes sometimes grate on the sensibilities- and they are keenly aware of it too- but to keep the aesthetics of the over a century old havelis require an expertise which are now lost.

Stories from Ramayana and the Mahabharata abound on the walls

There are other buildings which are equally fascinating, for instance the wonderful Goenka haveli. A place of mystery with underground passageways, hidden chambers and tales of untold wealth which is being restored into an art gallery by a very enterprising Manoj Johari. There is enough in Shekhawati for an art gallery as many of the prints and paintings found in the abandoned havelis are wonderful antiques. I bought a beautiful painting on glass, which left me broke but extremely happy. There are lots of prints to pick up too. Published in the earlier part of the 20^th century I managed to lay my hands on a set of postcards with freedom struggle iconography of ‘bharat mata’ and Gandhi as a charioteer for a figure that looks uncannily like Nehru.

Chattri

The brilliantly adorned chattris, an old Ganga temple with a moustachioed Shiva and an old well are other wonders this place has to offer. But the best thing to do when you are not ogling the frescoes is to relax and read a book on the beautiful terrace of The Ramgarh Frescoe. And in between you can muse at the myriad kites in the sky.

Kite flying!

Aah, the kites! This was another surprise. So many people fly kites here. We were surprised because there are enough dish antennas on terraces to testify to the insidious presence of cable television, yet there is an abiding interest in kite flying among kids and adults alike! So much so, that I could not manage to fly a kite for more than five minutes for as soon as it began soaring some ten or twelve year old connoisseur would cut it’s flight short with one fell swoop, and one is left holding a charkhi while your kite adorns a nearby terrace or tree!

So for all these simple pleasures and complex visual treats one must visit Ramgarh! But do not visit it if your idea of travelling to exotic ‘heritage’ hotels involves looking down upon a charming village from a fort upon a hill top, the charm being added by the distance the fort creates between you and the village. Ramgarh Frescoe, the only place to stay in Ramgarh is in the middle of the town. Take a small car, or better still, travel by train. The nights are noisy as it is a very religious town where they chant with cymbals mostly in the wee morning hours. At least there was enough excitement in the town just before the New Year to ensure all light sleepers wake up at four am to noises which do not sound the least bit charming to my unmusical ears!

Ramgarh is famous for it's laddoos and jalebis!

Ramgarh might not be very prominent on the tourist map yet, but with so much going on for it it’s not long before the people realize the business sense of preserving the frescoes enough to turn it into quite the profitable bit of real estate. And maybe soon we will have a lot more people researching and writing about this glorious heritage, which would hopefully replace the vague moniker given to it by the Lonely Planet- “Rajasthan’s better kept secret”.

The best preserved frescoes in Ramgarh

Text and photos by Saumya Agarwal

Restaurant Review: Delighted at Dakshin!

Sumitra — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:38:20 +0000

Any expensive restaurant in a top end hotel will never score low on the ambience, yet sometimes they can be garishly opulent. Dakshin at the Welcom Hotel Sheraton is not. It has a wonderfully simple charm to it and the love and magic lie in the details. Yes, love, one word that is true for both the décor and the food.

Dakshin's Temple Themed Decor

You enter Dakshin through a traditional temple design doorway to be cordially guided to a table of your choice. Mirrors adorn some walls adding an illusion of space, and strategic pillars create a sense of privacy for most of the tables. The lamps are beautifully shaped like temple bells with elephant heads, and the carpets reflect the temple theme with their diya patterns. But none of this draws unnecessary attention to itself. It’s there, lovingly creating a comfortable ambience added to by the muted tones of Karnatik music in the background. This subtlety is mirrored in the menu as well, which again opens by parting heavily adorned temple doors to a world of terrific food.

The Traditional Brass Table Ware

Dakshin deliberately steers clear of the ubiquitous Udupi fare of the ‘idli-dosa’ stereotype, which is breakfast in the South. This restaurant is only open for Lunch and Dinner. The other misconception it destroys is that of the homogenous South-Indian identity, through the diversity of it’s food. With recipes collected from four South Indian states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka; each dish is reflexive of it’s particular topography, of the regional spices used, differing variety of rice, particular colonial influences, the typicality of the meat used… the differences are many! And again, the beauty is in the details and the love with which each dish is crafted.

We started our meal with Vasant Neer (coconut water), which was accompanied by some Prarambham (starters). Since we are hardcore carnivores, we happily indulged in Assaivam i.e. non vegetarian food!

