Humayun’s Tomb was really great and a good break & leisurely walk after a very filling lunch. We then wandered back through Connaught Place and stopped at an Emporium right next to the Deutsche Bank. We went in for a little wander.
Of course soon we entered the shop a smily slithery salesmen, dull as dishwater and with a monotonal voice like Meryl Streep’s stuck right onto us. I wonder if he’d ever realise that this actually upsets potential customers and this ‘in the face’, pushy, dry as dust technique doesn’t really work! Its stupid & annoying. And am sure we weren’t the only ones he has peeved off.
D of course doesn’t loose his temper at the most trying of times. I’m a whole different kettle of fish. My temperature was rising rapidly, worst of all this ‘salesman’ would neither take a hint nor accept no for an answer. He followed every pace we took, every direction we turned, every pause we paused and noted every trail of our eyes — mine and D’s as well all at the same time. I was loosing my calm exponentially. All of this in a nicely laid out air-conditioned shop where its meant to be nice and peaceful.
Continue reading ‘The Emporeum experience in Delhi’
One of my favourites of the Humayun’s Tomb
View of Humayun’s tomb up close from the base plinth. The architecture is quite impressive even though its only a tomb. The Moghuls obviously had a huge belief system in afterlife. For a lot of northern India is dotted with their architectural influence and of their cuisines and handicraft and gardens.
It took us a while to get back out in the heat again especially after a good meal and the copious amounts of absolutely chilled beer we had had at that stage. But driving through Delhi normally isn’t that bad… you are mostly surrounded in tree lines streets and even in the middle of a hot bright day it feel very comforting driving down a little boulevard. We were at the entrance of Humayun’s Tomb. Now for a little bit of history.
Humayun’s Tomb was built by his wife Hamida Banu Begum in 1562 AD and designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyath, a Persian architect. It was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent, and is located in Nizamuddin East, Delhi, India, close to the Dina-panah citadel also known as Purana Qila, that Humayun founded in 1533. The complex was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, and since then has undergone extensive restoration work, which is still underway.
I do like Humayun’s Tomb its laid back, not overly touristy and have some Taj elements about it one major difference being this is built in Red Stone. The entrance that a sequence of three elaborate façades and the walk into the majestic site is rather peaceful even in a middle of a scorching afternoon. Its quite a green place and the trees and little shrubs are well maintained. They must use recycled water around here cause a part of the garden smelt putrid 
but hey it was green as! While walking down the paved entrance we spotted a Jacaranda tree. No one would expect to see flowers on a Jacaranda tree in summer, not in Indian summer anyway — but it had a few about. Aren’t Jacaranda trees gorgeous? I sound like an old lady I’d be very much at home at Grafton*.
Continue reading ‘Humayun’s Tomb at Nizamuddin, Delhi’
When we got back in our Toyota Innova after Jama Masjid it felt like going into a baking oven. And the air-conditioning at its full throttle couldn’t handle the heat even after a good half hour. Our tour guide mentioned as we were exiting Old Delhi. We were heading back to the real Delhi, the beautiful Delhi I like, tree line boulevards all around. We were taken to a lovely little, well not so little Restaurant in Chanakyapuri called the Lazeez Affaire. Tarun, the tour guide later also explained that this was his favourite family Restaurant. We went upstairs to a cosy booth and drank ourselves merry and ate till we couldn’t anymore. The Dal Makhani was to die for. The Biriyani was served in the traditional claypot and had me scraping for more. The Tandoori dish we ordered came on a sizzling plate and is making my mouth water as I write this. This was the second time D said how lunch he was loving Indian food.
