Cruise along with Raul Dias through Rio de Janeiro- a city fabled for its potent mixture of fun and sun!
Tall and tan and young and lovely the girl from Ipanema goes walking and when she passes each one she passes goes "Ahhh!"…sang Antonio Carlos Jobim. Such sights truly justify Rio’s title of cidade maravilhosa (marvellous city); a city that lives in and for the sun, a city sure to leave your hedonistic taste buds tingling!
Undisputedly Brazil’s major cultural capital Rio has a seductive charm so blatantly evident in its sumptuous beauty, with built-up areas nestled between a magnificent bay and dazzling beaches on one side and the abruptly rising Serra da Carioca mountain range, covered by a plush tropical forest, on the other. The continuing strength of foreign currencies against the Brazilian Real and the national football team’s success in the recent World Cup have both helped to make Brazil – and Rio in particular – an increasingly popular and affordable year-round destination.
Rio is a big city and figuring out where to start can be a wee bit daunting. Centro or Downtown Rio is the first destination for museum lovers as it is teeming with world class museums especially in the Flamengo and Gloria historical areas where a must see is the Museum of Naïf Art in the Corcovado where there are over 8,000 pieces in the permanent collection with artists representing 130 countries. The Corcovado Mountain or hunchback is also synonymous with the statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) blessing the city with open arms. The Statue of Christ stands 30 meters high (100 feet), covered in a mosaic of soapstone. On its base there is a small chapel and the vista from here is unparalled offering a panoramic view of Rio: the Guanabara Bay, Niteroi, the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, the beaches of Ipanema and Leblon, the botanical garden, the Jockey Club and the Tijuca National Park, Further north, Copacabana, Botafogo, and the famous Pao Acucar (Sugar Loaf).
If hitting the beach circuit is more your scene then head for one of Rio’s many beaches where from dawn until dusk and even after dark, the residents of Rio can be found enjoying the long stretches of sandy coastline with which the city is blessed. The beach is not merely a place to absorb the sun’s rays but also an important venue for sports, socialising and even business. It is a people-watcher’s paradise – clothing is minimal and bodies are bronzed and beautiful. One such magnet for Brazilians and tourists alike is Ipanema Beach where the summer "happens" in Rio. By far Rio’s most popular beach Ipanema is considered to be the paradise of sun worshipers who flock to it daily, seeking their piece of the action. Ipanema is always setting new trends, and what happens here reverberates throughout the country at a frenzied pace. Alongside the beach one can find some of the most sophisticated shops in the city jostling for space with the botecos or small restaurants offering an inexpensive yet tantalising array of treats ranging from the ubiquitous coxina de galinha (savoury chicken wrapped in dough) and pao de queijo (cheese-filled balls of pastry) to the very strong, very black and…yes, very good Brazilian coffee.
Rio’s other equally famous beach Copacabana Beach has attained iconic status thanks to its legendary New Year’s celebration which attracts over 2 million people from all over the world! Following a local tradition, most people dress in white for good luck. Offering a white flower to Yemanjá, the goddess of the seas is also a part of the ritual. The exquisite fireworks festival which starts at midnight, lasting almost a half hour is truly spectacular. With white sand and waters that are never rough, this is also a very popular beach for sunbathing. During the summer international championships of beach soccer, volleyball and other sports are promoted in arenas along Copacabana Beach.
A trip to Rio comes with a warning: Be prepared to shed all inhibitions as this magnificent metropolis envelopes you in its sensual embrace, with its rhythmic pulse surging through your veins leaving you gasping for breath…but remember! You can’t blame it on Rio!!
(First published in Liverpool Student)
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Sin-city… Singapore!
Who said Singapore was all about shopping? Once the sun bids a lazy adieu, the tiny city-state comes alive with a throbbing nightlife that will leave you gasping for breath, as Raul Dias recently discovered on a hedonistic night-about-town
The tacky, luridly-coloured ‘Made-in-China’ digital clock—the type that seem to be de rigueur at budget hotels, like the one I was staying at—chimed in the 20th hour of the day with a sound that reminded me of the squeal of piglets missing their mamma. But more than that, it also reminded me that I was alone. All by myself on my last night in Singapore—a city that puts on a great show for travelers like me, be it day or night. Never having experienced its legendary nightlife before, I, me and myself decided to make a night of it and hit the nightspots with a vengeance!
But only one question resonated through the empty confines of my party-hungry mind—just where do I begin? So, on the fervent suggestion of my hotel’s Malay receptionist with a lilting Singlish (that’s Singapore-English for the uninitiated) accent, I made my way on foot to the nearby Clark Quay district to begin my tryst with Singapore. And Boy, was I in for a treat or what?
21.06 hours: I am at the mighty mahogany doors of the super-spiffy Zirca Mega Club that was earlier known as the hallowed Ministry of Sound Singapore, trying to sweet talk my way into the über-exclusive club that is housed in a back alley in Clarke Quay. I am a stag after all. But my spiel works and the burly, yet genial bouncer deems me fit to enter the 40,000 square foot structure that is not surprisingly one of the biggest nightclubs in the world. The music du jour (or should I say du nuit) is the bump-n-grind inducing Reggae that pulsates through my body with its rhythm. I boogey a bit like a Rastafarian gone insane and down a very expensive libation of ace mixologist Tomoyuki Kitazoe’s Bombay Bellini, before hitting the street in search of more…
22.15 hours: My search leads me (on foot again) to the nearby, deceptively-named Crazy Elephant that is anything but crazy. This rather laid-back pub has live blues and rock n’ roll bands playing every evening in an interior that has plenty of warm wood and graffiti-decorated walls. The bartender suggests a good old pint of larger that I turn down in favour of a lip-smacking Plum Saketini that seems to do it for me, for the time being at least.
23.04 hours: Before my Cinder'fella' liberty of 24.00 hours (I have a 06.15 flight back home the next day) gets the better of me, I simply must pay obeisance to the mother of all Singapore’s nightclubs—Zouk. So, I hop into a magenta pink taxi and head down towards Singapore’s ritzy Jiak Kim Street where this iconic club is housed. Zouk that plays mostly House music is famous for its seven resident DJs who make it their mission in life to keep the revelers on their toes. For those with an aversion to heavy Techno, Zouk also houses Velvet Underground, where the crowd is slightly older and the music is mainly Soul and Garage. Deciding that this place is more my scene (I guess I’m getting old!), I lounge about on the plush velvet (what else?) couches with a Singapore Sling as my only source of company. After a good half-hour of doing nothing but chill in this subterranean adult wonderland, I decide that I’m ready to resurface.
24.00 hours: My hotel room. The tacky clock announces that it’s time I hit the sack. But I’m not complaining. My night out in Singapore has truly been about coming, seeing and yes, conquering. Vene, vedi, vici all the way!
Recipes:
1. Bombay Bellini
Glass: Champagne flute
Ingredients:
5 oz. Champagne
1 splash mango juice
Garnish: Mint leaves
Method:
Mix together the champagne and the mango juice with crushed ice in a flute.
Garnish with mint leaves.
2. Plum Saketini
Glass: Martini glass
Ingredients:
2 oz. pearl plum vodka
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. sake
Garnish: Fresh mini orchid
Method:
Shake all the ingredients well with ice in a shaker and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with a mini orchid.
3. Singapore Sling
Glass: Casablanca/ tall glass
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons pineapple juice
2 tablespoons gin
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon cherry liqueur
1 tablespoon grenadine
1/2 tablespoon benedictine
2 dashes triple sec or Grand Marnier
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish: Slice of pineapple, cherry
Method:
Fill a shaker with ice.
Add ingredients to shaker and shake for about 1 minute.
Strain over ice into a tall glass.
Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a cherry.
(First published in Uppercrust)
The tacky, luridly-coloured ‘Made-in-China’ digital clock—the type that seem to be de rigueur at budget hotels, like the one I was staying at—chimed in the 20th hour of the day with a sound that reminded me of the squeal of piglets missing their mamma. But more than that, it also reminded me that I was alone. All by myself on my last night in Singapore—a city that puts on a great show for travelers like me, be it day or night. Never having experienced its legendary nightlife before, I, me and myself decided to make a night of it and hit the nightspots with a vengeance!
But only one question resonated through the empty confines of my party-hungry mind—just where do I begin? So, on the fervent suggestion of my hotel’s Malay receptionist with a lilting Singlish (that’s Singapore-English for the uninitiated) accent, I made my way on foot to the nearby Clark Quay district to begin my tryst with Singapore. And Boy, was I in for a treat or what?
21.06 hours: I am at the mighty mahogany doors of the super-spiffy Zirca Mega Club that was earlier known as the hallowed Ministry of Sound Singapore, trying to sweet talk my way into the über-exclusive club that is housed in a back alley in Clarke Quay. I am a stag after all. But my spiel works and the burly, yet genial bouncer deems me fit to enter the 40,000 square foot structure that is not surprisingly one of the biggest nightclubs in the world. The music du jour (or should I say du nuit) is the bump-n-grind inducing Reggae that pulsates through my body with its rhythm. I boogey a bit like a Rastafarian gone insane and down a very expensive libation of ace mixologist Tomoyuki Kitazoe’s Bombay Bellini, before hitting the street in search of more…
22.15 hours: My search leads me (on foot again) to the nearby, deceptively-named Crazy Elephant that is anything but crazy. This rather laid-back pub has live blues and rock n’ roll bands playing every evening in an interior that has plenty of warm wood and graffiti-decorated walls. The bartender suggests a good old pint of larger that I turn down in favour of a lip-smacking Plum Saketini that seems to do it for me, for the time being at least.
23.04 hours: Before my Cinder'fella' liberty of 24.00 hours (I have a 06.15 flight back home the next day) gets the better of me, I simply must pay obeisance to the mother of all Singapore’s nightclubs—Zouk. So, I hop into a magenta pink taxi and head down towards Singapore’s ritzy Jiak Kim Street where this iconic club is housed. Zouk that plays mostly House music is famous for its seven resident DJs who make it their mission in life to keep the revelers on their toes. For those with an aversion to heavy Techno, Zouk also houses Velvet Underground, where the crowd is slightly older and the music is mainly Soul and Garage. Deciding that this place is more my scene (I guess I’m getting old!), I lounge about on the plush velvet (what else?) couches with a Singapore Sling as my only source of company. After a good half-hour of doing nothing but chill in this subterranean adult wonderland, I decide that I’m ready to resurface.
24.00 hours: My hotel room. The tacky clock announces that it’s time I hit the sack. But I’m not complaining. My night out in Singapore has truly been about coming, seeing and yes, conquering. Vene, vedi, vici all the way!
Recipes:
1. Bombay Bellini
Glass: Champagne flute
Ingredients:
5 oz. Champagne
1 splash mango juice
Garnish: Mint leaves
Method:
Mix together the champagne and the mango juice with crushed ice in a flute.
Garnish with mint leaves.
2. Plum Saketini
Glass: Martini glass
Ingredients:
2 oz. pearl plum vodka
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. sake
Garnish: Fresh mini orchid
Method:
Shake all the ingredients well with ice in a shaker and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with a mini orchid.
3. Singapore Sling
Glass: Casablanca/ tall glass
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons pineapple juice
2 tablespoons gin
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon cherry liqueur
1 tablespoon grenadine
1/2 tablespoon benedictine
2 dashes triple sec or Grand Marnier
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish: Slice of pineapple, cherry
Method:
Fill a shaker with ice.
Add ingredients to shaker and shake for about 1 minute.
Strain over ice into a tall glass.
Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a cherry.
(First published in Uppercrust)
A true Singaporean ‘eat-a-thon’
From the subtly flavoured Hainanese chicken rice to the fragrant laksa to the ubiquitous chilli crab, Singapore has a host of edible treats to tantalize the most discerning of palates, making a one-day gourmet safari a must do on any visit to the tiny island nation!
By Raul Dias
It all started with a rather innocuous bet that was wagered between an old university buddy and me over repeated rounds of Singapore’s uncrowned king of the cocktail—the Singapore Sling (see box)—that we downed in a binging frenzy at a plush watering hole in Singapore’s formerly decrepit, but now tony Clark Quay district. The bet that would make me richer by SGD 300 (if I won it!) was that I couldn’t gourmandise my way through the rich culinary tapestry that Singapore has on ample display in one day on a frugal budget of SGD 30 (around INR 1000) for the day. Unbelievable but true, all I had was 24 glorious hours to win some extra dosh while defending my twin titles—of not just ‘Budget Baron’, but more importantly the one of ‘Foodie Extraordinaire’. Bet accepted, the spit-laced handshake sealing the deal, and I was off with my belly full of fire that was waiting to be replaced with some true-blue Singaporean nosh.
On D-Day, I resolutely told myself that I would not rest until my mission was accomplished, so out went any notions of an extra hour of sleep, only to be replaced with visions of luscious dim sum bearing my name all over their silken skin. Breakfast just had to be had at Singapore’s legendary China Town. Conspicuously nestled between Upper Pickering Street and Cantonment Road, this Epicurean heaven was just was the doctor ordered to cure my chronic condition of the ‘morning munchies’.
And although it might have been an early 9am, the dim sum eateries that line Erskine Road were bustling with patrons clamouring for the almost melt-in-the-mouth goodness of the pork char siew bao or the succulent translucence of the chicken siu mai. Sipping on a bottle of iced chrysanthemum tea and chowing on an assorted platter of savoury dim sum like har gow (shrimp and bamboo shoots), the vegetarian jiaozi (crescent shaped dumplings with pleated edges) and their dessert counterparts like chien chang go (thousand-layer cake made up of many layers of sweet egg dough) and the gooey egg tart, I was taken aback when I was presented with the bill at the end of my meal. What was probably the best breakfast of my life set me back by all of SGD 7! I wanted to sing with glee, I was that happy.
Ask any Singaporean and he will tell you that there can never be a better lunch meal than a bowl of humble laksa. A malay staple made up of rice noodles, shrimp, tofu and a whole lot of other condiments including fresh corriander and chilli paste, all swimming harmoniously in a fragrant coconut soup-like gravy, laksa is an original food of the Gods. The one that I had for SGD 3 at a tiny road-side stall in the multi-ethnic area of Katong was poetry in a porcelain bowl.
After a spot of poetry, it was time for a Japanese haiku that presented itself in the form of an omikase (chef’s selection) serving of sushi meant to silence the 4.30pm rumblings of my stomach. The location was a tiny hole-in-the wall sushi counter in the sublime Boat Quay district. For a ‘princely’ SGD 5, I feasted on a serving each of maguro (tuna) gunkan maki, ebi (shrimp) nigiri, ungagi (eel) sashimi and the velvety chawanmushi or savoury egg custard that I had been longing to try. Follwing it up with a single scoop of matcha (green tea) ice cream for SGD 2, I mentally calculated that I had precisely SGD 10 left for the grand finale—dinner!
No visit to Singapore can ever be complete without a visit to a hawker centre—a veritable cornucopia of good, wholesome food cooked in one of the most hygienic places you will ever have the fortune of eating at. And eat I did at the Geylang Serai Food Market and Hawker Centre where I first sat down to a plate of the simplistic looking, but ultra-flavourful Hainanese chicken rice (SGD 5) that simply put is boiled white chicken served with rice made from the chicken stock and garnished with sliced cucumbers, soy and ginger sauce. I couldn’t possibly conclude this gourmet adventure without a taste of the world-renowned chilli crab. Although I find the act of selecting your live crab to be then cooked, a tad barbaric, I let my humane side take its own vacation and chose a plump specimen that was then introduced to the bubbling, slightly sweetish chilli gravy in a jiffy. With the delicate sweetness of crab meat mingling with the piquant bite of the chilli, the dish was worth every single cent of the SGD 8 that I paid up at the counter. Waddling my way back to my bemused buddy, my hands were suddenly itching…
So, did I win? Do the math…You bet (pun intended) your last char siew bao I did. And with both titles dutifully defended might I add!
(First published in Outlook Lounge)
By Raul Dias
It all started with a rather innocuous bet that was wagered between an old university buddy and me over repeated rounds of Singapore’s uncrowned king of the cocktail—the Singapore Sling (see box)—that we downed in a binging frenzy at a plush watering hole in Singapore’s formerly decrepit, but now tony Clark Quay district. The bet that would make me richer by SGD 300 (if I won it!) was that I couldn’t gourmandise my way through the rich culinary tapestry that Singapore has on ample display in one day on a frugal budget of SGD 30 (around INR 1000) for the day. Unbelievable but true, all I had was 24 glorious hours to win some extra dosh while defending my twin titles—of not just ‘Budget Baron’, but more importantly the one of ‘Foodie Extraordinaire’. Bet accepted, the spit-laced handshake sealing the deal, and I was off with my belly full of fire that was waiting to be replaced with some true-blue Singaporean nosh.
On D-Day, I resolutely told myself that I would not rest until my mission was accomplished, so out went any notions of an extra hour of sleep, only to be replaced with visions of luscious dim sum bearing my name all over their silken skin. Breakfast just had to be had at Singapore’s legendary China Town. Conspicuously nestled between Upper Pickering Street and Cantonment Road, this Epicurean heaven was just was the doctor ordered to cure my chronic condition of the ‘morning munchies’.
And although it might have been an early 9am, the dim sum eateries that line Erskine Road were bustling with patrons clamouring for the almost melt-in-the-mouth goodness of the pork char siew bao or the succulent translucence of the chicken siu mai. Sipping on a bottle of iced chrysanthemum tea and chowing on an assorted platter of savoury dim sum like har gow (shrimp and bamboo shoots), the vegetarian jiaozi (crescent shaped dumplings with pleated edges) and their dessert counterparts like chien chang go (thousand-layer cake made up of many layers of sweet egg dough) and the gooey egg tart, I was taken aback when I was presented with the bill at the end of my meal. What was probably the best breakfast of my life set me back by all of SGD 7! I wanted to sing with glee, I was that happy.
Ask any Singaporean and he will tell you that there can never be a better lunch meal than a bowl of humble laksa. A malay staple made up of rice noodles, shrimp, tofu and a whole lot of other condiments including fresh corriander and chilli paste, all swimming harmoniously in a fragrant coconut soup-like gravy, laksa is an original food of the Gods. The one that I had for SGD 3 at a tiny road-side stall in the multi-ethnic area of Katong was poetry in a porcelain bowl.
After a spot of poetry, it was time for a Japanese haiku that presented itself in the form of an omikase (chef’s selection) serving of sushi meant to silence the 4.30pm rumblings of my stomach. The location was a tiny hole-in-the wall sushi counter in the sublime Boat Quay district. For a ‘princely’ SGD 5, I feasted on a serving each of maguro (tuna) gunkan maki, ebi (shrimp) nigiri, ungagi (eel) sashimi and the velvety chawanmushi or savoury egg custard that I had been longing to try. Follwing it up with a single scoop of matcha (green tea) ice cream for SGD 2, I mentally calculated that I had precisely SGD 10 left for the grand finale—dinner!
No visit to Singapore can ever be complete without a visit to a hawker centre—a veritable cornucopia of good, wholesome food cooked in one of the most hygienic places you will ever have the fortune of eating at. And eat I did at the Geylang Serai Food Market and Hawker Centre where I first sat down to a plate of the simplistic looking, but ultra-flavourful Hainanese chicken rice (SGD 5) that simply put is boiled white chicken served with rice made from the chicken stock and garnished with sliced cucumbers, soy and ginger sauce. I couldn’t possibly conclude this gourmet adventure without a taste of the world-renowned chilli crab. Although I find the act of selecting your live crab to be then cooked, a tad barbaric, I let my humane side take its own vacation and chose a plump specimen that was then introduced to the bubbling, slightly sweetish chilli gravy in a jiffy. With the delicate sweetness of crab meat mingling with the piquant bite of the chilli, the dish was worth every single cent of the SGD 8 that I paid up at the counter. Waddling my way back to my bemused buddy, my hands were suddenly itching…
So, did I win? Do the math…You bet (pun intended) your last char siew bao I did. And with both titles dutifully defended might I add!
