Timeout explorer may june magazine

PARISIAN STYLE SHOPPING IN THE CITY OF LIGHT MAY - JUNE 2014, VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 `100

ISBN 978-81-920043-0-3

9 788192 004303

ISLE OF MIGHT

48 hours in Sumatra

SUMMER SANCTUARY Arunachal’s virgin Himalayan hideaways

50 WAYS AROUND SÃO PAULO What to do during the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil’s cultural capital EXPEDITION BATESHWAR | RIDE ACROSS RANTHAMBORE

CONTENTS MAY - JUNE 2014

18

COVER STORY 18 Field of play In light of the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup, Time Out Sao Paulo editors present their pick of the best places to eat, drink, shop and sightsee in the city

REGULARS 08

84

What’s hot

In transit

A round-up of the latest travel news and cultural events in India and abroad.

From genial staff to mini spa treats.

Airlines that make your journey as smooth as possible.

74 Tech Tips and tricks to making the most of your smartphone camera.

78 Surf and turf Our new section shines a spotlight on Instagrammers who inspire wanderlust.

This issue it’s coastal Karnataka.

86 Last laugh Michael Hodges urges us to rethink our notions of England’s idyllic countryside.

88 Road book Ghamsali’s decades-old conservationcapitalism struggle is no deterrent for serious climbers.

80

90

Shopping

Much adieu

Football-themed T-shirts and accessories in anticipation of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Shamik Bag reminisces over Kolkata’s oldest football rivalry.

4 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

FEATURES India

56

36

Northern India

Sawai Madhopur A reason to vist Rajasthan’s most popular tiger reserve other than in pursuit of the elusive big cat.

Some of the best places for amateur astrophotographers to capture the heavens in India.

International

44

62

Bateshwar

Sumatra

Witness the rebuilding of an ancient temple complex with a dark history.

An Indonesian retreat that’s still comfortably rough around the edges.

50

68

Arunachal Pradesh

Paris

At the easternmost tip of India lie the last few stretches of virgin Himalayas.

10 ways to indulge your inner shopaholic in the City of Light.

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 5

AYAN GHOSH

SAYID BUDHI/GETTY IMAGES

62

50

EXPLORER PAPRIKA MEDIA PVT LTD

Editorial

Essar House, 11 KK Marg, PO Box 7964, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai 400 034

Volume 2 Issue 4 MAY-JUNE 2014 General Enquiries

(+91-22) 6660-1111

Photo

(timeoutexplorer@paprikamedia.com) Editor Gretchen Ferrao Copy Editor Nicole Newby Writers Amanda D’ Souza, Zahra Amiruddin Proofreader James M Mathew

Art Deputy National Art Director Pramod Jadhav Designers Sachin Bhandalkar, Prashant Gujar Brijesh Gajjar Digital Imaging Pravin Pereira

PARISIAN STYLE SHOPPING IN THE CITY OF LIGHT MAY - JUNE 2014, VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4 `100

ISBN 978-81-920043-0-3

9 788192 004303

ISLE OF MIGHT

48 hours in Sumatra

SUMMER SANCTUARY Arunachal’s virgin Himalayan hideaways

50 WAYS AROUND SÃO PAULO What to do during the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil’s cultural capital EXPEDITION BATESHWAR | RIDE ACROSS RANTHAMBORE

ON THE COVER This issue’s cover features street art that’s a key element in São Paulo’s vibrant urban-scape, especially in the neighbourhoods of Vila Madelena and Cambuci.

Photograph Carlos Cazalis/Corbis *All currency conversions in the magazine use exchange rates at the time of going to print and are approximate fi gures. *A word about the listings. The ` symbols indicate the price bracket of a venue: ` (budget), `` (moderate), ``` (expensive) and ```` (luxury). The listings are double checked but businesses do sometimes close or change their hours and prices.

It’s recommended you call before visiting.

Photographers West Tejal Pandey, Stashia D’souza, Anurag Banerjee North Ritika Jain South Selvaprakash L, Pradeep KS

Business Sales North sales@timeoutdelhi.net West Ashwin D’Souza sales@timeoutmumbai.net South sales@timeourbengaluru.net Marketing Karishma Manglani marketing@timeoutmumbai.net Circulation & Subscription subscriptions@timeoutmumbai.net

Dining Programme & Alliance Vikul Chandar Production Harish Suvarna Accounts James D’Souza (accounts@paprikamedia.com) HR Moksha Turakhia (hr@paprikamedia.com) Administration Felita Braganza, Yvette D’Souza, Akshata Kotian (info@paprikamedia.com)

Head Office Editor in Chief Jaideep VG (jaideep@paprikamedia.com) Publisher & COO Rajnish Rawat (rajnish@paprikamedia.com) Founder Smiti Kanodia (smiti@paprikamedia.com)

Printed by Rajnish Rawat and published by Rajnish Rawat on behalf of Paprika Media Pvt Ltd and printed at Print House (India) Pvt Ltd, Plot No 6, Datta Mandir Road, Bhandup (W), Mumbai 400 078, and published at Essar House, 11 KK Marg, PO Box No 7964, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai 400 034.

Editor in Chief Jaideep VG Distributed by IBH & Paprika Connect The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for errors and omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers.

Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review. Published with the permission of Time Out Group, London UK.

POSTCARDS RIVER SUTRA I had only heard the merest whispers of Majuli before I came upon an article about the riverine island in your magazine [Vol 2, Issue 3].

Determined to locate this “fabled love nest of Radha and Krishna”, as the writer described it, my travel companion and I made our way to Guwahati, Jorhat, and eventually, Nimati Ghat, where we stood before the oceanic plenitude of the Brahmaputra. An hour or so later, we were underneath the speckled shade of La Maison de Ananda, a cluster of thatched huts on stilts that serves as the island’s most welcoming tourist lodging – your article was extremely helpful in pointing us to this establishment. Upon your writer’s advice, we rented bicycles and spent two days pottering about the island’s empty roads. It is wholly encouraging that Indian travel magazines such as yours dedicate a fair amount of space within their pages to regions as isolated as the country’s northeast.

Balki SF CALIFORNIA LOVE I‘m not sure if people are ready to tread off the beaten path when travelling abroad, but I sure am.

I loved the story on exploring

California [10 ways to see Ojai, Volume 2 Issue 2] because it’s not just about visiting the big cities and Napa, but instead about the other parts of the state. I am planning a trip this year to visit friends.

As someone who studied at Los Angeles’ USC, a road trip around Ventura County seems like a great place to start. Thanks and keep up the good work, though you might want to consider using a better quality of paper.

Rhiea Hiranandani PRINT SCREEN I am an avid reader of Time Out Explorer and always look forward to your new issue. One of the reasons I appreciate your work is for the images carried alongside each article – you manage to capture some unique moments and locations.

However, I was quite disappointed with the last issue [Volume 2, Issue 3]. Not because of the selection of photographs, but because of the overall printing. It looks like there wasn’t equal weightage given to the colours and the images ended up looking dark and washed out. Hope you’ll rectify this in the future. Keep it colourful!

Arunita Bhattacharya

TRAVEL TRIGGER I really enjoyed reading your features on places to visit within the country.

(Left of Centre, Volume 2 Issue 3).

The piece on Ajabgarh was a great read and has motivated me to add yet another unique destination to my ever-increasing travel bucket list. Even the features on Majuli and Palakkad were very entertaining, and a special mention for the images.

Each story has some well-shot photographs and unusual ones at that. The In Transit section on the future of travel was a nice switch from the regular airport reviews.

The article on space tourism by Zahra Amiruddin [Up, Up and Away] was thoroughly enjoyable. Though, personally, I am too scared to venture into outer space, I’m sure a lot of people are looking forward to a trip beyond the skies!

Dilshad Mistry

ERRATUM The image captioned “A male rubythroated hummingbird” that featured in the article In Fine Feather [Volume 2 Issue 2] was an oversight. The aforementioned species is not found in the Western Ghats. We apologise for this error.

For information on places of Tourist Interest in India – contact Indiatourism, (Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India)123 M.K. Road, Western Railway Reservation Building, Opp. Churchgate Station, Mumbai 400 020, Tel : 022-22074333/34, E-mail : indiatourism@mtnl.net.in, itgmumbai@gmail.com, Website : www.incredibleindia.org, www.tourism.gov.in

6 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

WHAT’S HOT NEWS

EVENTS

DEALS

TRENDS

KIDS SUMMER BREAK

Under the sun Presenting five kid-friendly events across the globe to keep in mind these next few months Udderbelly Festival, London The giant upturned purple cow returns to the south bank for three months of comedy, circus, theatre, music and kids shows. The Opening Gala on April 10, featured many of the best acts who’ll be popping up inside the cow over the coming months including madcap Canadian comic Tony Law, masterful Irish banter merchant Andrew Maxwell, improv troupe The Showstoppers and magicians Morgan & West.

Jubilee Gardens, off Belvedere Rd, London, SE1 8XX. +44-8445458282. www.udderbelly.co.uk. Until July 13. £17.50 (`1,774), £16 (`1,622) concs, £22.50 (`2,281) sirloin seats. All ages.

Museum Mile Festival, New York Now in its 37th year, New York’s biggest block party hits town on June 10, offering free access to nine museums (from the Met to Guggenheim) along a car-free mile sprinkled with music, art and entertainment. Kids can colour up the sidewalk with chalk, attend live model-drawing classes, get their faces painted, and enjoy performances by clowns, magicians, jugglers and musicians.

Fifth Ave, between 82nd and 105th Sts. +1-212-606-2296. www. museummilefestival.org. June 10 6-9pm. Entry FREE. All ages.

Sleep with the Penguins Family Camp, Singapore Jurong Bird Park has organised a super sleepover with your family and feathered friends this summer.

After setting up camp at the indoor penguin enclosure, kids get to do everything from dining with parrots to a crash course in falconry and hanging out with pelicans – all in two days and one night. Bring your own pillows, sleeping bags, torches and toiletries as only tents are provided.

Jurong Bird Park, 2 Jurong Hill, Singapore 628925. +65-6265-0022.

education.birdpark.com.sg. May 31, 2pm to Jun 1, 10am (followed by a ‘free and easy’ session). Adults S$120 (`5,786), Children S$100 (`4,822). For families with members aged 5+.

Aqua Fun, Abu Dhabi This summer, families can enjoy a new beachside activity as the weather heats up. Housing the world’s longest and highest inflatable slide, this water park on the Corniche is best enjoyed in groups. Activities range from trampolines and bossaball (a team sport that combines elements of volleyball, football and gymnastics) to obstacle courses with ropes, ladders, inflatable tyres and tunnels and soap football (footy on a slippery, soap-covered, rubberpadded field).

Corniche Rd, Abu Dhabi. +97155-266-8227. www.aquafun. ae. Daily 2-10.30pm. The park’s attractions require tokens (two for AED20; `329), the number of which vary depending on the activity.

Alternatively, purchase a VIP pass (AED125; `2,055) for unlimited access. All ages.

Free After Three, Toronto The Art Gallery of Ontario has a completely free (after 3pm) programme that allows the youth to partake of the gallery and the varied events it offers. Activities that are set to be conducted throughout the summer from March until June include an introduction to circus arts, beat-boxing, breakdancing and graffiti art workshops, as well as skateboard building and stop-motion animation.

Weston Family Learning Centre, Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West, Toronto M5T 1G4. +141697-96648. www.ago.net. Tue-Fri. 3pm onwards. Entry FREE. Ages 14-25.

With inputs from Ben Williams, Jo Tan and Caroline McEneaney

8 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

CITY SIGHTS For those of you who are housebound this summer, here are a few handy sites listing events and activities to keep your little ones out of mischief Summer Fiesta, Mumbai www.kidsstoppress.com/2014/04/summer-campguide-for-kids-in-mumbai-2014 Summer Express, Bangalore www.itsybitsy.in/store/workshop

FOTOMATON/INDIAPICTURE

Theatre workshops, New Delhi www.rangshala.com/theatre-workshop

The iconic upside-down cow is a permanent feature of the London and Edinburgh editions of the Udderbelly Festival

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 9

Compiled by Amanda D'Souza

WHAT’S HOT NEWS

REVAMP COLOMBO

Taj Samudra The Taj Group’s flagship property in Sri Lanka gets a makeover and a brand new Japanese restobar The Taj Group of Hotels’ flagship Sri Lankan property in Colombo, was recently given a USD20-million

facelift. Time Out Explorer was invited as part of a media launch to witness the refurbished

30-year-old Taj Samudra. “We proudly welcome Sri Lankans and international travellers back to their favourite hotel with enhanced experiences and legendary Taj hospitality,” said General Manager Rohit Khosla. Spearheaded by Singapore-based interior designer David Edwards, the year-long renovation saw the overhaul of 86 rooms and suites across three levels coupled with the addition of 71 Taj Club Rooms and a Presidential Suite. Earthy tones and a rich palette of materials like antique wood characterise the well-equipped rooms. Taj Club guests enjoy exclusive access to the posh Taj Club Lounge that boasts lavish breakfast spreads, business facilities, conference rooms and a small library.

The hotel also unveiled their latest dining offering, YUMI. Priding itself in a live Teppanyaki counter, the restobar promises a contemporary take on Japanese cuisine – its menu having been designed by Mumbai-

based Chef Sadik Khan of Wasabi

by Morimoto (Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai) fame. YUMI also relies on its clubby music and theatrical bartending that’s sure to draw a younger local crowd in addition to hotel guests. Visiting DJs, like Ukrainian spindoctor Angelica whose mash-ups were as big a draw as her, ahem, personality, are something to watch out for.

About an hour’s drive from Negombo International Airport, the 11-acre property’s location is both, scenic overlooking the Indian Ocean, and strategic being part of the city’s business centre. While primarily targeted at business travellers, the hotel’s coordinates, a stone’s throw away from the city centre makes it ideal for tourists looking for some pampering while in Colombo.

Moreover, it makes for the ideal gateway to the emerald island’s tourist hotspots like Bentota, Galle, Kandy, etc. +94–11-2446622. www.tajhotels. com. ```

LAUNCH TRAVEL GEAR

SUMMER DEAL SOUTH AFRICA

CAT Bags Lifestyle brand CAT® unveils

One&Only Cape Town The high-end hospitality brand

a new range of luggage CAT recently added two new collections to its array of luggage and travel accessories. The strolleys of the Travel Light (`9,499 onwards) line feature special lightweight hardware, tough Ripstop fabric and four spinner wheels on the 24” and 28” varieties. Those of the Roll Cage (`9,999 onwards) collection are engineered for high impact resistance – the hardshell casing is crafted from robust polycarbonate and designed to withstand regular wear and tear. In addition to luggage, CAT Spare Parts (`1,799 onwards) is a range of small utility bags designed for easy storage of devices like phones and tablets.

Available at CAT brand outlets across India. www.catbags.com. ```

offers a 25 percent discount at its Cape Town property

NIGHTLIFE GOA

Flor Do Mar A recently opened floating restaurant and lounge off the shores of Morjim Founded by Anju and Gautama Dutta, Flor do Mar is a new restaurant and lounge set on a barge anchored in the middle of Goa’s Chapora Bay. Guests can hop on to a boat from the jetty at Morjim Beach Road, or dock their yachts at the restaurant.

Chef Bina Thakur's menu promises Mediterranean cuisine with dishes like butter garlic prawns in white wine sauce, served with freshly baked poie (a type of bread); fish in fresh mango sauce with basil and beef stir fry. For a tipple, try the bar's cocktails which

incorporate fresh seasonal fruit. With two open-topped decks, Flor do Mar can accommodate up to 150 people.

Though the service was below par when we visited, we feel that once initial teething problems are resolved, this would make a great venue for a sunset drink or even a private party.

Morjim Beach Rd (near Morjim Church), Bagwada, Morjim, Goa 403512. +91-9930300131. www.flordomar.in. Daily 4pm onwards. ``-```

10 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

Located at the northern end of Africa’s Cape Peninsula, One&Only Cape Town provides a luxury escape where one can experience contemporary South African culture.

The hotel's latest deal entitles you to a 25 percent discount on all room categories, excluding the penthouse, for a minimum four nights’ stay. Valid until December 15 2014, other benefits include a complimentary breakfast at bistrostyle restaurant Reuben’s, along with access to the fitness centre, the KidsOnly Club and the thermal facilities at the One&Only Spa. Guests can enjoy a view of either the Table Mountains or the Victoria & Albert Waterfront from their rooms and avail of the hotel's golf course and infinity pool.

Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town 8002. +27-21-431-5888. www. oneandonlyresorts.com. ```-````

WHAT’S HOT EVENTS BOOKISH BREAK ENGLAND

Shakespeare’s Way Celebrate the bard’s birth anniversary with a cycling tour To go, or not to go? That is the question. In this case, we say do go on the Shakespeare-themed cycling tour across England. A part of a series of events marking the renowned playwright’s 450th birth anniversary, Shakespeare’s Way takes drama enthusiasts past places that were a part of his life or works such as quintessentially English towns like Cotswolds and Chilterns, the imperial Globe Theatre and Sam Wanamaker Theatre on London’s Southbank.

Organised by UK-based tour group The Carter Company, there are two cycling packages to choose from – the gentle 7-day package (Wed-Fri. Prices start at ǧ1,210; `1,23,424 per person.) features a less exhausting route, while the intense 10-day package (Fri. Prices start at £1590; `1,62,185 per person) is ideal for the adventurous traveller. Each package is inclusive of shared accommodation, breakfast, a tour of the Globe Theatre and entry to

Compiled by Zahra Amiruddin

through his homeland

the five Shakespeare houses in Stratford-upon-Avon.

For booking, visit www.the-cartercompany.com

ADVENTURE THE HIMALAYAS

The Himalayan Dash Discover the highest mountain range in the world through a luxury driving expedition Organised by Cougar Motorsport Pvt Ltd, The Himalayan Dash is an annual luxury driving expedition that takes you on a road trip through scenic surroundings and rugged landscapes. Targeted towards owners of luxury vehicles and SUVs, the journey kicks off at The Lalit, New Delhi, covering 11 different destinations, such as Shimla, Sarchu, Manali and Srinagar, in 11 days. The trip includes luxury

accommodation and sightseeing, along with local experiences.

Participants will drive through some of the world’s highest motorable mountain passes and deep gorges of the Beas, Chandra and Indus rivers. Brace yourselves, it's going to be a long ride.

To register, visit www. cougarmotorsport.in. `I,75,000 per person (inclusive of taxes). Jun 21- Jul 1.

FESTIVAL NEW ZEALAND

EXHIBITION MUMBAI

Auckland Festival of Photography Shutterbugs are sure to enjoy this month-long series of

Taking the Line for a Walk

exhibitions and competitions This summer, the Auckland Festival of Photography aims to provide free public access to some great photography. Produced by the Auckland Festival of Photography Trust, this is a contemporary art and cultural event which transforms the city’s major galleries, project spaces, nongallery venues and public sites into photography displays during June each year. Exhibitions attempt to represent cultural diversity and feature an eclectic mix of emerging and established photographers.

The public can also participate in two competitions – Auckland Photo Blog and Nikon Auckland Photo Day. The former is a blog run on the festival website where participants can submit photographs based on a chosen theme and which capture the spirit of the city.

The winning photograph will be published on the website. The latter is a 24-hour competition that celebrates what Auckland means to each participant. www.photographyfestival.org.nz.

May 29- Jun 20.

Rediscover the art of drawing with an exhibition at the Jehangir Nicholson Gallery Any artist would agree that drawing is the preliminary basis of any artwork. In the wake of new media and art practices, Taking the Line for a Walk is an exhibition at Jehangir Nicholson Gallery that aims to turn the spotlight back on drawing, looking at it as a significant art practice. The collection showcases 45 artworks by acclaimed artists including Tyeb Mehta, FN Souza, SH Raza, Manjit Bawa and Sudhir Patwardhan.

Visitors will also be able to view sketchbooks showing various stages in the work of some artists and prints of drawings, as part of the archives of JNAF (Jehangir

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 11

Nicholson Art Foundation).

2nd Floor, East Wing 159/61 MG Rd, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai. +91-22-2202-9613. www.jnaf.org. Tue-Sun 10.30am6pm. Until Aug 30.

WHAT’S HOT CULTURE ART PENANG

Mural musings George Town’s colours and diversity has inspired several street artists over the years. A look at the bigger picture, examining how Penang’s capital strives to strike a balance between preserving its heritage and encouraging its burgeoning art scene There’s an unmistaken vibrancy that fills Penang. The best way to experience it all is to venture along its hidden alleys and bylanes that hold busy street markets, quaint antique shops, stuffy kopitiams (traditional Southeast Asian coffee shops) and undiscovered corners of famous attractions. These elements have inspired both local and global communities of artists.

The city’s street art movement began around 2009 when Kuala Lumpur-based art company Sculpture at Work won the rights to the state government’s commissioned art challenge Marking George Town – a competition to promote and decorate the World Heritage Site with art. The result was 52 commissioned steel-rod caricatures around the city, all inspired by lively Penangites. "The streets of George Town were named after trades, people and events, which means

every street has its own unique story. With rising rent, many of the original inhabitants moved out and with them, the stories as well. The idea is to put the stories back into the city," says Sculpture at Work’s creative director Tang Mun Kian.

The scene was further shaped in 2011, when the Rotary Club of Tanjung Bungah and the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) established a public graffiti section at Penang Municipal Park that’s dedicated to budding street artists.

Penang-based Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic has painted a number of the city’s walls with mischievous interactive murals.

His first was a portrait of an Indian woman in 2011. “People’s responses weren’t so positive back then, but later on people took a closer look and learned to appreciate public art,” he says. He has since added eight more murals, such as 'Little Girl in Blue'at Muntri

Street (George Town Festival 2012).

