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...

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...

Was a lazy Saturday and we didn't have plans either compounded with the fact that our Cook had taken the day off. So we decided to try out a place we hadn't been to and we didn't want to go too far either. So Barcelos it was.  Located on the Top floor of Acropolis Mall, I loved the idea of walking across the Glass Bridge to reach the entrance. While I ordered a Cheese Cake Shake, my wife ordered the Mix Berries Shake. We ordered one of their Signatures, 1/2 Chicken (Chicken marinated in their Secret Sauce and grilled to perfection). Well it wasn't the usual Chicken one has tasted in out places. This one I had to order. Why Order One Burger when you can have Four, Right! So we ordered the World's healthiest Mini Burgers. 2 Chicken + 2 Mutton, They came with four different breads; White, Brown, Red and Black and each tasted more yummy as we went down the plate from one to the next. This is a definite must try if you're visiting Barcel...

Our usual plans of driving out to some nearby locale had been put on hold for the weekend as we had some other stuff to do. But knowing us, a Sunday without doing something was not going to happen. by mid morning my wife suddenly suggested we go try this Restaurant which was serving 'Haleem' as a Ramadan Special. Oh! and we do like Haleem and especially during this time. So we headed out to Kidderpore, a place on the map not particularly savoury for most of us South Kolkatan's. Well it's home to the famous India Restaurant. India Restaurant is probably 18-20 years old and one of the most popular eateries in the locality. The new A/C sections on the 1st & 2nd Floors was launched during the Durga Puja Festival of 2015 to cater to a more upwardly mobile gentry with ambiance and decor that will put some of the more established Restaurants to shame. Once seated we straight away ordered the Haleem, but were told that Haleem would only be available after 2pm...