(First published in Outlook Lounge)
A Date With ME!
Stuck in glitzy Dubai for a single night, Raul Dias recently had one of his life’s most perfect dates… with himself!
Solo, alone, solitary, forlorn… my company-bereft mind was making a list of synonyms that reflected my desolation. I was all by myself in the great urbs primus, Dubai—a city that is always kitted out like a glittering diva, raucously screaming for attention. Now, normally I am one of those people who think that it is rather sad and maybe a tad ‘desperate’ for any sane person to even eat at McDonald’s alone, leave alone plan a full fledged solo date with drinks and dinner. But sanity had to take a vacation of it’s own that evening, I resolutely told myself. Besides I had just one night left in Dubai and having heard extensively about the possibilities of a great night out, I wasn’t going to let the lack of company put a damper on my plans to make the most of my situation.
So, dinner reservations done, togged out in my best party wear and generously doused with the latest fragrant offering from the house of Armani, I slipped into the passenger seat of the hotel’s complimentary BMW and gave the chauffer my destination. “Are we picking up anybody else on the way sir?” the chauffer enquired, only to be met with my rather despondent monosyllable, “no”.
My first stop was the spiffy wine bar Cin Cin at The Fairmont Hotel located on the glitteringly meandering Sheikh Zayed Road for a little pre dinner cocktail. Perched atop a leather-upholstered bar stool nursing a whisky sour, I looked around and saw many others like myself, enjoying their own company, totally oblivious to the stares of cooing couples who managed to take time off from their PDA to shoot us with patronizing looks, almost forgetting that I was once just like them pitying the solo drinker who lurked by the bar. After two very expensive libations, I realized that part one of my ‘date’ was accomplished.
Part two of the date actually began a little before part one, when I made the call requesting a reservation for a dinner table at the foul-mouthed Gordon Ramsay’s fine dining temple, Verre. “A table for one sir?” the mellifluous but surprised voice on the other side the telephone line asked for the second time. “Yes” I answered patiently, not letting her tome unnerve me and chicken me out of my date. Now at the entrance of this culinary Mecca that is housed in the Hilton Dubai Creek Hotel, I waited patiently to be escorted to my table for one. Expecting my table to be somewhere back in the beyond, I was pleasantly surprised to see the most perfect little table set for one overlooking the tranquil Dubai Creek that had the traditional boats called Abras plying the waters. And what followed was sheer edible poetry. The food was beautifully cooked, and very fresh. If the brill, lobster and herd risotto was divine the roast lamb was tenderness personified. The lack of conversation was never missed as I got lost in my other senses of taste and smell. But yet it was a date in all other respects and yes, it even included a kiss. So what if it was only a Hershey’s kiss that I found atop my Grand Marnier mousse.
Well, I sure had fun… and my date du nuit? Even more!!
(First published in DNA Me)
Solo, alone, solitary, forlorn… my company-bereft mind was making a list of synonyms that reflected my desolation. I was all by myself in the great urbs primus, Dubai—a city that is always kitted out like a glittering diva, raucously screaming for attention. Now, normally I am one of those people who think that it is rather sad and maybe a tad ‘desperate’ for any sane person to even eat at McDonald’s alone, leave alone plan a full fledged solo date with drinks and dinner. But sanity had to take a vacation of it’s own that evening, I resolutely told myself. Besides I had just one night left in Dubai and having heard extensively about the possibilities of a great night out, I wasn’t going to let the lack of company put a damper on my plans to make the most of my situation.
So, dinner reservations done, togged out in my best party wear and generously doused with the latest fragrant offering from the house of Armani, I slipped into the passenger seat of the hotel’s complimentary BMW and gave the chauffer my destination. “Are we picking up anybody else on the way sir?” the chauffer enquired, only to be met with my rather despondent monosyllable, “no”.
My first stop was the spiffy wine bar Cin Cin at The Fairmont Hotel located on the glitteringly meandering Sheikh Zayed Road for a little pre dinner cocktail. Perched atop a leather-upholstered bar stool nursing a whisky sour, I looked around and saw many others like myself, enjoying their own company, totally oblivious to the stares of cooing couples who managed to take time off from their PDA to shoot us with patronizing looks, almost forgetting that I was once just like them pitying the solo drinker who lurked by the bar. After two very expensive libations, I realized that part one of my ‘date’ was accomplished.
Part two of the date actually began a little before part one, when I made the call requesting a reservation for a dinner table at the foul-mouthed Gordon Ramsay’s fine dining temple, Verre. “A table for one sir?” the mellifluous but surprised voice on the other side the telephone line asked for the second time. “Yes” I answered patiently, not letting her tome unnerve me and chicken me out of my date. Now at the entrance of this culinary Mecca that is housed in the Hilton Dubai Creek Hotel, I waited patiently to be escorted to my table for one. Expecting my table to be somewhere back in the beyond, I was pleasantly surprised to see the most perfect little table set for one overlooking the tranquil Dubai Creek that had the traditional boats called Abras plying the waters. And what followed was sheer edible poetry. The food was beautifully cooked, and very fresh. If the brill, lobster and herd risotto was divine the roast lamb was tenderness personified. The lack of conversation was never missed as I got lost in my other senses of taste and smell. But yet it was a date in all other respects and yes, it even included a kiss. So what if it was only a Hershey’s kiss that I found atop my Grand Marnier mousse.
Well, I sure had fun… and my date du nuit? Even more!!
(First published in DNA Me)
A bacon cocktail anyone? …or perhaps liquid tiramisu?
The art of mixology takes on a whole new meaning for Raul Dias as he sips his way through a selection of quirky cocktails at the Taj Lands End Mumbai’s Atrium Lounge, whose new cocktail menu is all about the kitchen meeting the bar
It started off like any run-of –the mill weekend pre-dinner cocktail routine. You know the kind where a bunch of office-weary friends gather together in a weekly communal bitching session. The main topic of which ironically always revolves around the mean old boss and his slave-driving tendencies. So there we were, a motley group of five 20-somethings congregating on a humid Saturday evening at the Taj Lands End Mumbai’s Atrium Lounge, ready to drown our sorrows in a pitcher of beer. “Let’s have cocktails instead. We need something more potent!” suggests Abir, my investment banker friend who thinks that a pitcher of beer just won’t hit the (sore) spot.
The elegant columnar leather-bound menu is proffered immediately by the efficient waiter. I am the first in the group to steal a glance at it. A frown and a furrowed brow distort my face, indicating that something is amiss. “I think the waiter has mistakenly given us the food menu,” I inform my thirsty chums, after reading the name of a ‘dish’ that simply says ‘concassed tomato water with char grilled bacon-infused Smirnoff Black’. The waiter is beckoned and the apparent gaffe is pointed out with a ‘know-it-all’ smirk that yours truly is legendary for. “But Sir, this IS the cocktail menu,” the waiter patiently explains, paying a blind eye to the five surprised stares that he is met with. “This is a new concept called ‘Kitchen meets the bar’ that we have recently introduced, try it”.
And it was the waiter’s last two words “try it” that kick started my journey into the quirky world of Rishi Kumar and Pankaj Kumar that is full of weirdly interesting cocktails that simply cannot be ignored. “We love the idea of surprising our guests and what better way than with cocktails that most people love,” says Rishi. “The weirder the better is our motto, which is why we took over two months in coming up with a list of these 10 cocktails. It involved a fair bit of R & D and not to mention tasting sessions that we involved a lot of colleagues in,” quips Pankaj with a naughty glint in his eyes.
As the Atrium Lounge’s manager and assistant manager respectively, the thrill of innovation is what drives these two young men to come up with gems of mixology that defy convention in each and every way. For starters they have come up 10 cocktails; all priced at Rs 650 plus taxes, using vegetable ingredients, unlike the conventional cocktail base of fruits. Among these 10 cocktails are two cocktails that are the world’s first non vegetarian cocktails— the ‘chicken consommé with Red Label whisky’ and the ‘concassed tomato water with char grilled bacon-infused Smirnoff Black’. They have also developed the idea of ‘pre plated cocktails’ where every one of their cocktails in the Kitchen meets the bar section comes with its own accompanying appetizer. But not only are the concoctions innovative, the names also draw inspiration from culinary expression. “This simply means that our drinks are named like food dishes on the menu. For example, carrot ginger water flambéed with tangerine, blue berry and balsamic sorbet, mixed fruit compote with tamarind glaze etc.,” explains Rishi, who is quick to name a few cocktails that didn’t make the final cut, such as the ill-fated sugarcane and vodka one and the beetroot and gin cocktail that not only left a bitter taste in the mouth, but also a lot of colour! “The final 10 are the best of the best,” says the genial Pankaj brimming with the well-earned pride of an inventor as he speaks of his newest ‘babies’.
But as the saying goes, ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’ and in this case the drinking. The first libation the dynamic duo plies me with is the fragrant and colourful ‘carrot carpaccio with rosemary and Tanqueray gin’ served along with olive tepanade and mushroom paté bruschettas. I hesitantly take a baby sip and then go in for a giant gulp. The drink is so good. Bursting with flavour from the rosemary and Cointreau, the carrot slices add that perfect crunchy bite. “But I still see more of the bar and less of the kitchen in the drink,” I tell Rishi and Pankaj.
To placate my kitchen-cravings their next choice of drink for me is the weird and whimsical ‘concassed tomato water with char grilled bacon-infused Smirnoff Black’ that first set me on this crazy voyage of discovery. “I’ll be honest about this one if I don’t like it!” I warn the two. Bacon in a drink, whoa! At first the drink lethargically unravels itself on your palate like a striptease performer going about her routine. You first taste the delicateness of the tomato water, the sweetness of the muddled basil and then all of a sudden the intensity of the bacon-infused vodka takes over like a bolt of lightening. But not one that leaves you saying never again. Au contraire you want to experience that sensation again, which is what makes the drink work. Just like a good film with great repeat value, the bacon cocktail truly is encore-worthy.
But no repeat performances for me unfortunately as I’ve got a few more drinkable surprises in store for me. The next shocker is the piping hot ‘chicken consommé with Red Label whisky’ that sure packs a mighty punch. The aroma of kaffir lime and lemongrass permeates the air as the brandy balloon of the steaming potion makes its way to me. Ignoring the possibility of a singed tongue, I sip the elixir letting the orgy of flavours tickle my palate and unblock my sniffly nose. If I found the ‘carrot carpaccio with rosemary and Tanqueray gin’ more bar and less kitchen I find this cocktail more kitchen and less bar. It is clearly not one of my favourite. But full marks for its ingenuity.
In a five course meal, if the first three cocktails were my amuse-bouche, appetizer and main course respectively, then what would be my last two? A sorbet and desert, but of course! And that’s just what Pankaj and Rishi spoiled me with—my favourite part of the meal. Reminiscent of the forbidden kalakhatta ice gola of my childhood, the ‘blueberry and balsamic sorbet with Smirnoff Black vodka’ was divinity in an old fashioned glass. The tart piquant taste of the balsamic vinegar, fusing with the jamminess of the blueberries and the freshness of mint and lime, were enough to send me into a spasm of orgasmic ecstasy. I fell in love with the drink to such an extent that when it was time to part with it in favour of the last cocktail, I bid it a tearful adieu with an “I’ll be back promise” that I had every intention of fulfilling.
How can anyone possibly go wrong when playing with ingredients as luscious as cream, mascarpone cheese, chocolate sauce and vanilla ice-cream all bathed with vodka? Fool-proof from the word GO, the fact that the ‘tiramisu with Smirnoff Black vodka’ succeeded is a no-brainer. Liquid tiramisu in all its silken splendour lay before me, ensconced in a martini glass waiting for an appraisal. 10 on 10 was what my mental score card was reading. And I let its creators know just that after I had savoured the drink’s delicacy. Success was theirs, at least as far as I saw it.
So, would I recommend these deliciously weird libations? You bet your last rupee I would. What’s life without a little bit of experimentation, so much so that the kitchen actually meets the bar in an ecstatic embrace, leaving you clamouring for more!
Recipes:
1. Carrot carpaccio with rosemary and Tanqueray gin
Glass: Martini Glass
Ingredients:
45 ml. Tanqueray gin
15 ml. Cointreau
10ml. lemon juice
45 ml. cranberry juice
1 long stem rosemary
Garnish: carrot slices
Method:
Muddle together the rosemary and the cranberry juice adding the gin, Cointreau and lemon juice into a shaker.
Fill shaker with ice and double strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with carrot slices
Accompaniment: Served with a duo of olive tepanade and mushroom paté bruschettas.
2. Concassed tomato water with char grilled bacon infused Smirnoff Black vodka
Glass: Martini glass
Ingredients:
60 ml. bacon-infused Smirnoff Black vodka
60 ml. tomato water
5 ml. lemon juice
2 fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
A pinch of rock salt
Garnish: fried basil leaf
Method:
Put pieces of char grilled bacon into a bottle of vodka and let it infuse for a couple of days.
Muddle together the basil leaves, garlic pods, rock salt along with the bacon-infused vodka and lemon juice in a shaker.
Add the tomato water and ice into the shaker and shake well.
Double strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a fried basil leaf.
Accompaniment: Served with a trio of cocktail samosas.
3. Chicken consommé with Red Label whisky
Glass: Brandy baloon
Ingredients:
120 ml. chicken stock
30 ml. whisky
2 scallions
1 star anise
3 kaffir lime leaves
2 tsp. chicken stock powder
Method:
Boil chicken stock with scallions, star anise, kaffir lime leaves and stock power.
Add the whisky to the stock mixture while stock is still hot.
Pour warm into a brandy baloon.
Accompaniment: Served with blue cheese and asparagus canapés with a bouquet garni of chopped carrots and scallions.
4. Blueberry and balsamic sorbet with Smirnoff Black vodka
Glass: Old fashioned
Ingredients:
60 ml. vodka
25 ml. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. blueberry jam
3 lemon wedges
4 mint sprigs
Dash of sugar syrup
Garnish: Lemon wedges and a sprig of mint
Method:
Muddle together the lemon wedges, mint leaves and blueberry jam along with the vodka, balsamic vinegar and sugar syrup.
Fill the glass with crushed ice and pour muddled mixture stirring gently.
Garnish with lemon wedges and a sprig of mint.
Accompaniment: Served with a cold soba noodle salad.
5. Tiramisu with Smirnoff Black vodka
Glass: Martini glass
Ingredients:
30 ml. vodka
30 ml. Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 shot single espresso
30 ml. chocolate sauce
10-15 ml. double cream
1 tbps mascarpone cheese
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Garnish: coffee dust
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together along with ice into a shaker and shake well.
Double strain into a chilled martini glass coated with swirls of chocolate sauce
Garnish with a dusting of coffee powder.
Accompaniment: Served with a chocolate brownie.
(First published in Uppercrust)
It started off like any run-of –the mill weekend pre-dinner cocktail routine. You know the kind where a bunch of office-weary friends gather together in a weekly communal bitching session. The main topic of which ironically always revolves around the mean old boss and his slave-driving tendencies. So there we were, a motley group of five 20-somethings congregating on a humid Saturday evening at the Taj Lands End Mumbai’s Atrium Lounge, ready to drown our sorrows in a pitcher of beer. “Let’s have cocktails instead. We need something more potent!” suggests Abir, my investment banker friend who thinks that a pitcher of beer just won’t hit the (sore) spot.
The elegant columnar leather-bound menu is proffered immediately by the efficient waiter. I am the first in the group to steal a glance at it. A frown and a furrowed brow distort my face, indicating that something is amiss. “I think the waiter has mistakenly given us the food menu,” I inform my thirsty chums, after reading the name of a ‘dish’ that simply says ‘concassed tomato water with char grilled bacon-infused Smirnoff Black’. The waiter is beckoned and the apparent gaffe is pointed out with a ‘know-it-all’ smirk that yours truly is legendary for. “But Sir, this IS the cocktail menu,” the waiter patiently explains, paying a blind eye to the five surprised stares that he is met with. “This is a new concept called ‘Kitchen meets the bar’ that we have recently introduced, try it”.
And it was the waiter’s last two words “try it” that kick started my journey into the quirky world of Rishi Kumar and Pankaj Kumar that is full of weirdly interesting cocktails that simply cannot be ignored. “We love the idea of surprising our guests and what better way than with cocktails that most people love,” says Rishi. “The weirder the better is our motto, which is why we took over two months in coming up with a list of these 10 cocktails. It involved a fair bit of R & D and not to mention tasting sessions that we involved a lot of colleagues in,” quips Pankaj with a naughty glint in his eyes.
As the Atrium Lounge’s manager and assistant manager respectively, the thrill of innovation is what drives these two young men to come up with gems of mixology that defy convention in each and every way. For starters they have come up 10 cocktails; all priced at Rs 650 plus taxes, using vegetable ingredients, unlike the conventional cocktail base of fruits. Among these 10 cocktails are two cocktails that are the world’s first non vegetarian cocktails— the ‘chicken consommé with Red Label whisky’ and the ‘concassed tomato water with char grilled bacon-infused Smirnoff Black’. They have also developed the idea of ‘pre plated cocktails’ where every one of their cocktails in the Kitchen meets the bar section comes with its own accompanying appetizer. But not only are the concoctions innovative, the names also draw inspiration from culinary expression. “This simply means that our drinks are named like food dishes on the menu. For example, carrot ginger water flambéed with tangerine, blue berry and balsamic sorbet, mixed fruit compote with tamarind glaze etc.,” explains Rishi, who is quick to name a few cocktails that didn’t make the final cut, such as the ill-fated sugarcane and vodka one and the beetroot and gin cocktail that not only left a bitter taste in the mouth, but also a lot of colour! “The final 10 are the best of the best,” says the genial Pankaj brimming with the well-earned pride of an inventor as he speaks of his newest ‘babies’.
But as the saying goes, ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’ and in this case the drinking. The first libation the dynamic duo plies me with is the fragrant and colourful ‘carrot carpaccio with rosemary and Tanqueray gin’ served along with olive tepanade and mushroom paté bruschettas. I hesitantly take a baby sip and then go in for a giant gulp. The drink is so good. Bursting with flavour from the rosemary and Cointreau, the carrot slices add that perfect crunchy bite. “But I still see more of the bar and less of the kitchen in the drink,” I tell Rishi and Pankaj.
To placate my kitchen-cravings their next choice of drink for me is the weird and whimsical ‘concassed tomato water with char grilled bacon-infused Smirnoff Black’ that first set me on this crazy voyage of discovery. “I’ll be honest about this one if I don’t like it!” I warn the two. Bacon in a drink, whoa! At first the drink lethargically unravels itself on your palate like a striptease performer going about her routine. You first taste the delicateness of the tomato water, the sweetness of the muddled basil and then all of a sudden the intensity of the bacon-infused vodka takes over like a bolt of lightening. But not one that leaves you saying never again. Au contraire you want to experience that sensation again, which is what makes the drink work. Just like a good film with great repeat value, the bacon cocktail truly is encore-worthy.
But no repeat performances for me unfortunately as I’ve got a few more drinkable surprises in store for me. The next shocker is the piping hot ‘chicken consommé with Red Label whisky’ that sure packs a mighty punch. The aroma of kaffir lime and lemongrass permeates the air as the brandy balloon of the steaming potion makes its way to me. Ignoring the possibility of a singed tongue, I sip the elixir letting the orgy of flavours tickle my palate and unblock my sniffly nose. If I found the ‘carrot carpaccio with rosemary and Tanqueray gin’ more bar and less kitchen I find this cocktail more kitchen and less bar. It is clearly not one of my favourite. But full marks for its ingenuity.
In a five course meal, if the first three cocktails were my amuse-bouche, appetizer and main course respectively, then what would be my last two? A sorbet and desert, but of course! And that’s just what Pankaj and Rishi spoiled me with—my favourite part of the meal. Reminiscent of the forbidden kalakhatta ice gola of my childhood, the ‘blueberry and balsamic sorbet with Smirnoff Black vodka’ was divinity in an old fashioned glass. The tart piquant taste of the balsamic vinegar, fusing with the jamminess of the blueberries and the freshness of mint and lime, were enough to send me into a spasm of orgasmic ecstasy. I fell in love with the drink to such an extent that when it was time to part with it in favour of the last cocktail, I bid it a tearful adieu with an “I’ll be back promise” that I had every intention of fulfilling.
