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The streets of Lagos decorated for Christmas |
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The pretty cobbled streets of Lagos |
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A toiling slave at Mercado de Escravos or the Slave Market |
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The Potato beach at Lagos |
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A White Rainbow |
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Igrejia de Santa Antonio |
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The statue of King Sebastian |
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The streets of Lagos decorated for Christmas |
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The pretty cobbled streets of Lagos |
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A toiling slave at Mercado de Escravos or the Slave Market |
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The Potato beach at Lagos |
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A White Rainbow |
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Igrejia de Santa Antonio |
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The statue of King Sebastian |
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The boat jetty at Faro |
Portugal is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty
beside historic monuments, great food and friendly people. I had given a
glimpse of Faro, a small town in the Algarve region, in my previous post. Picking the
thread from there I continue with the day one proceeding of the evening in
Faro. After a quick walk around the Old Town, we headed for the boat jetty
which was a short walk from the Old Town.
In fact, the entire lagoon of the Faro overlooks the town and is
known as Ria Formosa.
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The boats berthed in the lagoon |
Ria Farmsoa in Faro is made up of a cluster of small islands and some are so small that they disappear when there is a high tide. The barrier islands are connected with the six inlets through the sea. Of these, the five inlets have mobility characteristics. The sixth inlet is an artificial one or manmade which was created as an engineering marvel in 1952. The lagoon has a triangular shape with the smallest distance being 100m and the farthest being 6 km. In the year 2010, this lagoon was recognized among the seven natural wonders of Portugal. Ria Formosa gives economic impetus to the region as a number of people are engaged in fishing, seafood, chain of small restaurants around the area. Since this area is a protected one, no polluting boats are allowed to operate to preserve the frail ecosystem. It also serves as a stopping place for the migratory birds. Over 200 migratory birds can be spotted in the region.
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A view of Faro town from the Ria Formosa lagoon |
We had an English-speaking guide who heralded us into a small 75-ton boat of which the weight of rechargeable copper batteries was around 50 tons! It had a noiseless engine and a smooth cruising speed of about 6 knots. It was a bright sunny afternoon as the boat sailed through silent waters manoeuvring through the little islands. It was an incredible experience to see rare birds, flora, and fauna. We were lucky to spot the rare purple swamphen which is also the mascot of the national park. There are a number of salt pans in the area and has a long history of salt production from the Roman times. The barrier islands have an exciting topography ranging from marshes, mudflats, swamps, dunes and tidal channels. The trip lasted around 2 hours and we managed to get a glimpse of some unique things like a lighthouse, some small beaches, an old fort, and water-operated mills that work on the principle of difference in heights of water levels during low and high tides.
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The Old Town as seen from the boat |
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The magical sunset over the Ria Formosa lagoon |
The boat slowly brought us back to the pier from where we had left with some beautiful memories of rare sights and an amazing sunset happening right before us. I will write about more interesting places in Portugal in the next post.
PS- All pics are mine
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The town of Faro |
It seldom happens that after an almost crystal clear plan to
travel, everything turns upside down and a hard course correction is needed. A
trip was planned well in advance to visit Israel after more than twenty years
but for reasons beyond control had to be abandoned and a new itinerary was
worked out in a jiffy. The new trip would entail travel to the Algarve region
of Portugal and parts of Spain. After all the preparatory work was done, on a
cold winter morning in Amsterdam we boarded a flight to Faro in Portugal. The Schiphol
airport was swarming with people as many holidaymakers were leaving for
destinations to celebrate Christmas. It was still dark at 7AM when the EasyJet
flight took off!
The hangover of having woken up at an unearthly hour was
still there when the aircraft landed in Faro. The bright sunny day was a welcome
change from the cold days I had witnessed in the Netherlands. Faro is the
capital of the Southern Algarve region of Portugal. It seeps with rich
history, beautiful beaches, colourful architecture, delicious food, and
architecture. Soon after checking in at the place where we were to stay, we set out to explore the town. The small cobbled streets resembled the parts of Goa,
where I had lived for over two years a long time back. The nostalgia and aroma from the nearby cafeteria worked like a magnet. The ‘Demo Urban
Bakery’ was crowded with people which was an indication of its popularity. We were
informed that we will have to wait for about half an hour to be served, but we
decided to wait and enjoy the sun. The choice of Bolo Fatia( a pastry), Pao de
Deus( the bread of Gods as translated from Portuguese) and Almond Chocolate
Croissant with seaming hot coffee more than made up for the wait. Each of these
dishes melted in the mouth with a rush of flavours hitherto not known. The place
was literally a paradise for food lovers.
