Wandering in Vienna

Obligatory travel book and beer shot! And yes, R wears his ring on the wrong finger

We visited Austria in September of last year for a very short trip.
From my history classes in school, I knew the country was once the center of power of the vast Austria-Hungary Empire, the pivotal role it played in the First World War and of its participation in the Second. I was also well aware of the country's invaluable contribution to music and art.
However, nothing in my history lessons would prepare me for the majesty of Vienna's palaces, the eccentricities of Sissi and the Habsburg family, the beauty of Melk Abbey and the pure joy of listening to a Viennese Opera or seeing Klimt's The Kiss in person.

Paris, Je t'aime

This one speaks for itself

# 30 on my list, (hold up, why is it number thirty on my list? I think I've wanted to go to Paris since before I was born, if that were possible. I think it should be 1 or 5 at worst. But too late, what's written is written!) Anyhow, as I was saying, #30 on my list is to visit Paris and see the Eiffel Tower and sit in a cafe and be all French. I am going to save you the suspense ... we finally did! :)

We also visited Austria in the same holiday, so will write more about both countries along with our itineraries soon.

Heading South for the Summer (by 'the' Summer, I mean 'last year's' Summer!): Mexico

Chichen Itza

My mother was here in the summer of last year for a short three week vacation.

Sidenote: My parents often visit separately because we have a little dalmation at home in India, Polka, who is family to us and none of us can bear the thought of leaving her alone for too long. In 2011, I remember my parents really wanted to travel to Turkey so Rohit and I planned our entire vacation around their holiday- that way, I could dogsit :) I was likely the most expensive dog sitter ever!  And yes, we are 'those' dog people - but I wouldn't have it any other way!

This post has a point and I am about to get to it - so my mother was here and we decided to visit Mexico (I can't believe we had been here 6 years and still havent visited). It was also the year the world may or may not have come to an end per the Mayan calendar so it seemed fitting!  

We went over a weekend and stayed at the Westin in Cancun. Apart from lazing around on the beach and stuffing ourselves with guacamole (pretty much all day) we also visited Chichen Itza.
 

Berkeley and Monterey Bay

Karin and Rohit

I am averaging about a post every 6 months which is ridiculous and I still have not come up with a credible excuse as to why that is the case!

Last summer, Rohit and I visited Karin in Berkeley and drove down to Monterey Bay as well. Can I just say the West coast is stunning. Its beautiful, the weather is perfect and the people are so happy. I love living in NY but if I had to move to another city in the States - hands down SFO would be it!

Below are some pics from our short 3 day vacation, if you'd like to see.
 

Maine: Sunrises, Beaches and Lighthouses

In April of this year, we visited Bar Harbor, Maine with a couple of friends of ours -N and P. My sister started her undergrad in Colby, Maine almost a decade ago and I never got the chance to visit her; so I do not exaggerate when I say I have been wanting to visit the State forever! :)

NOLA Part 2 of 2

Picking up, where I left off - Rohit and I managed to visit two plantations while we were in New Orleans.

One was a creole plantation (Laura Plantation) and the other was Oak Alley Plantation. I was a little apprehensive going out there but I am glad we made the trip. 

Laura Plantation

I thought the Laura plantation was beautiful and the guide (the present owner) was very knowledgeable, straightforward and educated us on both the history of the plantation and touched upon the aspects of slavery with honesty and humility. The tour is based on The Memoirs of Laura, which recount a detailed account of 200 years of life on the farm written by the planters daughter Laura Locoul Gore. What interested me most was that the sugar plantation was run by four generations of Creole women until 1891, when Laura sold it to Aubert Waguespack.

NOLA Part 1 of 2

This post is long overdue and I apologize. 

For our second anniversary (why yes, it was in November of last year!), Rohit and I wanted to stay within the continental US for a variety of reasons and there had been one place that we had been hoping to visit since forever - New Orleans. It was everything I thought it would be and more. The food, the beignets (yes they are a whole separate attraction!), the music, the people - everything was exactly the way I had imagined it to be!   

