We took a ferry to reach Vivekananda Rock which has a temple dedicated to Devi Kanya Kumari and also a large statue of Thiruvalluvar.
It is believed that Vivekananda once came to this site under the instructions of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
We took a ferry to reach Vivekananda Rock which has a temple dedicated to Devi Kanya Kumari and also a large statue of Thiruvalluvar.
It is believed that Vivekananda once came to this site under the instructions of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
When we were planning a family trip to Goa last year, we kept searching for the right place to stay and finally we arrived at a decision to stay at the Santana Beach Resort at the Candolim Beach looking at the reviews and ratings in Trip Advisor.
I have to say that we were not disappointed. We did have a fantastic time! The resort was right on the beach and we could just stroll down to the beach after our lunch and spend as much time, strolling and lazing around at the beach, picking up shells and just being in the water and enjoying the waves to our hearts content. It gave us an opportunity to really enjoy and feel the essence of being in Goa!
The service was decent, the breakfast was varied and had a good spread of continental and Indian. We had Goan fish curry at lunch which tasted good. The rooms were clean and bathrooms tidy with clean towels when we checked in. We were lucky to get a room with a kitchen attached, though we did not use it as we were out most of the time. It has a separate swimming pool for adults and children with beautiful lawns, properly trimmed and maintained with lots of coconut trees and other plants. It looked beautiful even at night.
Another thing that we really liked about this place was that it was really close to Fort Aguada and we could take a tour of the Fort by taking a short walk through the beach. We saw people indulge in para sailing and other evening sports at this beach. It has a great beach shack too. This place is also very close to the famous Kingfisher villa and Vivantaby Taj – Fort Aguada.
The price is very decent for the facilities that are on offer. We would definitely like to go back and stay there once more if we get a chance!!
How to get there
We can take a taxi either from the Goa airport located at Dabolim which is 46 km from Fort Aguada or any of the two Railway Stations – Margao and Vasco Da Gama.
Going through chandni chowk and it’s various little gulley’s is a favourite pastime for me and my husband. We would hop on a Delhi metro and shoot off, the moment we find we have a day to ourselves and are not needed to do some errand for the family or go the kids school or run to some other event.
We prefer taking the Delhi metro to this place because one we cannot dream of getting our car into the unmanageable little roads and get stuck in traffic for endless hours. It also gives a breather to my husband who is the only one in our family who can drive right now.
So, on a nice sunny winter day, we set off to be part of the busy streets, hawkers, vendors, chai wallahs, the street food guys. It is an interesting mix of people and buildings, old and new, all intermingled with each other that they still maintain an individuality yet look so distinct.
A person probably visiting for the first time might not find this place interesting at all. I used to be like that. I hated going there amongst the dirt and the chaos, amidst people jostling with each other to get ahead, people screaming at the top of their voices, a mayhem of cycle rikshaws, auto-rickshaws, car, scooter and hoards of people all getting into each others way and nerves.
I only had to make 2 or 3 visits with my husband to really understand the depth of these places. Once you get into a gulley or a lane, the varieties of a single aspect displayed was simply mind boggling. Now, I sometimes simply go there to open up my horizon, of my understanding of what all things are available there.
There is a lane dedicated to only gems and stones. Another lane would be selling only buttons and embellishments. On one lane, you will simply find laces, rows of shops selling different coloured, different styles of laces. There is a lane for bicycle parts, one lane for clothes, one for sarees, one for dry fruits and nuts, spices….. The list just goes on.. Everytime we go, we choose a different lane to explore.
This old Delhi used to be the only Delhi people knew some 30 to 40 years back. By now though the boundaries of Delhi has expanded to beyond Gurgaon on the south and Noida on the west, Rohini on the north, etc. But when you visit old Delhi, you would not imagine that Delhi has expanded so much. Life goes on as it used to couple of decades before. It is as if time stood still somewhere in those periods for Chandni Chowk while the others moved on!
A visit to Kerala is incomplete without visiting the famous hill station of Kerala called Munnar. It is part of the Western Ghats falls in the Idukki district. The name Munnar actually means three rivers. This is a place where 3 rivers (Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly river) come and join together.
During one of our annual vacations to Kerala, we made this journey to Munnar by renting a car. It takes about 3.5 hours from Kochi via Adimali. It is an uphill drive through a natural forest with a view of the most picturesque valleys and waterfalls.
As you climb up, you can see the clouds on top of the mountains enveloping the peak and then slowly as you keep going up, you can feel the clouds kind of settling in on you as well. It is a wonderful feeling when you realize that you now are part of the clouds that you saw when you were down. As you come closer to Munnar, you can see the landscape has changed into smooth slopey mountains, trimmed and parted in columns and squares. The tea gardens are spread wide across mountains and as you inch closer to Munnar, the temperature dips and you start feeling a little cold.
