Conceptually Yours!

Cashing in on the latest international trend of the ‘Concept Restaurant’ are a host of interesting eateries in the Delhi NCR where everything from themed restaurants to ones where you can buy the furniture are drawing in those seeking to dine with a difference. 

By Raul Dias

Plum by Bentchair
The idea behind the inception of this unique conceptual restaurant is truly an interesting one! The product of a collaboration between a hospitality and a furniture brand, Plum, India’s first true ‘retail restaurant’ offers people the option of buying whatever catches their fancy in the breathtakingly beautiful and eclectic space nestled in city’s plush Aerocity super hub. From the furniture to the lights to the plates, everything is on sale. From the design aspect, the entire restaurant is a display area of different collections and is all about the small details, which are colourful, kitsch (in a good way!) and eye-catching. Every dimension is well-kept and blends into each other rather than being distinctive. As for the food, the Pan-Asian cuisine menu is replete with everything from the smoked eel nigiri to the crispy Thai lotus root and the spicy Cantonese barbeque chicken bao. With the striking, blue butterfly pea flower as the newest rage on the Indian dining scene, here too one can find the Thai ingredient in Plum’s iteration of crispy garlic fried rice with edamame. And for those still craving some sushi, the very innovative Nutella banana sushi seeks to remedy that.
The Walk, Worldmark 2, Aerocity, New Delhi-110037
Tel: 091-7303156444

Nueva
As Delhi’s first Peruvian cuisine restaurant, Nueva which means “new” in Spanish is pushing the boundaries as far as the city’s burgeoning concept restaurant scene is concerned. It does this to enormous success with both its stylish look and with its rather unfamiliar and exotic food offerings. The restaurant’s sophisticated, dark toned interiors and art deco accents are well-distributed between its three zones of the downstairs bar, the main dining hall and the angular 12-person private dining room on the first floor. Besides the strong presence of the expected Pervuian classics like shrimp and scallop ceviches and sushis—that reference the unique Japanese-Peruvian blend that’s known as Nikkei cuisine—there are also plenty of other Latin American dishes and drinks on the menu. From assados to dishes like the castila and saltado de carne, all bring that Latino flare to the experimental diner. Nueva even does a 12-course degustation menu where you can sample small portions of its menu’s top dishes.
Ground floor, Sangam Courtyard, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110022
Tel: 011-65568382/9266668382
 

Unplugged Courtyard
Channelling the chilled-out vibe that transports you straight to the climes of Goa right in the heart of Gurgaon’s precinct of Udyog Vihar, this conceptual restaurant is welcoming, intimate and quite effortlessly dramatic. All that’s missing is the feel of the waves lapping at your toes! The space is understatedly elegant and generously spaced over 15,000 square feet spanning two levels, boasting of a terrace area, a secret garden and a quirky full-scale mock double decker bus that give the place a distinctly ‘comfy’ feel, without ever seeming over-designed. One of the few restaurants in this part of the NCR to offer daily, live acoustic music, Unplugged Courtyard truly lives up to its ‘unplugged’ concept. Offering up an eclectic mix of Indian, pan-Asian and Italian cuisine, the menu is designed and executed by ex-Noma, Copenhagen chef, Akshay Bhardwaj. Here, one can expect to experimental creations like duck kulchas and the atta chicken that’s baked whole covered by banana leave and a sealed with dough along with some beautifully presented drinks to sip on. 
No 9 Convenience Shopping Complex, Phase II, Udyog Vihar, Sector 20, Gurgaon-122012
Tel: 091-9319892965

Le Cirque 
Literally meaning ‘The Circus’, the concept-driven Le Cirque is all about the fun and the whimsical set in a chic and sophisticated atmosphere. From the beautifully-appointed bar lounge and the three spacious dining rooms to the alfresco seating with breath-taking views of New Delhi’s majestic Diplomatic Enclave, the 144-seat restaurant is drama personified. Even the exquisite porcelain Bernardaud tableware with its balloon motif mirror the restaurant’s playful side. As for the food, each of the items offered remain true to the Le Cirque vision of classic, yet innovative French-Italian cuisine. Signature dishes include seafood classics like the turbot àla grenoblaise where the fish is served with cauliflower, lemon, capers and almonds and the paupiette of black cod. For afters indulge in the two must-haves—cannoli and the floating island ‘Le Cirque’.           
The Leela Palace New Delhi, Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi-110023
Tel: 011-39331220

Swad
Bringing an interesting desi twist to the NCR’s new-found conceptual dining scene is this all-vegetarian multicuisine restaurant that serves dishes with a quirky spin to them. Imbued with plenty of kitschy elements, the contemporary-meets-Irani cafe inspired décor of the restaurant gives it a casual and relaxed vibe. Here you can tuck into interestingly presented dishes like the masala paneer slider that is injected with makhani gravy, the aloo-wadi curry that comes to the table in a small red pressure cooker or the kulhad wale palak chole chawal that’s served upside down. From the menu’s western and Asian sections, you can pick from Indianised renditions of everything from Mexican chimichanga rolls to the spicy Bangkok Manchurian bowl—never mind the geographical inaccuracies of the words ‘Bangkok’ and ‘Manchurian’ put together in the same sentence!
43, Ground Floor, Chiranjivi Tower, Nehru Place, New Delhi-110019
Tel: 091-9821524232


Enter, the concept nightclub!
Toy Room 
Riding the coattails of the concept restaurant boom in the Delhi NCR is this very unique ‘concept nightclub’. With a cuddly teddy bear named ‘Frank’ as its mascot, this 400-seater place is filled with children’s toys and other fun imagery—all in an entertaining, high-octane setting, bringing a subtle innocence to some hardcore partying. The interiors of Toy Room are chic, yet vibrant and quirky. The grand entrance lobby housed with a special merchandise area is dominated by a whimsical rendition of the classic last supper painting. Meander through the narrow passage leading to the main hall which is a L-shaped space with a huge curvilinear island bar serving a range of libations. Interestingly, for a nightclub, the food on offer here is an excellent selection of tapas style, small plates of sushis, dimsum and one of the best iterations of a simple pizza margherita you’ll ever have in the NCR.               
ALOFT Hotel Aerocity, Aerocity, New Delhi- 110037
Tel: 091-9953137673

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the April 2019 issue of Jetwings in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Manila Travel

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the January 2019 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

2018—A Year in Travel

From new air routes linking India with exotic new places to Airbnb seeking to replace the traditional ‘hotel’, Raul Dias brings you a few important highlights that shaped the way we travelled in 2018.   

