https://www.luxurylifestylemag.co.uk/travel/hotel-review-club-med-la-plantation-dalbion-in-albion-mauritius/ This review was first published online on 13th August 2023 in Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, UK
Showing posts with label AFRICA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AFRICA. Show all posts
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Mandu via Madagascar
With its impressive cache of baobab trees,
the ancient, fortified city of Mandu in the southwest of Madhya Pradesh seems
the unlikeliest of places to find the tree of African origins thriving and thus
becoming a part of the rich, local folklore.
By Raul Dias
It’s just been a couple
of hours since our minibus—having climbed the long, winding road etched onto
the Madhya Pradesh section of central India’s Vindhya Range—has deposited my
friends and I into the ancient, fortified city
of Mandu. Here, from our basecamp in Indore, to
participate in the 2019 edition of the 10km Go Heritage Run Mandu, we quickly
realise something thanks to our rather loquacious driver. And that is, that myths
and Mandu seem to enjoy a ‘conscious coupling’ made in folkloric heaven! It
wouldn’t be an exaggeration on my part to say that everything in this city
that sits precariously perched on the Malwa plateau has some sort of
phantasmagorical legend ascribed to it. A fact we bear witness to almost
everywhere we go…
Heads
and Tales
At the city center located Ashrafi Mahal, my 14-year-old de facto ‘guide’ Khayyum sidles up to me to tell me how one of Mandu’s earlier rulers, Mahmud Shah Khilji used the now-crumbling edifice as a gym in the15th century for some of the portly concubines in his harem. Apparently, said concubines would be rewarded with gold coins that Khilji had placed on each of the Mahal’s steps they would climb as part of their exercise regimen. And hence the name ashrafi which means “coin” in old Persian.
One is also told tales of the great love of the poetess queen of Malwa Rani Roopmati and Sultan Baz Bahadur—who built her the rather vertiginous Roopmati’s Pavilion at his Rewa Kund Palace in the early 16th century, so that she could gaze at her beloved Narmada river. All this, of course, before she poisoned herself upon hearing of Baz Bahadur’s death and the ensuing fall of Mandu. Then there is the famous myth of the headless soldier who till this day is said to guard the Tripolia Darvaza, one of the 12 gates along the city’s stone walls that serve as portals to Mandu.
At the city center located Ashrafi Mahal, my 14-year-old de facto ‘guide’ Khayyum sidles up to me to tell me how one of Mandu’s earlier rulers, Mahmud Shah Khilji used the now-crumbling edifice as a gym in the15th century for some of the portly concubines in his harem. Apparently, said concubines would be rewarded with gold coins that Khilji had placed on each of the Mahal’s steps they would climb as part of their exercise regimen. And hence the name ashrafi which means “coin” in old Persian.
One is also told tales of the great love of the poetess queen of Malwa Rani Roopmati and Sultan Baz Bahadur—who built her the rather vertiginous Roopmati’s Pavilion at his Rewa Kund Palace in the early 16th century, so that she could gaze at her beloved Narmada river. All this, of course, before she poisoned herself upon hearing of Baz Bahadur’s death and the ensuing fall of Mandu. Then there is the famous myth of the headless soldier who till this day is said to guard the Tripolia Darvaza, one of the 12 gates along the city’s stone walls that serve as portals to Mandu.
Trunk
Call
However, one Mandu-specific phenomenon defies all logic and comprehension, leaving me both bewildered and fascinated as I sprint past a few of them en route the early morning heritage run. I’m speaking of the rather bulbous trunked, leaf-bereft baobab tree that make their unusual presence felt all over the city. Native to Madagascar, some parts of mainland, sub Saharan Africa and Australia, the baobab tree is known not just for its towering height (up to 98 ft), but girth (up to 36 ft) and age (3,000 years) as well. The rather succulent trunk of the baobab is also said to hold as much as 100,000 liters of water—perfect to soak up Mandu’s aqueous bounty of the monsoon—while its fruit bat-pollinated flowers hang upside down and bloom only at night. Their otherwise mild fragrance, intensifies even more when it mingles with the musky petrichor brought on by the cooling rain that hydrates the parched, arid summer soil, making Mandu one of the India’s most idyllic monsoon getaways.
Found almost everywhere in the city for sale and called Mandu ki Imli, the elongated, rugby ball-like shaped baobab fruit when cracked open is a cluster of white pulp-coated seeds that resemble giant custard apple segments. Both the seeds and the dried pulp when powdered and mixed with chilled water are used to make a delightful sour, Vitamin C-rich drink that I relish at a hawker stall after a sweltering trek up Baz Bahadur’s palace. I even take back a few packets of the powder for friends and family.
