On my guided sightseeing trip with Jithu, he also took me to Mattancherry Palace Museum in Kochi (aka Cochin). The museum occupies a 16th-century Portuguese palace, known as the “Dutch Palace” after later renovations. Construction of the palace began around 1555. It was gifted to Vira Kerala Varma (the Raja/King of Kochi at the time) … Continue reading / view photos Mattancherry Palace Museum
Sightseeing with Jithu
Yesterday, a tuk tuk driver, Jithu, took me to the Love in Earth restaurant. Tuk tuk drivers are always trying to give you a cheap tour. They charge a low price because they take you to tourist shops. These shops sell you things like jewellery, perfume, spices, saris, scarves, and ornaments. The drivers get a … Continue reading / view photos Sightseeing with Jithu
Lulu Mall
On my second day, I returned to Lulu Mall, one of the biggest shopping malls in India. This young woman I was talking to said the Trivandrum one is bigger now. I was reminded that there’s one thing that makes or breaks you in India: a packed local bus journey. You’ll love it for being … Continue reading / view photos Lulu Mall
Return to Kochi
On my first and only trip to India in 2017/8, I travelled south to north on the western side. For my second trip, I’m planning to see more of the eastern side. I’ve started in a familiar place, Kochi. I was last here at the end of 2017. I reached Kochi from London via Abu … Continue reading / view photos Return to Kochi
Abu Dhabi Airport
When booking a flight, I think about when I’m leaving and arriving. I want to leave at a reasonable hour and arrive in the daytime, all things being equal. Arriving to an unfamiliar place in the dark can be quite daunting. In the daytime, you can use public transport, but a night-time arrival usually means … Continue reading / view photos Abu Dhabi Airport
Morecombe and Wise, K-Dramas, and Christmas lights
Christmas time is full of traditions, and everyone has their own. For many people, TV and shopping are a big part of Christmas. The Morecombe & Wise Show When we were growing up, we celebrated Diwali not Christmas. But I have fond memories of Christmas, the highlight of which was watching the telly. I grew … Continue reading / view photos Morecombe and Wise, K-Dramas, and Christmas lights
Open House 2024
I’ve been to Open House a few times. Every year, the Open House Festival opens up London’s architecture, special sites, and neighbourhoods. Some of the places are not normally accessible to the public. You get to see people’s homes, offices, and other interesting buildings. Some places you must book but others you can just drop … Continue reading / view photos Open House 2024
Clacton-on-Sea to Walton-on-the-Naze
This weekend, a friend and I walked from Clacton-on-Sea to Walton-on-the-Naze. The tide being out, we could walk on the beach for the whole 20 km. With the sun out and mild temperature, it felt more like summer than autumn. We started by walking through Clacton’s town centre, which is quite small. Once on the … Continue reading / view photos Clacton-on-Sea to Walton-on-the-Naze
A play, the lido, and outdoor cinema
Last weekend started with a trip to the National Theatre in central London on the river. We went to see The Grapes of Wrath. This is a play of the novel by John Steinbeck. The play follows the book quite closely and recreates the feel of the book with a minimalist set, which was highly … Continue reading / view photos A play, the lido, and outdoor cinema
Paris 2024
One of the reasons I started a blog was to record what I was doing and thinking at a particular point in time. I looked back at my post on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which were postponed until 2021. There were so many things about the Tokyo games that I’d forgotten. The most glaring being … Continue reading / view photos Paris 2024