By Raul Dias

There’s no denying the fact that Indians are the new ‘world travellers’. Interestingly, a recent report by Skift Research titled ‘The State of India Outbound Travel 2018’ shows how in just the last 20 years, the number of outbound tourists from India has grown from 3.5 million to 21.9 million. Thus, making India the fastest-growing outbound market after China.
No wonder then that we see each other almost everywhere, from places as obvious as Manhattan to those as deliciously obscure as Ulan Bator in Mongolia. From reports of a bunch of raucous Indian men virtually taking over an entire cruise ship in Australia as part of an office offsite trip to big fat Indian weddings in Lake Como and Las Vegas, there’s really no escaping us! And be it Prague or Phnom Penh, there will probably na’er be a restaurant menu that won’t cater to our vegetarian food predilections. 
And so, on the cusp of a brand-new year, let’s ponder over a few milestones in both travel and hospitality that have most certainly changed the way we travelled in 2018…

Visa Power
Let’s face it. Visa woes have often gotten the better of us all. Me included. Despite having travelled to 62 countries, I still get bothered and flustered with all that requisite paper work when applying for those pesky “may-I-please-visit-your-precious-country” passport stickers and stamps called visas! Well, as it so happens, I needn’t be so despondent anymore. As of October 2018, Indian citizens have visa-free or visa on arrival access to 60 countries and territories. We no longer need a visa to travel to Indonesia, Ukraine, Tunisia and Qatar. In fact, Serbia became the first and only country in Europe to offer visa free entry to Indian passport holders. As for the online visas, a biggie like Australia started offering an online, e600 visitor visa to Indian passport bearers with others like Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Vietnam and Uzbekistan following suit. All Indian passport bearers are now eligible for a visa on arrival in countries like Gabon, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Angola, Iran and Jordan. And just a few days before I write this piece, Myanmar has announced visa-on-arrival for Indian tourists beginning 12th December, 2018.

The Young and the Restless
With India being a nation of the youth, 2018 was all about the 18-35-year-old travellers leading the way. Usually the ones to set the trends before following them, Millennials, and the even younger Generation Z, seek more hands-on and rewarding experiences. According to the website travelagentcentral.com, activity destinations that offer music, food and up-close nature experiences like safaris and sailing were up there on the top of the list for 2018. Young travellers gravitated toward destinations that offer more than a typical backpacker’s European-style getaway and instead provide more immersive natural and urban experiences. No wonder one of the hospitality world’s greatest disruptors like Airbnb decided to target Indians with their new vertical called Airbnb Experiences that offers everything from learning to surf in Sri Lanka to the more fine dining-centric activity of truffle hunting with an expert in Florence.

Homestay over Hotel?
Speaking of Airbnb, according to a recent report by Business Insider, the home sharing company now has 4 million listings in 191 countries worldwide, an amount that tops the number of listings held by the top five hotel brands combined. And Indians seem to have taken to this vacation accommodation model vis-a-vis traditional hotels like never before in 2018. Be it family reunions in Chiang Mai or bachelor parties in Phuket, renting out an Airbnb for the entire duration of stay is the preferred way to have to good time in the perennial favourite South East Asian destination for Indians—Thailand! Conversely, listings on Airbnb in India have grown by 115% year-on-year to more than 35,000, with the domestic segment of Indians travelling within India growing the fastest for the company.

New Connections
The last quarter of 2018 saw a host of both Indian and international airlines offering as many as six new non-stop routes from Mumbai. Operating for the first time from Maximum City, we saw airlines like Air Italy and Uzbekistan Airways flying in. While the former started its five times a week non-stop flight from Mumbai to Milan, Italy from 31st October, Uzbekistan Airways kicked off three direct flights a week between Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent and Mumbai from 30th October. Among the Indian carriers, Air India restarted its direct flight services from Mumbai to Frankfurt, Germany. And while Jet Airways has now started connecting Mumbai to Manchester, UK with five-times a week flight services, Go Airways started its direct flights from Mumbai to Phuket in Thailand and Male in Maldives. Bring it on, we say!

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 30th December 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 http://epaper.freepressjournal.in/m5/1959000/Free-Press-Mumbai-Edition/30-Dec-2018#page/13/1)

10 Reasons to Do Mexico!

From its mystery-shrouded ancient sites and hedonistic seaside havens to some of the best food and art that will leave you spellbound, Mexico has a lot on offer for the intrepid traveller. We bring you our top 10 reasons why this vibrant Central American nation should feature on your travel bucket list for 2019.     

By Raul Dias

1. Pre-Columbian wonders
It is safe to say that Mexico has the greatest concentration of some of the most stunning manmade structures of the ancient world. Just 50km form Mexico City in the ancient Aztec site of Teotihuacán, the two giant pyramids of the Avenue of the Dead and the Temple of Quetzalcóatl stand out in their magnificence. Another must-visit is the great pyramid of Cobá called Nohoch Mul which is the highest Mayan building on the Yucátan Peninsula. Still in the Yucátan, make sure to pay obeisance at the time temple of El Castillo at Chichén Itza to know what communing with divinity feels like.
 
2. Vibrant festivals
Perhaps one of the few countries in the world, where death is celebrated with so much fervour, come early November and Mexico puts on a ‘spooktacular show’ for the Day of the Dead or Dia de Muertos. Luridly coloured, jazzed up candy skulls, ghoul face-painted revellers and effigies of La Calavera Catrina (the seductive female skeleton) can be seen everywhere. Interestingly, unlike other popular festivals like Semana Santa, La Morisma and Carnaval, Dia de Muertos is not only a Catholic festival, but also one that is celebrated by indigenous communities like the Purépecha of Michaocán who spend the night partying at graveyards. Speaking of indigenous festivals, others like the grand vernal and autumnal equinox festivals are celebrated at the revered Chichén Itza site in March and September respectively. 

3. More than just tacos!
While the much-worshipped corn dough or masa may be the lynchpin for most dishes that come under the ambit of what we recognise as being Mexican cuisine—with the ubiquitous tacos and quesadillas being the most famous exports—there is a whole treasure trove of hidden edible delights, that will make your gastronomic quest in Mexico a rewarding one. Regional dishes like the pre-Columbian, orange juice-marinated roast meat cochinita pibil from the Yucatán Peninsula, pescado zarandeado or grilled fish wrapped in banana leaf from Nayarit and the zesty, hominy-rich pozole soup from Jalisco are sure to up the exotic foods ante, if that’s what you’re looking for. For the true-blue adventurous palate, there are plenty of surprises in the form of San Luis Potosi’s flower of the barrel cactus dish called cabuches or perhaps armadillo en adobo where the name says it all!