How can anyone possibly go wrong when playing with ingredients as luscious as cream, mascarpone cheese, chocolate sauce and vanilla ice-cream all bathed with vodka? Fool-proof from the word GO, the fact that the ‘tiramisu with Smirnoff Black vodka’ succeeded is a no-brainer. Liquid tiramisu in all its silken splendour lay before me, ensconced in a martini glass waiting for an appraisal. 10 on 10 was what my mental score card was reading. And I let its creators know just that after I had savoured the drink’s delicacy. Success was theirs, at least as far as I saw it.
So, would I recommend these deliciously weird libations? You bet your last rupee I would. What’s life without a little bit of experimentation, so much so that the kitchen actually meets the bar in an ecstatic embrace, leaving you clamouring for more!
Recipes:
1. Carrot carpaccio with rosemary and Tanqueray gin
Glass: Martini Glass
Ingredients:
45 ml. Tanqueray gin
15 ml. Cointreau
10ml. lemon juice
45 ml. cranberry juice
1 long stem rosemary
Garnish: carrot slices
Method:
Muddle together the rosemary and the cranberry juice adding the gin, Cointreau and lemon juice into a shaker.
Fill shaker with ice and double strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with carrot slices
Accompaniment: Served with a duo of olive tepanade and mushroom paté bruschettas.
2. Concassed tomato water with char grilled bacon infused Smirnoff Black vodka
Glass: Martini glass
Ingredients:
60 ml. bacon-infused Smirnoff Black vodka
60 ml. tomato water
5 ml. lemon juice
2 fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
A pinch of rock salt
Garnish: fried basil leaf
Method:
Put pieces of char grilled bacon into a bottle of vodka and let it infuse for a couple of days.
Muddle together the basil leaves, garlic pods, rock salt along with the bacon-infused vodka and lemon juice in a shaker.
Add the tomato water and ice into the shaker and shake well.
Double strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a fried basil leaf.
Accompaniment: Served with a trio of cocktail samosas.
3. Chicken consommé with Red Label whisky
Glass: Brandy baloon
Ingredients:
120 ml. chicken stock
30 ml. whisky
2 scallions
1 star anise
3 kaffir lime leaves
2 tsp. chicken stock powder
Method:
Boil chicken stock with scallions, star anise, kaffir lime leaves and stock power.
Add the whisky to the stock mixture while stock is still hot.
Pour warm into a brandy baloon.
Accompaniment: Served with blue cheese and asparagus canapés with a bouquet garni of chopped carrots and scallions.
4. Blueberry and balsamic sorbet with Smirnoff Black vodka
Glass: Old fashioned
Ingredients:
60 ml. vodka
25 ml. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. blueberry jam
3 lemon wedges
4 mint sprigs
Dash of sugar syrup
Garnish: Lemon wedges and a sprig of mint
Method:
Muddle together the lemon wedges, mint leaves and blueberry jam along with the vodka, balsamic vinegar and sugar syrup.
Fill the glass with crushed ice and pour muddled mixture stirring gently.
Garnish with lemon wedges and a sprig of mint.
Accompaniment: Served with a cold soba noodle salad.
5. Tiramisu with Smirnoff Black vodka
Glass: Martini glass
Ingredients:
30 ml. vodka
30 ml. Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 shot single espresso
30 ml. chocolate sauce
10-15 ml. double cream
1 tbps mascarpone cheese
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Garnish: coffee dust
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together along with ice into a shaker and shake well.
Double strain into a chilled martini glass coated with swirls of chocolate sauce
Garnish with a dusting of coffee powder.
Accompaniment: Served with a chocolate brownie.
(First published in Uppercrust)
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Hong Kong it is!
A great blend of the exotic east and the glitzy west, Hong Kong puts on a spectacular show for the traveler. Here’s a quick guide to this pulsating city
By Raul Dias
Stay: If there ever was a place that had the most number of good quality accommodation, catering to almost every budget and all concentrated in a tiny area, then that place would be Hong Kong. From modest guesthouses and youth hostels you will be thoroughly spoilt for choice. The Bridal Tea House in Aberdeen (+852 2553 8299) is one such example of a hotel property that offers elegant accommodation at a very affordable price with rooms starting at HK$58. But slap bang in the middle of bustling Kowloon is the B P International Hotel that is less than a kilometer to the business district, shopping centres and the city’s must-see attractions such as the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the International Commerce Centre and the Clock Tower. With room rates beginning at HK$110, this isn’t one of the cheapest hotels. But trust us—it is one of the best! (www.bpih.com.hk; +852 2378 7665).
Eat: Food is everywhere in Hong Kong, and that’s a good thing because it is all so good that you will attempt to eat your own weight in dim sum each day. With the awesome variety of street food available, Hong Kong is the uncrowned street food capital of the world. From the narrow lanes of Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui area where all your senses will be assaulted with the arresting aroma of grilled eel and octopus to the street-side eateries of Mongkok serving up bowls of chicken feet and tripe soup, you will find it all. For the adventurous eater in you, make it a point to visit the Temple Street Night Market where a cornucopia of weird eats like the super stinky tofu, stewed duck’s tongues and pig snout soup await you. A delicacy among true-blue Hong Kongers is roasted pigeon and if you are up to it you should make a bee-line for the Tai Ping Koon market that has the best roasted pigeon in all of Hong Kong. But going to Hong Kong and missing out on steamed goose is sacrilegious. Wellington Street’s legendary Yue Kee, probably the most famous Cantonese restaurant in Hong Kong serves up a mean steamed goose that is edible poetry. Don’t miss it!
Round off your meal with a mango pancake—a typically Cantonese dessert at the Gaai Kei dessert restaurant on Kau Yuk Road in Yuen Long. Another must-eat in the dessert restaurants is sai mai lo or sago coconut pudding.
See: The number one tourist attraction for most visitors to Hong Kong over the years is the Victoria Peak—the best place from which to admire the lights of this Oriental Pearl. Peak Tower with its famous wok-like architecture stands at the exit of the Peak Tram station. The amazing Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, the exciting Peak Explorer Motion Simulator, and relaxing terraces and restaurants are among the favourite stops at this entertainment center. Another favorite attraction is the Madame Tussaud Wax Museum with figures of celebrities including local movie star Jackie Chan. Additionally, on the northern hillside of the Peak, you can see the Zoological and Botanical Garden.
The Avenue of Stars which is located at the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade is another one of Hong Kong’s must visit places. Built to pay tribute to the outstanding professionals of Hong Kong’s film industry as an answer to the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Avenue of Stars comes alive at night when hoards of locals and tourists alike try to hunt the hand and foot imprints of their favourite stars like the legendary Bruce Lee and Karen Mok.
For the child in you, you must spend at least a day at the Hong Kong Disneyland resort that has two hotels besides the four lands of fantasy, adventure, space and Americana. All the typically Disney attractions and rides are replicated here with a decidedly oriental twist, making this theme park a one-of-its-kind place to lose yourself in.
Travel Tip: Make sure you have at least a Saturday or a Sunday night factored into your Hong Kong trip. Because starting after sunset some of the city skyscrapers puts on a spectacular weekend laser light show that you will not forget. This spectacular multimedia display, named the “World’s Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show” by the Guinness Book of World Records, involves 44 key buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. The show creates an all-round vision of coloured lights, laser beams and searchlights performing a stunning, unforgettable spectacle synchronized to music and narration that celebrates the energy, spirit and diversity of Hong Kong.
Visit: Take a bit of a detour from your urban Hong Kong sojourn and commune with nature at its glorious best at Lantau Island. Located at the mouth of the Pearl River, this island is home not just to the Hong Kong international airport but also to the Po Lin Monastery that houses the 34 metre tall bronze statue of Buddha. Besides as the must-go destination for prayers, Po Lin Monastery is also a top destination for tourists to experience the natural and cultural side of Hong Kong. The Monastery was initially a small temple constructed by three Buddhists in 1924. Over the years, more structures have been added, such as the big temple and the world’s largest Big Buddha.
If you’re not much of a culture vulture you can participate in many outdoor activities in the island’s Wild Countryside Park such as hiking, camping, swimming, and fishing. Or you can have a barbecue in the mountains far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The most beautiful beaches in Hong Kong are scattered along Lantau’s southern coast in the area around Cheung Chau Island.
Travel Tip: The best way to get to Lantau Island is by the MTR. Take the MTR Tung Chung Line to Tung Chung Station (Hong Kong Station to Tung Chung Station takes approximately 35 minutes), then take New Lantau Bus No. 23 to Ngong Ping (approximately 50 minutes).
Must Do: After a potent dose of detoxification in the verdant hills of Lantau Island it’s now for some ‘retoxification’! And what better place than the decidedly bohemian party zone of Lan Kwai Fong or to use the trendy moniker LFK. The bars in this decadent district, that is nicknamed party central, are some of the best in Asia and night owls will find a plethora of locations that cater to all, from down and dirty pubs to the continent’s best nightclubs and trendy eating joints. A must visit in LFK is Dublin Jacks, the Sleek new Irish bar that is blessed with a wonderfully friendly atmosphere, thanks to a landlord who knows his clients by name. An extra attraction is ‘The Deck’ area, a spacey chill-out area at the back of the pub that overlooks Lan Kwai Fong below.
Travel Tip: Saunter down the cobblestone streets of LFK during the ‘Happy Hours’ of 4-7pm and you will find yourself great deals on drinks many of which are available at throw-away prices or for buy-on-get-one-free deals. Hic hic hurray all the way!
Shop: From antiques to electronics to clothes and accessories to bric-a-brac, Hong Kong conjures up a smorgasbord of shopping possibilities at prices that won’t put a dent in your bank balance. The Ladies Market at Tung Choi Street, Mongkok is probably Hong Kong’s most famous street market, and one of the best for visiting tourists to soak up the hustle and bustle of a Chinese market. Despite the name, the markets sells clothes for men and women and plenty of cheap Chinese curios, as well as being one of the locations for Hong Kong’s buzzing trade in copies and fakes. Another great place to shop is in the Causeway Bay area. Probably Hong Kong’s premier shopping area, just about every square inch of Causeway Bay is covered in malls, shops and neon advertising signs. If you’re looking for the manic Hong Kong shopping experience, this is it. The area is best known for its hip, independent fashion retailers, pitched around the Fashion Walk Area. You’ll also find SOGO, Hong Kong’s biggest and best department store. The shops and streets here buzz until past 10pm.
All you ‘Mall Rats’ out there will find the your very own heaven at the Harbour City mall in Kowloon. The city’s biggest mall, Harbour City is gargantuan; at over three kilometers long the mall boasts nearly 800 shops. The shops are a fairly standard selection, albeit an endless one of international and national brands. The complex also has two separate cinemas where you can catch the latest flicks.
Travel Tip: Bargaining in Hong Kong is not only accepted, it is encouraged. The thumb rule to follow here is to immediately cut the seller’s asking price to quarter and then to negotiate to up to half. But don’t forget to keep your cool, avoid being rude and to always smile.
And finally…
Make sure to make some time and indulge in a bit of R & R at Repulse Bay. Situated in the southern part of the Hong Kong Island, Repulse Bay is a good place where you can enjoy the natural beauty of the seashore and the bays. The beach stretches long with clear azure blue water gently lapping the seashore. Its sand is golden and soft. Not far from the Repulse Bay, there is the Deep Water Bay, Middle Bay and South Bay, which are all perfect bathing beaches.
Tai Chi for Free
If by the end of your tryst with Hong Kong you find your pockets a little lighter and you still want to indulge in a bit of Chinese culture, fear not. We have the perfect solution to this. Attend the free Tai Chi lesson and demonstration at the sculpture park by the Hong Kong Museum of Art that is sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourist Association. The class takes place every morning at 8am and if for an hour long. And don’t fret; you don’t even have to know Cantonese to take the class. Since the class is meant for tourists, Master William Ng who takes the class gives out instructions in English.
(First published in Yuva)
By Raul Dias
Stay: If there ever was a place that had the most number of good quality accommodation, catering to almost every budget and all concentrated in a tiny area, then that place would be Hong Kong. From modest guesthouses and youth hostels you will be thoroughly spoilt for choice. The Bridal Tea House in Aberdeen (+852 2553 8299) is one such example of a hotel property that offers elegant accommodation at a very affordable price with rooms starting at HK$58. But slap bang in the middle of bustling Kowloon is the B P International Hotel that is less than a kilometer to the business district, shopping centres and the city’s must-see attractions such as the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the International Commerce Centre and the Clock Tower. With room rates beginning at HK$110, this isn’t one of the cheapest hotels. But trust us—it is one of the best! (www.bpih.com.hk; +852 2378 7665).
Eat: Food is everywhere in Hong Kong, and that’s a good thing because it is all so good that you will attempt to eat your own weight in dim sum each day. With the awesome variety of street food available, Hong Kong is the uncrowned street food capital of the world. From the narrow lanes of Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui area where all your senses will be assaulted with the arresting aroma of grilled eel and octopus to the street-side eateries of Mongkok serving up bowls of chicken feet and tripe soup, you will find it all. For the adventurous eater in you, make it a point to visit the Temple Street Night Market where a cornucopia of weird eats like the super stinky tofu, stewed duck’s tongues and pig snout soup await you. A delicacy among true-blue Hong Kongers is roasted pigeon and if you are up to it you should make a bee-line for the Tai Ping Koon market that has the best roasted pigeon in all of Hong Kong. But going to Hong Kong and missing out on steamed goose is sacrilegious. Wellington Street’s legendary Yue Kee, probably the most famous Cantonese restaurant in Hong Kong serves up a mean steamed goose that is edible poetry. Don’t miss it!
Round off your meal with a mango pancake—a typically Cantonese dessert at the Gaai Kei dessert restaurant on Kau Yuk Road in Yuen Long. Another must-eat in the dessert restaurants is sai mai lo or sago coconut pudding.
See: The number one tourist attraction for most visitors to Hong Kong over the years is the Victoria Peak—the best place from which to admire the lights of this Oriental Pearl. Peak Tower with its famous wok-like architecture stands at the exit of the Peak Tram station. The amazing Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, the exciting Peak Explorer Motion Simulator, and relaxing terraces and restaurants are among the favourite stops at this entertainment center. Another favorite attraction is the Madame Tussaud Wax Museum with figures of celebrities including local movie star Jackie Chan. Additionally, on the northern hillside of the Peak, you can see the Zoological and Botanical Garden.
The Avenue of Stars which is located at the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade is another one of Hong Kong’s must visit places. Built to pay tribute to the outstanding professionals of Hong Kong’s film industry as an answer to the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Avenue of Stars comes alive at night when hoards of locals and tourists alike try to hunt the hand and foot imprints of their favourite stars like the legendary Bruce Lee and Karen Mok.
For the child in you, you must spend at least a day at the Hong Kong Disneyland resort that has two hotels besides the four lands of fantasy, adventure, space and Americana. All the typically Disney attractions and rides are replicated here with a decidedly oriental twist, making this theme park a one-of-its-kind place to lose yourself in.
Travel Tip: Make sure you have at least a Saturday or a Sunday night factored into your Hong Kong trip. Because starting after sunset some of the city skyscrapers puts on a spectacular weekend laser light show that you will not forget. This spectacular multimedia display, named the “World’s Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show” by the Guinness Book of World Records, involves 44 key buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. The show creates an all-round vision of coloured lights, laser beams and searchlights performing a stunning, unforgettable spectacle synchronized to music and narration that celebrates the energy, spirit and diversity of Hong Kong.
Visit: Take a bit of a detour from your urban Hong Kong sojourn and commune with nature at its glorious best at Lantau Island. Located at the mouth of the Pearl River, this island is home not just to the Hong Kong international airport but also to the Po Lin Monastery that houses the 34 metre tall bronze statue of Buddha. Besides as the must-go destination for prayers, Po Lin Monastery is also a top destination for tourists to experience the natural and cultural side of Hong Kong. The Monastery was initially a small temple constructed by three Buddhists in 1924. Over the years, more structures have been added, such as the big temple and the world’s largest Big Buddha.
If you’re not much of a culture vulture you can participate in many outdoor activities in the island’s Wild Countryside Park such as hiking, camping, swimming, and fishing. Or you can have a barbecue in the mountains far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The most beautiful beaches in Hong Kong are scattered along Lantau’s southern coast in the area around Cheung Chau Island.
Travel Tip: The best way to get to Lantau Island is by the MTR. Take the MTR Tung Chung Line to Tung Chung Station (Hong Kong Station to Tung Chung Station takes approximately 35 minutes), then take New Lantau Bus No. 23 to Ngong Ping (approximately 50 minutes).
Must Do: After a potent dose of detoxification in the verdant hills of Lantau Island it’s now for some ‘retoxification’! And what better place than the decidedly bohemian party zone of Lan Kwai Fong or to use the trendy moniker LFK. The bars in this decadent district, that is nicknamed party central, are some of the best in Asia and night owls will find a plethora of locations that cater to all, from down and dirty pubs to the continent’s best nightclubs and trendy eating joints. A must visit in LFK is Dublin Jacks, the Sleek new Irish bar that is blessed with a wonderfully friendly atmosphere, thanks to a landlord who knows his clients by name. An extra attraction is ‘The Deck’ area, a spacey chill-out area at the back of the pub that overlooks Lan Kwai Fong below.
Travel Tip: Saunter down the cobblestone streets of LFK during the ‘Happy Hours’ of 4-7pm and you will find yourself great deals on drinks many of which are available at throw-away prices or for buy-on-get-one-free deals. Hic hic hurray all the way!
Shop: From antiques to electronics to clothes and accessories to bric-a-brac, Hong Kong conjures up a smorgasbord of shopping possibilities at prices that won’t put a dent in your bank balance. The Ladies Market at Tung Choi Street, Mongkok is probably Hong Kong’s most famous street market, and one of the best for visiting tourists to soak up the hustle and bustle of a Chinese market. Despite the name, the markets sells clothes for men and women and plenty of cheap Chinese curios, as well as being one of the locations for Hong Kong’s buzzing trade in copies and fakes. Another great place to shop is in the Causeway Bay area. Probably Hong Kong’s premier shopping area, just about every square inch of Causeway Bay is covered in malls, shops and neon advertising signs. If you’re looking for the manic Hong Kong shopping experience, this is it. The area is best known for its hip, independent fashion retailers, pitched around the Fashion Walk Area. You’ll also find SOGO, Hong Kong’s biggest and best department store. The shops and streets here buzz until past 10pm.
All you ‘Mall Rats’ out there will find the your very own heaven at the Harbour City mall in Kowloon. The city’s biggest mall, Harbour City is gargantuan; at over three kilometers long the mall boasts nearly 800 shops. The shops are a fairly standard selection, albeit an endless one of international and national brands. The complex also has two separate cinemas where you can catch the latest flicks.
Travel Tip: Bargaining in Hong Kong is not only accepted, it is encouraged. The thumb rule to follow here is to immediately cut the seller’s asking price to quarter and then to negotiate to up to half. But don’t forget to keep your cool, avoid being rude and to always smile.
And finally…
Make sure to make some time and indulge in a bit of R & R at Repulse Bay. Situated in the southern part of the Hong Kong Island, Repulse Bay is a good place where you can enjoy the natural beauty of the seashore and the bays. The beach stretches long with clear azure blue water gently lapping the seashore. Its sand is golden and soft. Not far from the Repulse Bay, there is the Deep Water Bay, Middle Bay and South Bay, which are all perfect bathing beaches.
Tai Chi for Free
If by the end of your tryst with Hong Kong you find your pockets a little lighter and you still want to indulge in a bit of Chinese culture, fear not. We have the perfect solution to this. Attend the free Tai Chi lesson and demonstration at the sculpture park by the Hong Kong Museum of Art that is sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourist Association. The class takes place every morning at 8am and if for an hour long. And don’t fret; you don’t even have to know Cantonese to take the class. Since the class is meant for tourists, Master William Ng who takes the class gives out instructions in English.
