London

I visited London last year, again as a part of my trip to UK and I know it is quite delayed but better late than never. There is still a lot to see in London and I would have to definitely make another trip.

The day we were headed to London saw one of the worst weathers. It rained cats and dogs yet again. We took a train from Manchester to London. London is a much crowded city with a lot of noise and buzz about it. Unlike other parts of UK that I had visited, it seemed much more happening and lively.

We headed to our hotel in Central London- again a noisy area. We arrived late in the evening and it was time for dinner then so really couldn't get much done there. The weather was another factor too. On the following morning, we headed out to tour London. We first went to Big Ben which was covered in scaffolding. Followed by the Palace of Westminster, also known as the British Parliament. We had taken a guided tour of the place and it was really an outstanding tour. I loved all the history behind it and our guide seemed quite knowledgeable too. It is a really a magnificent building, which I hear might also get scaffolded soon. It was built around 1600s if my memory serves me right. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures inside. It is worth a visit with a guided tour.

Palace of Westminster- British Parliament

Opposite to the Palace of Westminster, is the Westminster Abbey. I did not go in. Parts of it was also scaffolded.

Westminster Abbey in Scaffolding

We then headed down to Trafalgar Square on foot. On the way, you will see 10 Downing Street- the official residence of the British PM. It is just a black door with the number 10 written on it but the craze to see that door was unbelievable. Trafalgar Square was an interesting place. As the name suggests, it is a square with 4 corners and gargoyles at each of those corners and a lion. However, this was not the most interesting place for me. It was the artists that I saw there showing off their different talents. I am posting one such video here. There were several artists and made the place more interesting.

The Lion at Trafalgar Square

Gargoyle at Trafalgar

Another view of Trafalgar Square

It was lunch time and we headed to taste the World renowned Saravana Bhavan. I ordered Idli-vada and Pani-Puri. Unfortunately, it did not taste Indian at all or live up to my expectation in terms of taste but I really appreciate their efforts to bring a piece of our culture to the Londoners.

Pani Puri

Idli-vada Sambar and Chutney

After lunch, we headed to Buckingham Palace on foot. We went through the Admiralty archway- the other end of which the majestic building stands. It is quite huge but not as tall as I expected it to be. I really enjoyed it here. We then spent some time at Hyde Park. There are some pillars close to the park which actually have the names of the commonwealth nations on it. I was going through it, when the weather came down on us. The transition was unbelievable. It was bright and sunny one moment and the next, it is raining cats and dogs. Weather is really unpredictable in London. Anyway, due to the heavy downpour, we sought shelter at this place, see picture below. We were not really well-prepared with rain coats and umbrellas so, we had to waste a lot of time here. Finally, the skies relented and the sun came out but it was close to closure of several places.

Buckingham Palace

Just outside Buckingham Palace

Gates of Buckingham Palace

Garden outside Buckingham Palace

Admiralty Archway

Saying Hello to one of Queen's Horses en route Buckingham Palace- note the weight on me and then read my weight loss blog in 2019

Hyde Park

We walked about some more and then took the "tube" or in India, we'd call it the London Metro to Covent Garden. I enjoyed the market place a lot. We stopped by at a cafe where we enjoyed some hot chocolate and tea. There were some live performances here and we watched a bit for sometime. We headed back to the hotel now for some rest and dinner.

Covent Garden Market

Our Shelter from Rain

The pillar with countries of the Indian Sub-continent

View from the Cable Car

On the following day, bright and sunny, we went to Greenwich. I think this has to be the highlight of the entire trip for me. We took a cable car ride, managed by Emirates, and enjoyed the views of urban London. We then went to this place called Cutty Sark, which is nothing but a ship model and there is a carnival kind of a vibe around it. We then made a stop at the Greenwich Market. On this particular day, there were several pop-up restaurants and stalls. The most unique thing about them all- It was all vegan food. It was quite a surprise and I am not sure if these stalls at the Greenwich market are a regular feature or it was something specific for that day. None-the-less, great food and some great time. In UK, I did not find it difficult to find vegan/vegetarian food. It is easily available in almost all the places and they label them pretty clearly as well.