More recently, 101 Lost Kittens – a street art project by Thailandbased Natthapon Muangkliang and Malaysian artists Louise Low and Tang Yeok Khang in conjunction with the George Town Festival 2013 – was initiated by Artists for Stray Animals (ASA). The project aims not only to create new spots of interest in George Town, but to also promote awareness towards strays through mural-hunting and other Facebook contests.

At Ah Quee Street, you’ll find a mural of a half-faced Chinese opera beauty whose features are gorily scraped to the bones. Accompanied by strokes of Chinese characters that translate to ‘our art is dying’, the mural reflects the slow death of tradition and culture – in particular the fading art of Chinese opera, a kind of musical theatre. However, could the artist, of whom little is known, also be questioning whether

12 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

Penang has begun to lose its identity?

There are two sides to this story: “Some parts of George Town are becoming so crowded like Malacca’s Jonker Street.

I’m not sure if it’s the art that is attracting the crowd. George Town is a heritage city and we have to be careful. Instead of helping the city creatively, we may end up endangering it,” Kian warns.

On the other hand, the spotlight on Penang’s street art could also engender future artworks. Ooi Geok Ling, Chariman of Penang Global Tourism (PGT), enthuses, “I’m such an optimist and a Penangite at heart. If Ernest’s street art could be born one day, tomorrow something new would come up. I believe the next one will be unexpected.” Such are the ingredients needed for the state's treet art future – optimism and a hunger for surprise.

Cheng Sim

PLOT OUT Download a map of Penang’s Street Art at www.timeout.com/ penang

TIME OUT NETWORK (4)

(Clockwise from top) Artist Ernest Zacharevic has transformed the face of Penang through murals like 'Children in a Boat' at Chew Jetty; Penang's street art movement was sparked when Sculpture at Work was commissioned by the government to decorate the city of George Town; Though well-received, Louis Gan's uncommissioned murals prompted a debate on the effect of street art on the state's heritage; Part of the 101 Lost Kittens project, a total of 12 artworks, all but one depicting cats, and a bonus rat mural can be found in the heart of George Town

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 13

WHAT’S HOT TRENDS DRINK HIGH TEA

Afternoon delight The storm in the teacup refuses to die down in England.

Presenting the top five places to visit when you fancy a cuppa

Restaurant (although it’s not everyone’s cup of tea!).

The Roman Baths, Abbey Church Yard, Bath, BA11LZ. +44-1225-444477. www.romanbaths.co.uk. ``

The Pump Room Restaurant If you grew up on Jane Austen’s books, then a visit to Bath is a must. Afternoon tea at one of her regular haunts – the Pump Room Restaurant adjoining the ancient Roman Baths – is certainly called for. The Pump Room Trio will keep you entertained as you tuck into scones and pastries and don’t forget to try the traditional Bath Bun (£3.25; `329) too.

Insider tip In Austen’s time, Bath was known for its medicinal hot springs. Sample this water at the fountain at the Pump Room

Davenports Tea Room Declared the 2013 Top Tea place by the UK Tea Guild, Davenports Tea Room is all about the traditional – lace tablecloths, tiered bone china cake stands and crockery, homemade scones with jam and clotted cream. It doesn’t get more vintage than this.

Insider tip Davenports occasionally hosts a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, with themed cakes, games and Alice in Wonderland characters making an appearance (£23.95; `2,423).

Bridge Farm, Warrington Road, Bartington, Northwich, Cheshire

PRACHI JOSHI

Duchess’ Tea Room, Woburn Abbey and Gardens It was in the Blue Drawing Room of Woburn Abbey where Duchess Anna Maria presided over the afternoon tea table. The setting at the Duchess’ Tea Room is quite authentic and you’ll find yourself transported back in time to Victorian England as you feast on finger sandwiches; mini-cakes and freshly baked scones, along with premium Suki teas. Contrary to popular belief, don’t stick out your pinkie – it’s not proper high tea etiquette.

Insider tip The afternoon tea service has limited availability so be sure to book in advance.

Woburn, Bedfordshire, MK179WA. +44-1525-290-333. www.woburnabbey.co.uk. ``

VISIT ENGLAND

VISIT ENGLAND

“Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors,” quotes American author Alice Walker in the criticallyacclaimed The Colour Purple – Brits will certainly raise their teacups to that. 165 million cups of tea are consumed every day, reports the United Kingdom Tea Council, a non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving the history and promoting love for the beverage.

“Period dramas such as Downton Abbey have had a big impact,” says Belinda Davenport of Davenports Tea Room. Kayleigh Robbins of The Pump Room Restaurant agrees, “Afternoon Tea is our busiest period.”

As the legend goes, in the early 19th century, Anna Maria Russell – the 7th Duchess of Bedford – popularised the trend of having tea along with some sandwiches and cake late in the afternoon, to tide one over between a midday luncheon and 8pm dinner. Soon, afternoon tea became a fashionable social event in Victorian England.

Today, the British love affair with this elaborate ritual transcends all age groups. Penny Whale of Wayside Cafe says, “We have noticed that the average age of customers enjoying afternoon tea has dropped considerably over the last year; earlier it was mostly those of retirement age who dropped in.”

Here are some spots to settle down for some afternoon tea.

(Clockwise from top) Take your tea with a side of history at the Pump Room adjoining the ancient Roman Baths; If you crave a vintage afternoon tea experience, Davenports is the place to be; Feast on scrumptious mini sandwiches and freshly baked scones at Duchess' Tea Room

14 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

CW84QU. +44-1606-853-241. www. davenportsfarmshop.co.uk. `` Great John Street Hotel If the business of afternoon tea has always felt like more of a woman’s domain, the Great John Street Hotel has something for its male clientele too. At the Gentleman’s afternoon tea, you won’t be offered any dainty cakes. Instead, you’ll get an array of savouries – fish & chip skewers, mini beef burgers and scotch eggs, rounded off with a cheese platter.

Insider tip If you crave something stronger than a regular cuppa, try the Gentleman Jack, a citrus and black raspberry cocktail with a healthy splash of Jack Daniel’s (£27.50; `2,783).

Great John Street, Manchester M34FD. +44-161-831-3212. http:// www.eclectichotels.co.uk/great-johnstreet. ``` The Palm Court, The Ritz London Even the clinking of spoons is muted in the hallowed confines of the Palm Court. Afternoon Tea at The Ritz is a veritable London institution. Feel like British aristocracy as servers dressed in tails wait upon you while a pianist and a harpist provide musical accompaniment.

Insider tip You’ll need to ditch the jeans and trainers for a jacket and tie if you wish to partake in teatime here.

150 Piccadilly, London, W1J9BR. +44-20-7300-2345. www.theritzlondon.com. ``` Prachi Joshi

WHAT’S HOT CULTURE BOOKS NEW RELEASES

Turn the page A list of titles to look forward to in the latter half of the year FICTION The Sex Lives of Siamese Twins If the peculiar title isn’t enough to tickle your fancy, the author promises some “swampy Floridian lesbian noir” in his latest offering where murder, debauchery and retribution go hand in glove in a bizarre sadomasochistic world.

Throw into the mix two exceptional women, an aggressive foulmouthed fitness trainer and her overweight, needy and manipulative client, along with heaps of sex, filth and food. For Welsh junkies, this might just be the perfect fix.

Irvine Welsh, Jonathan Cape/ Random House Englishhh Fictional Dispatches for a Hyperreal Nation Altaf Tyrewala is fascinated with Mumbai and you will find that the city is his muse – first, in prose with his novel No God in Sight, then in verse in Ministry of Hurt Sentiments, and now in a new collection of short stories. The fictional dispatches cover a gamut of mindscapes and worlds, from the making of a new language based on numerology to a director of pornography and a watchman who counts the seconds to death.

Altaf Tyrewala, HarperCollins Hangwoman A family of executioners trace their lineage all the way back to prehistoric times.

Twenty-something Chetna follows in her father’s footsteps and becomes the first hangwoman in the country.

Fame catches up with her and soon she is the star of her very own reality TV show. But a murder within the family reveals that she might have to execute one of her own. Voyeurism and violence bundle together in this deeply nuanced translation of the acclaimed Malayalam novel.

KR Meera, Penguin India

The Bone Clocks A cryptic tale captures the complex and fantastical life of Holly Sykes.

In 1984, she runs away from home and 60 years later she is found in a remote corner of Ireland raising her grandchild. The secrecy of her life lies in between and is told from different points of view. In 1991 she’s a barmaid in a Swiss Resort; in 2003 she has a child with a war reporter; in the interim she is widowed and is the sole confidante of a fading writer. From the awardwinning writer of Cloud Atlas, this eagerly anticipated novel is an inquiry into mortality and survival.

David Mitchell, Hachette The Stone Mattress Atwood returns to short stories for the first time since Moral Disorder, published in 2006. In her signature, dry yet vivid voice she brings to life a set of nine fabulist tales. A woman born with a genetic abnormality is mistaken for a vampire; a femme fatale is reincarnated as a frisky dog; a man bids on storage space and is in for the surprise of his life; and six more stories.

Margaret Atwood, Bloomsbury

NON-FICTION The Novel Cure Brontë for a broken heart, Austen for arrogance, Pynchon

for paranoia and Hemingway for headaches? Yes, the novel cure as the name suggests are literary remedies for all of life’s ailments.

A medical handbook like no other; be it physical or metaphysical problems, this book guarantees a cure through either one or a combination of novels. Mockingly authoritative and thoroughly charming, this is a worthy pick-meup for any book lover.

Susan Elderkin, Ella Berthoud and Indrajit Hazra, Lotus Roli Carnal City: Narratives from Delhi’s Nether Regions Carnal City explores the oftenoverlooked sexual underbelly of Delhi. Various sexual subcultures including spaces occupied by hijra tolis, local S&M clubs, basti women living with each other and men seeking sex with men, are documented and examined. Aware of her female gaze, Manchanda imbues the matter-of-fact narrative with a combination of investigative reportage and observations of a silent spectator. With many books on Delhi crowding bookshelves, this one stands apart with its potential to open up a refreshing new dialogue about sex and sexuality in the city.

Isha Manchanda, Yoda Press The Colonel Who Did Not Repent Bangladesh emerged as an

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 15

independent nation from a history of brutality and violence.

Four decades later, the country tries to bring some closure to its bloody past through a controversial tribunal prosecuting war crimes. Tripathi travels the length and breadth of the country, investigating and researching the liberation war and its aftermath, and offers a poignant portrait of a traumatised nation.

Salil Tripathi, Aleph How to Read in Indian In her usual racy yet scholarly way, Roy expounds on the varied and vast world of Indian writing in English. The essays carefully examine language, translations, identity, censorship, subjects, classics and authors. This is a collection of literary journalism that serves as an empathetic introduction to Indian writing in English as much as it looks into the joy and love of reading in the twenty-first century.

Nilanjana Roy, HarperCollins John Le Carre: The Biography Le Carré wields an incredible storytelling prowess. But who is John Le Carré? A runaway mother and conman father leads to a mysterious childhood. He joined MI5, was later transferred to MI6, and began writing under his pseudonym. The rest, as they say, is history.

For the first time ever, the author provides Sisman with information and introductions, as well as access to his so far unseen private archive for this definitive biography.

Adam Sisman, Bloomsbury Shahnaz Siganporia

WHAT’S HOT HOLIDAY IDEAS BOUTIQUE HOTEL ROHET

Mihir Garh from Relais & Chateaux Get off the grid at this luxury weekend retreat, conveniently located just a couple of hours away from Jodhpur In the dead of an unforgiving April afternoon, we make our way from Jodhpur airport to 55-kilometresaway Rohet where our weekend destination awaits. En route the two-hour journey, even the airconditioned sedan couldn’t protect us from the exhaustion brought on by Rajasthan’s harsh summer.

After what seemed like years of looking at the mesmerisingly undulating Thar Desert, Mihir Garh’s crenellated facade appears like a mirage. Our welcome inside is bequeathed with hospitality that couldn’t possibly be outdone elsewhere and we’re escorted into a breezy reception area. The stay will, it seems at the moment, shine brighter than the infernal sun outside.

The battlement design of the mud fort finished with Jailsalmer sand appears to rise from the Mali Nathji Ka Dhora sand dune that it stands on. The use of restricted materials creates a seamless design connecting this vast property’s far-flung nine suites. Mihir Garh is built on part of husband-wife team Sidharth and Rashmi Singh’s inherited 17th-century feudal estate. A decade spent in conceptualisation, two years of construction and the efforts of 150 local workers brought the boutique hotel to life.

The Singhs have tried to employ labour from the surrounding areas as and when possible, so all the furniture and knick-knacks have been sourced from Jodhpur. The fireplace in every suite and all the diyas that light up the property in the evenings have been made by women from neighbouring villages of Khandi and Haji. Solar energy heats water, and all rainwater is harvested.

The luxury of Mihir Garh’s suites itself could give any match-box city home a run for its money. With more than 1,700sqft of real estate per private accommodation, they pack in a punch with private pools and decks, courtyards, terraces and even jacuzzis. The level of opulence is, of course, absolutely proportional to the size of the hole you’re willing to burn in your

pocket. It’s easy to lose yourself in the splendour of your room (we spent an hour becoming human prunes in the bathtub), but it’s just as simple to find yourself right back again in one of the many open spaces.

Surrounded by sand as far as the eye can travel, the fortress seems like it’s tucked away from civilisation. During the day, the peace is achingly heartfelt in the silence of the desert where even the buzz of wasps is deafening.

Or sit at one of public terraces and seating areas where billowy curtains call out. But in the night, this quietude can turn against you. In the surrounding darkness, even when the night sky is sweetly twinkling, those same fluttering sheers can assume the shapes of silhouettes. The breeze that lovingly caressed your cheek hours ago has the power to violently slam an open door you’ve been foolish enough to leave unlocked. Of course, this is only in the unlikely and unfortunate event you’ve partaken in some horror cinema. A word to the wise, don’t bother with anything remotely supernatural before a visit.

If you’re of the restless inclination like we are, all this meditative solitude can be slightly unnerving. The hotel offers Royal Picnics (unavailable to us during off season owing to the heat), Culinary Workshops, The Equestrian Program (for which you have to be a trained rider) and the Village Safari. The only thing we could try out was a two-hour jeep ride that visits neighbouring Bishnoi community settlements, Brahmin homes and packs in plenty of wildlife sighting. Despite bordering on hammy, it’s a cool and convenient way to see how the locals live. An alternative is to just stay back and indulge in a treatment at the property’s outsourced Tattva Vilasa spa.

Masseuse Indira Chettri deftly delivers a sleep-inducing Ayurvedic Potali Cikitsa massage; an hour of pure bliss. She uses her body weight (thankfully, she was appropriately waiflike) to ease

knots with Ayurvedic oils. This is followed by a thorough patting down with herb-filled hot potlis.

After a lengthy stretching of muscles you didn’t know existed, the meal area is the perfect spot to saunter to. Mihr Garh’s got a limited menu of hits and misses.

Their traditional food is quite obviously exquisite, though the continental fare could use some work. Also, the ever-helpful staff will leave no stone unturned to cater to dietary whims.

Just earlier in the year, in January, Mihir Garh received the momentous inclusion of coming

16 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

under the international Relais Chatuex (an association of luxury hotels and grand chef) banner. This, after eight years of being functional and making many a people happy from all over the world, including Madonna who visited in 2007.

Recently, the property received another international hat tip. It’s been awarded the Best Most Extraordinary Hotel of the World, 2014 by Lonely Planet.

Of course, if there’s more you seek from a weekend getaway, then Jodhpur’s gregarious merriment is just a cab ride away.

Deborah Cornelious

ANURAG BANERJEE (3)

(Clockwise from left) Mihir Garh's battlement architecture is a prelude to the beautiful design inside; Soak in the view of the surrounding desert by the hotel's infinity pool; Guests can relax at the main public area which reflects Mihir Garh's contemporary Rajasthani architecture

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 17

FIELD OF PLAY Brazil is well into the final stretch, as we go to press, of its preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup – a moment that has been more than six years in the making. On June 12, images from São Paulo will be beamed into homes, bars and big screens around the globe, as the 2014 FIFA World Cup’s opening match, between Brazil and Croatia kicks off inside Arena Corinthians, the almighty new stadium in the eastern suburb of Itaquera. For football fans planning a trip to Brazil for the World Cup, the lure of the country’s tropical beach cities might be hard to resist; but if you give São Paulo a chance, odds are that by the time you leave, you will, like so many others, be left wanting more.

By Time Out São Paulo Editors

KEY TO THIS GUIDE

PIETRO SCOZZARI/DINODIA

We've planned the São Paulo guide in three sections.

• A rundown of the city's favourite sport, including details of the 2014 FIFA World Cup fixtures in Sampa • Beyond the game, a listing of the city's best sights, sounds and tastes. All venues have been anonymously evaluated by Time Out São Paulo editors.

Symbols: Free Wi-Fi available World Cup matches being screened • A cheat sheet to make the most of a short break in the city – if you only do one thing in São Paulo, make it something from our weekender guide • Finally, the Fact File will arm you with all the information you need to navigate the city smartly and safely

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 19

FOOTBALL

THE KICK OFF From the son of a Scottish engineer who sparked a nationwide obsession to state-of-the-art stadiums, football in Brazil has come a long way

T VIS

IT

MUSEU DO FUTEBOL In a land in which Pelé and Ronaldo are kings, it’s no wonder someone has erected a temple to the nation’s favourite pastime. The fascinating Museu do Futebol treats the game as an expression of Brazilian culture – from the evolving technical aspects of the sport to the game’s emotional power. Visitors can peruse archival documents, vintage photos and famous player gear, listen to classic radio play calls and peek into the underground structure of Pacaembu Stadium’s stands. They can even relive the trauma of Brazil’s 1950 World Cup loss to Uruguay, in a black-curtained screening area.

Other interactive exhibitions are geared towards youngsters, like the virtual goalkeeper that challenges sporty visitors of all sizes to take a penalty kick and see if they’ve got the golden touch.

Praça Charles Miller, Pacaembu, São Paulo 01234-900. +55-11-36633848. www.museudofutbol.org.br.

Tue-Sun 9am-5pm (except on match days). Entry R$6 (`159); R$3 (`79) reductions; FREE under-7s.

Free to all Thu, Sat.

Be in no doubt that football reigns in Brazil, nor that São Paulo is the proud birthplace of the sport in the country, all thanks to one Charles Miller. The son of a Scottish father and a Brazilian mother, Miller brought two footballs, a pair of boots, a set of team kits and the allimportant rule book back with him from a trip to the UK, and so the legend was born.

History books state that the first game ever to be played on Brazilian soil took place in Brás, the neighbourhood in which Miller was born, between workers from the Companhia de Gás de São Paulo (a stateowned gas company) and the São Paulo Railway Company, where he worked. Instantly catching the players’ collective imaginations, over the next few years, the sport’s popularity spiralled among the working classes who lived along the floodplains of the numerous rivers and streams that cut through the city at the turn of the 20th century.

Fast forward nearly 80 years, World Cup fever is building and it’s São Paulo’s stadiums that are hogging the headlines. Brazilian club Palmeiras’ former home ground, Allianz Parque, previously known as Parque Antártica, is in the final stages of an uplift. It’s scheduled to open in mid-2014 with a new capacity of 45,000 and a museum dedicated to the club, one of the oldest and most successful ones in the country.

The biggest opening, however, will undoubtedly belong to Corinthians and its Arena Corinthians stadium which, much to the chagrin of team officials, is already being nicknamed the Itaquerão due to its location in the neighbourhood of Itaquera. Designed by Rio de Janeiro architect Aníbal Coutinho, the stadium has been given the honour of hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup’s opening match – a redemption of sorts for the city, which didn’t host any games during 2013’s Confederations Cup. With a capacity to hold 65,000 fans, the seating offers an enviable proximity to the pitch – front-row seats are just 9m from the turf.

DRAWING LOTS

Quick tip The fastest and easiest way to get to the Arena Corinthians stadium is via the metro’s red line 3 (Vermelha) or the CPTM train line 11 (Coral) to Corinthians-Itaquera station, in east São Paulo.

From there, it’s an 800m walk to the stadium. For anyone planning to get there by road, be warned: prepare to be traffucked.

20 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

Didn’t get lucky with the ticket draw during the first and second sales phases?

Keep an eye on the official FIFA website (www.fifa.com/tickets) for a chance to grab resale tickets BRAZIL PHOTO PRESS/CON/GETTY IMAGES

MUS

PIETRO SCOZZARI/DINODIA

Fixtures in São Paulo Brazil kicks off the 2014 FIFA World Cup with a match against Croatia, and São Paulo draws two excellent matches: Netherlands vs. Chile, and Uruguay vs. England, in which two former champions meet Thu 12 June

BRA

5pm

vs.

CRO

1pm

vs.

1pm

?

2nd 1st GROUP F vs. GROUP E

5pm

BEL

Tue 01 July

?

GROUP D TEAM 3

Thu 26 June

CHI GROUP B TEAM 3

ENG

vs.

GROUP D TEAM 1

Mon 23 June

NED

4pm

URU

OPENING MATCH

GROUP B TEAM 2

Thu 19 June

KOR

vs.

GROUP H TEAM 1

GROUP H TEAM 4

5pm

Wed 09 July

?

ROUND OF 16

QUARTER-FINAL WINNERS

?

SEMI-FINAL

THE FAN PARK

(Left) Paolo Guerrero of local team Corinthians during a training session at Joaquim Grava Training Camp (Top) The Pacaembu Stadium houses Museu do Futebol under its bleachers

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 21

If you missed out on stadium tickets, head for downtown’s wide pedestrian valley, Vale do Anhangabaú (close to Metro 3, Anhangabaú), where São Paulo’s FIFA fan fest will be taking place. All the matches featuring Brazil are set to be shown there, as are the semi-finals and the final.

