Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

Yala National Park was a pleasant surprise. Located in Southern part of Sri Lanka, the Rain-forest was pristine and beautiful. It is green and untouched. Its beauty lies in amazing scenery and healthy animals who do not seem to bother about the tourists at all. But that is because the Safari jeep drivers are disciplined and cautious – they have not ruffled the farmers. many of the animals seen in these pictures actually came out of the dense forests to have a LOOK AT US !

The leopard sat majestically just near the track, eating its kill, least bothered about the clicking humans nearby – reeking royalty and non nonchalance

The birds were simply amazing. I clicked a few and missed hundreds in my short three hour Safari.   I have been to a number of national parks in India, but the number of animals, the state of the forest and the overall experience was much better here. Maybe, that was because the ‘king’ showed up this time, whereas I have never been able to see the tiger in Indian forests.

The amazing beaches and the lotus ponds, not to mention many scenic waterholes makes me wonder whether the animals here are actually having a whale of a time, while we humans are slogging it out in the cities?????

Safari Trail

Crock comes to greet us near the gate

Water Hole

Jungle Inspector Elephant comes near to peep inside our jeep. All’s well and he moves on to check the next jeep

Inspector Elephant being a little careful about allowing tourists in the jungle today

Jungle fowl, no less proud than the peacocks

Obelix would have loved this forest

Hornbills

Pretty picture

Jackal family

The beach in the middle of the forest

Safari taking a break at the beach

At close quarters

Elephant shaped rock with amazing lotus pond

Wild Buffalo, doing what it does best, enjoying a water hole

Hawk

Langoor looking pensive

All set?

Leopard eating its kill

Mongoose

Monitor Lizard

 

380sq mile Rain Forest

Whale watching in Sri Lanka

Whale watching is Sri Lanka is picking up as a great tourist activity. This only started only a few years back, when it was realized that the whales come in the Indian Ocean during a particular season. In fact the activity picked up only after 2009 when the civil war ended and the tourists started flocking in.

Sighting whales near the shores of Sri Lanka is pretty easy done, in the months of November to March. Blue Whales and Sperm Whales can be seen easily a few kilometers from the shores. Schools of dolphins that frolic around the tourist boats are a ‘free’ add-on, though they are as good a reason as any to go out in the sea. Dolphins are elegant and happy creatures – the way they show-off, when they see a boat full of people, is amazing.

The boats leave the port of Galle, Mirissa and Trincomalee, just to name a few, early in the morning and rest assured, within an hour you start seeing the majestic sea mammals. The trip is usually over by the afternoon.

Here are a few pics that I took of the whales and dolphins with my small Nikon. (It is indeed a truism that we love our fuzzy-shaky pictures much more than the awesome ones we can easily get on the net- and so I will not resist the temptation to post some of mine.)

 

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Palms and Beaches of Colombo

A confession….these pics are taken from a mobile 😦

But do not let that deter you from taking a look…it takes away nothing from the sheer beauty of the beaches of Colombo – Negombo and Mt Lavina – captured in these pics. Capturing the natural beauty of a beach and the palms is perhaps the second easiest thing to do…the first being capturing the beauty of the hills and the pines 🙂

Another food for thought…how long will it take for mobile phone to catch up to professional cameras?

Washington DC: Imperial dreams

Washington is a befitting capital of the No.1 superpower, that sometimes believes itself to be the latest successor of the Roman Empire. The association with the Roman Empire was conscious and constant in the steady development of US as a ‘super-power’. This is what Wiki writes right at the start of its brief history on making of Washington- “Pierre Charles L’Enfant designed the capital in 1790s, and Thomas Jefferson insisted that the legislative building be called the “Capitol” rather than “Congress House”. Capitol comes from Latin and is associated with the Roman temple to Jupiter on Capitoline Hill.”

Washington is a beautiful city, in a grand way. Its beauty lies in scale, harmony and dignity. The calm Potomac river, and the marble monuments that overlook it, gives a constancy and stability to the place. The city seems to reassure the visitor that the world order is in secure hands, and that there is no cause for panic. A traveler can be forgiven if he forgets, for a while, the poverty in which much of the rest of the world lives in. The placard holding protestors in front of the White House look so out of place and benign, that you laugh with them, rather than rage at the injustices of the world.

The White House, at the first sight, looks smaller that what one normally imagines – but looks are deceptive. Generally all marble buildings have this feel of lightness – and since the White House is well proportioned, it looks smaller than it really is. That is good in a sense, for again, speaking in terms of imperial and democratic need of the US, a benign and friendly icon is indeed a better idea than an imposing and threatening symbol of power.

