MARCH 2015 • `150 • VOL. 3
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
ISSUE 9
INDONESIA
HANG WITH ORANGUTANS
ISCHIA ISLAND ON ITALIAN TIME
CHANNEL ISLANDS
HONOLULU BEACH BLISS AND URBAN VITALITY
GERALD DURRELL’S WILDLIFE PARK
Summer Lovin’ 16 REFRESH ING I T I NE RA R I ES FO R A L L AGES
SWEDEN
FJORDS AND FRESH OYSTERS
March 2015
holiday special
Contents
Volume
3
Issue
9
N A T I O N A L G E O G R A P H I C T ra v eller I n d ia
Disneyland, Paris
Summer Special
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112
119
16 Refreshing Summer Ideas
Sweden by the Sea
Magic and Mayhem in Disneyland
Islands, jungles, temples, and urban spirit: Take your pick of these curated itineraries, in India and abroad, for all ages
Like a Nordic Riviera, the west coast stokes the senses with bright sunshine, fresh oysters and lobsters, and countless fjords, inlets, and villages
Amidst castles and parades in a lively Paris theme park, a mother discovers her inner five-year-old—and has a scare every parent experiences at least once
By Stephanie Pearson
By Shreya Sen-Handley
Photographs by Christian Åslund
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132
A Date with Durrell’s Family and Other Animals
The Chronicles of Pukaman
Spending quality time with the delightful residents of Gerald Durrell’s wildlife park is amusing, but heartbreaking too
Road trips with the family are always theatrical, especially when the ride is a beat-up Land Rover from the ’70s without air conditioning
By Prerna Singh Bindra
By Ambika Gupta
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national Geographic Traveller INDIA | March 2015
stephen Handley (children), manfred gottschalk/lonely planet images/getty images (statue)
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Journeys
138 Aloha, Honolulu Beyond the mai tais and tiki torches, Honolulu is a true-blue—and truly global— American city BY Andrew McCarthy Photographs by Susan Seubert
148 Ischia, Island of Memories International celebrities hide out here, but for some, this Italian paradise is home Honolulu, Hawaii
By Lorenzo Carcaterra Photographs by Massimo Bassano
page 148
BackStory
richard a. cooke/nomad/corbis/imagelibrary (souvenirs), walter bibikow/age fotostock/dinodia (tiles) Photo COURTESY: LORENZO CARCATERRA (swimmers)
The Island that Saved My Life
I
n a first draft of his story, “Ischia: Island of Memories”, author Lorenzo Carcaterra wrote that his initial visit to the Italian island in the summer of 1969 not only changed the course of his life, “but in the process saved it”. He used less dramatic language in his final version, but he’s adamant that without that trip his “life would have continued on a much darker path”. Instead, he found a refuge, got to know his relatives, and made lifelong friends of the locals, including Fernanda Conte (right, sitting next to the 14-year-old author). “She always played practical jokes on us,” recalls Carcaterra. “She had a great sense of humor and a generous heart. My grandma used to say, ‘You want to find Fernanda? Go to the beach, look for a large group of kids. She’ll be right in the middle.’ She died in her early 60s of breast cancer. We
all miss her and think of her often. She was a great lady and the very
definition of what it means to be from Ischia.”
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MARCH 2015 • `150 • VOL. 3
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
ISSUE 9
INDONESIA
HANG WITH ORANGUTANS
ISCHIA ISLAND ON ITALIAN TIME
CHANNEL ISLANDS
HONOLULU BEACH BLISS AND URBAN VITALITY
GERALD DURRELL’S WILDLIFE PARK
Summer Lovin’ 16 RE FRESH ING ITINE RARIES FO R ALL AGES
SWEDEN
FJORDS AND FRESH OYSTERS
On The Cover German wildlife filmmaker and nature photographer Konrad Wothe took this photograph of an orangutan frolicking in the Bohorok River in Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia. The forests of Sumatra and Malaysian and Indonesian Borneo are the last remaining places where orangutans are found in the wild.
24 Editor’s Note 26 Inbox 166 Inspire 172 Workshop 174 Big Shot 176 Travel Quiz
Voices
60 The Essence
28 Tread Softly
Warming up to the Danish concept of hygge
Change-makers who inspire us to clean up after ourselves
62 Hidden Gem
30 Book of Hours An illustrated travelogue from a visit to Aurangzeb’s grave in Khuldabad, Maharashtra
The disbeliever’s dilemma
Navigate
68 Map Quest
36 Postcard Sharjah, the unsung Emirate
National Geographic celebrates a century of graphing the globe
38 Tech Travel
Smart Traveller
Coming face-to-face with the fastest aircraft ever built
71 Money Manager
42 The Insider The siren song of Singapore, beyond its glitzy skyscrapers
48 Book Extract National Geographic, Around the World in 125 Years
54 Urban Explorer
national Geographic Traveller INDIA | March 2015
78 Checking In Dutch colonial hotels in Galle, Sri Lanka
Short Breaks
160 From Chandigarh Barot Valley’s treasures are revealed one step at a time
56 Geek Tour
Stay
58 Local Flavour
18
Make the most of eclectic, cosmopolitan, outdoorsy Vancouver, Canada
Score a seat on a hop-on hop-off bus to see the superlative Malaysian capital
Silicon Valley for dummies
42
64 The Concept Oslo’s Frogner Park, the world’s largest single-artist sculpture park
32 Crew Cut
71
Wendy’s Secret Garden is a floral ode to private loss and public rejuvenation
Where to score the best ribs in Memphis, Tennessee
164 A B&B holiday with the Dhauladhars for company 165 Luxury tents in the rustic setting of Sariska National Park
emily riddell/design pics/first light/getty images (bridge), walter bibikow/passage/corbis/image library (aircraft), nicky loh/stringer/getty images (girl) Konrad wothe/getty images (cover)
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Voices | book of hours amruta patil
ANAﾃ記 SEGHEZZI (AMRUTA PATIL)
Amruta Patil is the author of graphic novels Kari and Adi Parva. Book of Hours chronicles an hour spent here, there, elsewhere.