However, one Mandu-specific phenomenon defies all logic and comprehension, leaving me both bewildered and fascinated as I sprint past a few of them en route the early morning heritage run. I’m speaking of the rather bulbous trunked, leaf-bereft baobab tree that make their unusual presence felt all over the city. Native to Madagascar, some parts of mainland, sub Saharan Africa and Australia, the baobab tree is known not just for its towering height (up to 98 ft), but girth (up to 36 ft) and age (3,000 years) as well. The rather succulent trunk of the baobab is also said to hold as much as 100,000 liters of water—perfect to soak up Mandu’s aqueous bounty of the monsoon—while its fruit bat-pollinated flowers hang upside down and bloom only at night. Their otherwise mild fragrance, intensifies even more when it mingles with the musky petrichor brought on by the cooling rain that hydrates the parched, arid summer soil, making Mandu one of the India’s most idyllic monsoon getaways.
Found almost everywhere in the city for sale and called Mandu ki Imli, the elongated, rugby ball-like shaped baobab fruit when cracked open is a cluster of white pulp-coated seeds that resemble giant custard apple segments. Both the seeds and the dried pulp when powdered and mixed with chilled water are used to make a delightful sour, Vitamin C-rich drink that I relish at a hawker stall after a sweltering trek up Baz Bahadur’s palace. I even take back a few packets of the powder for friends and family.
Disputed
Origins?
Back to Mandu and its myths. This time with regards to the ubiquitous baobab tree’s origins. I grapple with three different explanations for their presence here—each more fascinating than the other. Though one of them seems to have the empirical backing that only a precise science like geology can provide. But more on that one in a while as I lose myself in the miasma of myths!
A local shopkeeper selling the fuzz-coated fruit outside the gates of Ashrafi Mahal calls it ‘Khorasani imli’. When I probe further, he tells me that it was a group of spice route traders en route from Khorasan (which was what Central Asia used to be called earlier) to the orient, who brought along a few baobab seeds from their earlier travels to Africa which they then exchanged for food and shelter in Mandu.
Later in the day, as I take in the ship-like silhouette of the Jahaz Mahal complex built as a harem in the second half of the 15th century by Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din-Khalji and situated between two artificial lakes, my attention is once again drawn to a row of baobab trees standing guard at the east side of the complex. My guide tells me that the Sultan had a great fascination for exotic, foreign visitors. And that it was one such visitor to his court from Madagascar who presented him with a few baobab seeds that he had planted first at Jahaz Mahal then at other spots in Mandu.
Back to Mandu and its myths. This time with regards to the ubiquitous baobab tree’s origins. I grapple with three different explanations for their presence here—each more fascinating than the other. Though one of them seems to have the empirical backing that only a precise science like geology can provide. But more on that one in a while as I lose myself in the miasma of myths!
A local shopkeeper selling the fuzz-coated fruit outside the gates of Ashrafi Mahal calls it ‘Khorasani imli’. When I probe further, he tells me that it was a group of spice route traders en route from Khorasan (which was what Central Asia used to be called earlier) to the orient, who brought along a few baobab seeds from their earlier travels to Africa which they then exchanged for food and shelter in Mandu.
Later in the day, as I take in the ship-like silhouette of the Jahaz Mahal complex built as a harem in the second half of the 15th century by Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din-Khalji and situated between two artificial lakes, my attention is once again drawn to a row of baobab trees standing guard at the east side of the complex. My guide tells me that the Sultan had a great fascination for exotic, foreign visitors. And that it was one such visitor to his court from Madagascar who presented him with a few baobab seeds that he had planted first at Jahaz Mahal then at other spots in Mandu.
P.S. Back home in Mumbai, my geologist
friend Tanya shines some light on another baobab facet I had gravely ignored
while busy romancing myths. Apparently, more than a 100 million years ago,
India, Madagascar and Australia were all part of the mother continent called
Gondwanaland and with the ensuing continental split, it created the three
distinct paths taken by the baobab.
But that still begs the question; why Mandu and not Mumbai or Madurai?
But that still begs the question; why Mandu and not Mumbai or Madurai?
Travel
log
Getting There
Mandu can be reached from most Indian cities via Indore (2 hours) or Bhopal (5.5 hours) by road. The nearest railhead for Mandu is Ratlam on the Delhi-Mumbai main line which is just under a three-hour drive away.
Getting There
Mandu can be reached from most Indian cities via Indore (2 hours) or Bhopal (5.5 hours) by road. The nearest railhead for Mandu is Ratlam on the Delhi-Mumbai main line which is just under a three-hour drive away.
Stay
The super clean rooms, tasty food options and efficient service make the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Department Corporation (MPSTDC)-run Malwa Retreat Mandu (Rs.1,900 approx. for two with breakfast, olrs.mpstdc.com) a good option. Another property worth checking out is the three-star Mandu Sarai Hotel (Rs.2,200 approx. for two with breakfast, sarai-mandu.booked.net).
The super clean rooms, tasty food options and efficient service make the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Department Corporation (MPSTDC)-run Malwa Retreat Mandu (Rs.1,900 approx. for two with breakfast, olrs.mpstdc.com) a good option. Another property worth checking out is the three-star Mandu Sarai Hotel (Rs.2,200 approx. for two with breakfast, sarai-mandu.booked.net).
