Shakespeares Globe..

I haven't read too much Shakespeare in school. Its something I've been wanting to do all along something thats been on my To- Do list for ages.
But Literature doesnt just tell us stories , they tell us tales of a past that we dont know, that we havent been part of. It tells us about histories long forgotten. It tells us about how people lived and how they saw the world then.And so it is with Shakespeare. Rather than just read catching the plays seemed to be a better option

The Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of Shakespeare's original Globe theater. The original was destroyed by a fire.It really does endevour to create an experience which is a throwback to his era.
We watched the 'Midsummer Night's Dream' one cold evening at the globe. I mention the cold, because as the evening wore on , it became a tangible presence amidst us. The Globe is open. We were not bold enough to buy tickets for the Yard where you can stand and watch the play much like what was done long ago. We were seated in the Upper Pavilion.

View of the stage from where we were seated..

It was such a wonderful viewing experience
There were no mikes, no fancy sets. Everything boiled down to the acting prowess of the actors. They spoke in loud voices, sang, danced, mingled with the audience as part of the play. It was very differnt from our previous Experience at the Lyceum where we watched 'The Lion King'.

The Yard, from where you can stand and watch the play..

During the performance..

Overall we had a very enjoyable evening and will be back to watch more, next time around its a slice of History that we want ;) (Henry IV 1 and Henry IV 2)

Tickets can be booked online. But they are sometimes very hard to get and most plays seemed booked well in advance. So keep your eyes (and ears ) open.  I sure am going to :)

M

Tales from the Underground -2..

A small note on Reading Preferences..

I pick up the metro , cringe reading about Life's unpleasant realities on the first few pages, move on to the national news and world events, devour the book reviews and features on travel destinations, and then just skip the sports page :)

With amusement noted that the co-passenger sitting across me started reading the paper in reverse order.. Starting from the Sports page!!!! Interesting indeed

M

Hola..

Tickets almost done..
Most of the research done..
Reservation almost done..
Vaccinations??... Boooo Hooo..I hate needles..
..and yeah lots of paper work!

Am ExciteeeeeeeD!

Bath..

Stone Cold after our windy rendezvous with Stonehenge, we settled into our seats and sat back enjoying the ride to the charming English city of Bath. We were given a quick glimpse of this gorgeous city as our bus drove around Bath and out Guide pointed out to most landmarks of note.

Driving around Bath..

Bath is such a pretty city.  At the heart of it likes The Ancient Roman Bath , beautifully preserved.
Now a world heritage site, the Baths were constructed by the Romans around Hot Springs in this area.  There also stands a temple to the Goddess Minerva. The Audio Guides provided plenty of information about the history.

The Roman Bath

The City.. Almost all the buildings are made of Bath Stone...

Just outside the Roman Bath is the Famous Abbey. We did not go inside.
Bath is an architectural marvel. So we prayed for bright sunshine and walked around this beautiful city . Bath wears the golden hues of her buildings almost all of which are made of creamy Bath Stone .  Since Bath is right on the River Avon, as an artist I would have loved to do a Venice and see the reflections of these buildings , unfortunately the River is not as central . So its entirely upto my imagination and I've given myself the creative license to paint what my minds eye wants to see :).

An explosion of culture sees itself in the abundance of theaters, museums, architecture , two colleges. The space around the Abbey was filled with artistic performances, dance and music.

Dancers.. The Bath Abbey in the Background

Beautiful Performances

Sally Lunn - The oldest shop in Bath

We lunched on a little place above the Pulteney Bridge, and my fascination for boats and seascapes kept me standing on the bridge, watching the seagulls land .. The bridge is lined with shops and is supposed to be one of the very few bridges in the world that is so..

The Pulteney Bridge

We enjoyed our day out .. Hope for bluer skies next time around :) As evening descended we drove out and back to London.

M

Stonehenge..

We took the day tour to Stonehenge and Bath. Anderson travels offers one day tours and it was perfect for the weekend.
The bus got us right outside London Bridge and we hauled a few more passengers along the way.
It was cold and we hoped that the weather gods would be kind, We prayed for clear blue skies. :)
But they had other plans. As the ride unravelled we found ourselves inside the pretty English country side.The unending yellow of beautiful mustard fields against the backdrop of dark grey provided a somber mood for the journey. Since we left early we did have to get some coffee to get the sleep out of our systems.
The commentary from our tour guide provided interesting insights not just into what might have been the history of Stonehenge,but also about the life in and around these areas. As instructed we kept an eye out for Tanks, as they were supposed to be tested here.
We did not see any. We did catch fleeting glimpses of hares hopping across fields disappearing into bushes.