The mood lighting inside was rather cool and the bar was all lit up in quasi 80′s retro. We had a chilled Kingfisher to quench our thirst down and cool down from the intense heat. We were soon to visit a more little things around Delhi: Hold on tight
After our visit to the Red Fort we got on a cycle rickshaw and headed through the narrow pulsating laneways and thronged bazaars of Old Delhi. This trip through the myriad lanes and colourful sights and smells of old Delhi was fascinating just as much as the rickshaw ride itself. To make matters even more interesting the cycle-rickshaw rider happened to be from the same state as I was born in, the erstwhile Bihar (now Jharkhand) and he felt the need not only to take us through the maze of narrow laced old lanes but also narrating every bit of history he knew thereof. That was nice. The old lanes are abuzz with a lot of life even in the middle of the hot afternoon.
Continue reading ‘Jama Masjid, Old Delhi’
So there you have it we were in the thick of Old Delhi with our guide for the day Tarun and walking into big Red Fort. It was about ten in the morning but it was scorching near 40°C. We were prepared.
Red Fort was constructed in the 17th century which served as the capital of the Mughals until 1857. The British later demolished some of the Moghul construction here and built garrison that has also left some english signature in a predominantly Moghul Fort. Inside the Red Fort was a Military camp until India’s independence in 1947. Unfortunately only 30% of this fort is available for viewing as a big chunk of it is still used by the indian Military safe-keeping forces. It now of course is a popular tourist site and a sign of Indian’s sovereignty. The Prime Minister of India raises the flag of India on the ramparts of the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort every day on Indian Independence Day.
Red fort lies along the banks of Yamuna river and took ten long years to finish (1638 AD – 1648 AD). The artwork in the Fort is a synthesis of Persian, European and Indian art which resulted in the development of unique Shahjahani style which is very rich in form, expression and colour. Red Fort, Delhi is one of the important building complexes of India which encapsulates a long period of Indian history and its arts. There are six important architectures inside the fort that are noteworthy. These are:
Continue reading ‘Red Fort, Old Delhi’
We had a good sleep last night and started off the next day(Day 3) with a visit to Old Delhi. For those not in the know: Old Delhi is not very far from New Delhi but once there it does take getting used to — its not for the faint hearted. To be fair, Old Delhi has its own unique charm. It was the heart of ‘Hindustan’ for a while during the Mughal regime. This was the centre of the universe for many a Mughal ruler and home to some great great cuisines and grand architecture. But in a nut shell this place is extremely frantic, hot, busy, fly infested, flocked with hawkers, pick-pockets and persistent touts and countless shops.
Red Fort
Continue reading ‘Day 3 – Old Delhi’
D found these the next morning in our Delhi local newspaper. Need I say more? We’re drinking lots of water. Its all good.
Continue reading ‘The heat is on!’
D had found this amazingly cute place when we were doing our research on India and particularly Delhi, Its called The Delhi Manor. Its looked gorgeous from the website. We tried our level best to stay there when in Delhi but for some reason Intrepid Travel or probably Travel Inn their Indian counterpart wanted us to stay in Kingston Park in Karol Baug, Delhi! Well all was not lost yet D and I found that The Delhi Manor also had an outstanding restaurant called — ‘Indian Accent‘. This place has won a good few awards and also featured in the Qantas in-flight magazine. I had made a booking for us at the Indian Accent for tonight.
Indian Accent which is the Restaurant of The Manor is cocooned in a very leafy part of Friends Colony in South Delhi. Rakesh-ji took us there on time and we so felt like home the moment we stepped in. This place is just gorgeous! It is so secluded by a thick belt of tropical trees and tree lined streets and lane ways all along… and far-far away from the hustle and bustle of the Delhi streets. It is a sanctuary in the bliss of emerald green. Very unassuming from outside but soon the gate opens and the guard throws in a big salute to you, all you notice is a big carpet of green, the soft glow of diffused lighting, flower petals strewn along your pathway, blossoms of Marigold and Frangipani in ornate bowls and a very plush elegant inside sporting a cozy bar and an rather intimate restaurant overlooking the green.
Continue reading ‘Indian Accent, The Delhi Manor’
Our room is on the 3rd floor of the Hotel. The outside temperature was 37°C still close to midnight. Of course we didn’t much feel the heat as we were mostly in air-conditioning, until we got to our room of course. It felt like we had entered a baking room! Luckily the air conditioning cooled it down to a decent temperature in no time. And after a quick shower we were dead to the world.
