TURQUOISE CHILL

After our disappointing drive to Diamond Harbour a couple of days ago, we decided to find a nice destination to getaway for a couple of days. Thanks to a Facebook post, I discovered a place called Bawali and after some research, we decided to head there. Though we had planned to go for a couple of days, we juts managed to get a booking for one night. But that didn't deter us from taking the break. The drive to Bawali, save a few places of nice roads through countryside, was mostly through crowded village markets. But when we finally got to the Bawali Farmhouse, it was like the Garden of Eden. The walk from The Parking Lot next to the gate upto the main Hut was lined with a beautiful nursery, plants like I've never seen. The first order of business after we checked in to our Cottage was an amazing breakfast in the common dining Hut. Luchi Torkari and Aloo Parantha along with Omelettes. A Cupppa Tea and Coffee and we were rejuvenated. We were lucky to get the most se...

  Our gracious hosts took us out for dinner today and insisted that we try a seafood restaurant called Mangalore Pearl . I can't even begin to describe the food—it was an absolute feast! I'll simply let the images do the talking. Adding to the experience were the incredible caricatures adorning the walls, which gave the restaurant a wonderfully distinctive character. Mangalore Pearl specialises in authentic coastal and Mangalorean flavours, and our hosts certainly knew exactly where to take us for a memorable meal. If you look them up online, you'll find their menu. Better still, drop into Mangalore Pearl yourself and indulge in their splendid delicacies. You won't be disappointed!

  On our way back from HAL Museum I managed to click some photographs of these old Tanks out side an Army cantonment area we crossed.

So while I was getting amazed with the Aircraft on display at the HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum, and the constant buzz of LCA Tejas Aircraft & MI-8 Helicopters taking off and landing at the HAL Airport across the road, I suddenly heard the load humming of rotors and instantly knew that there was a Helicopter close by. Suddenly from behind a tree I saw this magnificent bird rise up and just float in mid air while the nose gun turret kept swiveling from side to side. It was an HAL Rudra Helicopter with Indian Air Force markings. HAL RUDRA Specifications: HAL/Turbomeca Shakti engine General characteristics: Crew: 1 or 2 pilots Capacity: 12 passengers (14 passengers with high density seating) or 4 stretchers. Length: 15.87 m (52 ft 0.8 in) Rotor diameter: 13.20 m (43 ft 3.7 in) Height: 4.98 m (16 ft 4.06 in) Disc area: 137 m2 (1,472 ft2) Empty weight: 2,502 kg (5,515 lb) Useful load: 2,600 kg (5,731 lb) Max. takeoff weig...

I was in Bangalore and this was the only place I actually wanted visit. So here I am taking the tour of India's first aerospace museum located at the HAL facility (opposite the old Bangalore Airport) spread over 4 acres. The displays of actual aircraft are very cool and so are the galleries showing historical pictures and evolution of HAL and its contribution to the nation in Military Aircraft as well as Aerospace. The disappointing thing at the end of the tour was the Gift shop, where I was hoping to find Scale Models of Aircraft and other Memorabilia from the IAF (Indian Air Force), but instead it was a dreary sight to see a shelf which housed Handicrafts! That just didn't make any sense whatsoever. Anyway for those of you who would like to visit this wonderful Museum, the details are below: HF-24 Marut 1T (D1698) IAF MIG-21 Bison (Trainer Version) HAL HJT-36 Sitara (IJT), Intermediate Jet Trainer Prototype. HAL Tejas mock-up (LCA) Light Weight...