Somehow I did not get a ‘democratic’ feel in the city – maybe because the idea of democracy for us Indians is ‘crowds, rallies, striving for rights and street-smart politicians’, and none of that was visible in Washington. Instead, the local papers were full of stories of power broking, party negotiations and lobbying. It would seem that Americans leave the day-to-day business of politics to their politicians and worry about the politics of business only. It is therefore no surprise that New York, in sharp contrast, looks very much a peoples’ city.

It came as a surprise to me that almost half the Americans have not visited Washington. (Surprised because it is an extremely beautiful city.) To an international tourist, however, I would heartily recommend a visit to the ‘Capitol’. It is not only beautiful (though expensive), it also lives up to all the Hollywood hype around it. In fact it does more – it comes close to reinventing Rome, the recurring European dream of a ‘world capital’.

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Kremlin: The age of the spies

Kremlin has always been the final destination for the master spy in the novels – if the double agent is worth his salt, he must have a connection in the Kremlin. In many of the novels, though, the denizens of Kremlin turn out to be more benign than the power-mad top bosses of Langley. During my visit to Kremlin this winter, I was not able to resolve the matter of whether the bosses at the CIA or the KGB are crooked-ier, but one thing was clear, the place lives up to the hype. It has the right ‘atmosphere’.

Being in a situation where I was inside the Kremlin Palace for almost a full day, I snooped around, taking in the pictures of the Tsars, who have changed from ferocious to benign over the centuries. The majestic pre-Soviet era churches and the palaces still look forbidding and mysterious, maybe more so in the winters.

The first thing to understand about Kremlin is that the word means ‘a fort’ and hence it is something like our own (Delhi) Red Fort. Only, it remains the centre of power after all these centuries. The red square at the gate and the huge fort walls make sense only when we realize that it was, and is, a fort.

The next thing to notice – not that anyone can miss this one – is the hugely colorful Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It is a curious piece of architecture. It takes one ages to understand that meaning cannot be derived out of the structure – it is a relic of the bygone age, when powerful Tsars, happy at having defeated the invincible Mongols, told their architects to do something sensational – and the architects got down to really hard day-dreaming. In fact it was Ivan the Terrible who got it built in 1560 to celebrate his victory over the Khans of Kazan.

As we move inside the complex, there is the Great Kremlin Palace, the Terem Palace and the Poteshny Palace. The Senate building (which is now the President’s official residence) and the Armory (which houses the collection of Tsarist artifacts including jewels, clothing and weaponry), are in a compound that has numerous majestic Cathedrals and bell towers. Inside these buildings, the carvings and the atmosphere are authentic Soviet era – very forbidding.

For a modern spy novel writer, there is no place better than the Kremlin to go for inspiration. The expressionless guards look menacing – unlike those at the Buckingham Palace, who are cute and cuddly. The visit to the place does restore one’s faith in the mystery/spy novels. It is like one constant in an ever changing world, where we cannot even rely on James Bond to give us the chills any more.

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Phuket: A complete holiday

    Phuket has rightfully emerged as one of the hotspots on the world tourist map. Neptune blue seas, lush green hills, hospitable climate and lovely people – it has all you may want, to have time of your life.

I went to the Thai island of Phuket in March, but I am told that except for the few monsoon months, the place is perfect around the year. Numerous and lovely beaches are just one of the highs of a Phuket holiday – day cruises to various Islands and bays, underwater sports, sea caves, night markets, jungle safaris…it has all. But one word of caution before we delve a little deeper in Phuket waters – don’t plan for less than six days, or else you would return a sad man (or woman), having missed a lot of sightseeing, photographing, sunning and island hopping.
In brief, the following would my favorite ‘top ten’ things to do in Phuket:

1.  Day cruise to Phang Nga Bay: Made famous by the James Bond movie – Man with the Golden Gun, the area around this beautiful bay has since been filmed in a number of Hollywood and Bollywood movies (especially the aerial shots of the islands). A photographer, with a digital camera, will want to have additional storage capacity, and one with the old ‘roll’ camera will tear his hair off.

The manner in which the local tourist industry has handled the day cruise business in this area is commendable. It is cheap, efficient and hassle free. Canoeing and snorkeling is part of the trip. Though one does feel that with more moolah, one could have hired a private yacht and lived on it for days. If wishes were horses…

2.  Day cruise to Phi Phi islands: A similar experience awaits one on this cruise too, but with a different location and different set of activities, there is no sense of repetition. One should however keep a gap of one or two days between these two trips.

