Historic Six: Upstate New York

Away from the razzle-dazzle of New York City, along Route 20 lies an offbeat trail of Native American history. In the first week of July, it drew us into its charming aura.

“Sometimes the most scenic roads are the detours you didn't mean to take.”

Six stops of significance were made in 600 miles, light from the glorious summer sky paving our way.

1: Capitol Building, State Street, Albany

The state Government seated in all its grandiosity at the Capitol - built in the late 1800s - a palatial neo renaissance-style construction frozen into a gorgeous facade.



In the vicinity stood the impressive Justice Building and the State Legislature of NY.

Contrarily, The Egg, a newer structure erected as an entertainment arena, made us feel as if we were living in different eras simultaneously.

2: Beekman 1802 Mercantile, Sharon Springs

Partially invisible to the eye while driving on the state route, this store was an artisanal wonderland. Dominated by a profusion of earthy colours and aromas, every product here was hand-designed and/or made from farm produce.

3: Hyde Hall, Glimmerglass State Park, Cooperstown

As the afternoon sun glared down on us, we traipsed through a bucolic setting to our third stop in the village of Cooperstown.

A landmark of neoclassical architecture in 1834, Hyde Hall, set amidst this state park, was the private home of a wealthy landowner. Overlooking the gleaming Otsego Lake, the mansion of 50 rooms, was one of opulence and finesse.

4: Anchor Bar, Buffalo
The best and only way to sum up this cozy pub,

most delectable hot wings ever.

5: Belhurst Castle, Geneva
It was in the brilliance of the yellow sun that we found this mythical castle. Ensconced within its stone walls were extravagant, domed spaces (one of which is now a winery) and outdoor dining fit for royalty.

We succumbed to our dry Rieslings by the shores of Lake Seneca for a luxurious two hours.

6: Willard Memorial Chapel-Welch Memorial Building, Auburn

Set among the lush shade trees, we visited this once seminary established in 1818. The windows decorated by Tiffany Glass, the place was a transcendental realm.

As this idyllic summer, dizzyingly beautiful, getaway drew to an end, we couldn't wait to start planning the next one.

...until we meet again, New York!

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Eating Our Way Through Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu

It was under a vermillion sky that we landed in this hilly retreat, Kodaikanal, lovingly Kodai, literally translating to ‘gift of the forest’.

We were particularly entranced by the little pop-up eateries; one weekend and six meals later...

Tredis Tea Room - Chanced upon by luck, this semi-outdoorsy restaurant is a delight. The smell of fresh pancakes and flavourful tea has our heart, always.
Must try: Mint tea

Potluck Cafe - With proceeds going to underprivileged children, this coffee house has to be the coziest of the lot with a minimal menu, two tables and a balcony.
Must try: Mayan hot cocoa

Cloud Street Cafe - Their wood fired pizzas and homemade pastas are second to none, in these parts. The warmth of the space rendered a profound warmth in our souls against the dropping temperatures outside.
Must try: Creamy potato soup

Pastry Corner - A gem of a find and the pride of Bazaar Road, this tiny shop makes the most decadent chocolate brownies, cakes, pasties and luscious fruit ice creams.
Must try: plum ice cream and cake

Astoria - Vegetarian comfort food at its best, an afternoon in this eatery sure did us good.
Must try: South Indian veg thali

Cafe Cariappa - A tiny coffee shop overlooking the abounding Sunday market in all its glory. What a visual treat!
Must try: Organic cold coffee

“Felt our lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery; air, mountains, trees, people, and thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.’”

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The City of Kuala Lumpur in a Day

“What strange phenomena we find in a great city, all we need do is stroll about with our eyes open.”

Kuala Lumpur was a myriad of things mostly being a dreamscape city tall with superstructures, a splendorous nightlife and bylanes that inevitably end up in mega-malls!

Proof of our twenty four-hours, in order of appearance:

Petronas Towers
A giant, an extravagance of illumination and the heart and soul of KL, the Towers are the tallest twin buildings in the world. This architectural marvel stands among the stars frozen in the sky, making a mighty presence.

Kuala Lumpur Tower
An elegant addition to the skyline, this communications tower has a prominent antenna extending into the airspace. Atop, there’s a revolving restaurant which is magical post sunset.

Central Market
Established way back in the 1800s, this gorgeous facade overflows with stores of all kinds of wares, a melange of aromas and a street market vibe. We were like children in a candy store, you know?!

Petaling St, Chinatown
Inexpensive window(less) shopping in this haven was delightfully entertaining. Overflowing with hawkers and locals, we’re upvoting the visit to Chinatown!

Sungei Wang
Surely, the only thing you can’t find in this centre is yourself, and bad bargains!

Changkat
The pride of Bukit Bintang is avenues and sub-avenues luxurious with the choicest restaurants, upscale pubs, cute shops believed to be pre-war, and plenty more. We did a little gallivanting before finding ourselves with delicious drinks and food at Baan 26 and amazing music at Beach Club.

Berjaya Times Square
The highlight being a roller coaster, this mall is an unending maze of branded stores and an occasional flea market in its midst.

Heli Lounge Bar
This helipad by day, rooftop watering hole by night, gave us an overview of the dazzling metropolis. Located on the 36th floor, it was here that we spent unspeakably calm moments absorbing the city’s vivid sensory details.

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Into The Rainforests of Malaysian Borneo

Our transit from Kuala Lumpur to Borneo of the Malay archipelago, was an arduous one that included multiple espressos and naps on airport benches.

But soon we were saying selamat datang!

On reaching Sandakan, located in the state of Sabah, our eyes met the Nature Lodge named after Sungai (river) Kinabatangan - an inordinately beautiful sight, lavish with evergreens lining the banks and hovering like apparitions.