* Plan a visit to the ancient Buddhist Bagh Caves and to the Bagh Village famous for its artisans who practice the art of block printing fabrics using herb-based dyes. Both the caves and the village can be found in the Dhar District on the banks of the river Baghini en route from Bhopal and Indore to Mandu.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 8th June 2019 issue of The Hindu Business Line newspaper's BLink section on page 21 https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/cover/the-baobab-tree-madagascars-gift-to-mandu/article27609709.ece)
Saturday, June 30, 2018
South Africa’s Other Big 5!
As one of the world’s newest adventure sports capitals South Africa is more than just a world-class safari destination. And the Garden Route in the country’s Western Cape region is just the place to indulge your every adrenaline-laced fantasy, as Raul Dias recently discovered.
By Raul Dias
Hugging the Indian Ocean with all its might, South Africa’s stunning Garden Route—or to use the local Afrikaner name ‘Tuinroete’—is one of the most popular drives in the world you could ever take. Stretching a languid, 300 kilometres along the south-western coast of South Africa which extends from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River in the Eastern Cape, the route takes in the beauty of places like Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Mossel Bay and George among others.
Here, nestled amidst the imposing Swartberg mountains you will also find the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma indigenous forests. You will see a unique mixture of Cape Fynbos and Temperate Forest here, where you can indulge in the many hiking trails and eco- and adventure-tourism activities. Speaking of which, cast aside all preconceived notions of South Africa being a safari stronghold and think adrenaline-pumping, daredevilry when in this region. With everything from cave exploring to bungy jumping and shark cage diving, the Garden Route has it all and then some more.
We bring you South Africa’s ‘Other Big 5’…
1. Great White Shark Diving
With probably the most accessible Great White Sharks in the world, Seal Island in Mossel Bay is only 2 kilometres from the harbour and very close to the local beach. Once you meet the shark diving crew, you can enjoy a light breakfast and will receive a safety briefing about the boat and the trip to come. Arriving at anchor site, the crew will immediately start to chum the water to attract the sharks which consists of natural marine products and fish which is natural to their diet. Once the sharks are around the boat and comfortable with the boat, the cage will be dropped into the water and attached to the side of the boat. Then you will be lowered into the cage and your close encounter with good old ‘Jaws’ will begin! Interestingly, you do not need any experience in diving to do the shark cage dive, as this is a simple surface dive and non-technical. (www.sharkzone.co.za)
2. Go Cave Exploring at Cango
The magnificent Cango Caves in the Klein Karoo area of the Garden Route are regarded as South Africa’s largest show caves. And rightly so! Discovered by Dutch colonists in 1780, the caves are said to have begun forming 20 million years ago when acidic ground water chemically eroded the 100-million-year-old limestone rock. Take the daily adventure tour and visit the deepest sections of the caves. Once inside the 5.3 kilometres long caves, put aside any latent claustrophobia, as you wriggle and slither your way into the bowels of the cold, damp caves. Make sure to stop every now and then to ogle at the dramatic melted wax-like formations of stalactites and stalagmites. And they have equally dramatic monikers like ‘Bridal Chamber’, ‘Cleopatra’s Needle’ and ‘Frozen Waterfall’ to name a few. (www.cango-caves.co.za)
3. Ride an Ostrich!
Oudtshoorn is famous for its huge ostrich population, which thrive in the semi-desert conditions. To ride an ostrich, you need to visit one of the town’s many ostrich show farms like Highgate. Here, you can first observe large flocks of ostriches at various stages of development. You will then be instructed on how to hold on along with the commands to be employed to stop the bird and off you go for the ride of your life. And once you’re done with your ostrich race, make sure to add to the adventure and try an ostrich steak or an ostrich egg (which feeds 20 people). You can also visit the shop on site and purchase exclusive leather handbags and feather boas and a variety of decorated and plain ostrich eggshells. (www.highgate.co.za)
4. Close Encounter Whale Watching
With the only close encounter whale watching permit holder for the greater Knysna area, Ocean Odyssey takes you on its 26-seater boat for a spot of whale watching. Departing from Thesen Harbour Town, an island off the main Knysna coast, the boat cruises across the sweeping Knysna estuary and out to sea through the iconic Knysna Heads in search of both the Southern Right and Humpback whales. These two species of whales are said to leave their icy feeding grounds off Antarctica and migrate and calve in the warmer waters of this coastline and chances of sighting a few are very good here. But don’t worry. Even if the mighty gentle giants of the ocean prove to be elusive the day you set out to visit them, their playful companions—the bottlenose dolphins are always present along the Knysna Heads to show you a wonderful time! (www.oceanodyssey.co.za)
5. Jump the World’s Highest Bungy Jump
We’ve truly saved the best…or, rather the most dreaded of all Garden Route activities for last! Combining the thrills of a bungy jump and of being part of a Guinness World Record, this jump off the Bloukrans Bridge that fords over the Bloukrans River valley at a depth of 216 meters, is terrifying to say the very least, but worth every ounce of adrenaline that kicks in once you’re done with it. Recognised as the ‘highest bungy from a bridge’ in the world, the Bloukrans Bungy uses pendulum bungy technology to ensure that you get to enjoy a 360-degree view of the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park and of Africa’s highest bridge. But one needn’t do the bungy to enjoy the view, Face Adrenalin, the guys who conduct the jump, also offer ziplining and a walk under the bridge for non-jumpers. (www.faceadrenalin.com)
FACT FILE
Getting there
Although there are no direct flights from India to South Africa at the moment, the best way to get there is via Dubai on Emirates that has daily flights to and from Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Once in South Africa, you can hire a car and drive down the Garden Route. Book a car at www.avis.co.za, www.europcar.co.za or www.budget.co.za. Indian passport holders need a visa to enter South Africa, which is easy to procure via the VFS facility.