Peru- The Amazon Forest

There is something strange about having made this list,  I find that I am actually finally doing all the things I've always wanted to do. I don't know if it has some fatalistic reason behind it all or just simply putting things down on paper (or in this case a blog!) makes you focus on what's important but that does not explain how things happen almost accidently - whatever the reason it makes me happy so it can't be all bad!
No 10 on my list is to photograph an endangered species.
I did it while in the Amazon forest in Peru. The beautiful Giant River Otter.

Peru - Machu Picchu

After our amazing train journey, we arrived in Cuzco late Monday evening. The city is lovely, all cobbled stones, old buildings and friendly people. We drove down to our hotel in Urubamba, Tambo del Inka. If you are planning a vacation to Peru, I couldn't recommend this hotel more - it was perfect in everyway.

Cuzco
 

Peru - The Andean Explorer

After a couple of days at Lake Titicaca, we left for Cusco by the Andean Explorer - which was so much more than just a journey.
We took the train from Puno to Cusco and the experience was exquisite with the most stunning views of the Peruvian countryside. After the jump, there are a lot of pics because words are pretty much inadequate.

Peru - Lake Titicaca

Remnants of the recent election

It has been a tough couple of months so I haven't felt like blogging much but I wanted to write about our trip to Peru before I forget all the little details that very often make the journey. 
We started off our journey at Puno, Lake Titicaca and stayed at the Casa Andina private collection. The hotel sits right on the Lake with an unbelievable view every morning and the service was exceptional (something I noticed throughout Peru).

The Andean Trail

#2 on my list is to visit Machu Picchu 

 

I remember seeing pictures of this lost city of the Incas while flipping through the National Geographic Magazines in our town library as a young girl and later on watching the History Channel programs on the Inca Empire - and while I admittedly put it on The List I never really thought it would be something I would be seeing anytime in the near future. 

Fast forward to December 31st 2010, when Rohit and I were making our New Years resolutions, on a whim we put visiting Peru on there (Sidenote: If I'm on it and completely committed I usually only manage to complete about a quarter of my resolutions so I wasn't entirely certain we'd manage to visit but I would be lying if I said I wasn't hoping like crazy!). 

Peru - Why yes, I need to get my US Drivers license and Rohit gave up writing his resolutions after 4! 

However, in August of this year, it somehow all came together and Rohit and I planned, crossed our fingers and toes, planned some more and got on a flight to magical Peru. 

Machu Picchu: 16-17 Aug 2011: So happy! Also, while there wasn't much to be scared of, I was terrified sitting on the edge of this rock! 

I'll be back with more pics and stories from the trip over the next few days.

"In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it. Not only has it great snow peaks looming above the clouds more than two miles overhead, gigantic precipices of many-colored granite rising sheer for thousands of feet above the foaming, glistening, roaring rapids; it has also, in striking contrast, orchids and tree ferns, the delectable beauty of luxurious vegetation, and the mysterious witchery of the jungle." - Hiram Bingham

L O V E

These videos from Rick Mereki are beautiful.
My favorite is the Move one.


MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.



LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.



EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Making History

# 11 on my To Do List is to Spend a Night in a Historic Hotel.

I completed it last week, but it was entirely unexpected and looking back on my list, I realize its one of the few items I could actually do without any planning or concerted effort on my part (however, now that I think about it, I could technically end up diving with a whale shark entirely without my knowledge!) I was delighted when I realized where we were staying and couldn't stop jumping up and down (I literally jump up and down when I am happy!) 

The El Convento in Old San Juan is over 350 years old and was originally the Monastery of Our Lady Carmen of San Jose and is situated right across the (lovely, blue, cobbled) street from the San Juan Cathedral. In the early 60's it opened as the El Convento Hotel.

Hotel El Convento

The hotel was elegant, timeless and filled with so much old world charm - I fell in love with it at first sight and all the wonderful little details left me spellbound - the tiled stairs, the terracotta floors, the wooden antique chests, shuttered doors & windows and that lovely mustard color that complements all the beautiful greenery around!

View from outside the rooms

Tiled Staircase

San Juan Cathedral

Old San Juan

:)