4. Sun, sea and surf
Coastal Mexico is that kind of a place where every single one of your beach-related fantasies come alive! Think sipping potent pina coladas at a palm frond-thatched bar or enjoying an afternoon siesta snugly ensconced in a cabana and they all come to fruition at some of the country’s best beach resort destinations. Iconic places like Cancun where the sand is the softest or Playa Maruata whose Michoacán Beach is infested with black sea turtles are just a few. Jutting out like a long limb, the Baja California Peninsula is home to the famed Cabo San Lucas, a resort city at its southern tip which is the perfect spot to indulge in adventure sports like surfing and snorkelling and post that, some hardcore nightlife at its world-class clubs.

5. Drinks that defy convention
Long before the world and its best friend went berserk over the blue agave-produced tequila and its close cousin mezcal, the ancient Mexicans got their kick from indigenous drinks like atole. Made by boiling corn in milk or water and then sweetened with either sugar or piloncillo (a cane sweetener), atole is a fermented drink that’s very popular in Mexico to this day. Another indigenous drink from the region of Veracruz, aguardiente, which literally means ‘fiery water’ is an unrefined alcoholic drink that’s truly for the adventurous. Want to stay off the sauce? Available at almost every street-side corner around Mexico are a range of icy, fruit-based drinks called agua frescas where the tamarind flavoured one trumps all. Made from rice, almonds and cinnamon, horchata is another unusual, but yummy drink as is the spicy, sugar-free Mexican hot chocolate made from dairy-free dark chocolate that’s often spiked with chilli. 

6. Art for all!
There is little doubt that at the very forefront of Mexico’s dynamics art scene is the enigmatic couple, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. While the former’s bold and colourful pieces can be found superbly curated at Mexico City’s Museo Frida Kahlo, Rivera’s great murals that show a slice of the country’s history and cultural identity are best represented at the Secretaria de Educacion Publica and at the Palacio National, both also in Mexico City. Head out to Capula at the foothills of Michoacán for an eyeful of the weird and wonderful sculptures at artist Juan Torres’ property. For some pre-Hispanic art, check out the Olmec Heads in the Gulf of Mexico that date back to 900BC.

7. Mayan Mexico
Wielding perhaps the greatest clout of all of ancient Mexico’s civilisations, the Mayan influence on the country is best celebrated at places like Tulum and Palenque with its exquisite palaces, tombs and temples decorated with carvings and paintings. For a glimpse of modern day Mayan life (yes, it exists) take a detour to the mountain town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas which is surrounded by traditional modern Mayan villages that we swear aren’t oxymorons!   

8. Nature’s bounty
Not many would know this, but seven of the eight species of sea turtle in the world nest along Mexico’s beaches, making turtle conservation sanctuaries like El Tortugario near Cuyutlán a must visit. The cactus forest of the Zapotitlán Salinas zone of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve shows you just how important cacti are to Mexican culture. But if there is one place we would recommend you devote all your nature love to, then that would have to be to the bright blue Agua Azul waterfalls on the Xanil River in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas.

9. Colonial vestiges
Bringing to Central America a decidedly European flair are Mexico’s colonial strongholds like Puebla and Monterrey with their well-preserved zocalos (town squares), churches and world class museums. Other places like Zacatecas on the edge of the northern desert with its brilliant colonial architecture and the walled city of Campeche famous for its bastions that once defended the city from pirates should feature on your colonial Mexico itinerary. 

10. The sporty side of life
Known as fútbol, soccer is the de facto national sport where the national team El Tri (the tricolour) are revered like Gods. Check out a match at Mexico City’s Estadio Axteca and soak up the unbridled passion that the fans display. Borrowed from their northern neighbour, USA, baseball too is a very popular sport with the two strongest clubs being the Tomateros and the Naranjeros. Popular in the north of the country, charreadas or rodeos are fun as are the highly dramatised lucha libre wrestling matches held all over Mexico. But if there is one sport that you won’t find anywhere else in the world then that would have to be the Mesoamerican indigenous game of ulama as it is called in Sinaloa, where a rubber ball is meant to be kept off the ground by two teams by all means. And yes, the operative words here being ‘all means’!

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the December 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Surf’s Up!

Fancy learning to ride the surf-crested waves while enjoying a bit of sun and sand on the side in Sri Lanka? We bring you a few of the best surfing schools on the tear drop-shaped island. Places where your inner wave rider is just waiting to be released...

By Raul Dias

Ahikava Surf School, Galle
As much as it is known as a town with great historical significance, Galle along Sri Lanka’s South Coast is being recognised as one of the world’s leading new surfing hot-spots. Thanks to their impressive swells, the waters off the beaches in and around Galle are fast becoming magnets for surfers who flock to them in droves. And so, recognising this is the Ahikava Surf School that conducts its hands-on classes on the bay of Bonovosta, commonly known as the Dewata Sahana surfing beach. Located a mere 10-minute drive away from Galle towards Matara, the beach with its sandy bottom break makes it safe for you when surfing the first time. From courses that start at just an hour hour-long introductory one to an intensive 7-day certificate course, the school prepares novice surfers for everything from identifying current rips and sweeps so you stay safe while in the water, to practicing that all-important proper surf etiquette when in a line-up to avoid wave crashing.

Ahikava Surf School
No 420/G, Matara Road, Beach of Bonovista,
Dewata, Galle-80000
+94 775903527
srilankasurfingschool.com


Kumara Surf School, Arugam Beach  
So secluded and unknown is Arugam Bay along Sri Lanka’s East Coast, that most often than not, the only other visitors to its tiny beach are the playful little crabs that can be seen scampering about. But ask those in the know and the stories they will tell you are sure to inspire your next surfing holiday to this magical spot of sand. ‘Pristine blue waters meet virgin beach’ is the best way to describe Arugam Bay without going into hyperbolic overdrive. But it is the world class surfing here that does a whole lot more of the talking. And while there may not be many places to rent out gear and help with all your other surfing requirements, a surfing course at Kumara Surf School here is the ideal way to get an introduction to the calm waves that lap along the bay’s beach. A surfing novice? Fear not. Due to the beach break, Arugam Bay is the perfect spot for all levels of beginners. What’s interesting is that the surf school lead by pro surfer Kumara is run entirely by local guys who started out with just three (borrowed!) surf boards. Today, all the school’s instructors are ISA (International Surfing Association) and ILS (International Lifesaving Federation)-certified and ready to introduce you to the water sport they are obsessed with.