When to visit
Because South Africa is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are in reverse. This means that spring (mid-September to November) through to summer (late November to March) are ideal times for a vacation along the Garden Route when the temperature hovers between a comfortable 19C to 25C.
Accommodation
The Garden Route has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. Some of the best options are:
* Turnberry Boutique Hotel (www.turnberryhotel.co.za) in Oudtshoorn
* Belvidere Manor Hotel (www.belvidere.co.za) in Knysna
* Park House Lodge (www.parkhouse.co.za) in Mossel Bay
(An edited version of this article appeared in the 29th June 2018 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India on pages 14 and 15 http://www.afternoondc.in/48-hrs/south-africas-other-big-5/article_225973)
By Raul Dias
Hugging the Indian Ocean with all its might, South Africa’s stunning Garden Route—or to use the local Afrikaner name ‘Tuinroete’—is one of the most popular drives in the world you could ever take. Stretching a languid, 300 kilometres along the south-western coast of South Africa which extends from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River in the Eastern Cape, the route takes in the beauty of places like Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Mossel Bay and George among others.
Here, nestled amidst the imposing Swartberg mountains you will also find the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma indigenous forests. You will see a unique mixture of Cape Fynbos and Temperate Forest here, where you can indulge in the many hiking trails and eco- and adventure-tourism activities. Speaking of which, cast aside all preconceived notions of South Africa being a safari stronghold and think adrenaline-pumping, daredevilry when in this region. With everything from cave exploring to bungy jumping and shark cage diving, the Garden Route has it all and then some more.
We bring you South Africa’s ‘Other Big 5’…
1. Great White Shark Diving
With probably the most accessible Great White Sharks in the world, Seal Island in Mossel Bay is only 2 kilometres from the harbour and very close to the local beach. Once you meet the shark diving crew, you can enjoy a light breakfast and will receive a safety briefing about the boat and the trip to come. Arriving at anchor site, the crew will immediately start to chum the water to attract the sharks which consists of natural marine products and fish which is natural to their diet. Once the sharks are around the boat and comfortable with the boat, the cage will be dropped into the water and attached to the side of the boat. Then you will be lowered into the cage and your close encounter with good old ‘Jaws’ will begin! Interestingly, you do not need any experience in diving to do the shark cage dive, as this is a simple surface dive and non-technical. (www.sharkzone.co.za)
2. Go Cave Exploring at Cango
The magnificent Cango Caves in the Klein Karoo area of the Garden Route are regarded as South Africa’s largest show caves. And rightly so! Discovered by Dutch colonists in 1780, the caves are said to have begun forming 20 million years ago when acidic ground water chemically eroded the 100-million-year-old limestone rock. Take the daily adventure tour and visit the deepest sections of the caves. Once inside the 5.3 kilometres long caves, put aside any latent claustrophobia, as you wriggle and slither your way into the bowels of the cold, damp caves. Make sure to stop every now and then to ogle at the dramatic melted wax-like formations of stalactites and stalagmites. And they have equally dramatic monikers like ‘Bridal Chamber’, ‘Cleopatra’s Needle’ and ‘Frozen Waterfall’ to name a few. (www.cango-caves.co.za)
3. Ride an Ostrich!
Oudtshoorn is famous for its huge ostrich population, which thrive in the semi-desert conditions. To ride an ostrich, you need to visit one of the town’s many ostrich show farms like Highgate. Here, you can first observe large flocks of ostriches at various stages of development. You will then be instructed on how to hold on along with the commands to be employed to stop the bird and off you go for the ride of your life. And once you’re done with your ostrich race, make sure to add to the adventure and try an ostrich steak or an ostrich egg (which feeds 20 people). You can also visit the shop on site and purchase exclusive leather handbags and feather boas and a variety of decorated and plain ostrich eggshells. (www.highgate.co.za)
4. Close Encounter Whale Watching
With the only close encounter whale watching permit holder for the greater Knysna area, Ocean Odyssey takes you on its 26-seater boat for a spot of whale watching. Departing from Thesen Harbour Town, an island off the main Knysna coast, the boat cruises across the sweeping Knysna estuary and out to sea through the iconic Knysna Heads in search of both the Southern Right and Humpback whales. These two species of whales are said to leave their icy feeding grounds off Antarctica and migrate and calve in the warmer waters of this coastline and chances of sighting a few are very good here. But don’t worry. Even if the mighty gentle giants of the ocean prove to be elusive the day you set out to visit them, their playful companions—the bottlenose dolphins are always present along the Knysna Heads to show you a wonderful time! (www.oceanodyssey.co.za)
5. Jump the World’s Highest Bungy Jump
We’ve truly saved the best…or, rather the most dreaded of all Garden Route activities for last! Combining the thrills of a bungy jump and of being part of a Guinness World Record, this jump off the Bloukrans Bridge that fords over the Bloukrans River valley at a depth of 216 meters, is terrifying to say the very least, but worth every ounce of adrenaline that kicks in once you’re done with it. Recognised as the ‘highest bungy from a bridge’ in the world, the Bloukrans Bungy uses pendulum bungy technology to ensure that you get to enjoy a 360-degree view of the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park and of Africa’s highest bridge. But one needn’t do the bungy to enjoy the view, Face Adrenalin, the guys who conduct the jump, also offer ziplining and a walk under the bridge for non-jumpers. (www.faceadrenalin.com)
FACT FILE
Getting there
Although there are no direct flights from India to South Africa at the moment, the best way to get there is via Dubai on Emirates that has daily flights to and from Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Once in South Africa, you can hire a car and drive down the Garden Route. Book a car at www.avis.co.za, www.europcar.co.za or www.budget.co.za. Indian passport holders need a visa to enter South Africa, which is easy to procure via the VFS facility.
