Culture & Colors of Japan

Japan was always on the list for us, and a vacation to Japan is best timed with the Cherry Blossom season! Initially my husband din't quite get my enthusiasm for the Sakura aka Cherry blossom season, but he was game for it anyway. Thankfully we started planning the trip 4 months prior to ensure we get decent accommodation, closer to the train stations and flights etc at a slightly lower rate.

Our 13 Day Trip Itinerary:

Some Must Do's:

1) Munch on White Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies from 7 Eleven

We've all been to 7 Elevens to buy knick-knacks, alcohol, meals etc. when traveling abroad. But the local bakery selection by 7 Elevens across Japan is simply divine. Once we got a taste of the White Chocolate Chip Matcha cookies.. it become our everyday staple for the rest of the trip! They have a short shelf life so you really won't be able to bring these back home :(



2) Kimono and Yukata Experience in Kyoto

I understand its not easy to look like a foreigner, dressed like a local and walk around the town.  It does take some guts, and lots of excitement to pull this off - but totally worth it. Find out the nearest Kimono rental center in Gion district, and head there to get dressed up in a Kimono / Yakuta, then go straight to Yasaka Shrine to greet the locals, take pics and eat street food.

3) Vegetarian? Then must eat the Okonomiyaki

If you are a vegan or vegetarian, fear not. Most of the top tourist places across Japan have local restaurants serving a vegetarian version of the Okonomiyaki - the local pancake/ pizza on a bed of cabbage. You can ask your local restaurant to make a vegetarian version for you, and this is quite common. Its an overload of cheese and cabbage, but trust me you won't regret having it.

4) Universal Studios - something for everyone

Universal studios across the globe are more or less standard and a must do. But if you haven't been to one and are heading to Japan, then don't miss out on this 1 day excursion to get an adrenaline rush, plenty of photos and memories. Our favourite area was the Wizzarding World of Harry Potter which had the Hogsmeade village (Ollivander's Wand Shop, platform 9 3/4 quarters, etc) Hogwarts castle full of rides, and everything looked straight out of the movies :D  This trip will also give you a much needed break from the daily sightseeing and touristy stuff

5) Okeiko Cultural Experience, Miyajima (Hiroshima)

The Japanese have a rich cultural heritage with traditions dating back to 59 B.C. You simply cannot miss learning / experiencing their traditions when visiting Japan. There are plenty of centers across popular cities which will provide you Cultural Tours, but the most famous one is Okeiko Japan  They have such a lovely home nestled away on a small hill on Miyajima Island, 20 min wak from the Ferry station and the whole experience is about 4 hours at max. Women of the house will teach you the traditional Japanese Tea Ritual, Calligraphy, Dressing Traditional, and how to cook Sashimi. This center is a 20 min walk from the famous Itsukushima Shrine


4) Airport Shopping

Until now we had not purchased any chocolates or Sake from the country and we took our chances at the Duty Free section at Haneda Airport. Although we landed at Narita Airport which made sense cause of the timings, we definitely wanted to fly out of the country from Haneda airport. Haneda has some beautiful Duty Free shopping so you can stock up on chocolates, alcohol from here at very low rates (when compared to the city). Must buys - the Meiji Chocolate Bar which will barely cost you JPY 2 yen for a 2 foot long bar and it tastes like a premium version of Cadbury, buy a variety of Sake, the famous range of flavored KitKat, Japanese Plum Wine and other knick-knacks from Haneda Airport. Set aside atleast one and half hours for shopping and touring the lovely airport.

Happy Journey :) 

Tips For The Budget Traveler To Land Of The Long White Cloud

 

As you drive around New Zealand exploring the many natural wonders and picturesque landscapes, you may find yourself trying to save a few bucks in order to spend a little more on that adventure tour or sightseeing beyond your itinerary. My husband and I ended up splurging too much and if you'd like to avoid that situation, here are a few tips we've curated from our vacation to the North and South islands of New Zealand, that might help you budget your travel efficiently.

 

 

 

1) Just Airbnb your stay and make the most of the local company with your host! We spent a great deal of time researching options for accommodation in Auckland. There weren’t any hotels in our budget near the Bay / Parnell locality, alternatively Airbnb offered a great variety of accommodation types within our budget and the ones to fall in love with. Parking is fairly expensive in the daytime around the city center & the Terminal areas, so we definitely wanted to stay within walking distance and found the perfect home on the plush Cleaveland Road with our Superhost Sheldon. So unlike a hotel where the setting is very formal and breakfast wraps up at 10:30 AM, we found a comfortable, cozy and well equipped room in his bungalow; and a sumptuous breakfast meal even if we got up late. That was our first time opting for an Airbnb stay, and I am really glad we did it. The biggest difference you will find is the overall richness in experience and quality tea time conversations with a local.

