Two summers ago, we visited the city of Lyon, host to the famous Festival of Lights (Fête des Lumières), in France. During our week-long stay in the capital of the Rh_ô_ne-Alpes region, we explored several parks (including the lovely Parc de la Tête d’Or), relived history at the splendid Roman theater, and discovered the unique urban development project at La Confluence.
Our favorite trail of discovery in Lyon, the birthplace of cinema, was the trail of discovering frescoes.
Home to an ancient university, the town of Pavia dates back to pre-Roman times when it was known as Ticinum.
Our train-happy family readily jumped onto a train at Milan Centrale to spend a day at Pavia. A day of discovering piazzas, a university, and beautiful churches.
Our walk began from the train station at Pavia. We ambled along the streets that led to Piazza della Vittoria and the quiet Piazza del Duomo.
We followed the signs to a small ticket counter. Before we could say “Timbuktu”, we had paid for the tickets and were hurrying along to a “show” that had just started.
A miniature scene. With trains that chug along the tracks and a hot air balloon rising high. With a funicular and cable car that compete for attention. With tiny people enjoying a swim and others scaling a mountain.
For approximately 20-25 minutes, a (full-size) person in the control room brings a miniature city alive.
If you are weary from sightseeing and shopping in Milan, and are looking for a tranquil setting, head to the lovely Monte Stella. Condition: You would need a little bit of energy to hike up the hill :).
If you are a fitness enthusiast, you could jog along the path here.
Monte Stella is a verdant location with various paths leading around and up the hill. This artificial hill was created from rubble resulting from WWII damage.
The Udaan Biodiversity Park takes you on an exciting journey of discovering the plant kingdom. Tucked away in the Viman Nagar area of Pune, this initiative of the Zensar foundation is a commendable one.
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Sweet Basil. Udaan Biodiversity Park, Pune, India
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Indian Borage. Udaan Biodiversity Park, Pune, India
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Take a seat. Udaan Biodiversity Park, Pune, India
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Looking for a change of scenery on the busy Sinhagad Road?
The Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden (or Pu La Deshpande Udyan), located on Sinhagad Road in Pune, is a welcome visual treat. It is based on the Korakuen Garden in Okayama City and was inaugurated in 2006.
B has a special fondness for everything J (read Japanese), and so, as we entered the garden, he was on a high. We strolled along the paths in the well landscaped and vast green space, and crossed the little bridges over streams flowing through the garden.
Many years ago, I would often hike in the hills in the Sahakar Nagar neighborhood of Pune with my parents and sister. Sometimes, as a special treat to ourselves, we would cross several hills and reach the beautiful temple complex of Parvati, located on a hillock. At other times, we would go to Parvati the “official” way: climb approximately 80 steps from the main entrance near Mahila Mandal. And each time, the beauty of the temple complex and the views of the city from atop the hill made it a joyful experience.
Baneshwar, the site of an old Shiva temple, is located about 40 km from Pune.
We headed to Baneshwar on a Saturday morning. The small charming temple is surrounded by a forest, and hence the name ‘Baneshwar’. In the temple premises, Junior was drawn to a couple of tanks and their inhabitants (turtles and fish).
Outside the temple, several walking paths trace routes through the green environs; one of these paths leads to a waterfall.
We exited the subway at Clark Street station, and enjoyed a morning stroll in the neighborhood. The streets in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District have interesting names such as Love Lane! Our first destination for the day: Pier 6 at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
A long and enjoyable walk took us to the playgrounds at Pier 6. Junior was spoilt for choice – Slide Mountain, Swing Valley, Waterlab, … After spending a great deal of time in these play areas, we explored the Marsh Garden in the vicinity.
A trip to New York City was one of the highlights of our summer vacation last year. My earlier visit to the Big Apple had been a whirlwind tour of the main attractions in the city. Our recent visit was a more relaxed one, and we enjoyed exploring this vibrant city at a leisurely pace.
The New York Transit Museumwas one of our first destinations during the trip. On a bright summer morning, we headed to Brooklyn to learn about the history of New York’s transportation.