Additionally, there will be performances by Brazilian musicians, including one by axé (a popular style of Brazilian music that fuses Afro-Caribbean genres like marcha, reggae and calypso) singer Claudia Leitte.

SIGHTS

THR

EE T O TR Y

WALKING TOURS City Centre Night Walk This Thursday night walk strays from the usual walking-tour territory in that the itinerary isn’t fixed and in its noble aim to raise awareness of the need to revitalise the city centre. The twohour tour includes some of the most interesting and important city sights, such as the Torre do Banespa that is modelled on the Empire State Building. +55-11-3256-7909. www.caminhadanoturna.com.br.

Thu 8pm. FREE SampaPé Using crowdsourcing to decide which of São Paulo’s neighbourhoods to explore next, SampaPé publishes the resulting agenda on its site every month.

Locations and dates vary. For bookings and listings, visit www.sampape.com.br.

Entry R$15 (`396) SP Free Walking Tour To explore the city’s historic centre, or the gleaming towers and old mansions around Avenida Paulista, join one of the three-or-four-hour group tours run in English.

Locations and dates vary.

For bookings and listings, visit www.spfreewalkingtour.com. FREE

LOOK ABOUT

Considering the city’s apparently infinite sprawl of high-rises that dominates the skyline, it’s easy to lose sight – literally and figuratively – of the visual treats São Paulo has to offer.

Watch out for these architectural gems, urban art spots and lush parks encompassing rainforest reserves

01

Centro

The most historic part of São Paulo is a slightly dilapidated version of its grand former self, but many landmark sites can be found here. Splendid views are to be had from the top of skyscrapers.

For instance, Edificio Itália (Avenida Ipiranga 344, Centro, São Paulo 01046-010. +55-11-2189-2929. www.terracoitalia.com.br. Mon-Sun noon-1am. ``) offers the highest (168m) vantage point from its 41st floor viewing platform. Centro has also become a target for urban renewal and an art hub, with the opening of creative spaces, like Praça das Artes, Pivô and the new five-storey Red Bull Station.

Consolação and Higienõpolis

02

Encircling the western edge of Centro are the attractive neighbourhoods of Consolação and Higienõpolis. The former has become, in part, a buzzy restaurant and bar area frequented by media types, while the latter is a largely residential zone notable for its architecture, which houses a sizeable part of the city’s Jewish community.

Jardim District and Avenida Paulista

03

The snazzy Jardim Paulista area is epitomised by its chic designer-fashion street Rua Oscar Freire. A stroll through these affluent streets is as much about people-watching as it is about shopping. The long skyscraper-lined ridge that is Avenida Paulista is also one of the city’s few clear landmarks, with its towering antennae visible for miles around.

Pinheiros and Vila Madalena

04

An eclectic collection of boutiques, spas, restaurants and galleries – it doesn’t get much trendier than these adjacent areas. Dotted with bars and music venues, they’re perfect for laid-back beers with friends. The city’s busiest bar hotspot is at the crossing of Rua Aspicuelta and Rua Mourato Coelho, in Vila Madalena.

05

Brooklyn, Butantã and Morumbi

The metropolitan area of the city’s outer edges has supplanted the favelas that were once its defining feature. Glass-fronted skyscrapers and financial centres, shopping malls and luxury hotels now distinguish the area.

(Facing page top right) Beco do Batman is popular for its ever-changing street art

STEFANO PATERNA/DINODIA

(Below) The Monumento as Bandeiras at Parque do Ibirapuera

do 06Beco Batman

10

This beco (alley) is the city’s premier openair street-art gallery, featuring works by many of the scene’s most important names.

Wander the winding alleyway and admire the stunning graffiti.

Rua Gonçalo Afonso, Vila Madalena, São Paulo 05436-100. Entry FREE

07Cambuci

For more offbeat street art, head to the residential neighbourhood of Cambuci – the birthplace of two of São Paulo's most famous street artists, brothers Otávio and Gustavo Pandolfo–OsGemeos. Cambuci's spaces also belong to artists like Nunca, Vitché, Nina and Ise, all key contributors in the graffiti generation from the last decade.

A mansion lies in abandoned splendour within the gardens designed by renowned landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx.

Built by Brazilian millionaire playboy Baby Pignatari for his third wife, it was never completed. Step in and guess at what grand or scandalous scenes played out within.

Avenue Dona Helena Pereira de Moraes São Paulo 05707. +55-113746-7631, +55-11-3776-7497. parqueburlemarx.com.br. Daily 7am-7pm. R$10 (`273) Mon-Fri, R$12 (`328) Sat-Sun

08

Jardim Botânico

A paradise set away from the concrete jungle, Jardim Botânico is in a state reserve of over 800,000sqm of coastal rainforest inside São Paulo’s giant Parque do Estado.

Avenida Miguel Estéfano 3687, Cursino, São Paulo 04301-902. +55-11-5067-6000. www.Ibot.sp.gov.br. Tue-Sun 9am-5pm.

Entry R$2.50-$5 (`66-132).

09

Parque do Ibirapuera

São Paulo’s heart-shaped park is an oasis of calm with bike paths, running trails and Niemeyer-designed museums and galleries.

Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral, Ibirapuera, São Paulo 04094-000. +55-11-5574-5045.

Daily 5am-midnight.

Entry FREE

PEOPLE'S CHOICE Opened in July 2006, Parque do Trote in Vila Guilherme is the first park in São Paulo fully adapted to the needs of the disabled

TTIME TIM ME OUT OU UTT EX EXP EXPLORER XP X PLOR LLO ORER OR ER – M MAY-JUNE AYA AY Y--JJUN Y JU UN UNE 2 2014 01 0 014 14 1 4–2 23 3

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Parque Burle Marx

SAVE THE DATE DING MUSA

Celebrate traditional paulista food, music and culture at the Revelando São Paulo festival at Iguape's Ribeira Valley during June 18-20

CULTURAL VENUES

ARTS AND RECREATION Once you’ve got your fill of the city’s outdoor offerings, take the show indoors. Here’s our pick of museums, hip new galleries and multipurpose spaces that are quickly turning Brazil’s economic and financial centre into the cultural capital of the country as well

(Clockwise from top left) Museu da Imagem e do Som 1.000 Km, 10.000 Years, an exhibition by Marcelo Moscheta at Galeria Leme An art installation by Argentine street artist Tec at Choque Cultural 24 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

11

Centro Cultural São Paulo

The city’s aerodynamic looking Cultural Centre, perched atop a steep hill beside the Avenida 23 de Maio thoroughfare, is an impressive and clever architectural feat. Art exhibitions, film festivals, performances and workshops are held in the multilevel space.

Rua Verguerio 1000, Aclimação, São Paulo 01504000. +55-11-3397-4002. www.centrocultural.sp.gov. br. Tue-Fri 10am-8pm; Sat-Sun, public holidays 10am-6pm. Entry FREE

Museu da Imagem e do Som (MIS)

15

MIS is home to 30,000 items that takes the shape of photos, films and records. It also stages temporary exhibitions and retrospectives, as well as the Green Sunset series of daytime parties, monthly on Saturdays.

Avenida Europa 158, Jardin Europa, São Paulo 01449-000. +55-11-2117-4777. www.mis-sp.org.br.

Tue-Sat noon-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm. R$10 (`265); R$5 (`133) reductions.

MARCELO MOSCHETA

16Choque Cultural

This unpretentious, influential, cuttingedge gallery in a house in Vila Madalena is dedicated to Brazilian urban art in all its ever-evolving forms, featuring works by unmissable artists like Stephan Doitschinoff, Speto and Carlos Dias, as well as affordable print and sticker art.

Rua Medeiros de Albuquerque 250, Vila Madalena, São Paulo 05436-060. +55-11-26786600. www.choquecultural.com.br. Mon-Sat 11am6pm. Entry FREE.

17Emma Thomas 12

Instituto Tomie Ohtake

Housed in an imposing skyscraper adorned with candycane waves of purple and maroon glass, the Instituto, named after iconic Japanese-Brazilian artist Tomie Ohtake, dominates the Pinheiros skyline.

Designed by the artist’s son, Ruy Ohtake, it isn’t afraid to shock with challenging art, design and photography exhibitions.

Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 201, Pinheiros, São Paulo 05426-100. +55-11-2245-1900. www. institutotomieohtake.org.br. Tue-Sun 11am-8pm.

Entry FREE

13Matilha Cultural

A socially-minded cultural space in Centro, Matilha Cultural organises events, courses, film screenings and art exhibitions which are generally free. Go for the Thursday night happy hour (8-11pm), when jazz trumpet player Walmir Gil lets loose.

Rua Rego Freitas 542, República, São Paulo 01220010. +55-11-3256-23636. www.matilhacultural.com. br. Tue-Fri noon-11pm, Sat-Sun 2-11pm.

Entry FREE

Founded in 2006 with the aim of bringing contemporary art to the masses, the gallery recently moved into a new building featuring a striking facade of exposed bricks placed sideways to create a surface with hundreds of perforations. Inside, there’s a classic white-cube exhibition space and a terrace overlooking the treetops of the leafy Jardins district.

Rua Estados Unidos 2205, Jardin Paulista, São Paulo 01427-002. +55-11-3063-2193. www. emmathomas.com.br. Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 11am5pm. Entry FREE

18Galeria Leme

The bare concrete space, designed by Pritzker-winning architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, houses a dynamic outfit representing local and international artists, with a focus on Latin America.

Avenida Valdemar Ferreira 120, Butantã, São Paulo 05501-000. +55-11-3093-8184. www.galerialeme.com.

Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-5pm. Entry FREE

19

Galeria Vermelho

One of the most consistently interesting galleries in São Paulo, Galeria Vermelho has a wellearned reputation for championing emerging artists.

Rua Minas Gerais 350, Higienópolis, São Paulo 01244010. +55-11-3138-1520. www.galeriavermelho.com.br.

Tue-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 11am-5pm. Entry FREE

14Museu Afro Brasil 20Pivõ The Afro-Brasil museum is one of the jewels in the crown of Parque do Ibirapuera. A closer look at the collection of paintings, photographs and clothing in this museum emphasises the impact African culture has had, and continues to have, on modern Brazil.

Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral, Parque do Ibirapuera, Ibirapuera, São Paulo 04094-050. +55-11-33208900. www.museuafrobrasil.org.br. Tue-Sun 10am5pm. Entry FREE

Set in the heart of one of São Paulo’s most iconic buildings – Oscar Niemeyer’s Copan – this sprawling space is run by an energetic artsy bunch.

Their mission to interact with some of the city’s other cultural institutions has resulted in shows by upcoming galleries like Emma Thomas and Mendes Wood.

Avenida Ipiranga 200, Ioja 48, Centro, São Paulo 01046-925. +55-11-3255-8703. www.pivo.org.br.

Tue-Sat 1-8pm. Entry FREE

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 25

EE

TS S U M

THEATRO MUNICIPAL A city landmark and an essential part of São Paulo’s cultural fabric, the Municipal Theatre opened at the turn of the 20th century, a time at which the city was enjoying an economic boom thanks to the growth of its coffee plantations. Under the supervision of engineer Ramos de Azevedo, construction began in 1903 and took eight years to complete.

In 1922, it served as the setting for the seminal Semana de Arte Moderna (Modern Art Week). This marked the start of the Modernist movement in Brazil and featured the work of artists such as Tarsila do Amaral and writer Oswald de Andrade.

The cherry on top came in 2013, when the first phase of a stunning new arts complex, Praça das Artes (Avenida Sao Joao 281), opened just a hop, skip and a pirouette from the theatre. With 38,000sqm of floor space, the Praça das Artes is home to the Theatro Municipal’s dance and music schools, a ballet company, two orchestras, two choirs and a string quartet.

Praça Ramos de Azevedo, República, São Paulo 01037-010. +55-11-33970300. www.prefeitura.sp.gov.br.

Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm. `-``

FOOD

MUS

T EA T

STEAK OUT

DISH OF THE DAY Particular local eateries across São Paulo, such as street-corner lanchonetes and botecos, serve a set meal – a prato feito or PF – for each day of the week; all crowned by the savoury goodness of the national comfort food: feijoada (black bean stew).

São Paulo’s culinary scene has been greatly influenced by the influx of immigrants to the city, mainly between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are choices aplenty, from myriad neighbourhood lanchonetes (snack bars) to high-end steakhouses and swanky new gourmet restaurants

Dalva e Dito and D.O.M.

21

Monday Virado à paulista, a Paulista-style meal comprising tutu de feijão (rehashed beans), pork, sausages, rice, kale, banana and a fried egg.

Sample award-winning chef Alex Atala’s signature mix of rare ingredients and regional dishes in the more down-to-earth of his two restaurants, Dalva e Dito, or splurge here at D.O.M., the number-sixranking restaurant in the 2013 World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, where Atala gives molecular gastronomy a very Brazilian twist.

Dalva e Dito Rua Padre João Manuel 1115, Jardim Paulista, São Paulo 01411-001. +55-11-3068-4444, dalvaedito.com.br. ``-``` D.O.M. Rua Barão de Capanema 549, Jardin Paulista, São Paulo 01411-011. +55-11-3088-0761. www.domrestaurante.com.br. Mon-Thu noon3pm, 7pm-midnight; Fri 7pm-1am; Sat 7pm-1am.

Brazilian. ```-````

Tuesday Dobradinha is a hearty stew of tripe with white beans, bacon, sausage, tomatoes and parsley.

Thursday Rabada means oxtail; traditionally served on Thursdays and often accompanied by polenta and watercress.

DIOGOPPR/SHUTTERSTOCK

Wednesday/Saturday Feijoada, a national favourite, is a pork and bean stew served with rice, kale and orange slices.

Friday Like in many Catholic countries, fish is a classic Friday dish here; prepared as you like it.

Sunday Pizza is a Sunday institution for paulistanos, bringing families together in thousands of pizzerias citywide.

(From left to right) Try Picanha, a traditional Brazilian barbecue, served at most steakhouses Arturito is known for its trendy interiors Tian is characterised by its modern setting and reasonable prices Michelada, a Mexican cerveza served at Tian 26 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

22Jiquitaia

Run by a brother-sister duo, no-frills Jiquitala is a laid-back addition to the city’s dining scene, featuring twists on classic Brazilian recipes that are both fresh and intensely flavoured, without being showy.

Rua Antonio Carlos 268, Consolação, São Paulo 01309-010. +55-11-3262-2366. www. jiquitaia.com.br. Mon noon-3pm; Tue-Fri noon-3pm, 7-11.30pm. Brazilian. ``

23Mocotó

Serving up traditional northeastern dishes, Mocotó is a foodie’s delight. Despite it being well off the beaten track, you can expect to queue for hours for a weekend lunch.

Avenida Nossa Senhora do Loreto 1100, Vila

Medeiros, São Paulo 02219-001. +55-11-29513056. www.mocoto.com.br. Mon-Sat noon-11pm, Sun 11.30am-5pm. Brazilian. `-``

24Arturito

The ever-changing menu at this fashionable restaurant includes some dishes that are hard to find in Brazil, such as leg of lamb and ceviche.

Rua Artur Azevedo 542, Pinheiros. +55-11-30634951. www.arturito.com.br. Mon 7-11.30pm; Tue-Fri noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight; Sat 12.30-4pm, 8pm12.30am; Sun 12.30-4pm. Eclectic. `-``

25Ráscal

With seven branches throughout the city the self-service Ráscal spoils vegetarians silly with arguably the best salad bar in town, as well as a wood-fired pizza oven and a pasta and grill section.

Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima 2232, Jardim Paulistano, São Paulo 05426-100. +55-11-38163546. www.rascal.com.br. Mon-Thu noon-3.15pm, 7-10.15pm; Fri noon-3.15pm, 7-11.15pm; Sat noon5.15pm, 7-11.15pm; Sun noon-5.15pm, 7-10.15pm.

Eclectic. ``

Figueira 26ARubaiyat

Some of the São Paulo's finest beef is served here to power couples and the financial elite.

Rua Haddock Lobo 1738, Jardim Paulista, São Paulo 01414-020. +55-11-3087-1399. www.rubaiyat.com. br. Mon-Thu noon-12.30am, Fri-Sat noon-1am, Sun noon-midnight. Steakhouse. ``-```.

27

Fogo de Chão

One of the country’s most popular barbecued meat franchise, Fogo de Chão prides itself on serving the best cuts of Brazilian meats.

Avenida Santo Amaro 6824, Santo Amaro, São Paulo 04702-002. +55-11-5524-0500. www. fogodechao.com.br. Mon-Fri noon-4pm, 6pmmidnight; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-10.30pm.

Steakhouse. ``

an old mansion in Itaim, the establishment offers sumptuous buffet of Mediterranean dishes and salads. While it’s an ideal spot for lunch, there’s an a la carte menu for dinner as well.

Rua Pedro Humberto 9, Itaim Bibi, São Paulo 04533-070. +55-11-3074-6363. www.bardesarts. com.br. Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 6-11pm; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-5pm. Buffet. ``

28Consulado Mineiro

A firm São Paulo favourite for its hearty, reasonably priced fare – think okra, beans, beef and crispy pork crackling – from the inland state of Minas Gerais.

Praça Benedito Calixto 74, Pinheiros, São Paulo 05406-040. +55-11-3088-6055. www. consuladomineiro.com.br. Tue-Sat 11.45am-midnight, Sun 11.45am-11pm. `

29TƮan

Bringing a mix of Asian cuisines to its menu, this sleek contemporary newcomer is a good choice for large groups. Order a sequence of dishes to share.

Rua Jerônimo da Veiga 36, Itaim Bibi, São Paulo 04536-000. +55-11-2389-9399. www. tianrestaurante.com.br. Mon-Wed noon-3pm, 7-11pm; Thu-Fri noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight; Sat noon-4pm, 7pm-midnight; Sun noon-5pm. `

30Bar des Arts With a stunning setting in

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 27

QUICK BITE Get a taste of some classic local street eats at the Saturday street food market in Jardim Paulista

NIGHTLIFE

HALF TIME ALEXANDER BARK/SHUTTERSTOCK

Grab a sugar-packed caipirinha for a preparty pick-me-up and prepare for the long haul; the party never ends in São Paulo.

Weekends find a number of bars with live samba early in the afternoon, while the nocturnal crowd starts queuing up around midnight at the city’s vibrant electronic club and live music venues. If jam-packed clubs aren’t your thing, grab a table at one of the microbreweries boasting long lists of speciality beers or walk to the nearest corner for a cold one at a boteco

DAVID R FRAZIER PHOTOLIBRARY INC/ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE

BOGDAN HODA/DREAMSTIME

TALK THE TALK

28 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

Careful what you ask for.

In Rio the word boate or boite means nightclub but in São Paulo it almost always refers to a strip or sex club

(Left) Frango serves some of the best chicken and beer in the city (Facing page clockwise from top left) Brazil's national cocktail, the caipirinha is a must-have during a bar hop Sip on chopes (draught beer) at one of the many botecos Swing by for some samba at Ó do Borogodó

TRY O T EE

THR

31

Bar Original

An old-school boteco, Original has the comforting feel of a joint that has been serving cold chopes (draught beer) and top bar snacks since time immemorial.

Rua Graúna 137, Moema, São Paulo 04514-000. +55-11-5093-9486. www.baroriginal.com.br.

Mon-Wed 5.30pm-2am, Thu-Fri 5.30pm-3am, Sat noon-3am, Sun noon-10pm. Boteco. `

32

Bar do Biu

Famed as much for its hearty food as its young crowd, Bar do Biu is a good thirst-quencher after a visit to the Saturday flea market at nearby Praça Benedito Calizto. Don’t miss the baião de dois – a rice-and-jerky dish from northeastern Brazil.

Rua Cardeal Arcoverde 776, Pinheiros, São Paulo 05427-100. +55-11-3081-6739. www.bardobiu.com. br. Mon-Tue 11am-6pm. Wed-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Boteco. `

33

Frangó

Perched on a hill overlooking the city from afar, Frangó is a São Paulo mecca for fried chicken and craft beer.

Largo da Matriz Nossa Senhora do Ó 168, Freguesia do Ó, São Paulo 02925-040. +55-11-3932-4818. www.frangobar.com.br. Tue-Thu 11am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11-2am, Sun 11am-8pm. Boteco. `

010. +55-11-3815-1364. www.subastor.com.br.

Tue-Thu 8pm-3am, Fri-Sat 8pm-4am. Cocktail bar. ``-```

36Casa 92

Dance under the stars at this quirky, fun 1950s house turned club.

Rua Cristóvão, Gonçalves 92, Pinheiros, São Paulo 05426-050. +55-11-3032-0371. www.casa92.com.br.

Thu-Sat 10.30pm-6am. Nightclub. ``

37D-Edge

Catering to a crowd of wild young things that arrives late and stays until the early hours, D-Edge is seriously dedicated to its underground electronic music.

Alameda Olga 170, Barra Funda, São Paulo 01155040. +55-11-3665-9500. www.d-edge.com.br.

Mon, Wed-Sat midnight-7am. Nightclub. `-``

38The Week

This is the city’s undisputed king of the gay clubs, with an average of 2,000 muscle boys, straight couples, celebrities and hipsters crowding the dance floors.

Rua Guaicurus 324, Lapa, São Paulo 05033-000 +55-11-3868-9944. www.theweek.com.br.

Sat midnight-8.30am. Nightclub. `-``

34

39Beco 203

35

40Ó do Borogodó

Bar Numero

This swish, top-ranking bar is one of the sceniest places in Jardins, with a chic Isay Weinfeld-designed interior and a high-society clientele to match.