When to visit
Because South Africa is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are in reverse. This means that spring (mid-September to November) through to summer (late November to March) are ideal times for a vacation along the Garden Route when the temperature hovers between a comfortable 19C to 25C.
Accommodation
The Garden Route has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. Some of the best options are:
* Turnberry Boutique Hotel (www.turnberryhotel.co.za) in Oudtshoorn
* Belvidere Manor Hotel (www.belvidere.co.za) in Knysna
* Park House Lodge (www.parkhouse.co.za) in Mossel Bay
(An edited version of this article appeared in the 29th June 2018 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India on pages 14 and 15 http://www.afternoondc.in/48-hrs/south-africas-other-big-5/article_225973)
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Notes from Durban
By Raul Dias
Durban. Miami. Mumbai. Geographically speaking, there
couldn’t be a more disparate trio of cities. But if there is one very important
factor that links them all together, then that would have to be the abundance
of Art Deco-inspired structures. This architectural style that originated in
the early 1920s in France and flourished worldwide until World War II is characterised
by bold colours, glamorous ornamentation, and geometric shapes—particularly
that of the columnal pilasters that take the eye on an upwards swoop.
Considered the Art Deco capital of not just South Africa, but of all of Africa, Durban that hugs the Indian Ocean provides enough impetus for fans of the architectural style to spend a day or two traipsing about its Art Deco-infested streets.
Considered the Art Deco capital of not just South Africa, but of all of Africa, Durban that hugs the Indian Ocean provides enough impetus for fans of the architectural style to spend a day or two traipsing about its Art Deco-infested streets.
Golden
Mile
Interestingly, just like Miami’s South Beach and Mumbai’s Marine Drive, Durban’s impressive cache of Art Deco buildings can also be found straddling the city’s glamourous waterfront aptly called ‘The Golden Mile’. Stretching from the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the north to the uShaka Beach at the south end, here is where Durban puts on a show with some of the world of Art Deco’s greatest hits on full display!
While some residential buildings, such as Quadrant House on the Victoria Embankment, emphasise the city’s maritime background with its scalloped crenulations and other nautical motifs, there are others that highlight the city’s myriad cultural influences. So, on one hand we see distinct Saracenic architectural influences in buildings such as Ebrahim Court and the Essop Moosa Building, that are built in a style reflecting the interests of Durban’s Muslim traders in the 1930s.
Magnificent structures like the Colonial Mutual Building constructed in 1933 bear numerous African animal influences. Here, we see a virtual menagerie of geometric eagles, antelopes, and lions that intermingle seamlessly with Gothic and Roman-esque designs that take the form of chevrons, sunbursts and fluted columns.
What’s particularly noteworthy about Durban is the fact that the Art Deco architectural movement isn’t merely a relic of the past, but a living, organic part of the cityscape. Constructed in late 2002, at the top end of the Golden Mile, the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World is a prime example of the city’s Neo Art Deco revival scene with its faux jazz era glitz and glamour.
Interestingly, just like Miami’s South Beach and Mumbai’s Marine Drive, Durban’s impressive cache of Art Deco buildings can also be found straddling the city’s glamourous waterfront aptly called ‘The Golden Mile’. Stretching from the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the north to the uShaka Beach at the south end, here is where Durban puts on a show with some of the world of Art Deco’s greatest hits on full display!
While some residential buildings, such as Quadrant House on the Victoria Embankment, emphasise the city’s maritime background with its scalloped crenulations and other nautical motifs, there are others that highlight the city’s myriad cultural influences. So, on one hand we see distinct Saracenic architectural influences in buildings such as Ebrahim Court and the Essop Moosa Building, that are built in a style reflecting the interests of Durban’s Muslim traders in the 1930s.