When we got to Stonhenge we had no idea how chilly it was outside. The open expanse left us vulnerable to cold gusts of wind. We almost froze at the end of the tour.
We were given our audio guides and we walked along listening. Even today nobody can tell for certain what those stones represent or why men undertook the herculean task of bringing them up there.
What is agreed upon is that it was definitely a huge feat for men from anytime. The oldest stones could be as old as 3000 BC.

Our first view of Stonehenge

There seemed to be three concentric rings of stones, some placed(arranged) on top of others. It looked like some kind of Roundtable. To me at first glance it definitely looked like some kind of sundial. The word Stonehenge could mean 'Hanging Stones'. Researchers can't tell for certain though. Nothing about Stonehenge can be said for certain :). That by itself should say how old these stones should be , so old that research really hasn't been able to reach out far enough into the past and place the pieces of the jigsaw such that they fit!

The Etymology of Stonehenge was explained in Wikipedia.

"The Oxford English Dictionary cites Ælfric's 10th-century glossary, in which henge-cliff is given the meaning "precipice", a hanging or supported stone, thus the stanenges or Stanheng "not far from Salisbury" recorded by 11th-century writers are "supported stones". William Stukeley in 1740 notes, "Pendulous rocks are now called henges in Yorkshire...I doubt not, Stonehenge in Saxon signifies the hanging stones."[7] Christopher Chippindale's Stonehenge Complete gives the derivation of the name Stonehenge as coming from the Old English words stān meaning "stone", and either hencg meaning "hinge" (because the stone lintels hinge on the upright stones) or hen(c)en meaning "hang" or "gallows" or "instrument of torture". Like Stonehenge's trilithons, medieval gallows consisted of two uprights with a lintel joining them, rather than the inverted L-shape more familiar today. - Wikipedia"

The closest we got to the stones..

How did these stones get here? It would have definitely taken many men and a lot of effort leave alone hauling them one above the other. It would have required some kind of engineering. There is actually a school of thought which believes that since only a very sophisticated society could have pulled of this incredible feat, it was probably done by aliens . (Raised Eyebrows?... No me doesn't like Aliens too much so am just hoping its giant men..They definitely seem more benign )

"Stonehenge's orientation in relation to the rising and setting sun has always been one of its most remarkable features. Yet it remains uncertain whether this was because its builders came from a sun-worshipping culture or because - as some have asserted - the circle and its banks were part of a huge astronomical calendar?

What cannot be denied is the ingenuity of the builders of Stonehenge. With only very basic tools - such as antler picks and bone 'shovels' - at their disposal, they dug the enclosing ditch and erected the bank, later using similar tools to dig the holes for the stones." - English Heritage

The inner circle :)

The closest we got was a couple of feet away from the inner ring. The rings are cordoned off using ropes. Stonehenge is a world heritage site and was voted as one of the wonders of Briton.

Our parting view..

As we walked on it got colder and colder. Walking through a vast expanse of open land with no cover to break the icy cold winds blowing right at us , is not the easiest thing to do. We walked back to the bus and at one point I was convinced I could hear my teeth chattering. We stopped for some Hot Chocolate and this time it was the Hot part of the Hot chocolate which seemed yummier than the Chocolate itself

Mustard Fields

As we drove away it was hard to stop myself from thinking about this mysterious place. When you visit places like these you are left with the longing to know just a little bit more , a tiny peek into what went through the mind that engineered this structure, who would have had such an idea and what did it take?..

I felt the same feeling when I visited Roopkund in the Himalayas last year. It left me wondering why a congregation of so many had been there and how they had perished, 'The Riddles of the Dead' , as National Geographic eloquently put it. Who were these people and why were they here? Will we ever know?

Later Guys
Meena

Tales from the Underground..

Warning: This is going to be about a lot of things ..So be ready to connect the dots.

The Underground is where the most happening parts of the day are..

Its where I get to observe Human behaviour and come up with wonderful theories on survival and human nature. Life unfolds in all its glorious colour..

Its amazing how much you learn in a short span of time.. I know where to stand such that the train doors stop right in front of me, Which carriages are better to get into it in terms of shorter commutes to the next train, How best to negotiate a slow moving co-traveller whos walking annoyingly in front of you...
All this while remaining a People watcher.. The Clothes, The Faces, Anything out or the ordinary, Accents, The Running feet..