I remember an incident on the trip that I feel is essential in this narrative (though why, I cannot explain). There was this Iranian gentleman on the trip, who was with his wife and two daughters. For the first few hours, he behaved impeccably – in an unassuming, hen-pecked manner, devotedly caring for his twin daughters, while his wife had a whale of a time with a group of youngish guys. But suddenly, to everyone’s surprise, this gentleman revealed his true, ‘He-man’ side. He dived off the boat and swam to a nearby island, which looked a few kilometers away to my untrained eyes. At the time the boat had stopped for lunch at a scenic location. The gentleman instantly became the toast of the crowd, and his wife claimed the rightful place by his side on his return.

3.  Roaming around the Bangla Road at night: It may sound strange, but is true, that it is a perfect outing for the family. The Roxy clubs and all the activity of the like nature notwithstanding, it is a great place to be in at night. Brightly lit shops, crowds on the roads, pubs and hotels with seating arrangements on the street, hustle-bustle of the hawkers and loud music – the atmosphere of fun just makes one wish to stay awake a little longer.

4.  Biking on the island: This list is random – had it been strictly on the basis on my favourite activity in Phuket, I would have placed it on the number one spot. I just had the best experience of my life, riding along the sea, on the snaky-wavy road that went up and down the hills and passed cute little markets and giant statues of serene Buddhas on the way. Make a mental note of it – this activity requires two days to do justice to the beauty of the island.

5. Snorkeling: Along with the cruise, or separately (if it has to be done properly, with guide and all), it is an enriching experience, though it does require you to be a competent swimmer. Moreover, you would require time to master the techniques before you can really enjoy the underwater.

6. Sunning at Karon and Kata beaches (though the others are no less): The first and foremost reason for a beach holiday is, well, the beaches, and here the island scores a perfect ten. We may not waste more time on this topic. There are an number of them to explore, each a little different from the other.

7. Enjoying the resorts and hospitality: Reasonably priced, elegant and often perfectly located, there are any number of good resorts both at Phuket as also on Phi Phi island. Spas, Thai massage and hospitality in general is of a good standard all over the island.

8. Shopping and sightseeing at the Old Phuket town: A mix of Portuguese and Thai architecture, with a touch of Chinese and Indian at places, makes this place look very 19^th century. Again, shopping and photo shoot are the obvious pass-time in this place. So go prepared.

9. Sighting the flying fishes on long cruises: Now these two items are for the lucky few. Longer cruises need longer period of stay and sighting of the beautiful silvery flying fishes can not be guaranteed (though it is not too difficult), and

10. Temples, tropical rainforests, mountain climbing, waterfalls and local bazaars: This point in the list just shows that for tourists with the luxury of longer stays (something that I did not have), there is much more to do and explore. So, best wishes and happy journey….

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The photogenic Marseille

The authentic location for a Mafia movie maybe Sicily, but the fact that important parts of Godfather were shot in Marseille, gives a hint on what to expect from the place. Located on the beautiful southeast coast of France, Marseille is France’s second largest city after Paris and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast.

 
The city basks in sunshine and the glitter of European celebrities throughout the year, I am told. I was there in March, and I experienced the full blast of justifiably renowned Mediterranean summers. The drive along the coast was the highlight for me. It is not a stretch of sandy beaches – it is cliffy and rocky, and that is where the Godfather bit looks most authentic. While driving, lets say, if the sea is on the right, on the left you would see beautiful white villas, where one can assume a lot of Al Capone-type characters would be planning their next blast! At least that’s what I thought, though I may be wrong.

 
Going back further in history of fiction, there is, in the Bay of Marseille, the Frioul archipelago which comprises four islands, one of which has the Château d’If, made famous by the Alexander Dumas’ novel The Count of Monte Cristo. This Chateau is where the hero of the novel, Edmond Dantes is imprisoned, and where he is helped by another prisoner in finding a treasure and in digging his way out. It is one of the most famous 19th century French novels, and the Chateau, imagined as a prison, does not fail to raise goose pimples.

 
Overlooking the entire area is the beautiful basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde. Though the current basilica was built in 1864, it has a long history. It was built on a foundation of an important 16th century fort. The history of resistance to invaders and of its vault is interesting, but for the tourist, the greatness of the place lies in its photogenic nature. Upon holy oath I can give the assurance that even the weirdest of photographers, with a malfunctioning camera, will take awesome photographs here. You just can’t go wrong.

 

Marseille has a great nightlife and unadulterated French culture—from outdoor markets to indoor museums. Sailing from the port of Marseille, for those who can do it, and I was not fortunate enough, is heavenly. Yachts can be chartered – an expensive affair – and one can visit a lot of places in the Mediterranean, especially the islands. The line of yachts parked in the ports along the coast, are extremely tempting. They can easily make one want to join the Godfather.