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Navigate | the insider
The Siren Song of Singapore True tastes beyond glitzy skyscraperS | By Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan
E
ven in the most sweltering months of my Singaporean girlhood, the outdoors called to me. I’d clamber onto a bus, flash my school bus card, hope for a window seat and perhaps a whiff of a breeze, and settle in for the stuffy ride east. Densely packed apartment buildings and car-clogged streets would gradually give way to lush trees and dusty squat row houses. The destination: Changi Village, a somnolent neighbourhood perched on the far northeastern shores of the island. Rustling
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ATLAS
Singapore
Singapore’s national anthem is printed in microtext on the back of the SGD1,000 banknote.
national Geographic Traveller INDIA | march 2015
palm trees lulled me into a trance during walks in one of Singapore’s oldest coastal parks. From the jetty, I could sometimes see the morning fishermen and kelongs (traditional fisheries on stilts) out in the Strait of Malacca, the waterway that slices between Singapore and Indonesia. Though far from the city-state centre, Changi Village still has a faithful local following. Athletic types come for the windsurfing and kayaking. The hungry head for breakfast at International Nasi Lemak, a Malay food stall selling
fragrant plates of coconut rice paired with turmeric-coated fried chicken or fish, fried egg, sambal sauce, and crispy fried anchovies. My reason for visiting remains the same as ever: In all my years, I’ve not come across a better spot for a good sit and a hard think. This, to me, is the true Singapore. The country of my birth may be known as a fastpaced metropolis of 5.3 million with a gleaming modern skyline, buzzing shopping districts, casinos, vibrant nightclubs,
Gavin Hellier/AWL Images
Singapore’s Helix Bridge spans Marina Bay.
Navigate | the insider What’s HOT in singapore
island getaway
Get a sense of traditional kampong (village) life on Pulau Ubin, a small island (and national park) that makes a perfect day trip for hikers and bikers. Count green lizards, scratch rubber trees, and take in Strait of Malacca views.
best Buzz
Culture Club
The Peranakan Museum provides insight into the cultural heritage of the local Peranakan Chinese. Bonus: Fort Canning Park neighbours the museum.
local lit
The Singapore Writers Festival (in early November) is one of Asia’s best literary bonanzas. BooksActually, a shop in trendy Tiong Bahru, specialises in local poets and writers.
A former convent chapel now anchors CHIJMES, a downtown nightlife and dining complex.
and futuristic parks. But the Singapore I treasure is more veiled. It’s a place where the old is celebrated and cherished—and it’s not hard to find if you know where to look. Along Singapore’s once sleepy, now trendy east coast, Starbucks and gastropubs have nudged out decades-old vendors selling local favourites such as tau kwa pau, a fried tofu pocketstyle sandwich. But one thing hasn’t changed since the 1950s: Chin Mee Chin, a cosy coffee shop in a chalk white pre-war “shophouse” that’s been serving up British and local breakfast classics for almost 70 years—custard puffs, runny soft-boiled eggs doused in white pepper and soy sauce, hot buttered rolls slathered with house-made kaya (an eggy coconut jam). The Sundays of my youth were largely spent at the neighbouring Holy Family Church—and every week at Mass, all I could think
about were the sausage rolls right next door. Another throwback, in the heart of downtown Singapore and incongruously tucked into a dining and nightlife hub awkwardly named CHIJMES (pronounced “chimes”), has special meaning for me. I was just nine in 1983 when my school, the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, or C.H.I.J., was abruptly moved out on order from the government, which wanted to repurpose the land. Although portions of the convent’s property— which spanned an entire city block—were torn down, some parts were preserved. So when I visit CHIJMES these days, I don’t come for the dim sum dinners or the trendy cocktail bars. I come to relive school memories at the 110-year-old Gothic chapel, miraculously saved from demolition and now a popular venue for wedding receptions.
Then there’s Samy’s. Not far from Orchard Road— Singapore’s main shopping drag, which is lined with air-conditioned malls and luxe stores from Gucci to Prada—this cavernous Indian curry joint is housed in a former civil service club nestled in a cluster of old British military barracks. Samy’s is one of the best places to get classic “banana leaf ” curry—where waiters spread out a rectangular banana leaf at each diner’s place before piling on rice, fiery chicken masala, dal, and more. Afterward, guests simply fold up the leaf for the waiter to toss. On my most recent return trip to Singapore, I ended my visit with a journey to Tiong Bahru, one of my favourite neighbourhoods. This warren of narrow streets lined with lowrise art deco buildings is distinctly 1930s Singapore. The housing estate was informally called Hollywood
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Flickr RM/Getty Images (church), Flickr RF/Getty Images (lizard), age fotostock Spain, S.L./Alamy (statuette)
Classic kopitiams (coffee shops) are feeling the heat from upstart cafés like Chye Seng Huat Hardware, which offers cupping classes and crafty brews such as “Nitro,” a malty draft coffee served cold.
