Nat Geo Traveller India December 2014

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 • ` 1 5 0 • VO L . 3

ISSUE 6

Festive Cheer IN PICTURES

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OFF THE WALL Berlin’s Edgy Neighbourhoods

Kathmandu Royale Discovering Nepal with the family

LIVING MEMORIES Unravelling Cambodia’s Past

Great

INSPIRING UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEYS

TRAVEL PHOTOS

December 2014

e or th r f t u o u Look ults of o GT s re ITH N

EW T POS CONTEES118 G N PA O

CONTENTS

Volume

3

Issue

6

N A T I O N A L G E O G R A P H I C T R AV E L L E R I N D I A

80

Edinburgh Festival, Scotland.

Journeys

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80

96

104

FESTIVE CHEER – IN PICTURES

30 GREAT TRAVEL PHOTOS

BARE-BONE TRUTHS

OFF THE WALL

Christmas is a great time to travel and soak in some good cheer. It’s a time for celebration, and these spots around the globe know how to rejoice in style

Timeless and transporting: Pictures that make you want to get out and see the world

Cambodia’s bloody past unravels on a journey through the country

Berlin’s neighbourhoods fizz with an alchemy of high art and the lowbrow, commerce and iconoclasm

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2014

BY NATASHA SAHGAL

BY ANDREW CURRY PHOTOGRAPHS BY SISSE BRIMBERG AND COTTON COULSON

JIM RICHARDSON/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

In Focus

DECEMBER 2014 • `120 • VOL. 3

ISSUE 6

Festive Cheer IN PICTURES

} }

OFF THE WALL Berlin’s Edgy Neighbourhoods

Kathmandu Royale Discovering Nepal with the family

LIVING MEMORIES Unravelling Cambodia’s Past

Great

INSPIRING UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEYS

TRAVEL PHOTOS

On The Cover National Geographic photographer Dave Yoder captured costumed revellers in Venice during Carnivale, Italy’s famous ann­ual mas­querade festival. The dates for the celebration that includes balls, fiestas, and gondola processions vary each year. In 2015, festivities will run from 31 January to 17 February.

14 Editor’s Note  16 Inbox  117 Big Shot 120 Inspire  128 Travel Quiz

Voices

38 The Neighbourhood

18 Tread Softly

Qingdao, China’s fountain of life

Help save the world, one souvenir at a time

40 National Park

The chowkidar’s tale

Elephant safaris and intimate animal encounters at Satpura National Park

22 Guest Column

Super Structures

Salvaging a dream holiday gone awry

46 The Neighbourhood

20 Far Corners

Navigate

24 Local Flavour 32

Vienna’s Wiener schnitzel

54 The Landmark

26 Go Now

The Bahá’í Temple in Delhi gives spirituality a contemporary spin

Gather with Goans of all faiths at St. Francis Xavier’s exposition

Smart Traveller

28 Dire Straits

56 Money Manager

Conserving Gee’s golden langurs

Pagodas, Everest views, and casinos—a family holiday in Kathmandu

30 Culture South Korea’s Pansori performance

66 Checking In

32 Take Five

Short Breaks

Car-free destinations to remind us of the world before the honk

114 From Mumbai

36 Quiet Places 54

Children’s rhymes map a trail through London’s grand architecture

Memories old and new in Kashmir’s Zabarwan Mountains

All aboard new railway hotels

The spirit of indulgence still dances among Mandu’s relics

116 Stay Prawn curry, feni, and long reads in Goa

DECEMBER 2014 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA

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GEHRINGJ/GETTY IMAGES (BUILDINGS), JIM ZUCKERMAN/CORBIS/IMAGELIBRARY (LOTUS TEMPLE), SIMON BOND (WOMEN), DAVE YODER/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC/INDIAPICTURE (COVER)

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Editor’s Note | niloufer venkatraman

I

I felt compelled to let go of the irritants, the less-thanideal, the things that knock one’s rhythm out of whack OUR MISSION National Geographic Traveller India is about immersive travel and authentic storytelling, inspiring readers to create their own journeys and return with amazing stories. Our distinctive yellow rectangle is a window into a world of unparalleled discovery.

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spent last weekend camping in a jungle in the Sahyadri Hills, 2.5 hours outside Mumbai city. Though I knew I would have lots of spare time I intentionally didn’t take a book along for the trip. I figured I’d be inclined to walk and appreciate my surroundings more if I didn’t have my nose buried in a novel.