Rua da Consolação 3585, Jardim Paulista, São Paulo 01416-001. +55-11-3061-3995. www.barnumero. com.br. Tue-Sat 7pm onwards. Cocktail bar. ``

SubAstor

Located in the basement of the upmarket, gourmet boteco Astor, SubAstor is a ritzy, decadent red-and-black joint with some of the best cocktails in town.

Rua Delfina 163, Vila Madalena, São Paulo 05443-

Indie kids, hipsters and rockers mix on the crowded dance floor, while the upstairs mezzanine provides a less chaotic view of the stage, which often hosts international rock and electro acts.

Rua Augusta, 609, Consolação, São Paulo 01305000. +55-11-2339-0351. www.beco203.com.br.

Tue-Sat 11pm-7am. Live music. `

This compact space is one of the best samba venues in town, and it’s open every day of the week.

Rua Horácio Lane 21, Vila Madalena, São Paulo 05432-030. +55-11-3814-4087. Mon-Fri 9pm-3am, Sat 1pm-3am, Sun 7pm-midnight. Live music. `

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 29

BARS SCREENING THE WORLD CUP All Black An upmarket take on the concept of a local Irish pub, All Black sports dark wood interiors and two big screens on which football matches are broadcast.

Rua Oscar Freire 163, Jardim Paulista, São Paulo 01426-001. +55-11-30887990. www.allblack.com.br. Mon 6pmmidnight, Tue-Wed 6pm-1am, Thu-Fri 6pm-3.30am, Sat 7pm-3.30am. `-`` Dublin Dublin is an Irish pub with a Brazilian twist, serving chope and caipirinhas alongside pints of Guinness.

Rua Ministro Jesuíno Cardoso 178, Vila Olímpia, São Paulo 04544-050. +55-11-3044-4149. www.dublin. com.br. Tue-Wed 6pm-1am, Thu-Fri 6pm-4am, Sat 8pm-4.30am. `-`` O’Malley’s Reminiscent of the chain pubs you find inside London railway stations, this big, noisy bar is just as popular with locals as it is with expats.

Alameda Itú 1529, Jardim Paulista, São Paulo 01421-001. +55-11-3086-0780. www.omalleysbar.net. Mon-Thu, Sun noon-4am; Fri-Sat noon-5am. `-``

BAGGING IT Apart from malls, there are plenty of boho boutiques and street markets – veritable open-air Aladdin’s caves – to get your retail fix. Lookout for weekly feiras de rua (food markets) citywide, for a glimpse (and taste) of exotic local produce

The recently opened JK mall caters to São Paulo’s chic elite, featuring some of the city’s top restaurants, shops like Bulgari and Gucci and the first Brazilian branches of Sephora and London’s Topshop.

Avenida Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek 2041,Vila Olímpia, São Paulo 04543-011. +55-11-3152-6809. www.jkiguatemi.com.br. Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 11-8pm. ``-````

42

Morumbi

This mall is a favourite with young executives in the area for its first-floor gym (Companhia Athletica), as well as for its branch of the FNAC bookstore, which hosts music shows, art events and book releases. The food court has gourmet restaurants including La Pasta Gialla and Barbacoa steakhouse. Brazilian brands Animale, Gloria Coelho and Spezzato are also worth a look.

Avenida Roque Petroni Jr 1089, São Paulo 04707– 900. +55-11-4003-4132. www.morumbishopping. com.br. Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 2-8pm. `-```

43

Conjunto Nacional

It’s said that everyday, 30,000 people pass through this complex, which was designed by David Libeskind in 1958. Innovative in its use as a commercial cum residential property, the complex is home to Livraria Cultura, a large and welcoming bookshop founded by Kurt and Eva Herz, and to one of São Paulo’s best cinemas, Cine Livraria Cultura.

The digital clock and thermometer that crown the building are a daily reference for paulistanos.

Avenida Paulista 2073, Consolação, São Paulo 01311-940. +55-11-3262-1852. www.ccn.com.br.

Mon-Fri 7am-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-10pm. `-```

44Galeria do Rock

A downtown haven for rockers, punks and emos, the architecturally gorgeous Gallery of Rock is a collection of 450 shops, 190 of them dedicated to musical pursuits such as bootlegged band T-shirts and rare vinyl records. Other sections of the compact shopping centre specialise in skateboarding equipment, screen-printing supplies and tattoos.

Avenida São João 439, São Paulo 01035-000. +55-11-3337-6277. www. portalgaleriadorock.com.br. Mon-Sat 10am-6.30pm, Sat 10am-6pm. `-```

45

Pátio Paulista

The largest mall on Avenida Paulista – located at the iconic avenue’s MECHIKA / ALAMY/INDIAPICTURE

AGUINA/DREAMSTIME

41

JK Iguatemi

SHOPPING

30 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

(Left) The JK Iguatemi Shopping Mall is where São Paulo's chic-elite shop (Facing page top to bottom) For ethnic Brazilian cuisine, head to Mercãdo Municipal A bookstore at Conjunto Nacional, Brazil's first shopping centre

UY

TB S U M

THE ESSENTIALS Don't leave São Paulo without picking up these goodies Havaianas The most-loved Brazilian flip-flop is available at any local store, For shopping with a but the flagship one at Jardim conscience, visit Casa Paulista has the best choice. da Vila on Rua Capitão There's even an MYOH (Make Calvalcanti 82 for its indigenous artefacts Your Own Havaianas) booth. from Brazil's +55-11-3079-3415. `-`` 27 states

LUIZ ROCHA/SHUTTERSTOCK

FAIR TRADE

eastern end – is home to chains like Zara, Luigi Bertolli and Hering. The sleek interior appeals to Avenida Paulista business types, primarily interested in midday trips to the food court, while families flock to its small three-screen movie theatre.

Rua Treze de Maio 1947, Bela Vista, São Paulo 01327-001. +55-11-3191-1100. www. shoppingpaulista.com.br. Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 11am-8pm Sun. ``-```

photographs are just a few of the dusty gems to be found at this scenic market underneath the hulking body of the MASP art museum. Although the prices can be surprisingly high, only one-of-akind articles are purveyed here.

Avenida Paulista 1578, Bela Vista, São Paulo 01310-200. Sun 10am-5pm. `-```

Feira de Antiguidades e Arte do Bixiga

46

Feira de Artes, Cultura e Lazer da Praça Benedito Calixto

49

This fair’s 300 stalls boast everything from antique clocks and furniture, clothes and records to vintage watches, brooches and sunglasses. There’s also a number of excellent food stalls, selling a plethora of delicacies, including homemade Italian cuisine – Bixiga is, after all, one of São Paulo’s historic hotspots of Italian immigration.

Praça Dom Orione, Bela Vista, São Paulo 01325020. +55-11-3262-2198. Sun 9am-5pm. `-``

This Saturday market sells bric-à-brac and antique furniture – stay on your guard though, as some of the latter are imitations – as well as vinyl, clothes and jewellery. It’s busiest in the afternoons, when live music kicks in from 2.30 to 6.30pm and a buzzing gay scene arrives to animate the square’s bars and cafes. Stalls are up early until late evening, but try to get there before 4pm.

Praça Benedito Calixto, Pinheiros, São Paulo 05406-040. www.pracabeneditocalixto.com.br.

Sat 8am-7pm. `

Feira de Arte, Artesanato e Cultura da Liberdade (Feira da Liberdade)

47

This weekly market, held in São Paulo’s iconic Japanese neighbourhood, offers a vast range of Asian fast food treats at reasonable prices. Jewellery, bonsai trees, aquarium fish and bamboo kitchen utensils are merely secondary.

Praça da Liberdade, Liberdade, São Paulo 01503000. +55-11-3208-5090. Sat-Sun 9am- 6pm. `-``

48Feira do MASP

Family silver, vintage lace and antique

50

Mercãdo Municipal

The Mercadão, as it’s called, is a laboratory of the edible, spanning the city’s most important ethnic cuisines and displaying a colourful array of native and exotic fruits and vegetables.

The famous melt-in-your-mouth bacalhau (Portuguese-style salt cod), is a Mercadão favourite. Have it in pastry form at Hocca Bar, or from myriad shops in the labyrinthine market.

Parque Dom Pedro II, Rua da Cantareira 306, Sé, São Paulo 01024-100. +55-11-3313-1326. www.mercadomunicipal.com.br. Mon-Sat 6am-6pm, Sun 6am-4pm. `

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 31

Tasty treats From cachaças (distilled spirit made from sugarcane) to regional fizzy drinks, bottled butter and popular homemade sweets, Mercadinho Dalva e Dito is a foodie’s delight. +55-11-3068-4444. ` Football jersey Get primped for the World Cup with a vintage version of your national team’s jersey at Liga Retrô, widely available at shopping malls across town. www.ligaretro.com.br. `` Brazilian coffee Pick up a bag of the really good stuff at Coffee Lab – try the coffee shop’s house blend, or sample beans from some interesting microlots. +55-11-3375-7400. www.raposeiras. com.br. ```

WEEKENDER GUIDE

CENTRE SPOT Only in town for two days? We give you the cheat sheet to essential eating, drinking and drifting in São Paulo Head over to Parque do Ibirapuera (Avenida Padro Álvares Cabral, Vila Mariana, São Paulo 04094-000), Sampa’s answer to New York’s Central Park where you can take your pick of late architect legend Oscar Niemeyer’s imaginative constructions. Don’t miss the stunning Auditório Ibirapuera, with its wavy red tongue pointed skyward over the entrance.

DAY 01

FILIPE MATOS FRAZAO/SHUTTERSTOCK (2)

Start the day paulistano-style at the counter of the nearest bakery with coffee, fresh OJ and some pão na chapa (toasted buttered bread). Bella Paulista (Rua Haddock Lobo 354, Consolação, São Paulo 01414-000) is a reliably buzzy choice.

Y LEVY/ALAMY

Drift into the lush hideaway that is Parque Trianon (Rua Peixoto Gomide 949, Jardim Paulista), a lingering scrap of the Atlantic rainforest native to this part of Brazil.

ANDY CAULFIELD/ALAMY

Head up for a stroll along Avenida Paulista, the most iconic of São Paulo’s avenues, with its ranks of skyscrapers bristling with antennae, plus a handful of surviving early-20th-century mansions.

Still on Paulista, across the road is the Museu de Arte de São Paulo – the MASP (Avenida Paulista 1578, Bela Vista, São Paulo 01310-200). Head in to browse one of the best art collections in Latin America, or just marvel at the building – a concrete-and-glass box suspended on four scarlet columns. If you get peckish, Uni, located in the basement, does a great lunch buffet.

32 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

Catch a view of the city at sunset, cocktail in hand at Skye bar (Avenida Brigadeiro Luis Antônio 4700, Jardim Paulista, São Paulo 01402-002), on the roof of Hotel Unique that’s shaped like a slice of watermelon.

It’s on to Jardim Paulista for dinner – if you’re in the mood to splurge on some of the finest Brazilian dining, try Brasil a Gosto, Tordesilhas, D.O.M. or Mani.

Keep the Brazilian vibes going with a beat-filled night at the small, steamy samba club Ó do Borogodó (Rua Horácio Lane 21, Vila Madalena, São Paulo 05432-030).

DAY 02

INDIA PICTURE

WALLY GOBETZ/FLICKR

Grab a coffee in Vila Madalena before getting snap-happy in the winding alleyway that is Beco do Batman (Rua Gonçalo Afonso, Vila Madalena, São Paulo 05436-100) – an unmissable open-air art gallery, featuring works by some of São Paulo’s premier street artists.

Wander through one of the exhibitions at the Pinacoteca do Estado (Praça da Luz, 2 - Luz, São Paulo 01120010) – an art institution stunningly renovated in 1997 by architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha. The adjacent Parque da Luz (Rua Ribeiro de Lima, Bom Retiro, São Paulo 01122-000), the city’s oldest public park and a former botanical garden, is a leafy paradise, teeming with curious flora.

Don’t even think of missing the uncomparable view of the city from the 41st floor of the lofty Edificio Itália (Avenida Ipiranga 344, Centro, São Paulo 01046010).

AGUINA/DREAMSTIME

INDIAPICTURE

Take the metro from Vila Madalena to Sao Bento. From there, wind your way through the Rua 25 de Março street market to the Mercadão Municipal market (Parque Dom Pedro II, Rua da Cantareira 306, Sé, São Paulo 01024-100), for a lunch of oysters, pasties (fried pasteries) or Middle Eastern fare. Top it off with tropical fruit from one of the stalls.

How about some sushi for dinner in the city's Japanese heartland, Libberdade? Else, grab a gourmet sandwich at the newly reopened Riviera bar (Avenida Paulista 2584, Consolação, São Paulo 01310-300), accompanied by the strains of live jazz.

There’s only one way to go from here: downhill, literally. Head down Rua Augusta in the direction of Centro, into the impossibly trashy nightspot known as Baxio Augusta and see where the night takes you

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 33

GETTING THERE

By Air Flights to Guarulhos International Airport (+55-11-2445-2945. www.gru.com.br), São Paulo’s international airport, are available from Delhi via carriers such as Emirates and Etihad with stopovers in the Middle East. The airport is about 25km from the city centre. Guarucoop (+55-11-2440-7070. www.guarucoop.com. br) runs a taxi service with fares ranging from R$75 (`2,047) to R$130 (`3,548), depending on the neighbourhood you are headed to. For R$38 (`1,037), there’s also an airport shuttle bus (0800-770-2287. www.airportbusservice. com.br.) with services that stop in São Paulo’s central neighbourhoods, at major hotels and the Tietê bus terminal (metro access). The most budget-friendly, although time-consuming, option is bus 257 from the airport to Tatuapé metro (R$4.45; `122).

If you’re travelling from Rio de Janeiro, you’re likely to land at the domestic airport, Congonhas (+55-115090-9000. www. aeroportocongonhas.net), 8km from the city centre.

Your transportation options from here are the same as above: taxi (R$30-$40; `819-`1,092), shuttle bus (R$36.50; `996), or public transport (R$3; `81.88).

By road There are three main bus terminals in São Paulo, all connected by the metro. The largest one is Rodoviária do Tieté (Avenida Crizeiro do Sul 1800. +55-11-38661100), which serves both international and domestic destinations towards the north of

the country. This is the station you are more likely to use if you take any long-distance buses in Brazil. Some buses going to southern and southwestern destinations leave from Rodoviária do Jabaquara (Rua dos Jequitibás. +55-11-3866-1100).

Unfortunately, there is no centrally organised website listing times and routes. A search on SOCICAM (www.socicam. com.br), will show which bus companies serve which destinations; many private companies have their own websites.

However, without a CPF (Brazilian social security number), you will most likely be unable to make online purchases. Tickets are likely to sell out during the World Cup, so it is a good idea to get yours at the ticket window of the respective bus station in advance.

GETTING AROUND Metro The metro (0800-7707722. www.metro.sp.gov. br. 4.40am-midnight) is clean and safe, though it doesn’t serve many neighbourhoods. A ride to any destination costs R$3 (`82) and tickets can be bought at booths labelled bilheteria. The Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos (0800-055-0121. www. cptm.sp.gov.br.) is an extension of the metro that serves farther-flung suburban destinations, as well as parts of the city that the metro does not reach.

Bus Where the metro doesn’t go, a bus usually does.

The city's large network of buses is regulated by the transport authority SPTrans (www.sptrans. com.br). A 24-hour hotline (dial 156) provides

NATALIEJORGE/THINKSTOCK

FACT FILE

information on bus routes; SPTrans also has a journey planner that uses Google Maps.

If you intend to use public transport, it’s well worth getting a Bilhete Único (Free at metro stations with R$15; `409 as inital minimum credit). The card allows for free or low-cost transfers between buses, the metro and CPTM trains. One bus ride is R$3 (`82), or for R$4.65 (`127), you can take one metro/CPTM ride and up to three bus rides in a period of three hours.

Taxi Cabs can be hailed on the street, though the safest way is to call for one (Central Taxi +55-11-3035-0404; Delta Rádio Táxi +5511-5072-4499), find one at a ponto de taxi (taxi rank), or download one of the handy smartphone apps such as Easy Taxi, 99Taxis or SaferTaxi.

Fares start at R$4.10 with R$2.50 for each additional kilometre.

Keep in mind, the price per additional kilometre is 30 percent higher after 8pm on Sundays.

Cycle There are a few bicycle

paths located in Parque do Ibirapuera, Cidade Universitária and along the Rio Pinheiros. There are also ciclofaixas, or roads that are exclusively for cyclists on Sundays and holidays (www.ciclofaixa.com. br. 7am-4pm). For bike rentals, the Bike Sampa (+55-11-3298-8811. www.bikesampa.com) scheme has over 100 pick-up points across the city. You’ll need to register online first; foreigners have to submit passport details in addition to credit card information and a R$10 (`273) deposit. Trips of up to 30 minutes are free, provided there is a 15-minute interval between uses. Else, bikes cost R$5 (`136) for every additional half hour after.

Walk Though São Paulo is a car-oriented city, it is possible to explore many areas on foot. The best neighbourhoods for a walkabout are the historic Centro (which is less safe at night), Vila Madalena and Jardins.

When crossing, be sure to watch out for speeding traffic – cars rarely slow down for pedestrians.

34 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

NEED TO KNOW In case of emergency For medical and fire emergencies dial 192 and 193 respectively.

For military police dial 190. DEATUR or the tourist police can be contacted at Rua da Consolação 247, Centro. +55-11-3151-4167, +55-11-3259-2202.

Money Banks and ATMs are easy to find throughout the city, though not all will accept international ATM cards – travellers tend to have the most success with Citibank, HSBS and Banco do Brasil. Banks are open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm. A couple of ATMs can be accessed after 4pm, though for security reasons, some will only dispense limited amounts after 10pm.

Lost and stolen cards American Express (0800721-1188), Diners Club (4001-4444), MasterCard (0800-891-3294) and Visa (0800-891-3680) Safety & security In Brazil, it’s customary to carry identification, often required to access office buildings. For security reasons, it’s best not to carry an

original passport around; it’s easy enough to get a copy of a passport certified at the offices of any notary (cartório). As in any large metropolis, crime is a serious issue in São Paulo. Be careful with personal belongings, especially at night and in the city centre. Most places are safe to walk in during the day, but at night it’s best to avoid areas where there are few people. High-risk areas for crime and pickpocketing include Praça da Sé, Praça do República and around Estação da Luz. Do not argue with muggers; just hand over your possessions calmly and try not to look at them too directly. Chances are they will be armed.

TOURIST INFORMATION City Of São Paulo is Sampa's official English-language tourism website (www. cityofsaopaulo.com), run by SPTuris. There are several tourist information offices. The most centrally-located ones are at Avenida São João 473 and Avenida Paulista 1853.

SPLIT WIDE OPEN This summer, let’s take it outside. A Rajasthani wildlife adventure. Digging for temples in the Chambal valley. The last stretch of virgin Himalayan territory in eastern Arunachal Pradesh.

An astrophotography trail up north.

AYAN GHOSH

SAWAI MADHOPUR BATESHWAR ARUNACHAL PRADESH NORTHERN INDIA 35 – TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014

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SAWAI MADHOPUR

WILDLIFE

Wild thing During a drive through Ranthambore National Park, Nicole Newby finds out that there’s more to Rajasthan’s reserve than its much-publicised big cat Photographs by Tejal Pandey arrived at Sawai Madhopur station in Rajasthan on a particularly bleak winter morning in January. Staggering out of the car that ferried me to my hotel about fifteen minutes away, I wearily surveyed my stark surroundings. I’ll have to admit it was hardly love at first sight. The district’s claim to fame is the 392-square-kilometre Ranthambore National Park – set where the Vindhya and Aravali ranges meet – which is home to approximately 23 of the country’s tigers. Since industrialisation is prohibited by the government, the region relies heavily on tourism. The road leading to the park bears signs of haphazard development with luxury properties and budget hotels, small convenience

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stores, tiny tea stalls and shops pedalling tourist paraphernalia all jostling for space. In alarming contrast to the expected calm, I was greeted by the loud ramblings of a political rally and the incessant buzzing of construction equipment which provided the soundtrack to my stay.

Monkey trouble (Opening page) The vegetation at Ranthambore National Park varies between dry deciduous forest and open grasslands (Facing page clockwise from top left) Due to their sharp colour vision, guides pay heed to the alarm calls of langurs to help locate a tiger Dominant flora in the reserve includes banyan and dhok trees Sambar prefer to confront predators near shallow water (Below) Peacocks are a familiar sight all through Ranthambore

Well-fed and watered after a pit stop at my hotel Treehouse Anuraga and warmed by the weak sunshine, we set off for the afternoon safari at about 2.30pm. At the entrance to the reserve, our canter (an open-topped van that seats about 20) was met by the selfappointed sentinels of the park – a troop of langurs who acknowledged all entrants with the same cold, calculating stares. Next came a camerashy peacock and a couple of rufous treepies. The latter, we were told, were members of the crow family, omnivores who fed on berries and seeds as well as

discarded carcasses and the parasites incident – until we arrived at Rajbagh found on deer.

Talao, that is. I privately questioned the We stopped by Padam Talao, wisdom of our driver’s decision to stop one of the three lakes in the park. so close to a troop of langurs (they’re Motioning for us to maintain silence, everywhere) that sat on the rocks at our guide pointed to what looked like the edge of the lake. As cuddly as an innocuous pile of rocks on the bank they might seem, monkeys are equally a few yards away except, quick-witted, agile and can each rock came with an often be quite vicious. identical sinister grin.

