The Menon's Weekend Getaway to Neemrana Fort Palace

Ever since Adhira arrived, it feels like the hubs and I have been running around like headless chickens. And for some reason, we seem to be tired all the time! :) So when the long weekend came up at the beginning of May, we decided to head off to the Neemrana Fort Palace with some friends for a night. It would be Adhira's first overnight trip with us and we were quite excited and just a little nervous too.

Last year the hubs and I visited Kesroli Hill Fort hotel, another property of the Neemrana group, and I've been wanting to visit Neemrana ever since then. The Neemrana Fort Palace is actually a hotel, in fact one of India's oldest heritage hotels and it's about a 90 minute drive from Gurgaon. It's a beautiful structure that is nestled on a hillock and offers magnificent views of the surrounding area. 

We had a great time there, spent some fun time in their pool, sipped on some cool beers while the kids played, and I, of course, spent some quality time in their Spa. The spa offers some great treatments, although a little on the pricey side, and to be honest, I have had better massages, but they do a nice facial, which I really did enjoy. 

The rooms in Neemrana are pleasant enough, although I think they need a little bit of attention in terms of upkeep. The ac in our room was leaking, but we just couldn't be asked to complain, since we spent most of our time out of the rooms. The food, though, is wonderful and their lunch spread is especially good. A little word of caution, with this hotel though, my view is that the Neemrana Fort Palace hotel, while lovely and romantic, does throw up some issues for infants as well as for anyone with knee problems. There are just so many steps to climb, and everything is spread out over such a distance, that at one point I got lost in search of the lunch room :) For me, Kesroli Fort, because of its smaller size, offers a much more intimate setting, with beautiful rural scenery and you can let your kids run arounds without fear of them toppling down stairs :)

While I wanted to stay on for another night, the hubs wisely decided to keep it to one. According to him, we would need the rest of the weekend to recuperate from the trip. While initially there was quite an animated 'discussion' over this, I concede that in hindsight he was right (for once). Travelling with a child is quite tiring :) In between all the swimming, spa time and running around behind Adhi, I did manage to click a few pics ... enjoy!

[All images by Shalini Pereira. Please do not use without prior written permission]

An 18th Century Villa, Lotus flowers, Heritage & History

We are back from our Sri Lankan Odyssey- 10 days, 6 towns, 3 provinces and I have to admit, by the end of it, I was sort of wanting to get back home :) But I fell in love with Sri Lanka- it's like a juxtaposition of Kerala and Goa, only much cleaner! And I have so much to share about all our experiences there, that I don't know where to start :)  

But the designer in me loves pretty things, so let me start with some eye candy- The Fort Printers Hotel, Galle. Galle fort is a 16th century Dutch fort and a beautiful example of colonial architecture. It's a living fort and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's quaint, beautiful and has made the list of 'my favourite places in the world' :) We stayed at The Fort Printers Hotel... it was love at first sight when I came across it on Agoda, and we stayed in a bunch of smaller guest houses, just so we could afford 2 nights here :) (it's a little pricey)

So often when we see a hotel on the net, the reality doesn't live up to the expectations... but in this case it surpassed them! By now you all know I love heritage architecture, and this place has been adapted so lovingly and sensitively by owners, husband and wife, Dorine and Shahzad, to create an amazing experience. See for yourself...

I really liked everything about our stay at the Fort Printers... the location, the building, the decor, the atmosphere, and the hospitality extended to guests... Owner Dorine personally takes guests around the hotel and escorts them to their rooms, all the while giving them a brief history of the hotel. She explained to us the difficulty in renovating an old building- the restrictions involved and the constant need for maintenance.

The food here is also really great. We had a lovely candlelit meal here one evening. I had the ceviche with avocado and mint and it was divine! So if you happen to visit Galle, at least drop in for a meal here. They also bake their own breads and we enjoyed these at breakfast with some delicious homemade mixed fruit jam... going to be trying to figure out the recipe... so major experiments going to be happening in the kitchen :)

The staff here is very friendly too. One evening we had a really fun chat with one of the guys who worked there. The Champions League was going on and we got down to talking about cricket. (everyone in Sri Lanka loves talking about cricket!) I mentioned that my favourite player was MSD and he excitedly told us that Dhoni is very popular in Sri Lanka... as is Virat Kholi, especially after the way he destroyed their bowling during the 2012 series :)

There are 3 buildings which make up the Fort Printers, two that adjoin one another and another across the street. The original printers building is done up in old world, colonial style, while the newer wings are very contemporary and Bawa-like in style. 