The vegetarian TamBrahm image of South Indian food had already been destroyed in our minds by places like Swagath and Gun Powder, but a bite into the Meen Varuval (pan fried sole fich, chettinad style) pushed it to complete oblivion! My prawn allergies stopped me from tasting Dakshin Yera (deep fried prawns marinated in ginger garlic and chilli paste) but my friend assured me they were quite scrumptious. There was other very interesting food on the starter menu, like the Khaima Samosa (keema samosa), and a whole range of vegetarian options too, especially the very interesting Iyer Trolley- an open interactive kitchen, named after Chef Parmeshwar Iyer which serves delightful mini dosais and other snacks. Don’t forget to ask for the history behind the trolley, which is just as interesting as the food it serves!

Sarvottam with Parantha!

Next up was the main course also known as Sarvottam, with dishes from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka. Most of these dishes are a result of extensive research and sourcing of traditional family recipes. Again the details are delightful! So Tamil Nadu is not simply Chettinad cuisine but also has dishes cooked in the Mudhaliar style, and the difference is clearly perceptible as the ingredients used vary significantly. In Chettinad cuisine aroma spices are preferred whereas the Mudhaliars prefer using sweet-dried ingredients! And to further enhance the tastes, there are chutney powders in beautiful brass tumblers which are already on the table, along with Popaddam and fiery curd chillies!

The main course is served with Annam, which ranges from flavoured rice to appam and idiappam. I adore appams and had to try some! Our server offered us a choice between soft and crisp Appam, and I picked the softer option as that is the more traditional way of having it. The appam was delightfully light and fluffed to perfection but it was the Kerala style stew that I dipped it in which was the real stunner. One could taste the rich coconut milk it was cooked in, and the simple taste which wasn’t interfered with by any other spices was the best part. We went on to taste Tomato Pappu, a very spicy Andhra dish; chicken pepper gravy; and Mamsam Kajepu, a lamb dish cooked in coriander and coconut gravy from Karnataka.

By this time we were stuffed but still curious and we were intrigued by the Kerala Moplali Erachi Biryani, a muslim preparation of lamb with special jeera smabha rice. Now I must admit I did not think it was anything great, but that could also be because by this time our brain had given up on us, and thought that the only way to make us stop eating was to warp the communication with our taste buds. I think one of these days I would go back to Dakshin just to try their Biryanis, and then give you all a more accurate review!

But our taste buds swung right back in action for Madhuram. Phew! Yes, how could a meal be complete without some dessert?! And for the sake of reviewing we had four of them! What is a little overstuffing for such a noble cause! J The badam halwa was thick and very unlike the crumbly variant that I had been used to. It was delightfully rich without being too sweet. One must also try the Payassam and it’s a good idea to ask your server for the day’s special. But one must not leave Dakshin without trying the Basundi. For those who don’t know what it is, we’ll let you find that out on your own!

Filter Coffee

We could barely move after such indulgence, and all our faculties had slowed down after experiencing such a melange of flavours. Well, all we needed to perk us up was a serving of filter coffee. Served in the traditional way, in steel tumblers and bowls by our server, the coffee was delicious. Termed Maitre Coffee, because of the way its served, it’s a chicory free blend of Robusta and select coffee beans. That put us back on our feet and thus ended a perfect Saturday afternoon.

While Dakshin is not easy on the pocket, it’s definitely worth it! We recommend you go for a Saturday or Sunday lunch. The place is not too crowded then, and one can enjoy a slow meal, while getting acquainted with the various complexities of South Indian cuisine. Do not hesitate to ask the serving staff about the dishes, and if you are lucky enough, as we were, Master Chef Velu might just be at hand to regale you with wonderful stories about the food that he and his team prepare so passionately!

Chef Velu with another one of his masterpieces!

Dakshin, WelcomHotel Sheraton, Saket, New Delhi

Meal for Two: 4000/- (without alcohol)

Timings: 12:30 P.M. -2:45 P.M. & 7:30 P.M. -11:30 P.M.

WOW Experience: WOW-ed in Turkey!

Sumitra — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:46:50 +0000

Vaishnavi Vishwanathan on her WOW Turkey experience:

“My first international trip with Wow was truly Wow! Unlike the domestic trips, I was filled with more anxiety- what if I don’t meet the group members at the airport? Where will I meet the Wow buddy at Istanbul airport? Will I get lost? How do I contact anyone without a mobile? Of course all the worries went out the window (in this case the airport) once I met some of the ladies at the Mumbai airport. Once we landed at Istanbul and met our buddy and the other ladies from Delhi, it was straight to business – eating and sightseeing! Within no time we all seemed to be engrossed with excited banter even without knowing each other’s names. The Wanderers need no introductions to get along I guess!