Navigate | the insider seen far too much of their history blithely erased, and this time they weren’t having it. A (polite) uproar ensued, complete with an active Facebook campaign. The businessman compromised. In the mornings, our beloved mee pok man could continue to serve his thick, fragrant coffee and tea and noodles. At night, the coffee shop would metamorphose into Bincho, a sleek yakitori joint. I was sceptical. Could the old and the new truly exist harmoniously in the same space? But my dear friend Jeanette had simply said, “Come, lah!” As I sat down, everything at Hua Bee seemed exactly the same. The tiled floor seemed just as grimy, the marble-topped wooden tables that are the hallmarks of old-school Singaporean coffee shops were still in place. When I lingered a second too long while
placing my order, the mee pok man gave me the same old evil eye. There were signs of Bincho, of course—a modern kitchen, counter, and bar stools packed into the back. But the sameness of Hua Bee was reassuring. Jeanette and I leaned into our familiar old talk, teasing each other over all the things that girls will needle one another about, even if it’s been decades since they were 14-year-olds. By the time our bowls arrived, there was no more talk; we got down to business. At first bite, I knew I needn’t have worried. The wide egg noodles—coated with a chilli-and-blackvinegar sauce and then tossed with fish balls, fish cakes, peppery minced pork, and crispy cubes of deep-fried lard for extra umami—were as they’d always been: sheer delight by the mouthful.
Breezy speakeasy
Law-abiding locals throw caution to the wind on weekends at 28 Hong Kong Street, a craft cocktail joint with no sign (make reservations by emailing findus@28hks.com, then knock on the door).
chic sleep Kam Leng Hotel, in up-andcoming enclave Jalan Besar, takes style cues from its historic art deco structure but adds modern touches, such as free Wi-Fi.
newest foodie lane
On Keong Saik Road, a hotbed for young chefs, fancy burgers (below) and bountiful brunches reign at Potato Head Folk, while flavourful vegan dishes rule at Afterglow.
hipster haji
Chin Mee Chin coffee shop has been serving traditional breakfasts since the 1950s.
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In Kampong Glam, colourful murals and graffiti brighten Haji Lane, a narrow street of pocket-size restaurants and clothing boutiques.
Edwin Koo/The New York Times/redux (café), 28 HongKong Street (drink), Kam Leng Hotel (bed), SUPERADRIANME.COM (burgers)
Flats when it was created, because the architects were inspired by Hollywood films. It was also known as mei ren wo (Mandarin for “den of beauties”), as rich men liked installing their mistresses in those fashionable flats. These days, even though dishevelled provision shops have been replaced by boutiques that sell SGD50 (`2,000) candles or salons where men can get waxed, Tiong Bahru still has its authentic quirks. One of my best friends from high school lives in this neighbourhood, and one morning, we decided to meet at Hua Bee Restaurant, a small coffee shop that’s been selling mee pok, a noodle dish with fish balls and minced meat, since the 1940s. Recently, a local restaurateur planned to take over the space to make yet another addition to Singapore’s glitzy dining scene. However, locals had
Navigate | map quest
A Century of Graphing the Globe M
arch marks the 100th anniversary of National Geographic’s cartographic division—which has created maps, globes, and atlases of the ocean floor, the night sky, and everywhere in between. Here, a few highlights from our map-making history. A cartographer at Nat Geo’s Washington D.C. headquarters in 1987
Tool of War
Our 1944 map of Germany served as Winston Churchill’s personal briefing map, which history buffs can view at his Cabinet War Rooms in London. Visual Aid
Maps made here focus on more than just land mass: They’ve measured meat consumption, opium production, and radioactivity in Chernobyl. Escape Route
VIP Swag
Incoming U.S. presidents receive a personalised map set from the Society—President Obama’s detailed Hawaii, Kenya, and Indonesia.
REST ASSURED
NAT GEO-BRANDED LODGES If you like our ethos, you can now stay at hotels and lodges around the world that share our passion for authenticity and sustainability. Here are three standouts from the new National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World collection. At eco-resort Rosalie Bay (pictured) in Dominica, guests can help guide endangered sea turtles—which hatch
safely on Rosalie’s black-sand shores—to the Caribbean Sea. Peacefulness is an extra amenity in the hallowed halls of Bhutan’s Zhiwa Ling. This completely handmade hotel contains a Buddhist temple built with 450-year-old wood from the Gangtey Monastery. On Tetiaroa, a French Polynesian atoll owned by Marlon Brando, the Brando mixes LEED-platinum certified sensibilities with privacy—each villa features its own pool and paparazzi-free beachfront view (visit nationalgeographiclodges.com for details). march 2015 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA
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BECKY HALE AND MARK THIESSEN/NGS (ATLAS), JOSEPH H. BAILEY/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (GLOBE), JOSH EDELSON/ZUMA PRESS/CORBIS (HOTEL)
With a 1971 Nat Geo map as his guide, Nguyen Van Canh led 49 refugees out of communist Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War.