The first thing I noticed once we arrived at our campsite and darkness set in, was how quickly my mind stopped buzzing with multiple thoughts and must-do lists and shifted to a calmer, less urgent pace. I must admit I quite feared and didn’t know what it was to live or camp in a forest until my husband introduced me to it many years ago. Now I’ve really come to appreciate and be grateful for the way the wilderness helps me discard the chaos of everyday life and feel at ease.

Staying in a thickly wooded area where much of the natural light is filtered out, it’s easy to let go of the need to know what time of day it is or even what date.

With the season changing and the sun setting early it wasn’t apparent whether it was 5 or 6 or even 7 p.m. It forced me to let go of my instinct to act according to the clock and instead, to accept the rhythm of the wild and listen for the sounds of the occasional monkey, barking deer, and cicada.

Although it was mid-November, we experienced somewhat heavy, unseasonal rain which disrupted my plan of being outdoors the entire weekend. I ended up spending several hours of Saturday holed-up in a tent to keep dry.

Lying on a sleeping bag, listening to the rain patter on the trees and the tent’s plastic fly-sheet, my thoughts unwittingly wandered to the fact that we are nearing the end of the year.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2014

Being in a network-less bush environment, far from the urgency of urban living, made me think with a different perspective. For one, I found I wasn’t planning what I needed to achieve during the rest of the year, the next week, or even the next day. And unlike the way most of us feel at the year’s end, I didn’t wonder how the previous 11 months had gushed by. Instead, as I inhaled the sweet scent of wet earth, my brain focussed on the “big picture”. I felt compelled to let go of the irritants, the less-than-ideal, the things that knock one’s rhythm out of whack.

On long walks through the forest, with only the sound of twigs crunching beneath our shoes, I felt the comfort of not needing to know, or plan, or worry about what came next. The unexpected rain had caused a fresh, green layer of perked-up moss on rocks and the trails were scattered with a variety of ants, colourful beetles, and other insects that were disturbed by the water seeping into the forest floor. I stopped to admire pools of water collected in woody bracket fungi, a group of industrious ants carrying a large dead scorpion, a giant spider’s web encased in droplets that glinted in the soft light creeping through the trees.

Everyday tasks weren’t on my horizon and it was easy to push these distractions to a distant, unhurried back-burner.

I’m not claiming any miracles, but after two days in the harmony of the jungle I came away feeling a little realigned, with a stack of positives to focus my energy on to journey forward into the coming year.

MARTIN SIEPMANN/WESTEND61/CORBIS/IMAGELIBRARY

JUNGLE RHYTHMS

facebook.com/ natgeotraveller.india @NatGeoTravellerIndia @NGTIndia

Y DAIL T SHO

INBOX

Facebook Likes

1,40,643 Writing on the Wall

I

This picture (top) was taken at Marina Beach, Chennai.

It is the longest, natural urban beach in the country and one of the busiest spots in the city, filled with people and hawkers selling all kinds of wares. It’s one of the best places in the country to watch the sun rise and set.

—Karthigesan Vijayakumar

I am a student of Symbiosis School of Photography in Pune and have been following National Geographic Traveller India for some time now. Thanks to the subject I study, I scan through

a lot of magazines, but Nat Geo has always been close to my heart and something I can get my inspiration from.

This picture (bottom) was taken in Khajuraho.

—Nachiket Kulkarni

Write to us Share stories of your travel with us. We will publish some of them on these pages.

Emails letters@natgeotraveller.in Letters National Geographic Traveller India, Sumer Plaza, 2nd Floor, Marol Maroshi Road, Andheri East, Mumbai 400 059. Published letters may be excerpted and edited.

Subscribe Call +91 22 40497435/ 37 or write to subscribe@natgeotraveller.in

Visit us at www.natgeotraveller.in DECEMBER 2014 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA

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KARTHIGESAN VIJAYAKUMAR (BEACH), NACHIKET KULKARNI (TEMPLE)

Karthigesan Vijayakumar is the winner of our online photo contest, Daily Shot. To send in your entries, log on to natgeotraveller.in.

visited Odisha over the Durga Puja break, keen to see the famous Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves near Bhubaneswar. It was my first time in the state. Alas, instead of ancient murals, I found heart signs all over the caves, and the names of couples scrawled on the walls, as if inscribing their names would prescribe permanence to their relationships.

It wasn’t the first time I’d encountered such acts of vandalism.

Why are we so careless with our heritage?

Why visit these places if all you want to do is mar them?

—Ayan Mukherjee

Voices | guest column ANANDITA KAKKAR

Have Mercy, Paris

T Anandita Kakkar is a marketing professional and dance instructor.

