MILLENNIUM BRIDGE - LONDON

Photo: Laxmi Hariharan.  Author and writer Laxmi Hariharan says, "I took this photo while walking along the Southbank, London.  The Millenium bridge on the South Bank always reminds me of the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai. Both iconic structures with breathtaking views — like this one."

NATIVE INSIGHT — DELHI

Lodhi (or Lodi) Gardens, a 90-acre park in Delhi featuring the 15th-century tomb of Mohammed Shah and other notable architectural works. (Photograph by ranopamas, Flickr

Deepti Singh Gupta may be a botanist by education and a teacher by trade, but she’s a traveler “in spirit and soul.” Though she hails from the suburbs of Delhi, Deepti seeks out the capital city’s throbbing heart every chance she gets to explore its ever-changing landscapes. Here are a few of Deepti’s favorite things about the place she calls home.

Follow Deepti’s adventures on Twitter @GlobalPitara and on her personal travel blog.

Delhi is My City

When someone comes to visit me, the first place I take them is Qutb Minar, a minaret counted among the world’s tallest monuments and surrounded by other ancient structures, including royal tombs and an iron pillar. This UNESCO World Heritage site has atmosphere, Old World charm, and plenty of history to keep visitors absorbed.

February is the best time to visit my city because the weather is balmy and the city is abuzz culturally speaking.

You can see my city best from top of the minarets ofJama Masjid in the walled city. Qutub Minar once provided the perfect bird’s eye view, but the monument has been  Read more...

COFFS HARBOUR, AUSTRALIA

Photo: Deepa Subramaniam.
Deepa Subramaniam, founder of Galerie De'Arts, a contemporary art gallery in Bangalore says: "This is a fabulous quaint little town called Coffs Harbour in the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. People usually miss out on these smaller places and head to the better known touristy places. The scenic beauty of this place is breathtaking, not ot mention the casual meandering of kangaroos everywhere. Bliss!" We agree. 

GREECE'S HIDDEN GEM

Island of Kea. Photo: Huffingtonpost.com

By Marisa Churchill

Pastry Chef and Author, 'Sweet & Skinny'

A mere breath away from Athens lies the small Cycladic island of Kea. It's often overlooked by its more prominent siblings, Mykonos and Santorini. Kea does not reveal its secrets easily. It's more an island for Greeks to visit, rather than an island that tourists seek out. But it's one of my favorite islands. If you take the time to get to know her, you will discover that this quiet island holds many hidden treasures worth exploring.

In Kea's crystal blue waters lies the wreck of the Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic. It's a favorite destination for diving enthusiasts. Kea is also home to a variety of hiking trails, Oak tree forests, and secluded beaches. 

Below is a list of my favorite places to visit on the island. Read More

NATIVE INSIGHT - PONDICHERRY

Pondicherry. Photo:pondicherrywiki

Name: Ramaa Shanker

Ramaa Shanker

Where do you live?

Pondicherry, South India.

How long have you lived in this place?

I have been in and out of Pondicherry for the last 23 years and I have been living here for the last nine years.

What do you do?

I am a food consultant and a writer. Currently, I am writing a book on temples.

Must-see places in Pondicherry?

• Ayyanar koil (temple) in Puthupet. In this temple and the surrounding village is practiced the native horse worship, a centuries old tradition. It is said that if you have a problem, you can write it on a piece of paper, circle the idol of the horse thrice and tie the paper around the idol along with a lime, and your problems get solved. This is something only the locals know about.
• Aurobindo paper factory on Gingee salai (road). It is an unusual paper factory where you can browse through beautiful stationery and creations of handmade paper. You can also get your visiting cards printed here. You will find the 91-year-old owner of the factory, Sri Anirudh sitting in a corner. A devotee and student of Mother and Sri Aurobindo, he has a huge hall filled with life-size

MUST-TAKE TRIPS IN 2014

From Argentina to Oz, the final lineup reflects what’s authentic, culturally rich, sustainably minded—and, of course, superlative in the world of travel today. Here are a few trips that you should take in 2014 as suggested by National Geographic Traveler.

Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda. Photo: Thomas Marent, Minden Pictures/Corbis

Redemption in the Rain Forest

How does a nation overcome the gut-wrenching stigma of a genocide, now two decades past, and proclaim to the world that it is a safe and surprising place to visit? For Rwanda, one strategy is to highlight a tract of unspoiled mountain rain forest rife with chimpanzees and a dozen other primates plus hundreds of species of birds—namely, Nyungwe National Park, in the southwestern corner of the country.