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Goa: Lots of fun

The season for soaking in the sea, sun and sand is on full swing in Goa these days (Nov-Feb). Tourists from different nationalities have divided the 39 beaches among themselves – and only Calangute seems to be a common meeting point for them. But beaches are only a part of the fun in Goa – if it is tanning or water sports in the day, it is shopping and dining at the cozy markets of Baga or Arpora in the night. I did not go to the Casinos, but it seems gambling fever too has caught up in the region. If you have time, you can go inland and see a beautiful waterfall – Dudhsagar (Milk sea) about 60 km from Panjim.

For me the highlights of Goa were as follows:

Food and resorts: Foods of all nations, all authentic and at reasonable cost available  across the state. Beach shacks, restaurants and resorts – all serve delicious food – both veg and non-veg.

Beaches and water sports: There are a huge number of beaches to choose from and can be roughly divided into North Goa and South Goa groups. I explored the North Goa beaches of Baga, Calangute, Aguda, Candolim, Bambolim, Vagator and Anjuna – and liked them all. The Panjim city beaches – Miramar and Dona Paula – I did not like. I also did not like the much publicized Mandovi river cruise. It was noisy and lacked character. I remember doing the same cruise about 12 years earlier – then it was fresh and interesting. It has deteriorated considerably since then. To be avoided. However the newly developed water sports options at Calangute and Baga are available at attractive rates, and must be explored.

Night markets: For the ladies – though good enough to keep the man with her interested.

Churches and temples: Old Goa with its numerous charming Churches and unique temples is a must visit for the tourist, both from India and abroad. You will find the architecture and customs unique and lovely.

Roads and villages: Driving or riding around the villages of Goa is the high point of the Goan experience, and must be done again and again during the stay.

And lastly the Dolphins. They are found near the shores and are always around. Friendly and beautiful, this creature symbolizes the spirit of Goa. Catching dolphins is a punishable crime, and you will know why when you meet these mammals at sea. They seem to be fed up living with the fishes and like to meet us fellow mammals.

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The excursion

Excursion as imagined by Tintin

 

It was for the first time that I was asked to accompany Superboss and Mr A on a business trip to attend a conference outside our city. I knew the conference was likely to be a tough one for me, in which I would have to contend with two ‘dedicated’ bosses. And sure enough, Mr A, my immediate superior, suddenly developed full faith in my abilities to handle ‘things’, and I overheard him telling Superboss a number of times before and during the trip that “David will manage,” or “David knows,” or that “I will tell David.”

Mr A was convinced he was doing me a great favour by taking me along. It would be a learning experience for me, he said. I have come to dread the expression ‘learning experience’, and its use always alerts me to the perils ahead. Superboss looked condescendingly towards me throughout the whole trip, half expecting me to fall on his feet in gratitude.

My feelings about the trip were diametrically opposite. It had put a spanner in my plans of a vacation with the better half, leading to bitterness at home and possibility of more harsh exchanges when I returned. In any case I did not like being saddled with two bosses who were confident of their ability to sail through life without preparation.

Superboss had taken a long list of things to shop for his wife, while Mr A had selected a number of places to visit. On the plane Mr A asked me to just relax and enjoy the tour. He also asked me to go through the documents and notes once more, and be ready to assist boss in the discussions. That took care of my time in the flight.

We had reached half a day early. After checking-in at the hotel, when the three of us reassembled in the lobby, I was a little embarrassed to see the two of them in Bermudas, flower-print shirts and huge hats. How they had managed to pack those hats in their luggage still beats me. Anyhow they were pretty satisfied with their looks, and did not comment on my off-white shirt and jeans.

It was decided that shopping for missus of Superboss must be done first, and then we would have a quiet dinner together. Mr A’s insistence on visiting a Safari was taken note of, and was kept pending for another day. The shopping, an activity that I hate, was done with meticulous care, and with the full involvement of all members of our delegation. Mr A’s taste in ladies wear was much appreciated by Superboss, who remarked that Mr X, Mr A’s rival, knew nothing about these matters, and had mislead Superboss into buying an outdated dress on the last trip.

The quiet dinner turned out to be quite an affair. Mr A took one peg too many, and had many things to say regarding Mr X and the CEO – all in pretty loud voice. Superboss is an understanding man, and I noticed he did not mind. “Boys will be boys,” he said. By the time we reached the hotel, I had a spitting headache.