Kumara Surf School
Ulla Pottuvil
Arugam Bay-32500
+94 774333374
kumarasurfschool.com


Sion Surf Camp, Ahangama 
While the South Coast may have the reputation of Sri Lanka’s top backpacker haven, it also has a delicious little secret that not many are aware of. And we’re alluding to that of a surfing haven where one can ride some of the best waves the island has to offer along its Ahangama Beach stretch. With a calm reef break right outside, this surf camp is perfect for both surfing amateurs and the more professional surfers to get their feet (and everything else!) wet in its warm, azure waters. Suitable for surfers of all ages and all levels, the seven-day surfing course at Sion Surf Camp comes replete with a homestay experience, including all dinners and yoga sessions to keep you as nimble as you can get for your surfing sessions. As far as those after hours are concerned, the South Coast has some great ‘aprés-surf’options like the legendary beach parties at the many shacks doting the nearby beaches of Weligama, Unawatuna and Mirrissa.

Sion Surf Camp
Goviyapana
Ahangama-80650
+94 775024602
sionsurfcamp.com


The Surfer Weligama, Weligama
Made up of two different in-residence surfer camps—The Surfer Beach Camp and the TS2-Weligama Surf Camp—The Surfer Weligama makes the most of the pristine stretch of sand that is the Weligama Beach. Said to be situated in the best spot on the beach in front of a less crowded beginner break and walking distance to the Weligama main spot, this surf school also provides an easy access to reach another nine to ten surf spots within a 10-minute radius…besides great accommodation and food, of course. The school offers three surf packages: LEVEL 01 for beginners, LEVEL 02 for those that have been in the water before and the Surf Guiding package for those fairly proficient with riding the waves. All this, with a team of experienced instructors of Lankan, Germans, Dutch, Scandinavians and British-origin who have good local knowledge, perfect for helping you navigate the waves like a soon-to-be-pro!

The Surfer Weligama
NO 65, Wadana Watta,
Pelena, Weligama-81700
+94 773926614
thesurferweligama.com


For the Experienced Surfer…
Surf School Sri Lanka, Ahangama
In a marked departure from the other schools on this list, the Surf School Sri Lanka in Ahangama does not cater to beginners and is purely for all those experienced surfers out there who need to pre-book a spot way in advance. Here, you can choose from a varied number of courses that start from a 5-day one and go up to a more intensive 10-day course, with each beginning early in the morning at 6am with a 2.4-hour ‘in water’ coaching sessions followed by video classes. Employing a specially devised system by coaching director Tim Jones, the lessons here are delivered by ISA certified surf coaches with ratios being four coaches to every one student. And now that Sri Lanka has its first National Surfing Federation—along with its tie in with the ISA—offering ISA coaching qualifications gives visitors a greater quality of coaching. With their season running from the beginning of November to the end of April each year, now’s the perfect time to head there for a week or so to get your surfing A-Game on.

Surf School Sri Lanka
Amaravila Kathaluwa,
Ahangama-80650
+94 754726844
surfschoolsrilanka.com

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the December 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Chiang Mai For The Mind, Body and Soul

On your next trip to Chiang Mai, why not go on a vegan food tour, or perhaps learn more about the ancient art of the yantra tattoo? Better still, step out of your comfort zone and join a hill tribe in their rice planting activity, while picking up a thing or two about soul healing in the forest.

By Raul Dias

A mixed bag of clichés. That’s one of the first things that pops into the minds of most when we think of Thailand. From the ubiquitous, raver-infested full moon parties on its many not-so-pristine, beach-fronted islands and Bollywood-themed dinner cruises along the Chao Phraya river to the unfathomable opportunities for conspicuous consumption that its bustling capital city of Bangkok offers, finding something new to do in Thailand seems like a pipe dream. And amidst all this crass commercialism and tourist-targeted bogus, the true-blue ‘traveller’ seems to get left out of the equation like a neglected stepchild! But all’s not lost, as I recently found out.
On a recent trip to the north of the country, I had an epiphany of sorts. The hilly Lanna region to be more specific, painted a whole other image of Thailand for me, with its artistic brushstrokes and colourful hues. Thus, bestowing upon the city of Chiang Mai at the very heart of Lanna, a decidedly artistic and cultural cache that makes it a great jumping off point for the traveller seeking the path that’s woefully (and thankfully!) untrodden.  

For The Body…
A firm believer that to truly get the pulse of any new place surging through my veins, I simply have got to start my innings with a taste of the local food. First things first. The food of the north is very different from that of the rest of Thailand. A lighter, more herbaceous take on the coconut milk-redolent dishes of the south, the cuisine of Lanna is aromatic and spicy. And the lynchpins of the cuisine have got to be the piquant, lemon-y Chiang Mai sausage and a brutally fiery mushroom salad called yum hed.
To get a more immersive foodie experience I signed up with the newly launched Airbnb Experiences for a four-hours, hands-on long cookery class with Chef Chanrat Karatna who helped me discover the secrets of authentic Northern Thai cuisine. Here, I learned to whip up from scratch the light khew wan kai chicken curry and the Northern Thailand version of the ubiquitous somtamthai papaya and prawn salad, all served with sticky black rice that is a specialty of the Lanna region.
Now, the words ‘vegan’ and ‘Thai food’ mentioned in the same sentence, seem like the greatest oxymoron. Wrong! The Plant-based Food Experience with Keidra, a local Chiang Mai resident and vegan food enthusiast is a food tour with a difference. The four-and-a-half hours tour takes people for a ride in a bright red songtaew (Thai-style pick-up truck) first to the local fruit and vegetable JJ Market where you can taste exotic Thai fruits like the longan and the snake fruit, while learning about their healing powers. It then careens towards the Lanna’s Herb stall of the famous ‘Juice Lady of Chiang Mai’ where you can sample different herbal healing juices. The tour ends with an all-vegan meal at a few of Keidra’s favourite vegan restaurants like Nong Bee’s and Anchan for some further dope on Thai, Burmese, and Western plant-based dishes.

