Europe calling.....

We see England and English people in our imaginations ( courtesy... Our English Fiction, detective novels, Literature and Shakesphere ).I was so excited when knew that i was flying to London in a week. It took me by surprise. I thought all my childhood fantasies were finally shaping into reality and visiting london during the summer was like icing on cake.Here are few snapshots of my visit..

I was very keen to visit Tower Bridge as it represents London (atleast in my opnion). Whenever i think of London,this image flashes in my mind. So here goes my first picture....Tower bridge on Thames....

I could not resist myself from appreciating his artistic talent. This gentleman was drawing The Last Supper on the road near Trafalgar Square....

A view of London from St.Paul's Cathedral. I had a terrible experience as i have fear of heights. Only god knows how i was standing there..may be the Love for London made me to do this.

I was taken by surprise when my husband told that we were going to switzerland. We first landed in Geneva from where we took a train to Grindelwald. It was pitch dark when we reached there and there was no electricity. I was scared as it was a new place ( by then london seemed to be my place and anything apart from london was foreign :-)). We booked a hotel room in advance. So the concerned person came and picked us from the station. There were no lights, only candles glowing here and there.... Next day when i woke up to see this....................

A snapshot from our hotel room.....

I nagged my husband to buy me a watch and he bought me these.....



A chocolate CAN and Bell..... :(.


Innovative and creative ways of using wood... Could not resist to capture these.....

The best time to visit Europe is During April - August.
hmmmmm...So guys please wish that I see more beautiful places so that I can post more and more beautiful places...

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love

T

Spniach / Palak / Palakura Puri

Off late I have been publishing posts on travel alone and I donot want my visitors to mistake my blog for a travellers' blog alone. So today I'm gonna post a recipe which I tried last night and it turned out very good so much so that my husband thought of gifting me a new kitchen for all my experiments.

So here comes the recipe................




Ingredients :

• Spniach / Palak / Palakura : one bunch
• Garlic : 4 pieces
• Green chillies : 2 long ones
• Salt : for taste
• Wheat Flour / Atta : 2 cups
• Oil : for deep frying the puris

Procedure :

• Grind the spinach, garlic pieces, green chillies by adding salt as per your taste and keep aside.
• Mix atta with about teaspoon of oil first and then add the ground paste and mix it well into a batter as would for puris. Donot add salt to this again as you have already added salt to the ground paste.
• Now make samll balls from the batter and make small flat circular sheets. Donot worry about the shapes. What matters is the thickness. It has to be of medium thickness and not that thin as for rotis and not as thick as for paranthas.
• Now heat oil in a wok or a pan for deep frying the puris.

Enjoy your Palak puris and tell me how you liked them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy cooking !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love

R

Kolkata - The city of population, poverty, sweets, art, culture and a shopper's paradise

I have been to Kolkata last summer and it was one mixed experience. To start with, I was depressed by the poverty there. Many parts of India have always been below poverty line but this city which is called a Metro beats every other city and town in that matter. Problem is that people from extreme north-east India come to this city for employment and thus the population is high there. Not to forget the immigrants from Bangladesh. What struck me first, even before i went there, was the use of Paisa ( coins ) in the markets there. You can still buy vegetables for 25 paisa and 50 paisa. My in-laws were there for almost a year and half and whenever my Mother-in-law was here, she would collect all the coins and take them with her. There aren't good medical facilities available to everyone, infact most of the people there and those from the lower class families ( which is the general population there usually, infact most of the populaiton there ) depend on old Indian methods to get rid of their diseases.

One end of the city is with narrow lanes and people sleeping on pavements and toiling to earn their daily bread where on the other end there are skyscapers, security gurads at the main gates of multi-storied apartment buildings.

One of the best things of the city is the culture and art. The Begalis are full of art, be it in any form. The nation today has many singers and dancers from there participating in reality shows. Not to forget the painters and poets and film makers. The architecture can not just be described in words. You need to visit the place to see what I'm trying to put in here.

I havebeen to Vivekananda Museum which is called Belur Mutt Museum. The whole experience was just awesome. There are rooms which have been modelled in the way they have been kept by Swamy Vivekananda and his desciples. The Belur Mutt is by the river and to reach there we took a boat from Kali ghat. Kali temple at Kali ghat is the temple of Goddess Durga ( Kali ) as she is called. The pictures I have included in this post have been taken on a bost from Kali Ghat to Belur Mutt.

There is one more Kali temple in the city called CulCutta Kali which is very famous.

This is one of the abandoned temples, as was told to us, found on the ghats between Kali Ghat and Belur Mutt.

Another best thing about the city is shopping. I meant it when i said Kolkata is shopper's paradise. You should be good at bargaining to get the stuff at very low rates. The place is famous for Bengal cotton sarees which keep getting softer and softer as you wash them. I also bought jute bags and some jewellery on the road side. All in all a very mixed experience. It is a must visit place for everyone.

Oh by the way, I forgot to mention the climate there. It is very humid, being on the sea side. Summers a very hot and muggy and winters are very cold, chilly infact. I would still suggest going there in winters than in summers.

Love

R

The Buddha Museum - Amaravathi

I have been wanting to write this post ever since I've been to this place but sadly couldn't find time. Never mind, now that I have found the time, I shall introduce you guys to a wonderful museum which is still under construction as it only 80% done from the looks of it.

When we went to Amaravathi, we were told that there is this Buddha museum, the construction of which was started by Dalai Lama, remember the last time he visited India and has been to Amaravathi? When we went there, we were surprised to look at this huge statue of Buddha. Initially, my reaction was " Oh My God!!!!!!!!!".

The carvings on the circular walls were so true to life. We debated on how they could make those carvings on the walls as the finishing was in cement. I shall leave you guys with the pictures. Let those speak for themselves.

I shall visit this place again once it is completely done. Till then, give a treat to your eyes with these pictures.

Love

R

hmmmm......

Remain thoughtless for few minutes.......try it and let me know how you feel

Love
T