Cutty Sark

Cutty Sark

Vegan food at Greenwich Market

After grabbing some lunch from this market, we went to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. On our way, we saw the first shop in the world in terms of its location. Just as everyone else, I was happy and excited to see the Prime Meridien. Lots of tourists around this place and they stood with their feet on either side of the Prime Meridien for pictures.

First Shop in the World in terms of Location

And that my friends, is your PM

On the following morning, we left London for home. The biggest thing I have learnt during my visit to London- keep adequate number of days for your visit. Weather can play a spoil sport, so always be prepared. I still have a lot of places to see up close- the Tower of London, the London Eye, Harry Porter world and list goes on. So, I hope to visit London again sometime in the future when the scaffolding also comes off some of the monuments. 

The 100th Blog Post- 52 Favourite Things

Hi Folks,

This is my 100th blog post!! I am happy to have made it to this milestone of my blogging journey. My blogging journey started way back in 2005 on live journal. I noticed my account is still active there but all my entries are now in private mode so you would not be able to find any post there.

I was always fond of writing and wrote a lot especially in my college days- mainly a novel which is unseen and unpublished. Writing a novel is a lot more commitment, effort and requires a lot more focus and time. There was a time when I had enough time, focus and commitment to write a novel but life happened and priorities changed; and I found it more convenient to blog.

I am generally a very private person but it was nice to be able to communicate outside without anyone noticing my existence. Back in 2005, I was definitely much bolder- I looked back at some of my posts and I cannot believe I wrote a commentary on how to find a solution to the Ayodhya issue.

Anyway, I wanted this post to be special but could not really think of anything special to write about. So, yet again, this post is all about me. I am sharing some of my favourite things. It may not be interesting to many people but I think I will share anyway. So, here it is:

1. Favourite Colour(s): Pink, Black and Grey
2. Favourite Ice cream flavour: Chocolate
3. Favourite Chocolate bar: Chaucer with Hazelnuts and Cadbury's Fruit and Nut
4. Favourite TV Show: This keeps changing. Current favourites are The Office, and Pride and Prejudice (1995- BBC)
5. Favourite Piece of Stationery: Tough one- I would say Notebooks/Diaries
6. Favourite Movie: Keeps changing as well. Current favourites are Hindi: Choti Is Baat; English: It's a Wonderful Life and You've got Mail
7. Favourite Music: Indian Classical Music and Western Classical Instrumental music; Disco style music
8. Favourite Place that I visit over and over again: Mangalore- my home town- the older I get, the more I enjoy going to Mangalore and near by areas. I must say, my favourite time of the year to visit is October to February and not anytime of the year.
9. Favourite Holiday Destination: There are so many. In India- Mangalore, Goa, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh come to my mind right now. Outside India- Singapore, Mauritius and Luxembourg
10. Favourite Sport to Watch: Tennis and Cricket and when the world cup is on- Football
11. Favourite Blogs: Mr. Vinod Ekbote's blog and One Social Girl, even though she does not upload as much any more.
12. Favourite YouTube Channel: Holly Gabrielle, Thomas Frank, Saloni Srivastava and Jaby Koay- this is primarily a reaction channel. I really enjoy watching Jaby and his friends discuss movies etc. I feel like I am amongst my friends and watching and discussing movies and TV shows. If left to me and my husband, we would not have watched half of the web series that are on. Jaby Koay's channel is an enjoyable watch during my commute.
13. Favourite Snack: Nuts- cashew, almond, peanuts and walnuts; and Vegetable Grilled Sandwich
14. Favourite thing to have for Lunch: Indian- Rice, Daal and vegetable stir-fry or curry; Non-Indian-  Pasta with a lot of vegetables
15. Favourite Season: Summer
16. Favourite Subject at School: English Literature and Biology
17. Favourite form of Physical Activity: Walking and Yoga
18. Favourite Board Game: Snakes and Ladders; Ludo and Sorry. I also like playing cards but not really a board game
19. Favourite Video Game: Mario, Tetris and Car Racing games
20. Favourite Fairy Tale: It is a Russian one called Vassilisa, The Beautiful
21. Favourite Comics: Tintin, Asterix and Tinkle
22. Favourite Indian Stories to read as a child: There are so many. Right now Akbar-Birbal, Tenali Rama, Panchatantra and Jataka Tales and several mythological stories come to mind
23: Favourite Non-Indian Stories to read as a child: Like most children- stories from books or Enid Blyton. Abridged classics.
24. Favourite Book: There are so many, cannot really think of the most favourite one. Right now- Rebecca, Scarlet Pimpernel comes to mind but there are several others too
25. Favourite Time of the Week: Friday Evenings- I always secretly wish that they never end
26. Favourite Hobby: Not one, I have 3- Reading, Writing, Baking
27. Favourite way to relax: Sing in the shower; Nap
28. Favourite Vegetable: Cauliflower
29. Favourite Fruit: Mango
30. Favourite Cartoon: Tom and Jerry; Little Lulu
31. Favourite Game to Play Outside: I do not know if it qualifies as a game but I like Frisbee
32. Favourite Festival(s): Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Christmas
33. Favourite Flower: Carnation
34. Favourite Natural Wonder: Natural Hot water spring/geyser at Manikaran
35. Favourite Jewellery: Mostly earrings
36. Favourite Clothes: Anything comfortable, Indian wear- Sarees and Kurtas
37. Favourite Meal that I prepared: Gujarati Thali- prepared Sev Tameta nu shaak, Daal Dhokli, Lasaniya bateta nu shaak, Gujaratu khichdi, Gujarati Kadhi, Thepla, Moong daal Sheera, Masala Chaas, Gujarati daal.
38. Favourite Dessert: Indian: So many- Gajar Ka Halwa is coming to my mind now, Non-Indian: Eggless Caramel Custard and Chocolate Cake
39. Favourite Cuisine: Indian and Italian
40. Favourite room in the house: Bathroom
41. Favourite Adventure: Cave Exploration at Savandurga and Parasailing in Mauritius
42. Favourite Junk food: I consider Garlic Bread from Dominos Pizza as junk but so heavenly
43. Favourite Beverage: Bournvita, Masala Soda and Masala Chaas
44. Favourite Restaurant: I really liked Ohri's Jivas Imperia in Hyderabad and Subz in Bangalore
45. Favourite Cafe: Tea Villa Cafe (a little heavy on the pocket); Rooftop Cafe (light on the pocket). There are several eateries in Bangalore that I really enjoy eating at.
46. Favourite Type of Trip: I enjoy road trips a lot, especially when the drive is through scenic places
47. Favourite Thing to do on a rainy day: Curl up with a good book and eat a warm muffin
48. Favourite Fragrance: If this means a perfume to wear- I like Sakura from Miniso. If it is fragrance from nature that is not worn- fragrance of jasmine flowers and fragrance of sandalwood.
49. Favourite Sunny Day Activity: Shopping outdoors/Window-shopping
50. Favourite writer to read during holidays and vacations: P.G. Wodehouse, Daphne Du Maurier
51. Favourite Magazine: Good Housekeeping
52. Favourite Quote: Keeps changing. Current favourite is Be like a duck- calm and unruffled on the surface but paddling like hell underwater. I am not sure who said this- not me.

Hope you enjoyed reading.
Catch you soon on Blogpost 101.

Q2 Update on Goals

I am a little late on this post but I have taken stock of where I was with my goals for 2019 at Q2. A quick update below:

Health:

• I am going to continue exercising at least 5 times a week. 
• Additionally, I am eating sugar on specific days of the year and paying close attention to what I am putting into my body and will continue with this effort.
• Getting adequate sleep
• If possible, participate in a team sport but this is not a priority

Q2 Update: I have been exercising very regularly. I have stuck to my sugar calendar closely. Though I need to manage the amount of sleep I am getting, I have regularised the sleep wake and sleep times. I have not actively pursued participation in any team sport.

Personal Development:

• Read/Listen/Follow to news every day
• Take up 2 certifications/courses- one which will help me in my professional career and the other which may or may not help me professionally but it is something to help me further with a hobby or help me develop a new skill.