 

2) If you’re in Auckland, Queenstown, Christchurch or driving on the national highways, ensure that you stock up on groceries & supplies only from Countdown. This one of the largest super market chains and the only one that stocks 1 litre mineral water bottles for NZ $ 1 (along with excellent discounts). Countdown has over 180 stores across both islands so you’re likely to hit one in the bigger towns or cities every couple of hours.

3) In smaller cities like Franz Josef, Lake Wanaka, The Anau etc. you should only head to Four Square; comparatively smaller but rather well stocked hyper market. And if you’re looking to buy bakery stuff, head there first thing in the morning otherwise you will end up with empty shelves by 4 pm.

4) Auckland Duty Free airport shopping is Only good for discounts on alcohol. For example we picked up two bottles of CloudyBay Sauvingnon Blanc for NZ $ 68 (a single bottle otherwise costing NZ $ 40). 

5) But if you are looking for deals on chocolates and sweets, just buy that from Countdown and stuff it in your check-in bags. Countdown runs good deals on branded stuff, for instance we picked up several bars or Whittakers Lime, Raspberry flavors for NZ $ 3.5 per bar which was sold at the Auckland Airport duty free for NZ $ 6.5. We totally regretted not splurging at Countdown.

6) There is only one good place for shopping and that is Dressmart Mall (only available at Auckland and Christchurch). You will find several international and local brands like Adidas, Esprit, Casio, Cotton On etc. running daily discounts on fashion & accessories. 

 

7) Fill up the fuel tank from the bigger cities only. We noticed the petrol prices being ~14% cheaper in base cities like Te Anau and Christchurch when compared to Franz Joseph or Milford Sound.

8) If you’re looking to buy gold, jade or coral jewelry, I found the prices to be cheaper by ~30% in towns like Ross - the gold city of New Zealand, Rotorua, Lake Wanaka etc. where local souvenir shops house a decent selection on toiletries & accessories. The same jewelry is overpriced at the airport, oh and don't bother hunting for unique designs because the same stuff is sold across north and south islands. 

9) And lastly, my closing thoughts for newbie drivers who will be self-driving and will face the ultimate dilemma at the airport car rental counters, “Should I buy the additional Bumper to Bumper Car Insurance worth NZ $ 30 /day?!” Here is where I leave you with two contradicting views from our own experience driving across New Zealand.

• First off the background on this dilemma; my husband and I are not expert drivers and honestly, this was our first time driving in a foreign country, hence we felt the need to buy the insurance for NZ $30 per day. We were informed by folks who had traveled previously that driving is extremely easy especially for Indians who are accustomed to left hand side driving. This thought was very comforting and I relied completely on my husband to take the lead on driving us around. There was a sense of assurance and security that came with buying the additional insurance mainly because it offered free Road-Side assistance, which in country like New Zealand could be a great value add given the limited Gas stations in South Island let alone garages. At the end of our trip we observed that all the cars we rented were provided in excellent condition, and the driving rules are extremely simple to follow. More importantly we dint have a single scratch on our cars. This made me wonder if it was worth shelling out NZ $ 300 on additional cover for insurance, the money which could have otherwise gone in doing more adventure sports...

 

• But we also discovered a disturbing fact - more common to South island. On some of the major highways we stumbled upon most disturbing events of collisions between cars or bikes; and mind you all these accidents were severe where the cops and ambulances were required to control the situation. Because these were highways the general public weren’t permitted to stop by or help, leaving a large room for imagination on who or what survived of those unfortunate accidents. We felt lucky touring for 2 weeks without a scratch on the car or ourselves, nonetheless the bumper to bumper played some role in keeping the stress out of our heads. So I guess the decision to buy the additional insurance would vary from individual to individual.

 

 

I am hoping you find this article useful; and New Zealand, as charming as we did. It's got to be one of the top tourist destinations in the world with all its beauty, legacy, ease of traveling, update-to-date infrastructure and friendly locals. And on a closing note, sharing some of my favourite pics from our tour in 2016.

 

        

           

        

 

 

 Happy Travels!

The Temples Of Hoysalaya Kingdom

It started with my husband and I trying to figure a weekend getaway with the sole purpose of discovering India. Or perhaps it started long before, with my keen interest in the temple architecture of India. I have visited some amazing temples of Angkor Wat, Somnath, Gangeshwar, Dilwara etc. over the last few years and that have left a remarkable impression on my mind.

The Hassan district houses some of the greatest temple architecture from the Hoysala Empire dating back to 10th - 14th centuries and includes the areas of Belur, Halebidu. Historians have mentioned that larger parts of the present Karnataka and Western Ghat regions were then ruled by Western Ganga empire which held patronage for Jainism.