The Myriad Colours of Turkey!

WOW women bond over delicious Turkish food!

Delightful Turkish Food

The only thing I knew about Turkey before getting there was that it was exotic. But after experiencing it I realize it’s much more than exotic, in fact I have no words in my vocabulary to describe it! It leaves you speechless! The culture, the blue waters, YUM food, hospitable people, sweet smells of fruits and spices and hookahs in every corner, the scenery, the vibrant roads and shops – ooh everything was so breath taking. The Bhophorus cruise got us all excited like kids…to see Asia on one side and Europe on the other got us oohing and aahing with sounds of cameras clicking almost continuously. In retrospect, I realize the oohs and aahs were almost heard everyday either while seeing the beautiful sceneries or listening to the historical relevance of various places. Like India, the cultural diversity was interesting to listen to. It was a revelation to know that the people in the ‘Land of Turks’ were mostly Muslims, spoke in Turkish and wrote in Latin. I guess Turkey’s location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia with its mix of cultures makes it one of the most interesting countries I have ever visited.

The Cotton Castles of Pammukale

Ephesus

Ballooning Over Cappadocia

All the cities we visited was buzzing with it’s own charm. The ancient city of Hierapolis, Pamukkale with its calcified water pools (which are said to have healing powers), Cappodocia with it’s awesomely weird looking ‘chimney buildings’ (also called Fairy chimneys) and the underground cities, the city of Ephesus, the Antalya Beach…all had so much of history and natural beauty oozing out of them. And to add to these experiences were the Whirling Dervishes, museums, Turkish baths and the highlight of my trip-the hot air balloon. And of course with women around, the shopping and eating almost never stopped . For the first time I realized bargaining in shops (a task I hated) can be soooo much fun when combined with flirting..esp with the good looking Turkish men! You can never get enough of Turkey..I guess I can’t yet cross out Turkey from my bucket list of places to see! Hope I get to explore it further in the future.”

Text and images courtesy: Vaishnavi Vishwanathan

Review: Whiskey and Asian Food at Pan Asian!

Sumitra — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:50:15 +0000

Us Dilli wallahs, we love our liquor and we love our food. And while the rest of the country might still think of us as chiken-tikka eating and a whiskey swilling lot, the city has innovated to incorporate the familiar with the new with great ease. One such experience was a whiskey and food pairing evening at the Pan Asian, Welcomhotel Sheraton.

Pan Asian, Welcomhotel Sheraton, New Delhi

Whiskey stands for many things- masculinity, a sense of refinement, a definite symbol of wealth and nothing represents all this better than the ubiquitous, at least in most parties in Delhi, Black Label. The joke is that there is more Black Label consumed in India than Diageo produces. We were chuckling about this with the brand ambassador of Diageo, Tim Ethrington, and many interesting discussions on alcohol consumption in India, boot legging, and high import duties followed before we started with the our whiskey experience which introduced us to a very different concept of whiskey drinking.

Diageo Brand Ambassador Tim Etherington and Pan Asian Sous Chef Lambert Chiang

Scotch from all over Scotland was paired with Asian food from the kitchen of the Sous Chef Lambert Chiang, and evidently a lot of thought and discussion had gone into the exercise, as we were told when we were introduced to the concept by both Tim and Chef Lambert.

After the pleasantries we started with a drink of Diageo’s signature blend Johnnie Walker Black Label and Tim instructed us in what was the best way to have it. Served in a narrow mouthed nosing glass without ice or water, we were supposed to drink it straight. Thinking about the three more malts that were to follow I started worrying about whether I would be sober enough by the end of it to know the difference between a whiskey and a dog, but the ritual itself was so much fun that I was in no mood to not taste these waters.

Malt Display

First we warmed the whiskey glass in our hands, for as the temperature of the whiskey increases it’s aromas are released. Then we dutifully sniffed it, because olfactory senses play a key role in the whiskey experience, and then took small straight sips. It burned but as our palette got used to the alcohol we started enjoying it as Tim filled us in with the finer points of whiskey drinking.

The first whiskey we tried was the blended Black Label, and this was necessary as the other three single malts that we were to try through the evening are all used in creating it. The taste was a little too strong for my palette as I had always had it mixed with water or topped with ice, but it was well paired with salt and pepper squid and tamarind flavoured potatoes. The spicy potatoes complemented the strong flavours of the whiskey especially well. In fact one of the most interesting part of the entire evening was how well the food has been paired with the malts.

Next up was Talisker, aged 10 years, with wonderful smoky hints, gentler on the palette so right up my alley! Talisker is made of Barley which is dried using Peat smoke, thus the smoky flavours. This was paired with dim sums which did not have too overpowering a taste thus allowing us to savour the mellower malt.

