A Celebration of Bavarian Culture

Just the mention of Bavaria is enough to make people think of Munich, mugs of beer and the Oktoberfest. Of dirndls and lederhosen. Bratwurst and the roasted chicken. And more beer. But Oktoberfest or Wiesn as it is locally called is more than just a beer festival. Indeed, it is classified as a ‘Volksfest’, a […]

The Dutch King’s Birthday

27th April On this day, every year, thousands of Dutch people take to the streets to join in on what is probably the largest party in all of the Netherlands. There’s revelry in the streets. The bars are overflowing with people. Everyone dressed in orange. Right from orange T-shirts to orange hats. It’s an orange […]

When a Foreigner Moves to Switzerland

Switzerland welcomed me with traditional Swiss music accompanied by the intermittent mooing of cows. Anyone who has ever taken a flight into or out of Zurich will realise that I am talking about the soundtrack playing in the train ferrying passengers to and from the international terminal at Kloten airport. Equipped with a basic knowledge […]

The Northern Lights – A Camera Trick?

Everyone must have seen pictures of the Northern Lights. Instagram is flooded with those brilliant displays of predominantly green fluorescence in the night sky. Dancing the night away. They come in different shapes and colours. Right from a blood red to an electric blue. From luminescent ribbons to sparkling spirals to glittering arcs. Every sighting […]

Language!

Such a powerful word! Something around which our entire existence lies. We grow up in a cocoon of people sharing the same language. Listening to the language. Imitating the sounds. And with this language comes a plethora of cultural treasure. Traditions and folk arts are unlocked because you can comprehend them. Food habits are shaped […]

Exploring the Alps

The Eiger North Wall was right in front of me. I could even make out the fissures in the rock face leading up to the peak and to the huge river of ice that was the Eiger Glacier. A huge craggy rock face, it reminded me of The Wall in Game of Thrones. Only, this […]

New Delhi to Chopta

It had been twelve full hours since starting the journey. The road twisted and turned through the Himalayan range. Full of giddy altitudes and hairpin bends. The bus had been following the winding route for several hours on the narrow roads. The heat coupled with the road was sickening. The destination, still a few hours […]