I was busy trying to Despite their size, I convince myself that realised, crocodiles are the creatures were When a sambar senses probably far less frighteningly adept at danger, it stamps its disguising themselves. interested in us than hooves and makes After a short while, we were in them, when a ringing noise known having endured being I suddenly heard an as belling gaped at by twenty-odd almighty shriek from humans, the three marsh my companions. Being crocs gracefully slipped back a generally noisy bunch, I into the water, their movements almost initially paid no heed to them. synchronised – as if they had been Then, something made me turn planning it all along. around, bringing me face to face with Aside from the occasional chital two beady eyes glinting from a furry (spotted deer) or peacock spotting, black visage that belonged to an the rest of the ride passed without enterprising langur now perched on the

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ALARM BELLS

SAWAI MADHOPUR

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up to the primate for a little chat. “What are you doing here? Go on now,” he said. With one last sweeping glance, the langur bounded off, his long tail in tow.

As everyone breathed a sigh of relief, he sat upon a rock, picking nits from his fur with a look that plainly suggested he had no idea what all the fuss was about. Having duly been chastised, the drive back was a much quieter one.

(Above) Visitors to the national park can enjoy safaris in 20-seater canters or 6-seater jeeps (Right) Rufous treepies are omnivorous birds who feed on berries as well as discarded carcasses (Facing page) Chital usually travel in groups for added safety

Tiger tantrums

seat right behind mine. I ducked, head in my lap, thinking I would edge to safety on the opposite side of the canter.

Of course, he took this opportunity to lean over. And as I turned slightly to sneak a peek, I could see him surveying the crowd, ostensibly thrilled at having a captive audience. If moments of crisis are indeed indicative of a person’s true nature then, I am ashamed to say, the first thought that ran through my head was, “Please don’t grab my phone!”

Meanwhile, our guide calmly sauntered

With plans to head out for a morning safari thwarted by the fog, our second ride took place the next afternoon.

The terrain we drove through was rockier than the previous day with the sun illuminating tall, imposing cliffs around us. Being winter, the dry deciduous forest was a bit bare. This time around, we encountered several species of birds including two crested serpent eagles, a falcon, a kingfisher eyeing its next catch, a couple of Asian paradise flycatchers and a greylag goose. We also drove past a few sambar who, as skittish and ungainly as they were, obliged to pause for a photo-op. We spotted a couple of old

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pugmarks and strained our ears for alarm calls, but unfortunately saw no big cats during our visit.

Though the creatures eluded us in the flesh, they seemed to be all pervasive. From postcards and paintings to striped harem pants, tiger-themed souvenirs can be found all over. News travels like wildfire here – without much prompting, anyone, from the store owners to chai vendors around Ranthambore road, will be able to point out almost exactly when, where and at what time a tiger was spotted that day. During safaris, we were regaled with stories of Machli, one of the oldest tigers in the reserve, so named due to a marking on her forehead. The lady of the lake, as she’s known, is famous for having successfully fought a crocodile and has been the subject of several documentaries. Understandably, a tryst with the majestic creatures is far from ordinary, but the rabid intensity (enough to rival the most persistent paparazzo) with which they are sought after struck me as somewhat distressing. One of our guides

SAWAI MADHOPUR

Something made me turn around, bringing me face to face with two beady eyes glinting from a furry black visage

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confessed that it’s common practice to size up each group of tourists and play to the gallery. “We can immediately tell what they’re here for.

Most come to spot a tiger and it’s up to us to show them a good time.” That being said, the guides are recruited by the Forest Department and are quite well-informed – if you show a keen interest in learning about the flora and fauna of the park, they’re more than happy to share.

All attempts, by both our government and wildlife organisations, to give our national animal a fighting chance and some breathing space so far have been disorganised and half-hearted. For example, in July 2012, the Supreme Court of India imposed a blanket ban on tiger tourism which lasted all of three months. Ranthambore is no exception and stands testament to the ongoing conflict between man and nature.

Though the former hunting ground of the maharajas is now protected, it hasn’t proved much of a deterrent to poachers. One frequently hears of villagers being attacked – T24 is notorious for being responsible for the death of at least three people, though only one incident can be corroborated.

FYI When to go A good time to visit is between November and April. February and March are your best bets to spot a fair number of animals away from the crowds. The national park is closed for the monsoons (Jul-Sept).

Getting there Sawai Madhopur lies on the Delhi-Mumbai railway route. It is a 1.5-hour drive from Kota and a two-hour drive from Jaipur, the nearest airport, with regular flights plying from Mumbai and Delhi.

Getting around Autorickshaws are available outside Sawai Madhopur station, but be prepared to haggle.

Safaris and fort tours can be booked online (www. rajasthanwildlife.in) or via your hotel.

Tourist information www.rajasthantourism. gov.in

(Top to bottom) An abandoned crematorium lies deserted just off the main Ranthambore Road A work in progress, Ranthambore Road is crammed with hotels and stalls catering to tourists (Facing page left to right) Besides tigerspotting, the park is also a treat for birding enthusiasts Marsh crocodiles are the most common and widespread species of crocodiles in India

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SAWAI MADHOPUR

Recently, efforts have been made to limit the number of vehicles allowed to enter and exit the park, but the truth remains that the Forest Department

is woefully understaffed and illequipped to adequately monitor all 392 square kilometres. All said and done, Ranthambore is more than deserving

of a spot on your bucket list. Pay a visit and if you’re lucky, you just might figure out exactly what Blake was going on about.

FACT FILE AT A GLANCE Located in the Sawai Madhopur District of Rajasthan, the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve was formed in 1973 under Project Tiger.

Formerly frequented by maharajas who hunted for sport, the area comprises the Ranthambore National Park (+91-74622-20766. www.rajasthanwildlife. com. Entry FREE), officially formed in 1980 and the adjoining Sawai Mansingh and Keladevi sanctuaries.

Famous for its tigers, the reserve is also home to several species of fauna including caracals, leopards, nilgai, wild boar, sambar, chinkara, sloth bears, marsh crocodiles and banded kraits. A

number of birds too can be spotted including crested serpent eagles, the Indian grey hornbill, woodpeckers and falcons.

The vegetation is of the dry, deciduous type with the dhok tree dominating the landscape.

EXPLORE Established in the 5th century AD by Maharaja Jayanta, the Ranthambore fort (DCF Sawai Madhopur, +9114122-27225. Daily 6am-5.30pm. Entry FREE) has come under many rulers, the best known of whom was Hamir Deo (AD 1282-1301) of the Chauhan dynasty. He was defeated by Alauddin Khilji after which the

fort fell under the rule of the Mughals until it was handed over to the rulers of Jaipur state in the 17th century. There are several temples and shrines within the fort though the Trinetra Ganesha temple sees the most pilgrims. The only one of its kind, its sanctum holds idols of Lord Ganesha, his wife and two sons Shubh and Labh. The fort can be accessed via Ranthambore National Park. A half-hour drive from the park will take you through Bhairav Darvaza, the gateway to what is known as the old city. Stop by the Kala Gaura temple, flanked by statues of two elephants,

that was once frequented by tantriks from all over the country.

SHOP Plenty of stores can be found along Ranthambore Road selling traditional Rajasthani textiles and jewellery. At the government-run Dastkari Kendra (Ranthambore Rd, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan 322001. +9174622-525051. www. dastkarranthambore. org. `) one can pick up kurtas, bags and other handicrafts which use local craft skills such as block-printing, bandhani and patchwork. The Ranthambore School of Art (Near Ranthambore Regency, Ranthambore

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Rd, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan 322001. +91-94144-40167, +91-77374-76067.) is a privately-run institution which trains and employs youths from nearby villages. Visitors are welcome to stop by and watch the artists in action as well.

EAT & STAY Treehouse Anuraga (Ranthambore Rd, Near Tiger Safari Lodge, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan 322001. +91-7462220751/20451. www. treehousehotels.in. ```) is a family-friendly hotel decked out in traditional Rajasthani motifs. Ideal for mid-level budgets, it features 40 rooms,

4 suites, a spa and a gym. Guests can enjoy afternoon tea relaxing in the hotel courtyard or spend a day at the organic Shabri farm near Meinpura Village, managed by the resort owners. Prices may vary depending on the season. For a more indulgent option, head to Sherbagh (Ranthambore Road, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan 322001. +91-11-4617-2700. www. sujanluxury.com. ````), a Relais & Châteaux property featuring 12 luxury canvas tents complete with an Edwardian-style decor.

There’s also an outdoor dining option, hammocks to lounge on and a spa.

HISTORY

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Among the gullies and ravines of the Chambal valley – notorious for its tales of outlaws and dacoits – lie remnants of a temple complex painstakingly being brought back to life by the Archaeological Survey of India Text & Photographs Gustasp & Jeroo Irani

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iven that our perception of archaeologists at work was largely moulded by what we had seen on the National Geographic and Discovery channels, the excavations at the Bateshwar temple complex – 36km north of Gwalior – were a far cry from what we imagined an undertaking of this nature ought to be. Instead of teams of experts and college students combing through ruins with soft hairbrushes and exacting precision, there was an air of casual randomness as workers crawled like ants across the rubble of around 200 ancient temples and shrines, picking blocks of fallen pillars and arches, carting them off to holding areas where they would then be reassembled. To our ears, the sound of shovels scraping through the debris, the thud of heavy objects

G (Opening page) The ASI has reconstructed about 80 temples at Bateshwar since beginning excavation in 2005 (Below) Restored shrines surround a temple pond

being tossed about and the cranking toiling under a cloudless blue sky of pulleys were like an uneven, was now charged with expectancy. unfinished soundtrack.

Without bothering to excuse himself, However, this seemingly cavalier the site foreman we had been talking attitude with which the relics of to, bounded over the rubble to fractured history were being treated see what his men had unearthed. was deceptive – the team from We stumbled after, arriving in the Archaeological Survey time to see him deliver a of India (ASI) has been congratulatory thump on doing a commendable the back of the man job, judging by the who had made the 80 reconstructed find. Beaming with The Bateshwar region temples since delight, he showed us derives its name from the Bateshwarnath beginning excavation a small stone object temple that’s in 2005. Using these which he believed dedicated to few structures as to probably be the Lord Shiva props, our imagination missing piece of an idol worked overtime trying to that had been uncovered a visualize what the 10-hectare few days ago. site, tucked away in the ravines of Chambal, must have looked like in its Come together glory days.

The treasure nestled safely in his All of a sudden, there was an hand, the foreman spun around and electric buzz among a group of barked at his crew to get back to workers who had apparently dug up work. We followed him to the holding something interesting. A routine day area which was strewn with idols of

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NAME GAME

BATESHWAR

(Clockwise from left) One of the several restored carved pillars A pair of Egyptian vultures watch over the temple complex Fragments of the temple complex are carted off to holding areas to be reassembled

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FYI When to go Winter (Oct-Mar) is the ideal time to plan your trip.

Getting there Gwalior, the closest airport to Bateshwar (36km), is well linked by road with the rest of the country. Among other major trains, the Taj Express and Shatabdi Express connect Gwalior with Delhi and Agra.

various Hindu gods and goddesses.

Here, a team of workers laboured with toothbrushes, scraping off layers of dirt, hundreds or maybe even a thousand years old, from the objects around them. A young lad brought out the earlier find and having acquired the critical missing piece – a torso – the foreman began to put the statue together with an almost childlike delight. A number of hands appeared seemingly out

of nowhere, fumbling about, each one trying to get a feel of what the original figure must have looked like.

Finally, a handsome, commanding god was lovingly fitted in the middle of a filigreed arch and we were thrilled to be able to witness the transformation.

The labourers appeared to play gods themselves, almost breathing life back into cold stone. We were informed that once all the pieces of the idol had been thoroughly cleaned, they

Getting around Public transport plying to the excavation sites is skeletal, making it a good idea to bring your own vehicle or hire a private taxi from Gwalior.

Bateshwar can be accessed via the town of Malanpur on NH92.

Tourist information www.mptourism.com

(Top) ASI-hired labourers take pride in their restoration efforts (Right) The Mitaoli temple near Bateshwar served as inspiration for the design of the Parliament House in Delhi (Facing page left to right) The restored Surwaya temple at a neighbouring excavation site Recovered pieces of idols are recorded, cleaned thoroughly, stuck together and restored to their original homes

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would be reassembled and stuck together with an industrial-strength structural adhesive. Its location having been recorded, the find would then permanently be enshrined in the temple it once sanctified.

Past imperfect Indeed, the task of trying to make sense of the rubble at Bateshwar is a daunting one. Though the finer details are shrouded in mystery, it is

BATESHWAR

Even ruffians who revelled in an orgy of bloodletting, kidnapping and highway robbery seemed to acknowledge the sanctity of the place believed that the temples here were built between AD 8 and AD 10 during the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. A massive earthquake – no one has been able to accurately determine when it occurred – brought the complex down like a pack of cards. Deserted by priests and pilgrims, it became a refuge for outlaws and bandits who unleashed a reign of terror across the Chambal ravines.

Yes, fear of being looted, kidnapped and even killed by bandits kept art thieves and raiders of abandoned temples from pilfering the ancient idols – such as the one of Lord Ganesha unearthed that same day from a temple upon a hillock. But even these ruffians who revelled in an orgy of bloodletting, kidnapping and highway robbery seemed to acknowledge the sanctity of the place and worshipped Lord Hanuman whose vermilion covered idol sat in a nook

by an ancient temple pond. We could not help but wonder if, in an ironic twist of fate, the labourers working on the excavation were descendants of the dacoits who once terrorised these harsh ravines.

The manner in which the excavation supervisor and his team of workers displayed their finds, made the fact that they took immense pride in

rescuing gods and giving them a new lease of life quite apparent. We looked up at two Egyptian vultures with menacingly hooked yellow beaks that soared on air currents high up in the sky. To us, they represented the spirit of Bateshwar where a crumbling heritage is being salvaged from the dust of centuries and lovingly restored and polished to a high gloss.

FACT FILE AT A GLANCE Built between AD 8 and AD 10, the Bateshwar temple complex comprised approximately 200 temples and shrines.

Located amongst the ravines of the Chambal district in Madhya Pradesh, 36km north of Gwalior, the complex was destroyed by an earthquake that rocked the region centuries ago. In 2005, the ASI began excavating the ruins and reconstructing

the monuments.

EXPLORE Gwalior (36km), the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh, is studded with historic monuments including the Gwalior Fort (Daily 8am-6pm. Indians, `5; Foreigners, `100.); the mausoleum of the fabled musician Tansen (Tansen Rd, Birla Nagar, Gwalior 474002. Daily 8am-6pm.

Entry FREE.) and the Jiwaji Rao Scindia Museum (Lashkar, Gwalior 474009.

+91-75123-72390. www. jaivilasmuseum.org. TueSun 10am-5pm.) which is housed in a section of the 35-room Jai Vilas Palace. Situated within the crumbling walls of an abandoned fort, about a kilometre from Bateshwar, is the ornate Padhavali Temple. It features sculptures inspired by the Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita as well as more grotesque ones with mask-like faces balanced on skeletal bodies. The

Mitaoli Temple (5km east), comprising concentric circles, sits like a jewelled crown on a little hillock overlooking the surrounding farmlands.

This little architectural gem is said to have inspired British architects Laurie Baker and Sir Edwin Lutyens when they sat down to design the Parliament House in Delhi.

EAT & STAY Gwalior is the most convenient base as

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the excavation site at Bateshwar does not have any accommodation.

The Taj Group’s 40-room Usha Kiran Palace (Jayendraganj Lashkar, Gwalior 474009. +9175184-44000. www. tajhotels.com. ``-```) was once the residence of maharajas. In keeping with the Tansen tradition of the city, the hotel’s spa offers the option of live classical music to accompany your treatment. The Gwalior

Tansen Residency (6A, Gandhi Rd, Gwalior 474006. +91-7512340370. www.mptourism. com. `), a 26-room property run by the tourism department of Madhya Pradesh, provides guests with basic amenities. Hotel Landmark Gwalior (47 Manik Vilas Colony, Jhansi Rd, Gwalior 474002. +9175140-11271/72. www. hotellandmarkgwalior.com. `) is another option for those on a budget.

OFFBEAT

First light A visit to India’s Land of the Rising Sun is an opportunity to experience the last few remaining stretches of virgin Himalayan landscape, says Ayan Ghosh

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PIERRE-ARNAUD CHOUVY/FLICKR

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

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FYI When to go The best time to visit is February through May. Winters can get extremely cold and roads often get washed away in the monsoon.

Getting there Tezu is connected by road to Tinsukia, the nearest railhead and Dibrugarh, the nearest airport – both in Assam.

Getting around The best way to travel is in a private vehicle. The only public transport is shared taxis. Cycle rickshaws are available in Tezu.

Need to know There are only a couple of SBI ATMs in Lohit, so bring cash or a cheque book.

Tourists need an Inner Line Permit to visit; foreigners must obtain a Restricted Area Permit as well as register themselves at the Tezu and Hawai police stations on arrival.

Tourist information www.arunachaltourism.com

(Opening page) Largely comprising the Himalayas and its offshoots, Anjaw is a haven for trekkers

AYAN GHOSH

(Right) Suspension bridges are sometimes the only way to get across the swift-flowing Lohit (Facing page) The skulls of mithuns, (gaurs) are displayed in Mishmi homes as status symbols

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C

Sacred waters In the age of Google Earth, eastern Arunachal may be the last terrain in India, which even the most

comprehensive guidebooks have failed to reach. For centuries, the hills in this region have been home to migrating tribes from Tibet, Yunnan in China and Kachin State in Myanmar. Their isolation has been protected by the mighty tributaries of the Brahmaputra which cut deep gorges as they descended from the Himalayas. Most of the state’s districts, like Subansiri, Kameng, Dibang, and Kurung, are named after these rivers. The Brahmaputra enters India through Arunachal Pradesh where it is known locally as Siang, and is joined by several other tributaries in Assam.

The first of these tributaries to meet the Siang is the emerald green Lohit River, which also lends its name to the eponymous district. Lohit is a Sanskrit term, meaning red, from which we get the word lahu, meaning blood. The name of the river is derived from the legend of Parashuram, the sixth avatar of Vishnu, who travelled

here to wash his battle-axe in its waters. The river turned red with the blood of his mother Renuka, whom he had beheaded on the orders of his father, the mighty sage Jamadagni.

Pleased with his son’s obedience, the sage granted him a boon. Thus, on Parashuram’s request, Jamadagni restored Renuka to life. This act of devotion made Lohit the easternmost place of pilgrimage for Hindus in India. Every January, during Makar Sankranti, thousands of pilgrims travel to Parashuram Kund to wash away their sins.

Tribal talk The Lohit enters the plains at Parashuram Kund cutting its way through Anjaw, which means mountain in the local language, a Tibetan-Burman dialect. This is the land of the Mishmis who comprise three tribes: the Idus, Digarus and Mijus. They migrated in waves from

In the age of Google Earth, eastern Arunachal Pradesh may be the last terrain in India which even the most comprehensive guidebooks have failed to reach

PIERRE-ARNAUD CHOUVY/FLICKR

onquering nations have always imposed new names on lands to extend their hegemony over the indigenous people of those territories.

Independent India inherited that legacy from the British and bestowed Sanskrit names to nascent states, in an attempt to integrate those regions into a panIndian identity. One such example is Arunachal Pradesh, in the northeast, named after Arun, the god of dawn in Hinduism, because it is the first Indian state to witness the sunrise. Located in the easternmost part of the country, it is a rugged, mountainous land bordered by Tibet and Myanmar.

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the conflict-ridden Kachin State more than 500 years ago. The entire district has only one road, connecting the district headquarters Hawai with Tezu in Lohit. From Hawai, the road continues further towards Walong, the last town before the Indo-China border. The route winds along the banks of the Lohit River, with snow-

capped Himalayan peaks looming over the horizon. Descending rapidly from the Tibetan plateau, the waters are thundering and powerful in this stretch. Hair-raising suspension bridges are the only way to get across.

These are truly incredible engineering feats – the largest one spans an incredible 300ft.

The surrounding hill slopes are used for cultivation and dotted with Mishmi villages. Untouched by the outside world for centuries, the clan has retained its traditional belief systems. Mishmis are instantly identifiable by the distinctive pink jackets and bags they carry, often with a big dao, or machete, slung around

(Clockwise from bottom) Arunachal Pradesh consists of stretches of dense, untouched tropical and alpine forests Mishmis are expert weavers, known for their elaborate coats and bags

Heavily under dispute, the region has seen great bloodshed especially during the Sino-Indian war of 1962

AYAN GHOSH (3)

Most homes are traditional longhouses made from bamboo, wood and thatch

ARIF SIDDIQUI

(Facing page clockwise from top left) Each year during Makar Sankranti, Hindu pilgrims take a dip in the Lohit to wash away their sins

CHRISTIAN ERNI IWGIA/FLICKR

Tribal women often adorn themselves with beaded necklaces and metal headbands

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ARUNACHAL PRADESH

their waists. It’s worthwhile to find a guide and visit some of the villages on foot, trekking through pristine tropical rainforests. These villages still retain the traditional thatched longhouses made of bamboo wood. Large families stay together in each house with the skulls of mithuns displayed inside as a status symbol. Mithuns are the domesticated variety of bison popularly known in India as gaur and are highly valued in Arunachal and Nagaland. It is quite common to see herds sitting alongside Mishmi women, who sell baskets of oranges by the road in Anjaw.

Paradise lost This heavenly region has long been under dispute between India and

ARIF SIDDIQUI

SAVE THE DATE The celebration of the Tamladu festival in Tezu, in February, is a good time to observe local Mishmi culture

China, with the latter claiming the area as southern Tibet. Anjaw saw intense bloodshed between Indian and Chinese troops during the 1962 Sino-Indian war, especially at Walong – abandoned bunkers can be found strewn along the roadside and spent ammunition is enshrined at Helmet Top. From Walong onwards, the road is used mostly by the military to deliver supplies to the border outposts at Kaho and Kibithu, where Indian and Chinese troops face off across the Lohit River.