Umeda Sky Building, Osaka, Japan
Temple of Karnak, Luxor, Egypt
Dachigam National Park, Jammu & Kashmir
Pokhara, Nepal
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Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Bob Steele /BIA /Corbis (BIRD), B.S.P.I./Corbis (GIRL), Jethro Stamps/ Corbis (FEET), TAUSEEF MUSTAFA/STRINGER/GETTY IMAGES (MONKEY), BILL BACHMANN/DINODIA (TEMPLE)
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world
Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Sri Lanka
Philipkutty’s Farm, Vembanad Lake, Kerala Kailasanathar Temple, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
REFRESHING
summer
ideas
Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim
Dorzong Monastic Institute, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh
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GILLIANNE TEDDER/GETTYIMAGES XXXXXXXXXXXX (XXXXXXXXX) (TURTLES), photo COURTESY: philipkutty’s farm (BOAT), PHILIPPE MICHEL/DINODIA (TEMPLE), DR. SATYAKI BASU PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES (LAKE), mukul gupta (MONKS)
Curated itineraries, in India and abroad, for all ages
Islands, Jungles, & Urban Encounters
8
Aswan Dam, Nile River, Egypt
XXXXXXXXXXXXPhotography/Corbis Kelly-Mooney (XXXXXXXXX)
International Journeys for Curious Travellers
world
Time Stands Still
itinerary
History comes alive on a cruise down the Nile River by reshma krishnan barshikar
egypt
Day 1 Embark at Aswan; visit the High Dam and Philae Temple. Day 2 Optional visits to Abu Simbel, sound and light show at the Philae temple, and the unfinished obelisk. Stay overnight at Aswan. Day 3 Visit twin temples of Kom Ombo, sail to Aswan, visit botanical gardens by felucca. Day 4 Sail to Edfu for the Temple of Horus, overnight in Edfu. Day 5 Visit Karnak temple and museum in Luxor. Day 6 Transfer to the west bank to explore Thebes, and stay overnight in Quina. Day 7 Return to Luxor, visit Luxor Temple. Day 8 Disembark at Luxor. SMILE AND WAVE
Egypt surprises everyone. Despite knowing exactly what to expect, vacationers are stunned because no one expects time to stand this still; it’s almost audacious. No one is quite prepared for the towering pillars of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, the allure of intricate myths surrounding the family of Osiris, or the lingering, languid beauty of lush palm trees reflected in turquoise waters against stark ochre mountains. Little has changed since Ramesses was a boy. Egypt is ageless, which is what makes it a perfect family vacation. Grandparents love the antiquity and will debate the similarities between Ra and Ram, parents will devour the sunsets happy in the knowledge that they never have to lift a finger to figure out logistics. And their teenagers will finally wake up to what the word “awesome” really means when they look at the colossal face of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel. While the Nile is 6,695 kilometres long from source to mouth, most liners cruise the 200-kilometre stretch between Aswan and Luxor, also known as Upper Egypt. The basic five-day itinerary begins with the High Dam, the only archaeological testament to the 20th century, and the Philae Temple dedicated to the Goddess Isis. After
that you anchor at the twin temples of Kom Ombo, glide through the calm waters in a lateen-sailed felucca to visit the botanical gardens. Back in the liner, sail to Edfu to visit the Temple of Horus, and then on to Luxor to explore Karnak, considered the second largest ancient religious site in the world. The longer 7-8 day itinerary adds on a transfer to the river’s west bank from Luxor via Esna Lock, an intriguing experience in itself. You then head to the ancient city of Thebes to explore the Valley of the Kings and King Tut’s eerie tomb. Sail to Quina to visit the Temple of Dendara and finally head to the rock hewn temple of Hatshepsut and Dier El Medina. Diehard fans of The Mummy movies can make a quick detour to the Osiris Pillars at Abu Simbel when they’re at Kom Ombo. While the Nile cruise liners are not the large floating cities of the Caribbean, they are wellequipped, stacked two to three decks high, and cater to all budgets and lifestyles. Most rooms have double or twin beds and boast panoramic views, but the shower cubicles can be tiny. A large family can opt to do the cruise on smaller dahibiyya boats that have a few cabins and bring you closer to the water.
★The transfer to the river’s West Bank via Esna Lock will have you waving at neighbouring ships as you sip champagne with fellow travellers. ★Cruise lines have different strengths. For example, Oberoi is known to have excellent Egyptologists who bring the history alive, while Abercrombie and Kent ships have gorgeous sundecks.
★
Visit between Nov and Feb when the weather is hot but bearable. There is a lot of walking, so carry a stroller for young children. Some cruises do not permit children below six (or ten).
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Lemaire Stephane/Hemis/Corbis
Cruise along Upper Nile, between Aswan and Luxor, Egypt.
Orangutans and Turtles The best of the natural world in two very different island environments | by niloufer venkatraman
itinerary
indonesia
Tanjung Puting National Park, Indonesia
Day 1 Travel from Jakarta to Palangkanbun. Day 2-4 Klotok river cruise through Tanjung Puting National Park. Day 5 Fly to Lombok and take a boat to one of the Gili Islands. Day 6-9 Snorkel, dive, cycle, or just vegetate on the beach. Day 10 Travel to Lombok and then to Jakarta. Depending on the airline, you may need to spend a night in Jakarta to catch your flight back to India the following day. NATURE CALLS
★ Wild and semiwild orangutans in this national park are a pleasure to watch. Don’t underestimate how many hours you can spend just observing them. ★
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gutans there are proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, hornbills and many other birds. After three days in the wilderness make your way east—not to Bali, but to the Gili Islands, a set of three islands just off the northwest coast of Lombok. These paradisiacal isles of beautiful white sand and crystal-clear waters, have amazing underwater life. Gili Trawangan has a bit of a party vibe, but Gili Air and Gili Meno are relatively quieter; the last is the most secluded and least crowded. Families can enjoy a holiday at any of the three, with accommodation options available in a variety of price brackets. Snorkelling, scuba diving, and all kinds of water sports from kayaking to stand-up paddle boards are available for the traveller looking to do more than lie on a sunbed. Besides, one can explore other islands nearby on day trips or even plan a two- or three-day trek to the summit of volcanic Mount Rinjani on neighbouring Lombok. Note These are hard to reach places so expect to spend three days of a ten-day itinerary travelling and getting from point A to B.
