Bahamian Beach Bliss

If you are looking for a place where all you do is lie on the beach, read a good book, eat, sleep and drink - the Bahamas is your answer. This is the perfect mid winter break. The greens and blues of the sea and sky just takes your breath away. Nassau has some fun snorkeling and if you are interested in diving it is a great place to discover underwater beauty. We tried to stay away from the touristy places. Few delicious eating spots we discovered were: Cafe Matisse, Blu Bar & Dune. Also if you are looking for luxurious relaxation be sure to check out the One&Only Ocean Club on Paradise Island - it has the most pristine private beaches. For breakfast make a trip to Compass Point where you will experience Eggs Benedict & crepes that will tickle your taste buds. Our trip was all about hopping from one beach to another, while swimming with the fishes and eating tasty food. I came back relaxed and ready to take on the world. Below are some pictures, for more you can click on -> Bahamian Beach Bliss.  

Let the Sunshine In

I hate dreary days in Manhattan. I can take the rain and I can take the cold but both together are the worst combination ever. In India when it rains it is beautiful. You smell the fresh mud as the monsoon cools down the sizzling hot ground. In New York when it rains all I want to do is curl up in bed and do nothing. My bones get lazy and efficiency is at an all time low. Today was such a day; the rain was annoying and slushy. This day reminded me of how great it is when the sun shines. This took my thoughts to Portugal and the time I spent in the Algarve - the southern most tip of Portugal. In the Algarve the weather is perfect; you lie on the beach, swim with the fishes and take long walks. The sunsets are gorgeous; I have never seen so many colors and beautiful cloud formations ever in my life. On dreary days like this I look back to the lovely experiences that the sun has given me and I know even though it is hiding behind those clouds today, it will come out tomorrow or the day after and bring back the warmth; until then I seek it under my covers in bed.

The Golden Chariot - Day 1

The Chariot was Purple not Golden - but felt like a princess in it. The Golden Chariot is a luxury train that travels through Karnataka, India stopping at key places; from where you go on excursions. The three days I spent on the train were phenomenal. At first it felt a little awkward being a tourist in ones own country. I was used to being the guide for people visiting India not the other way around. I soon accepted that being away for almost 10 years would qualify me as a visitor. The train experience was great - I would compare it to a cruise ship but on a train. It had a spa, restaurant, bar and gym. The rooms were small but comfortable.
We joined the train mid-way at Hassan; from where we had excursions to Shravanabelagola famous for the colossal statue of Gommateshwara in the morning; and in the afternoon we visited Belur and Halebidu - cities that are the epicenter of Hoysala architecture. All three places were simply breathtaking. It amazes me how much history, culture and beauty there is in India - we had only barely scratched the surface. Click below to see pictures from the first day aboard GC.

India - How I Miss Thee

I spent the last three weeks in India. I go to India almost every year; but this time I had the most amazing vacation ever. It was the perfect storm of friends, family, weddings, traveling, food and new experiences. The highlights of the trip were attending 4 weddings - one of which lasted 4 days, traveling by train, visiting beautiful temples and cities in Karnataka, chilling with friends, spending time with the family, eating our way through Goa, visiting my high school and the food - I ate like there was no tomorrow. I took a lot of pictures, I plan on blogging about all of the above and more - so be prepared for an India overload over the next few weeks !
I am going to start with a picture that I took in Karnataka at Shravanabelagola. It is one of my favorite pictures of the trip. I captured a moment when I look at is calming and serene; but in reality there were hundreds of people around us. Photography is all about what you see and not about what exists. Hope this whets your appetite for the next few posts. 

Balance

I was in Los Angeles a few weeks back. I captured some pictures of the sprawling city, metal buildings & peeping sky and some of the beautiful blue ocean, birds flying and the setting sun. Everything has 2 sides; they are not necessarily good or bad – just different. While we yearn for the hustle and bustle that the city brings, we still love the peace and calm of the ocean. Peace and calm gets boring very soon. We get restless and wish for the craziness again. One needs a little bit of everything in their lives – laughter, tears, anger, love, joys and sorrows. It is balance that makes life interesting at the end. In order to achieve balance one must experience the highs and lows, the ups and downs – as I write this I feel that it is counter-intuitive. How can balance be about swings? But, I guess it is; because life cannot be perfectly balanced all the time – it just has to be perfectly balanced over time.    
 

IS THIS IT ???

Is this the end of summer - finto - finish - khalaas? It felt like all of Manhattan was out enjoying this gorgeous day. I made the most of the sunshine and near perfect temperatures sipping sangria's all afternoon at the Frying Pan - if you have not been here I highly recommend you go. I took this shot from the street on my way back - what a great way to end what may be the last day of summer.