So even if you aren't staying here, visit and take a look around this lovely old building and the way it's been restored and revived :)

[All images by Shalini Pereira- please do not use without prior written permission]

The Magnificent Chand Baoli

I've always had a bit of a love affair with historical architecture- monuments, palaces, forts, old havelies, temples, churches- basically everything encased by the hash tag 'heritage architecture'. But more than any of these, I'm really obsessive when it comes to stepwells. I'm not sure if I've already mentioned this, but one of the things on my bucket list is visiting every major step well in India- sounds silly I know, but I'm completely fascinated by these structures. I recently visited Kesroli for a weekend getaway. The thing that tipped the scales in its favor was its proximity to a beautiful step well. We were in Kesroli for 2 days and on one of those days, we drove down to see the magnificent Chand Baoli.

Chand Baoli is located in Abhaneri village in the Dausa district of Rajasthan. It's about an hour and a half drive from Kesroli on some pretty good roads, except for a small stretch midway. (I was really impressed with the Rajasthan State Highway roads... they put many roads in Gurgaon to shame) 

When you first see the baoli from the outside, you feel pretty disappointed... sort of like, 'I drove 1.5 hrs for this?' But when you enter you're really surprised by its size and scale. The geometry of the steps that descend to the water is magnificent- hypnotizing almost. I wish I had a wide angle lens to really do the place justice :)

As step wells go, this one is quite well kept, unlike so many others in India which have, sadly, been forgotten. It's also not overcrowded and touristy, which is so refreshing. There were only about a handful of tourists while we were there, so one can really get a feel for the place and enjoy it in relative solitude.  

There were some beautiful relics- intricately carved stone pillars and statues of deities lining the passages. I think restoration work on them is underway. 

Here are some interesting facts about Chand Baoli...

1. It was built in 800 AD by Raja Chand of the Nikumbha dynasty

2. It is considered to be one of India's largest and deepest step wells and extends 30m underground 

3. It consists of 13 storeys that are made up of 3500 steps

4. A sequence from the film The Dark Knight Rises and The Fall were shot here

5. Locals believe the well was built in one night by ghosts. Legend has it that the step well contains so many steps so that anyone who throws a coin in the well cannot retrieve it easily.

If you ever happen to be in the vicinity of Abhaneri, you must visit this beautiful step well. It's an experience you'll remember for a long time!

[All Images- Shalini Pereira]

All images are clicked by me. Please do not use images without prior written permission

Aqueducts of Alwar

It's Monday morning-not the greatest start to the week. India lost in the T20 World cup final and I'm not too happy about it :( But the show must go on...I guess. Another post from my trip to Alwar... 

On the way from Alwar to Siliserh lake, on Rajasthan SH13 you will come across the remains of an arched aqueduct sitting proudly in a semi marshy area. Aqueducts were means by which water was supplied to ancient cites from sources hundreds of kilometers away. I remember seeing these structures during my travels in Europe. Imagine my surprise when I came across one on my way to Siliserh lake, Rajasthan! At first I was a little confused... I always imagined aqueducts to be associated to the Romans. But after a quick check on Google, I found that they were first constructed by the Egyptians, Greeks and in the sun-continent. In fact evidence of these sort of structures have been discovered in Hampi.

These arches are part of an aqueduct that was constructed by Rajputs to supply water from Siliserh lake to the city of Alwar. It's worth stopping your car to take in this amazing site and marvel at the ingenuity of its builders. As soon as I set eyes on it, I ordered the hubby to stop the car. No sooner did he do this, did I jump out with camera in hand and started happily clicking away. I was so taken by this relic of medieval times that still stood tall today, its sturdy stone arches reflected in the marshy water at its base.

If you're ever making your way to Siliserh lake, keep a lookout for this aqueduct!