Hawksbill turtles are often easily spotted when snorkelling just off certain beaches in the Gilis. BOAT BUZZ Gliding down a calm river and living on a klotok is a wonderfully calming and comfortable experience.
★
★
No matter which of the three Gili Islands is home base, go islandhopping and visit all of them, or go scuba diving or snorkelling at the various reefs in the area. Those who don’t want either can still enjoy the ride in a glass-bottom boat.
Suzi Eszterhas/getty images
Fly to Jakarta, but don’t tarry in the Indonesian capital since it has very little to offer. Instead take a flight to Pangkalanbun in central Kalimantan that very day. Book a boat trip through Tanjung Puting National Park in advance, for a minimum of three days and two nights. Traditional Indonesian houseboats called klotoks take visitors on these multi-day river trips. Tanjung Puting, located in Indonesian Borneo, is a wonderful wilderness of tropical rainforest and mangroves and a great place to meet utterly charming orangutans in their natural habitat. Adults are bound to be as enthralled as children on this cruise through the jungle, stopping at various feeding centres along the way. Flashes of fiery red hair come into view as a mama orangutan with a latched-on baby swings from one tree to the next, eager to get to the feeding platform at Camp Leakey. Observe the pecking order as a young male tries to nab a bunch of bananas while the alpha male looks elsewhere. Ride the klotok up and down the Sekonyer River and keep your eyes peeled for any rustling leaves and movement in the trees. Besides the lovable, sad-faced oran-
world
Where Tech Meets Tradition Ride high-speed trains to visit Zen temples and eat at historic food streets in Japan | by anjana vaswani Japan
Note Taxis are expensive, but the subway is easy to use. Always carry a business card of the hotel that spells out the address clearly.
Lake Ashi, Hakone, Japan
PAST PERFECT
★ Edo-Tokyo Museum provides insights into the evolution of Japanese culture, lifestyle, and politics over 400 years.
★
Kyoto’s Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum is lots of fun for kids. It has models of old steam locomotives for children to clamber over and themed indoor play areas. SUMMER SURPRISES Fireworks are the traditional way to ward off bad spirits, and there are frequent displays in summer (May-August), during Hanabi, the Tokyo Fireworks Festival (end July-Aug). Check online for intermittent offers from Central Japan Railway Co. or JR Tokai for test rides on the Maglev (a portmanteau of magnetic levitation), a wheel-less train to be launched in 2027, that has a top speed of 500 km/hr (¥2,500/`1,307).
★ ★
itinerary Day 1-3 Arrive at Osaka, explore the city. Use the Osaka Kaiyu discount ticket that gives unlimited bus and train travel as well as access to certain places and rides. Day 4-5 Travel to Kyoto and explore its shrines and gardens. Day 6-7 Visit the countryside town of Hakone. Day 7-10 Reach Tokyo and explore its monuments, museums, and attractions.
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Free Agents Limited/CORBIS
On a visit to Japan, you’ll find technology and tradition coexisting harmoniously. In its cities, a cultural proclivity for both guarantees their marriage a happily ever after. Start your exploration of Osaka at Shinsaibashi-suji, its oldest and busiest shopping street. Taste specialities like kushikatsu (deep-fried skewered meat) as you learn more about the area’s 400-year-old history. Then shop at Nipponbashi, also known as Den Den Town, which is renowned for its tax- or duty-free electronics. Besides the famous Osaka Castle and the Kaiyukan aquarium, considered the best in Asia, go to Umeda Sky Building’s deck for a 360° view of the city. Also visit the Takimi Koji food alley in the basement, which recreates a 1950s Osaka market street. A few minutes south is the National Bunraku Theatre, where black-robed puppeteers manipulate marionettes. Visit mah-jong and pachinko parlours in the lively Shinsekai district. From Osaka, take a 15-minute journey to Kyoto aboard a high-speed bullet train (¥1,420/`741). It may not be possible to see all its 1,600 temples, but a walk through the exceptional Zen rock garden of Ryoan-ji Temple is a must. As is tiptoeing across the Uguisu-bari corridor of Chion-in temple, which squeaks no matter how lightly you step, serving as an ancient alarm system. At Ju An, an old-world tea room, spend a wonderful hour appreciating otemae, the Japanese tea ceremony (¥2,000/`1,045 for an hour-long workshop; halfprice for children). Spend two days in the scenic countryside town of Hakone, 80 kilometres south of Tokyo, which is known for its hot-spring inns. These are constructed in traditional Japanese style, with paper screen doors, low beds, and tatami mat floors. Hike to Mt. Kanmurigatake peak, ride cable cars that offer views of Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashinoko, and soak in sake baths and green tea pools at Hakone Kowakien Yunessun resort and amusement park. Over three days in Tokyo, visit the Imperial Palace, the Edo-Tokyo Museum, and the Meiji Shrine; shop at the high-end Ginza district or the bayside Odaiba area; and take the children to Disneyland and Ueno Zoo. Dedicate a day to living like a local: Sample yakitori kebabs at a roadside stall, chug beer at a corner izakaya pub, lose yourself in the crowds outside Shibuya station, sing at a karaoke club in Roppongi, and explore Kannonura Street in Asakusa where geisha tea rooms still exist.