This was followed by Cardhu (12) which had hints of vanilla and fresh grass. Much of these flavours come from the barrels used for storing these whiskies. For instance charred barrels make a whiskey toastier, whereas old sherry casks add fruity hues to it! As the barrels contract and expand, almost two percent of the whiskey is absorbed or evaporates. This is called the Angels’ share! Tim told us this lovely little anecdote over our last whiskey of the evening, a robust malt carrying distinct flavour of toffee and chocolate- Singleton (12). This was well paired with chocolate mousse for dessert.

By the end of the evening I was happy, definitely high and thoroughly enjoyed the food and whiskey pairing experience. But I do believe that the best pairing through the evening were the anecdotes and the conversation which I enjoyed even more than the delectable food at the Pan Asian!

While wine tasting has been the rage in the city for quite some time, such whiskey evenings add to the drinking experience where people who are already connoisseurs or others simply curious about their liquor can go and enjoy a quiet evening with a few friends. So for a price tag of 3500/-, with undeniably great food, such evenings are bound to be a big hit. If one were to order these malts on a regular evening the tab would be a lot more!

But if you are looking to make these prices an excuse for an all you can drink binge, we would suggest you give this event a skip. This evening is worth it if you really want to get to know your poison and indulge in fine dining, some refined drinking and excellent conversation!

And we’ll try and keep you posted about most of these events through our WOW page on facebook and our regular reviews!

Cheers!

Pan Scottish Malts with Pan Asian Cuisine @3500/- plus taxes

Pan Asian, Welcomhotels, Sheraton, New Delhi

WOW Experience: Wanderlusting in Rishikesh!

Sumitra — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:29:23 +0000

I had enlisted for a river rafting trip down the Ganges with WOW a few days back, seemed like an escape from the mundane life, or was it? I mulled over the prudence of the decision as I am an acute case of hydrophobia. This was clearly not my idea of fun!

Day 1

Everyone saying WOW to kick off a great trip!

Romi and Archana were at the ND airport when I reached, the other girls were also beginning to arrive. There was something tall and beautiful about each one of them. We were the WoW women! As we waited, the skepticism of travelling in an all womens’ group slowly started fading away. A couple of dirty jokes broke the ice and we were all guffawing away for the rest of the trip. Reached Aquaterra in Tongs Valley at about 8.30 p.m., on the promise of monkey brain soup and Vodka. We were greeted by Jitu, who elucidated on eco-tourism and the art of relieving oneself in a pit-loo. A roaring bonfire, a battery of lanterns and the Milky Way was all that lit- up the Aquaterra at night, while the Ganges gushed and roared nearby. Just my kinda place!

Enjoying a hot cup of tea before our day of adventure!

All set to raft!

Day 2

This was the day for the big adventure. Mitch gave us the rafting instructions and the cons of not listening to them. He had our undivided attention! There after we divided up into our rafts. I realized nobody wanted the front two spots. Blast let me just take it up, que sera sera sera! We practiced our strokes well. Then I saw the first wave rolling towards us, OMG! We rowed like mad, trying to slash and rip thru the water; it splashed us and lifted our raft, 3 feet in the air I had found my rhythm!! We zig zagged thru the rapid and made it out alive out. All of us burst into a roar! Our war cry was – Chili bili chili bili – dhom dhadaka dhoom dhadaka – hoo ha hoo ha! We went through 6 more, the Roller Coaster being the scariest. Our favourite command was ‘Get Down’ – which meant one had to stop rowing, get down in the boat and hold on firmly to the rope for dear life. We mastered that one real fast! It made us more confident. After a good 25 kms of actual rafting, we trekked back to our bus. By the time we reached the camp, my arms and back were hurting. Just holding a food plate seemed like a task. In the evening, we sat around the bon fire chatting, singing with the guitar and enjoying the barbeque.

Rafting fun!

Kayaking at the camp...the adventure never stops!

Day 3

This was the day of ‘The Wall’, the feistiest rapid in vicinity. We got into our spray cheaters, helmets, life jackets and armed ourselves with the oar. Ben told us that the rapid was formed by the river turning at a peculiar angle, that it had an eddy right in the middle, so if anyone fell they would go right in and it could be a while before they would be rescued. There were some defectors, and all men. The women held on! “The Wall” hit on my side of the raft, rowing violently, for a moment I was worried we would flip. Another big wave hit us and Ben shouted for all of us to Get Down. We had made it out, we screamed out of sheer joy!