For The Soul…  
While tattoos have always been a sore (pun unintended) topic for me—with their permanency being the major off-putting factor—knowing more about them has always been a source of fascination. And so, I found myself signing up for another super-unique Airbnb Yantra Tattoo Experience that saw me leave the city of Chiang Mai for the quite village of Samnak, a little less than an hour away. Here, my guide Nikom, a former monk introduced me to another monk-turned-tattoo master Arjan Sompong who gave me a crash course in all things Yantra Tattoo.
Apparently, the traditional hand done Thai tattoo is not regarded as a tattoo, but as an indelible talisman imbedded into the wearer’s skin. While there are several types and patterns of Yantra Tattoos with their own respective meanings and purposes, they all feature ancient geometric symbols, animals or deity designs. These motifs are believed to offer protection to the wearer against bad luck and bestow upon them good fortune.
More interestingly, I was also told about the very rare invisible Yantra Tattoo that Sompong does, where a mixture of black sesame seed oil and invisible tattoo ink is injected into the recipient’s dermis layer. The mantras imbued into the person are meant to protect them from all harm, without the tattoo being traceable at all.
Now, at the risk of fueling another cliché of “heading to the hills to find healing”, here’s another rather unusual activity for the soul that one must try when in Chiang Mai. Claiming to possess the power to heal herself and others in vastly different ways; emotionally, spiritually, and even physically, Naiyana offers her very unique four-hour meditative ‘Soul and Energy Healing in the Forest’ experience.
At Yardfahmadin, her healing home nestled deep in the woods outside Chiang Mai, besides a gurgling stream Naiyana teaches people the ancient healing art of Omtri. This therapy is said to be a fusion of several powerful healing modalities, combining crystal healing, Reiki, and traditional Asian healing practices to help to bring your mental, emotional and physical energies into alignment, all by accessing your soul’s own inner wisdom. Besides said to bring inner peace and harmony, Omtri also allegedly helps balance and stabilise physical energy, provides relief from aches and pains, and relieve specific issues, such as anxiety, depression and insomnia.

For The Mind…
Bringing into perspective Chiang Mai’s prowess as an arts and craft stronghold are a number of activities one can partake in that help unleash the mind’s creativity. Initiated by Khun Jao, and hosted by Emika, Made in Chiang Mai is an Airbnb Experiences project that relies on the support of local people to help travellers get a better understanding of the arts scene. Located 45 minutes outside of the Chiang Mai city centre, the village of On-Tai is where one can learn everything from working with clay from a local expert to meeting with the village artisans and learning how do bamboo and cotton weaving to picking up the nuances of the natural tie-dying process.
To end my sojourn in the Lanna region, I decided to do something rather different. And so off it was with Pat, my tattooed, Steven Tyler doppelganger of a guide in his off roader for a tryst with the Karen hill tribe. Our destination: an authentic Karen village a good hour’s drive away from Chiang Mai over bumpy, nausea-inducing mountain roads. A place that seems untouched by time, where the villagers still live in traditional stilt bamboo houses.
As it was lunch time, we were invited to sit down cross-legged on the thatched floor and partake in a traditional lunch of a watery, bitter herb-flavoured chicken curry with a side of stir friend pumpkin leaves—all washed down with a tasty home distilled rice-based drink. It was only after we were sated that the villagers took us around their super clean village, sharing with us everything from their rather complicated fabric weaving techniques and rattan basket making to planting the all-important rice crop and herb foraging.
Live like a local. How’s that as the new mantra of travel with a purpose?

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the October 2018 issue of Jetwings International in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Between Breads

From its frugal beginnings—when it was put together by the 4^th Earl of Sandwich as a quick-n-easy hunting trip snack to its various gourmet avatars available today—the ubiquitous sandwich sure has come a long way. As gourmands across the world prepare to celebrate the annual International Sandwich Day on the 3^rd of November, we bring you a serving of a few famous sandwiches from around the world

By Raul Dias

The Philly Cheesesteak, USA
As its name suggests, this iconic submarine-style sandwich has its origins in the state of Philadelphia and the city of Boston to be more specific. So, what we have here is a long hoagie bread roll holding within its soft center, thinly sliced slivers of meat and grilled sweet, white onions all slathered with the luridly yellow coloured Cheese Whiz cheese sauce. And while the rest of America and even the world has produced several, rather ersatz iterations of the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, the original is a true-blue Bostonian. Right down to legendary ‘war’ between two rival cheesesteak sandwich shops Pat’s and Geno’s, located bang opposite each other at the triangular intersection of 9th St, Wharton St and Passyunk Ave. in the city’s South Philly neighbourhood.

The Bánh Mì, Vietnam
As a lasting ‘legacy’ of its French colonial past, Vietnam’s most iconic street-side snack the Bánh Mì has more than a few elements that reference the, well…French connection! A mini French baguette also called a bánh mì is split lengthwise and layered with a fusion of meats and vegetables from Vietnamese cuisine such as chả lụa sausage, fresh coriander, cucumber ribbons, and pickled carrots and daikon radish, combined with condiments from French cuisine such as pâté along with jalapeño chillies and a sweet-spicy mayonnaise. A typical Saigon dish, the Bánh Mì came into being after the 1954 Partition of Vietnam when migrants moved from North Vietnam to South Vietnam, putting their stamp on Saigon’s local cuisine. Today, one of the best places in Ho Chi Minh City, as Saigon is known as today, to try a Bánh Mì is at the Bánh Mì Bùi Thị Xuân restaurant in the Phạm Ngũ Lão backpacker ghetto.

The Torta Ahogada, Mexico
Like most great sandwiches, the Torta Ahogada has extremely humble underpinnings as a working man’s lunch. Here the porous, yet firm birote bread which has a thick, crunchy crust and softer interior is filled with slices of fried meat or chicken along with cheese and beans. The sandwich is then dunked into a vat of sauce made from vinegar, arbol chilies, garlic, oregano, and other spices and served in its soggy state with a side of tortillas, onion rings and slices of cooling avocado. Invented in the early 1900s in the Mexican city of Gudalajara—with the word ‘torta’ meaning sandwich and ‘agohada’ meaning drowned—several theories abound as to its genesis. One such belief is that the sandwich maker accidentally dropped his freshly made torta into a pan of chilli salsa and his customer loved it so much he kept repeating his ‘mistake’ to remarkable success. But whatever be its origins, one thing is clear: this spicy, messy sandwich is a multisensory treat!