Magnificent structures like the Colonial Mutual Building constructed in 1933 bear numerous African animal influences. Here, we see a virtual menagerie of geometric eagles, antelopes, and lions that intermingle seamlessly with Gothic and Roman-esque designs that take the form of chevrons, sunbursts and fluted columns.
What’s particularly noteworthy about Durban is the fact that the Art Deco architectural movement isn’t merely a relic of the past, but a living, organic part of the cityscape. Constructed in late 2002, at the top end of the Golden Mile, the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World is a prime example of the city’s Neo Art Deco revival scene with its faux jazz era glitz and glamour.
Public
Art For All
And it’s not just residential and commercial buildings that reflect this apparent Art Deco obsession Durban seems to be inflicted with. A post WWII construction—built to celebrate the lives of young men and women who went to war against Fascism—the Memorial Tower Building at the University of KwaZulu Natal is a stunning edifice with a central tower that reminds one of another Art Deco icon, Manhattan’s Empire State Building.
As one of Durban’s earliest Art Deco structures, the Cenotaph in the city’s Albert Luthuli Square was the result of an architectural competition held in 1921. At the base of this Cenotaph, one can find a blue and gold sculpture featuring a fallen warrior—depicting those killed in both world wars—being transported to heaven in the arms of two semi-circular winged angels.
And it’s not just residential and commercial buildings that reflect this apparent Art Deco obsession Durban seems to be inflicted with. A post WWII construction—built to celebrate the lives of young men and women who went to war against Fascism—the Memorial Tower Building at the University of KwaZulu Natal is a stunning edifice with a central tower that reminds one of another Art Deco icon, Manhattan’s Empire State Building.
As one of Durban’s earliest Art Deco structures, the Cenotaph in the city’s Albert Luthuli Square was the result of an architectural competition held in 1921. At the base of this Cenotaph, one can find a blue and gold sculpture featuring a fallen warrior—depicting those killed in both world wars—being transported to heaven in the arms of two semi-circular winged angels.
Preservation
Initiatives
As is the case with most developing cities, a severe lack of funds and city development schemes are often the reasons why such heritage structures fall into disrepair and are thus in fear of becoming derelict with time. And Durban’s situation is no different. To counter this, the Durban Art Deco Society was formed in 1999 to bring public attention to these Art Deco jewels.
While the society encourages owners of Art Deco style buildings to be aware of their heritage and offers advice on restoration and repainting, it also helps raise funds for the same. It does this by organising tours for tourists guided by architects and specialists in conservationist architecture to know more about this movement and its relevance in today’s architectural milieu.
As is the case with most developing cities, a severe lack of funds and city development schemes are often the reasons why such heritage structures fall into disrepair and are thus in fear of becoming derelict with time. And Durban’s situation is no different. To counter this, the Durban Art Deco Society was formed in 1999 to bring public attention to these Art Deco jewels.
While the society encourages owners of Art Deco style buildings to be aware of their heritage and offers advice on restoration and repainting, it also helps raise funds for the same. It does this by organising tours for tourists guided by architects and specialists in conservationist architecture to know more about this movement and its relevance in today’s architectural milieu.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 3rd June 2018 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 7 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/notes-from-durban/article24065439.ece)
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Something's Fishy...
Imparting a distinctly umami flavour, fermented fish as a seasoning agent can be found in sauces, pastes and powders, right from the Far East to the Middle East--with even the West having its fair share of iterpretations, some dating back to ancient Greek and Roman times.
By Raul Dias
Bereft of the brassy boldness of Barcelona and the hedonistic lure of Ibiza, Tarifa is a mere blip on Spain's tourist radar. But for the adventure sports traveller, this tiny town in the Adalucian province of Cádiz on the southernmost coast of mainland Spain is nothing short of an adrenaline-saturated Valhalla. But besides being one of the world's most popular wind sporting destinations, Tarifa zealously guards a secret close to its heart...
Garum. All along the sea shore west of Tarifa, among the ruins of the ancient Roman settlement of Baelo Claudia, one can find what used to be several factories for the preparation of garum or fish sauce, which was once the main industry of the town. Long before fermentation became the buzz word in cookery that it is today, the Romans, Greeks and Byzantines had perfected the art of manufacturing garum, a much-prized condiment used in dishes like lamb stew for example, as noted down in the ancient Roman cookbook Apicius compiled in the late 4th Century AD.
The Romans made garum by adding copious amounts of salt to tiny fish like mullets and fish intestines. All this, left in earthen jars to ferment and liquify for a few weeks. In fact, a few such garum jars were even discovered amidst the ruins of Pompeii! Once the mild-flavoured, natural amino acid monosodium glutamate (MSG)-rich liquid was siphoned out, the rest of the concentrated garum evaporated down to a thick paste that was called muria--an inferior product sold off cheap to the poor to add heft and flavour to their bland gruel.
In Cetara, the small fishing village in Italy's southern region of Campania, garum's modern-day interpretation colatura di alici is made much in the same way. This amber-hued seasonal sauce is made from anchovies fished off the Amalfi Coast between March 25 which is the Feast of Annunciation and July 22 that sees the Feast of Mary Magdalene. Doused over pasta and even over a pizza Napoletana, it is also not uncommon to see the local Cetaranians drizzle a few drops of the super-fishy colatura over their gelato!