Journeys | return to roots Castello Aragonese’s thick stone walls have repelled pirate raids but can’t keep out current-day romantics.
Ischia
Island of Memories 148
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italy
International celebrities hide out here, but I came to call this Italian isle my true home by photographs
LORENZO CARCATERRA by MASSIMO BASSANO
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Journeys | return to roots
IT BEGAN, a s i t s o o f t e n d o e s i n i t a l y,
w i t h a n a f fa i r . In the steamy summer of 1961, a movie crew arrived on the island of Ischia, less than 32 kilometres off the coast of Naples in Italy, to film what would turn out to be one of the most expensive movies ever made, Cleopatra. Within days of their arrival, the stars of the movie—Elizabeth Taylor (the Angelina Jolie of her day) and Richard Burton (the Welsh version of Brad Pitt)—began a love affair that caught the attention of paparazzi around the world. Photographers by the hundreds swarmed the island and followed the couple wherever they went. Since both stars happened to be married at the time, a worldwide scandal ensued,
Ischia mixes star appeal with simple pleasures.
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italy From the shop-lined Corso Vittoria Colonna to a game of beach tennis at dusk.
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Journeys | return to roots complete with provocative headlines and, more important for Ischia, photos of the madly-in-love duo romping in various island locales. The movie that emerged was a fiasco and nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. Taylor and Burton continued their tabloidready antics through two marriages and two divorces. But out of the ashes of a Hollywood disaster, the struggling outpost of Ischia was reborn as a tourist mecca noted for its year-round thermal spas, robust Southern Italian cuisine, and some of the finest beaches in the world. Charles Bronson, Alain Delon, Clint Eastwood, and Marcello Mastroianni all vacationed on the island in the late 1960s. Billy Wilder and Jack Lemmon liked Ischia so much they set a comedy, Avanti!, on its shores. Truman Capote rented rooms for the summer, referring to Ischia as “no place for the rush of hours.” Even now, celebrities—Hilary Swank, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Matt Damon—still land there regularly, often to shoot movies on location, such as The Talented Mr. Ripley, or to attend the annual Ischia Film Festival. When I came to Ischia in the summer of 1969, I didn’t know anything about the island’s glittery and romance-laden reputation. I was 14 and adrift, escaping an array of family problems back in New York. I was meeting members of my Italian family for the first time, but I didn’t expect the three-month visit to change anything about my hopeless future. Then I caught my first glimpse of the island. Like many visitors, I arrived at Porto d’Ischia via hydrofoil from Naples. Homes dotted the hillsides that surround the mouth of the port, white walls and pink roofs gleaming under the late afternoon sun. The port itself jangled with energy: Drivers and tour guides shouted to one another, preparing to take boatloads of tourists to their hotels; bars and restaurants hugged the water, the savoury aroma of grilled fish mixing easily with the scent of freshly brewed espresso. And through it all, through the chaos of arriving boats, the low groan of motor taxis and zooming motorcycles, and the snorting of old horses pulling elaborate carriages across cobblestone streets, I heard music and singing. The songs were old—the words a mixture of Neapolitan and Ischian dialects—and came not from radios or stereos but from the people. A young cab driver sang to any young woman who caught his eye, telling a tale of romance; a middle-aged woman working the counter of a bar sang of a lost love, gone but never forgotten; an elderly fish peddler, pulling his nets into his boat, sang of the strength and beauty of the sea. Standing on the rear of the hydrofoil, next to a well-dressed man smoking a British cigarette, I felt finally at home. “In Ischia, even in the bleakest of times, we always could put together a good meal, a decent glass of wine, and a song,” restaurant owner Domenico Rumore later told me. “And sometimes, that’s all you need to make it through.” My days in Ischia began early and ended late. I always made a point to head out at sunrise for the action at the port. The local fishermen arrived with their catches, littering the docks with nets and live fish. Old women in dark clothes were
quick to pounce and barter their way to a day’s meal. Fruit peddlers drove past, in Fiat half-beds, running their engines low. “Who wants me?” they shouted. “Who wants what I have? The fruits are fresh and I’m even fresher.” They flirted most often with the elderly women, knowing these matrons decided how much would be bought and for what price. The old women of Ischia were at their best during these mornings, arguing over the price of fish and peaches with men they’d known since childhood, taking as much enjoyment from the bartering as they would from the meals made with their offerings. At the height of the bartering, the vendors would point at me. “Let him pay,” they said. “He’s American. They all have money.” “His money stays where it belongs,” one of the women in the group would always shout. “In his pocket and out of yours.” I fell in love many times that first summer. On the beach in front of the Sole Mare Hotel I spotted the girl who would first capture my heart. She was 11 and I was 14 and whatever passes for love at such ages was ours. I’ve returned many times to Ischia since then, growing to embrace my cousins as brothers, sticking with them through feuds and love affairs, marriages and divorces. In my darkest moments, I’ve sought the island as refuge and come to rely on certain constants. Like its limoncello. Residents claim to be the first to bring this popular after-dinner drink to the world (though locals of the rival island of Capri will gladly make the same argument). Ischia has kept alive the simple cuisine of its past; eating a meal there is like going back to another decade, sometimes another century. Specialities such as rabbit in a thick red sauce spread across a large serving of pasta, and simply grilled calamari, clams, and baby squid, date to the time of the island’s barbarian occupations, when the only food available to the locals in hiding was what they could catch from either land or bay. Spaghetti alla puttanesca (whore’s spaghetti), a mixture of capers, anchovies, and black olives also in a red sauce, is another speciality, supposedly named after the women who worked the back alleys for money during the dreary nights of World War II. The sauce takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and serve, just enough time for the women to enjoy a meal between customers. Pizza alla Napoletana, thick shards of basil and garlic floating over a bed of crushed red tomatoes, is served folded into four corners and covered by a thick wad of brown paper in a style much preferred by the young merchants who worked inside the dozens of high-end shops lining Corso Vittoria Colonna. To gain a measure of peace, I escape to the white-sand beach of Maronti in Sant’Angelo, where the only sounds beyond the lapping of the waves are the soft ballads sung by strolling musicians. When I need something livelier, I head to the beach at Cartaromana, packed with children frolicking along the shoreline and young couples reconnecting with friends, the background soundtrack cranked up to a louder beat. In Ischia, ages-old history is often bound up with a love story of some sort. The Castello Aragonese, a majestic and imposing structure where the people of Ischia sought shelter from pirate
On the beach i spotted the girl who would first capture my heart
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A fisherman gets in some social time while repairing his nets on the beach in the main town of Porto d’Ischia (above); On the south coast, gleaming houses cluster around the harbour at Sant’Angelo (below). All over Ischia, which is the largest island in the Bay of Naples, lives are shaped by the sea and the bounty it brings. But it’s not all work. “The sounds of music always seem to mingle with the gentle lapping of waves,” says the author.