The Balik Ekmek, Turkey
One of the best things about this humble fish sandwich called Balik Ekmek (literally meaning “fish bread”) is that you don’t have to look too hard to find one to treat yourself with when in the Turkish capital of Istanbul. Simply let your olfactory senses lead you to the nearest boat selling this street…err, we mean waterside delicacy! On either sides of the city’s mighty Galata Bridge, in the waterfront neighbourhoods of Eminonu and Karakoy, you can find boats lined up with makeshift grills set up on them dispensing these yummy treats for around 5 Turkish Lira (Rs 56) a piece. What you’ll get is a sturdy round Turkish bread stuffed with a deboned filet of either grilled or fried oily fish such as sardines or mackerel topped with hot sauce and accompanied by sides of raw onion rings, radish, lettuce and a wedge of lemon.   

The Chip Butty, UK  
While this aberration of a sandwich might sound like a carb-on-carb keto diet nightmare, let us assure you that one bite of this classic, yet insanely simple British sandwich and you’ll surrender to its charms. Known as a ‘butty’ in the local vernacular, a sandwich is that quintessential British snack whose avatars are numerous, from the dainty cucumber and watercress ones to the cholesterol-rich bacon butty. For a chip butty, you’ll need to pile on two slices of buttered, thick white sandwich bread with another classic, chips—that we know of as thick cut fries—and slather it all with bright red pumpkin and tomato ketchup. And voila, you’ll be staring down at a typical post binge drinking treat that can be found at almost any fish and chip shop across the country.   

The Po’ Boy, USA
Shrimp, crawfish, lobster, oyster you name it and it can be found in a typically New Orleans, Louisiana style Po’ Boy sandwich. A corruption of the term ‘poor boy’ as it was the most preferred meal of the striking streetcar conductors in 1929, the sandwich evolved from the1800s fried oyster sandwiches on French loaves to include any breaded, deep-fried mollusc or crustacean loaded onto French bread and dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayonnaise. Though essentially a seafood sandwich, places like Texas have been known to put own their spin on a Po’ Boy with versions that come stuffed with BBQ meat and chicken. But for the real deal, head down to joints like Avery’s On Tulane along New Orleans’ Tulane Ave. for a taste of the divine that defies explanation.

The Smørrebrød, Denmark
Proving to the world of casual cuisine that a sandwich isn’t always about two pieces of bread holding forth fillings, this Danish classic open-faced sandwich may be a mouthful to pronounce, but the sheer mind-boggling varieties of Smørrebrød will leave you salivating. A typical Smørrebrød is usually constructed out of a slice of buttered rye bread called rugbrød, known for its dense crumb and deep brown hue. Called pålæg, which translates as “lay-on”, the toppings range from cold cuts, slivers of meat or fish, cheese or spreads. But hands down the most popular of all pålæg has got to be cured salmon called gravad laks that’s further topped off with a frond of dill, a splodge of sweet mayonnaise and sent off with a squirt of lemon juice. 

Oddities of the Sandwich World
* At $214 a pop, the title of the World’s Most Expensive Sandwich would have to go to “The Quintessential Grilled Cheese Sandwich,” that’s made by New York City’s legendary Serendipity 3 restaurant. Besides holding unfathomable bragging rights within its folds, the sandwich is made up of two slices of French bread that has Dom Perignon champagne and 23-karat gold baked into it. It is stuffed with caciocavallo podolico, a rare cheese imported from southern Italy and brushed with white truffle oil and gold leaf before it meets the grill.
* Ever heard of the ‘Candwich’? An American company produces these rather bizarre sandwiches in a can! Yes, each tin contains a bread roll and an assortment of flavours, including Peanut Butter and Jelly and Honey BBQ chicken. ‘nuff said.
* As an homage to the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, The Elvis sandwich is stuffed with an odd assortment of ingredients Elvis was particularly partial to all his life. So, we have peanut butter, banana and bacon ensconced within slices of commercial white bread and grilled with dollops of butter slathered onto the whole thing.
* In Japan, one of the most popular kinds of sandwiches is the Fruit Sando where sweet, soft white cake-like bread is stuffed with whipped cream and a whole ‘orchard’ of fruits from the most popular being strawberries to the downright strange persimmon and musk melon.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the October 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Sausagefest

By Raul Dias 

Flavours of the World at Oktoberfest
Over the last couple of years, one sees an interesting food trend emerging out of the mighty tents at Oktoberfest. One that embraces world cuisine with all its might, making the following dishes bona fide Oktoberfest staples and not just exotic flavours of the season:

* Doner Kebab-What the world knows and loves as shawarma, the Germans call doner kebab. This new, Middle East-originated, Oktoberfest favourite contains rotisserie-style grilled strips of meat called gyros ensconced in a warm pita bread along with lettuce, onions and tomatoes, all slathered in a garlic-y mayonnaise-like sauce called thum.

* Paella-What’s not to love about this fragrant, saffron-perfumed rice preparation studded with bits of seafood, chicken and vegetables like peas and sweet bell peppers? And concurring with this estimation of the Spanish dish are the hordes of people that line the many stalls at Oktoberfest waiting for a bite of the festival’s favourite comfort food.

* Burritos-Though not traditionally Mexican, this Tex-Mex dish—which is the sum of its tomato rice, salsa, refried beans, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, hot sauce and roast meat parts, all wrapped in a flour tortilla—is perfect for soaking up all that post-revellery alcohol! 

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the September 2018 issue of Jetwings International in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Muscat in a Day!

While it may not be very large, Muscat—the compact capital of the Sultanate of Oman has something for everyone. From shopping sprees and culture lessons to an abundance of sea-centric activities, this city has it all, and then some more...

By Raul Dias

If you look up the etymology of the word ‘Muscat’ you will find that it literally translates from Arabic to mean “place of anchorage”. And there couldn’t be a more apt way to describe this tiny, yet bustling capital city of the Sultanate of Oman that exudes a relaxed, small-town vibe despite having everything a dynamic modern-day city should have.
Established in 1793, today Muscat is the main metropolitan area of Oman and the most densely populated region that one third of the country’s two million people call home. A great place to set anchor and explore the rest of Oman at leisure, Muscat too has a lot to offer the traveller, however brief your stopover here is.
We bring you a few ways to get the most of your jaunt in this Middle Eastern coastal city:

Soak in the Souk
There’s no doubting the fact that one of the best ways to acquaint yourself to any Middle Eastern city is by sauntering down to the local marketplace called a souk. And Muscat is no different. The bustling Muttrah Souk, just off the meandering Corniche in Old Muscat is the perfect Ground Zero for a slice of local life. From the intricately decorated curved dagger called the khanjar that is the symbol of Oman and fragrant frankincense (see box)-selling stalls, to others peddling soft Pashmina shawls and colourful belushi dresses for women, this souk has it all. With its labyrinthine lanes and alleys, the souk is a treasure trove for souvenir hunters with its hundreds of shops selling multi-hued glass lamps, sheeshas and other metallic curios and trinkets like typically Omani pendants and lockets.