She enjoys travelling and experiencing the rhythms of new cultures.

My travel insurance covered only the fee for the paperwork.

I had two options: fly home or stay in Paris 22

here I was, sitting on the ground weeping in the middle of Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport. I’d just been robbed of my purse, passport, and two years’ worth of savings.

My dream Europe holiday had been shattered.

I’d arrived from Delhi on a Saturday morn­ing and was waiting for my friend to join me from Singapore. We’d planned our three-week-long Bollywood-style Europe trip for six months and I was super excited. Since we were planning to head to Nice immediately, and from there to Italy, Switzerland, and Holland before returning to Paris, I decided to look up some train information.

Waiting at an elevator with my baggage trolley I turned for a second to press the button. When I turned back my purse was gone; the thief had cut the strap, which still lay wrapped around my wrist. I remember running helter-skelter for ten minutes, believing I could find the culprit.

The next few hours are a blur. I struggled to communicate with French policemen, who escorted my friend straight from the immigration desk to the police booth. While I gave my statement to the cops, she called my parents, cancelled our bookings in Nice, and called the Indian embassy. And it wasn’t even noon!

Upset beyond words, I stayed cooped up in a hotel room for the next two days. My only activity was pacing the 15-sq-metre room, fighting with my family in India, and eating meals my friend bought. When I stepped out on Monday it was to head to the Indian embassy.

Maybe I was beginning to lose the cloud of grief and disappointment, but the walk there felt genuinely pleasant. By early evening, I had a new passport, but I learnt that getting a new Schengen visa would take over three weeks. My travel insurance only covered about $200, the fee for all the paperwork. I had only two options: fly home or stay in Paris. By the time I stepped out of the embassy my mind was made up—I was going to make the most of my trip.

When the three friends I was to meet in

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2014

Amster­dam learnt I couldn’t travel outside Paris, they drove six hours to spend a day with me. It turned into one of the most fun-filled days ever.

All of us decided to get a drastic haircut. At a salon in the Boulogne-Billancourt neighbourhood, I just pointed at a style on the menu and sent up a prayer to the hair gods. This time, destiny was on my side—I loved the short bob I got.

Next, we hunted the area around the Arc de Triomphe for Ladurée, the macaron store made famous by the teen TV show Gossip Girl.

We bought two each, and then documented their demolition for Facebook. We ogled at the boutiques around Champs-Élysées, but missed the topless male models you can take a picture with at Abercrombie & Fitch by a whisker.

I will never forget that day, or how it set the tone for the rest of my trip. I spent the next week in Paris alone, combing the city east to west, north to south. I spent a solitary day at Sacré-Cœur Basilica, exchanging the crowded terrace for a view of the city’s skyline from the church’s steps and the quiet Montmartre Cemetery. The best tour I signed up for was free: A three-hour walk that took me past the city’s most famous landmarks including the Latin Quarter and Pont Neuf.

I met several friends of friends, nice strangers, and warm hotel staff. Each time I related the story of my catastrophic first day. Sometimes it resulted in a discount, sometimes it drew sympathy, but every time I hoped it would hurt a little less.

After a while it did, and it became more amusing to impress everyone with my in-depth knowledge of Paris than tell them the tale of my misfortune. The beautiful sights, the delectable Parisian food, supportive parents, and a wonder­ ful friend, all chipped away at my self-pity.

Staying on my own and exploring the city made me stronger, taught me to think on my feet and look on the brighter side of life. The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry… but there’s always a way around it.

DILYARA NASSYROVA/IMAGEZOO/PRISM/CORBIS/IMAGELIBRARY

A DREAM HOLIDAY TURNS INTO A NIGHTMARE, BUT IMPARTS VITAL LIFE LESSONS

Navigate | go now

An Act of Faith

The Sé Cathedral in Velha, Goa, has a gilded altar and an organ that dates back to the 18th century. Once in a decade the church displays the relics of St. Francis Xavier.

A

prayerful silence fills Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina, one of Asia’s

largest churches. This seat of the Archbishop of Goa, in Velha, or Old Goa, has an illustrious visitor these days. On November 22, the “relics” of St. Francis Xavier were brought from their abode in an elevated glass-and-silver casket at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, and placed for public viewing in the Cathedral. The exposition will attract lakhs of pilgrims, tourists, and curious folks eager to catch a glimpse of the famous Christian missionary.

I’m one among thousands waiting patiently in line to catch a glimpse of his body. Once every ten years, interest in Goencho Saib (Goa’s master), as the saint is locally known, reaches

a crescendo, with heightened devotion, reported miracles, and a general celebratory atmosphere.

