KL Sunrise

A fine morning in Malaysia, watching the sun rise behind some hills with the towers being lit by the Morning light

A Happy New Year….2017

A very dreamy and Happy New Year 2017 to all my friends and fellow bloggers…

2016 was a momentous year, personally, professionally and yes, a momentous year for the country as well, with surgical strikes, demonetisation, and lots of political drama, and yes, the death of amma…

Hopefully, 2017 will see a changed India, with end to black money, competitive real estate prices, end to bank lines, and a more progressive country…

God Bless my Country and take it into a vibrant future

Jai Hind

Monsoon Madness

Monsoon Madness – Travelling by train in India opens you out of a vista of rain-washed, chequered fields and  people toiling within…

The rains bring a new lease of life and happiness to the vast majority of the population who rejoice in the rebirth of the parched earth… As Gibran says’

The field and the cloud are lovers
And between them I am a messenger of mercy.
I quench the thirst of one;
I cure the ailment of the other.

It was on one such memorable journey from Danapur to Varanasi, that I spied these women returning to the fields after lunch…..

Raksha bandhan Moon 2016….

The Shravan month of the Hindu Calendar is a month of fasting and abstention. The full moon of this month is celebrated as Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi (Bond of Protection) all over North India, where sisters tie a thread around the wrist of their brothers, praying for their longevity and brothers on their part promise to protect their sisters always….

Given that this month is part of the monsoon months, it is not often that one has clear skies to capture the moon; this year I was lucky enough to have very clear skies and a bright moon to capture….

 

Death and beyond….

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

Khalil Gibran

Mornings at Singapore….

Singapore has some of the most beautiful Mornings and sunrises…. And one of the best places to view them are from the terrace of Hangout @ Mt. Emily.

The biggest pain a budget traveller has is finding good, cost effective accommodation that is also close to the centre of the city and accessible to good public transportation.

I have visited Singapore several times and always prefer to stay at the Hangout @ Mt. Emily.

Any seasoned traveller will know that some of the safest, best equipped and budget accommodation is available through the Hostelling International website, where you can book months in advance paying a token amount of 5 % of the total cost of the stay.

The advantages of Hangout @ Mt. Emily are many and will probably be the subject of another blog post, but the roof is fabulous to enjoy the skyline of Singapore as can be seen from these photographs and yes, the distance of Hangout @ Mt. Emily from Little India MRT is about 850 metres and from Dobhi Ghaut MRT is about 1.1 kilometres or 1100 metres.

 

Flamboyant Tuesday’s 16.08.16

This image of the poppy flower in full bloom reminds me of a beautiful flamenco dancer in a bright red dress, twirling to the music…

The strumming and the flute notes

rise into the atmosphere,

and if the whole world’s harp

should burn up,

there will still be hidden instruments

playing, playing 

~ Rumi