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A Sight for Sore Eyes
Barot Valley’s treasures are revealed one step at a time| By Mamta D.
2+ DAY S
When I first reached Barot in Himachal Pradesh, I wasn’t sure how I’d last a week in an unknown little town. By the end of two weeks, I didn’t want to leave. Very quickly, my husband and I became accustomed to the serene beauty of the place: languid days spent soaking up the meagre sunlight, finger-licking meals served hot from the stove, and the quiet warmth of the locals. We came across Barot on an online travel forum, while researching suitable spots for a lastminute holiday. There was so little information about this mysteriously remote town that we were instantly hooked. When we finally reached a tiny cluster of homes in the valley, unmarked by signboards or any of the usual trappings of a holiday spot, we wondered if we had reached the right place. The cottage-like houses are interspersed with a few small shops selling groceries and essentials. There are also a few medical shops, a couple of eateries, and a cooperative bank, which look like recent additions. In the early afternoon, we watched men and
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women in traditional attire returning home via mountainside trails. Despite what must have been an arduous trek, their faces were beaming with smiles. We later learnt that they belonged to the local Gaddi tribe. Over the next few days, Barot grew on us. We walked over to the nearby woods (less than a kilometre away from our homestay) passing the Uhl River barrage and reservoir. This barrage, constructed for the Shanan Power House in the nearby town of Jogindernagar, is right at the centre of Barot. Several of the homestays in Barot are located close to the barrage and offer clear views of the river. During our many walks, we passed local shops that sold fresh mustard oil, intricately woven shawls and jackets, and embroidered footwear. Being winter, the shawls were a tad pricey but after some negotiating, I was the owner of an exquisite handwoven orange-red drape. At our homestay, owner Jagannath Paul cooked us marvellous meals, and shared stories
Wearing a misty cape, Barot Valley’s winter views are best enjoyed with mugs of hot tea.
Nimish Dalal
quiet places
Short Breaks | from chandigarh
barot
Barot lies along the banks of the rivers Uhl and Lamba Dug (left). The town has fewer than 2,000 inhabitants (right), most of whom farm and rear sheep.
EXPLORE Step by Step Walking around is the
best way to explore this small valley village. The forests surrounding the barrage and village comprise deodar and oak trees. A number of popular trekking trails to Bara Bangal and Palampur begin here. Even the ones that start at Kullu or Jogindernagar go through Barot. The Barot-Kothi Kohr trek is around 4-6 hours whereas BarotBilling is a day-long trek (you can expect to reach Billing by late evening if you leave Barot at dawn). Earnest trekkers will find the Barot trails to be an explorer’s paradise. The scent of the tall, regal deodars is heady and exhilarating, especially when you are used to inhaling toxic fumes in the city. There is a sweet silence in the wooded forests, broken only by a waterfall or two or the rhythmic chugchug-chug of running streams.
As we huffed up the mountain trails, we saw village women negotiate them with ease, some even with heavy loads or babies strapped to their backs. Many of them wore sneakers with their traditional outfits, making me smile. I was rather envious of their ruddy complexions, wishing I could live in this fresh, unpolluted air as well ( for a detailed guide and map of treks and trails from Barot, see Guide to Trekking in Himachal Pradesh: Over 65 Treks and 100 Destinations by Minakshi Chaudhry; `350). Relaxing pastimes Over the last few years, Barot has turned into an attractive destination for anglers, since the clear waters of the rivers are great for trout fishing. Register yourself at the Trout Farm Office at Barot and apply for a license (01905-235141; adfisheries-man@nic.in; a license fee of `100 per day allows an angler to catch six trout a day. The fish must not be smaller than 40 cm and it is recommended to catch them with a hook and line, using only artificial bait; trout season 1 Nov-28 Feb). Those who aren’t into angling can visit the trout farms in and around Barot. Barot Trout Farm, a 10-15-minute walk from Uhl barrage, was established
in 1959. It houses a huge storage tank, a few fish ponds, and a hatchery for breeding and incubation. Watching the large numbers of trout swimming about in the tank was a great experience. A haulage trolley system constructed in the 1920s by the British connects Barot with Jogindernagar. Many stations are no longer functional but you can take a walk from Barot to look at it. The trolley is currently owned and maintained by the Punjab State Electricity Board. Around Town One morning, we went for a drive on the road towards Jogindernagar. Living in Mumbai, I don’t get to see bright, green terraced fields often and greeted by the sight of an entire mountainside carved out in swathes, I couldn’t look away. Another place to explore is Luhardi (6 km/1 hour north). Explore trails leading up the mountainside for vistas of the Uhl and Lamba Dug rivers. A short walk up a slope parallel to the Lamba Dug will give you a full view of the cloud-kissed Dhauladhars. Set some time aside for the village of Multhan, 1.5 km/15 min by road from Barot. Instead of driving though, take the more picturesque walking route over a makeshift wooden bridge across the Lamba Dug.