Set in some of the densest tropical and alpine forests at the easternmost tip of the country, Arunachal Pradesh is still wild, untouched by the destruction of nature in the name

of development. With tremendous trekking potential, this is a place where you need to rough it out to experience some of the last virgin Himalayan territory in India.

FACT FILE AT A GLANCE Known as the land of the dawn-lit mountains, Arunachal Pradesh is India’s easternmost state – Dong village is the first part of the country to receive daylight. The district of Anjaw is one of the few in India to share its borders with two nations: China and Myanmar. The region is mainly mountainous comprising the Himalayas and smaller offshoots and is covered by large tracts

of pristine sub-tropical forests, making it ideal for trekkers. The state has also borne witness to much bravery and bloodshed during the SinoIndian war of 1962.

EXPLORE Tourism is mostly centred around the Hindu pilgrimage site of Parashuram Kund on the plains of Lohit, while Anjaw has almost no concrete tourist infrastructure. This region is a paradise for

trekkers, though you’ll need to make your own arrangements. One of the great thrills to experience is crossing the many suspension bridges across the Lohit. Spend a night with a Mishmi family – a fascinating way to experience village life.

It’s considered respectful to take gifts for the village headman or Gaonbura.

Dong village, officially India’s easternmost village can be accessed via Walong in a couple of

hours. Arunachal Pradesh is militarily sensitive and it may prove handy to hire a local guide to overcome language barriers.

weavers in and around Tezu and Hawai and observe them at work on their backstrap looms, a weaving technique unique to northeastern India.

SHOP The Mishmis are expert weavers – look out for Mishmi jackets, jewellery, bags (dao) and intricately designed smoking pipes made of silver, available at the governmentrun showroom in Tezu town. You can also buy garments directly from

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EAT & STAY The only options for a comfortable stay in Tezu, Walong and Hawai are the Circuit Houses, which can be arranged by requesting permission from the District Commissioner’s office in Tezu (+91-0380422-3666/222-540). A

few dharamshalas for pilgrims can be found at Parashuram Kund.

An impromptu night halt at a village is possible provided you offer some remittance to the family hosting you. The Circuit Houses are equipped with their own kitchens and there are a few roadside eateries around for a quick snack. Do buy a basketful of oranges from the Mishmi women who sell them on the roadside between Hawai and Tezu.

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NORTHERN INDIA

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

STARWARD BOUND Delhi-based astrophotographer Ajay Talwar showcases some of his top destinations to capture India’s northern skies

Moon river The crescent moon and Venus rise above the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers during the Kumbh Mela at Allahabad. A transient city can be seen being built on the left bank of the Ganga. Held every 12 years at Triveni Ghat, the festival’s date is determined by astrological calculations. It attracts one of the largest congregations in the world.

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Space oddity Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4), discovered in 2011, and the crescent moon appear together at twilight in the Himalayan region, while lights from the lake town of Nainital twinkle on the horizon.

Across the universe The Milky Way stretches over the Spituk Gompa – a Buddhist monastery about 9km from the town of Leh – perched upon a hillock. The Leh airport can seen to the left side while the mighty Indus River flows across the other.

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NORTHERN INDIA

Trail blazing Stars and airplanes streak across the heavily polluted skies of Delhi in this time-lapse image photographed from the tomb of Adham Khan, a general of Mughal emperor Akbar.

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PHOTO FINISH There are two ways to capture the heavens – Earth-Sky and Deep-Sky photography. The former captures celestial images with a basic DSLR camera and tripod; while the latter employs a DSLR mounted on a telescope that documents definite details of galaxies, nebulae, etc. Zahra Amiruddin gets a few pointers on EarthSky photography from renowned astrophotographers Ajay Talwar and Laurent Laveder.

Location, location A place that’s devoid of pollution, secluded hillsides and deserts, preferably away from city lights is ideal.

Gear up A rudimentary DSLR and tripod is good enough for long exposure shots to capture star trails (the motion of stars).

A standard 50mm lens can cover a strip of sky of roughly 30 by 50 degrees, allowing you to shoot constellation patterns like the Big Dipper or Orion.

Interstellar overdrive An amateur astronomer atop Hatu Peak, during the wee hours of the morning, makes a time lapse movie of the Milky Way. The mountain stands 3,300ft above sea level and is located 8km away from the town of Narkanda, 65km northeast of Shimla.

Experiment Try different exposure lengths. Remember, the longer the exposure, the better the detail.

Star tip For snapshots of beauties as faint as the Milky Way, try a 30mm lens at an aperture of f/1.4 at a short exposure of 10s.

Parting shot To create a composite picture, stack a number of images using a photo editing software like StarStaX or RegiStax.

Under the sun A time-lapse imagery of the setting sun over the Taj Mahal, built in memory of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s third wife. A large group of sunspots, several times wider than the Earth, appears on the upper left portion of the solar disc.

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NORTHERN INDIA

Twilight galaxy Mount Saraswati at Hanle village in Ladakh is one of the best locations to spot the Milky Way, even on nights when the moon is quite bright. The location of the Indian Astronomical Observatory here is only fitting.

A member of TWAN (The World at Night), an international team of established astrophotographers, Ajay Talwar has been an astrophotographer since 1987. He conducts workshops on the subject. For more information, visit www.twanight.org/talwar

TOURIST INFORMATION Agra www.up-tourism.com Delhi www.delhitourism.nic.in Himachal Pradesh www.himachaltourism.gov.in Ladakh www.leh.nic.in; www.iiap.res.in Nainital www.uttarakhandtourism.gov.in

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ISLAND ESCAPE

Rough play

One of the less popular isles of the Indonesian archipelago, Sumatra remains relatively untamed – a quiet getaway with a good measure of unpredictability

By Gretchen Ferrao

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SAYID BUDHI/GETTY IMAGES

SUMATRA

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I (Opening page) A view of Mount Sinabung from Mount Sibayak, in Berastagi (Bottom) Farmers on Samosir Island on Lake Toba, the world’s largest volcano lake (Facing page, centre) A bechak or trishaw driver in Medan’s Little India (Facing page, collage) The local market at Berastagi is a foodie’s and gardening enthusiast’s delight

quick fix that is Bali. Its roughand-tumble exterior might be a tad intimidating to the faint-hearted, but strap on a pair of dependable shoes and give it a chance. You’ll discover that there’s much serenity to be had here.

city – concretised vistas flanked by slouching electrical lines, brightdomed mosques, commercial banners endorsing electronics brands and several constructions in progress.

An hour later, we arrive at Maimun Palace (Brig Katamso Rd, Medan.

8am-5pm. Admission Rp5,000; `26.).

Gateway to the north The 2,000-odd-square-metre property The descent into Medan is postcard at the centre of the sultanate of Deli perfect with emerald-scapes that bend was built between 1887 and 1891. across a rippled turquoise horizon.

Conceptualised by an Italian, its Malay The cheery immigration officers at the and Indo-Mughal design influences are time of our arrival at the newly opened visible along exteriors with a mix of Kuala Namu International Airport minarets and timber tiered roofing. A only furthered the island cliché as they tour of the 30-room palace, however, whistled away, stamping passports. isn’t as elaborate as you’d expect, given But that’s about as far as the spirit of that only its main room is open to Bobby McFerrin’s Billboard public. Once you’re over that single was willing to little fact, – and your eyes carry us. On the ride have recovered from the into Medan, the blingy inauguration Medan is home to laid-back vibe gives throne – you notice empty buildings created other Indo-Mughal way to a half-baked

FOR THE BIRDS

for swallow nesting.

The nests, pricey delicacies, are exported to China and Singapore

SAYID BUDHI/GETTY IMAGES

n September of last year (2013), the lazy volcano of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra decided to awake from a threeyear slumber. The eruption, while not catastrophic, was impactful enough for some of us to question the wisdom of our plans to visit the region the following week. Our hosts, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Republic of Indonesia, however, reassured us that the itinerary steered clear of lava spews.

As we write this, we check on the effects of Mount Sinabung’s lastreported activity (April 2014). Once again, we question timing – of this piece and a visit there. But that’s the thing about Sumatra. There are no perfectly choreographed experiences.

It’s free of the slicked-up urbanisation of its neighbouring island, Java; oblivious to the relaxation-in-a-jar

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SUMATRA

influences such as curlicue floral carvings on doors, symmetrical ceiling panels and jaali work along doorways.

If you’re not a design nerd, go for the cute local brats who rent out traditional costumes at the venue to make believe they’re in a royal period drama. Or for the live musical performances in the mornings (10am-2pm) on weekdays and at 2pm on weekends.

Our next stop is Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni, a catholic shrine that’s said to be modelled on the Velankanni Church near Chennai. Perhaps it’s the jetlag but hard as we try, we fail to see the resemblance between the two. While Chennai’s is ironically white with Portuguese influences; the one in Medan flaunts Indo-Mughal design with a palette picked straight off a cassata. What they do have in common though, is a devotion to Our Lady of Good Health. The Medan shrine was initiated and designed by an Indian Jesuit missionary, Father James Bharataputra SJ, in 2005. This probably explains the curiously south Indian features of all the idols within.

We recommend a visit when you’re a bit homesick.

for it... a ball! It’s all very charming, barring the dozens of bunnies and a pair of pups round the bend. We won’t get into the details of their fate; let’s just say we couldn’t stomach it.

Culture course A visit to Sipiso Piso falls is an ideal way to kick-start the day. On the 45-minute drive there from Berastagi, we pass farmers at work in tomato fields, quirky eateries with supposedly enticing piggy mannequins in display windows and gabled-roofed homes with lavish adjoining cemeteries.

Our guide Pah Roy explains that status after death is just as important amongst the Bataks. We get a crash course on the community: traditionally, women are the breadwinners; men while away time playing chess or an instrument; the pair of horns atop houses is reminiscent of a bull, a symbol of honour. At Sipiso Piso, we trek halfway down to take in the 120-metre-high waterfall overlooking Lake Toba. Its misty purple-and-green base is reassurance that not all fantasy fiction is the product of good pot.

Re-energised, we make a quick

Where the light is

GRETCHEN FERRAO (7)

Later that day we bumped along, up undulating terrain until we were in the volcanic hills of Berastagi (1,300m).

Once the summer retreat of Dutch traders, the region remains popular amongst locals and tourists looking to escape the urban hot pot that is Medan. Gaining second wind in this cool-crisp mountain setting, we head out to the town’s main market. En route, we observe in morbid awe the cloak of grey shrouding everything in sight. And then the culprit comes into view: the coughing (as our tour guides refer to it) Mount Sinabung.

Along with Mount Sibayak, it is a hiking trail on every visiting trekker’s list. Trading fitness for food and flowers, we wander about the market.

From the peachy sweetness of kasma (Berastagi apple) to the indigo-marbled texture of the papino fruit and cacti in pink – the sheer variety of colour and texture around us triggers a minor Instagrampage. The friendly vendors are most willing to offer a sampling or address questions. Some creative types invent species such as the ball flower which is a flower shaped like, waaait

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GRETCHEN FERRAO (5)

(Clockwise from top left) Live musical performances are a highlight at Maimun Palace, Medan A typical wooden stilt house at the Simalungun king’s palace South Indian-inspired frescos along the central dome of Medan’s Annai Velangkanni shrine

stopover at the Simalungun king’s palace. A village unto itself, the complex is a display of traditional Batak architecture. That is, linearplanned, wooden-stilt and palm-leaf houses with a pair of horns atop the front end and what resembles a tail at the rear. Every structure is colour coded a symbolic red (zest for life), white (piety) and black (ignorance/ death). We climb into the largest one to find rows of open living spaces, each furnished with a rudimentary cooking set-up and sleeping area. The home is said to have been shared by the king’s wives; a little too close for our comfort.

That’s the thing about Sumatra. There are no perfectly choreographed experiences Natural order All feelings of claustrophobia dissipate on the half-hour ferry across the ocean-esque Lake Toba to Samosir

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Island. Getting off at Tomok village, Pah Roy herds us up a narrow lane to King Sidabutar’s tomb. Any attempts at window-shopping are frowned upon; our mission: to beat the tourist crowds strolling towards the site. A little high from the victory, Roy speed-downloads nuggets of history. The memorial houses three tombs: the first Christian Batak king, the missionary who converted the tribe and that of another royal.

Sidabutar’s tomb, the most elaborate of the three, displays carvings of himself, his bodyguard, his unrequited love as well as other mythical creatures. On the way back, we meet Nia. Eight months

SUMATRA

(Above) Sipiso Piso falls (120m) overlooks Lake Toba (Right) Huta Siallagan is an ancient settlement in the Ambarita village of Samosir Island

pregnant, this endearingly entertaining emotional blackmailer sells a souvenir or two, while promising to name her child after us.

Ambarita, our last stop for the day, is visited for the pre-Christian era, megalithic stone set-up in the settlement of Huta Siallagan. Walking towards the ancient site, we see a village ready to slip into the tourist trap. Carpenters hammer at what will soon be souvenir stalls; while local craftsmen peacefully chip away at blocks of wood, fashioning

lizards, flutes and the like. At the megalith site is a communal table setting of sorts, once a gathering place for the elders to decide on the fate of wrongdoers. A stone’s throw away, is the area where the guilty were sentenced and either beheaded or disembowelled.

On that fatalistic note, we retreated to Toledo Inn for the night.

Last call Our final day was on the road. With the exception of a bumpy start,

the five-hour drive on the MedanJava Expressway is a pleasant cruise past acre after acre of teak, coffee, mahogany and Bridgestone rubber plantations. Breaking the monotony are little towns where the Dutch influence is still visible in colonial architecture. Lunch at highway restaurant Simpang Tiga (Jln. Perintis Kemerdekaan No.17, Simpang Pantai Cermin, Perbaungan, Sumatera Utara. +6261-7991629. ```) proves to be a

winner with sambal hati telur puyum (chicken and pigeon egg gravy), ikaan kakap gulai (a coconut-based tuna curry) and crunchy sayuran (water spinach gravy).

Back in Medan, Pah Roy coaxes us into a walk about Kampung Keling (Little India), once home to the largest Indian community in the city. Popping in and out of temples, we catch sight of devotees with puja thalis sporting sandalwood tilaks – and can’t help but feel a wee bit homesick.

FACT FILE WHEN TO GO Being more of an outdoorsy destination, Medan is best explored during the dry season (Mar-Aug).

Indian metros to Medan.

GETTING AROUND Hiring a private vehicle is ideal (rentalmobilmedan. net, www.rentalmobilarc. com)

GETTING THERE Various carriers, like Malaysia Airlines, offer connecting routes via Kuala Lumpur from major

STAY Perched at the edge of Berastagi, the recently renovated Mikie Holiday

Resort has 149 cosy rooms that gravitate around the central pool area. On a clear evening, watch the sun set over the puffing Mount Sinabung. An added attraction here is the neighbouring Funland, North Sumatra’s first family theme park that’s run by the same group.

(Jalan Raya Medan Berastagi, North Sumatra. +62-628-91650/91651. mikieholiday.com. ```) Cast away from the mainland, Toledo Inn Hotel is a summery island getaway along the banks of Lake Toba. What the no-frills property lacks in amenities, it makes up for with its serene

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waterfront views. Word of caution to the night owls: Hot water runs from sunrise till 7am only. (Tuk Tuk, Samosir Island, Lake Toba, Medan. +62-62-541-429. ```) The antithesis of the city it was built in, Grand Sarela Gatot Subroto Medan features glossy interiors and promises

patrons all the creature comforts. (Jalan Gatot Subroto No.395 Medan 20119. +62-61-80501111. grandserela.com/ gatotsubroto-medan. ````)

TOURIST INFORMATION www.indonesia.travel/en, http://parekraf.go.id

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PARIS

LIFESTYLE

TOP OF

THE

SHOPS Whether you can tell your Lacroix from your Louboutins with your eyes closed, or you’re a bargain-hunting veteran, the city of lights has the ability to please shopaholics on all kinds of budgets. Time Out Paris editors present a list of the 15 best places to shop while in their city with stops to refuel with some wine, cheese and a macaron or two along the way

WITTAYAMU/DREAMSTIME.COM

GRAB DESIGNER 01 GARB AT BOULEVARD HAUSSMANN When it comes to one-stop shopping, department stores Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, located behind the Palais Garnier opera house on the elegant Boulevard Haussmann, offer an impressive range of marques – especially designer ones. However, Galeries Lafayette has a slight edge over Printemps, courtesy its droolworthy shoe collection. Spend, spend, spend, then admire the Art Nouveau cupolas in each store. Galeries Lafayette’s dome shines green, blue and gold right across the perfume area, while Printemps has set a cafe below its glass roof, whose intricate coloured panels make it look like a kaleidoscope.

Galeries Lafayette 40 Blvd Haussmann, 75009 Paris. +33-1-42823456. www.haussmann.galerieslafayette. com. Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat 9.30am-8pm;

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Thu 9.30am-9pm. ```-```` Printemps 64 Blvd Haussmann, 75009 Paris. +33-1-4282-5000. www. printemps.com. Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat 9.35am-8pm; Thu 9.35am-10pm. ```-````

GO WINDOW 02 SHOPPING AT MONTAIGNE MARKET Located at the heart of the Golden Triangle (the area in Paris bordered by the Champs-Elysses, George V and Montaigne avenues), Montaigne Market is a temple to luxury fashion, with a stream of designers – both old and new – under one roof. Flit between Givenchy jackets, Valentino dresses and tailored t-shirts from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s high-end label, The Row, and check out the latest cuts and fabrics. If you’re feeling daring, you could even try a few on. It’s highly unlikely you’ll find budget pieces for under €150 (`12,700) here – most

items rise into the thousands – but for fashionistas in need of inspiration, browsing Montaigne Market’s shelves is like walking through the pages of Vogue.

57 Ave Montaigne, 75008 Paris. +331-4256-5858. www.montaignemarket. com. Mon-Sat 10.30am-7pm. ````

TRY ON VINTAGE COUTURE AT 03 DIDIER LUDOT Didier Ludot’s vintage couture boutique is a beautiful but pricey sanctuary of days-gone-by design.

Every piece is stunning, from Audrey Hepburn-inspired dresses to Jackie Kennedy-esque jackets and tailored Cary Grant-style suits. Typical brands include Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Chanel and Hermès. Besides classic pieces, you’re likely to come upon displays featuring upcoming designers as well.

20-24 Galerie de Montpensier, Jardin du Palais Royal, 75001 Paris. +33-14296-0656. www.didierludot.fr. MonSat 10.30am-7pm. ```` (Opening page) Printemps is a onestop shop for designer wear and has an enviable shoe collection (Bottom left to right) Though pricey, Montaigne Market is a must-visit for the fashion-conscious Andrieux & Vincent Jalbert are known for putting a new spin on vintage fabrics

design duo Yves Andrieux & Vincent decided to blend their love for music, Jalbert who recycle vintage fabrics to fashion and design together in the form make an original array of clothes and of a concept store on rue Richelieu. accessories. Next door is Monsieur, Ultra-branché Parisians come here to a tiny jewellery shop where you can buy top-notch glad rags with artisansometimes watch new designs coming quality finishes and dead trendy cuts. to life. Anikalena Skärström, just round Boys, add to your wardrobe with a the corner on rue du Pont aux Choux, is tartan shirt and slim-cut jeans. Girls, a top spot for slick day and see to yours with Kitsuné’s cabled evening wear. cardigans and pleated schoolgirl skirts.

Anikalena Skärström 16 rue du 52 rue de Richelieu, 75001 Paris. +33Pont-au-Choux, 75003 Paris. +33-91-4260-3428. www.kitsune.fr. Mon-Sat 8382-3285. www.anikalena.

11am-7.30pm. ```-```` com. Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, INDULGE Sat noon-7pm. ``` IN A Monsieur 53 rue GUILT-FREE Charlot, 75003 Paris.

A deep-tissue massage SPREE AT +33-1-4271-1265. at Appartement 217, MERCI www.monsieur-paris. a luxury spa on rue StHonore, is the perfect Walk across the com. Mon-Fri 11amend to a tiring day paved courtyard into 7pm, Sat noon-8pm. spent shopping the sprawling main hall ``-```` of Merci, a large, loft-like Yves Andrieux & concept store – spread over Vincent Jalbert 55 rue three floors – in the Haut Marais Charlot, 75003 Paris. +33-1-4271district where you can find everything 1954. www.vincentjalbert.com. Tue-Fri from quality furniture, clothes and 10am-12.30pm, 2-7pm; Sat 11am-7pm. jewellery to perfume and even pet ```-```` accessories. What’s different however, is the fact that Merci’s proceeds go to CHANNEL YOUR charity; so shopping here could make INNER HIPSTER AT a real difference to people’s lives. Once KITSUNÉ BOUTIQUE you’ve worked up an appetite, settle The music savvy might recognise down with a cup of coffee and a novel Kitsuné as a French record label that at Used Book Cafe, or grab a nutritious brings underground groups to the lunch at Cinema Cafe, which projects mainstream. In 2008, the founders

WITNESS CUTTING04 EDGE FASHION AT 05 RUE CHARLOT When it comes to Parisian design, the Haut Marais district around rue Charlot is a hotbed for créateurs, with numerous one-off boutiques. Check out

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RETAIL THERAPY

06

PARIS

classic films, or The Merci Canteen that opens out onto a small garden.

111 Blvd Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris. +33-1-4277-0033. www.merci-merci. com. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm. ``-```

FIND THE PERFECT 07 FIT AT PARIS’ BEST SHOE SHOPS For beautiful footwear, try Galeries Lafayette’s vast shoe department on Boulevard Haussmann, where you’ll find a mix of designer and high-street names. For real chic, grab a pair of Christian Louboutin’s iconic red soles at the flagship rue du Faubourg SaintHonore store, then head slightly further down to the eponymous Roger Vivier, the man they say invented the stiletto.