Q2 Update: I have been following the news everyday, although it is primarily the headlines. My preparations for the 1st certification has been in full swing.

Hobbies:

• Reading: This year I would like to read just 1 book by the end of the year. With work and studying that I will be doing this year and with the other goals, I do not think I will be able to read more.

Q2 Update: I have finished reading one of the 2 books that I started before I set my goals and will reveal my "book of the year" once I finish with my current reads. 

• Writing: Last year I started out writing every day and then ran out of content to write everyday. This year, however, I will be writing weekly. It can be about anything but should definitely include 1 thing I did proactively, 1 thing that demonstrates synergy and 1 thing with a win-win attitude, and the progress made with other goals.

Q2 Update: I have been doing this regularly.

• Blogging: I would like to write 1 blog post per week from now on. I know it was my goal last year as well and I did not completely meet it. As I said, I have thought long and hard and now have a very good idea of how I can achieve it this year. 

Q2 Update: Unfortunately, I have not been blogging regularly but I am trying my best to catch-up.

• Art: I would create 1 art work per month. I am happy to inform that I am already underway.

Q2 Update: This is underway but I have not been very regular but I intend to catch-up soon.

• Cooking/Baking: I love cooking and baking. This year, I am going to try making at least 5 healthy gourmet recipes. In addition, if time permits, I will like to successfully bake 2 types of bread (inspired by Jenna Fischer's Instagram!!).

Q2 Update: I will have to wait until end of this year to accomplish this goal.

Apart from this, I have had the privilege to travel a bit around in my home state and hopefully will be able to blog soon about it. That's all for now from my side. Stay tuned for my Q3 update which will be on soon.

The Chalkman by C.J. Tudor

I finished reading this book a few months back. I purchased this book in one of my Blossom Book Store hauls. I will try and keep my review of this book short and do not really want to talk too much about the story.

The book mostly keeps alternating between present day and 1986 and is narrated through the protagonist and the narrator Eddie. The part of the story covered in 1986 are a series of events in Eddie's childhood, which comes to haunt him in his present day adulthood. These events are murders of different people that happened and the clues that were left behind were- chalk men.

In his adult life, Eddie is a teacher at a local school, has a room mate Chloe, and is still in touch with some of his childhood friends. Even his room mate Chloe seems to have a connection with one of his childhood friends. One of his childhood friends is killed in his adult life which unravels the mysterious murders that happened in his town in his childhood days. 

As expected, at the end of the book, we come to know who was responsible for some of the murders. The story for me is not really an unforgettable one. To be honest, I has to read up the summary of the story to recollect. While chalk men, which are nothing but stick figures of men drawn in chalk (reminds me of Hangman which we played as kids) are supposed to be clues to the murder(s), I really did not understand how they were clues. There were other things which are actually bigger clues than the Chalkmen. I mean, it really did not come across that the Chalkmen was the main clue or even important enough to earn the title of the book.

The book is written simply and is quite fast-paced and does keep one hooked. However, I was hoping that the Chalkman would make a bigger impact and kept reading but just the lack of the connect was disappointing. The book becomes a little predictable at one point and you can almost tell who the murderer was. 

I would rate the book 3.5/5 as it was an engrossing, yet a very forgettable book.

Scotland

You might remember about my vacation to UK last year. Scotland is one of the places I visited in the UK. I know I am way behind with this blog but I just had to share my experience visiting Scotland. We started for Scotland from Bolton on a very rainy day. One thing I really appreciate about people in UK is how they embrace their weather. I know if it was raining cats and dogs in India, I would have probably cancelled my plans. Come to think of it, I did cancel one of my trips in the past due to heavy rains.

Our destination was a small town called Inveraray in Scotland. It is a long drive from Bolton. We stopped over at this place called Gretna Gateway Village for coffee and the like. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of the place but you should easily find it on the internet. This is an outlet village and they had great deals going on there last year.  It is definitely a place to check out for some good deals. We had also had some sandwiches, pastries and hot chocolate at Thornton's cafe. I really enjoyed this cafe a lot. They also had a chocolate shop- it is actually a renowned for chocolates- one of UK's own. I got a lot of chocolates for family and friends. They had a summer special thing going on- yummy chocolates.