After a fill, we decided to explore the old town where a huge imposing gate marks the entrance to the Old Town. Just before we entered the Old Town, we came across a huge Plaque embedded on a wall at the nearby Tourist Office that tells the story of the life of Christopher Columbus who discovered America. A little-known fact is that the actual name was Christopher Colon which got distorted and he gained popularity around the world with the name Christopher Columbus. I will cover more stories on Christopher Columbus in the blogs that will follow.
The huge gate of the Old Town is known as Cidade Velha. As you look up at the imposing gate, you cannot miss the huge stork nests atop the gate. It is said that a few years ago the largest stork’s nest weighing over 800 kg was brought down in the town. The storks can be found all over the Algarve region and their nests can sometimes be even 9 feet deep and 6 ft wide. The walk up a small climb on the cobbled streets did not last long as we had earlier booked a boat trip to see the shallow lagoons of Rio Formosa that overlook the Faro town. It is one of the most stunning locations which I will describe in the next post.
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The main entrance to Old Town- notice the stork nests atop! |
A long association with the Navy always triggers a chain of fascinating memories on this day. Historically, this day is celebrated to commemorate the victory during the 1971 Indo-Pak war when the Navy turned the tide by mounting attacks on the enemy ships and Karachi port that changed the course of the war.It finally resulted in the first recorded history of a win in the war. Every time I stepped on board a ship from the day I joined the service, my chest would swell with the pride to be a part of this great service.
The day when I first landed at Kochi Harbour Terminal by train, little did I realize that my life will change forever. After the gruelling training at the Naval Academy, I learnt lessons that would serve me in good stead in the years to come. Some of these included the physical toughness, camaraderie, and bonds with fellow trainees that strengthened with time. I still remember my first sea acquaintance was on board ' INS Brahamputra which was based in Kochi. The ship was commanded by Cdr Janardan Dev, a tough sailor and a strict disciplinarian. A short stint on board the ship made me familiar with small crafts like tying knots, to reading maps. I also familiarised with a host of things I had never seen in my life like the complex engine room, navigation aids, the radars, echo sounders to name a few. How quickly the days passed. I first got a glimpse of Mumbai's coastline one morning when the ship entered the harbour.
Those were the times when one got an opportunity to learn every day. The time flew by with more training at Jamnagar, Lonavala before I was an active member with an assigned responsibility on board the premier aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Till the last day in service with the Navy, INS Vikrant was another mother where the bond continued in every rank and appeared that the umbilical cord was never cut! My association on board this ship was for over five years and the stories of the time onboard the ship would appear like a fantasy or a fairytale! As a young officer, not only did I see the political luminaries. but also megastars of Bollywood like Amitabh Bachaan, Rekha, Zeenat Ama, Praveen Babi, Padmini Kolhapure, Asha Bhosle and RD Burman just to name a few that were the guests onboard for the premiere of 'Shaan' .
The sailing in rough weather, with sea waves touching a height of 30 feet gave an experience of a thrill of what I would have missed, had I not joined the Navy. I witnessed the induction of Vertical Take Off and Landing Sea Harrier aircraft, night flying from the deck of the ship, booming guns of the newly inducted L-70 Bofors guns and so much more. Every exercise on board a ship was as much an adventure as every other day on the sprawling ship.
The kaleidascope of memories will keep on weaving endless patterns that will go beyond the length of a normal blog post. There are memories of ' Sailing Regatta' in Goa, ' Muskeetry Championship' at Coimbatore, a trek from Karjat to Matheran, night march from Jamnagar to Okha through the desert are just a very few adventures that flicker before my eyes.
Recently, in the month of September, I got a rare opportunity to witness the unveiling of the newly built aircraft carrier 'INS Vikrant' at Kochi! Never in my wildest imagination I had thought, that I too would be a guest to attend the dedication of the ship by our prime minister Narendra Modi to the nation. It was heartening to see the old veterans with whom I had rubbed shoulders more than three decades back admiring in awe the newly built indigenous ship.
It is a matter of pride that three girls have joined the ranks of under training officers for the Navy at the premier training establishment, the National Defence Academy at Kharakvasla near Pune, this year. I am sure in the years to come the Navy will achieve many more laurels and do our country proud.
PS- All pictures and the video kind courtesy Google and You Tube
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The Wellness Tree |
Novak Djokovic the Serbian tennis star does not use the same shower to take a bath twice. So for many sporting events, he may have skipped taking a bath before the sporting event. Also, he loves to carry his poodle, Pierre to sporting events though he was refused entry to Wimbledon in 2011 for the same reason. Despite the distress, he won the tournament.
Likewise, Rafael Nadal, the multiple title winner,tennis ace likes to face the water bottles with their labels overlooking the court before the match commences. He always wears socks of the same length and holds only one racquet when entering or stepping into the court with his right foot first. He is a perfectionist, though these habits may reflect eccentricity.