[All images- Shalini Pereira]

Please do not use without prior written permission

A Weekend at Hill Fort Kesroli

Stark, romantic and imposing... those are the words  that came to mind when I first set eyes upon Hill Fort, Kesroli. This 14th century fort, just over two hours drive from Gurgaon, is now converted into a heritage hotel and is part of the Neemrana group of hotels. 

I have been wanting to visit for the longest time. Sitting atop a rocky hillock, it looks out over the flat plains below and offers some spectacular views of the rural countryside from atop its ramparts. 

I love places like this, places steeped in history- places that have an atmosphere. Don't expect to be pampered though, the way you would be in a five star hotel. Hill Fort Kesroli is more along the lines of a boutique hotel. It's not grand and the rooms don't ooze luxury. The charm of this heritage hotel lies in the fact that it allows you to relax and enjoy yourself in a historical setting. 

This small fort has been lovingly restored and is a wonderful place to escape and disconnect from city life. We used it as a base to explore some of the sites around Alwar. We also drove down to the Chand Baoli step well in Abhaneri, which is about an hour and a half away.

We stayed in the Bhaaj Mahal, a tiny quaint little room which was cozy and pleasant in spite of its size. The staff were incredibly helpful and pleasant and the food was really good. One of the things I enjoyed most was afternoon tea, which was served on the lawns. Along with the tea they served these tiny little banana and almond cakelets which were absolutely delicious and something I'm going to try and replicate at home. 

I was so taken with Kesroli Fort that I went a little crazy with the camera. I simply couldn't stop clicking pictures:) Much to the amusement of the hubby, who joked that he had created a monster by getting me the new camera :) But I really couldn't help myself, there were just so many pretty things to capture. The charming gardens, the rambling bougainvillea growing on the walls with its riot of red and pink flowers that looked so pretty against the mustard walls. On our last day there, I woke up early and carried my cup of coffee and my camera up onto a turret close to our room. From there I gazed out over the plains below. The mist was still creeping along the plains and it was magical and a little eerie. I closed my eyes and could almost imagine hearing the whispers of the fort's past occupants, or feeling the presence of the stoic guards that would have stood guard in that very spot centuries ago.

I'm getting a little melodramatic now so I'll stop before you start rolling your eyes :) 

[Images- Shalini Pereira]

All images have been clicked by me. Please do not use images without prior written permission

A Visit to Humayun's Tomb

I had planned to do this post ages ago, but somehow never got around to it. But since I've recently done a post on Delhi sights, I thought I'd follow it up with this one.

Sometime back I had visited Humayun’s Tomb with family who were visiting during Diwali break. This was my second visit, the first being years before, when I was too young to remember/appreciate much. It was a cool Novemeber day when we visited, but the sun was shining brightly and the sky was clear and bright blue. We arrived late in the morning, and luckily it wasn’t too crowded.

Located in Nizamuddin, East Delhi, Humayun’s tomb is a must see if you are visiting Delhi. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and I think it’s magnificent, bearing a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal. This structure of red sandstone and white marble is a beautiful example of Mughal Architecture. The Tomb lies in the centre of a Char Bagh Garden, a Persian style garden with a quadrilateral layout. The highly geometrical layout of the garden, with its channels of flowing water creates a soothing atmosphere- its as though an air of tranquility hangs over the entire area. This was one of the things I really loved about my visit here, the sense of calm that the garden was originally meant to provide could really be experienced, unlike the almost manic experience of visiting the Taj, with its noisy, surging crowds that detract from the serenity the structure was meant to portray.

Come here on a weekend, with family or friends and enjoy the architecture, breathe in the history and the atmosphere in peace. There are also several spots surrounding the structure, where you can sit under the shade of orange trees and catch your breath after all the exploring.

Here are a few images I clicked...

Facts- Open daily

            Nearest metro stations is JLN Metro Station or Central Secretariat metro station

[Images- Shalini Pereira]

Delhi- A Walking Tour

Happy New Year all! How is the year going for all of you? Good, Bad, so-so? I'm Back after a long break, I know, and I have to apologize for having neglected the blog for so long. Its been a combination of a very busy X'mas, some sudden work that has cropped up and dealing with some personal difficulties. All of which have left me a little uninspired. 

But things are looking up and as the saying goes-'What doesn't break you, only makes you stronger.' 