Mahyaveh (or mehiawah depending on the region) is what the people of the Middle East call their version of fish sauce that has a distinctly spicy hit to it. In the southern part of Iran, especially in Larestan and Hormozgan, once fermented, the liquid of the sardines-anchovie-salt slurry is mixed with mustard and other spices, like cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, black pepper and thyme. In the Persian Gulf archipelago nation of Bahrain mehiawah forms an intergral part of the daily breakfast routine wherein breads like khubooz and the triangular donut-like zinjubari are dipped into a mixture of the fish sauce along with herbs like za'atar and sumac before eating.
The prowess of nam pla or Thai fish sauce as a flavouring agent is a well-documented one, as are its other South East Asian counterparts that show us the condiment's multi-faceted nature. Sauces similar to nam pla are nuoc mam (flavoured with red chillies and lime juice) in Vietnam, nam pha in Laos, hom ha in China, saeu chot in Korea and shitsuru in Japan.
Speaking of Japan, katsuobushi which is dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna finds itself at the very epicenter of one of the country's most revered 'master stocks'--dashi. The umami-rich fulcrum of any soup, main dish and dipping sauce, dashi is made by steeping kombu (edible kelp) and kezurikatsuo (shavings of katsuobushi) in boiling water and extracting the decoction by passing it through a fine cheesecloth.
Though not in the same league as fish sauce, but fiendishly popular nonetheless, the Cantonese oyster sauce is more on the sweeter side with a thicker, viscous body to it. This highly-processed sauce is made from the extract of oysters and mixed with sugar, corn starch, caramel, colouring agents and even industrial MSG, in some cases.
And though they have their own version of a fish sauce called patis, the Filipinos place their beloved bagoong alamang above all else. More like a pickle, this fermented paste is made with shrimp or krill that are mixed with salt and the bright red yeast rice called angkak that hastens the fertmentation process, besides lending to it a lurid magenta pink colour. Almost every dish in the Philippines from the peanut-redolent kare-kare ox tail stew to the vegetable dish pinakbet has a splodge of bagoong added to it for both flavour and texture.
What bagoong alamang is to the Philippines, the crumbly, powdery belachan is to Malaysia. This supremely pungent, funky smelling condiment is made from tiny shrimp mixed with salt and then fermented. The paste is then ground into a smoother paste, then sun dried, shaped into blocks, and allowed to ferment again. Once ready to be intruducted to a host of preparations like curries and laksas, a piece of the belachan brick is chiseled off, wrapped in a piece of aluminium foil and roasted over a pan till crumbly to the touch. Exactly similar to the belachan in both preparation and use is the Indonesian trassie that can also be made from a species of small fish called ikan, besides oedang or shrimp.
Known by its moniker of 'Cambodian Cheese', prahok is in a league of its own as it is also a fish substitute, while being a flavouring agent at the same time. This greyish tinted fresh paste is made from crushed, salted and fermented mud fish and stands in for fresh fish when the supply of the latter ebbs during the rainy season. One of Cambodia's most popluar dishes prahok ang sees prahok mixed with minced pork, spices and herbs like lemongrass, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed into a meat cake of sorts.
What the Fish!?
Interestingly, two table-side condiments that are intrinsic parts of our diet today, have, or at least have had at some point of time, fish as one of their ingredients:
* Ketchup
Adapted from the recipe of the ancient 17th Century koechiap sauce that originated in the Hokkien region of southeastern China, and that was made from a mix of pickled fish, mushrooms, soy sauce and spices. It was only in the 20th Century that ketchup as we know it today began to have pureed tomatoes added to it, omitting the pickled fish.
* Worcestershire sauce
Created in the 1830s by John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, chemists from Worcestershire, England, the original version of the sauce (that's still sold under the brand 'The Original & Genuine Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce') was made from molasses, sugar, tamarind extract and anchovies among other ingredients.
(A shorter, differently edited version of this article appeared in the 24th February 2018 issue of the Mint Lounge newspaper, India on page 8 http://www.livemint.com/Home-Page/vviXPCrU0r99PZsovXqY4M/Somethings-fishy.html)
By Raul Dias
Bereft of the brassy boldness of Barcelona and the hedonistic lure of Ibiza, Tarifa is a mere blip on Spain's tourist radar. But for the adventure sports traveller, this tiny town in the Adalucian province of Cádiz on the southernmost coast of mainland Spain is nothing short of an adrenaline-saturated Valhalla. But besides being one of the world's most popular wind sporting destinations, Tarifa zealously guards a secret close to its heart...
Garum. All along the sea shore west of Tarifa, among the ruins of the ancient Roman settlement of Baelo Claudia, one can find what used to be several factories for the preparation of garum or fish sauce, which was once the main industry of the town. Long before fermentation became the buzz word in cookery that it is today, the Romans, Greeks and Byzantines had perfected the art of manufacturing garum, a much-prized condiment used in dishes like lamb stew for example, as noted down in the ancient Roman cookbook Apicius compiled in the late 4th Century AD.