Yet another tennis sensation Serena Williams never washes her socks during the entire tournament, ties her shoelaces in every match and uses the same shower, unlike Djokovic.
The list is endless and these rituals in which these sporting sensations indulge are with a purpose. Before delving into the reasons let us know of some more strange rituals. Just to name a few:
a) Play of the Tigers - Puli Kali- On fourth day of Onam this traditional dance is performed in Kerala where the dancers dress as tigers and perform with a wild spirit to the beat of drums
b) Kill or Get Killed- Bani Festival- Performed on the Dusshera day in Andhra Pradesh when Malleswaram Swamy( Lord Shiva) and Malamma( Godddess Parvati) are brought to the temple at Devaragattu Temple in Kurnool.The act of thrashing each other with blood flowing from body parts, though leaves many hurt, has never resulted in casualties so far.
c) Walk of Fire - Thimiti - This takes place in Tamilnadu, Singapore etc where men walk over fire embers as a devotion towards Draupti Amman( Draupadi of Mahabharata).The fire walkers come out unsctched
There are many more like Thaipusam involving body piercing or Ayudha Puja involving worship of weapons. The rituals enable us to connect with our deepest thoughts and feelings on profound occasions. our highest hopes and most debilitating fears.
According to Scientific American a recent research suggests that rituals may be more rational than they appear.Even simple rituals can be very effective. Certain rituals performed after experiencing loss of loved ones help in allevating grief.Certain rituals performed before appearing on stage for a big event like music, sports or live performance help in reduced anxiety and fear, The research has also shown that rituals have a causal impact of people;s emotions, feelings, thoughts and behaviour. Several experiments both in the laboratory and onsite have shown a high correlation in increased coping abillitirs in those performing certain rituals vs those who did not after experiencing stressful situations like facing natural calamities.
The biggest benefits in improved physical and mental health have been extensively recorded for those following some of the rituals as follows:
1.Waking early and exposing skin to the natural environment
2. Deep breathing and yoga if possible
3. A hearty wholesome breakfast
4. A Walk
5. Eating greens
6. Limiting scree time
7. Drinking a lot of water to maintain hydration
8. Introspection/ meditation
9. A good sleep
One sees different rituals right from birth and as one grows learns from environment around. The choices are individualistic based on learning and often others experiences too!Every part of the world has witnessed some form of rituals. All said and done the ritulas continue to be an important part of our lives in all stages. Making the right choices is what makes the difference
Travelling to new destinations is not only about seeing new
places and meeting new people but also about the new flavours that need to be
tried out. More than four decades back I was breezing through the massive Schiphol
airport in Amsterdam when my attention was diverted by a strong aroma of baking
and cinnamon fragrance. I turned around and spotted a delicious-looking golden tart
with a small caption ‘ Appeltaart’ in a glass casing and a huge uncut tart atop the case. It was like a showstopper on the ramp in a fashion
show that leaves you transfixed. I bought one and dug into it. It left me
absolutely enamoured with the awesome taste and crispy pastry that slowly melted
in my mouth. Since then, with every visit to the Netherlands my fascination for
this has grown to an extent that of late I have started experimenting with baking it
on my own.
The apple cakes, pies and tarts are devoured in almost all parts
of the world thanks to the multitude of varieties of apples grown in different
regions of the world especially all over Europe and the USA. There are several fascinating
stories about apple pies and tarts that bind people worldwide. In America, the onset of World War II stamped the Apple Pie as a
patriotic symbol of defending the motherland as a patriotic pastry. The
soldiers often said that they were ‘defending the motherland and apple pie’.
Although the apple pie was being eaten by Europeans long before the
colonization of America by Europeans in the 16th and 17th
centuries, Americans believed that the Apple Pie was the secret to their strength
as a nation and the foundation of their industrial supremacy.
In the Netherlands ‘Appeltaart’ is more like a cake and is
eaten on every occasion. It is the single most loved dessert in the country and
is essential for every birthday party. Celebration or a feast. The Dutch tart
has little resemblance to the American Pie.
The Appeltaart in the Netherlands is made of a pastry prepared with strong flour or spelt, castor
sugar, egg, baking soda and butter. The filling of the delicious Golden Reinette
apples, fresh cinnamon inside the pastry and finally a layer of crisscrossed
pastry lining with a coating of egg yoke gives the golden texture and the
heavenly aroma post baking at low heat for around 40 minutes. Raisins have been
historically used in making the filling and are still loved by all to add
sweetness to the tangy flavour. In some places a dash pf rose petals or rose
water are sprinkled before baking and once the tart is ready, a topping of whipped
cream is the final layer of icing on this adorable cake.
PS The picture of Apple tart prepared at home