The exposition is a major event in India’s Christian calendar, and dates back to 1782, when the first of these was held. This year marks the 17th public exposition of his remains and will attract over half a million visitors.

The story begins in 1552, when the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier died on Shangchuan Island off China. His body didn’t decompose naturally despite being moved several times, and this is seen as a miracle. The devotion of the faithful continues unabated, as is evident from the lakhs who attended the last exposition in 2004.

At every exposition, it isn’t just the religious who find the story

ATLAS

Goa

During the first exposition of St. Francis Xavier’s relics in Goa, a visitor reportedly bit off the little toe of the saint’s right foot.

of his relics intriguing. What’s remarkable to any visitor is the universal hold St. Xavier seems to have over Goans. Though primarily a Catholic Saint, Goans of all faiths regard him their saib, and there’s a long-standing belief that no calamity will befall Goa as long as he is watching over the state.

All over Old Goa, historic churches, chapels, and other heritage structures, are decked up for this decennial event. During the exposition, there’s also an art exhibition at Carmel Chapel at the Archie­ piscopal Palace, of works by two of Goa’s finest artists—Angelo da Fonseca and Antonio X. Trinidade (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; sfxexposition2014.com; until January 4, 2015).

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TRV/IMAGEROVER.COM/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (CHURCH), DAVID BEATTY/ROBERT HARDING PICTURE LIBRARY/DINODIA (GLASS CASE), ROBERT HOLMES/DOCUMENTARY VALUE/CORBIS/IMAGELIBRARY (STATUE)

ONCE EVERY DECADE, THE PIOUS FLOCK TO GOA TO VENERATE ST. FRANCIS XAVIER | By FERNANDO LOBO

Navigate | take five

Park it!

CAR-FREE AREAS AROUND THE WORLD ARE A BREATH OF FRESH AIR | By ANJANA VASWANI

G

overnments, urban designers, and transport planners around the world are pushing to create spaces that are more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly, but some places made this choice a long time ago. These tucked-away sanctuaries have cocooned their environment by imposing outright bans on motor vehicles. Hop aboard their train of thought.

Matheran India The name that loosely translates to “forest overhead,” hints at the idyllic charm of this preserved paradise 800 m above sea level. It was once a treasured getaway for British and Parsi families of colonial India. The most picturesque way to get to Matheran is aboard the century-old steam locomotive “Phulrani,” an antique narrow-gauge train that departs from the town of Neral at the base of the hill. The 21-km journey takes three hours uphill and 1.5 hours downhill. In the monsoon, when the train service is suspended, hiking up to the hill station past blooming wildflowers and milky waterfalls is highly recommended.

A ban on cars ensures that these woods and the unspoilt old-world township within can only be explored on foot, horseback, or in a hand-pulled rickshaw. Hikers are rewarded with sightings of exotic butterflies and birds and will of course encounter the now well-known and cheeky population of bonnet macaques. Besides chikki, the one souvenir every visitor leaves with is the lasting memory of soul-invigorating vistas from points like Sunset and Panorama.

Perched on terraced cliffs on the coast of the Ligurian Sea, this is an expanse of five (“cinque” in Italian) medieval fishing villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Many of the brightly coloured three- and four-storey stone houses that overlook the harbour here, date back to the Middle Ages, as do numerous castles and churches that dot the area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for 17 years now.

Its magnificent, time-chiselled cliffs are a magnet for tourists. The town centres of Cinque Terre have been declared car-free, and the best way to explore the terrain is still on foot. Buy a Cinque Terre Card that allows you to use eco-friendly trains, and includes access to all walking trails. Follow the Sentiero Azzurro, or blue path, a five-hour pedestrian course which cuts through vineyards and lemon and olive groves, while also offering glimpses of the beautiful coast. Start at Riomaggiore and you can end your walk by soaking your tired feet in the pristine waters of Monterosso al Mare’s petite beach.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2014

HIRA PUNJABI/GETTY IMAGES (TRAIN), FEDERICA GENTILE/GETTY IMAGES (HOUSES)

Cinque Terre Italy

Giethoorn Netherlands A train journey of just 2.5 hours from Amsterdam takes you to a watery Eden—the village of Giethoorn that has a network of several shallow canals, negotiated via more than 180 storybook-pretty arched wooden bridges. For a while, there wasn’t a single road—only a couple of cycling paths—in this northern Dutch village located at the fringe of Weerribben-Wieden National Park.