Nyungwe, which became a national park in 2005, exemplifies the farsightedness of a government that is channeling aid money toward preserving the best of Rwanda’s natural beauty, while bringing in tourist dollars that benefit surrounding communities. An example is the USAID-funded Nyungwe Nziza (Beautiful Nyungwe) project, which recently built a canopy walkway above a forested canyon—a thrilling perspective on the park and its residents.

Chimps are the star attraction in Nyungwe, though they’re not as readily watchable as the famed “in the mist” mountain gorillas farther north in Virunga National Park. Far easier to view are colobus monkeys. The world’s largest community of them lives in Nyungwe. The park hasn’t yet gained renown among birders, but it will. Almost 300 species abide here, including showboats like the oversize, clown-headed Ruwenzori turaco.

“Nyungwe stands out among Africa’s intact montane rain forests for its size and diversity,” says conservationist Bill Weber, who with his wife, Amy, pioneered the gorilla tourism project in Virunga. “It’s a place where people can spend several days and really get to know a rain forest, having different experiences each day.” Visitors can hike trails to peaks and waterfalls, and meet locals in Banda Village near the park entrance. Should one ask residents whether they are Tutsi or Hutu, the answer will almost certainly be “We are Rwandan.” —Robert Earle Howells

Travel Tips

When to Go: The drier months (July-October) are best for gorilla trekking, hiking, and tea plantation tours. For birding, visit December-March.

How to Get Around: International flights arrive at Kigali International Airport, about 140 miles northeast of Nyungwe National Park. Rental cars are available but not recommended. The most convenient option is to book a custom or small group tour (including airport transfers, lodging, meals, activities, and park entrance fees) with a responsible tourism operator, such as Rwanda Eco-Tours, founded and operated by native Rwandans.

Where to Stay: Serene and luxurious Nyungwe Forest Lodge is the ideal home base for exploring the park. It's surrounded... Read More

EIFFEL TOWER, PARIS

Photo: Vinita Hede Berry. "I always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower and this
picture captures my excitement when I saw it," says Vinita Hede Berry, proprietor/
designer at Le Couturier, Bangalore, India. The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower
located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. It's named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel,
whose company designed and built the tower in 1889. It has three floors and is 1063 ft.tall.

THE WORLD'S MOST EXTREME PLACES

Image © NASA

The world's remotest place: Tristan de Cunha

With the nearest continent 2,000 miles away, Tristan de Cunha is as isolated as it gets. It's not lonely though: the island has 272 residents who share just eight surnames between them. If you're wondering how they get on, the answer's very well. In such a remote spot, people are naturally drawn together. Like, really together.

Assuming you don't have a private seaplane, your best bet for reaching Tristan de Cunha would be to hop on one of the cruise ships that occasionally visit. Or you could just admire it from the safety of the internet, and leave the islanders to their island-y stuff. Read More

MANGO MANIA - DELICIOUS RECIPES

It's mango season. That means just one thing — it's raining mangoes in Bangalore, where we live. There is more than one way to eat this fruit known as the King of fruits. Here are some ways. Go on, try 'em.... 

All photos courtesy: Sudha Pillai

Raw Mango & Papaya Salad

Raw Mango & Papaya salad

Ingredients 

Grated raw papaya 300 gms
Grated raw mango 300 gms
Fresh coriander sprig 100 gms
Fresh red chillies 5 gms
Crushed roasted peanut 100 gms
Lemon juice 45 ml
Pepper 10 gms
Cherry tomato 100 gms
Salt and sugar according to taste 

Method 

1.Grate the papaya and mango finely. 
2.Prepare a dressing of lemon juice, salt, pepper and sugar. 
3.Add chopped red chilies and coriander to it. 
4.Toss the above grated mixture well in the dressing and set aside. 
5.Roughly crush the roasted peanut. 
6.Plate the salad with some crushed peanuts over it, followed by the cherry tomatoes cut into halves and placed randomly.

