FunderfulWorld

Junior was glued to the window of the Shatabdi Express as it chugged out of New Delhi Railway Station and proceeded toward its final destination, Dehradun. The capital of Uttarakhand. While the summer sun shone harshly in Pune, we escaped to the cooler climes of the mountains. A long summer vacation in Uttarakhand. A much-awaited tryst with the mighty Himalayas. Our first destination was Dehradun. Located in the Garhwal region of the state, the city is a gateway to the hills and the mountains beyond.

From the hill station of Saputarato the seaside. We set off to Daman, a former Portuguese colony, along the coast of the Gulf of Khambhat. After more than four centuries of Portuguese rule, Daman passed into the hands of India in 1961. The Damanganga river divides the town into Moti Daman (Big Daman) and Nani Daman (Little Daman) just before it meets the blue waters of the Arabian Sea. At the mouth of the Damanganga, the strong forts and the little fishing boats narrate the story of the seaside town.

<p class="wp-caption-text"> En route to Saputara, Gujarat. </p> <p class="wp-caption-text"> View from the ropeway. Saputara, Gujarat, India. </p> <p class="wp-caption-text"> Blue. Saputara Lake, Gujarat, India </p> <p class="wp-caption-text"> Green (and some blue!) At the Lake Garden. Saputara, Gujarat, India. </p> <p class="wp-caption-text"> Red and White in Warli Art. Saputara, Gujarat, India. </p> </div> <p class="wp-caption-text"> Colors on the horizon. Saputara, Gujarat, India. </p>

A birthday celebration in Prague was a dream come true! I was on cloud nine, perhaps even ten. Of course, the idea instantly got a BIG stamp of approval (from me :)). B, Junior, and I set off on a long weekend trip to the capital of the Czech Republic, eager to ring in my birthday in style. Although the Charles Bridge and the immense Prague Castle complex are its most well-known attractions, Prague is also home to other gems like the historical Jewish Quarter, the tranquil surroundings of the Strahov Monastery, and the picturesque neighborhood of Malá Strana or Lesser Town.

Tucked neatly between the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat, Silvassa is the capital of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The small town, formerly ruled by the Portuguese, is now an active industrial hub. This information was part of what I already knew about Silvassa. But there is much more to the area than just industries. Here’s what we discovered on a trip to Silvassa in December:

A Much-awaited Trip The UNESCO world heritage site of Ellora is a weekend escape or long-weekend getaway from Pune. The splendid rock-cut caves had been on our wish list for quite some time. Along came the opportunity to pay a visit to this famous location. Of the 34 rock-cut caves at Ellora, 17 are Hindu caves (cave numbers 13 to 29), 12 are Buddhist caves (cave numbers 1-12), and 5 are Jain caves (cave numbers 30-34).

A Dream For several years, B and I have talked about a visit to the Ajanta and Ellora caves someday. After our move to Pune, these architectural wonders were much closer to home. It didn’t take us long to plan a trip to the Ellora caves. Ellora caves, also known as Verul Leni, is a marvellous complex of rock-cut temples and monasteries. This UNESCO world heritage site is located approximately 30 kilometers from Aurangabad in Maharashtra.

With dreams of a “white Christmas” vacation and images of lively Christmas markets in mind, we boarded our flight to Berlin in December 2013. Well, although snow didn’t make an appearance during our trip, we ventured out in (almost) freezing weather to experience the warmth of Berlin’s Christmas markets. The gaiety, bright lights, colorful stalls, and variety of food and drink lent a magical, festive touch to the city. In the capital of Germany, we explored the Christmas markets, visited historical monuments, learned about the Ampelmann, spotted colorful bears (the bear is Berlin’s symbol), and spent solemn moments at two memorials.

Of Cars: At home, our conversations often revolve around cars. If we are not talking about a new model (Zica), we are wondering about older ones (Premier Padmini). Some days, we are discussing the history of Tata Motors and wondering why it used to be called TELCO. On other days, we debate incessantly over compact versus mid-size cars. Yesterday, I learned that a grey Eeco and a black Octavia are usually parked near the grocery store in our neighborhood.

In 2015, we embarked on our first trip to the geographical heart of India, Madhya Pradesh (MP). Our itinerary featured three destinations in the Malwa region of MP: Mandu (Mandav), Indore, and Maheshwar.   During our brief stay at Indore, we took the foodie route and stopped by some of the city’s popular eating joints. If you ask our taste buds, it was completely worth the time! We also escaped to a couple of green hideouts, away from the bustle of the large city.