Giethoorn is accessed mainly by punter boats similar to Venetian gondolas earning it the sobriquet, “Venice of the Netherlands”. A cycling tour however, is the most conducive way to appreciate the 18th-century chocolatebox farmhouses that peek out from the green. The tiny private islands on this hamlet erupt with activity in the summer but quiet winter holidays include ice-skating over the frozen canals and trips to the local museum.

La Cumbrecita Argentina

CHRISTOPHER HILL/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (BOAT), C2070 ROLF HAID/CORBIS WIRE/CORBIS/IMAGELIBRARY (HOUSES), JTB PHOTO/JTB PHOTO COMMUNICATIONS, INC/DINODIA (BEACH)

At 1,450 metres above sea level, amidst a pine and spruce forest in the Córdoba Mountains, you’ll find a lovely alpine-style hamlet. This village sprang from an idea Helmut Cabjolsky—an employee of a German company in Buenos Aires—had to recreate the lush vistas of the fatherland in the bare, treeless Argentine landscape during the 1930s. He started out with one cottage, which is now known as Hotel La Cumbrecita. Visitors to the settlement must park their vehicles at a parking lot on the outskirts of town and proceed on foot. La Olla (Spanish for “the pot”), a pool into which the rejuve­ nating waters of Río Almbach flow, is the village’s main attraction, aside from the peak of Cerro Wank, which affords gorgeous views of the Calamuchita Valley. When you’re done trekking, sit back and enjoy fondue and strudel at the restaurants in Paseo Bajo.

Rottnest Island Australia Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh dubbed this tiny landmass off the western coast of Australia “Rat’s Nest Island” in the 17th century. What he thought were giant rats were actually quokkas, a unique marsupial species native to this A-class nature reserve. Visitors are escorted on walking and snorkelling trips that introduce them to these foot-tall critters, and as many as 400 species of fish, several varieties of coral, and numerous exotic birds such as the red-capped dotterel and the curlew sandpiper. Sectioned into 63 beaches, the island’s soft, white sandy coast lends itself well to water sports and events, such as the Swim Thru Rottnest, a 1,600-metre race through these crystal waters held every year in early December since 1977. Eco-conscious tourists can sign up to plant seeds, monitor fauna, and assist with beach clean-ups.

DECEMBER 2014 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA

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Super Structures | the landmark

Universal Appeal THE BAHÁ’Í TEMPLE IN DELHI GIVES SPIRITUALITY A CONTEMPORARY SPIN | By GINA TANIK

R

esembling a lotus bloom perched in a pool of water, the expansive Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi is a dramatic departure from the dusty neighbourhood of Nehru Place where it is located.

This Lotus Temple is visited by locals and travellers alike: uniformed children on school picnics, foreigners looking for closure after their overwhelming travels in India, city dwellers seeking respite on a searing Delhi summer day. But despite the crowds that mill about, it manages to retain an air of calm, a feat of its complex design.

Designing it was complicated. The structure needed to reflect the core belief of the relatively young Bahá’í faith, an independent, inclusive religion, founded in 1844, that preaches unity in

54

diversity. Though the lotus was chosen as the inspiration for the structure, this ancient sacred symbol was given a distinctly modern makeover.

The temple reigns over a 26acre piece of land. At its centre, lie manicured gardens, shimmering pools, and a long pathway that leads to the gleaming, white marble shrine. The structure’s curved, free-standing walls or “petals” demarcate smaller spaces of worship inside, leading visitors to the main prayer hall where believers of all

40 lakh

The number of people who visit the Lotus Temple each year

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2014

religions are welcome to pray, chant, or simply reflect.

Conceptualised by Iranian-Canadian architect Fariborz Sahba, the structure was designed to make the most of available natural light. The sun enters the hall through the 27 petals, filling the halls with a gentle diffused light. Nine petal-shaped pools edge the structure.

The bodies of water are meant to represent the leaves of the lotus blossom but also cool the air that passes over them, giving the marble floors an air-conditioned feel. At dusk, discreet exterior lighting comes on, giving the temple the illusion of being afloat. It’s an oasis of calm amidst the concrete jungle of the Indian capital (www. bahaihouseofworship.in; open Tue-Sun 9.30 a.m.-5.30 p.m.; entry free).

SUMAN SENGUPTA

More frequently called the Lotus Temple, the Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi has 27 marble petals in half bloom.

Smart Traveller | checking in

Gravy Trains

Next to Tokyo Station, the historic Marunouchi Building houses a restored hotel.