Munnar is a very small town with houses scattered across the mountains. You can have a good look at the entire town from one of these mountains. We stayed at the Mar Thoma Retreat Centre on the Mattupetty Road. It was a very comfortable cozy place and once we had freshened up, we were on our way to see the Mattupetty Dam, or as some call it, the Madupetty Dam. The dam is nearly 13 Kms from Munnar town. Further ahead is a beautiful tourist spot called the Echo Point. The river enveloped by mountains all around was a beautiful sight to behold.
If you are making the trip from Kerala, the nearest airport is Nedumbassery at Kochi. The nearest railway station would be Ernakulam or Aluva. And then take a taxi or cab. It is about 110 Kms from airport.
Interesting tidbits on Munnar
Jama Masjid is the biggest mosque in Delhi. It is important as a heritage property as it was built by Shah Jahan and the coronation ceremony of later Mughal emperors were performed by the imams of this mosque. It is walking distance from Red Fort and consequently catered to the needs of the royalty of those times.
The mosque is situated in the middle of the most crowded and congested streets of old Delhi and therefore, getting to the place itself is a bit of adventure.
We took the Delhi metro and got down at the Chawri Bazaar Metro Station and walked the entire length of Chawri Bazaar to reach the West side of Jama Masjid. Crossing Gate No. 5 from where we could see the three domes from behind the structure. we walked around the border to reach Gate No. 3. The entrance gate to the mosque was on top of a flight of stairs. The wide structure looked majestic on top from where we were standing.
There is a wide worship area inside – it is supposed to be able to accommodate 25000 people to worship at the same time. There are 3 entrance gates to the inner porch and entire courtyard is lined with arched verandahs leading to the towers at the four corners.
From the verandah on the opposite side of the mosque, one could see parts of Red Fort. If you come out of the gate on the east side, you will step into the old and famous colourful Meena Bazaar of Delhi.
As we exit Nehru Place under the Nehru Place Metro Station towards the Lotus temple, the roads begin to slightly deteriorate. This road definitely needs layering. As we bank left into the road that leads to the Lotus temple, the temple perimeter becomes visible with a lovely fencing that is both aesthetic and useful. The morning sun reflected the temple in all its splendour.
Some facts about the Lotus Temple to help you make your visits more enjoyable
1. Visit towards the evening. The light show is a must-see!
2. More than 20% of the total electricity requirement of 500KW is generated through solar panels.
3. There is an elaborate arrangement for water conservation throughout the premises.
4. The pools cool the sanctorum even in the most fiercest of summers.
5. Photography inside the sanctorum is disallowed.
5. Entrance is free.
Bekal Fort is one of the lesser known forts located in the northern part of Kerala. It is one of the oldest and largest forts of Kerala. It is part of the Kasargod district of Kerala.
We made a day trip to Bekal Fort from our home in Pathanamthitta District by taking an overnight train that left us at the Bekal Fort Station early morning. The station was right beside the Beach. It was very convenient for us to get to the beach and to the fort walking down from the station. However, since we were on an overnight train, we did not have anything to eat in the morning and therefore went out in search of Breakfast. This, being a very small town did not have too many options. There were roadside restaurants that served all Kerala dishes but it was off season. We went during the monsoon season and therefore the place was less crowded. We were told that this place is usually flocked till May end when the school kids in Kerala are on vacation!
This was just the outer court. We were still not able to see the Taj Mahal from this entrance. There was another gate we had to cross before we could behold the structure we had come to see from so far.
Kovalam is one of the famous beaches of Kerala and almost everyone in the country has heard or know about this famous beach. A lot of people hold it as a cherished dream to atleast once visit this famous spot. Even though we reside in Delhi for the most part of the year, because we are keralites, we get to travel to Kerala couple of times in a year and have been able to make it possible to visit this beach more than once.
We have visited many beaches in Kerala but this beach is different. It is a small and compact one and one of the most important things that stand out in my mind is that it has black sand.
Kovalam is a beach town in Trivandrum. It is a crescent like beach lined with coconut palm trees.
The first chamber we got into was the performance hall – the hall was lined with solid granite pillars and wooden tiled roofs.
The stairs used to go up to the first floor is old and one has to be very careful of not hitting the roof. These stairs lead up to the council chambers where the king used to have meetings with all his council members and take important decisions. The kings throne and the seating arrangement as well as the furnitures used for the council members are still preserved as it is.