The Smokies, Tennessee

“The mountains are calling, and I must go.”

One weekend, in the mood for adventure, we loaded the car with a few friends, and drove towards Tennessee. 14 hours and 2000 miles, over a weekend, just to experience the magic of the Great Smoky Mountains!

In what was the first snowfall of the season, we reached a beautiful, secluded cabin, Cosby Creek on Spruce lane, overlooking the icy summits. Imagine this, filtered light through the window, the trees wearing blankets of snow, a view of the slender valley, and us, cozily settled in with the fireplace and hot tea.

As the weather slowed to a few gentle flakes, we decided to explore Gatlinburg and drove to a little resto-pub, Blaine’s Grill, the city’s favourite restaurant.

The sun slowly started disappearing behind the peaks and we spent the rest of our time eating warm funnel cakes, taffies and chocolate raisins, walking through the city lights that beckoned to us like tiny constellations.

As a warning, the roads were closed for the evening due to inclement weather.

The next morning, as the high altitude sun brushed the landscape, we awoke to the smell of homemade eggs and coffee. We set out towards the Smoky Mountain National Park, via Gatlinburg and the Sugarland trail, a thickly forested cover of spruce trees dusted with snow.

We continued along the banks of a creek, breathing in the cold mountain air and taking in the scenic fall foliage that never ceases to amaze.

Closer to the North Carolina border, we chanced upon the famed Tail of the Dragon in Deal’s Gap - vertiginously sloping roads, the stony mountainside, weather bound valleys, and 311 bends in 11 miles!

It was like flying over another world, one we were reluctant to leave.

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Summertime in Maine

Sans plan, a few friends, and us, mapped out our 4th July-long weekend along the undulating east coast, from CT to the state of Maine.

First, we were greeted by Portland, where, the occasional warmth from the sun, howling winds, the swirl of the sea and the incessant drizzle from the tropical storm, Arthur, snuggled us into a local pub, Rí Rá. Best part? We made it just in time for the World Cup football game between France and Germany.

As we sat by a table overlooking the harbor, relishing our home-cut fries and white bean burgers, the clouds outside began to further darken.

Reluctantly, we made our way back into the tempest, in the direction of Belfast, where we were booked into the Belfast Harbor Inn. A town situated in mid-coast Maine and, yes, it came with a view of the Penobscot Bay.

As if a sign, we promptly perched ourselves on the balcony, watching the moored boats sway in the distance, droplets of rain dancing on the eddying current and just a glint of the eclipsed sun. A sense of repose reined (and I know I speak for all of us when I say this).

Decidedly, we sat indoors all evening after a quick stop at Rollie’s, a local restaurant serving, probably, the crispiest onion rings on the planet!

As dusk turned to dawn, we drove, in the downpour, on the Penobscot River Bridge, only to reach the Narrows Bridge Observatory, 447 feet tall, dauntingly situated on the bank of the Penobscot River (ultimately leading into the Atlantic Ocean). In under a minute, we were atop the tallest public bridge-observatories in the world!

Getting a bird’s view of the place, including Verona Island and the Hancock Bridge, was indeed a splendid sight. Ignore the beads of rainwater scattered as tiny specks and covering the entire town that morning.

Next, Fort Knox. A statuesque fortification, that immediately took us back to the 1800s and the American Revolution. We toured this establishment, built to keep out lumber-invaders, and soaked in its history.

After a heavy Mexican lunch, we travelled some distance to get to Acadia National Park via the glorious, Park Loop Road. The sunlit afternoon, the queue of serrated trees, and the ribbon of a road ahead of us made for a delightful drive. But before that, a quick beach stop!

We neared one of Maine’s most scenic points, Cadillac Mountains. The hills were soft where the sky stood high and blue. While watching the dynamic, summer sky as we dwelled in the comfort of our lives taking shape.

We then took the route to Jordon House Pond, the source of public water supply, again, established in the 19th century as a summer destination with serene outdoor dining. The reservoir was swollen from the rains, slapping against the stony shores every now and then.

