Travel Diary

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...

  Where Impressionism exits, Cubism enters. Blue Mediterranean Sea, sandstone Buildings, hilly terrains, and Pinewood forests complete the description of the Provence region of South France. The city Aix-En-Provence offers a lot to artists and painting enthusiasts. Paul Cezanne, the world-renowned impressionist painter, belongs to Aix-En-Provence. He was born and matured as a painter here, worked extensively till his last breath. The landscape and the particular light of province guided his creative journey to the threshold of abstraction. His paintings paved the path for Cubism. The life-size bronze statue of Cezanne facing the well-known La Rotonde fountain at the city centre welcomes every visitor. A quick bus ride takes you to his sunny and quaint studio. Atlelier de Cezanne is on the hill Les Lauves, north of Aix-en Provance. The studio building is in good condition. The first floor has Cezanne's still life objects, furniture, and other personal belongings have been the palace...

From Friendly To Friendship  A foreign land, unknown words, and without a phone! An itinerary for a disaster, but not always. When I was wandering in the boulevards of Nice, South of France, in search of my hotel, neither maps nor passersby could help me. My French inability came on my way. After hours of walking with my bag pack, I saw two middle-aged ladies wearing a kind of kurta pyjama from a distance. Without a second thought, I hurriedly walked towards them to find my way. While talking to these two french ladies, I felt their warmth. I was born Indian, and they were Indians from their hearts. It was spirituality, yoga, Sri Aurobindo ashram- bonded us initially. As I was about to walk towards my hotel, they returned and invited me for lunch in a nearby Indian restaurant. Their warm vibes swayed me away and I followed them without any inhibitions.  We spoke for hours over lunch, and our friendship got strong. As we stepped out of the restaurant and started walking towards...

Earthy side of  Des Champs Elysees! French revolution to fashion revolution, the Champs Elysees Avenue has witnessed them all. From the flagship stores of luxury fashion brands to Michelin star restaurants, iconic cabaret clubs or jewellery boutiques, all have added to its "the must-visit boulevard of the world" status.    The Champs Elysees has an alluring past, apart from connecting two historical monuments of France. The nation and its people have chosen it as the venue for the Bastille Parade.         The western side of the Champs Elysees (around the Arc De Trompe) buzzes with tourists, while its eastern side is quaint and sparsely visited by tourists. This side of the boulevard has a garden (the Jardin Des Champs Elysees) and a series of trees. With the arrival of Falls, the trees teem with chestnuts, and the walkway becomes a sight to behold. Often these heart-shaped fruits scatter on the ground; collect a few, the priceless souvenirs from ...

  Watching the Republic day parade on television again. 26 January 2021, the country celebrated its 72nd republic day, and I celebrated it by watching the republic day parade on the national channel, after ages. Unlike Delhi, 26th January morning in Bangalore was warm, and its streets were not playing any Bollywood patriotic songs.  But the background score of Shehnai and an aerial view of India Gate on the television screen made me nostalgic. It was almost a ritual to wrap ourselves in a quilt and sit in front of the television to watch the entire Republic day parade. It was fun to watch the program by hugging your bolster and sitting next to your parents. My parents were keen on watching the entire show, so we used to turn on the television when the signature music with its yin and yang looking logo used to rotate on the screen. The score still lingers in my ears and gives a sense of joy.  There used to be a sudden commotion in the family with the baritone voice of the ...