Hit the road with K Jacques’ trademark leather sandals or if you’re looking for something more offbeat, head to Moss, a nifty multi-brand boutique on the Left Bank.

Christian Louboutin 68 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, 75008 Paris. +33-14268-

3765. www.christianlouboutin.com.

Mon-Sat 10.30am-7pm. ```` Galeries Lafayette 40 Blvd Haussmann, 75009 Paris. +33-1-42823456. www.haussmann.galerieslafayette. com. Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat 9.30am-8pm; Thu 9.30am-9pm. ```-```` K Jacques 16 rue Pavee, 75004 Paris. +33-4-9497-4150. www.kjacques.fr.

Mon-Sat 10am-7.15pm, Sun 1-7.15pm. ```` Moss 52 rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris. +33-1-4222-0143. Mon-Sat 10.307pm. ```` Roger Vivier 29 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, 75008 Paris. +33-15343-0085. www.rogervivier.com. MonSat 11am-7pm. ````

DAB ON PERFUME AT LES SALONS DU 08 PALAIS ROYAL Stepping into Serge Lutens’ dimly-lit boutique feels like walking into a retro-futurist boudoir. It also smells like one, with a light heady fragrance that reminds you Lutens’ perfume means business. Explain what you’re looking for – musk, floral notes, vanilla – then let the knowledgeable staff do the rest. Aside from the perfume creations, Les Salons du Palais Royal has a fab selection of perfume bottles that are worthy as collectables.

Jardins du Palais

Royal, 142 Galerie de Valois, 75001 Paris. +33-1-4927-0909. www. sergelutens.com. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm. ```-````

GO 09 BARGAIN HUNTING AT LES PUCES DE MONTREUIL As flea market prices have risen over the last few years (especially at Les Puces de St-Ouen, north of Paris at Porte de Clignancourt), finding good bargains has become a major challenge for Parisians. Fortunately, there’s still Les Puces de Montreuil, just east of the Paris Mètro station Nation on line 9. Haggle well and you’ll emerge with some great value bric-a-brac, furniture and antiques. Its location by the Periphérique (Paris’ congested ring road) is devoid of all charm, but the pleasure of bargain hunting is priceless.

Ave de la Porte de Montreuil, 93100 Paris. Sat-Mon 7am-7:30pm. ``

FIND HIDDEN TREASURE AT 10 GUERRISOL Roll up your sleeves and dig into Guerrisol’s never-ending racks of second-hand clothes. You’ll have to dig deep, but ever so often (and often enough for Guerrisol to be the most

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(Clockwise from top) Pick a Sweet Charity handbag from the new Spring/Summer ’14 collection at Christian Louboutin’s flagship store At Monsieur, visitors can watch new jewellery designs come to life Pastry chef Pierre Hermé is famous the world-over for his light macarons Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore is home to two iconic Parisian shoe brands – Christian Louboutin (seen here) and Roger Vivier

popular shop of its kind in Paris) you find a gem. It’s particularly good for gents in need of a suit and ladies in search of shoes, with all sorts of styles and colours on offer. Just wash before you wear – Guerrisol does have a certain tang of Eau de Charity Shop.

19 Ave de Clichy, 75017 Paris. +33-14008-0300. www.guerrisol.com. MonSat 10am-7.30pm. `

Les Caves Augé has an impressive wine collection including champagne

by Krug Stock up on picnic essentials at Place d’Aligre and Marche Beauvau (Bottom left to right) A shop with a conscience, Merci’s proceeds go to charity Shakespeare & Co has been a firm favourite with bohemians, bibliophiles and writers like Hemmingway

11

Smartphones and e-readers may have invaded daily life, but Parisians are still very attached to books and the shops that sell them. In fact, many locals like to linger in the land of ink so long that several boutiques, like Le-Monte-enL’Air in Menilmontant, serve coffee.

If you fancy a new read, La Hune specialises in coffee-table art and design books. Or head to Shakespeare & Co opposite Notre-Dame for English lit,

For fashionistas in need of inspiration, browsing Montaigne Market’s shelves is like walking through the pages of Vogue Bouquinistes Bords de Seine, From Pont Marie to Quai Voltaire, 75004 Paris. Daily 11.30am-7pm. `-`` La Hune 16-18 rue de l’Abbaye, 75006 Paris. +33-1-4548-3585.

Mon-Thu, Sun 11am-8pm; Fri-Sat

11am-10pm. `-`` Le-Monte-en-L’Air 71 rue de Menilmontant/ 2 rue de la Mare, 75020 Paris. +33-1-4033-0454. www. montenlair.wordpress.com. Mon-Fri, Sun 1-8pm; Sat 10am-8pm. `` Shakespeare & Co 37 rue de la Bucherie, 75005 Paris. +33-1-43254093. www.shakespeareandcompany. com. Mon-Sat 10am-11pm, Sun 11am11pm. `-```

RESTOCK YOUR 12 PICNIC BASKET AT PLACE D’ALIGRE AND MARCHÉ BEAUVAU The stalls on rue and place d’Aligre are renowned for selling the cheapest fruit and vegetables in Paris. Buy your apples and your pears, then head inside the covered Marché Beauvau to the cheese and meat counters, where you can stock up on delicious picnic favourites like pate, saucission (a type of cured pork sausage) and camembert. If you fancy

YADID LEVY/DINODIA

(Facing page clockwise from top right) Sample some beaufort or goat’s cheese at Fromagerie Quatrehomme

BROWSE THROUGH PARIS’ BEST BOOKSHOPS

old and new. As you meander along the Seine, look out for Paris’s iconic bouquinistes too – traders manning green metal stalls selling all sorts of literary curiosities and treasures.

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PARIS

wine with your picnic, Caves d’Aligre has a wide selection and you can pick up plastic cups at Franprix.

Place d’Aligre Place d’Aligre, 75012 Paris. Tue-Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 8am1pm. `-`` Marche Beauvau Tue-Fri 9am-1pm, 4-7.30pm; Sat 9am-1pm, 3.30-7.30pm; Sun 8.30am-1.30pm. `-``

TRY TRADITIONAL 14 FRENCH DESSERT AT PIERRE HERMÉ Picture this: sweet crunchy layers of caramelized pastry sandwiched with unctuous blobs of mascarpone and

flavoured with pastry chef Pierre Hermé’s magic assembly of vanilla from Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico. This heavenly pudding – without doubt the best Mille-feuille in Paris – is but one of the delights awaiting your taste buds at his boutiques that are scattered all over the city. Pierre Hermé’s macarons (which come in flavours like caramel butter, rose, pistachio and liquorice), may well make it into your book of ‘best ever’ treats too, along with his fruit jellies and nougat.

72 rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris. +33-1-43544777. www.pierreherme. com. Mon-Wed, Sun

TIME OUT NETWORK

Famous across the city for its beaufort, four-year-old comté and goat’s cheese, Fromagerie Quatrehomme is where Paris’ A-listers come to buy their fromage. Follow your nose to one of two boutiques – one in the 7th district and the other in the 18th.

The store’s main branch on the Left Bank is a 10-minute walk from Jardin de Luxembourg, should you fancy tasting your cheese, rustic style, on a park bench. Meanwhile, the store on rue du Poteau (18th) is off the tourist trail, on a particularly charming, cafefilled street on the northern side of the Butte de Montmartre.

62 rue de Sèvres, 7e, 75007 Paris. +33-1-4734-3345. www. quatrehomme.fr. Tue-Sat 9am7.45pm. ```

OLGE FRANCO/DREAMSTIME.COM

SAMPLE CHEESE 13 AT FROMAGERIE QUATREHOMME

10am-7pm; Thu-Fri 10am-7.30pm; Sat 10am-8pm. ``-```

SOME WINE AT LES CAVES AUGÉ 15BUY

If you want history served with your wine, head to Les Caves Augé. Open since 1850, this is the place that Proust used to visit to stock up his cellar. You can choose between thousands of bottles, the savvy cavistes (wine-sellers) will give you titbits about any grape variety or château you see, and there’s an ever-increasing accent on natural wines which employ minimal use of chemicals and physical manipulation.

If you fancy a degustation, Les Caves Augé offers a tasting day one Saturday each month.

116 Blvd Haussmann, 75008 Paris. +33-1-4522-1697. www.cavesauge.com.

Mon-Sat 10am-7.30pm. ``-``

FACT FILE WHEN TO GO Peak tourist season falls during the months of June to August. However, you’ll find the city at its best during spring (Apr-May) and autumn (Sep-Oct).

GETTING THERE Flights to Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport are available from all major Indian metros.

Paris is also connected

by rail to major European cities including London, Vienna and Rome.

GETTING AROUND The metro (www. parismetro.com. Daily 6-12.30am. Fares start at ¤1.70; `144.) is the most efficient way to travel.

With routes that cover the city centre and run along the banks of the Seine and through areas

of historical interest, buses are a great way to discover Paris. The Noctilien (12.30-5.30am) runs through the night and the Balabus, which operates from April to September, takes you along a special route through the city covering areas of tourist interest.

Various types of travel passes (www.ratp.fr) can be purchased at main

metro stations, airports, and the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau.

STAY The Familia Hotel (11 rue des Ecoles, 5e, Paris. +33-1-4354-5527. www. hotel-paris-familia.com. ```), is an old-fashioned Latin Quarter hotel complete with balconies with hanging plants and walls draped with replica

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French tapestries. The swanky Hôtel Banke (20 rue La Fayette, 9e, Paris. +33-1-5533-2222. www. hotelbanke.com. ````) in the Opéra district occupies the former HQ of the CCF bank, a magnificent early 20thcentury building designed

by Paul Friesse and Cassien Bernard in the Eiffel style. Mama Shelter (109 rue de Bagnolet,

75020 Paris. +33-1-43484848. www.mamashelter. com. ``) will please the aesthetically-inclined traveller, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

With spacious rooms, quirky lighting and all the basic amenities available, it’s great value for money.

TOURIST INFORMATION en.parisinfo.com

TECH MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY

SCHOOL OF SHOT Since the even the most basic mobile phones are now equipped with cameras, everyone’s a photographer these days. Take a crash course with photographer Vivek Muthuramalingam to ensure your images break through the clutter 1.

2.

Keep it clean The first and most important thing when taking a clear bright picture is to ensure the camera lens is clean. Fingerprint smudges, fogging and dust can diminish the clarity of a photograph and create unwanted flares, especially when a light source is part of the frame. Use a regular eyeglass cleaning cloth or a clean piece of cotton fabric, preferably lint free. Ear buds are handy for those hard-to-reach rims.

a

Stay simple The rule of thirds usually works well in the world of

3.

Get closer While most phone cameras come with a digital zoom feature, you must pretend it doesn’t exist. Remember, all it does is manipulate the image to create the impression of proximity, eventually giving you pixelated results. Whenever possible, take two (or five) steps towards your subject instead. Do so subtly, without encroaching into his/her personal space – you don’t want an overly self-conscious, or worse, startled reaction.

4.

Turn your back on the sun

5.

Silence the noise No matter what the advertisements say, a phone camera cannot produce stunning images in low light. However, there are ways to ease off the harshness of digital noise in photographs. While shooting in low light, make sure you stay absolutely still – a slow shutter speed makes the camera sensitive to even the slightest disturbance.

Insider tip: Keep your arm as close to your chest as possible and hold your breath for the click.

Since colour tends to work against a picture, consider converting your images to black and white.

If indoors, turn on all the lights.

Sometimes a light-bulb moment is really about flipping a switch.

AM

photography but compositions with the phone camera are best kept uncluttered. Picture formats vary with camera models (some are 2:3 while others are 3:4). Hence it makes sense to place your subject somewhere in the centre. Doing so will make cropping easier on fixed-format apps such as Instagram.

8

We mean that literally. As with any form of photography, lighting is key. When shooting outdoors always ensure your back is to the sun and your subject receives sufficient direct light. This works particularly well with portraits and if shot around the golden hour (early mornings and late evenings), you’re halfway to a masterpiece anyway.

This rule doesn’t apply to capturing silhouettes, in which case, the light source has to face you.

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9

7

6.

Take five When you have an extremely hyper subject, like a one-year-old pup, you might want to shoot in burst mode. This function takes several pictures in quick succession, whatever the lighting conditions may be. It’s also great to capture candid moments during a party or picnic.

7.

Siestas are for sissies

8.

The appropriate conduct

9.

Anticipate a moment The phone camera’s

AM

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Safari Phone

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PHOTOGRAPHS: AATISH NATH (5), ANAND KATAKAM (9), GRETCHEN FERRAO (8), TEJAL PANDEY (1), ZAHRA AMIRUDDIN (6) & VIVEK M

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Phone

4

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Safari

Most photographers shy away from the midday sun because of its harsh light.

While this is wise for portrait photography, – owing to harsh shadows under a subject’s eyes – it shouldn’t stop you from capturing landscapes and monuments which reproduce really well when coupled with the right filters. High contrast images also work well in B&W.

Your phone camera isn’t a DSLR and that’s the fun part. You have an amazing number of apps to explore photography through more interesting formats while shooting. For instance, you can make quick and easy panoramas when a single shot just won’t do justice to the awesomeness before you. Trying the same thing with a DSLR might need nothing short of a rig (fine, at least a tripod) and quite a bit of post-processing time.

shutter lag can be a big letdown when looking for the decisive moment. It makes more sense to position your camera, compose your shot and wait for someone to walk into the frame or for something to happen. An exercise in patience? Most certainly. Definitely one that’s worth the perfect shot.

10. Try new angles

5

Use the phone’s compactness (way smaller than a beginner’s DSLR) to your advantage. Place it on the floor, prop it on a ledge, drop it into a box or throw it up in the air to capture unique funky angles.

6

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EDIT

VIVEK MUTHURAMALINGAM (2)

ORIGINAL

EDIT ROLL Three photo-editing apps to make images look their best.

Snapseed This Google app puts you in complete control of your image – well, about as much control as a mobile device will allow anyway. Ideal for those looking to create an individualistic look, rather than just rely on standard filters.

Android and iOS. FREE VSCO Cam Once exclusive to Apple fanboys (and girls), the VSCO Cam app was recently made available on the Android platform as well. In addition to its array of simple and advanced filters, it offers a social platform to share images – much like Instagram.

A precision slider lets you customise the presets to create your unique style.

Android and iOS. FREE Instagram The most popular photo/video-sharing social app, Instagram nails it with the right mix of filters and its ease of use.

Android, iOS and Windows.

FREE

A WINNING TWEAK Photo editing is an exercise in balance; treading a fine line between subtle tweaks that bring out the best in a picture or pompous modifications that result in an obviously artificial outcome.

Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.

Get it straight Getting your lines aligned at first go can be quite a task. Most landscape and city shots require straightening of some degree to correct an oftentilted perspective of the horizon.

Keep it loose While straightening an image you may end up cropping it. Make sure you give the subject some breathing space.

Play with contrast Add some punch to pictures taken on dull cloudy days or those shot under flat lighting (like in the shade) by playing with the image's contrast.

Don't forget to exercise restraint or you will lose out on details in the shadow.

Lighten up Similarly, adjusting brightness is best done in

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moderation since most images are stored in jpeg format.

Brightening a twilight shot a little too much might cause unsightly noise to appear. Experiment to see what works best.

Filter through Most smartphone cameras come with their own set of filters that can be slapped onto the images. From getting the grungy look to an antique light effect to pop art simulations, there surely must be one that enhances your image to your liking.

MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY

Battle of the brands Here are four of the best camera phones currently in the market

SIDE CLICKS Four must-have accessories that will help up your mobile photography game

1

GripTight Mount

Nokia 1020

An oversized clip that cradles your phone and mounts on most tripods with its universal base plate. Not only is it ideal for low-light pictures, it is also great for selfies! Combine this with a Gorillapod to make it adaptable to any situation.

GripTight Mount $14.25, `861 Gorillapod $18.89, `1,142; www.joby.com, www.amazon.com

Successor to the revolutionary 808 Pureview, this Windows 8 phone camera with a mindboggling 41 MP is clearly aimed at photo enthusiasts and is possibly the best phone camera available today.

Great low light performance, a faster processor and a wide aperture of f/2.2 (which means you can isolate your subject by blurring the background), coupled with Nokia’s Pro Cam app can give some compact cameras a serious run for their money. `47,222; www.nokia.com/in-en.

2

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom

The USP of this point and shoot look-alike is certainly the 10x optical zoom that lets you enjoy a focal length of 240mm (equivalent). A dedicated shutter button, optical image stabilization (to prevent camera shake), zooming with the lens ring and a good set of camera controls make this an extremely photofriendly phone. `25,590; www.samsung.com/in.

Camalapse Mobile If you’re serious about panoramas and time-lapse videos, this accessory is for you. Set the right capture interval on a camera app like Lapse It, and photograph up to 360-degree angles over a period of 60 minutes. $29.99, `1,814; www.camalapse.com, www.amazon.com

3

Olloclip Extend the simplicity of the 30mm (equivalent) lens of your iPhone and capture a variety of subjects with this 4-in-1 lens system – from the wide fish-eye adaptor to 15x macro one that lets you get up close to subjects. Explore similar options for Android phones at Photojojo.com. $69.99, `4231; www.olloclip.com

Sony Xperia Z1

This Sony boasts of a really large and impressive 1/2.3” imaging sensor (read great details) and a G lens of aperture f/2. It also sports a Timeshift burst feature that lets one take 61 continuous frames with just a press of a button, which should work great for capturing action. `41,990; www.sonymobile.com/in.

4

Pocket Spotlight Apple iPhone 5S

Apple’s camera is still among the best, with the 5S bringing a better and faster processor. Handling of low-light situations is impressive and the iPhone has always stood for excellent image clarity, nononsense functionality with their Photo app, quick responsiveness and a great burst speed to record the right moment. `53,500 onwards; www.apple.com/in.

A great way to beat the blinding built-in flashes of phone cameras, this device is a large continuous light source that mounts on the headphone jack, charges via USB and lasts for at least an hour on a full charge. $30, `1,814; www.photojojo.com

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 77

SURF ‘N’ TURF INSTAGRAMMERS WE LOVE

Shore thing Having equipped you tips to get the most out of your camera phone, we introduce a new addition to our regulars. Each issue, we curate two Instagram accounts that inspire travel. We start off with images from two seaside towns in Karnataka – as recommended by photographer Vivek Muthuramalingam

Bharat Mirle @bharatmirle A Bangalore-based filmmaker, 26-year-old Mirle runs his own production house. Reluctant to call himself a photographer, he shoots all his pictures with an iPhone 4 and admits to tweaking them a little (sometimes, a lot). He craves isolation in a country that’s bursting at the seams with people and is intrigued by abandoned places.

(Clockwise from top left) The remains of a butterfly are claimed by the sea; An old beachside ice cream stall that’s still in use; A priest stands at his doorway in Gokarna; Locals and tourists enjoy a stroll at Kudle beach

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Radha Rangarajan @radharangarajan Traveller, amateur photographer and wildlife enthusiast, Rangarajan is a finance professional from Bangalore. She dreams of wandering out of the concrete jungle and into every rainforest in the world. She loves capturing images of all creatures great and small – fungi, elephants, moths, trees, people and ancient places fuel her imagination.

(Clockwise from top left) A fisherman’s bait ready for the next catch; Mud crabs waiting to be auctioned; The Kali River in its final stretch as it flows towards the Arabian Sea; Wave patterns on the sandy shores of Karwar

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 79

SHOPPING FOOTBALL GOODIES

Pitch posh Fabiola Monteiro and Nicole Newby round up some funky tees and accessories to help get you into the spirit of the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup

A-Z Men’s Football T-shirt

TEJAL PANDEY

`700 With football jargon across the front, this typographical T-shirt illustrates the A to Z of the game.

Happily Unmarried

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Evolution T-shirt `599 From discovering fire to mastering the perfect bicycle kick, viva la evolución. Available in white, yellow, green, blue and red.

Sportskeeda

Messi T-shirt `499 We’ll spare you the agony of yet another corny pun on the Argentinian striker’s name. No true Messi fan needs convincing to slip this on anyway. Available in black, white, navy and sunshine yellow.

Bombay Trooper

One World Tye-Dye T-shirt

Sugar and Spice T-shirt

$23.99 (`1,447)

$17.99 (`1,085)

Let your inner hippie spread a message of peace and love (of football, of course) with this psychedelic tie-dye number.

WorldSoccerShop.com

This one is for ladies who are willing to play nice but aren’t afraid of a few grass stains either.

WorldSoccerShop.com

24/7 Soccer T-shirt $16.99 (`1,025) Eat, breathe, sleep football?

Here’s a clever, minimalist way to profess your undying commitment to the sport.

WorldSoccerShop.com

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Red Card T-shirt $27.99 (`1,688) This T-shirt will have you wishing red cards were applicable in everyday life too.

WorldSoccerShop.com

TOP OF THE TABLE Football Mishmash phone cover `2,705

Goal Kick Off shot glass `250 There’s nothing like a good footy drinking game to shake up a boys night in.

Happily Unmarried

$6.99 (`422)

A Where’s Waldo for football enthusiasts. Spot famous (and infamous) incidents, players, mascots and notorious fans in this tribute to football history.

Snupped

This necklace lets you play out your fantasies of lifting the revered World Cup trophy, albeit with a miniature version.

WorldSoccerShop.com

What’s Life Without Goals `599

SELVAPRAKASH L

World Cup Brazil Trophy necklace

Here’s one for the existential, pun-loving sports fan. Available in black, white, green and yellow.