(First published in Yuva)
Bahrain—a hidden gem
Offering a score of ‘off-the-beaten-track’ possibilities for your next holiday, Bahrain is a destination simply waiting to be discovered… by you!
By Raul Dias
Be prepared to counter looks of sheer surprise and confusion when you tell people that you’re off to Bahrain for a holiday. Well, for one, Bahrain isn’t one of those places that finds favourable mention in the ‘Top 10 must visit destinations’ lists drawn up annually only to recommend over and done with places that promise you a “great holiday” that leaves you with nothing more than a sense of déjà vu from your last holiday. And secondly, even if one were to consider a Middle Eastern destination for a holiday, it would most certainly be dazzling Dubai or exotic Egypt. So what makes Bahrain a holiday destination that many people around the world are slowly scoping out?
The answer to the above question is best answered in one word—unusual. The possibilities of things to do and see in Bahrain are simply endless and supremely varied. From deep sea pearl diving to scouring the souk for some great bargains to trekking its myriad forts, this tiny nation has a lot on tap. With Bahrain being a tiny place, the main area of Manama remains the centre for all tourist activity thanks to the sheer number of things to do and see here.
Over the last decade, avid divers have discovered the aquatic bounty of Bahrain with a vengeance. Diving remains one of Bahrain’s top attractions and rightly so! Pearl Diving has been the heritage of Bahrain for millennia. Today, the productive oyster beds continue to flourish providing exciting and rewarding diving opportunities all around the year. The water temperatures ranging from 34˚C during summer to 20˚C during winter, offer comfortable conditions for diving all through the year. All you divers, snorkellers and photographers out there can discover a multitude of Indo Pacific species including trigger fish, turtles, surgeon fish, grouper and barracuda cruise. And you needn’t bother about bringing your own equipment to Bahrain, scuba and snorkeling equipment, along with excursions are available here that meet the international standards through a PADI 5 Star Dive Center located in Manama. For those who haven’t had their fill of peal diving, the Museum of Pearl Diving also in Manama is considered as the most important historic buildings in Bahrain. It derives importance as being the first official center for Bahrain Courts. Today it serves as a virtual treasure trove of information both audio and visual about the ancient art of Bahraini pearl diving.
Although there are many forts in Bahrain for you to ‘Indiana Jones’ you way through, the mighty Bahrain Fort in Manama is a must visit place. The site where the fort is located is believed to have been constructed around 2800 BC, and is subsequently overlaid by various fortified settlements. The last was built during the 16th century to defend the acquisition of Portugal. The Bahrain Fort is also known as the Portuguese Fort, due to this reason. Equally impressive is the Arab Fort that is one of the first landmarks one could come across on arrival at Bahrain, due to its close proximity to the airport. The illuminated fort, when seen at night, is a truly magnificent sight.
No trip to any Middle Eastern destination is complete without a ramble through a souk that is a treat for all your senses. The Bab el-Bahrain souk in Manama is divided into two main areas—the gold souk and the cloth souk, here you can find everything from beautiful carpets of all colours and textures to Bahraini jewelery and a traditional array of spices that tickle the olfactory senses.
Another Middle Eastern cliché—oil is also well represented at the Bahrain Oil Museum is situated near the ‘Oil Well No.1’ and was inaugurated on 2nd June 1992 to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of discovery of oil in Bahrain, which was also the first country in the Middle East to do so. The museum comprises fascinating drilling equipments, old photographs, document and the working model of an oil rig.
And when all that site-seeing makes you hungry, Bahraini cuisine won’t disappoint. Shawarmas, kebabs, biryanis, mezze platters consiting of various dips like hummus and babaganouj can be found at most restaurants that dot the Exhibition Road near Joora. One of the most beautiful and interesting places to eat out in Bahrain is Mezzaluna in Manama, that is located in an old villa where the dining room is actually a glass-ceilinged courtyard where you can see the blue sky by day and the stars at night. With Friday being the Sunday of the Middle East, Friday brunch at restaurants has become a way of life for many Bahrain residents. Many restaurants offer sumptuous spreads, often accompanied by live entertainment. Among the more popular are the Jazz Brunch at Diplomat’s Al Fanar and Gulf Hotel’s weekly brunch. No meal in Bahrain can be considered complete without trying out the gahwa (Arabic coffee). It really is refreshing! A word of advice though. Remember to shake the cup gently from side to side to indicate you’re done, or else you’ll find your cup being constantly refilled!
Like this and much, much more, Bahrain has a lot to offer the intrepid traveler. Give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed.
(First published in Yuva)
By Raul Dias
Be prepared to counter looks of sheer surprise and confusion when you tell people that you’re off to Bahrain for a holiday. Well, for one, Bahrain isn’t one of those places that finds favourable mention in the ‘Top 10 must visit destinations’ lists drawn up annually only to recommend over and done with places that promise you a “great holiday” that leaves you with nothing more than a sense of déjà vu from your last holiday. And secondly, even if one were to consider a Middle Eastern destination for a holiday, it would most certainly be dazzling Dubai or exotic Egypt. So what makes Bahrain a holiday destination that many people around the world are slowly scoping out?
The answer to the above question is best answered in one word—unusual. The possibilities of things to do and see in Bahrain are simply endless and supremely varied. From deep sea pearl diving to scouring the souk for some great bargains to trekking its myriad forts, this tiny nation has a lot on tap. With Bahrain being a tiny place, the main area of Manama remains the centre for all tourist activity thanks to the sheer number of things to do and see here.
Over the last decade, avid divers have discovered the aquatic bounty of Bahrain with a vengeance. Diving remains one of Bahrain’s top attractions and rightly so! Pearl Diving has been the heritage of Bahrain for millennia. Today, the productive oyster beds continue to flourish providing exciting and rewarding diving opportunities all around the year. The water temperatures ranging from 34˚C during summer to 20˚C during winter, offer comfortable conditions for diving all through the year. All you divers, snorkellers and photographers out there can discover a multitude of Indo Pacific species including trigger fish, turtles, surgeon fish, grouper and barracuda cruise. And you needn’t bother about bringing your own equipment to Bahrain, scuba and snorkeling equipment, along with excursions are available here that meet the international standards through a PADI 5 Star Dive Center located in Manama. For those who haven’t had their fill of peal diving, the Museum of Pearl Diving also in Manama is considered as the most important historic buildings in Bahrain. It derives importance as being the first official center for Bahrain Courts. Today it serves as a virtual treasure trove of information both audio and visual about the ancient art of Bahraini pearl diving.
Although there are many forts in Bahrain for you to ‘Indiana Jones’ you way through, the mighty Bahrain Fort in Manama is a must visit place. The site where the fort is located is believed to have been constructed around 2800 BC, and is subsequently overlaid by various fortified settlements. The last was built during the 16th century to defend the acquisition of Portugal. The Bahrain Fort is also known as the Portuguese Fort, due to this reason. Equally impressive is the Arab Fort that is one of the first landmarks one could come across on arrival at Bahrain, due to its close proximity to the airport. The illuminated fort, when seen at night, is a truly magnificent sight.
No trip to any Middle Eastern destination is complete without a ramble through a souk that is a treat for all your senses. The Bab el-Bahrain souk in Manama is divided into two main areas—the gold souk and the cloth souk, here you can find everything from beautiful carpets of all colours and textures to Bahraini jewelery and a traditional array of spices that tickle the olfactory senses.
Another Middle Eastern cliché—oil is also well represented at the Bahrain Oil Museum is situated near the ‘Oil Well No.1’ and was inaugurated on 2nd June 1992 to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of discovery of oil in Bahrain, which was also the first country in the Middle East to do so. The museum comprises fascinating drilling equipments, old photographs, document and the working model of an oil rig.
And when all that site-seeing makes you hungry, Bahraini cuisine won’t disappoint. Shawarmas, kebabs, biryanis, mezze platters consiting of various dips like hummus and babaganouj can be found at most restaurants that dot the Exhibition Road near Joora. One of the most beautiful and interesting places to eat out in Bahrain is Mezzaluna in Manama, that is located in an old villa where the dining room is actually a glass-ceilinged courtyard where you can see the blue sky by day and the stars at night. With Friday being the Sunday of the Middle East, Friday brunch at restaurants has become a way of life for many Bahrain residents. Many restaurants offer sumptuous spreads, often accompanied by live entertainment. Among the more popular are the Jazz Brunch at Diplomat’s Al Fanar and Gulf Hotel’s weekly brunch. No meal in Bahrain can be considered complete without trying out the gahwa (Arabic coffee). It really is refreshing! A word of advice though. Remember to shake the cup gently from side to side to indicate you’re done, or else you’ll find your cup being constantly refilled!
Like this and much, much more, Bahrain has a lot to offer the intrepid traveler. Give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed.
(First published in Yuva)
Life is a cabernet!
Swapping his wine glass for a test tube, Raul Dias recently got down to being winemaker for a day at the Penfolds Winery in South Australia’s famed Barossa valley
“I’d much rather be downing a glass of robust cabernet than learning how to make it!” I re-issued my feeble protest for the nth time. But my incessant whining had no impact whatsoever on the deaf ears of my enthusiastic posse of friends who were driving a reluctant me from the urban comforts a city like Adelaide offers to the pastoral setting of Nuriootpa, a quaint little town in the Barossa Valley, South Australia’s premiere wine producing region.
Their goal they said was to educate me in the finer nuances of wine appreciation. And their means of doing so was unconventional to say the least. I was to be winemaker for the day at the Penfolds Winery, marrying three different types of reds with each other till I came up with a blend as unique as my own DNA.
Waiting by the handsome stone façade of the winery, Linda Benny, Penfolds startlingly young chief winemaker took me under her tutelage the moment my feet hit the gravel of the driveway. “Get scrubbed up, wear this and meet me here in the next 10 minutes,” she said in a tone that would make a weathered drill sergeant quiver in his regulation boots, while handing me a white lab coat—my uniform du jour.
Since it was way past harvesting season, I was spared the rigours of picking the grapes, extracting the juice, letting it ferment etc etc and my duty as winemaker was fast-forwarded to the point where blending three distinct varietals of red wine was my only job. A job they take very seriously at Penfolds, as it is at the blending stage that the true character of the wine starts to emerge, with each of the varietals infusing the newly amalgamated wine with a distinct flavour and depth.
Our first stop was to be the temperature controlled cavernous cellar of the winery to extract samples of their three major red wine varietals—Grenache, Shiraz and the super dry Mourvedre. Dipping our pipettes in the oak casks that were sealed with plastic bungs, we then emptied the wines in huge industrial sized test tubes and whizzed off upstairs to the laboratory where I had a serious case of high school chemistry class deja-vu thanks to the assorted paraphernalia that Linda assured me was as vital to making wine as the very grapes that go into it.
The art of blending wine, Linda explained was in the percentage of each of the three wines that go into the final blend—a very personal and subjective preference that often shows the experience (or lack thereof, in my case for example) of the winemaker. For that I first had to taste each of them separately and make notes after each session. Not forgetting the five ‘S’ theory of true wine appreciation—sight, swirl, sniff, sip and spit, I did the first four diligently, cheating every now and then on the last one.
After pouring 45% of Grenache, 25% of Shiraz and 30% of Mourvedre into a beaker and giving it a good swirl I tasted my blend which was surprisingly good for a novice. Even Linda agreed. It had just that right amount of jaminess, a hint of a tart bite and a smooth after taste. A bottle with a personalised label naming me winemaker of my own blend materialised and I decanted my concoction into it, toting it back to enjoy with my thirsty bunch of friends who declared it a vintage the moment the libation lubricated their parched throats. Well, at least I have an alternate career lined up for me in case all else fails!
(First published in Times Life)
“I’d much rather be downing a glass of robust cabernet than learning how to make it!” I re-issued my feeble protest for the nth time. But my incessant whining had no impact whatsoever on the deaf ears of my enthusiastic posse of friends who were driving a reluctant me from the urban comforts a city like Adelaide offers to the pastoral setting of Nuriootpa, a quaint little town in the Barossa Valley, South Australia’s premiere wine producing region.
Their goal they said was to educate me in the finer nuances of wine appreciation. And their means of doing so was unconventional to say the least. I was to be winemaker for the day at the Penfolds Winery, marrying three different types of reds with each other till I came up with a blend as unique as my own DNA.
Waiting by the handsome stone façade of the winery, Linda Benny, Penfolds startlingly young chief winemaker took me under her tutelage the moment my feet hit the gravel of the driveway. “Get scrubbed up, wear this and meet me here in the next 10 minutes,” she said in a tone that would make a weathered drill sergeant quiver in his regulation boots, while handing me a white lab coat—my uniform du jour.
Since it was way past harvesting season, I was spared the rigours of picking the grapes, extracting the juice, letting it ferment etc etc and my duty as winemaker was fast-forwarded to the point where blending three distinct varietals of red wine was my only job. A job they take very seriously at Penfolds, as it is at the blending stage that the true character of the wine starts to emerge, with each of the varietals infusing the newly amalgamated wine with a distinct flavour and depth.
Our first stop was to be the temperature controlled cavernous cellar of the winery to extract samples of their three major red wine varietals—Grenache, Shiraz and the super dry Mourvedre. Dipping our pipettes in the oak casks that were sealed with plastic bungs, we then emptied the wines in huge industrial sized test tubes and whizzed off upstairs to the laboratory where I had a serious case of high school chemistry class deja-vu thanks to the assorted paraphernalia that Linda assured me was as vital to making wine as the very grapes that go into it.
The art of blending wine, Linda explained was in the percentage of each of the three wines that go into the final blend—a very personal and subjective preference that often shows the experience (or lack thereof, in my case for example) of the winemaker. For that I first had to taste each of them separately and make notes after each session. Not forgetting the five ‘S’ theory of true wine appreciation—sight, swirl, sniff, sip and spit, I did the first four diligently, cheating every now and then on the last one.
After pouring 45% of Grenache, 25% of Shiraz and 30% of Mourvedre into a beaker and giving it a good swirl I tasted my blend which was surprisingly good for a novice. Even Linda agreed. It had just that right amount of jaminess, a hint of a tart bite and a smooth after taste. A bottle with a personalised label naming me winemaker of my own blend materialised and I decanted my concoction into it, toting it back to enjoy with my thirsty bunch of friends who declared it a vintage the moment the libation lubricated their parched throats. Well, at least I have an alternate career lined up for me in case all else fails!
(First published in Times Life)
Oz you like it!
From high end luxury brands to funky ‘Saturday market’ kitsch, Australia is the place to get your fill of some truly eclectic buys, as Raul Dias recently discovered while shopping his way through the land down under
Ok. It’s time for a small smidgen of a confession. Shopping never really figured on my ‘to do’ list when I excitedly put pen to paper…err, I mean finger to word processor – as I planned the finer details of my two week long trip to the land of Vegemite, Koala bears and Kylie Minogue (not in that very particular order). I mean, how can one think of Gucci and Ferragamo when lust-inducing (wanderlust that is!) images of the Grampians and Fraser Island beckons you to embrace outdoorsy Australia with hiking gear-laden arms? But fall prey to the lure of naked consumerism I did… and how!
And I blame Australia’s well kitted out airports for this. Be it Sydney’s glitzy Kingsford Smith airport or Melbourne’s Tullamarine International airport, each one of these aviation hubs is overflowing with shops hawking everything from high-end brands like Burberry and Louis Vuitton to typically Aussie sportswear makers of the likes of Billabong and the saucy Aussiebum. But this was just a prelude to what my fashion-hungry senses would be assaulted with over the next 14 days as I traipsed through the rich and diverse fabric that makes up Australia.
Let me begin with scintillating Sydney. If this city were to have a female personification then one would have to say that Sydney is a lot like Paris Hilton. On second thoughts, make that Paris Hilton on speed. In your face glamour and an uber trendy façade hiding a mischievous and rather whacky personality that she chooses to reveal only to those who get to know her intimately. And the way her denizens -- stylishly called Sydneysiders – choose to dress, reflects this rather dysfunctional equilibrium of sophistication with a quirky undercurrent to it. A well suited and booted banker sporting a tie with a kangaroo print or a pretty receptionist with sparkly butterfly clips holding her hair carelessly in place are images that are de rigueur in this city that flaunts itself to the hilt.
I began my shopping tryst with Sydney in the trendy yet relaxed inner-city strip of Oxford St, Paddington where the supercool environs of Calibre – a rather upmarket boutique – beckoned. Jostling for space among a plethora of goodies were a cornucopia of watches from the houses of Chopard, Bvlgari to Movado and the ever-trendy Rolex. A must not miss here is the wide range of suits in seasonal fabrics along with a selection of ties and shoes. For some funky dresses that are made by local designing talents, head for Leona Edmiston’s boutique that is famous for its range of flirtatiously feminine ensembles that are quite reasonable.
But for those in search of a true bargain, my advice would be to head towards the Saturday Paddington Market that has its very own legion of fans who throng it week after week. Here you will find almost everything under the sun from bric-a-brac to ceramics to typical Australiana (i.e. souvenirs). Call me a seasoned bargain hunter or a typical Indian haggler if you may, but I couldn’t resist bargaining over the price of a kitschy table lamp that had wallabies and wombats frolicking at its wooden base. And guess what? The haggling actually worked and the once AUD $50 lamp was mine for a third of that price.
For a more relaxed and less hassled shopping experience, the white canopied Rock’s Market that is shaded by the shadow of Sydney’s mighty Harbour Bridge is the perfect place to relieve yourself of some of your hard earned dosh. I was particularly impressed with wide selection of fossils and opals that sure looked like the real McCoy. Don’t miss out on the scrumptious pasties and marshmallow milkshakes that are sold from camper vans that dot the sidewalks here.
The charming Rundle Mall and nearby King William St in the heart of downtown Adelaide is laden with shops selling gorgeous opals that are mined out of Coober Pedy a little up north. I was lucky to visit a particular shop that even had a mock-up opal mine and a free museum attached to it. Again luck was on my side when I chanced upon a sale at the legendary RM Williams shoemakers where a pair of handmade calfskin boots were appropriated by me for a modest AUD $115 (approx Rs 4,500). Making my way past kiosk after gaudy kiosk peddling touristy tat like plastic boomerangs and made-in-China didgeridoos, I found myself mesmerised by the colourful and eclectic aboriginal artwork collections of the Urban Cow Studio, which gave me a true insight into Australia’s indigenous artistry.
As for gastronomy, Adelaide’s Central Market is the place to satiate all your cravings with plenty of full-bodied Australian cheeses like Colby, Cheshire, Red Leicester and deli meats that are on offer here. I made sure I didn’t miss out on the generous freebie samples that the friendly vendors plied me with before I made my purchases. But like me, if buying some exquisite wines is what you are after then do plan a trip to the Barossa Valley that is a mere hour and a half’s drive away from Adelaide. Home to around 60 wineries, the Barossa Valley is the perfect place for a day trip from Adelaide. I was fortunate enough to visit the Wolf Blass Winery in Noriootpa where I not only got a tour of the winery, but also of the attached boutique where I encountered such delectable goodies like soap and body balm made from crushed grapes, besides some world class wines of course. The quaint little Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop next door is a treasure trove offering edible goodies like pheasant liver pâté and the trés exotic quince paste that tastes divine with a spot of cheese and crackers. Stocking up on a truckload of pâté, jams and preserves – enough to feed a small country – I resolutely told myself at the cashier’s till that this was it as far as food and wine went.