Acadia is a mammoth-sized park. Our next visit was to the Sand Beach: fine grains, crystalline waters, uncongested, and a stiff sea breeze that could bring back childhood memories.

A phantasm.

Unwillingly, as the evening light started to set in, we made our way back – the land seemed sunk into the ocean.

Ended with some off-the-beaten-track Thai red curry and mango sticky rice.

As the morning dawned bright, we blocked out the day to do some kayaking, along the glittery, turquoise, leaping waters of Castine Bay, which is incidentally bioluminescent by night.

Our kayaks took us a long way from the shore, leaving behind a trail of frothy water, and met us with azure lake houses and freewheeling seagulls.

A fitting end to a beautiful holiday.

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Under The Mistletoe in New York City

"Christmas doesn't come from a store, Christmas means a little bit more."

Christmas in New York City is sparkling, manic and merry (indeed!). And quintessential. Yet amusing. And wonderful. And magical. And occasionally warm due to the gallons of double espressos consumed.

Anything we say would be too little. Luckily, we're picture-blogging this post!

Moments like these, wish we could live Christmas everyday.

Have a great 2014 y'all. Lots more travel updates from us, this year!

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A Thousand Miles & Back: Virginia

'Weekend getaways are like curling up into a soft cloud.'

Our road trip mapped out to be a bell-shaped journey. We chose the opportune Labor Day holiday; from CT to NJ to PA to DE to VA. After meandering through roads unknown, we reached our hotel. The sky was burnt black and we, almost instantly, shrimp-curled into bed.

Outside, the next morning, the sun was warm in our cheeks so we dove headfirst into the day, in the direction of the much celebrated, Luray Caverns.  

The salt formations of stalactite and stalagmite roared in height, intricately sculpted from the walls and it's reflections, as clear as glass. We ambled through the passageways, awed by the magnitude yet stability of these natural 'living' structures, only to end the tour with a performance by the Stalacpipe Organ, the sound of inimitable melody.

"..to dungeons deep and caverns old". Like a fairy tale in stone. 

We then proceeded to do some mining of our own! Picked out a few unpolished crystals of quartz, sandstone and amethyst from a large bag of sand, a constellation of stones, against water lashing around in narrow tunnels.

PS. A visit to the quaint Car & Caravan Museum, just adjacent to the Caverns, with the Benzs, Buicks, Royces, Mustangs, Bugattis and more, from the 1800 & 1900s, was an absolute value-for-time experience.

The sky was luminous except for a few clouds, as we entered the Spotswood Trail along the Shenandoah Valley. The drive was made beautiful by sunlight pushing through the canopy, the chorus of chirping birds and a hazy string of mountains in the distance. Not before long, was there a slashing drizzle that made the road to Richmond, capital of Virginia, much more of an adventure!

After crossing plenty of vast farmland, lush pastures (ah, the countryside!) and the historic triangle of Williamsburg, Yorketown and Jamestown, we accessed a tunnel - towards Chesapeake - and the light at the end of it was the dazzling waters of River James with a few tugboats in the horizon and the sight of waning light.

Serendipity.

We woke up to the glaring midday sun in the summer sky. The Virginia Aquarium, fairly less crowded at that hour, was a kaleidoscope of colours and sea creatures. We spent our time watching lesions of fish, gliding sea horses, schools of stingrays and mantas (that we touched!), energetic otters, bored Komodo dragons, wary snakeheads, disciplined sardines, moody sharks and tigerfish, lionfish & zebrafish among the swaying kelp, in water that was myriad shades of blue and green.

As the day deepened, there was a sweeping gust of cold wind but the boardwalk in the Virginia Beach area was too hard to pass up; the gentle wash of waves, the delicate moon, the sky crammed with stars and the serenity of the moment.

We started back home, via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, in the early morning chill, in a whirl of wonder, along the glistening sea.