THE CALEDONIAN

GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL

TOKYO STATION HOTEL

Though Edinburgh’s Princes Street train station shut down nearly 50 years ago, the century-old sandstone hotel built beside it has re-launched after a multimillion-dollar overhaul. Inside the original Edwardian facade are 241 plush rooms—188 of them constructed from former rail platforms and many of them overlooking the city’s 12th-century castle. The station’s original clock takes centre stage in the Peacock Alley bar.

The British capital’s first railway hotel— an 1854 brick building designed, like the adjacent King’s Cross station, by Victorian engineer Lewis Cubitt—has been reimagined after sitting closed for 12 years. It opened in 2013 with 91 rooms, including 21 cosy couchettes inspired by traditional sleeper cars.

There’s also a restaurant from chef Gordon Ramsay protégé Mark Sargeant that looks like a modern Orient Express carriage.

Situated inside the brick-and-steel Taisho-era icon that is the Marunouchi Building, Japan’s second oldest hotel is a national treasure. First opened in 1915—one year following the launch of Tokyo Station, the rail hub next door—it now houses 150 vaulted guest rooms and 10 restaurants (a sushi joint and a yakitori bar among them). Recently restored, the property offers unparalleled views of the Imperial Palace.

London, England; www.gnhlondon.com; doubles from $239/`14,700

Tokyo, Japan; www.thetokyostationhotel.jp; doubles from $309/`19,000

Edinburgh, Scotland; www.waldorf­ astoriaedinburgh.com; doubles from $292/`18,000

Note: Rates are the hotels’ published prices. Discounts are often available through online travel websites.

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THOMAS LINKEL/LAIF/REDUX (ROTUNDA), WALDORF ASTORIA HOTELS & RESORTS (WOMEN), GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL (BUILDING), TOKYO STATION HOTEL (BEDROOM)

ALL ABOARD NEW RAILWAY HOTELS | By CHRISTINE AJUDUA

LONDON, ENGLAND

Switching on the Christmas lights in midNovember is usually a grand celebratory event at Regent Street, a major shopping avenue in London’s West End. This year, British pop band Take That flicked the switch amidst numerous performances and a fireworks display.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2014

XXXXXXXXXXXX PATRICK WANG/SHUTTERSTOCK (XXXXXXXXX)

In Focus | great travel photos

world

Festive Cheer

STUART WILSON/GETTY IMAGES

Strings of twinkling lights stretch across streets, window displays are a riot of colour, and bells jingle in doorways—Christmas is a time for celebration and these spots around the globe know how to rejoice in style. It’s a great time to travel and soak in some good cheer.

In Focus | great travel photos

Fairs & Feasts RIGA, LATVIA

Many historians consider Riga in Latvia the place where the first Christmas tree was decorated in the early 1500s and the muchloved tradition was born. The city’s annual Old Town Christmas Fair is an excellent place to partake of festival favourites like mulled wine, gingerbread, and smoked meats.

LUBECK, GERMANY

LUBECK, GERMANY

The town of Lubeck in northern Germany is said to produce the best marzipan in the world.

SAN FRANCISCO, U.S.A. SAN FRANCISCO, U.S.A.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | DECEMBER 2014

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco recreates Charles Dickens’ London with participants dressing up in elaborate period costumes.

LISA A/SHUTTERSTOCK (LATVIA), VOLKER HEICK/DPA/CORBIS (MARZIPAN), COURTESY SAN FRANSISCO TRAVEL (CHARLES DICKENS FAIR)

RIGA, LATVIA

world

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

Fried carp with potato salad is the main dish of Christmas dinners in the Czech Republic. The freshwater fish is traditionally bought live.

DRESDEN, GERMANY DRESDEN, GERMANY

Dresden’s Medieval Christmas Market is full of unlikely sights: Visitors sipping drinks in the bath house, traditional crafts like hat-making, and the absence of any electric lights or plastic.

Christmas sup­ per in Provence ends with 13 desserts or “les treize desserts de Noël”, which represent Jesus and his 12 disciples.

The spread inc­ludes a few compulsory ele­ ments: wal­nuts, raisins, almonds, and figs to rep­resent four religious orders; dark and white nougat sym­ bolising good and evil; quince paste; brightly coloured mar­ zipan, and a sweet­bread with olive oil, flavoured with orange water and lemon zest, that must be torn by hand, not cut.

PROVENCE, FRANCE

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ARNO BURGI/DPA/CORBIS (BATH HOUSE), RICHARD HARDING PICTURE LIBRARY LTD/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE (FISH), PATRICK FRILET/MARKA/DINODIA (FOOD)

PROVENCE, FRANCE

In Focus | great travel photos

Songs & Scenes Ukraine’s Orthodox Christian population celebrates Christmas on the 7th of January. Many traditions observed during the week-long celebration are based on pre-Christian customs.