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Nimish Dalal
over evening glasses of whisky with my husband, while I snacked on radish and pickled garlic, both foods that warm the body. Red-hot coal glowed in an angithi, a shallow metal box placed near our feet. As the warmth seeped into our body, the beauty of Barot permeated our souls, making us feel rejuvenated.
Short Breaks | from chandigarh
option (94182 60576; doubles `400). Hotels in nearby Jogindernagar Hotel Uhl is a neat and
clean property named after the Uhl River (01908222002; book online from www.hptdc.in; doubles from `800). Hotel City Heart is located on NH20, close to the main town and has basic amenities (98161 73750; doubles from `600). Hotel Rajendra Palace
STAY & EAT
Homestays in Barot Paul Lodging has homely
Barot is a tiny village that has rest houses and homestays but no proper hotels. The homestays are sparsely furnished but their warmth, generosity, and traditional meals more than make up for their lack of decor.
food, warm water, and a view of the barrage (94180 11980; doubles `400). Sachin Homestay in Multhan offers a good view of the Uhl River (98168 07627; doubles from `400). Hira Guest House is a clean and convenient
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is near the Bir Road taxi stand in Jogindernagar (01908-252349; doubles from `600). Hotel Trekker’s Nest is about 4 km outside town, along NH20 going towards Mandi. It has parking facilities and a restaurant that serves grilled trout (01908-222119, 94180 32356; doubles from `600).
There are only a couple of small eateries in Barot so the best bet is to eat at your homestay. The home-cooked meals are simple, delicious and often supplemented with fresh fish from the river nearby. If you walk across to Multhan via the wooden bridge, you will find a couple of eateries including Spice Restaurant (97364 03776), Taj Riverview Restaurant
(97367 47102), and Mountain View Restaurant
(98169 63531). A simple meal for two at any of these places will set you back by around `200-300. Peanutjaggery gajak is popular across north India, but in Barot and Jogindernagar, it gets a bit of a twist. It is flavoured with fennel (saunf), which lends it a distinctive flavour. The sweet is popular during the winter season due to its warming properties.
Varun Chaudhary (road), Photo courtesy: barotvalley.blogspot.com (waterfall)
The drive to Barot is dominated by steep ascents and winding roads but the views, especially of multi-hued terraced fields (top), snow-clad mountains, and the occasional waterfall (bottom) are rewarding.
barot
THE GUIDE Orientation Barot is located in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. It is nearly 296 km/8 hr north of Chandigarh and 40 km/4 hr north from the nearest town Jogindernagar. The journey is long despite the short distance, because the roads wind through the mountains. There are quite a few narrow stretches in between that allow only one vehicle to pass through at a time. Getting there By air There are daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to the closest airport at Bhuntar, Kullu (110 km/4 hr south of Barot). From Kullu, you can either take a bus to Jogindernagar (tickets `187) and then on to Barot, or hire a taxi for the journey (`1,100 for a one-way trip). Another option is to fly to Gaggal Airport near Dharamsala (90 km/3 hr north of Barot), which
is connected to Delhi, Kullu, and Chandigarh. Taxis charge `3,500 one way. By train Jogindernagar is the closest railway station, and is connected to Pathankot via a narrow-gauge railway line. Pathankot is connected to most major cities in India. By road Barot is 296 km/8 hr north of Chandigarh and the drive via Mandi is pleasant. Taxis charge `5,000 for the one-way trip. It is also possible to take a Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus to Jogindernagar (40 km/4 hours north), which is well connected with Chandigarh (tickets from `334), Palampur, Ghatasni, and other nearby places. From Jogindernagar, there are buses every half hour to Barot (tickets from `110). Getting around Barot is pretty small, so walking is the best way to explore the village. Buses and taxis to nearby places are easily available.
Seasons To Bhuntar To Kothi Kohr Summer (May-June) in Barot is pleasantly cool with temperatures in the range of 18-28°C. Barot Reservoir The weather is cool, but not chilly enough to make you run for a jacket. This is also the time when the Uhl and Lamba To Dug rivers are Chandigarh in full flow, unleashing their majestic beauty. In To Jogindernagar the summer, flowers can be seen it uncomfortable for those in bloom, unused to cold weather. bursting in a riot of colours. Winter days are shorter too, Winter (Dec-Feb) can be quite and it generally gets dark by cold and the mercury often dips to between 0-10°C making around 5 p.m.
Barot
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Photo courtesy: barotvalley.blogspot.com (people), diviya mehra (map)
With many trekking routes, including the ones to Kothi Kohr and Billing winding through Barot’s woods, it’s a popular stopover for backpackers and trekkers.