The next two days were spent at the conference. It involved a lot of running around for ‘arrangements’ and a lot of whispering of facts in the ears of the bosses, to which they generally shouted back “What?” At the end of each session, both of them would look at each other with satisfaction, share scathing comments on the interventions and speeches of other speakers, and appreciate my help.

On our last day was scheduled a visit to the Safari – on the insistence of Mr A. It did not even cross the mind of any of them that each of us could plan independent outings. We stuck solidly together during the whole trip – we were inseparable. The bosses wore their brightest shirts, hired a jeep, fished out their binoculars and cameras and were ready to impress the wild-life. I had read that bright colours should be avoided in Safaris as it disturbs the animals and said so. This made the two of them laugh-out-loud. They patted my back heartily, and told me not to worry.

The start of the safari did not go well. The bosses did not appreciate seeing the deer, the wildebeests, the birds or even the Zebra. “Where are the big cats?” they pestered the driver to the point that the latter started speaking loudly in his local language. I am convinced he was expressing the desire to throw us out of the jeep in front of the first big cat we would find. Superboss said that we should sit on a ‘machan’, to which Mr A added that David could serve the purpose of a bait. This kept the two of them amused for some time.

When we did see a pride of lions, the bosses were not satisfied. They did not like the fact that the lions were not looking ferocious and threatening enough. “It is an artificial safari,” they commented, to which the driver felt offended and asked us to get down and pat the big male. Mr A took the advice seriously, but looked doubtful. Superboss advised him not to do anything on the advice of the driver, who looked “certified half-wit.” They also commented on the number of lionesses ‘maintained’ by the lone male lion of the pride, and giggled.

“Show us the crocs,” went up the cry, as the bosses were by now convinced that the lions were not likely to oblige them by doing anything worthwhile. The crocs fared no better, and were discovered to be even duller than the lions. “Nothing to beat our tiger,” they told the driver with proprietary pride. On our way back they told the driver a number of tall stories of their many excursions in the Indian jungles. All in all, it was a tiring and testing day for the driver, and he was happy to drop us at the hotel.

Later back home, I placated the better half by presenting her with a set of perfumes bought at the airport. I advised my pals in the HR to scoot whenever anyone offered to take them for a conference. But about one thing Mr A had been right – it was a ‘learning experience’, though not in the way that he would have imagined.

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Srinagar: Heaven on earth revisited

Little needs to be said about Kashmir as the ‘heaven on earth’ – I fully endorse that sentiment. In terms of natural beauty, Kashmir beats any other tourist destination in India by a wide margin.

The areas around Srinagar valley, and including Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Pahalgam, have been hub of tourism for ages. Within Srinagar, the shikaras and house boats of the Dal Lake, the beautiful gardens and the scenery all around are incomparable. As you move to any of the excursions, the entire journey is heavenly.

Dealing with a sense of unease over the presence of security forces, and locating comfortable places to stay are mild irritants that are likely to matter less and less with returning normalcy in the region. Even now, the joy of the splendors of nature far outweighs the discomforts that one faces.

An ideal itinerary would have to be for about 8 days. Two-day-one-night stay in a houseboat, 2 days each in Gulmarg and Pahalgam and one day each for Srinagar and Sonmarg are the bare minimum. Ideally one should extend the period of stay to about double this period for really enjoying and soaking in the atmosphere.

The ideal time to visit would be the summer months, but Gulmarg in winters is awesome, and should be considered as a separate holiday in itself. Here we should concentrate on a summer holiday, when the valley is green, full of flowers and birds and butterflies. In summer months, all communication modes function smoothly and the tourist industry delivers on the essentials.

Practical aspects taken care of, one must devote full attention on how to enjoy. Nature is ‘the’ attraction, and all activities revolve around some aspect of it. Golf, fishing, shikara rides, long walks in the historical parks, sightseeing and house boat experience in Srinagar; camping, river rafting, fishing, mountain climbing, horse riding and skiing in Pahalgam; a fabulous Gandola ride (cable car) in Gulmarg will keep you riveted to the place; and the glaciers, lakes and the journey to Sonemarg is an altogether different experience.

In the end I need to wax eloquent on the Gandola ride of Gulmarg – I can’t resist the temptation. The experience was stunning – I felt like being in a James Bond movie. The sights of the pine and snow covered mighty Himalayas all around, was something that remains with you forever. That one event was the highlight of the entire trip for me – something not to be missed at any cost.

I can vouch from personal experience that all the beautiful photographs that you see of Kashmir, pale into insignificance when compared to the real thing. Some of the movies like ‘Roja’ and ‘Dil Se’ have captured some of the charm of the place, but one needs to go there to realize that God did take some time out, to plan and embellish Kashmir with his Grace.

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