Explorer of Experiences

It's been a little over a year since my trip to Amsterdam. I spent three days there and made it a point to see as much as I possibly could and spend as less time in my lovely hotel room (read about my stay at the Hyatt Andaz Prinsengracht ). So this really is a much delayed blog about the many things I saw and places I covered, and now highly recommend.  A PICTURESQUE URBAN   GARDEN Amsterdam is a city for Instagram lovers! Almost everywhere you look is postcard pretty and picture perfect. Doors are a beauty in themselves and old buildings have flora organically adorning them. You'll stumble past lovely plaques on the walls and will enjoy the strains of the violin from street musicians. Take a stroll inside the massive Vondel Park replete with idyllic lawns, ponds and footbridges; truly fairy tale like! Make sure you charge up your phone battery because I'm pretty sure you're going to be click-happy once you step out on the streets of Amsterdam. These are s...

"Her would haves are our possibilities..."  - Emma Thompson on visiting the Anne Frank Huis   Off late, I do not go a night without watching a documentary on the Holocaust . My interest in that important and unforgettable part of mankind's history piqued when I stumbled upon an interview between Oprah Winfrey and Auschwitz survivor Elie Wiesel . The manner in which innocent Jew men, women and children were massacred during the Second World War, gives me goosebumps. The world knew what was happening inside the concentration camps but no one did anything, everyone watched silently - this is something   Holocaust survivors speak of in their documented interviews. Wiesel's book ' Night ' published in 1960 is his first person account as a Holocaust survivor and is a must-read. One of the most remarkable accounts of those dark years came from Anne Frank. She took to her red and white checkered diary to vent out her irritations and feelings during ...

While on a recent trip to Amsterdam, I learnt so much about this vibrant city and its dwellers. Amsterdam has had a long history of being innovative, creating many firsts and paving the road as a precedent. Through my trip, I typed on my phone some really interesting nuggets of history and trivia about the city so that I could bring them alive in this blog post. It was through listening carefully to tour guides, reading local books and visiting museums that I found out so much about the city.  - We are familiar to the canal snaking through the city of Amsterdam. Do you know how long the canal system is? 75 km and has 1281 bridges crossing over it. Impressive right? - While walking alongside the beautiful old canal houses (many of them date back to 400 years), look up to their roof and you will notice a huge hook. Wondering why every canal house has one? It was used to hoist furniture or goods into the house through the windows. This very thoughtful age old fixture is sti...

I have stayed at some great hotels, but none were like the Andaz Amsterdam . None of them. No hotel has impressed me as much as this Hyatt brand of hotel has. It's so good, it warrants an entire blog post. And here is why - right from the word check-in, you're really made to feel like you've stepped into a little slice of Amsterdam .  The hotel is located on one of the hottest streets in Amsterdam called Prinsengracht, a street along the city's most prestigious canal. A lot of the city's attractions are a short walk away. The hotel is designed by the famous Dutch designer Marcel Wanders . So no wonder hints of this vibrant old city of Amsterdam peek out from the interiors to induct you into Dutch culture. The lobby was stunning - with its prominently blue interiors, there was a touch of quirk everywhere. From the very high ceiling is suspended an enormous artsy lighting-cum-chandelier installation.  Above each reception desk there are huge white bell-shap...

A simple, small town girl on her path to self discovery after her fiancée dumps her.  We've heard that story before so w hat, you may wonder, is different about this movie? I find out....by mistake! One movie in recent weeks that really has got me excited is Gulab Gang. Not because it stars Madhuri Dixit, but because watching Juhi Chawla as a villain seemed promising from the trailers. I went to Victory Cinema (Pune) which by the way is a very charming heritage building (the balcony seat cost me Rs. 80...seriously)! The opening credits begin with a song showing Kangana Ranaut dancing...okay wow, I thought, Victory shows trailers! But then two minutes in and I realize wait a minute, they are playing Queen the movie! Darn, what a bummer. We put together the pieces of the puzzle and concluded that Gulab Gang was banned from playing and hence Victory decided to screen Queen. With no major star cast and having not read any prior reviews, I decided to give this movie a fa...