Site 1 - Shravanabelagola and Chandagiri Hills

Shravanabelagola is a celebrated Jain temple with a 60 ft tall Bahubali statue atop a mountain. The statue is visible from the highway when driving towards the site, situated just 12 kms off the Mangalore - Bangalore highway. One can only trek the mountain barefoot or wearing socks, which includes 600+ steps on a steep slope and 2 storied complexes housing sculptures of Gods and Goddesses, eventually ending with the central statue.

On the mountain adjacent to Shravanabelagola is the temple complex of Chandragiri hill, the name derived from Chandragupta who is known to have devoted himself to Jaisnism and had renounced in these caves. There are a total of 14 temples which were dedicated to renowned members or pandits of the time to practice meditation and Jainism. The main basadi or temple has beautiful carvings on the doors and 3 layers of passages before the main shrine. While the other 13 basadis are merely run down versions with shrines installed at a much later period.

There is one cave on the adjacent hill peak which has footprints belonging to Chandragupta himself; localites say this is the cave where the great king spent his end days in meditation.

Site 2 - Lakshmi Narayana Temple, Nuggehalli 

Located just 3 kms off the highway in the village district of Nuggenhali and 25 kms ahead from Shravanabelagola, this temple is a tough route to pick up on the maps. To reach this temple you have to travel inside the village of Nuggehalli through narrow roads. Although the main temple was closed when we arrived, we were able to walk around the grounds to explore the outer beauty

Site 3 - Hoysaleshwara Temple, Halebidu

This is one gorgeous site! The rich architectural delights, temple layout, green landscape and a museum housing the remains from the vicinity all make up for a good 2 hour excursion. The temple has 2 super structures both are dedicated to Lord Shiva with two 30 ft wide Nandi facing each of the shrines. The richness of the carvings, total area spread, coverage of all possible deities and apsara's give an indication that this site was a powerful center during the 12th century. 

Site 4 - Kedareshwara Temple, Halebidu

This temple is an offshoot of the main Hoysala temple located just 7 mins walking ahead on the main road. The site seemed more neglected than all the others we visited, with many of the shrines missing and the porch inside smelling of 1000 year old soapstone making it almost unbearable to breath. Noteworthy of a 10 min drop by only if you have time at hand.


Site 5 - Veera Narayana Temple, Belavadi

Just 11 kms ahead from Hoysaleshwara temples is the site of Belavadi. This is also the location cited in Mahabharatha where Bheema killed the demon Bakasura to protect the village and its people. This is a 3 shrine temple built by King Veera Ballala II and holds 108 pillars. This is a classic example of the richness in sculpture during the Hoysala Kingdom with intricately carved shrines for Narayana, Krishna & Narsimha - all different forms of Lord Vishnu hence making this a pure Vaishnava temple site. The Krishna deity has intricate carvings and is more elaborate compared to the other 2 shrines. 

Site 6 - Chennakeshwara Temple, Belur

This site is 40 kms ahead of Hassan towards Chikmagalur on the banks of Ygachi river, built by Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana. The majestic site houses sculptures from both Vaishanava and Shaiva faiths and has the most remarkable pillar designs. Also unique to the exterior construction is the representation of different deities in their various forms ranging from war, dance, yogasana postures etc. These include the forms of Durga, Ravana, Ganesha, Arjuna and many others all depicted in certain actions they are most renowned for, as per legends.

All in all, you will need a maximum of 2 days to cover the listed places. Staying at Hassan city center is the best option since its location is convenient to all the sites. The Bangalore - Mangalore highway is a pleasant drive in the hilly region. 

Story of stolen Divinity

There was once a time when all human beings were gods, but they so abused their divinity that Brahma, the chief god, decided to take... it away from them and hide it where it could never be found.

Where to hide their divinity was the question. So Brahma called a council of the gods to help him decide. “Let’s bury it deep in the earth,” said the gods. But Brahma answered, “No, that will not do because humans will dig into the earth and find it.”

Then the gods said, “Let’s sink it in the deepest ocean.” But Brahma said, “No, not there, for they will learn to dive into the ocean and will find it.”

Then the gods said, “Let’s take it to the top of the highest mountain and hide it there.” But once again Brahma replied, “No, that will not do either, because they will eventually climb every mountain and once again take up their divinity.”

Then the gods gave up and said, “We do not know where to hide it, because it seems that there is no place on earth or in the sea that human beings will not eventually reach.”

Brahma thought for a long time and then said, “Here is what we will do. We will hide their divinity deep in the center of their own being, for humans will never think to look for it there.”

All the gods agreed that this was the perfect hiding place, and the deed was done. And since that time humans have been going up and down the earth, digging, diving, climbing, and exploring–searching for something already within themselves.

- Author Unknown

"I have lots of things to teach you..