Festival meals include symbolic foods like kolach bread which is braided into a ring­—three of these rings are placed one atop another, to symbolise the Holy Trinity.

The meal has 12 courses, which could be based on the number of Jesus’s disciples or the number of full moons during the year.

KIEV, UKRAINE

BARCELONA, SPAIN

Spain’s Catalonia region has two amusing Christmas traditions. The “tions de Nadal” or pooping log (right) is brought home a fortnight before Christmas.

Children “feed” the hollow log nuts and chocolates. On Christmas day, children strike the log with a stick to make it “poop” gifts; Another popular Christmas figure in Catalonia is the caganer (left). There’s no polite way to describe him: He’s a defecating man, caught mid-act. Each house buys one figure, which is often added to Nativity scenes, but no one quite knows why.

BARCELONA, SPAIN

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SERGEI SVETLITSKY/DEMOTIX/CORBIS (CAROLLERS), RAFAEL CAMPILLO/ DINODIA (CHRISTMAS LOG), XAVIER SUBIAS/DINODIA (FIGURINE)

KIEV, UKRAINE

world

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MEXICO

SEIFFEN, GERMANY

SEIFFEN, GERMANY

The town of Seiffen in Germany’s Ore Mountain area, is described as a toy village. Handcrafted toys, angels, nutcrackers, candlesticks and all sorts of Christmas accoutrements are made here. Visitors can watch traditional wooden toys being made in workshops.

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MEXICO

CASTLETON, ENGLAND Merrymakers gather in Castleton’s caves every Christmas to sing carols in the underground caverns. They are a popular tourist attraction and regular concerts take place in Peak Cavern, the best known of the four caves.

It was formerly called Devil’s Arse by locals, but renamed in 1880 when Queen Victoria visited.

CASTLETON, ENGLAND

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SANTI VISALLI/GETTY IMAGES (MANGER), GUENTER FISCHER/DINODIA (SMOKING MAN), ROBIN DEARDEN (CAVE)

Nativity scenes in San Miguel de Allende are elaborate.

Many include live animals tied in front to represent the manger where Jesus was born. Human figures are often life-sized and realistically detailed.

RUINS OF the Empires

The spirit of indulgence still dances among Mandu’s relics | By Harsimran Gill

2+ DAY S

Although the Jahaz Mahal exudes elegance, its walls are three feet thick. It was built by Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din-Khilji to house his harem of 15,000.

The rain has slowed down to a mild drizzle. I peep out from under a small, carved chhatri on the terrace of the Jahaz Mahal, a kilometre northwest of Mandu’s town centre. Kapur Talao, the man-made lake beyond the front lawns, is almost completely full, reflecting the surrounding trees, lush green from the monsoon. I take a few quick steps across the terrace to look at Munj talao, the other lake that bookends this slim palace, where a herd of buffaloes has just settled in for a slow soak.

The “ship palace” is a resplendent ruin among a city full of such vestiges of glories past. One hundred and twenty metres long and just fifteen metres wide, it rises amidst the pools appearing like a vessel anchored in position, with domed pavilions that reach out to the sky like sails. It was built in the late 15th century during the reign of the Khiljis; more than a hundred years later, it became a favourite of

Mughal emperor Jahangir and his bride, Noor Jehan. In his autobiography, Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri, the emperor describes these opulent celebrations in vivid detail: “As the evening began, they lit lanterns and lamps all around the tanks and building... The lamps cast their reflection on the water and it appeared as if the whole surface of the tank was a plain of fire.

A grand entertainment took place and the inebriates indulged themselves to excess.”

As the walled-in capital of the Malwa Kingdom, Mandu witnessed terrible strife over the centuries: the Mughals, the Khiljis, and Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, all struggled for control over it. But the spirit of indulgence is still palpable among its relics, from the luxurious pools of Jal Mahal to the pillared dancing halls of Jahaz Mahal, which must have once resonated with song and dance.

THE VITALS

Mandu, in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh is 525 km/9 hrs northeast of Mumbai and 373 km/6.5 hrs east of Ahmedabad.

The closest airport and railway station are at Indore, which is 95 km/3 hrs northeast (`1,600-1,800 one-way by taxi). Frequent buses ply between Indore and Dhar (36 km/1.5 hrs), from where you can take a local bus to Mandu.