A satisfying lunch post our adventures!

Our gorgeous campsite!

Bonding around the bonfire!

We sat around the bonfire in the evening, even caught a couple of shooting stars. The Ganga gurgled! We were leaving the next day! Had exchanged our life stories in that short span of time!! I tried to recollect everything that had bugged me in Mumbai, and it seemed inconsequential!! I don’t know about my paap but the Ganga had definitely siphoned my troubles away.

Text courtesy: Preeti Garg

Photographs courtesy: Romila Sil

Another WOW Postcard from the Devil’s Pool, Zambia!

Sumitra — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:39:25 +0000

Devil’s pool, Livingstone Island, Zambia

How does one view a waterfall at its closest? Wont the best view be from its precipice? Sounds hazardous and almost impossible, but that’s exactly what one gets to do at devil’s pool, Victoria Falls, Zambia.

I travelled with the wonderful and amazing Wow club this September to Zambia and South Africa.

As luck would have it, I ended up with a roomie who shared the same penchant for adventure as me and the name “devil’s pool” certainly aroused the spirit of adventure in us and so we decide to tackle this devil together!

The Zambezi River bank

We were picked up by a speed boat from our hotel and dropped off on the banks of Livingstone Island. We were then passed on to the able hands of Prince, a young enthusiastic guide. We followed Prince through the woods for a good few minutes, with our excitement mounting with each passing second and eventually we reached the banks of the Zambezi River. At this point we could see the whole expanse of the river and only a furlong away was the actual edge of the falls! That point was called Devil’s pool. The idea was to take us to that very edge so we could view the falls at its closest proximity and feel the power of the falls. Here we were asked to change into our swimming gear in preparation to swim to the Devil’s pool. Prince donned on a life jacket, plunged into the water, swam across to a point in the river where there were a few rocks. When he reached the rocks, he beckoned us to follow. I looked at him disbelievingly and wondered whether he was kidding us. He wanted us t take the plunge without a life jacket?? Anyway with the adrenaline pumping I had no time to make a fuss, I took the plunge!

Prince taking the plunge

I have to point out to the readers that it would be sensible to take this on only if you are a good swimmer, I am not but I was lucky to have Prince, our strong and able handed guide who very kindly after witnessing my strenuous attempts to swim across to him, swam over to me and carefully guided me to the rocks. Each one followed. We then moved on to another spot, and then another and finally our final spot- Devil’s pool. Here, the edge of the waterfalls is only a leap way. From this point you are asked to take a leap into the Devil’s pool and swim over to the actual edge of the falls. At the edge of the falls, the experience is thrilling- the roaring of the waterfalls and the sheer power of it is overwhelming. All in all it was an experience I will never forget or regret! An experience so exhilarating, a close encounter which was a reminder of the magnificent force of Mother Nature!!

Living on the edge!

Devil's Pool

Photos and text courtesy: Shadwala Surendra

A Poetic WOW Experience by Naazish Shah

Sumitra — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:38:27 +0000

The jump into the Devil's Pool!

DEVIL’S POOL

To experience Livingstone Island, and Devils Pool

Two Indian ladies along with some Canadians cool,

Reached the banks of the Zambezi River,

Cascading Victoria Falls, water rushing over,

We took a deep breath and swam with the group,

Feet were bruised and cut , after them we trooped

With hearts in mouth, from rock to rock

We swam to the final one, we are now in the dock.

To plunge in to the Devils Pool, my blood turned cold,

Poornima said, COME ON Naaz! she was very bold.

She jumped and was at the edge in a trice,

I had to jump, I had no choice!

Water rushed up my nose and I nearly choked,

My guide was sympathetic poor bloke

Had never seen such a novice attempting this feat

I clung to the rock edge which was a seat.

And then for the most amazing experience,

I lay down on the ledge, very tense,

The water was flowing down full blast,

Never done anything like that in the past.

Two rainbows below made me gasp,

He held to my ankle, I held on to my task

It was Poornima’s turn, she enjoyed her fill

WE HAD DONE IT!, the entire drill.

We were so excited, we giggled and hooted,

Back the same route we ginger footed

Later at the hotel, I couldn’t sleep at night,

Oh my gosh, what we had done gave me a fright.

I wouldn’t recommend this for the faint- hearted,

But I think I have only started.

Now you know where it got it's name from!

The best part of the adventure!

Poornima Napate & Naazish Shah, two Mumbai Wanderers were part of the WOW group that went to South Africa during September 2011, the tour took in Victoria Falls, Zambia, Capetown, the Garden Route among other places.

Photos and text courtesy Naazish Shah