Sportskeeda

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FOOTBALL GOODIES

World Cup Brazil Fuleco slippers

Hand of God Magnet

$29.99 (`1,809)

`150

Bedroom slippers to walk in the footsteps of this year’s World Cup mascot, Fuleco, a Brazilian three-banded armadillo.

WorldSoccerShop.com

All I Need Is Beer And Soccer coasters $30.95 (`1,867) SET OF 6 All the Beatles may have needed was love, but some beg to differ – an exciting match and a cold one will do it for some. These plastic coasters are high-gloss and customisable.

Zazzle

Alluding to the controversial Maradona moment from the ’86 World Cup, this magnet is a reminder to always be a good sport.

Happily Unmarried

Brazilian Men’s T-shirt

CR7: Ronaldo T-shirt

`700

`499

Once every four years, most of us wish we were South American. Here’s a tee to help make-believe.

Happily Unmarried

While CR7, Cristiano Ronaldo’s fashion boutique, is a long flight away, you can always show your support for Portugal’s chocolate boy with this monochrome tee. Available in black, white and navy.

Bombay Trooper

STORE DIRECTORY Bombay Trooper www.bombaytrooper.com Happily Unmarried N 35 A, Bombay Life building, Opposite ECE House, Outer Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi 110001. +91-11-2331-3326.

Shop No A1, Near Falcon Resorts, Calangute, Goa 403516. www.happilyunmarried.com.

Snupped www.simplecastle.com Sportskeeda www.store.sportskeeda.com WorldSoccerShop www.worldsoccershop.com Zazzle www.zazzle.com

TIME OUT EXPLORER – MAY-JUNE 2014 – 83

IN TRANSIT THE GOOD, BAD AND LOVELY OF JOURNEYS WORLDWIDE NEW ZEALAND

The little things When flying domestic in New Zealand, Kiwi hospitality shines through, amidst spartan airports and occasional turbulence the creatures that could escape from it.

My only comfort was that I happened to be sharing my fear with an extremely friendly bunch of people. During the security announcement, Ann, our stewardess struggled to be heard over a wailing two-monthold. Finally, she gave up as the airplane erupted into laughter. The young mother apologised, “Sorry ’bout the wee one. It’s his first flight and he’s not having the best day.” Instead of throwing about dark looks, everyone banded as a community to help her out. When she boarded the plane, someone offered to carry her folding stroller, another took care of her

hand baggage; while another still held the wailing babe (an act of courage) while she got into her seat. In tandem, they repeated the routine as we landed.

The fact that New Zealand’s stewardesses are not hypergroomed is reassuring. Here is a corner of the world which is pushing back the pressure to be stick-thin and accessorise with a pained look of constipation.

The stewardesses, who are of varying ages, are friendly – they are, for example, happy to take the time to help a young child on board collect each colour of the boiled sweet on offer. As the plane flies over turbulence, we look at our Ann who sits facing

ILLUSTRATION BY S MORE

Mitali Parekh To comprehend the scale of things in New Zealand, you have to keep in mind their population is 4.5 million. The population of India is over 1 billion. So their domestic airports are often smaller than the booking office of a railway terminus in most Indian metros. The vibe is friendly and relaxed, unlike the hurried, sterile atmosphere of larger airports.

Air New Zealand’s most popularly used craft, the Bombardier Dash 8 Q300, carries 50 people and is staffed by a single stewardess and a pilot.

Pretty cute, until the Pacifi c Ocean yawns under you like Brahma and you wonder about

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the fliers. She’s wearing her best professional expression of relaxedness; but her lips are furiously moving in prayer.

Safely on the tarmac, Dunedin’s airport looks like a lunch hall. Like the one in Nelson, there is a cafe serving tea, cookies and sandwiches, and a glass cabinet with sample wares by a local boutique selling paua jewellery and clothes. With selfcheck-in kiosks, and no history of terrorist attacks, the ground staff chats near the conveyor belt. Outside the airport, a Jaguar XJ waits courtesy Classic Jaguar Limousines Ltd, a co-op car rental company. It’s good to be back on land.

ABU DHABI

15 minutes A stopover at Abu Dhabi International Airport offers some much-needed relief for the weary traveller, courtesy the Six Senses spa at Etihad’s Pearl Business Class lounge Gretchen Ferrao It’s 12:15am. A little too early – or is it late – in the day to engage in a death stare match with anyone, least of all airport security. So I find the best seat on the bus and watch as an elderly European gentleman locks eyes with the gatekeeper at Abu Dhabi International Airport, willing him to let us in. We’ve been stuck here for the past ten minutes.

Maybe it’s his constant muttering and restless foxtrot – or perhaps his Armani jeans and designer boat shoes – but you can tell he isn’t used to being kept waiting. Most certainly not in a humming glassand-metal box such as the one we’re in. A good ten minutes later the bus doors hiss open to let us out and into Abu Dhabi’s Terminal 3. I have three hours to while away before the next leg to Manchester. It’s a toss-up between retail therapy and an invitation from Etihad Airways’ Pearl Business Class lounge. Scores of crazy-eyed shopaholics make the decision easy.

Once there, I get a quick tour – multi-cuisine five-star-standard dining, a handpicked wine list, a kids room (small mercies), shower areas, sleep rooms, a business centre...

It’s way past my bedtime back home and I’m running on autopilot.

I smile through the drill, arching my eyebrows every few seconds with the occasional, “Oh lovely!” Until, we arrive at the Six Senses spa. My survival instincts kick in to analyse the competition and gauge my chances of packing in a treatment at the significantly crowded spa reception. None. All ten treatment rooms are booked for the next few hours. But wait, the airline has half a dozen more rooms at its lounge in Terminal 1. It’s a bit of a walk I’m told, but it’s also where I board my next flight. Why not then!

Together, the Six Senses spas receive about 4,000 patrons a

day. While relatively less crowded, I still have to wait an hour for my 15-minute treatment. Disappointed less by the wait than by the duration of the treatment – quickies have a way of adding to the pressure, rather than alleviating it – I head to the restaurant. At the mezze counter I help myself to a generous serving of hummus (so good, so rare in Mumbai) with some falafel and tabbouleh on the side.

Time flies when you slip down the rabbit hole that is the Internet. Once again, I’m at the spa reception where I’m introduced to Martin Seiwald, one among two reiki masters and 22 qualified spa therapists. I point to what’s seemingly the most exotic treatment on the menu, Bamboo Fusion. Seiwald explains that it’s a deep-pressure massage that uses bamboos as a tool to relieve stress around the shoulders and upper back. But then recommends the Back Support treatment which works

on the same areas using a handson approach, literally, that’s more effective in sensing and relieving stressed muscles. This, along with the foot massage and facial therapies are popular with guests for obvious reasons.

Gesturing towards a contraption that looks more twisted-balloonanimal-torture-device-like than massage chair, he asks me to have a seat, umm, kneel. Face down, I catch sight of a folded towel approaching my face. Reining my mind in from all S&M references, I do as told and breathe deeply. The aromatherapy, a concoction of lavender essential oils, has an almost instantaneous calming effect.

Easing into the treatment, Seiwald gently lays his palms across my upper back. The reiki master at work, I suspect. This steadily opens energy channels, heightening my awareness of the sequence that follows. A palm walk down the spine serves as a warm-up to the pressure

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point massage that focuses on the lower back.

Working his way up again, Seiwald employs a deep tissue technique along the spine; then wrings out the muscles in the shoulder area – usually the ones most affected from constant sitting on long-haul flights.

Stopping for a second to analyse a kink along my left shoulder blade, he cautions, “You might experience some pain,” before proceeding to iron out the knot with a thumb and the base of his palm.

Next comes a series of light tapping and hacking. And then, it happens. My body finally lets go, succumbing to gravity and the lightness of the moment. I sense the end is near. A few stretches later, we’re back at the start as Seiwald ties the session into a blissful little bow with some calming reiki energy.

Supple and invigorated, I leave ready to board my next flight and yield to big, deep slumber.

LAST LAUGH WHAT NOT TO DO IN LONDON

GREENER PASTURES When a faux countryside set-up in the midst of urban London seems more genuine than the real deal, it might be time to revise your Enid Blyton-induced visions of endless moors and rolling meadows, says award-winning columnist Michael Hodges A cock crows and the day of the annual summer fair dawns. By 9am, the high street has filled with happy locals, a community joining together to celebrate the coming of the season. By 9am, stalls selling big crusty loaves of bread and real cheese are open.

By 10am, a pair of shaggy dray horses are taking parties of smiling pensioners and beaming toddlers on sedate rides.

Four fox cubs come to the end of the road to watch and two girls stop to snap them on their phones and cry out: “Soooo cute!” Bunting has been hung on the front of the nearby pub, which by noon is packed with people loudly enjoying

the liquid produce of England’s greener and pleasanter parts. At the back of the pub, folk music drifts out of the beer garden where, on a small stage made from straw bales, four men in tattered tweed, collarless shirts, waistcoats and flat caps thrash wildly at banjos, fiddles and drums. They sing with some sadness about bad harvests, a blacksmith being hanged at the county assizes and losing your true love on the banks of an unspecified river. Which is a useful reminder on such an idyllic day that nature can be cruel as well as fair.

And although the air carries the whiff of pig shit, one of the

whiffiest whiffs there is, looking on from my own hay bale, with a glass of Old Scroggin’s prize-winning scrumpy and an organic vegetarian pasty, it is impossible not to be moved by the unique delights of the English countryside.

But we are not in the English countryside. We are in a London suburb on a Saturday afternoon. Rather than peasants, the band are a quartet of amiable public school boys called Giles, Hugh, Roger and Piers, whose only connection with the land is the amount of it their parents own.

The dray horses are real enough but they have been bussed – well,

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horse-boxed – in for the day. The foxes, though certainly cute, are not the genuine articles. Confirmed urbanites, their only brush with greenery is the nearby garden where they have recently filled a toddler’s sandpit with excrement.

The smell of pigs isn’t fake, but it comes from the city farm just down the hill from the pub. No, this is not the real countryside. We tried going to the real countryside last weekend, travelling 32km only to find a town whose market square was occupied by more traffic than Wandsworth (one of the city’s larger boroughs with a population of almost 3,00,000) , a one-way system at 8.05 on Monday morning

JOHN RITTER/TIME OUT LONDON

and a well-upholstered population of corduroy-wearing thieves whose lives are dedicated to one end – removing money from the pockets of people that come from London.

Through the swirling traffic fumes we briefly glimpsed cobbled streets lined with kitchen shops, antiques emporiums and a ‘traditional family’ greengrocers where all the fruit and vegetables had been polished and placed in wicker baskets arranged on a trestle table in front of the shop window.

This window, like all the other windows and doors on the street, was painted in that particular shade of grey that warns any one who has ventured beyond the M25 (London’s

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busiest motorway) that he or she is about to pay £4.50 (`456) for a small brown paper bag of wilted purple sprouting broccoli.

If that’s the rural life, you can keep it. Today isn’t perfect – Giles, Hugh, Roger and Piers lament a particular crop failure so loudly that many people, in fact all the people apart from the band, are obliged to abandon the beer garden. But later on, rolling down the hill courtesy of Mr Scroggin, it strikes me, as my foot sinks ankle-deep in a large parting gift from the dray horses, that these days it’s London that is the real countryside. Though I did make the cockerel up.

ROAD BOOK EXCERPTS FROM A TRAVELOGUE

LI

GHAMSA

Penultimate point A trek to north India’s second-to-last village leaves Gaurav Punj with many a tale of conservation and conspiracy to tell ong after we had been stunned into silence by the remoteness of the Niti Valley, by the scale of the surrounding Himalayas and by the roaring waters of Dhauliganga River, we arrived at Ghamsali.

Mouths agape, eyes wide in awe, we took in the sight of melting glaciers running down the mountains on either side into the second-to-last village in north India.

Located in the greater Himalayan range, the village challenged our limited notions of the extraordinary.

What appeared to be boulders strewn across flattish land from afar, were actually strategically placed wind-breakers; nestled amidst them were stone houses. It had rained a while ago and the spent clouds now drifted aimlessly between the folds of the mountains. Being October, the meadows around the village were toned golden. We had just stepped out of our cars and into a postcard.

On the journey here, our guide Sunil had addressed repeated questions of why our destination was the secondto-last and not the last village with a simple, ‘You’ll see.’ He now had a smile that said, ‘I told you so.’ Ghamsali may not be the last village before the Indo-

GAURAV PUNJ(3)

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and Tibet. Inhabited by the Bhotiyas, a Mongoloid-origin tribe native to the Kumaon and Garhwal districts, the villages in this valley had prospered from the trade of commodities like wool and salt. The community had a taste for fine things – deodar wood was procured from further down the valley and expert artisans summoned from far-off places. The intricacy of the woodwork was at par with the best of temples and palaces in the lower hills. Trade with Tibet being their primary source of income, the

Located in the greater Himalayan range, the village of Ghamsali challenged our notions of the extraordinary

Tibetian border, but it’s spectacularly located, and the ideal starting point for a trek to the Damarsain Meadows.

We slowly proceeded along a spotless path. The stone houses, with their slate roofs and intricate woodwork along windows, were beautiful. We were quite puzzled at the presence of the latter – the settlement being well above the treeline, meant

there were hardly any trees around.

And this was deodar wood, no less; royalty amongst all Himalayan trees!

After pitching our camp and getting the kitchen fire going for dinner, we were treated to tea and a brief history lesson. For centuries, the Niti Valley, near the city of Joshimath in Uttarakhand, was a legendary trade route between India

tribe had limited contact with what they now know as India. Post the SinoIndian war of 1962, the country whose existence they were unaware of until then, enforced a complete ban on trade with Tibet. Thus, an entire way of life was altered overnight. Generations of traders were rendered herders and grazers. It was only the pride in their history that kept them there – and the stunning surroundings, we assume.

As the Indian Government developed basic infrastructure in the area, the only ones to benefit seemed to be the timber mafia. Wounds still fresh from the trade ban, the locals finally put their foot down. A spark of resistance began in the villages of Lata and Reni in 1974. An elderly Gaura Devi emerged as leader of a group of women who clung to trees that were about to be felled, forcing the axe wielders out. So started the Chipko Movement that soon spread to other parts of Garhwal and Kumaon. It was the first successful environmentally-inspired uprising of the poor. At stake was their survival that was directly linked to the flora and fauna of the region.

The final chapter in their story unfolded in 1982 when the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, the traditional grazing grounds of the Niti Valley Bhotiyas, was closed down to residents and

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outsiders alike. The sanctuary was vital to the region’s economy as climbing expeditions employed locals as guides and porters. This decision delivered a crippling blow, directly affecting over 80 percent of the families in the valley. Ostensibly, the reason for the closure was to preserve the biodiversity that had undergone extensive damage due to unregulated expeditions.

However, a far more sinister motive came to the forefront a few years later.

It was discovered that in 1965, during the Cold War, the CIA and the Indian Intelligence Bureau collaborated on a secret project to place a nuclear tracking device (via the Indian army) atop Nanda Devi to track China’s movements across the border. In an unfortunate twist of fate, the mission to dispatch the device failed owing to bad weather. The tracker was misplaced and to this day, is said to be buried deep in the snow, with a real danger of eroding and releasing poisonous plutonium into the waters of the Ganga.

The Indian Government, thus, had no choice but to close the sanctuary in 1982. One can debate the validity of this theory endlessly, but the fact remains that the Bhotiyas lost out on what they considered their birthright.

This unilateral decision, made without consulting indigenous communities, was the final straw that led to a long bitter dispute between the locals and the government. While it still continues, it must be said that some important decisions have since been made in favour of the former. The community has organised itsef into a commercial entity, having been given exclusive rights to manage newly opened (since 2003) trekking routes in and around the sanctuary. The fact that ours was one of the first groups to trek with them along the periphery of the limited-access Damarsain Meadows (3,600m) was a whole other high.

Gaurav Punj is the author of The Land Of Flying Lamas & Other Real Travel Stories from the Indian Himalaya. In 2008, he quit his corporate job and started Connect with Himalaya – a travel venture that customises holidays around the great mountain range. www.connectwithhimalaya.com

MUCH ADIEU HOME TURF

By Shamik Bag

T

wo football memories revisit me often from my childhood. They tormented me back then but raise a silly, maybe even wistful, smile now.

They connect me to my kaka and mama, my paternal and maternal uncles respectively. The former with roots in West Bengal, while the latter’s family was uprooted from erstwhile East Bengal a little ahead of India’s partition.

They stuck to their sides of the traditional divide. Kaka and the rest my paternal family rooted for the Mohun Bagan football club; mama and the rest for the East Bengal football club. The clubs represent these two identities: East Bengal for the settlers from East Pakistan and later Bangladesh (known as the Bangals) and Mohun Bagan for the Ghotis, the original sons of the soil.

Battle lines firmly drawn, both uncles had two things in common: a fiery love for the game and an ability to out-scream all opposition. Family get-togethers were all a noisy blur.

My father was a Ghoti and my mother Bangal. Their part-love, part-arranged marriage was among the first of such unions, when nuptial agreements were mostly conducted over the unwavering ethnic loyalties of the East-West divide among Bengalis. By birth, I was a Bati, a derisive term reserved for children of those early Bangal-

Ghoti marriages. So there I was: innocent to India’s communal history and nomenclatures but a Bati nonetheless. By the rules of patriarchal society, I was a Mohun Bagan supporter, though I loved the folks at my maternal side as well.

I was young and impressionable.

My mamas would impress upon me stories of struggle and triumph of the East Bengal Club formed in 1920.

Then there were my kakas with their proud narrative of Mohun Bagan (1889) which won the IFA Shield playing barefoot against the allBritish, all-booted East Yorkshire Regiment in 1911 and set the patriotic sporting agenda rolling.

Caught between a game of identity and belonging, where one side’s narrative of nationalist history was juxtaposed against the other’s chronicle of being historically wronged, I often felt like a passedaround football, each side using me to settle a socio-cultural score.

But a Bati, like a bisexual, could opt for either side or swell the ranks of both when required.

In my first year as a teenager, my East-Bengal fan(atic) mama took me to an IFA League game involving the Big Two: Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal! At Salt Lake Stadium, the ramparts were packed with close to a hundred thousand flag-waving, cracker-bursting, cussing fans. They were seated in separate enclosures according to club allegiance, for any MB-EB match is a high-risk derby; a 1980 game at Eden Gardens saw 16 fans dead in a violent stampede.

Hand-led by my mama, we sat, understandably, in one of the East Bengal stands. The match started. The standard of football, scrappy; the mood, high-voltage.

Every on-field foul brought forth a volley of fists and profanity from the stands; every act on or off the field undeniably racist. Against the flow of the game, a Mohun Bagan set-piece move ended with the ball hitting the East Bengal crosspiece.

I betrayed my patriarchal roots and jumped up with a “gooaaaal”. A seething East Bengal stand froze

in slow-motion at the poseur-traitor in their midst. I choked; they hurled the first torrent of abuse at mama.

In a show of East Bengal allegiance, he directed all his rage at me. A box to my right ear was followed by an invective-loaded threat, “Pher jodi chechiyecho shala…” (If you only scream again shala...) For the rest of the goalless tie, I kept my eyes half shut.

Not to be outdone, my kaka took me to a Mohun BaganMohammedan Sporting Club match a few days later. The venue was the former’s home ground and the stands were characteristically packed – Mohammedan SC being the third big club at the Kolkata

I often felt like a passed-around football, each side using me to settle a socio-cultural score Maidan. This time we sat within the Mohun Bagan enclosure, and after having scored one when ace Bagan striker Sisir Ghosh missed a seater, a “jaah shala” gushed out of me.

Kaka was more affronted by my choice of words than Ghosh’s miss and threatened to send me home.

Shala is slang approximating an idiot, though its usage is multifarious including as expression of frustration – could be a word that represented the Bangal-Ghoti rift. Used liberally by my Bangal side of the family, where shala was prefixed or suffixed to all kinds of emotional outbursts, it was a no-no on my Ghoti side. Bangals can swear, we vent under our breath; Bangals enjoy a thigh-thumping hooter of a laugh, we are genteel in our joy; Bangals are rootless rustics and usurpers, we are city-bred sophisticates – this was part of the general Ghoti trash talk towards their football rivals from across the

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border, some 15 million of whom entered the country as refugees and settled in West Bengal.

All of them are shala empty vessels, the Bangals noted about the Ghotis. The Ghotis inherited and blow away riches, we earned them through honest toil; Ghotis are debauched pigeon flyers, we worked hard at social change; Ghotis can have a rosogulla even for breakfast, our culinary traditions are complex; Ghotis wear showy silk, our garments are handcrafted cotton.

This year, I tried selling these lines to my nine-year-old nephew.

His soccer (yes, soccer) affiliations lie with Germany and Manchester United, ignoring a long-held Bengali weakness for the underdog or racial pride. Born well into the globalized era, he is a Bati too, but many generations of Ghoti-Bangal intermarriage have taken the edge off the debate. The passing years have softened the tragedies of both sides – there’s been reconciliation to the fact of being uprooted from their green river-crafted land for the Bangals and their beloved city of palaces, Kolkata, being filled in to the last vacant plot by the refugees for the Ghotis.

It hasn’t helped that most players from the two clubs originate from other states or that neither East Bengal nor Mohun Bagan has emerged champion at the prestigious national I-League in over a decade. On few occasions, when East Bengal had a better chance at the title, I’ve found myself supporting the team. Maybe my Ghoti kaka did too silently.

Kaka has often tried influencing my little nephew against the latter’s East Bengal-supporting father.

With scant success. My nephew has invariably gone back to his multimedia soccer gaming where Germany and Man United are seemingly pre-programmed winners.

Which is just as well for the 2014 FIFA World Cup is here.

A Kolkata-based freelance journalist, Shamik Bag writes for publications in India and abroad.

TTBAD

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