But like most resolutions I diligently make, this one was meant to be broken, thanks to the plethora of irresistible candy shops that line Australia’s sunny Gold Coast. Since Mother’s Day was around the corner, virtually every candy shop had a blitzkrieg of pink-n-lace frenzy, offering all sorts of bargains that make resisting their lure almost impossible. But more than food and other diabetes-inducing delectables, the Gold Coast, especially chic Surfer’s Paradise is famous for its upmarket clothing stores that are rumoured to rival those in Rodeo Drive, LA. Broadbeach is one such shopping Mecca where you can pick up discounted designer threads of the likes of Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Chanel etc and beachwear galore. Here you jostle for space amidst avid shoppers who expertly balance their milkshakes in one hand while keeping the other free for their numerous shopping bags. The Marina Mirage mall in Main Beach is the place to see and be seen, as trendy teenagers with a serious Lindsay Lohan hangover sashay past store windows that are beautifully decorated with ethnically correct mannequins in all the united colours of humanity!
But if you’re a bargain hunter like me then you have got to pay the famous Harbour Town retail outlet a visit. It is an award winning shopping destination with more than 95 brand-direct outlet stores selling over 300 brands of the world’s top name fashions and home wares at up to 60 per cent below normal retail prices. Located on the Gold Coast Highway just 15 km north of Surfers Paradise, Harbour Town brings a sense of fun and discovery to shopping with the excitement of a street parade and imagination of a theme park. Getting my fill of shopping and of a theme park, both the shopper and the child in me were thoroughly satiated.
But after all that shopping, the adult in me was craving sustenance of the drinkable kind, so I sauntered into Broadbeach’s posh new VIP Champagne Salon aptly named Lauxes. A popular hot spot for locals in the Broadbeach dining district, Lauxes is quickly gaining an international reputation with its wide range of grand crues and lip smacking champagne cocktails it offers its thirsty patrons.
Australia proved to be a revelation of sorts for me. Here I was expecting a land where mama Kangaroos with cute Joeys in their pouches leap across the city streets in gay abandon, but what I got was the ultimate shopper’s paradise where you do encounter the odd Kangaroo in the city. And so what if it is only a made-in-China cuddly version of the real enchilada?
(First published in Time'n Style)
Ok. It’s time for a small smidgen of a confession. Shopping never really figured on my ‘to do’ list when I excitedly put pen to paper…err, I mean finger to word processor – as I planned the finer details of my two week long trip to the land of Vegemite, Koala bears and Kylie Minogue (not in that very particular order). I mean, how can one think of Gucci and Ferragamo when lust-inducing (wanderlust that is!) images of the Grampians and Fraser Island beckons you to embrace outdoorsy Australia with hiking gear-laden arms? But fall prey to the lure of naked consumerism I did… and how!
And I blame Australia’s well kitted out airports for this. Be it Sydney’s glitzy Kingsford Smith airport or Melbourne’s Tullamarine International airport, each one of these aviation hubs is overflowing with shops hawking everything from high-end brands like Burberry and Louis Vuitton to typically Aussie sportswear makers of the likes of Billabong and the saucy Aussiebum. But this was just a prelude to what my fashion-hungry senses would be assaulted with over the next 14 days as I traipsed through the rich and diverse fabric that makes up Australia.
Let me begin with scintillating Sydney. If this city were to have a female personification then one would have to say that Sydney is a lot like Paris Hilton. On second thoughts, make that Paris Hilton on speed. In your face glamour and an uber trendy façade hiding a mischievous and rather whacky personality that she chooses to reveal only to those who get to know her intimately. And the way her denizens -- stylishly called Sydneysiders – choose to dress, reflects this rather dysfunctional equilibrium of sophistication with a quirky undercurrent to it. A well suited and booted banker sporting a tie with a kangaroo print or a pretty receptionist with sparkly butterfly clips holding her hair carelessly in place are images that are de rigueur in this city that flaunts itself to the hilt.
I began my shopping tryst with Sydney in the trendy yet relaxed inner-city strip of Oxford St, Paddington where the supercool environs of Calibre – a rather upmarket boutique – beckoned. Jostling for space among a plethora of goodies were a cornucopia of watches from the houses of Chopard, Bvlgari to Movado and the ever-trendy Rolex. A must not miss here is the wide range of suits in seasonal fabrics along with a selection of ties and shoes. For some funky dresses that are made by local designing talents, head for Leona Edmiston’s boutique that is famous for its range of flirtatiously feminine ensembles that are quite reasonable.
But for those in search of a true bargain, my advice would be to head towards the Saturday Paddington Market that has its very own legion of fans who throng it week after week. Here you will find almost everything under the sun from bric-a-brac to ceramics to typical Australiana (i.e. souvenirs). Call me a seasoned bargain hunter or a typical Indian haggler if you may, but I couldn’t resist bargaining over the price of a kitschy table lamp that had wallabies and wombats frolicking at its wooden base. And guess what? The haggling actually worked and the once AUD $50 lamp was mine for a third of that price.
For a more relaxed and less hassled shopping experience, the white canopied Rock’s Market that is shaded by the shadow of Sydney’s mighty Harbour Bridge is the perfect place to relieve yourself of some of your hard earned dosh. I was particularly impressed with wide selection of fossils and opals that sure looked like the real McCoy. Don’t miss out on the scrumptious pasties and marshmallow milkshakes that are sold from camper vans that dot the sidewalks here.
The charming Rundle Mall and nearby King William St in the heart of downtown Adelaide is laden with shops selling gorgeous opals that are mined out of Coober Pedy a little up north. I was lucky to visit a particular shop that even had a mock-up opal mine and a free museum attached to it. Again luck was on my side when I chanced upon a sale at the legendary RM Williams shoemakers where a pair of handmade calfskin boots were appropriated by me for a modest AUD $115 (approx Rs 4,500). Making my way past kiosk after gaudy kiosk peddling touristy tat like plastic boomerangs and made-in-China didgeridoos, I found myself mesmerised by the colourful and eclectic aboriginal artwork collections of the Urban Cow Studio, which gave me a true insight into Australia’s indigenous artistry.
As for gastronomy, Adelaide’s Central Market is the place to satiate all your cravings with plenty of full-bodied Australian cheeses like Colby, Cheshire, Red Leicester and deli meats that are on offer here. I made sure I didn’t miss out on the generous freebie samples that the friendly vendors plied me with before I made my purchases. But like me, if buying some exquisite wines is what you are after then do plan a trip to the Barossa Valley that is a mere hour and a half’s drive away from Adelaide. Home to around 60 wineries, the Barossa Valley is the perfect place for a day trip from Adelaide. I was fortunate enough to visit the Wolf Blass Winery in Noriootpa where I not only got a tour of the winery, but also of the attached boutique where I encountered such delectable goodies like soap and body balm made from crushed grapes, besides some world class wines of course. The quaint little Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop next door is a treasure trove offering edible goodies like pheasant liver pâté and the trés exotic quince paste that tastes divine with a spot of cheese and crackers. Stocking up on a truckload of pâté, jams and preserves – enough to feed a small country – I resolutely told myself at the cashier’s till that this was it as far as food and wine went.
But like most resolutions I diligently make, this one was meant to be broken, thanks to the plethora of irresistible candy shops that line Australia’s sunny Gold Coast. Since Mother’s Day was around the corner, virtually every candy shop had a blitzkrieg of pink-n-lace frenzy, offering all sorts of bargains that make resisting their lure almost impossible. But more than food and other diabetes-inducing delectables, the Gold Coast, especially chic Surfer’s Paradise is famous for its upmarket clothing stores that are rumoured to rival those in Rodeo Drive, LA. Broadbeach is one such shopping Mecca where you can pick up discounted designer threads of the likes of Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Chanel etc and beachwear galore. Here you jostle for space amidst avid shoppers who expertly balance their milkshakes in one hand while keeping the other free for their numerous shopping bags. The Marina Mirage mall in Main Beach is the place to see and be seen, as trendy teenagers with a serious Lindsay Lohan hangover sashay past store windows that are beautifully decorated with ethnically correct mannequins in all the united colours of humanity!
But if you’re a bargain hunter like me then you have got to pay the famous Harbour Town retail outlet a visit. It is an award winning shopping destination with more than 95 brand-direct outlet stores selling over 300 brands of the world’s top name fashions and home wares at up to 60 per cent below normal retail prices. Located on the Gold Coast Highway just 15 km north of Surfers Paradise, Harbour Town brings a sense of fun and discovery to shopping with the excitement of a street parade and imagination of a theme park. Getting my fill of shopping and of a theme park, both the shopper and the child in me were thoroughly satiated.
But after all that shopping, the adult in me was craving sustenance of the drinkable kind, so I sauntered into Broadbeach’s posh new VIP Champagne Salon aptly named Lauxes. A popular hot spot for locals in the Broadbeach dining district, Lauxes is quickly gaining an international reputation with its wide range of grand crues and lip smacking champagne cocktails it offers its thirsty patrons.
Australia proved to be a revelation of sorts for me. Here I was expecting a land where mama Kangaroos with cute Joeys in their pouches leap across the city streets in gay abandon, but what I got was the ultimate shopper’s paradise where you do encounter the odd Kangaroo in the city. And so what if it is only a made-in-China cuddly version of the real enchilada?
(First published in Time'n Style)
Kangaroo Island hopping
Almost literally a hop, skip and a jump away from the mainland, the flora and fauna-rich Kangaroo Island is South Australia’s best kept little secret… well, not anymore!
By Raul Dias
The incessant droning sound that was being emitted from the tiny plane’s twin engines and the confusion in my mind were beginning to irritate me. Not that I could do much about the high-pitched hum that reminded me of a pesky mosquito with an unquenchable thirst for a tipple of human blood. But the confusion, I could deal with. On second thoughts, make that; I HAD to deal with! Why was it so tough to pinpoint the exact shade of the blue water down below that reminded me of a surrealist’s colour palette? Was it cerulean? Aquamarine maybe? Or perhaps it was azure. Coming to the conclusion that it was a shade that had yet to be classified by man, I gave up and got ready for my tryst with that enchanting little emerald jewel strewn along Australia’s southern coast -- Kangaroo Island.
With 540 km of coastline and 155 km long by 55 km wide, Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island, but the minuscule size of it’s one and only airport at Kingscote, the island’s capital town, belies this distinction. Already a half hour late thanks to a delay at the Adelaide airport which was from where I had boarded the short half hour flight, I rushed out to meet my hyperventilating friend Nikki for whom punctuality is a religion and her meticulously planned schedule, her Bible. But I couldn’t blame her impatience to hit the road ASAP. I did, after all, have only seven hours here, before my Kangaroo Island day trip ended and urban Adelaide beckoned.
My first stop on the island -- that was named after the abundance of a particular type of Kangaroo only found here -- was Seal Bay. Nestled along the island’s southern coast, Seal Bay is a playground for over 600 Australian sea-lions (Neophoca cinerea) that seem to spend all day in the pursuit of their beauty sleep. Taking the weathered wooden pathway from the astonishingly well-equipped visitor’s centre down the white sanded beach, we made our way past clusters of plump mum and baby pairs of sea-lions in various stages of their seasonal moulting, some with soft tufts of new white fur, while others, like fashion-conscious ladies, still shedding their brownish-black ‘last season togs’. But the benign giants aren’t the only residents that call this fecund paradise home, we were lucky to get a glimpse of a group of elusive Hooded Plovers as well as some white-bellied Sea-Eagles taking flight. All I truly wanted to do there right then and there was to plonk myself on the beach and commune with nature at its purest, undiluted best. But that was sadly not to be.
Lured away with the threat of abandonment, I reluctantly agreed to “haul ass” back to Nikki’s 4-wheel drive SUV, so that I could savour more of Kangaroo Island’s bounty. Looming in the horizon like an erect beacon of hope, the Cape du Couedic Lighthouse is like a sentinel guarding the eerie, almost sub-terranial grotto of Admirals Arch. A truly fascinating wild sculpture of nature, formed by an old coastal dune being cemented together, then eroded, Admirals Arch is a place where time comes to a grinding halt. A place where one’s reverie is punctured time and again by the bellowing of the New Zealand seals that bask on the jagged rocks that jut out angrily into the sea as though proving a point. Taking the boardwalk that runs around the cliff face down into the bowels of the spectacular natural grotto, we got to the viewing platform that made for a perfect photo-op with the brutal waves doing their very own number down below. The howling wind caressed us into submission as the pungent odour of seal excrement hit our nostrils, signalling that our time was up in the cave that was beginning to look like the devil’s living room of my nightmares.
Leaving my nightmares where they belonged, at the bottom of Admirals Arch, something (or rather someone) more soothing and docile beckoned. One of the things on my ‘To Do’ list when I first decided to take a trip to the land down under was just about to be struck off – a cuddle with a Koala. And the ambrosial setting of the Flinders Chase National Park was the place for my rendezvous with Leura, an adorable 5-month old Koala with a rather roving eye, or so I was told by her caretaker. As she swung her arms languorously around my neck, I could feel her tiny heart beating through her furry chest. Love at first sight? Try love at first bite as she lazily nibbled off the eucalyptus leaves I presented her as a love offering. But besides housing adorable critters like Leura, the Flinders Chase National Park is home to a variety of fauna, including Kangaroo Island kangaroos, Tammar wallabies and the endangered Cape Barren geese. Located at the western end of the island, the park is one of Australia’s largest parks covering 74,000 hectares of untouched bushland.
Sitting under the shade of a magnificent mallee scrub tree in a designated picnic area we paid heed to the rumbling of our tummies, chowing down on a scrumptious feast of Thai-style crab cakes, lemon couscous, salad, apple crumble and lubricating our throats with a bottle of a full-bodied Barossa shiraz that left me a tad fuzzy, but not as intoxicated as I was by the jaw-dropping beauty of this luscious haven.
And buzzing I was once again as the otherworldly Remarkable Rocks began to play a game of hide and go seek with my eyes, darting in and out of focus as we drove through a thicket of Tate’s grass tress towards the rock formation. A huge cluster of weather-beaten granite boulders perched on a large granite dome that drops 75 metres to the sea, these numinous icons of Kangaroo Island appear to be the creation of an extra territorial being… or perhaps it was just Mother Nature playing abstractionist sculptor for the day.
Unbelievable, but true, my seven hours were nearly up as Nikki (hyperventilating again!!) transformed into Australia’s answer to Schumi and drove a reluctant me back in time for my flight, that I secretly wished would be cancelled due to bad weather or some other ‘ heavenly boon’. But sadly that was not to be, as I said my goodbyes not just to Nikki, but to a place that will perhaps be the closest thing to the real McCoy – paradise or to use my favourite Urdu two-syllable word, jannat.
As the plane drifted away, inching closer and closer to the setting sun, I looked down and saw that the sea was now turning a deep cobalt blue. Another hue to add to the spectrum that Kangaroo Island affords one the privilege of seeing. Happy to be privy to its vivid magic, I let a smile materialise on my face… never mind that omnipresent high-pitched hum!
(First published in Sunday Mid-Day)
By Raul Dias
The incessant droning sound that was being emitted from the tiny plane’s twin engines and the confusion in my mind were beginning to irritate me. Not that I could do much about the high-pitched hum that reminded me of a pesky mosquito with an unquenchable thirst for a tipple of human blood. But the confusion, I could deal with. On second thoughts, make that; I HAD to deal with! Why was it so tough to pinpoint the exact shade of the blue water down below that reminded me of a surrealist’s colour palette? Was it cerulean? Aquamarine maybe? Or perhaps it was azure. Coming to the conclusion that it was a shade that had yet to be classified by man, I gave up and got ready for my tryst with that enchanting little emerald jewel strewn along Australia’s southern coast -- Kangaroo Island.
With 540 km of coastline and 155 km long by 55 km wide, Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island, but the minuscule size of it’s one and only airport at Kingscote, the island’s capital town, belies this distinction. Already a half hour late thanks to a delay at the Adelaide airport which was from where I had boarded the short half hour flight, I rushed out to meet my hyperventilating friend Nikki for whom punctuality is a religion and her meticulously planned schedule, her Bible. But I couldn’t blame her impatience to hit the road ASAP. I did, after all, have only seven hours here, before my Kangaroo Island day trip ended and urban Adelaide beckoned.
My first stop on the island -- that was named after the abundance of a particular type of Kangaroo only found here -- was Seal Bay. Nestled along the island’s southern coast, Seal Bay is a playground for over 600 Australian sea-lions (Neophoca cinerea) that seem to spend all day in the pursuit of their beauty sleep. Taking the weathered wooden pathway from the astonishingly well-equipped visitor’s centre down the white sanded beach, we made our way past clusters of plump mum and baby pairs of sea-lions in various stages of their seasonal moulting, some with soft tufts of new white fur, while others, like fashion-conscious ladies, still shedding their brownish-black ‘last season togs’. But the benign giants aren’t the only residents that call this fecund paradise home, we were lucky to get a glimpse of a group of elusive Hooded Plovers as well as some white-bellied Sea-Eagles taking flight. All I truly wanted to do there right then and there was to plonk myself on the beach and commune with nature at its purest, undiluted best. But that was sadly not to be.
Lured away with the threat of abandonment, I reluctantly agreed to “haul ass” back to Nikki’s 4-wheel drive SUV, so that I could savour more of Kangaroo Island’s bounty. Looming in the horizon like an erect beacon of hope, the Cape du Couedic Lighthouse is like a sentinel guarding the eerie, almost sub-terranial grotto of Admirals Arch. A truly fascinating wild sculpture of nature, formed by an old coastal dune being cemented together, then eroded, Admirals Arch is a place where time comes to a grinding halt. A place where one’s reverie is punctured time and again by the bellowing of the New Zealand seals that bask on the jagged rocks that jut out angrily into the sea as though proving a point. Taking the boardwalk that runs around the cliff face down into the bowels of the spectacular natural grotto, we got to the viewing platform that made for a perfect photo-op with the brutal waves doing their very own number down below. The howling wind caressed us into submission as the pungent odour of seal excrement hit our nostrils, signalling that our time was up in the cave that was beginning to look like the devil’s living room of my nightmares.
Leaving my nightmares where they belonged, at the bottom of Admirals Arch, something (or rather someone) more soothing and docile beckoned. One of the things on my ‘To Do’ list when I first decided to take a trip to the land down under was just about to be struck off – a cuddle with a Koala. And the ambrosial setting of the Flinders Chase National Park was the place for my rendezvous with Leura, an adorable 5-month old Koala with a rather roving eye, or so I was told by her caretaker. As she swung her arms languorously around my neck, I could feel her tiny heart beating through her furry chest. Love at first sight? Try love at first bite as she lazily nibbled off the eucalyptus leaves I presented her as a love offering. But besides housing adorable critters like Leura, the Flinders Chase National Park is home to a variety of fauna, including Kangaroo Island kangaroos, Tammar wallabies and the endangered Cape Barren geese. Located at the western end of the island, the park is one of Australia’s largest parks covering 74,000 hectares of untouched bushland.
Sitting under the shade of a magnificent mallee scrub tree in a designated picnic area we paid heed to the rumbling of our tummies, chowing down on a scrumptious feast of Thai-style crab cakes, lemon couscous, salad, apple crumble and lubricating our throats with a bottle of a full-bodied Barossa shiraz that left me a tad fuzzy, but not as intoxicated as I was by the jaw-dropping beauty of this luscious haven.
And buzzing I was once again as the otherworldly Remarkable Rocks began to play a game of hide and go seek with my eyes, darting in and out of focus as we drove through a thicket of Tate’s grass tress towards the rock formation. A huge cluster of weather-beaten granite boulders perched on a large granite dome that drops 75 metres to the sea, these numinous icons of Kangaroo Island appear to be the creation of an extra territorial being… or perhaps it was just Mother Nature playing abstractionist sculptor for the day.
Unbelievable, but true, my seven hours were nearly up as Nikki (hyperventilating again!!) transformed into Australia’s answer to Schumi and drove a reluctant me back in time for my flight, that I secretly wished would be cancelled due to bad weather or some other ‘ heavenly boon’. But sadly that was not to be, as I said my goodbyes not just to Nikki, but to a place that will perhaps be the closest thing to the real McCoy – paradise or to use my favourite Urdu two-syllable word, jannat.
As the plane drifted away, inching closer and closer to the setting sun, I looked down and saw that the sea was now turning a deep cobalt blue. Another hue to add to the spectrum that Kangaroo Island affords one the privilege of seeing. Happy to be privy to its vivid magic, I let a smile materialise on my face… never mind that omnipresent high-pitched hum!