They say, Virginia is for lovers and we left very much in love with its austere beauty. 

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Antiquated in Surreal Greece

6-14 July, 2013: The week we found true love.


Athens.

After an hour of attempted map-reading and traversing through a relatively traffic-free city, we reached our luxurious little hotel, Athenian Callirhoe, strategically placed in the pocket of a street corner. We, like the Greek, don't like spending our summer evenings indoors! A satisfying dinner - in the heart of Plaka, a marketplace - of potent Ouzo, a local aperitif, and plenty of souvlaki containing char grilled kebabs and steamed vegetables, put us in good mood after the grueling ten-hour flight to here.

Sightseeing in Athens was like taking a peek into world history.

The Temple of Olympus, the Panathenaic Stadium and the Acropolis, all built in reverence of their Gods. If you've ever wondered how these monumental, neo-classical erections were built - of course, with the help of the Romans, hence the similarity in construction. The view atop the Acropolis, survived by the Parthenon, dedicated to Goddess Athena, and Erechtheion, an ancient temple opposite the prestigious olive tree - although the ruins rounded by weather - was palatial.

No words can describe this vastness, these ramifications, an expanse holding secrets from the past.

We trudged upon a famous, Vyzantino, cafe for more souvlaki and liquid. The labyrinth of alleyways, the open-fronted gift shops, feral cats sunning themselves and the general bustle of the city center was a sight to be experienced. It was not long before we set off to visit a few more island-towns.

Mykonos.

The sky was brilliant with sunshine as we merged into the strips of clouds above us. What we knew of this land was not what we saw. It was more. It was dreamlike.

We took a bus to our hotel, through a network of spider-webbed roads, on top of the cliff. The Myconian Imperial Resort, the King of all resorts in Mykonos, with restaurants overlooking the crystal clear waters of the Aegean, was where we arrived.

Champagne breakfasts, late lunches of mouthwatering, pan-fried feta, herb fillets, with seasoned baby potatoes and carrots, and local products, Mythos and Metaxa, were had. Dessert always ended with Mastika; it would be right to mention here that just one swig of this anise-flavoured liquor will suffice as a digestif for all your meals! We proceeded to a cute village in the heart of this Cyclades island called Little Venice, which apart from looking exactly like it's name suggests, had the iconic windmills looming over the landscape.

It felt like time had shifted, warped.

This was also the seat in contention for the most beautiful sunset in the world.

The orange sun almost looked like it was nudging the horizon. We sat there, drinking Fix and eating Kataifi and mango gelatos, in the pre-dusk quiet. It was stargazing heaven.

Delos.

It was believed, you can't give birth or die, in this historic - now abandoned - town of Greece, because that was considered human activity, and Delos was the birthplace and the Land of Gods! A short ferry ride, with the pulsing wind in our hair and the harsh summer sun staring down, took us to this islet.

Delos was the city with a story, the story of Gods. A mythological wonderland.

This day-cation ended with going back to Mykonos for some more hummus-pita and the honey and cinnamon cakes of baklava. Heaps of it, at that.

Santorini.

The port of Santorini, or commonly Thira, blistered our eyes at first sight, beauty like that.

Brunching by the Mediterranean, with a view of the caldera and a platter of feta and graviera cheese, sun-dried Santorini tomatoes, tzatziki, sauce made of goat's milk, black olive oil paste, fava bean puree and Greek pastas, giovetsi and skordomakarona. From our hotel, Adamant Suites, another ridiculously, soothing view of the capital city, Fira, and the town of Oia in the distance, typical blue & white homes from which occasional ribbons of smoke arose, the sunset, as it crested the cliff every evening, and the turquoise blue, pristine, gleaming waters.

Breakfast was with a view and truly, extravagant.