A dose of serenity at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
20,000 is the number of worshippers it can accommodate at one time. 1,122 is how many bulbs its eight tonne Swarovski crystal chandelier holds. And 1,700 million knots make up the Persian carpet that covers the floor of its main hall. As one of the largest mosques in the world, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is THE place to immerse yourself in serenity and peace. Opened in 2001, this edifice is hemmed in by four minarets which together with a fight—and larger—central minaret represent the five pillars of Islam. Truly a must-visit place in the city!

Scent’s Appeal
Let your olfactory senses lead you to the very well-appointed Amouage Perfume Factory in Rusayl for a heady dose of aromatherapy. Established over 25 years ago by the Omani Royal Family to revive and maintain the art of ancient Arabian Perfumery, the factory is ‘Ground Zero’ for lovers of fine fragrance. Here you can see how essential oils and traditional ingredients like silver, ambergris and myrrh and others like tonka beans and lavender amalgamate to create magic. You can even get a customised perfumed made here just for yourself with the formula kept aside for future orders!

Omani Heritage Gallery
Shop with a conscience at the wonderful Omani Heritage Gallery that’s located in the Shatti Al Qurm. Part of an NGO that supports local Omani artisans working in traditional crafts, the gallery is where you can pick up some high-quality products including jewellery, tribal weaving, woven baskets and copper articles. But remember, unlike the Muttrah Souk where bargaining is the norm, this is a fixed price place with all profits going directly to the artisans. 

Do the Museum Circuit
For a city as small as Muscat, it sure packs in a mighty punch with its world-class museums. Start off with a visit to the National Museum—located bang opposite the ornate Al Alam Royal Palace in Old Muscat—for its well-curated exhibits of everything from displays of jewellery and traditional costumes to the mighty Omani dhow sailboat that occupies prime position. Don’t miss checking out the 8^th century letter believed to have been written by the Prophet Mohammed to the rulers of Oman, spreading the Islamic faith to the country. For a better understanding of Franco-Omani relations, pop into the Bait Al Faransi museum that is housed in the former residence of the French Consul in Muscat. Other superb museums include the Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum in the Ruwi neighbourhood and the wonderful Natural History Museum where you can uncover the Sultanate’s history in fossils with the ‘Oman Through Time’ exhibit. 

Encounters of the Sea Kind!
With an enviable coastline, Muscat offers a plethora of aquatic activities for you to enjoy. The Arabian Sea around Muscat has no strong currents, making both diving and snorkelling both fun an easy for divers of all levels. Fancy the more armchair kind of sea encounters? Sign up for a half day glass bottom boat tour leaving from the marina at Sidab in Old Muscat every morning at 8 am. The 22-seater boat cruises along the Muscat coastline, affording you sights of not just beautiful corals and other marine life, but also of the rather playful humpback dolphins and mighty whales that glide through the azure waters.  

A Sun Worshipper’s Paradise
With its soft, golden sand, the city’s Qurm Beach is one of the Sultanate’s best public beaches and a great place to unwind after a hectic day’s sight-seeing. Located a stone’s throw away from the business district of Qurm Junction, this beach along Al Shati Street is particularly popular with locals at sunset. The promenade that runs alongside it makes for a pleasant evening stroll with stops made for some cooling iced mint lemonade called limonana bought at one of the many fruit juice stalls.

Night Out at the Opera
Boasting of one of the best opera houses in the world, Muscat’s magnum opus of an opera house stands proud near the seaside dunes of Al Qurm. Spanning across 80,000 sq.m, the building reflects typically Omani Arabesque architecture with flourishes of European grandeur peeking through every now and then. The Grand Auditorium is where you will see the Sultan of Oman’s gilded private box. In the past, the Royal Opera House has hosted world greats like Diana Krall, Youssou N’Dour and the celebrated Mariinsky Ballet who have all performed to a sold-out house.       

The khanjar and frankincense: Two Pillars of Omani Culture
* Tucked into ornate belts, the traditional curved dagger called the khanjar has been worn for centuries by Oman men as a defensive weapon and represents bravery and valour. Today considered the national symbol of the Sultanate, you will see its iconic shape on the country’s flag and printed on currency notes.
* The treasured resin harvested from the Boswelia Sacra tree found in Oman’s southern Dhofar region, frankincense is an inalienable part of the Omani identity which you will encounter all over the Sultanate. Omanis particularly like to use it as a perfume and you will surely recognise its distinct fragrance on the many hands that you shake or on entering shops and restaurants.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the July 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

24 hrs in… MANCHESTER

The world’s first industrialised city, a city that worships its sport and a metropolis that’s got a throbbing pulse rate, Manchester has a list of epithets that try their best to define it. A day about town, however abbreviated, is a fantastic way to get orientated to this dynamic city, neatly tucked away in England’s northwest.  

  

By Raul Dias

Manchester Cathedral
If you happen to be in the city on a Sunday morning, prepare to hear the almost deafening tolling of this magnificent cathedral’s 10 bells during mass service. As the seat of the Bishop of Manchester and the city’s parish church, this gothic edifice is on Victoria Street, slap bang in the middle of the city centre. With its tall bell tower, stained-glass windows and intricately carved wooden benches and pews, the cathedral is one of the most beautiful in all of the UK. Interestingly, the cathedral has a church within a church, when it was discovered that the same spot housed a Saxon church dating back to 700AD. Today, all that remains of its previous avatar is an ‘angel stone’—a small carving of an angel with a scroll that’s been preserved with other minor relics of its past.

Old Trafford
Home to one of the world’s most iconic football clubs—Manchester United—since 1910, the equally popular Old Trafford football stadium is hallowed ground for all die-hard footie fans. But even if you’re not one, this stadium’s sheer volume, with a capacity to comfortably contain a whopping 74,994 people at any given time, will leave you speechless. Partially destroyed during the German blitzkrieg of December 1940, the stadium was painstakingly reconstructed to its original glory by an army of fans and supporters two years later. Today, on non-match days, one can purchase a spot on the many tours that the stadium has on offer. Now, here’s one piece of interesting Old Trafford trivia: they even allow fans’ ashes to be sprinkled on the pitch!