(First published in Sunday Mid-Day)
When in Milan...
Raul Dias gets a healthy dose of decadent fashion and a whole lot more in scintillating, fascinating Milan — a city that demands all the hyperbole that is bestowed upon it
If one were to judge the 'chicness' quotient of a city by merely looking at the way its airport is kitted out, then Milan would find itself way down at the rock bottom of the 'hauter than haute' scale. Yes, Milan's incredibly ugly Malpensa International airport is an eyesore that belies the beauty and stylishness that this fashion mecca, nestled in Italy's Lombardy region, is so amply blessed with.
Stepping out of the warm womb-like environs of the cosy aircraft cabin onto the near-frozen tarmac, my jaw dropped to the level of my furry Emu boots as I stared in wide-eyed horror at the grey concrete monstrosity that wore the garb of the arrival terminal. Was I truly in Milan? Or did I just land in a 'one horse town' with a serious Soviet hangover?
My fears were soon rubbished at the passport control desk. I just had to be in Milan! And not because of the obvious stamp on my passport. My sleep-bereft, but fashionably-alert eyes quickly caught the 'GA' insignia on the coat lapel of the suave immigration offer. Was he sporting Giorgio Armani togs? Did they all wear designer uniforms? Before I could fire a volley of such questions at him, I got my answer. "It is a Giorgio Armani, Signore," the officer said with a "I'm-better-dressed-than-thou" smirk. I, at once made a mental note to myself — I'd better get used to having all that überchic style and glammed-up fashion being smacked into my face for the rest of my one day Milanese sojourn!
Not wanting to waste any time, my first stop after a quick freshening up session was... where else but the holy grail of all things fashion related — Quadrilatero d'Oro or to use the monicker Milan's 'Golden Quater'! This quarter bang in the centre of downtown Milan is home to numerous impossibly glitzy boutiques running between the Via Monte Napoleone and the Via Della Spiga, incorporating the Via Sant Andrea, Via Borgospesso, Via Gesu and Via Santo Spirito. Between these meandering streets (or to use the Italian word — Vias) are a virtual cornucopia of big international names: from Gucci to Salvatore Ferragamo, from Armani to Prada, from Tiffany and Louis Vuitton to the hip-n-happening Dolce & Gabbana. After what seemed like eternity, sifting through the wearable goodies off the racks, it was time to indulge in some goodies of the edible kind or so my rumbling tummy told me.
Finding myself ogling at the beauty of the magnificent Duomo Cathedral while munching on a crisp, hunger-satiating, authentic pepperoni pizza, minus any of those aberrations like pineapple chunks or worse cherries (!!), I couldn't but help chuckle at the diversity of Milan. On one hand you have shops upon shops hawking designer wear that are so ahead of their time, revelling in all their futuristic glory and juxtaposing all this is a monument that has such a richly-textured story of yore to tell.
The second largest Catholic cathedral in the world, the Duomo, although commissioned in 1386, by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, was only finished in the early 1800s. The building began life as a Gothic cathedral, but over the centuries the designs went through several modifications, and the finished Duomo is a strange mixture of styles, but breathtaking none the less. I was quite surprised that the rather gloomy interior of the Doumo was not as convivial as its bright exterior. Its vast spaces are dominated by huge stained-glass windows, that gently filter in the mid-day sun into the four aisles. Just inside the entrance a staircase took me down to the remains of the battistero (baptistery), where one can still see what is left of the earlier church. The Museo del Doumo that is just next door to the cathedral was my next pit stop where I took in a whole host of 14th century sculptures, furniture and stained glass pieces that spoke of the fantastic craftsmanship that Italy is so famous and proud of.
Suffering from a wee bit of 'monumental fatigue', the remedy presented itself in the form of the the Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II, who's cross like roof was something that attracted my attention while I was up on the cathedral's roof. Built in 1877, the gallery is Milan's elegant lounge with luxury boutiques and restaurants. In the centre of the gallery, the charming mosaic floor with the aspect of a carpet, shows in the center the symbol of the Savoia Royal Family. The four symbols in every part on the floor represent the capitals of the Kingdom of Italy in various periods: Milan, Turin, Florence and Rome. I was told by a friend that rubbing the groin of the bull in the central part of the floor with one's heels brings good luck. So there I was busy balling a bull, when I realised that I had barely minutes to spare before I joined the guided tour of the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie!
If there is one things that you must see while in Milan then it would have to be Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece — The Last Supper that is housed in the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie which along with the convent adjacent to it are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Spellbinding is the word most people use to describe it. I choose humbling. Humbling because Da Vinci's mastery is evident in each and every brush stroke of the painting, leaving you with a severe case of feeling worthless.
And humbled I was once again when the vastness of the Milano Castello Sforzesco surrounded me as I explored its bowels. A great significant feature of the historic memory of Milan, for over a century, the Castello has been an example of a monument restored to become a cultural receptacle — not in a static sense but one of on-going renewal. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that the Castle assumed its distinctive role, becoming a place of culture, which hosted numerous Lombard art collections which are well-preserved till today. You can't but help go into a dream-like state while marvelling at art the way art was meant to be, I know I did! Jousted out of my reverie by the security guard who pointed to his (Cartier!!) watch signalling to me that my time was up here, I bid fond adieu to the Castello.
So, as dusk began to bathe this city that exudes elegance, style and history from every pore, I sipped on a warming capuccino and nibbled on a biscotti at a roadside ristorante. "Have you had enough? Is there anything else you would like?" asked the charming waitress in her lilting Italian-accented English. "Can one ever have enough?" I answered her question with another question. A question that is best left unanswered. And I challenge anyone to answer it once Milan is done with them, because you can never be done with Milan!
(First published in Time'n Style)
If one were to judge the 'chicness' quotient of a city by merely looking at the way its airport is kitted out, then Milan would find itself way down at the rock bottom of the 'hauter than haute' scale. Yes, Milan's incredibly ugly Malpensa International airport is an eyesore that belies the beauty and stylishness that this fashion mecca, nestled in Italy's Lombardy region, is so amply blessed with.
Stepping out of the warm womb-like environs of the cosy aircraft cabin onto the near-frozen tarmac, my jaw dropped to the level of my furry Emu boots as I stared in wide-eyed horror at the grey concrete monstrosity that wore the garb of the arrival terminal. Was I truly in Milan? Or did I just land in a 'one horse town' with a serious Soviet hangover?
My fears were soon rubbished at the passport control desk. I just had to be in Milan! And not because of the obvious stamp on my passport. My sleep-bereft, but fashionably-alert eyes quickly caught the 'GA' insignia on the coat lapel of the suave immigration offer. Was he sporting Giorgio Armani togs? Did they all wear designer uniforms? Before I could fire a volley of such questions at him, I got my answer. "It is a Giorgio Armani, Signore," the officer said with a "I'm-better-dressed-than-thou" smirk. I, at once made a mental note to myself — I'd better get used to having all that überchic style and glammed-up fashion being smacked into my face for the rest of my one day Milanese sojourn!
Not wanting to waste any time, my first stop after a quick freshening up session was... where else but the holy grail of all things fashion related — Quadrilatero d'Oro or to use the monicker Milan's 'Golden Quater'! This quarter bang in the centre of downtown Milan is home to numerous impossibly glitzy boutiques running between the Via Monte Napoleone and the Via Della Spiga, incorporating the Via Sant Andrea, Via Borgospesso, Via Gesu and Via Santo Spirito. Between these meandering streets (or to use the Italian word — Vias) are a virtual cornucopia of big international names: from Gucci to Salvatore Ferragamo, from Armani to Prada, from Tiffany and Louis Vuitton to the hip-n-happening Dolce & Gabbana. After what seemed like eternity, sifting through the wearable goodies off the racks, it was time to indulge in some goodies of the edible kind or so my rumbling tummy told me.
Finding myself ogling at the beauty of the magnificent Duomo Cathedral while munching on a crisp, hunger-satiating, authentic pepperoni pizza, minus any of those aberrations like pineapple chunks or worse cherries (!!), I couldn't but help chuckle at the diversity of Milan. On one hand you have shops upon shops hawking designer wear that are so ahead of their time, revelling in all their futuristic glory and juxtaposing all this is a monument that has such a richly-textured story of yore to tell.
The second largest Catholic cathedral in the world, the Duomo, although commissioned in 1386, by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, was only finished in the early 1800s. The building began life as a Gothic cathedral, but over the centuries the designs went through several modifications, and the finished Duomo is a strange mixture of styles, but breathtaking none the less. I was quite surprised that the rather gloomy interior of the Doumo was not as convivial as its bright exterior. Its vast spaces are dominated by huge stained-glass windows, that gently filter in the mid-day sun into the four aisles. Just inside the entrance a staircase took me down to the remains of the battistero (baptistery), where one can still see what is left of the earlier church. The Museo del Doumo that is just next door to the cathedral was my next pit stop where I took in a whole host of 14th century sculptures, furniture and stained glass pieces that spoke of the fantastic craftsmanship that Italy is so famous and proud of.
Suffering from a wee bit of 'monumental fatigue', the remedy presented itself in the form of the the Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II, who's cross like roof was something that attracted my attention while I was up on the cathedral's roof. Built in 1877, the gallery is Milan's elegant lounge with luxury boutiques and restaurants. In the centre of the gallery, the charming mosaic floor with the aspect of a carpet, shows in the center the symbol of the Savoia Royal Family. The four symbols in every part on the floor represent the capitals of the Kingdom of Italy in various periods: Milan, Turin, Florence and Rome. I was told by a friend that rubbing the groin of the bull in the central part of the floor with one's heels brings good luck. So there I was busy balling a bull, when I realised that I had barely minutes to spare before I joined the guided tour of the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie!
If there is one things that you must see while in Milan then it would have to be Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece — The Last Supper that is housed in the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie which along with the convent adjacent to it are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Spellbinding is the word most people use to describe it. I choose humbling. Humbling because Da Vinci's mastery is evident in each and every brush stroke of the painting, leaving you with a severe case of feeling worthless.
And humbled I was once again when the vastness of the Milano Castello Sforzesco surrounded me as I explored its bowels. A great significant feature of the historic memory of Milan, for over a century, the Castello has been an example of a monument restored to become a cultural receptacle — not in a static sense but one of on-going renewal. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that the Castle assumed its distinctive role, becoming a place of culture, which hosted numerous Lombard art collections which are well-preserved till today. You can't but help go into a dream-like state while marvelling at art the way art was meant to be, I know I did! Jousted out of my reverie by the security guard who pointed to his (Cartier!!) watch signalling to me that my time was up here, I bid fond adieu to the Castello.
So, as dusk began to bathe this city that exudes elegance, style and history from every pore, I sipped on a warming capuccino and nibbled on a biscotti at a roadside ristorante. "Have you had enough? Is there anything else you would like?" asked the charming waitress in her lilting Italian-accented English. "Can one ever have enough?" I answered her question with another question. A question that is best left unanswered. And I challenge anyone to answer it once Milan is done with them, because you can never be done with Milan!
(First published in Time'n Style)
Gold Coast decadence—Palazzo Versace style!
From the opulent Palazzo Versace hotel, to a buzzing nightlife scene, to some hotter than hot haute cuisine, Australia’s Gold Coast has it all and then some more, as Raul Dias discovered on a trip to the land of sun and fun
It was a little after the mid-day sun was at its zenith in the lapis coloured sky, that I found myself driving a spiffy silver sedan down the multi-lane highway all footloose and fancy free, leaving the Urbs Primus of Brisbane behind in a cloud of dust. I was heading south towards a promise I had made to myself—a trip to Australia’s glamorous playground aka the Gold Coast. For some inexplicably bizarre reason, I couldn’t but help hum Sheryl Crow’s popular summer time ditty that speaks of “soaking up the sun” or something like that. And I sure am no die-hard fan of the fair-haired songstress. Never mind her nine Grammy awards and all. Blaming my temporary lapse of better taste in songs on the searing heat, I conjured up a vision in my ever-fertile mind.
There I was, lazily lounging about on a deck chair by a lagoon-like meandering pool with waters clearer than Swarovski crystal, enjoying a libation of grand cru bubbly, accompanied by a plate of delicate watercress sandwiches. My feet were getting a pampering of their own courtesy of the nimble-handed masseuse who anointed them with oils that smelt of coconut and lavender. The notes of the live three-piece jazz band resonated through the marble mausoleum-of-a-lobby and lulled me into a serene submission. Suddenly, I heard the blearing of horns that abruptly signaled the end of my daydream. Snapping back to reality, I decided that it was no better time than now to test the authenticity of a fantasy. I was after all booked into the world’s first ever Versace hotel, the Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast.
And there it was, like a mirage looming large before my very (and weary!) eyes, looking every inch a spectacular creation, bearing that unmistakable Versace logo of Medusa with her trés chic serpent hairdo. My home for the next 24 hours or so my booking letter stated. The ultra efficient check in was followed by an orientation tour of the palazzo (palace in Italian) by Carol Woods, the hotel’s marketing manager. I was explained that in keeping with traditional Italian palace design, the eight-year old Palazzo Versace bore three distinct areas with the opulent marble, chandeliered foyer and dining areas representing the meeting places of the palace, while the accommodation in the left and right wings (‘Ala Sinistra’ and ‘Ala Destra’) represented the palace residences. With 205 luxurious rooms, including 54 plush suites, the Palazzo Versace is kitted out like a diva who knows how to put on a spectacular show.
The show continued when I reached my room on the second level. Waiting there for me were my very own monogrammed bathrobe and slippers that once again paid obeisance to medusa with a gold-embroidered logo on them along with a miniature flaçon of what else but Versace perfume! Utterly content with my room, I decided to pay heed to the incessant rumbling of my tummy with an offering of food. And Boy, was I in the right place or what? As I soon learnt, the Palazzo Versace boasts of some of the best dining options in all of the Gold Coast. Even the locals often take time out from their fish-n-chips routine to dine at one of its three beautifully appointed restaurants or at the Pool Bar that serves up some delectable snacks like the poetic open-faced smoked salmon sandwich. In the mood for something more substantial than a smoked salmon sandwich, however exotic it might be, I sauntered into the informal, but elegant Il Barocco restaurant just in time for the legendary seafood buffet that it serves up every day from six in the evening right until ten at night. With a stunning view of the lagoon swimming pool, Il Barocco dishes up contemporary and classical cuisine, in a setting that is Versace from head to toe—right from the table linen to the gold rimmed water goblets. Loading my plate with goodies from the sea like grilled scampi, tuna nigiri and some fresh Tasmanian oysters, I tucked in with manic gusto, lifting my face out of my plate every now and then to sip an iced tea made from the anti oxidant rich green tea or so I was told by the Aussie chef who told me that in his spare time, he could be found riding the waves on his surfboard. Inspired by him to hit the beach (I was on the Gold Coast after all), I set off on foot towards the popular Main Beach for a spot of sand minus the sun that was beginning to caress the horizon passionately, ready to lose itself in the vast depths of the tranquil sea.
Walking along the happening Tedder Avenue that has earned itself a reputation for having some of the most excellent food and coffee places, I took in the myriad sights of young surfer dudes returning back to shore after a sunset surf, of children packing up their beach toys. Still not yet done with my walk, I meandered down the Federation Walk that stretches from The Spit in the north past the Main Beach Bathing Pavilion all the way through to Surfers Paradise. As I was told by a rather loquacious septuagenarian lady, the Federation Walk is a rewarding experience for true nature loves as it courses its way through areas that are undergoing regeneration as a littoral rainforest. After around an hour or so of walking, my trusty wristwatch indicated that it would do a lot good for me to head back to my room and jazz myself up for my meeting-over-drinks with Chantal Pike, a fellow writer and Gold Coast resident I had met earlier on in Adelaide. Her choice for our tête-à-tête was the brand new, super-hot champagne lounge—Lauxes—the Gold Coast’s version of an Adult’s Disneyland!
All I told the cabbie was “Lauxes” and ten minutes later, he pulled up outside a glass and steel edifice that took my breath away. Situated on Victoria Park, Lauxes is just opposite the legendary Conrad Jupiters Casino and Hotel with a clientele that boasts of celebrities such as Kylie Minogue and party girl extraordinaire Paris Hilton frequenting the lounge. With neither Kylie nor Paris in the house that night, I settled for Chantal who proceeded to give me a crash course on what makes Lauxes the ‘IT’ spot on the Gold Coast. As it so happens, Lauxes serves up the most impressive list of champagnes in all of the southern hemisphere boasting of some fine grand crus and award winning wines in a setting that is straight out of an episode of The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. After sampling a healthy selection of its offerings, we called it a night or should I say morning, considering that the good old watch had chimed in the witching hour a good 45 minutes ago.
Back in my room, I nibbled at the chocolate truffles that magically found themselves on my pillow and drifted off to the land of Zzzz snugly ensconced in the fine Egyptian cotton sheets. “Man, I could really get used to this life!” was the last thing I heard myself mumble as the champagne-induced sleep took over.
Rousing out of bed, I realized that I was precisely 12 minutes late for my pre-breakfast massage at the Plazzo Versace’s unique Roman Bath style spa aptly named Salus Per Aquum which means ‘Health Through Water’. But my tardiness was forgiven by Brendan Long, the spa’s managing director who introduced me to Megan, my masseuse. Like most of the hotel, the Salus Per Aquum’s interiors too are accentuated by the iconic triumvirate Versace logos of the Medusa head, the olive branch and the perfectly geometric parallel lines that gently rise into squares every now and then. Done up in pale marble mosaic, the Salus Per Aquum spa combines design features from the opulent palaces of Europe and the classical architecture of Roman times to great success. Booked in for the Body Renewal Treatment (AUD265 for 105 min) that commenced with a full body exfoliation using loofahs, soft brushes and sea salts, followed by the application of a body moisturising mask, I was all aglow and invigorated once the masseuse was done with me.
Forgoing a previously planned sumptuous feast in favour of a ‘humble’ breakfast of buttered croissants and freshly squeezed orange juice, I took one last jaunt around the fine establishment that has—thanks to its mega success—spawned another sibling in the form of the soon-to-be-ready Palazzo Versace Resort in the Arabian Bays on the Dubai Creek, that I have no doubt will be just as classy as its older sibling down under. “I’ll be back”, was what I told the valet who wished me a pleasant journey back. And I have every intention of doing just that—coming back for an encore.
P.S. Later that evening, en route back to Brisbane, I fed my destination address into the sedan’s GPS, while at the same time flicking on the radio in a futile attempt to lighten up the somber mood that the dusky evening sky has brought on. Another cheesy song was on offer—Bill Medley’s I’ve Had The Time of My Life was the choice of the mellifluous-voiced RJ. But this time, I couldn’t have agreed more with the lyrics and I joined in lustily, paying a deaf ear to the incessant honking around me. Yes, that was the extent of the ‘damage’ caused to me by my tryst with the twin seductresses—Palazzo Versace and the glitzy Gold Coast!
(First published in India Today Travel Plus)
It was a little after the mid-day sun was at its zenith in the lapis coloured sky, that I found myself driving a spiffy silver sedan down the multi-lane highway all footloose and fancy free, leaving the Urbs Primus of Brisbane behind in a cloud of dust. I was heading south towards a promise I had made to myself—a trip to Australia’s glamorous playground aka the Gold Coast. For some inexplicably bizarre reason, I couldn’t but help hum Sheryl Crow’s popular summer time ditty that speaks of “soaking up the sun” or something like that. And I sure am no die-hard fan of the fair-haired songstress. Never mind her nine Grammy awards and all. Blaming my temporary lapse of better taste in songs on the searing heat, I conjured up a vision in my ever-fertile mind.