In Delhi Intrepid Travel operates through Travel Inn. We have found Travel Inn very helpful, rather courteous and punctual even just in the first two day. We had initially kept this as a free day just in case we were tired or unwell from the long flight or if we took time to adjust coming into the nearly 40 degree heat. But as it turns out we were only too keen to go out and not waste even a single day. We called Travel Inn and D spoke to a lady who in the next half hour arranged a taxi for the day. Earlier that morning we went down and had our very indian breakfast — Puri with sabzi and a cup of tea. It was yummy. D liked it too. This was his first time having an all traditional indian breakfast. Little did I know at this stage he’d be pining for more.
Continue reading ‘Day 2 – New Delhi’
The flight from Sydney to Delhi was great. It really was but I got frisked at the Sydney Airport. Ha Ha! Bambini Trust has a new outlet in the Airport. Our feet naturally wandered that way. Ten in the morning was a bit early for a wine (though I had 4 glasses of red wine between Sydney and Singapore alone, yes OMG I know!) so we settled in for a toasted banana bread and coffee both of which were rather nice. Soon we boarded the aircraft and were airborne. We’re really going to India and while very excited were also getting more and more conscious of the 44°C heat.
We landed early in Singapore and while making a transit from T3 to T2 saw a whole lot of passengers grounded sleeping on the floor… with all flights cancelled to Europe due to the volcanic eruptions in Iceland. After a little browsing around the shops in T2 we were boarding the aircraft for New Delhi. Excited as ever! The real journey begins now We had a new Singapore Airbus, nice new carpet, bigger screens and friendlier staff. The meals were yummy – a gorgeous butter chicken! Soon we were descending into Delhi.
Continue reading ‘Flight to New Delhi’
Beyond the fact that the reminiscing of the Taj Mahal was real there perhaps also is a very good reason why this is happening now & if you haven’t figured it out, well in less than 2 sleeps we are off to incredible India. D and I are so wide-eyed about it that I can’t even begin to tell you.
The major towns we are going through are: Delhi(Old and New), Jaipur, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Varanasi, Dhanbad and Kolkata. Drag/zoom the map below to see more details.
View Delhi to Kolkata in a larger map
Truth be told this is my second trip to India this year but when I did visit earlier it was just a quick visit to my parents! This forthcoming trip however, is very special in many ways…its going to be D’s first time in India. Its my first trip to many places I’ve only visited as a child… and though I remember most of those place… as a teenager one doesn’t pay the same attention to life and history around them as an adult would.
Continue reading ‘Visiting India soon’
Its getting cold. Its past midnight. I’m sitting here about ten thousand five hundred kilometers away from the Taj Mahal on a brisk autumn midnight writing from Sydney while I think of the warm sultry temperatures of Northern India. Delhi is sporting a high hazy 37°C with 10% humidity and yes you guessed it… I’m looking through some of the old scanned family photos, walking down that beautiful memory lane.
This is a photo of Dad, Anjan & Mum taken in January 1969, before I was born. This photo is very dear to me. And looking though the old archives I can’t help reminiscing a little, even though this was before my arrival into the world.
Continue reading ‘Wah Taj!’
This is Mouschka our neighbour Pat’s cat. We looked after her when Pat was away for a few days over Easter break and it was nice to see Mousckha was very fond of us. She rolls on the floor right next to our feet stretches a kilometre wide and yawns and rolls back on the other side then nudges back up and follow us around and jump up on the couch and sits next to us for a cuddle and a brush…just how cats should be!
Continue reading ‘Miss Mouschka’
Canon EOS 40D, 1/125sec, f/8, 17mm, ISO 200, Bias: ⅓ EV
Easter Monday: 9am the skies were blue and the sun was shining beautifully. But an hour later everything changed! We had planned to go to Berry Island for a little picnic, luckily it didn’t rain but we did have these huge ominous clouds most of the day. It was still good to get out and about!