As a curtain of clouds parted, there were shards of sunlight drifting over the part-submerged volcano, and then, that gentleness of breeze from the ocean. Isolated by this on one side and a steep cliff on the other, the narrow, zigzag trails, running through the city, looked like they were etched. Donkeys jingled up and down these routes daily but we took the one leading to Akrotiri, down prehistoric memory lane! This archaeological site was destroyed by volcanic eruptions and dates back to almost 1 millennium BC.

A whiff of past splendour.

Snorkeling noobs that we were - not ashamed to admit that we were quite intimidated - the leisurely waters off the black sand Kamari Beach, was pretty damn amazing. Streaks of sunlight struck the water, waves lapped at the cliffs and there was a chop in the sea; the marine ecosystem in the Mediterranean was resplendent, colourful and plentiful.

On our journey back, we jet-skied to the starting point, battling the monstrous waves but taking in the scenic allure, that actually brought us to Greece. Burnt like a firecracker but ready to take on another meal! Fried saganaki and mecho dessert wine before we reached our final stop, Astarte Suites.

We were sure we hadn't seen anything like this, ever before.

Twilight chill, poolside dining (strawberry risotto and wine), the sky beginning to thicken with stars, a hint of papery white light from the moon and...

...the most beautiful place on Earth, yet.


"Sometimes, even though we might never find what we're looking for, isn't it enough to just walk together in the moonlight?"

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Whimsical, Serene Kabini

After a bumpy ride, we reached a breathtaking, expansive, but secluded, property that stood on the shores of the Kabini river-dam, Red Earth. We were received by hospitable hosts who gave us their best champagne, on arrival. What a welcome!

Our first holiday together. A tingling excitement. Reason to celebrate.

The landscape was out of a painting, lush colours in the skies, gardens and water. Our cottage, one of the fifteen in this luxury resort, was built of natural, earthy red mud and housed an indoor open-air jacuzzi with a view of the river and, not without, plenty of delicious house wine. The cacophony of the insects rung in our ears and yet we were awed by the tranquility this space gave us. We could even see the striated mountains at the far end.

Like an orchestra of sights and sounds.

As the Earth moved away from the sun, we lazed by the still, glassy infinity pool, watched coracle-riders, in the distance, trying to make their way back across the river and drank and ate obscene amounts of food. And how! All our meals were prepaid, we had South Indian goodness on our plates for the entire duration of our stay. Fresh river-picked fish, coconut and cashew nut curries, am-ras, a summery mango drink, spicy homemade pickles, akki rotis, made of rice flour, and other food that was equally appetizing. We ate and ate and ate some more. So, at dinner, at about 9pm on the first of the two evenings, we were mildly embarrassed. A table was set up for us, with the three most romantic Cs - candlelight, cake and champagne. We didn't retire for the night until we spotted the premature moon among the clouds, a pearly white crescent. The weather, withstanding, was pretty fantastic, a slight drizzle on occasion.

We thought then, this was as idyllic as a vacation could be.

Beyond the perimeter of this placid land, was the even more serene, thickly forested, Nagarhole National Park, where one rarely spots a pack of ferocious wild dogs. But we found ourselves staring back into their cautious eyes. The endangered, scavenger animals are believed to reduce the excessive accumulation of biomass, in these parts. Particularly happy with this picture-moment, we thought we'd share with you (There was a fog when we first began our safari but it cleared out fairly quickly).

Post other wildlife sightings (Indian elephants, a pair of peacocks and herds of deer) - entirely missed seeing an evasive leopard and a pace of wild asses known to be around  - we decided to take the plunge, and further, spoil ourselves silly. Red Earth's Spa Room. This was the closest we have felt to letting our minds and bodies actually slip away from us. The masseuses' skilled hands, the scent of aromatherapy oils, hot stones and the sound of the flickering water current, put us in a trance. Walked out feeling entirely refreshed; what, after the crazy wedding season, we needed it.

Woke up from this reverie just in time to leave. All set but our hearts not willing. This was going to be an indelible memory for the both of us, we knew.

There's always a charm in firsts, and this was one of those.

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