Travel Diary

  Dementia-Ben and Boon. An octogenarian with Dementia, abandoned by her daughter and son-in-law, took her last breath on a bed in a home for seniors, clinging to a soft toy to her heart. The other companion was the classical music playing on her television. Before handing over to the undertaker, The dead body was cleaned and washed by two senior carers and finally handed over to an undertaker. The lady who lived in that home for a decade left the place without a whisper or a whimper. Although it was an unfortunate event, carers and their superiors are always prepared for such an event. The concept of accommodation for seniors started in the Middle Ages in northern Europe and is now a thriving industry as a global business concept. It is a home where the elderly get medical care, food, and shelter. Finances are often taken care of by the state and their lifelong savings. The system seems perfect for upholding the independence and freedom of these vulnerable people. The residents ...

  East or West. Where lies the acquired taste?   Soups are always exotic, and their fumes emit a nostalgic colonial English aura for people living in small towns in India. Even though, in recent years, ready-to-slurp soup sachets have flooded the markets, middle-class homemakers have placed them along with their spice boxes without any hesitation. Yet, a hot cup of soup still transports Indians to the cloudy, hilly terrains of the far-off European countryside.    In traditional English cuisine, carrots, peas, mushrooms, leeks, chicken, or beef broths seasoned with condiments are cooked in low flames for hours under the strict supervision of the chef. The broth gets cooked till it thickens to get the perfect consistency of soup and served with dollops of heavy cream. It is an ideal appetizer and cosy delicacy to make the chilly evenings comfortable. Soups have always been part and parcel of English supper, and people instinctively like the dish. When elderly...

On a summer afternoon, the immigration counter at Gatwick Airport, London, was thinly crowded, and border police officers sitting on the other side of the counter were visibly relaxed. A young officer was surprisingly friendly and invited me to come to his counter with a subdued smile. It was a welcomingly rare experience for immigrants from third-world countries. After checking my documents, he started a conversation by asking about my master's subject.  Promptly,  after my reply, the next question was whether I have a job in my chosen academic field. After my quasi-negative reply smeared with an aura of hope, he took no time to blow my morale by narrating his tale that he passed with an English major, yet he failed to find a job in his chosen subject and landed up in his current post.  I left the counter without a whimper, just a courteous thank you. We are all aware that the UK Government has taken strict measures to tighten the influx of immigrants, whether legal or i...

Croydon then Museums are one of the entertaining ways to know a new city or a neighbourhood and especially for those who are a newcomer. Well-known museums have varied and rare attractions to put their visitors in awe. But at times, even tiny ones instore surprises for their viewers. Croydon, one of the boroughs of outer London has its museum, conspicuously located in the arts facilities of the clocktower building in Central Croydon. Even though it is small, its collections date back to the Roman era. As you enter its display room, it is hard to miss out on two illustrations made by the first Noble Laureate from India. For a moment, I felt those paintings were surreal; Rabindranath Tagore would not have visited Croydon, of all places, in his visits to England. Soon, the note on the wall from the museum authority settled the whirlwind of queries in my head. The message says a gentleman, Ronald Newson, of Norbury, worked with Rabindranath Tagore in Shantiniketan, a university he founded....

Discover the Flaneur in you. Wandering in a busy street of a city has its distinct pleasures. You drift through the ebb and flow of the city without being identified. A Flaneur does not need to be a philosopher, painter, or poet. The thought is quintessentially French, hard to have an English equivalent that captures the spirit of the Flaneur. Paris has always been Flaneurs heaven. Oscar Wilde, Baudelaire, and other connoisseurs of Parisian streets gave a new high to the concept of Flaneur almost 150 years ago. Relive the life of a modern Flaneur in the heart of Paris. Carry a copy of a map and walk at your leisure on the left bank of Seine to explore the city’s open history book-Latin Quarters. This part of the city houses some of the oldest universities, especially Le Sorbonne. The nearby churches behold you with its flamboyant architecture coupled with a sombre and spiritual ambience. After exploring the bookshops, relax in one of the sidewalk cafes, lounge on a chair with a coffee ...

  Amsterdam.Beyond obvious. Canals crisscrossing the city, moored boathouses, and a series of gabled buildings complete the site of Amsterdam. Stroll around its city center and come across a monument or museum at every hundred-meters stretch. While walking through the canal side, I stumbled upon a board- De Schaduwkade. This road has several metal plaques embedded on the canal wall. Every plate denotes the name of the Jewish resident and the house address before the German army persecuted them. Overnight, more than two hundred Jews were dragged out of their homes and sent to the detention center from De Schaduwkade. A cold shiver runs down the spine, just by the thought of it! Walk further to come across a statue called “De Docwerker” or the Dockworker, honouring the ordinary people who came out openly to protest the massacre of the Jews in occupied Europe. Germans brutally suppressed the strike in just three days. At a distance, a shining star of David catches the attention of eve...