Our eco-friendly chalet was set as if in a mythical landscape.

We began with an evening safari on the balmy waters, a soft orange in the sky, in the hope of locating a few jungle inhabitants.

In the first round, the next day, we spotted a troop of shy proboscis monkeys on the higher boughs, pearly white egrets, a family of playful long-tailed macaques, a scheming crocodile sunbathing, and orang utan nests.

A wonderland in the wilderness.

That night, we went on a guided walk through a bewildering maze of the lowland dipterocarp forest. What could’ve been tricky if we gathered tiger leeches or wasp hives was actually nature at its benevolent best!

Finding camouflaging caterpillars, sleeping trogons, screeching cicadas, Gelotia spiders, occasional flycatchers, and the rustling of leaves, rheumy air, the scent of flowering plants, resulted in a new, incontestably cherishing experience.

There’s something magical about being in direct contact with the earth.

In the cool of the following morning, we encountered birds racing around in the sky: pied kingfishers, a preying fish eagle, a flight of barn swallows, bushy hornbills and others among the many exotic species that the Bornean rainforest houses.

As we careened across the river, pygmy elephant tracks in the midst of the lustrous, tall grass became evident too.

Breakfast consisted of eggs, fried noodles and kopi, delicacies from the region, and followed by a nap as the day progressed into a velvety summer noon.

Later, we hiked to Oxbow Lake, getting lost in the rhythm of the melodious sounds emanating around us. The route we took had pawprints of wild boar, several pill millipede, fresh elephant dung, coastal monitor lizards.

One and a half hours later, we were already dipping our feet in the profoundly warm water, tiny Mahseer fish nibbling at the dead skin.

At daybreak, we drove to Sepilok, in the same district and a few kilometres away from our lodge, believed to accommodate more than 60 free living orang utans and orphaned babies, taken into the reserve where their survival skills are honed.

Although we do not support the concept of man playing a role in the lifecycle of a wild animal, we understand that its current status pleads conservation. Orang utans, 94% similar to humans, are currently at a risk of extinction due to manmade palm oil plantations.

As a giant squirrel foraged, a clan of these demure red-haired creatures popped out of their hideouts, swinging from tree to tree. A glimpse and they disappeared!

We checked into Jungle Resort, ate noodle soup, coconut curry and rice in banana leaves and dawdled in our supersized bed, a sense of ambedo setting in.

Also endangered, mostly due to deforestation, are the Bornean sun bears who we chanced upon; this adorable, compact and the smallest species of bear stole our hearts in an instant!

“Every creature was designed to serve a purpose. Learn from animals for they are there to teach you the way of life.”

Worth mentioning is the charming Lindung Gallery restaurant that serves delectable root vegetable chips and organic, sweet Sabah tea.

With memories for a lifetime, we left this phantasmically stunning place called Borneo.

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The Good, Better & Best of Tamil Nadu (& Pondicherry)

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

For months now, we've spent our time basking in the comfort of our motherland!

Our journey has been – from the land of glittery temples, Chennai (lovingly, Madras) to the luxurious coastlines and beaches of Mahabalipuram, to trekker’s paradise in Yelagiri, to former la territoire française de Pondicherry, to the blissfully poignant, Dutch-inspired Tranquebar, the enchanting lake-town of Pulicat to the fecund, Anaimalai Hills and the city of Coimbatore to the undulating tea estates of Coonoor and Ooty – has been all parts fantastic.

Vanakkam! Madras, where every nook and corner boasts of elegant, architecturally perfect temples. 

Delicious vegetarian street food in Chennai has us ransom for life. Yes, we vote it over the five-starrers! 

A sense of the sublime in Vedanthangal, an hour away from the city, and bird paradise in short.

Fisherman’s Cove and its exotic seaside dining, with a view of the Bay of Bengal, almost has no match. The restless motion of the waves slapping against the banks, serendipitously, exudes a calming effect every time.

Mahabalipuram, or Mamallapuram: all about lunch at The Wharf at Radisson’s Temple Bay, dinner at Moonrakers and, not to forget, a mandatory visit to the banks of Shore Temple.

Teeming with tradition in Pondicherry, is La Maison Tamoule, a 19th century Neemrana heritage hotel, a regal mix of the French, Baroque and Indian styles of architecture. This goes straight up our list of favourite hotel rooms.

Boulangerie, a pocket-sized coffee house serving us their best rye bread with black olive pate, organically grown salad, and of course, French coffee. On t’aime! Run by volunteers from Auroville, just a few kilometers from the heart of Pondicherry. 

The Chennai-Bangalore highway, NH4, sure is a satisfying drive. We used this to our advantage and one weekend, an impromptu decision landed us in Yelagiri Hills. Trekked all morning in the ample leafage and the overindulgent brightness before we came upon a panoramic view of the city and the plains beyond.

Flamingo-watching and lighthouse-sightings in Pulicat. This town is so off-the-beaten-path, it was sheer delight to explore.

Neemrana’s Bungalow on the Beach, and make that poolside, please! Tranquebar, the coastal settlement in the Nagapattinam district never recovered from the tsunami of 2009 but it sure puts on a brave front to its visitors.

Weekend getaway to GMR’s Coco Lagoon, Pollachi, at the foothills of the Anaimalai Hills. Here we found respite, and elephants. 

Cups of cardamom tea are like magic portion, and the Highland plantations in Coonoor are proof of that.

A fairytale hike through Shola Forest inflated our lungs and made us breathless at the same time, courtesy scenic views of the Nilgiri hills jutting into the cloudy sky.

We have fallen prey to some stunning, offbeat destinations in and around the capital of Tamil Nadu, and this is probably only just the beginning.

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