“I have lots of things to teach you now, in case we ever meet. It said that Nothing Ever Happened, so don't worry. It's all like a dream. Everything is ecstasy, inside. We just don't know it because of our thinking-minds. But in our true blissful essence of mind is known that everything is alright forever and forever and forever. Close your eyes, let your hands and nerve-ends drop, stop breathing for 3 seconds, listen to the silence inside the illusion of the world, and you will remember the lesson you forgot, which was taught in immense milky way soft cloud innumerable worlds long ago and not even at all. It is all one vast awakened thing. I call it the golden eternity. It is perfect. We were never really born, we will never really die. It has nothing to do with the imaginary idea of a personal self, other selves, many selves everywhere: Self is only an idea, a mortal idea. That which passes into everything is one thing. It's a dream already ended. There's nothing to be afraid of and nothing to be glad about. I know this from staring at mountains months on end. They never show any expression, they are like empty space. Do you think the emptiness of space will ever crumble away? Mountains will crumble, but the emptiness of space, which is the one universal essence of mind, the vast awakenerhood, empty and awake, will never crumble away because it was never born.”

- Anonymous 

The Cracked Jar

An Indian legend tells of a man who carried water to his village every day, in two large jars tied to the ends of a wooden pole, which he balanced on his back.

One of the jars was older than the other, and had some small cracks; every time the man covered the distance to his house, half of the water was lost.
The younger jar was always very proud of its performance, safe in the knowledge that it was up to the mission it had been made for, while the other jar was mortified with shame at only fulfilling half of its allotted task.
It was so ashamed that one day, while the man got ready to fetch water from the well, it decided to speak to him...
The older jar said, "I want to apologize to you, but because of the many years of service, you are only able to deliver half of my load, and quench half of the thirst which awaits you at your home."
The man smiled and said, "When we return, observe carefully the path..."
And so it did. And the jar noticed that, on its side many flowers and plants grew.
"See how nature is lovelier on your side?" commented the man. "I always knew you were cracked, and decided to make use of this fact. Hence I planted flowers and vegetables and invariably you have always watered them for me. I have picked many roses along the way to decorate my house, I have fed my children with lettuce, cabbage and onions that grew along your way. 

If you were not as you are, how could I have done that?", said the wise old man.

All of us at some point will grow old and start to acquire other qualities. We can always make the most of these new qualities and help our dear ones, all it requires is the ability to See Beyond the facts.

Short Inspirational Stories

Many years ago, there lived a man who was capable of loving and forgiving everyone he came across. Because of this, God sent an angel to talk to him. The angle said, "God asked me to come and visit you and tell you that he wishes to reward you for your goodness, You may have any gift you wish for. Would you like the gift of healing?"

"Certainly not," said the man. "I would prefer God to choose those who should be healed." 

"Then what about leading sinners back to the path of Truth?", said the angel. "That’s a job for angels like you. I don’t want to be venerated by anyone or to serve as a permanent example" replied the old man.

"Look, I can’t go back to Heaven without having given you a miracle. If you don’t choose, I’ll have to choose one for you."

The man thought for a moment and then said:
"All right, I would like good to be done through me, but without anyone noticing, not even me, in case I should commit the sin of vanity." So the angel arranged for the man’s shadow to have the power of healing, but only when the sun was shining on the man’s face. In this way, wherever he went, the sick were healed, the earth grew fertile again, and sad people rediscovered happiness.

The man traveled the Earth for many years, oblivious of the miracles he was working because when he was facing the sun, his shadow was always behind him. In this way, he was able to live and die unaware of his own holiness.

 ---

"Tree, O tree, with what should I bless you?
Should I bless you that your fruit be sweet? Your fruit is already sweet.
Should I bless you that your shade be plentiful? Your shade is plentiful. 

That a spring of water should run beneath you? A spring of water runs beneath you.
There is one thing with which I can bless you:
May it be God’s will that all the trees planted from your seed should be like you… "

---

You must try to be like a river that flows silent through the night,
not fearing the darkness and reflecting any stars high in the sky.
And if the sky is filled with clouds, the clouds are water like the river, so
without remorse reflect them too.

---

THE NATURAL ODER:

A very wealthy man asked a Zen master for a text which would always remind him how happy he was with his family.
The Zen master took some parchment and, in beautiful calligraphy, wrote:
  The father dies. The son dies. The grandson dies.

"What?!", said the furious rich man. "I asked you for something to inspire me, some teaching which might be respectfully contemplated by future generations, and you give me something as depressing and gloomy as these words?"

"You asked me for something which would remind you of the happiness of living together with your family. If your son dies first, everyone will be devastated by the pain. If your grandson dies, it would be an unbearable experience," replied the serene Zen. “However, if your family disappears in the order which I placed on the paper, this is the natural course of life. Thus, although we all endure moments of pain, the generations will continue, and your legacy will be long-lasting."