There was this one day when I really wanted to get an earlier train and it looked touch and go..As I ran through the corridor I saw this little child staring open mouthed at me..
And as I ran past him he asked his dad, why is she running ? :)...And he said .."To Catch the Train"..
It might seem like nothing out of the ordinary. But it was then that it dawned on me that I was being watched too :)

Of late The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has been my constant companion. Hint of some free time and am off reading away,  Aurther Dent's adventures as he escapes into space while his home,(and or ) Planet Earth has just been destroyed... What can I say about this great book when anything that I might will only sound cliched.. Its such a fantastic read... Sharp, Witty, Philosophical, Super Intelligent.. So with this heavy dose of  humor  floating in my head, all I can do is smile.. So there I was standing, leaning against the wall, Handbag tightly clasped and book in hand, reading ..
The train doors were still open and people were hurrying in making the most of a few extra seconds, ..

The average Londoner is very polite, waits his turn in the queue, doesn't push, no fuss absolutely..
But theres something about the Rush hour which bring out the worst in people :)..
There was this lady who ran her Buggy over the foot of a gentle man standing at the door.. and then came the argument..

But what was funny to me was not the argument , but the fact that everybody standing in the immediate vicinity started looking toward the ceiling.. The Act of disengaging oneself from the Argument :)..even if you have never done it before you would know when confronted by this kind of situation that the best way to disengage is by looking up..So we all looked up..Blank stares.. The Universal Body language saying this fight is yours and yours alone :D

And just as I was looking up with everyone else, there was this stuuuupiiiiiiid thought from the book that crossed my head...And I had this overwhelming urge to laugh.. And im trying to stifle the grin.. I think I came out looking a little idiotic...:)) If only it was that easy!

Meena
PS - Why does survival sometimes bring out the worst in us..Maybe we are all not so different after all.

Venice..

Venice is a Gondolier's Song Light, Lilting, Deep, Slow, Intense and Incredibly Romantic..
Its an irony that for a city built entirely on water, the only was to discover it is on foot.
Our three days in Venice were magical. We spend most of the first day exploring Venice through the magical alleyways.
We reached Venice late in the evening. Since we travelled Ryan Air, we had to take a bus from Travisco into the city. Venice is a Group of Islands. Our hotel ' Hotel Pelligrino & Commercino' was in the Island of San Zacharia. So once inside Venice we got into a water bus and headed for our Hotel. It had been raining all evening and the showers continued.
It was already dark and we sat out a bit to catch some of the sights and sounds. It got too chilly to stay on and we quickly huddled inside. We got off St Zacharia and set about finding our hotel . We had called asking for directions a few days before we got here and the directions really were spot on. We were thrilled that it was so close to St Marks Square one of the chief attractions of Venice. We were shown to our rooms. The rooms were nice and clean with an attached bath. We decided we would venture out a bit and get some dinner. The Hotel Staff were friendly and gave us suggestions on local places where we could find good Venetian food. The drizzle continued. We were soon sitting nice and warm, enjoying our welcome drink having placed our orders. It was a lovely night.

DAY 1
The next day we enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast at our hotel before we set off. About half an hour into our journey our Camera died on us and we returned back to the hotel. Luckily we hadn't gone very far and the option of getting back to recharge the almost dead batteries was feasible. We set off once again determined to put behind us the setback of the morning. All hotels provide maps of Venice. There maps are intricate in detail and tell you all about the alleyways of Venice. So if map reading is not your thing then its good to remember that theres no lovelier place than Venice to be lost. Luckily for me S is super at map Reading. So I let him do the navigating and just tagged along.

Map reading our way into the heart of Venice..

Rains had been forecast and the hotel had a ready stock of umbrellas for anyone who wished to use one. So umbrella in hand and a really heavy camera in the other we set of into the maze of alleyways stopping first at St Marks Square. The Piazza San Marco , is one of the most famous Urban spaces in the world. Its where Venetians from time immemorial have gathered and socialised. Its the only Urban Space called 'Piazza' in Venice. All the others regardless of how big or how small are all called Campi.It opens up into the Grand Canal on one side and is surrounded by buildings of note - St Marks Basilica, The Doges Palace, St Mark's Clock tower. What caught my eye first were the lovely paintings on the walls of the Basilica.
We wandered around St Marks Square. From time immemorial the square has been the place where Venetians gather and socialize. It plays host to events such as the Venetian Carnival. Its surrounded by buildings of note and opens up into the grand Canal in front.

St Marks Square

Along the length of the square are raised platforms. When the tide(called the Aqua Alta) raises most of the areas around the square are prone to flooding and so the platforms are how you can get around this place.