There I was, lazily lounging about on a deck chair by a lagoon-like meandering pool with waters clearer than Swarovski crystal, enjoying a libation of grand cru bubbly, accompanied by a plate of delicate watercress sandwiches. My feet were getting a pampering of their own courtesy of the nimble-handed masseuse who anointed them with oils that smelt of coconut and lavender. The notes of the live three-piece jazz band resonated through the marble mausoleum-of-a-lobby and lulled me into a serene submission. Suddenly, I heard the blearing of horns that abruptly signaled the end of my daydream. Snapping back to reality, I decided that it was no better time than now to test the authenticity of a fantasy. I was after all booked into the world’s first ever Versace hotel, the Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast.
And there it was, like a mirage looming large before my very (and weary!) eyes, looking every inch a spectacular creation, bearing that unmistakable Versace logo of Medusa with her trés chic serpent hairdo. My home for the next 24 hours or so my booking letter stated. The ultra efficient check in was followed by an orientation tour of the palazzo (palace in Italian) by Carol Woods, the hotel’s marketing manager. I was explained that in keeping with traditional Italian palace design, the eight-year old Palazzo Versace bore three distinct areas with the opulent marble, chandeliered foyer and dining areas representing the meeting places of the palace, while the accommodation in the left and right wings (‘Ala Sinistra’ and ‘Ala Destra’) represented the palace residences. With 205 luxurious rooms, including 54 plush suites, the Palazzo Versace is kitted out like a diva who knows how to put on a spectacular show.
The show continued when I reached my room on the second level. Waiting there for me were my very own monogrammed bathrobe and slippers that once again paid obeisance to medusa with a gold-embroidered logo on them along with a miniature flaçon of what else but Versace perfume! Utterly content with my room, I decided to pay heed to the incessant rumbling of my tummy with an offering of food. And Boy, was I in the right place or what? As I soon learnt, the Palazzo Versace boasts of some of the best dining options in all of the Gold Coast. Even the locals often take time out from their fish-n-chips routine to dine at one of its three beautifully appointed restaurants or at the Pool Bar that serves up some delectable snacks like the poetic open-faced smoked salmon sandwich. In the mood for something more substantial than a smoked salmon sandwich, however exotic it might be, I sauntered into the informal, but elegant Il Barocco restaurant just in time for the legendary seafood buffet that it serves up every day from six in the evening right until ten at night. With a stunning view of the lagoon swimming pool, Il Barocco dishes up contemporary and classical cuisine, in a setting that is Versace from head to toe—right from the table linen to the gold rimmed water goblets. Loading my plate with goodies from the sea like grilled scampi, tuna nigiri and some fresh Tasmanian oysters, I tucked in with manic gusto, lifting my face out of my plate every now and then to sip an iced tea made from the anti oxidant rich green tea or so I was told by the Aussie chef who told me that in his spare time, he could be found riding the waves on his surfboard. Inspired by him to hit the beach (I was on the Gold Coast after all), I set off on foot towards the popular Main Beach for a spot of sand minus the sun that was beginning to caress the horizon passionately, ready to lose itself in the vast depths of the tranquil sea.
Walking along the happening Tedder Avenue that has earned itself a reputation for having some of the most excellent food and coffee places, I took in the myriad sights of young surfer dudes returning back to shore after a sunset surf, of children packing up their beach toys. Still not yet done with my walk, I meandered down the Federation Walk that stretches from The Spit in the north past the Main Beach Bathing Pavilion all the way through to Surfers Paradise. As I was told by a rather loquacious septuagenarian lady, the Federation Walk is a rewarding experience for true nature loves as it courses its way through areas that are undergoing regeneration as a littoral rainforest. After around an hour or so of walking, my trusty wristwatch indicated that it would do a lot good for me to head back to my room and jazz myself up for my meeting-over-drinks with Chantal Pike, a fellow writer and Gold Coast resident I had met earlier on in Adelaide. Her choice for our tête-à-tête was the brand new, super-hot champagne lounge—Lauxes—the Gold Coast’s version of an Adult’s Disneyland!
All I told the cabbie was “Lauxes” and ten minutes later, he pulled up outside a glass and steel edifice that took my breath away. Situated on Victoria Park, Lauxes is just opposite the legendary Conrad Jupiters Casino and Hotel with a clientele that boasts of celebrities such as Kylie Minogue and party girl extraordinaire Paris Hilton frequenting the lounge. With neither Kylie nor Paris in the house that night, I settled for Chantal who proceeded to give me a crash course on what makes Lauxes the ‘IT’ spot on the Gold Coast. As it so happens, Lauxes serves up the most impressive list of champagnes in all of the southern hemisphere boasting of some fine grand crus and award winning wines in a setting that is straight out of an episode of The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. After sampling a healthy selection of its offerings, we called it a night or should I say morning, considering that the good old watch had chimed in the witching hour a good 45 minutes ago.
Back in my room, I nibbled at the chocolate truffles that magically found themselves on my pillow and drifted off to the land of Zzzz snugly ensconced in the fine Egyptian cotton sheets. “Man, I could really get used to this life!” was the last thing I heard myself mumble as the champagne-induced sleep took over.
Rousing out of bed, I realized that I was precisely 12 minutes late for my pre-breakfast massage at the Plazzo Versace’s unique Roman Bath style spa aptly named Salus Per Aquum which means ‘Health Through Water’. But my tardiness was forgiven by Brendan Long, the spa’s managing director who introduced me to Megan, my masseuse. Like most of the hotel, the Salus Per Aquum’s interiors too are accentuated by the iconic triumvirate Versace logos of the Medusa head, the olive branch and the perfectly geometric parallel lines that gently rise into squares every now and then. Done up in pale marble mosaic, the Salus Per Aquum spa combines design features from the opulent palaces of Europe and the classical architecture of Roman times to great success. Booked in for the Body Renewal Treatment (AUD265 for 105 min) that commenced with a full body exfoliation using loofahs, soft brushes and sea salts, followed by the application of a body moisturising mask, I was all aglow and invigorated once the masseuse was done with me.
Forgoing a previously planned sumptuous feast in favour of a ‘humble’ breakfast of buttered croissants and freshly squeezed orange juice, I took one last jaunt around the fine establishment that has—thanks to its mega success—spawned another sibling in the form of the soon-to-be-ready Palazzo Versace Resort in the Arabian Bays on the Dubai Creek, that I have no doubt will be just as classy as its older sibling down under. “I’ll be back”, was what I told the valet who wished me a pleasant journey back. And I have every intention of doing just that—coming back for an encore.
P.S. Later that evening, en route back to Brisbane, I fed my destination address into the sedan’s GPS, while at the same time flicking on the radio in a futile attempt to lighten up the somber mood that the dusky evening sky has brought on. Another cheesy song was on offer—Bill Medley’s I’ve Had The Time of My Life was the choice of the mellifluous-voiced RJ. But this time, I couldn’t have agreed more with the lyrics and I joined in lustily, paying a deaf ear to the incessant honking around me. Yes, that was the extent of the ‘damage’ caused to me by my tryst with the twin seductresses—Palazzo Versace and the glitzy Gold Coast!
(First published in India Today Travel Plus)
Monday, February 8, 2010
Heady Hobart!
With plenty of ‘off-the-beaten-track’ action on tap, Hobart, Tasmania has it all from superb food and wine to some great outdoor action you simply can’t get enough of
By Raul Dias
My sleep-bereft eyes that were threatening to go on strike a few minutes earlier on the plane in from Melbourne were suddenly making no such demands! Well, to be brutally honest they didn’t have a choice. Absolutely nothing prepares you for the spell-binding beauty that one encounters when you step onto the tarmac of Hobart’s tiny airport. With a decidedly autumnal nip in the air and the leaves kitting themselves out in their latest ‘fall’ colours of burnt Sienna mixed with a little ochre, Hobart was putting on a spectacular show for me and I was loving every minute of it. With just 24 hours in Hobart factored into the elaborate Southern Australian itinerary that I had prepared for myself, I was going to make the most of my tryst with this neglected little gem of a place.
As Australia’s second oldest city, charming Hobart is a great introduction to the relaxed Tasmanian way of life that is enhanced by some of the finest cool climate wines, a throbbing art scene and a vibrant personality that make this getaway one of the most engaging smaller cities in the world. Nestled in the hills beneath the mighty Mt Wellington, with the sinuous River Derwent coursing languorously though it, Hobart is the perfect answer for the traveller who demands a little ‘off-the-beaten-track’ action. With an impressive aquamarine-hued waterfront that is dotted with delightful eateries rustling up the staples—fish and chips and platters of some of the freshest oysters you will ever eat, Hobart takes care of all your hedonistic pleasures.
A pleasure top most on my mind that morning was checking into the Islington Hotel that came highly recommended by a rather fussy friend of mine back in Melbourne. Run by a young couple, Amy and Nicholas Parkinson-Bates, the Islington Hotel was built in 1847 and has been carefully restored to showcase its original glory with its fine Regency architecture. Decorated with fine artworks and furnished with antiques, this hotel has just 11 rooms, each decorated differently.
Bags stowed in my comfortable room, I needed comfort of another type—the edible kind! And Hobart sure proved to be a veritable Mecca for the die-hard foodie in me. Home to some of the freshest seafood you will ever have the honour of eating, Fish Frenzy on St Elizabeth Pier is a relaxed mom-n-pop kind of place that turns out a mean seafood chowder that I relished with manic gusto along with a side order of fresh Tasmanian oysters and all washed down with an anti-oxidant rich glass of green tea iced tea. With a belly full of the sea’s bounty, it was time pay obeisance to the sea in another way. Despite my lifelong affliction for fast speed, nothing prepared me for the high-octane action the Wild Things Adventure’s Betsey Island Blast Speed Boat Tour had in store for me. Moored at Watermans Dock in central Hobart, the 11.3-metre Wild Thing has two 300 horsepower motors. The boat can take up to 26 passengers on a thrilling ride around the River Derwent and then on to Betsey Island in Storm Bay. The sheer speed of the boat is enough to give any seasoned ‘Speed Monster’ the heebie-jeebies and I speak from personal experience as I still mourn the loss of my treasured beanie cap that was the only speed casualty (thankfully!) that day.
Being a Saturday, the weekly Salamanca Market at Salamanca Place right next to Watermans Dock was already buzzing with commerce as I navigated my way though the hoards of locals snapping up everything from the unusual lip-smacking chilli beer to the mundane bric-a-brac and other assorted touristy tat. With plenty of live bands setting up shop at the market, the atmosphere was festive and rather reminiscent of an open air concert that was all for free!
Having had a bite of a home made kangaroo pie with gravy and mash at one of the many food stalls at the Salamanca Market, I was ready to work it all off at the nearby Sorell Fruit Farm. Offering their guests a unique hands-on experience of picking fruit on a true-blue Tasmanian fruit orchard, Elaine and Bob Hardy grow everything from apples and cherries to the more exotic and unheard of berry varietals like silvanberries and the scrumptious jostaberries. Basket in hand, I had one singular mission on my mind—to pick as many strawberries that were humanly possible so as to take them back to Amy Parkinson-Bates at the Islington Hotel to whip them into a post-supper strawberry tart that I had heard legends about. Mission accomplished after a back-breaking hour, my aching body was craving sustenance of the drinkable kind.
Back in central Hobart the Lark Distillery proved to be my heaven with the lip smacking variety of libations it had on tap that truly reflect the Tasmanian way of life in every sip. Downing a quick sot of the ultra-potent pepperberry vodka I sauntered down for dinner to Monty’s in Battery Point that is even rumoured to have its very own poltergeist—a naughty girl called Susan. Monty’s is a delightful ‘Contemporary Tasmanian’ restaurant that has earned a strong reputation for its simple, elegant food made from the freshest local produce available. Housed in a restored 1890s cottage, close to the popular Salamanca Place precinct, Monty’s menu is re-invented each month to keep in-tune with Tasmania’s seasons. My roast dinner of rare-breed local Wessex saddleback pig and a serving Coal River Valley venison with a cheese platter was complemented perfectly with the robustness of the local Pinot Noir. A fitting end to my solitary day in a place that deserves all the hyperbole that is bestowed upon it.
P.S. And no, I didn’t encounter any spirit called Susan on my trip to Tasmania, but I did have a rather successful tryst with the spirit of Hobart that haunts me to this very day!
(First published in The Sunday Indian Express Eye)
By Raul Dias
My sleep-bereft eyes that were threatening to go on strike a few minutes earlier on the plane in from Melbourne were suddenly making no such demands! Well, to be brutally honest they didn’t have a choice. Absolutely nothing prepares you for the spell-binding beauty that one encounters when you step onto the tarmac of Hobart’s tiny airport. With a decidedly autumnal nip in the air and the leaves kitting themselves out in their latest ‘fall’ colours of burnt Sienna mixed with a little ochre, Hobart was putting on a spectacular show for me and I was loving every minute of it. With just 24 hours in Hobart factored into the elaborate Southern Australian itinerary that I had prepared for myself, I was going to make the most of my tryst with this neglected little gem of a place.
As Australia’s second oldest city, charming Hobart is a great introduction to the relaxed Tasmanian way of life that is enhanced by some of the finest cool climate wines, a throbbing art scene and a vibrant personality that make this getaway one of the most engaging smaller cities in the world. Nestled in the hills beneath the mighty Mt Wellington, with the sinuous River Derwent coursing languorously though it, Hobart is the perfect answer for the traveller who demands a little ‘off-the-beaten-track’ action. With an impressive aquamarine-hued waterfront that is dotted with delightful eateries rustling up the staples—fish and chips and platters of some of the freshest oysters you will ever eat, Hobart takes care of all your hedonistic pleasures.
A pleasure top most on my mind that morning was checking into the Islington Hotel that came highly recommended by a rather fussy friend of mine back in Melbourne. Run by a young couple, Amy and Nicholas Parkinson-Bates, the Islington Hotel was built in 1847 and has been carefully restored to showcase its original glory with its fine Regency architecture. Decorated with fine artworks and furnished with antiques, this hotel has just 11 rooms, each decorated differently.
Bags stowed in my comfortable room, I needed comfort of another type—the edible kind! And Hobart sure proved to be a veritable Mecca for the die-hard foodie in me. Home to some of the freshest seafood you will ever have the honour of eating, Fish Frenzy on St Elizabeth Pier is a relaxed mom-n-pop kind of place that turns out a mean seafood chowder that I relished with manic gusto along with a side order of fresh Tasmanian oysters and all washed down with an anti-oxidant rich glass of green tea iced tea. With a belly full of the sea’s bounty, it was time pay obeisance to the sea in another way. Despite my lifelong affliction for fast speed, nothing prepared me for the high-octane action the Wild Things Adventure’s Betsey Island Blast Speed Boat Tour had in store for me. Moored at Watermans Dock in central Hobart, the 11.3-metre Wild Thing has two 300 horsepower motors. The boat can take up to 26 passengers on a thrilling ride around the River Derwent and then on to Betsey Island in Storm Bay. The sheer speed of the boat is enough to give any seasoned ‘Speed Monster’ the heebie-jeebies and I speak from personal experience as I still mourn the loss of my treasured beanie cap that was the only speed casualty (thankfully!) that day.
Being a Saturday, the weekly Salamanca Market at Salamanca Place right next to Watermans Dock was already buzzing with commerce as I navigated my way though the hoards of locals snapping up everything from the unusual lip-smacking chilli beer to the mundane bric-a-brac and other assorted touristy tat. With plenty of live bands setting up shop at the market, the atmosphere was festive and rather reminiscent of an open air concert that was all for free!
Having had a bite of a home made kangaroo pie with gravy and mash at one of the many food stalls at the Salamanca Market, I was ready to work it all off at the nearby Sorell Fruit Farm. Offering their guests a unique hands-on experience of picking fruit on a true-blue Tasmanian fruit orchard, Elaine and Bob Hardy grow everything from apples and cherries to the more exotic and unheard of berry varietals like silvanberries and the scrumptious jostaberries. Basket in hand, I had one singular mission on my mind—to pick as many strawberries that were humanly possible so as to take them back to Amy Parkinson-Bates at the Islington Hotel to whip them into a post-supper strawberry tart that I had heard legends about. Mission accomplished after a back-breaking hour, my aching body was craving sustenance of the drinkable kind.
Back in central Hobart the Lark Distillery proved to be my heaven with the lip smacking variety of libations it had on tap that truly reflect the Tasmanian way of life in every sip. Downing a quick sot of the ultra-potent pepperberry vodka I sauntered down for dinner to Monty’s in Battery Point that is even rumoured to have its very own poltergeist—a naughty girl called Susan. Monty’s is a delightful ‘Contemporary Tasmanian’ restaurant that has earned a strong reputation for its simple, elegant food made from the freshest local produce available. Housed in a restored 1890s cottage, close to the popular Salamanca Place precinct, Monty’s menu is re-invented each month to keep in-tune with Tasmania’s seasons. My roast dinner of rare-breed local Wessex saddleback pig and a serving Coal River Valley venison with a cheese platter was complemented perfectly with the robustness of the local Pinot Noir. A fitting end to my solitary day in a place that deserves all the hyperbole that is bestowed upon it.
P.S. And no, I didn’t encounter any spirit called Susan on my trip to Tasmania, but I did have a rather successful tryst with the spirit of Hobart that haunts me to this very day!
(First published in The Sunday Indian Express Eye)
A Novel Experience
Reveling in all its glory with its ancient history and spell-binding architecture, the eternal city of Rome shows us another more mysterious side to it on a tour based on the Dan Brown novel and now motion picture—Angels and Demons. By Raul Dias
En route to fashionable Milan from Mumbai, I’m flying somewhere over Turkey or so the onscreen flight show on channel number 2 lets me know. As the tiny blip that represents me and my co-passengers inches forward towards a boot-shaped country, a smile materializes on my travel-weary face. But then Italy always seems to have that effect on me. Images of the mastery of Giovanni Bernini and Leonardo Da Vinci, the sheer magnitude of the mighty Coliseum and the divine Sistine Chapel all intermingle in a high-octane orgiastic frenzy in the confines my bedazzled mind. I put down the book that I have just finished reading and indulge a bit more in my lustful day dreaming. Suddenly a mellifluous voice speaking in lilting Italian-accented English snaps me out of my reverie. “Have you taken the tour?” a statuesque flight attendant asks me as she refreshes my Campari on the rocks. “Sorry? What tour?” I ask in surprise. “The Angels and Demons tour Signore,” she says, pointing to the book lying face down on the tray table. “I strongly recommend doing it if you liked the book,” she says with a smile. “Why not? Rome it is then!” I hear myself say, as I get ready to relive the mysteries of Dan Brown’s page turner in first person…
The cool Roman air is perfumed by the heady smell of the amaretto-laced Caffé Corretto that attempts to keep me awake. Beat from my 7am flight in from Milan, I find myself congregating with a dozen other tourists in the Piazza del Popolo waiting for the tour guide to rendezvous with us. On the suggestion of the flight attendant, I had already pre-booked my four hour Angels and Demons tour online and all that is left for me to do is to walk the path of the Illuminati.
For the uninitiated, the Dan Brown novel Angels and Demons, that has spawned the aforesaid tour, is a high-octane rollercoaster ride that brings an ancient secret organization, the Illuminati, and the Vatican together in a present-day battle for ‘politico-religious’ control. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon must join forces with scientist Vittoria Vetra in a frantic race to save the Vatican from a powerful bomb which threatens to destroy it and the cardinals who have gathered within the Sistine Chapel to elect the next Pope. Their journey takes them (and us vicariously!) across Rome and into cathedrals, piazzas and the Illuminati lair—the Castel Sant’Angelo. Along the way, they uncover many secrets, including who is responsible for the threat to the Vatican. In the end, they save the Vatican from the sinister annihilation plans.
Bang on the dot of 9.30am the silence around us is punctured with a raucous shout that originates from a rather stocky, bearded man in a red shirt and jeans who calls himself Massimo—our tour guide du jour. He hands us our very own copies of the map of the Illuminati path and we are set, stretching before us our first stop is the Piazza del Popolo that means the square of the people. “This piazza was designed in the neoclassical style by the architect Giuseppe Valadier, and was once a place for public executions,” Massimo lets us know this gory tid-bit as he mimics a guillotine slicing through a human head, sound effects et al.