Rest and Be Thankful- The picture does not do any justice to the beauty of the place

We also stopped by at a place called- Rest and Be Thankful. It was a hill top with a cool summer breeze. From here, we headed to one of the many caravan parks in Iveraray. It was my first time in a caravan. I must admit, it felt like any other small sized home with a couple of bedrooms and bathrooms, a living room, a dining room and a verandah. Our caravan was on the water front on a lake. One really could not say it was a caravan. Since it was a long drive, we rested in the caravan that evening.

A Glimpse of/from the Caravan

On the following day, we headed out to Crinan canal- Dunardry Locks. Here the highlight was how the boats sailed upstream. They have these manually controlled barricades all along the canal. To sail upstream, they let water fill-up between the barricades (like a tank) so that the boats rise along with the level of water and when they do not need the water level to be up again, they lower the water level by letting the next barricade tank fill up. I think, I am complicating it. I filmed this video. Hopefully, it will help understand what I am trying to convey. Following this interesting experience, we went for a nice walk to Moine Mhor National Nature Reserve. There was not much to do here. We walked a lot and absorbed in the beautiful scenery and quaint little homes lining a lake.

We went on to Crinan again from another side and peered into the Irish Sea which joined into the Atlantic Ocean.

A Quaint Little House lining a canal at the Moine Mhor Nature Reserve

Peering into the Atlantic

The following day was one of the best days I spent in Scotland. We went to Puck's Glen in the Argyll Forest Park for a hike. On either side of the trail is either lovely tall trees and several tiny waterfalls. It was one of the most beautiful, breath taking hikes I have ever been to. It is truly magical, so if you are ever in that part of the world, do plan a trek at Puck's Glen. I am sharing some pictures below. These do not do any justice to the actual beauty of the place.

Puck's Glen

Puck's Glen

Puck's Glen

The next day, we left for the Inveraray Castle in Inveraray. The castle is an estate with beautiful and vast grounds and houses the Duke of Argyll. A part of the castle is a museum and I heard that sometimes the Duke can be found in the gift shop of the museum trying to market the products there to tourists. Whenever the flag is hoisted atop, the Duke is believed to be in the castle.

Inverary Castle

Inverary Castle

We then proceeded towards Glencoe. On the way, we halted at the Bridge of Orchy and another Bridge called Kinlochleven. In Glencoe, we saw 3 hills next to each other. It is here that I saw for the first time a bag-piper bearing Scotsman in a kilt. We enjoyed the music of the bagpipes before proceeding to the Glencoe Visitor Centre which had a little museum explaining the history of the place, the great Massacre of Glencoe and a few short films.

With a Scotsman in a kilt

Beautiful sight at Glencoe- 3 hills called 3 Sisters

We snacked at the cafe of the museum before driving through Fort William to Oban. At Oban we witnessed the McCaig's tower. I have taken a picture of the history of the place, but, to be honest, have not yet got around to reading it. I am placing a picture below. I am quite certain you would read it before I do. It is a different kind of a tower. For one, there is no enclosed space at all- I mean, nothing is completely enclosed in a building. It is an open circular structure with far too many windows. Uncle said that the tower was built just to provide employment to youth of the time- not sure if he just made it up or if it is really true.

McCaig's Tower

McCaig's tower

From top of McCaig's Tower

About McCaig's tower

Quaint Little Scottish home

This was our last day in Scotland. We headed back to Bolton the day after and stopped by yet again at the Gretna Gateway Village yet again for a bit of shopping. The only travel tip for enhanced Scotland experience- Drive from England. The drive is really scenic and beautiful.

I have shot hundreds of pictures and unfortunately, I cannot share all of them on this blog. I will end this blog with a picture of Kilchurn  (pronounced Kill-Hoon) Castle, which is in ruins but is one of the most photographed castle in the world:

Kilchurn Castle