The Clock Towers of Venice have some interesting stories attached to them. (That will need another post I guess :))

We walk on. Narrow Alleyways lead into open spaces. Bridges take us over beautiful canals and old churches appear and disappear in view. Finally we reach Rialto upon which stands the oldest bridge on the Grand Canal , 'The Rialto Bridge'.

The Bridge leads into the Rialto market and was a blur of activity. We stood a while on top of the bridge just taking in the amazing sights and sounds unravelling on the banks and in the waters of the canal before us. We could see Gondolier's row past.

The Rialto Bridge

The view from the bridge is a picture of activity. Venice coming alive, Gondolier's rowing away, local traders going over their daily chores, people haggling.
We wander into the Rialto market. The hustle and bustle and the colours of the market are truely spectacular. I love the little lanterns hanging on top. These get lit up at night! Wow :)

Inside the Rialto Market

The Rialto Market

A typical Venetian household is a pretty sight. Quaint windows framed by beautiful flowers along the sides

A Typical Venetian Household

We walk the entire length of Venice that day. We wore ourselves out. No complaints cause Venice is made for the walker. Its a small island easily navigable and best discovered by foot. We came back to where we first started, St Marks Square. This time we went into St Mark's Basilica.

Paintings on the Roof of St Marks Basilica

The insides of the Basilica are splashed with gold The paintings in such intricate detail and such a grand scale took my breath away. Its a challenge getting symmetry right on paper , canvasses and flat surfaces leave , but when I saw what they had managed to do on the roof and on the sides of the cathedral I just had to stand and stare. Unimaginable!. Every small space is Art. The Floors that we walk on seem to have some sort of designs too St Marks Basilica

Theres a certain serenity that hangs in the air. As we walk around I think to myself about how much science has gone into the construction of something of such architectural stature Inside St Marks Basilica

We were allowed to take the stairs and walk up to the top of the basilica. There were a few exhibits explaining how the paintings had been done. Outside on the terrace a spectacular Ariel view of the square awaited us, The row of Gondolas on the Grand Canal in a distance, followed by the square itself and the proud buildings of note standing all around it.

DAY 2 We set off to Murano another one of the Venetian islands. Murano is a beautiful island, very different in character from her Venetian cousins Most striking is the sense of calm and quiet which seems to prevail which you would never see in the noiser parts of central Venice One of the Many Glass Factories in Murano

Murano is famous for Glass. Her Glass makers are of ancient renown. We got to watch some of them in action, their deft fingers effortlessly moulding intricate shape to life

The Finished Work.. 

We walked around for most part of the day sitting by canals and sipping on Coffee.

Scenes from Murano..

We decided it was time to head back and caught the water

The Water Bus..

Quick lunch and we head back to St Marks Square. This time we did a bit of shopping and decided to haggle with the Gondoliers of Venice. Gondola rides are expensive. Typically they cost about 90 Euros.  But we couldn't have been here and not  done the Gondola ride... Its a decision we did not regret Add caption

FromVenice 2010

The gondola ride was surreal. It was amazing as we found ourselves being rowed into lovely canals in the heart of Venice.

Our Loveboat :)..

View of the Bank from our Gondola

It wasn't a very hot day and thankfully it wasn't raining. The weather was perfect. The gentle breeze and the Gondolier's slow song set the mood up perfectly. So far we had seen Venice from the land. For the first time now we got to see her other colors staying on water... It was almost like we were her.
The same sights looked different. We sailed past St Marks Square past the Bridge of Sighs

The able Gondolier negotiates a bridge..

The reflections of Venetian buildings on her waters were such a spectacular sight.. The Artist in me wanted to paint every scene ..:)

Sailing towards the Rialto Bridge..

We finally sailed past Rialto Bridge..

Inside one of the many Canals

View from our Gandola..

Walls of Buildings we rowed past..

Our Ride finally ended and I felt like I was walking away from a dream. Since it was sunny we went back to St Marks Square. It was teeming with people.. And Pigeons :).. We sat a bit in the square soaking up the sun .. It was lovely. Quintessential Venice! A lady feeding Pigeons - St Mark's Square

DAY 3 Our walk back to the station was our perfect goodbye to a beautiful city. We walked past many of the sights we had grown to love during the past few days. We sat by one of the numerous cafes in Rialto and had some delicious Coffee. A cafe on the banks of the Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge

A very Special Passenger..

Venetian Clothes Line..

We decided we would have one drink of Spitz before we left.. :)

And finally had lunch sipping on wine and having our sandwiches right outside a pretty little church... :).. Hmmmmmmm! 'SPITZ' . The local Drink The Old Church, where we had Lunch Digging into our Lunch. Goodbye Venice..We shall be back again..!