We’ve been to Berry Island a few times, well for me this was my second time there and as luck would have it when then the whole park was nearly empty except for a few small huddles… an extended family (well am guessing here) with three kids two wives/sisters and the two brothers/husbands came along and of all places they chose to sit right on top of us. What is with people not understanding the freedom of privacy and a little due respect for your fellow being? The whole family spread out along the shore and spun their fishing hooks and started competing on who got the biggest and best catch with absolutely verbose loud yelling which of course was their normal pitch of conversation. Then came the kids that had vocal cords that resonated at a frequency that could shatter glass and the constant jostling, running shouting, fighting, then crying then running again. When they got hurt they swore at each other and the parents just sat there without feeling the slightest bit offended that their noisy children could possibly disturb anyone elses well being? What was I thinking!
Continue reading ‘Picnic at Berry island, Waverton’
I made the Semolina and yoghurt lemon-syrup cake yesterday afternoon. It was much easier than making the Marmalade Polenta Cake — but transferring it from the cooling wire rack to the cake stand was a mighty chore… thought I had nearly crumbled it to pieces… Luckily it got there in the end in one piece though. And it tasted… well… yum, even if I say so 
Continue reading ‘Semolina and yoghurt lemon-syrup cake’
Happy Easter Everyone! Have a lovely long weekend. And if you’re looking for an April desktop look no further.
Thanks ilovecolours for the Bunny and Easter Pack images.
I don’t clearly remember the blue flowers in the background of this shot but they sure do pack a bit of punch in the background. Two sure is company! This was shot in the Burradoo, Devon Cottage up in Bowral, Southern Highlands.
My first visit to Tasmania was ages back… nearly 8 years now and I still remember going crazy with my camera at every bend of the road. Its such a picturesque little island and though so close to the mainland of Australia it is very unique. There is tremendous love for good food and pride in fresh produce and they sure know how to be one with nature! The photos below are from my visit ages back with my first ever digital EOS camera. This was when I moved onto Canon from Olympus EOS film camera. Feels like a lifetime ago!
Would so love to travel to Tasmania again, we did have a great time in Hobart in August 2008. Oh and it was such a pleasure to stay at the Henry Jones Art Hotel. Here are some photos with links and some text to explain where they were shot. Enjoy Tasmania!
The view of ‘The Nut’ at Stanley, Tasmania. Stanley is the last major township on the north-west coast of Tasmania. The Nut, discovered by Bass and Flinders in 1798, rises abruptly 143m from the sea to a flattish top and is the stump of an old volcano. It was named after Lord Stanley, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies in the 1840s.
Continue reading ‘My first visit to Tasmania’
I took this about a week back. This was cropped later to 2:1 later. Hope you like it.
I love the bit where you can see the sunlight is crossing over and moon-night approaches but the periphery of the craters and small rocky hills being higher up are still lit when the rest around it are in shadow or the technically called penumbra.
On our way to Rest Park a couple of weekends back I noticed a bunch of purple African Daisies and this one in particular stood out for me. Isn’t it pretty?
Have a good weekend!
Canon EOS 40D, 1/13sec, f/4, 29mm, ISO 320, Bias: -2/3 EV, HD Hoya Circular Polariser
Lately all I seem to shoot is sunsets. But then again you’d agree if we had sunsets like these and right out of our balcony, wouldn’t you?
Continue reading ‘Cammeray sunset again’
After having spent the afternoon around Berrima we decided to stroll along Bong Bong Street in Bowral in search of a good restaurant. There are lots of good choice here and after a bit of a dilemma finally ended up at Wolfgang’s German Restaurant for a heart warming meaty meal. It was distinctly beautiful with great service. The next morning we drove off to Bundanoon via Exeter. Bundanoon though a very small town is rather pretty! We stopped at the Red Violin café for Scones and Jam. Mmmmmm and it was deliciously fresh and even now when I look at the dollop of fresh cream it makes my mouth water! No seriously!