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HERVE HUGHES/GETTY IMAGES

heritage

Short Breaks | from mumbai

mandu

four ways to explore CYCLE EVERYWHERE

GO BAOBAB-SPOTTING

All major sights in Mandu are within a five-kilometre radius of the heart of the town. While rickshaws are available, the best way to get around is on a cycle. Pack a picnic lunch and set out early for an easy unplanned day of stopping at places like the Sagar Talao or the upper level of Dai-kichoti-behen-ka-mahal. The latter’s tomb is dedicated to the royal wet nurse, which still retains traces of the blue tiles that once covered its dome.

Barring a few slopes, the terrain is easy and lined with trees and lush fields, making it ideal for laidback pedalling (cycles are available for rent at a small house three doors down from the popular Shivani Restaurant; `100-125 a day).

With a bulbous trunk and scraggly branches fanning out into the sky, the peculiar baobab is rarely spotted in India. However, dozens of these ancient trees find a fitting home among Mandu’s regal residues. Dotting the sides of the main road that runs through the city’s northern entry gate, all the way to the southern end at Rupmati’s Pavilion, the trees vary in size and shape, from smaller shrubs to giant, imposing elders. With an ability to store huge reserves of water within its trunk and seeds full of antioxidants (chalky texture, acidic taste), baobabs are often called the Tree of Life. Try and find the oldest and largest one in the area.

Hint: It’s on the way to Rupamati’s Pavilion.

SUNSET WITH A QUEEN

AQUA DELIGHTS AT JAL MAHAL

Princess Rupmati, after whom this pavilion (top) is named, met a tragic death, poisoning herself to avoid capture after her husband was defeated in battle; Jahaz Mahal has a beautifully designed bath (middle) with a series of ornamental steps; Vendors in Mandu often sell the tangy fruit of the baobab tree (bottom), known locally as Mandu ki imli.

Jal Mahal is a part of the Royal Enclosure that also contains Jahaz Mahal. Yet the pool-filled wonder often gets unfairly relegated to the shadows of its more popular neighbour. Located in Munj Talao, the palace was built as a private monsoon sanctuary for noble couples.

Close to ten pools of varying shapes, sizes, and depths form the front courtyard.

They range from floral-shaped step pools to narrow, deep tanks running along its length.

It’s easy to imagine the many luxurious dips taken by stately residents and visitors over the centuries, surrounded by the verdant green gardens of the palace enclosure (sunrisesunset. Entry for the entire Royal Enclosure `5).

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DINODIA (DOME & STEPS), DGUIDO COZZI/ATLANTIDE PHOTOTRAVEL/CORBIS/IMAGELIBRARY (TREE)

The 16th-century romance between Baz Bahadur, the last independent king of Mandu, and Rupmati, a beautiful shepherdess, is the favourite folktale of the Malwa region.

Legend says that Rupmati agreed to be his consort only if she could live in a palace from where she could view her beloved Narmada River.

An old army lookout point atop a hill was reappointed as the queen’s retreat, with a sheer drop to the river on one side and a view of Baz Bahadur’s Palace on the other. In contrast with some of the other monuments of Mandu, Rupmati’s Pavilion is not in a state of utter ruin. It offers a spectacular view of the valley as well as the twinkling Narmada in the distance. It comes alive at sunset silhouetted against the golden-red light (sunrise-sunset; entry `5).

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WIN RY TWO A LUXUFOR AY HOLID

Contest | photography

CHINA THE SECRET KINGDOM SHANGRI- OF LA

INDIA FAMILY

VACATION S IN THE OUTDOOR S

GRE

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Trekking

through + DiscoverLadakh, Kilimanja ing our cities ro & England on foot

POSE WITH NGT ER

WINN

ADITYA NARAIN

This picture was shot at Rangdum in Ladakh’s Zanskar Valley, at an altitude of approximately 12,000 feet. We had just spent our first night camping, after driving for two full days from Leh, for a 12-day rafting expedition on the Zanskar River. The course was over 150 kilometres long, during which we traversed the Zanskar Canyon, with wall-like peaks rising around us. For over three days, we had no communication with the rest of the world. Our only company? Marmots and monks.

ATANU PAUL

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SIRSENDU GAYEN

Readers! We were overwhelmed by your response to the Pose With NGT contest and loved browsing through your entries. The winner of the contest is Aditya Narain, who gets a year’s subscription to National Geographic Traveller India, a fleece jacket, and a copy of the book Nat Geo Amazing! Look out for your pictures on www.natgeotraveller.in. Happy travelling (with your favourite magazine)!

MATTIA PASSARINI

JAGANNATHAN RAMASWAMY

PRADEEP GUPTA

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