The concept of centrepieces never really struck me till I stayed at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai last September. They do centrepieces like no other, from the rose petals that line your room floor leading up to one focal point, to the bright flowers & opulent decor at the lobbies and common areas…
Category: Asia
Day Break over Bangkok
I’m not a morning person, and when the first rays of the sun stream in through the windows of my room in the morning, I’d rather pull the blanket over my head and roll over. But it’s different when I’m travelling or visiting a destination for work, because I feel obliged to capture photos and…
Slow bloomers: Neelakurinji
“It’s all dried up,” the ranger at the Eravikulum National park replied to my question in broken Malayalam when I asked him where I could find the Neelakurinji which blooms once every 12-years. Our guide who had been to the park with his guests earlier in May 2019 claimed the blooms were still visible, so…
Cherai Beach: After the Rain
If I could bottle my favourite scent I’d call it ‘After Rain’. It will capture the fresh scent of wet grass, vegetation, palm frond, fresh earth and the subtle scent of tropical flowers. The scent of nature scrubbed clean, and the fresh cool air especially after a heavy downpour. The shots below were taken on…
Street of Lights
One of my favourite photos – oil lamps illuminating this unnamed lane in Cherlai Bazar in Fort Kochi, Kerala, India. The Hindu residents in homes along this lane had lit the lamps on the eve of the Festival of Lights last October to celebrate and signify the victory of light over darkness. #Daily Prompt #Day…
Home Bound Day of the Dead
It’s a different Cheng Beng festival for the Chinese community today as the Movement Control Order (MCO) measures are tightened in view of a peak of Covid 19 infections in mid-April. This annual festival which is essentially the Chinese version of ‘All Souls Day’ is one where families gather at cemeteries all over the country…
Tangkuban Perahu: Java
This may not be how it looks like today, but the Tangkuban Perahu Volcanic Crater an hours drive out of the city of Bandung was a spot of serenity when we visited about three years ago. There was a major volcanic eruption in 2019, so am not sure if the scenes are the same today.
Sunset Over the Andaman
Am missing the beach, the sound of waves rolling in and dramatic sunsets! The dramatic sunset over the Andaman Sea captured from Pantai Cenang, Langkawi Island, Kedah Malaysia.
Heritage Trail: Jew Town
Jew town in the old quarter of Fort Kochi in Kerala was built by the Jewish community who moved to Fort Kochi in the 14th century. In it are an array of old buildings including a synagogue that at one time served the community of traders who operated from the area.
Restricted Movement Sunday Lunch
Our routine over the past two weeks has been limited and the Movement Control Order has been extended till mid-April. I’m missing my Sunday banana leaf lunch with the family and tried to replicate it today with missing ingredients nevertheless. Here’s lunch for today, white rice, fish sambal, dhall and siew pak choy fried with…
Village With A Runway?
A runway in the middle of a village? That’s exactly what ‘Lawan Kuda,‘ a quaint village snuggled amongst the green hills near the town of Gopeng in Perak features. It’s the first thing you’ll notice as you pull into the village. Built by the British as an emergency landing strip and referred to as ‘feigeichang’…
Coffee Tea anyone?
Coffee flower tea, cultivated and harvested in the town of Gopeng in Perak, brings together a refreshing brew of two all-time favourite beverages in a cup.
Maria Dass the World 