So to kick things off I wanted to tell you about a little adventure I had About two weeks ago. I know I focus a lot on design & decor as well as food, but this blog also touches on travel and its been ages since I shared a travel experience with you guys. So here goes ... 

Sick of sitting around doing nothing on the weekend, the three of us decided to do a walking tour of Delhi. We've been in Delhi for a while now, and we've seen most of the must see items on the tourist list- Qutab Minar, Humayun's Tomb, Purana Quilla, Red Fort, Chandni Chowk... but what I love about Delhi is that it is so steeped in history and there are so many lesser known sights to see and explore! And I really feel that travel starts by first exploring the things close by and then venturing out to explore exotic and distant shores.

The inspiration for our walk was 'Step Wells of Delhi'. I got the idea from a program I had seen on TV ages ago, that mentioned an ancient step well in the heart of Connaught Place. It looked beautiful and after some internet research, I came to know it was Agrasen ki Baoli. It was during this research that I discovered that there were more step wells like this and all close to metro stations! So for this outing we ditched the car and the hassles of traffic and parking that go with driving in Delhi, and decided to do the tour on foot, aided by the metro of course :)

The plan was made and waking up early on a Sunday morning, we packed a few sandwiches and a thermos of tea into a backpack and headed off to Huda City Centre, from where we took the metro, to Qutab Minar. At Qutab Minar Metro Station you may notice a dog that seems to guard the metro station entry- we called him 'The Gatekeeper'. He's a real character and quite a cutie, and he knows how to suss out dog lovers.

The Gatekeeper 

The Mehrauli Archaeological Park is about 600m, about a 5 minute walk, from the Qutab Minar Metro station. There are some really wonderful old monuments here that dot the wild landscape. And that's what I find magical about this place. Its not pristine- its a little wild and the shrubbery seems to be in constant battle with the heritage structures that are here. Best of all its quiet, with hardly any visitors and this adds to the somewhat haunted appeal. You can find a detailed description of the monuments here. (Word of warning though- I would not visit this the park alone due to the fact that there are so few visitors- better to go in a small group of three at least, just to be on the safe side)

Entrance to Balban's Tomb

Jamali Kamali Mosque

Jamali Kamali Mosque (interior)

                                                      

Metcalfe's Canopy

We wound our way through the park to Rajon ki Baoli where we enjoyed our packed breakfast and warm tea. We basked in the warm sunshine and soaked in the atmosphere while happily clicking away. The step well is beautiful and still has water in it. Unfortunately visitors have decided to use it as a dumping ground so there is a lot of rubbish in the water. A sad reminder that we don't appreciate and respect our heritage structures as we should. This is a lovely place for artists to come and sketch away- the surrounding offer so much inspiration.

Rajon ki Baoli

From here we walked to Gandhak ki Baoli which is close to the Mehrauli Bus Terminus and also to Adham Khan's Tomb. This baoli is sadly unimpressive and looks more like a garbage dump than a step well and was a bit of a waste of time, but we did see Adham Khan's Tomb which was close by, and that somewhat made up for it.

After our exploration of the park, we had built up quit an appetite. We hopped on the metro and headed off to Patel Chowk from where we walked to our lunch destination- the famed Andhra Bhavan, where we were looking forward to some delicious and spicy fare. We were not disappointed. The food was great and you will really enjoy this place if you love your meat. Go on a Sunday and enjoy their delicious and generous chicken biryani. Get there before 12.30 and you will avoid the lunch crowd and you'll be sure to get your biryani before it runs out!

Happy after quite a feast!

With food in our bellies, we made our way to Hailey Road and to Agrasen ki Baoli. This is a really beautiful step well, which has sadly run dry. Its crazy that in the middle of the city, there is such an ancient structure. One gets a sense of the surreal, standing in the step well and looking up to see commercial towers in the distance. We got there by around 3pm so it was a little crowded. I'm sure it would be even more magnificent if we had got there early, before the crowds and only the pigeons for company. 

Some street art just outside Agrasen ki Baoli

Agrasen ki Baoli

From here we made our way home. A great day discovering some of the lesser known sights of Delhi. A fun day walking around this city making random discoveries- an absolutely wonderful experience and something I can't recommend enough. Make the most of the weather while its still cool- forget your car and enjoy this incredible city by foot!

[All Images- Shalini Pereira]