The riveting Fontana del Nettuno and the obelisk from Heliopolis, Egypt are the crowning glory of the piazza that also houses a very important ‘character’ in Angels and Demons—St. Maria del Popolo Church. This is the place where the protagonist Robert Langdon finds the body of the first missing Cardinal branded with the Earth anagram—the first in a series of associations with the Illuminati’s four primordial elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
The 11th century stone church stands at the base of a hill on the southeast corner of the piazza and houses the Bernini masterpiece, the sculpture of Habakkuk and the Angel in the church’s Chigi Chapel. Featuring some amazing works of art by greats like Caravaggio, Pinturicchio and sculptures by Andrea Bregno, the church’s dome is clearly inspired by Michelangelo’s similar work in the Sistine Chapel. Massimo tells us that the St. Maria del Popolo church’s current facade was updated by Bernini in the Baroque to give the church a more “modern” look. He also makes it a point to let us know that the Chigi Chapel that is named after the banker Agostini Chigi, is decorated with a mosaic called ‘Creation of the World’ designed by Raphael. “This is rather unique! Since, by the time of the Renaissance, mosaics were somewhat archaic, if not old-fashioned,” quips Martin Baumgartner, an American art history professor who has taken the tour “just to test its authenticity,” he tells us. So far he has no complaints!
But there is nothing old-fashioned about the super comfortable coach with a killer music system that whizzes us away from the divinity of the St. Maria del Popolo Church to our next stop—St Peter’s Square in the Vatican, the very nerve centre of Catholicism. “Although it is a known fact that Michelangelo designed the St Peter’s Basilica, St Peter’s Square is another one of Bernini’s creations,” Massimo lets us know almost conspiratorially as he herds us off the coach in a comical single file.
In the centre of the square another obelisk rises 81-feet tall in all its verticality, as an army of the Vatican’s Swiss Guards march past it. Emperor Caligula’s 350-ton obelisk also has atop it a hollow iron cross that was affixed in 1656. It was at the West Ponente wind rose tile located on the west side of the base of the obelisk that Langdon made his second ghastly discovery that was dedicated to the second element—Air.
Although we issue feeble protests to stay here a little longer and marvel at the gargantuan square and the largest church in the world, Massimo will have none of it and he placates us with a promise that we will be returning here shortly for the “climax” of our tour. So off we are again on our modern day ‘chariot’ cruising through Rome on to our third stop of the tour that was turning out to be worth every € 56 that I had spent on it.
The St. Maria della Vittoria Church that was first named San Paolo was built in the 15th century by the Discalced Carmelite Friars and its façade is by Giovanni Battista Soria. But it is what is inside the edifice that is vital to the Angels and Demons tour. Bernini’s magnificent sculpture, Ecstasy of St Teresa that was once banished out of the Vatican by Pope Urban VIII due to it being too sexually explicit is housed here. The sculpture depicts St Teresa on her back with a Seraph Angel (the fire angel) about to pierce her with his fiery spear. And it was here that Langdon finds the Illuminati abductor in the act of setting the third missing cardinal on fire—the third and penultimate element.
A quick detour to the Pantheon that also features in the novel is next on the cards and we are given a crash course on the wonders of this monument that was once a temple to many gods hence the name Pantheon which means pan (many) and theon (gods). It is also here that Raphael was reburied in 1759 as part of a historic tribute to eminent Italians.
And as the mid-day sun warms us up a bit along with the steaming cappuccino that Massimo has materialized out of thin air, we carry on foot to the nearby Piazza Navona for our tryst with the fourth element—water and some more Bernini.
Nowhere else in Rome is Bernini’s genius more apparent than at the Piazza Navona that is dotted with masterpieces everywhere you look. A Michael Jackson impersonator threatens to distract us with his moon walking antics, but thankfully Bernini triumphs this time. The main attraction of the Piazza Navona is the central and largest fountain, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (fountain of the four rivers). It was constructed between 1647 and 1651 on the request of the Pope Innocent X. The design of the fountain—where Langdon makes his watery night-time discovery, theatrically illuminated in the dark—was first commissioned to Borromini, but it was ultimately handed to Bernini. The fountain features four figures, each representing a river from a different continent - the Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio della Plata.
Back on the coach trying to keep up with Massimo’s Italian rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I will survive’, we roll down the cobblestone streets to the Castel Sant’Angelo where we have to alight just before the Bridge of Angels and make our way on foot to the castle at the end of it. Now a museum, the Castel Sant’Angelo was built as a cylindrical mausoleum by Rome’s Emperor Hadrian on the Tiber river. It was then converted into a military fortress before the Pope fortified it in the 14th century. The castle is named after the statue of Archangel Michael found on top. In the novel the castle serves as The Church of Illumination and it sure looks every bit imposing! After a hurried wander through the castle, Massimo herds us back on to the coach. He does after all have a promise to keep.
True to his word, the last stop on Massimo’s detailed itinerary is a trip back to the Vatican, this time to peek at the end of the ‘Il Passetto’ or the secret subterranean passage that links the Vatican and the Castel Sant’Angelo. Although we can’t really see the passage, Massimo assures us that it was there and we take his word for it.
13.30pm: A quick glance at my watch indicates that we are done with the tour. But are we done with Rome? Not a chance! How can anyone ever be done with Rome?
(First published in India Today Travel Plus)
En route to fashionable Milan from Mumbai, I’m flying somewhere over Turkey or so the onscreen flight show on channel number 2 lets me know. As the tiny blip that represents me and my co-passengers inches forward towards a boot-shaped country, a smile materializes on my travel-weary face. But then Italy always seems to have that effect on me. Images of the mastery of Giovanni Bernini and Leonardo Da Vinci, the sheer magnitude of the mighty Coliseum and the divine Sistine Chapel all intermingle in a high-octane orgiastic frenzy in the confines my bedazzled mind. I put down the book that I have just finished reading and indulge a bit more in my lustful day dreaming. Suddenly a mellifluous voice speaking in lilting Italian-accented English snaps me out of my reverie. “Have you taken the tour?” a statuesque flight attendant asks me as she refreshes my Campari on the rocks. “Sorry? What tour?” I ask in surprise. “The Angels and Demons tour Signore,” she says, pointing to the book lying face down on the tray table. “I strongly recommend doing it if you liked the book,” she says with a smile. “Why not? Rome it is then!” I hear myself say, as I get ready to relive the mysteries of Dan Brown’s page turner in first person…
The cool Roman air is perfumed by the heady smell of the amaretto-laced Caffé Corretto that attempts to keep me awake. Beat from my 7am flight in from Milan, I find myself congregating with a dozen other tourists in the Piazza del Popolo waiting for the tour guide to rendezvous with us. On the suggestion of the flight attendant, I had already pre-booked my four hour Angels and Demons tour online and all that is left for me to do is to walk the path of the Illuminati.
For the uninitiated, the Dan Brown novel Angels and Demons, that has spawned the aforesaid tour, is a high-octane rollercoaster ride that brings an ancient secret organization, the Illuminati, and the Vatican together in a present-day battle for ‘politico-religious’ control. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon must join forces with scientist Vittoria Vetra in a frantic race to save the Vatican from a powerful bomb which threatens to destroy it and the cardinals who have gathered within the Sistine Chapel to elect the next Pope. Their journey takes them (and us vicariously!) across Rome and into cathedrals, piazzas and the Illuminati lair—the Castel Sant’Angelo. Along the way, they uncover many secrets, including who is responsible for the threat to the Vatican. In the end, they save the Vatican from the sinister annihilation plans.
Bang on the dot of 9.30am the silence around us is punctured with a raucous shout that originates from a rather stocky, bearded man in a red shirt and jeans who calls himself Massimo—our tour guide du jour. He hands us our very own copies of the map of the Illuminati path and we are set, stretching before us our first stop is the Piazza del Popolo that means the square of the people. “This piazza was designed in the neoclassical style by the architect Giuseppe Valadier, and was once a place for public executions,” Massimo lets us know this gory tid-bit as he mimics a guillotine slicing through a human head, sound effects et al.
The riveting Fontana del Nettuno and the obelisk from Heliopolis, Egypt are the crowning glory of the piazza that also houses a very important ‘character’ in Angels and Demons—St. Maria del Popolo Church. This is the place where the protagonist Robert Langdon finds the body of the first missing Cardinal branded with the Earth anagram—the first in a series of associations with the Illuminati’s four primordial elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
The 11th century stone church stands at the base of a hill on the southeast corner of the piazza and houses the Bernini masterpiece, the sculpture of Habakkuk and the Angel in the church’s Chigi Chapel. Featuring some amazing works of art by greats like Caravaggio, Pinturicchio and sculptures by Andrea Bregno, the church’s dome is clearly inspired by Michelangelo’s similar work in the Sistine Chapel. Massimo tells us that the St. Maria del Popolo church’s current facade was updated by Bernini in the Baroque to give the church a more “modern” look. He also makes it a point to let us know that the Chigi Chapel that is named after the banker Agostini Chigi, is decorated with a mosaic called ‘Creation of the World’ designed by Raphael. “This is rather unique! Since, by the time of the Renaissance, mosaics were somewhat archaic, if not old-fashioned,” quips Martin Baumgartner, an American art history professor who has taken the tour “just to test its authenticity,” he tells us. So far he has no complaints!
But there is nothing old-fashioned about the super comfortable coach with a killer music system that whizzes us away from the divinity of the St. Maria del Popolo Church to our next stop—St Peter’s Square in the Vatican, the very nerve centre of Catholicism. “Although it is a known fact that Michelangelo designed the St Peter’s Basilica, St Peter’s Square is another one of Bernini’s creations,” Massimo lets us know almost conspiratorially as he herds us off the coach in a comical single file.
In the centre of the square another obelisk rises 81-feet tall in all its verticality, as an army of the Vatican’s Swiss Guards march past it. Emperor Caligula’s 350-ton obelisk also has atop it a hollow iron cross that was affixed in 1656. It was at the West Ponente wind rose tile located on the west side of the base of the obelisk that Langdon made his second ghastly discovery that was dedicated to the second element—Air.
Although we issue feeble protests to stay here a little longer and marvel at the gargantuan square and the largest church in the world, Massimo will have none of it and he placates us with a promise that we will be returning here shortly for the “climax” of our tour. So off we are again on our modern day ‘chariot’ cruising through Rome on to our third stop of the tour that was turning out to be worth every € 56 that I had spent on it.
The St. Maria della Vittoria Church that was first named San Paolo was built in the 15th century by the Discalced Carmelite Friars and its façade is by Giovanni Battista Soria. But it is what is inside the edifice that is vital to the Angels and Demons tour. Bernini’s magnificent sculpture, Ecstasy of St Teresa that was once banished out of the Vatican by Pope Urban VIII due to it being too sexually explicit is housed here. The sculpture depicts St Teresa on her back with a Seraph Angel (the fire angel) about to pierce her with his fiery spear. And it was here that Langdon finds the Illuminati abductor in the act of setting the third missing cardinal on fire—the third and penultimate element.
A quick detour to the Pantheon that also features in the novel is next on the cards and we are given a crash course on the wonders of this monument that was once a temple to many gods hence the name Pantheon which means pan (many) and theon (gods). It is also here that Raphael was reburied in 1759 as part of a historic tribute to eminent Italians.
And as the mid-day sun warms us up a bit along with the steaming cappuccino that Massimo has materialized out of thin air, we carry on foot to the nearby Piazza Navona for our tryst with the fourth element—water and some more Bernini.
Nowhere else in Rome is Bernini’s genius more apparent than at the Piazza Navona that is dotted with masterpieces everywhere you look. A Michael Jackson impersonator threatens to distract us with his moon walking antics, but thankfully Bernini triumphs this time. The main attraction of the Piazza Navona is the central and largest fountain, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (fountain of the four rivers). It was constructed between 1647 and 1651 on the request of the Pope Innocent X. The design of the fountain—where Langdon makes his watery night-time discovery, theatrically illuminated in the dark—was first commissioned to Borromini, but it was ultimately handed to Bernini. The fountain features four figures, each representing a river from a different continent - the Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio della Plata.
Back on the coach trying to keep up with Massimo’s Italian rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I will survive’, we roll down the cobblestone streets to the Castel Sant’Angelo where we have to alight just before the Bridge of Angels and make our way on foot to the castle at the end of it. Now a museum, the Castel Sant’Angelo was built as a cylindrical mausoleum by Rome’s Emperor Hadrian on the Tiber river. It was then converted into a military fortress before the Pope fortified it in the 14th century. The castle is named after the statue of Archangel Michael found on top. In the novel the castle serves as The Church of Illumination and it sure looks every bit imposing! After a hurried wander through the castle, Massimo herds us back on to the coach. He does after all have a promise to keep.
True to his word, the last stop on Massimo’s detailed itinerary is a trip back to the Vatican, this time to peek at the end of the ‘Il Passetto’ or the secret subterranean passage that links the Vatican and the Castel Sant’Angelo. Although we can’t really see the passage, Massimo assures us that it was there and we take his word for it.
13.30pm: A quick glance at my watch indicates that we are done with the tour. But are we done with Rome? Not a chance! How can anyone ever be done with Rome?
(First published in India Today Travel Plus)
A new gender war!
The war of the sexes has found a new battleground—the menu card, forcing Raul Dias to ask “who put the gender in my food?”
The crimson sun is bidding us a languid adieu as we, a motley bunch of six friends congregate at AER, The Four Season Mumbai’s 34th floor rooftop bar and lounge for what else, but a round of sundowners that truly put the R back into relaxation. Round one over and done with, we decide to go against convention for round two as far as our choice of drinks goes. So, it’s a pitcher of beer for the three ladies, while we gents opt for a troika of cosmopolitans. The well-heeled waiter arrives almost instantly back with our order and proceeds to place before the ladies the cosmopolitans, while my two male friends and I are served the beer. “Err…it’s the other way round—we get the cosmopolitans and they the beers,” I tell the stunned waiter who shoots us with a what-kind-of-wusses-drink-cosmopolitans look. That was it! I decide there and then that I HAVE TO finally take a stand for all mankind (and even womankind) and scream out loud from the rooftop (literally!) --“Who put the gender in my food??!!
For years we have been socially conditioned into the belief that while a tipple of single malt is a man’s drink, a screwdriver is a decidedly feminine libation. The fact notwithstanding that I personally know more women (my mum included) who love to nurse a tumbler of Talisker than men! So who are we to decide the gender of a drink or even a dish for that matter?
If going by the way tandoori chicken is perceived in India, then testosterone must be one of its main ingredients. Time and again our senses have been ‘assaulted’ with images of villains like Gabbar Singh and his ilk brandishing a leg of tandoori chicken while biting into it in true cave man fashion. Au contraire, one of the tastiest laddoos we get in India—the deek laddoo—made from the sap of the gum tree, is supposed to be a ‘ladies only’ post-delivery, strength-giving elixir. But try telling that to my 6’2”, 95 kg buddy Adil who can see off a kilogram of the stuff in one go.
Men love their medium-rare steak while women prefer a delicate garden salad—who says so? Walk into any steak house, be it Kolkata’s iconic Peter Cat or New Delhi’s Smoke House Grill and check out the number of women going in for a piece of meat (the edible kind that is!). On the other hand, give the pure vegetarian Amitabh Bachchan a crisp salad any day and he’ll lap it up with manic gusto, a former co-star of his once told me.
The British have gone one step further in perfecting the art of this ‘genderisation’ of food. Even some of the names of their dishes are laced with unnecessary machismo. Shepherd’s Pie is one of them and so is the rather vulgar sounding Spotted Dick, which is in fact, an innocuous and quite tasty steamed suet pudding served with custard. They even apply gender to specific meals. Tea and the social hullabaloo they make out of the ceremonial tea party is as feminine as a coiffered poodle with pink pom poms. Dainty cucumber and watercress sandwiches cut into fancy shapes served with petits fours, scones with Chantilly cream and meringues on pretty lace doilies washed down with demitasses of mild Earl Grey, all conjure up images of Victorian ladies in summer hats sitting in the garden sipping tea, pinkie finger raised et al.
One of my favourite movies Moonlight and Valentino, has a line by Gwyneth Paltrow who says “why should my soup have a gender?” when told that soup is like a comforting elder sister. I couldn’t agree with her more. And why shouldn’t I? Being an avid lover of food and drink, I refuse to join the alarmists and denounce certain dishes as masculine or feminine. Food is food and I love it just the way it was meant to be loved—minus any trappings that pertain to caste, creed and in this case gender. So, bring on the cosmopolitans, the cones and yes, even the steaks and tandoori chicken… and please don’t forget those delicate cucumber sandwiches!
(First published in DNA Me)
The crimson sun is bidding us a languid adieu as we, a motley bunch of six friends congregate at AER, The Four Season Mumbai’s 34th floor rooftop bar and lounge for what else, but a round of sundowners that truly put the R back into relaxation. Round one over and done with, we decide to go against convention for round two as far as our choice of drinks goes. So, it’s a pitcher of beer for the three ladies, while we gents opt for a troika of cosmopolitans. The well-heeled waiter arrives almost instantly back with our order and proceeds to place before the ladies the cosmopolitans, while my two male friends and I are served the beer. “Err…it’s the other way round—we get the cosmopolitans and they the beers,” I tell the stunned waiter who shoots us with a what-kind-of-wusses-drink-cosmopolitans look. That was it! I decide there and then that I HAVE TO finally take a stand for all mankind (and even womankind) and scream out loud from the rooftop (literally!) --“Who put the gender in my food??!!
For years we have been socially conditioned into the belief that while a tipple of single malt is a man’s drink, a screwdriver is a decidedly feminine libation. The fact notwithstanding that I personally know more women (my mum included) who love to nurse a tumbler of Talisker than men! So who are we to decide the gender of a drink or even a dish for that matter?
If going by the way tandoori chicken is perceived in India, then testosterone must be one of its main ingredients. Time and again our senses have been ‘assaulted’ with images of villains like Gabbar Singh and his ilk brandishing a leg of tandoori chicken while biting into it in true cave man fashion. Au contraire, one of the tastiest laddoos we get in India—the deek laddoo—made from the sap of the gum tree, is supposed to be a ‘ladies only’ post-delivery, strength-giving elixir. But try telling that to my 6’2”, 95 kg buddy Adil who can see off a kilogram of the stuff in one go.
Men love their medium-rare steak while women prefer a delicate garden salad—who says so? Walk into any steak house, be it Kolkata’s iconic Peter Cat or New Delhi’s Smoke House Grill and check out the number of women going in for a piece of meat (the edible kind that is!). On the other hand, give the pure vegetarian Amitabh Bachchan a crisp salad any day and he’ll lap it up with manic gusto, a former co-star of his once told me.
The British have gone one step further in perfecting the art of this ‘genderisation’ of food. Even some of the names of their dishes are laced with unnecessary machismo. Shepherd’s Pie is one of them and so is the rather vulgar sounding Spotted Dick, which is in fact, an innocuous and quite tasty steamed suet pudding served with custard. They even apply gender to specific meals. Tea and the social hullabaloo they make out of the ceremonial tea party is as feminine as a coiffered poodle with pink pom poms. Dainty cucumber and watercress sandwiches cut into fancy shapes served with petits fours, scones with Chantilly cream and meringues on pretty lace doilies washed down with demitasses of mild Earl Grey, all conjure up images of Victorian ladies in summer hats sitting in the garden sipping tea, pinkie finger raised et al.
One of my favourite movies Moonlight and Valentino, has a line by Gwyneth Paltrow who says “why should my soup have a gender?” when told that soup is like a comforting elder sister. I couldn’t agree with her more. And why shouldn’t I? Being an avid lover of food and drink, I refuse to join the alarmists and denounce certain dishes as masculine or feminine. Food is food and I love it just the way it was meant to be loved—minus any trappings that pertain to caste, creed and in this case gender. So, bring on the cosmopolitans, the cones and yes, even the steaks and tandoori chicken… and please don’t forget those delicate cucumber sandwiches!
(First published in DNA Me)
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