The Quays
Bestowing a certain, futuristic Venice-like cache onto a small section of Greater Manchester are the Salford Quays, 15 minutes by tram from Manchester city centre. Better known simply as ‘The Quays’ this is a great place to just ‘hang-out’ at. With everything from impromptu live theatre on the weekends in summer to trendy restaurants and high-end shopping opportunities, there’s a lot this modern waterfront development destination has on offer. Football and cricket fans can pick up merchandise from the well-appointed Manchester United and Lancashire County Cricket Club official superstores that can be found in The Quays.    

Manchester Museum
Done up in the neo-gothic style of architecture, this museum is a rare one. In that, it is one of the few museums in the world to be owned by a university. In its case, the University of Manchester which established it in 1888. With galleries that range from ancient and natural history to ones documenting Manchester’s remarkable industrial prowess, the museum showcases over four million objects. Acquired in 2004, Stan, the reproduction model of a fossilised Tyrannosaurus rex is one of the museum’s most popular exhibits, as is the relief of Pepi II from the temple of Menes and Isis in Qift, Egypt.

Northern Quarter
With its profusion of quirky bars and restaurants, this boho-chic neighbourhood of Manchester—wedged between Piccadilly station and Victoria station—is where the hip-n-trendy Mancunians go to party. During the day, casual diners like Alabama’s All American Eatery offer great brunch deals, while at night the more sophisticated vibe of places like Cane & Grain and 63 Degrees kicks in. But it’s not all about food and drink here. The Northern Quarter has an excellent selection of art galleries, boutiques and salons to indulge at.   

National Football Museum
Ensconced in a shimmery glass façade, this free museum located in Manchester’s city centre may be one of the city’s newest attractions having been set up only in 2012. But it’s fast gaining a reputation of being a repository of all things wonderfully football, spread over four floors. One of the most popular exhibits is The Global Game on level one that’s dedicated to world football and includes the ball that was played with in the first ever world cup final.   

Castlefield
Imagine being at THE place where the city of Manchester got its name? Yes, Castlefield is at the very heart of the city where the Roman fort of Mancunium once stood proudly in defence against the marauding Celtic tribe of the Brigantes. Today, this largely traffic-free artsy haven is where stressed out Mancunians go to wind down and chill out at. This, thanks to the fact that in 1982, the area was designated as the UK’s first Urban Heritage Park. Pop into the Castlefield Gallery, a contemporary art space that hosts works of both established and upcoming artists many of whom study at the Manchester Art School which partners with the gallery. 

Sea Life Manchester
Line up at 10am outside its mighty doors and enter an aquatic paradise where you can spend an entire day being enchanted by the creatures of the deep. The aquarium plays host to over 5,000 species of sea life, ranging from great white sharks to the more benign-looking seahorses. As one of Sea Life Manchester’s newest attractions that was launched this year, Liar of the Giant Crab is where you can encounter the 3 meters-long Japanese spider crabs in all their spiny glory.

Heaton Park
The perfect setting for a typically English picnic on a balmy day, this free municipal park is Manchester’s de facto ‘green lung’, if you may! With a coverage area of over 600 acres, the park houses an 18-hole golf course, a boating lake and even its own tramway circuit. And if you’re lucky, you can even find yourselves attending a free summer concert, movie screening or play on its greens as Heaton Park has hosted some open-air theatre productions including Shakespearean treats like Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth in the recent past.

Museum of Science and Industry
Perhaps one of the best places in all of Manchester that pays rich tribute to the city’s industrial past, is the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI). With no entry fee charged, visitors are free to have a wander around its many galleries that include the permanent Air, Space and Power Halls, the Revolution Manchester and the Textiles Gallery that tells you why Manchester also had another nickname in the 19^th century—Cottonopolis. Interestingly, the MSI is housed in the same site where the world’s first railway station called Manchester Liverpool Road was located. What’s more is that, every weekend and public holiday, the museum offers you the chance to sit back and enjoy a short ride in a train lead by a good old-fashioned steam engine!

Detours

Beyond Manchester

Where About 64 km northwest from Manchester
Why While it may seem just like any other English sea side resort town with its salt water taffy kiosks and weather-beaten wooden board walk, Blackpool has a distinct charm of its own. Perfect for a day trip, this town that hugs the Irish Sea with all its might is home to the famous Blackpool Tower, the much more diminutive doppelganger of Paris’ grand Eiffel Tower. Also located on the sea-facing Promenade is the legendary Madame Tussauds with waxworks of famous British celebrities like Ed Sheeran and David Beckham. And if all that beach action simply isn’t enough, Blackpool has more. Pleasure Beach is one the UK’s most popular amusement parks with its two iconic roller coaster rides—Big One and Valhalla to get your adrenaline racing!  

 

Where About 47 km southwest from Manchester
Why Replete with its black and white Tudor-style, half-timber buildings and cobblestoned walkways, the charming Roman town of Chester is the only completely walled city in all of Britain. Chester Cathedral with its medieval past and hundreds of years of history is the perfect orientation to this town with its Victorian organ and its mighty tower that you can climb via 200 steps. And speaking of towers, make sure to visit the Shot Tower, which is the only surviving tower of its kind that dates back from the 18th century, where lead shots for guns were made the old way by dropping molten lead from the top of the tower. A wonderful way to see Chester is by taking a Roman-style walking tour that’s led by a ‘Roman soldier’ who’ll regale you with spooky tales and even guide you on a boat ride down the River Dee that languidly courses its way through Chester.

Where About 139 km north from Manchester
Why With its fecund natural beauty and bucolic surroundings, the Lake District is the perfect getaway from a city like Manchester into the lap of Mother Nature. Magical little towns like Windermere, Ambleside, and Bowness-on-Windermere have everything you’re looking for—from quaint English countryside cottages to tiny little gingerbread shops. No surprise then that the Lake District had such a profound impact of the works of literary greats like William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. In fact, celebrating the latter’s life and works is the wonderfully appointed The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Windermere where all your favourite characters like Peter Rabbit and Mrs Tiggy-winkle come alive in a picture-postcard-perfect setting that’s nothing short of magical.   

- By Raul Dias

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the July 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)