Continue reading ‘The Red Violin Café’
Canon EOS 40D, 1/400sec, f/4, 200mm, ISO 160, Bias: 0 EV
Moments after we had our visit to the Townhall Unvaluted and a bite at the Queen Victoria Building we ventured back into George Street. There were people walking about on the middle of the road… Ah! The roads had been closed for St Patrick’s Day parade in the city. We were smack bang in the middle of it and I had my camera handy! We found a quick spot and waited in eager anticipation.
Continue reading ‘St Patricks day parade’
Unvaulted is a celebration of the rich civic legacy which successive Councils of the City of Sydney have preserved in Sydney Town Hall. The collection is significant because it charts the growth of Council and the increasing prestige afforded to the city and its civic leaders. Many items are civic memorials, associated with personalities achievements and events associated with the City of Sydney.
The above chair is from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, at the Sydney Town Hall. With just a few more days to go, if you’re around Sydney CBD don’t miss it.
When: 6 March – 26 April, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Last entries 3:00pm
Where: Lower Town Hall, Sydney Town Hall
483 George Street Sydney
Cost: FREE
Canon EOS 40D, 1/125sec, f/8, 17mm, ISO 100, Bias: 0 EV, HD Hoya Circular Polariser
We have been meaning to visit our friends café called Relish in North Avalon for a while and it wasn’t until this morning that we finally made it up there. Post our scrummy breakfast and two lovely rounds of coffee we visiting our friends place and then went for a walk over the Careel Headland Park for views of the ocean. Through the park a narrow pathway leads into the mystic green bushland of the Careel Headland Reserve and much before you know the gentle elevation of the landmass starts increasing. But the trick of course is that no one would really pay much attention to the effort of walking up hill as the views that engulf you at this point are breath-taking and utterly serene!
Much before we knew, we were panting and puffing away or probably as Ali likes to think — just walking off our brekky Even with seven month pregnancy Ali was way up ahead of us climbing up the rocks as if it was a flat road paved with soft grass.
When we made it to the top though the views were breathless! Truly spectacular vistas along the north and south of the Australian mainland looking out on the Tasman blues as far as your eyes could carry you!. So totally worth the effort. Thanks Ali What a hidden gem!
Continue reading ‘Walk to the top of Careel Headland Reserve’
Just as it says, green indeed is the new black! I do enjoy shooting shades of same colour. It is a little difficult shooting shades of the same colour if different lighting conditions but the challenge works as a great stimulus for me.
Shot in the Burradoo, Devon Cottage up in Bowral, Southern Highlands. Check out more on Burradoo here.
Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive.
- Sir Walter Scott (Marmion, 1808)
Great spotting D. Found this during our walk around the Rose garden in Devon Cottage.
Canon EOS 40D, 1/20sec, f/4, 17mm, ISO 400, Bias: 0 EV
After our little sojourn in Berrima and wandering through the scenic old Hume Highway, scones and jam stop and a lovely cup of coffee and wander in the Berkelouw Book Barn and Coffee House we were finally driving down Bong-Bong street into Bowral and then right past it into the heritage listed gardens of Devon Cottage. I’ll sure post more photos of Devon cottage, it was such a beautiful place. So hold your horses and here is to the history of this shabby-chic hideaway.
Devon Cottage is located in the 6 acre grounds of historic Southdown – an original Southern Highlands property dating back to 1857. The original slab walls are from a 1880 fruit picker’s hut on a Yerrinbool orchard that has been reconstructed on the Southdown Estate using recycled timbers and materials with an extra storey added.
The final appearance resembles an old cottage from Devon or Cornwall — hence ‘Devon Cottage’ – set in English style Gardens.
The rustic interior are professionally decorated. The original slab and tin walls are complemented by an eclectic collection of country style Victorian furniture and bric-a-brac. Upstairs there is a large bedroom/lounge with queen size bed and windows overlooking the rose and cottage gardens and duck pond.
Canon EOS 40D, 1/20sec, f/4, 17mm, ISO 400, Bias: 0 EV
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