Mango stuffed chicken roulade with spicy mango salsa

Mango stuffed chicken roulade with spicy mango salsa

Ingredients 

Chicken Breast 600 gms
dry mango sheets (aam papad) 200 gms
soft cheese sliced 100 gms
peppercorns 10 gms
bayleaf 10 gms
thyme 10 gms
ripe mangoes 1 nos
green chillies 10 gms
salt 10 gms
brine (salt water) soaked green peppercorns 10 gms
coriander leaves 10 gms 

Method 

1.Clean and butterfly (slit in centre) the chicken breast by inserting a knife into the breast and slowly open it from the side keeping one side intact. 
2.Cut and trim the mango sheets to fit the breast and place it onto the center of the breast. 
3.Place the cheese slice and crushed green peppercorns on the mango sheet and roll the breast to form a roulade (to roll).
4.Wrap it in a muslin cloth or twine and poach it in water with bayleaf, peppercorns and thyme.
5.Prepare a salsa (sauce) using peeled and then chopped ripe mangoes, green chillies, coriander and salt.
6. Sear the chicken breast on removing from the poached liquid and fan it on the plate. 
7.Then pour salsa over it.

Mango Phirni

Mango Phirni

Ingredients 

Ripe mango 2 nos
Milk 1 ltr
Rice 1 kg
sugar 80 gms 

Method 

1.Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes and make a fine paste. 
2.Boil the rice in milk till it turns soft. 
3.Add the peeled and chopped mangoes into mixture along with sugar and cook till it coats the spoon. 
4.Remove from flame and cool. 
5.Set in mud pots and serve cold. 

Mango sorbet with fresh mint

Mango Sorbet with fresh mintIngredients
Ripe mango 8 nos
sugar 1 kgs
fresh mint 10 gms
cardamom 2 gms
water 1 ltr 

Method 
1.Peel the mangoes and chop them into small dices. 
2.Boil the mangoes along with sugar till soft and cooked. 
3.Add the crushed cardamom into it and let the mixture cool. 
4.Tear the mint leaves into small pieces and add it to the mixture and churn it in a gelato machine. 

MORE INDIANS DOING BUSINESS IN CHINA.FORBES INDIA TELLS YOU HOW TO BRIDGE THE CULTURAL DIVIDE.

If you are travelling by train, keep enough time to get to the station. Inner city or downtown traffic at peak hours can be bad

So you’ve got your Chinese visa, your flight ticket, hotel booking. You’ve learned to say Ni Hao to greet someone and XieXie to thank him or her, and packed your suitcase with some Darjeeling tea, or fine leather folios to gift your potential business partner. You’re feeling proud of Mumbai’s new T2, or New Delhi’s T3 … and then your flight lands in Beijing’s Capital International Airport, the world’s second busiest airport, handling over 60 million people a year. As you make your way out of the gargantuan Norman Foster designed building, there’s an all-too familiar scrum of people holding up hotel or company signs. Except, most of them don’t speak English. If you’re lucky, or have arranged it in advance, you’ll be received at the airport and whisked to your hotel... Read More

ELEPHANT-SIZED CUTENESS

WARNING: CUTENESS OVERLOAD!

We love elephants — all kinds, shapes and ears.
We especially love baby elephants. Oh, they are a big, goofy, bundle of cuteness.
We think they are cuter than dogs and cats — though we like dogs and cats too.
Here is a link that you might want to bookmark — you might want to visit again and again, especially when you are having a bad day.
You also might want to take them home.
We know we want to. We wish we could. Sigh!

Click on the link: BABY ELEPHANTS ARE ADORABLE

THE ART GALLERY OF ALBERTA, EDMONTON PROVINCE, CANADA

 The Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton. AGA is a 85,000 sq ft art gallery founded in 1924.  But the
 current building was designed by Los Angeles architect Randall Stout. The building itself is a  piece of art with angular
 windows juxtaposed against 190 mts steel ribbon that represents the flowing  form of the North Saskatchewan
River and Aurora Borealis. The gallery has 30,000 sq ft exhibition  space and over 6000 objects. There is also
an art education centre, a resto lounge, theatre and  art rental and sales gallery.

THE BEST KEPT SECRETS OF BANGALORE — A NATIVE'S INSIGHT

"Bangalore is quirky," says Aliyeh Rizvi who has lived in the city for more than three decades.

Aliyeh Rizvi

Name: Aliyeh Rizvi

Where are you from?

Bangalore.

How long have you lived in this place?

Over 30 years.

What do you do?

I run Native Place, which works to find alternative ways in which to connect/involve people with their local history and culture through experiences (walks and events) and documentation (travel, heritage, culture).

Where can we see your work?

www.aturquoisecloud.wordpress.com (website in progress).

What is Bangalore famous for — food/music/dance/achitecture?

• ·        Local food from local communities —Tamil, Andhra, Kerala, Marathi, Muslim, Cutchi  Memon, Iyengar — that reinforce its unique cosmopolitanism.
• ·        The original Kingfisher beer-rock pubs, not