The Romans made garum by adding copious amounts of salt to tiny fish like mullets and fish intestines. All this, left in earthen jars to ferment and liquify for a few weeks. In fact, a few such garum jars were even discovered amidst the ruins of Pompeii! Once the mild-flavoured, natural amino acid monosodium glutamate (MSG)-rich liquid was siphoned out, the rest of the concentrated garum evaporated down to a thick paste that was called muria--an inferior product sold off cheap to the poor to add heft and flavour to their bland gruel.
In Cetara, the small fishing village in Italy's southern region of Campania, garum's modern-day interpretation colatura di alici is made much in the same way. This amber-hued seasonal sauce is made from anchovies fished off the Amalfi Coast between March 25 which is the Feast of Annunciation and July 22 that sees the Feast of Mary Magdalene. Doused over pasta and even over a pizza Napoletana, it is also not uncommon to see the local Cetaranians drizzle a few drops of the super-fishy colatura over their gelato!
Mahyaveh (or mehiawah depending on the region) is what the people of the Middle East call their version of fish sauce that has a distinctly spicy hit to it. In the southern part of Iran, especially in Larestan and Hormozgan, once fermented, the liquid of the sardines-anchovie-salt slurry is mixed with mustard and other spices, like cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, black pepper and thyme. In the Persian Gulf archipelago nation of Bahrain mehiawah forms an intergral part of the daily breakfast routine wherein breads like khubooz and the triangular donut-like zinjubari are dipped into a mixture of the fish sauce along with herbs like za'atar and sumac before eating.
The prowess of nam pla or Thai fish sauce as a flavouring agent is a well-documented one, as are its other South East Asian counterparts that show us the condiment's multi-faceted nature. Sauces similar to nam pla are nuoc mam (flavoured with red chillies and lime juice) in Vietnam, nam pha in Laos, hom ha in China, saeu chot in Korea and shitsuru in Japan.
Speaking of Japan, katsuobushi which is dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna finds itself at the very epicenter of one of the country's most revered 'master stocks'--dashi. The umami-rich fulcrum of any soup, main dish and dipping sauce, dashi is made by steeping kombu (edible kelp) and kezurikatsuo (shavings of katsuobushi) in boiling water and extracting the decoction by passing it through a fine cheesecloth.
Though not in the same league as fish sauce, but fiendishly popular nonetheless, the Cantonese oyster sauce is more on the sweeter side with a thicker, viscous body to it. This highly-processed sauce is made from the extract of oysters and mixed with sugar, corn starch, caramel, colouring agents and even industrial MSG, in some cases.
And though they have their own version of a fish sauce called patis, the Filipinos place their beloved bagoong alamang above all else. More like a pickle, this fermented paste is made with shrimp or krill that are mixed with salt and the bright red yeast rice called angkak that hastens the fertmentation process, besides lending to it a lurid magenta pink colour. Almost every dish in the Philippines from the peanut-redolent kare-kare ox tail stew to the vegetable dish pinakbet has a splodge of bagoong added to it for both flavour and texture.
What bagoong alamang is to the Philippines, the crumbly, powdery belachan is to Malaysia. This supremely pungent, funky smelling condiment is made from tiny shrimp mixed with salt and then fermented. The paste is then ground into a smoother paste, then sun dried, shaped into blocks, and allowed to ferment again. Once ready to be intruducted to a host of preparations like curries and laksas, a piece of the belachan brick is chiseled off, wrapped in a piece of aluminium foil and roasted over a pan till crumbly to the touch. Exactly similar to the belachan in both preparation and use is the Indonesian trassie that can also be made from a species of small fish called ikan, besides oedang or shrimp.
Known by its moniker of 'Cambodian Cheese', prahok is in a league of its own as it is also a fish substitute, while being a flavouring agent at the same time. This greyish tinted fresh paste is made from crushed, salted and fermented mud fish and stands in for fresh fish when the supply of the latter ebbs during the rainy season. One of Cambodia's most popluar dishes prahok ang sees prahok mixed with minced pork, spices and herbs like lemongrass, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed into a meat cake of sorts.
What the Fish!?
Interestingly, two table-side condiments that are intrinsic parts of our diet today, have, or at least have had at some point of time, fish as one of their ingredients:
* Ketchup
Adapted from the recipe of the ancient 17th Century koechiap sauce that originated in the Hokkien region of southeastern China, and that was made from a mix of pickled fish, mushrooms, soy sauce and spices. It was only in the 20th Century that ketchup as we know it today began to have pureed tomatoes added to it, omitting the pickled fish.
* Worcestershire sauce
Created in the 1830s by John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, chemists from Worcestershire, England, the original version of the sauce (that's still sold under the brand 'The Original & Genuine Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce') was made from molasses, sugar, tamarind extract and anchovies among other ingredients.
(A shorter, differently edited version of this article appeared in the 24th February 2018 issue of the Mint Lounge newspaper, India on page 8 http://www.livemint.com/Home-Page/vviXPCrU0r99PZsovXqY4M/Somethings-fishy.html)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)