My Travelogue - Indian Travel Blogger, Heritage enthusiast & UNESCO hunter!

I sent a message to my possessive man saying 'I met David' and he asked 'Who David?'..... Well, he's the most handsome guy in the whole world. I fell in love with him in my 1st year of college. I don't mind declaring my love for this boyfriend of mine on social media though mostly I don't talk about my personal life in the blog. And the best part, my man doesn't have a problem if I'm drooling over this boyfriend!!! Well, he's David - a sculptural masterpiece by Michelangelo!

It was sculpted in 1501-1504. Its a 5.17m tall, 5.5 tonne standing sculpture of n*ked man made of marble and represents David from Old Testament of Bible. It was originally intended to be kept on Florence Cathedral, but later was actually kept just outside the Open Air Museum of Florence - Piazza Della Signoria. Soon after, it became a symbolization of Firenze's power and he's staring towards Rome!!!

By 1873 it was moved inside Galleria Academia to protect it from natural elements. However by 2014, his legs started to pain. Well, I'm not joking. Being a free standing statue without support (except for that bit of tree bark behind one of his legs) for several centuries, its x-ray revealed that the marble in the ankle region of the statue was weak.

The gallery opens at 8.15AM and I had bought the tickets online for 8.15AM entry. And as soon as I entered I went directly to see David. There were only about 20 people who entered in that time slot and only about 10 who directly went to see David. That gave me ample time to just be mesmerized at David's beauty, without being bothered by too many people around and before the crowd started to pour in.

Anyways, he's just too beautiful and here are several images of him for you to appreciate Michelangelo's skill!!! A separate post is coming up on the rest of the Museum. Btw, have you seen a man more handsome than him???

To Get There:

Nearest Metro Station: Santa Maria Novella
Nearest Bus stop: San Marco Rettorato

Entry Ticket: €8.00; €4.00 (if you're below 25 yrs of age and an EU citizen)
Plus €4.00 as reservation charges if booked online
Timings: 8:15AM to 6:50PM

Here are some tips:

There are way too many sites that sell tickets for entry and I had a tough time to figure out which is real and which is fake, so let me make your life easier - Official Galleria Academia Tickets by B-Ticket, the only official channel as authorized by Ministry of Heritage & Tourism of Govt of Italy.
Italians do not call is Florence. Its an anglicized term. They call the place Firenze.

Whole of Firenze town is small and I managed to walk to all the places of interest and to the hostel and bus stand and did not require any public transport at all.

So where did I meet David??? As I said earlier, he's standing inside Galleria dell'Accademia and I woke up early morning and went to meet him the first thing in the morning at the earliest time slot of 8:15AM. The entrance leads directly to Hall of Colossus. On the left is a door which leads to Hall of Prisoners at the end of which is David. After meeting David, and as crowd started to pour in, I moved to see the other displays in the Museum and went back to Hall of Colossus.

Bang at the centre of Hall of Colossus is the plaster model for the Rape of Sabine Women sculpture by Giambologna. All sculptors first made life sized plaster sculptures before touching the stone. The original sculpture of Rape of Sabine Women is in Loggia dei Lanzi and I was so enthralled to see the original after seeing this plaster model.

Apart from this sculpture, this particular hall is majorly filled with paintings done on wood with gold filament detailing as well. Most of these paintings are from Firenze itself and dated from 15th and early 16th C CE and artists incl Pietro Perugino, Franceso Botticini, Biagio d'Antonio, Allesandro Botticelli etc.

This particular painting is by Pietro Perugino in 1503-07 CE. The original location of this frieze was in the Annuziata Church. Filippino Lippi began the painting in 1503 and after completing only the top portion he died and the painting was majorly completed by Pietro.

Back again in the Hall of Prisoners are 6 more sculptures of Michelangelo. These are all trial & incomplete sculptures. The one that totally caught my attention was the trial of Pieta (the complete original is now in St.Peter's Basilica in Vatican)!!!

On the right and left on David are several more paintings and the left wing leads to Gipsoteca Bartolini Hall. This was filled with plaster sculptures. But unlike the Sabine Women plaster, these were 19th C replicas of masterpieces made by Lorenzo Bartolini, a professor in the Academy. See these sculptures of seated women? I managed to see their originals in Pisa in the Campasanto and that enthralled me, so much more than anything!!!

The other hall in ground floor is called the Florentine Art Hall and the entire 1st floor is dedicated to Florentine art since early 13th C to late 15th C complete with a video explaining how painting is done on wood and gold filaments are added on them. The evolution of the style and mannerism is so evident with the paintings showing the traditional style moving over to allergorical representations!!!

One things that totally mesmerized me in the first floor was fabric display (being a textile designer, that's only obvious!!). This depicts the Coronation of Virgin between Angels and Saints. It also depicts scenes from the lives of Virgin Mary, Prophet Abraham and David. This was made in 1336 by Jacopo Cambi and originally decorated Santa Maria Novella. Its is a hand embroidery with thread, gold and silver filaments. Apart from flat thread work, it also includes couching, wading, multiple direction thread work with same color giving a very subdued design in the background, bead work (spherical and tubular), 3 D effect with multiple layer of embroidery appliqued upon each other and so many more techniques.... If you know embroidery, try to wrap your mind around this fact - all this was made 700 years ago!!!!!!

To Get There, Tickets, Timings:

Refer to my earlier post

After coming out of Galleria dell'Accademia, I roamed all over the Historic Centre of Florence as I had booked my entry into Uffizi at 11:15, plus since Duomo visit flopped. Since it was prime time, the crowd was pretty much. The security is pretty much like airport style security and there's a cloak room free of charge. People where sent in, in batches and there was a waiting time and a queue as well! And as the map suggested, I went directly to 2nd floor. The gallery has sculptures and paintings since Ancient Greek era till Late Renaissance.

This building was built in 1560 by Georgio Vasari. To begin with, the exquisiteness began with the corridor itself. I've been trying to find out but I don't know when were the ceiling frescoes of the corridors were made.

The entire corridor is filled with sculptures at equidistant and paintings hanging on the wall between them. And here I got to see some of the sculptures and paintings that I've read about and studied extensively in Uni days. That's something I studied in Uni days for the costume worn by the woman in the painting. That's the Portrait of Eleanor of Toledo and Her Son, painted by Bronzino in 1545.

2 main sculptures in this corridor are a copy of Laocoon & Sons and Hercules and Nessus. Hercules & Nessus is an ancient Roman sculpture of 3rd C BCE which was restored in 16th C with the bits and pieces of fragments left. Another interesting sculpture here was of Demetra, again a Roman sculpture of 430-400 BCE. What makes it all the more interesting is that its has a black colored robe on it which was also made of stone. I don't know how he managed that!

In the Tribune hall (an octoganal hall) were the prized possessions of ancient Classical Greek & Roman sculptures and High Renaissance paintings! Bang at the centre was Venus de' Medici made in 1st C BCE. Beside it was Wrestlers, an ancient Roman sculpture of 3rd C BCE, depicting a composition of 2 men wrestling. Also here is Arrotino, a Hellinistic Roman sculpture of 1st C BCE which depicts a man crouching and sharpening his knife.

In the rooms ahead was the temporary exhibition when I went on paintings done on wood carvings, very much similar to the extensive collection in Galleria dell'Accademia. This is Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints by Lorenzo di Pietro made in 1457 CE.

The usual place where Botticelli's paintings were kept was under renovation when I went, but fortunately the paintings were relocated to another room, so thankfully I wasn't dejected. And I was more than exuberent to see his masterpieces, again that I studied in my Uni days, with my own eyes - Birth of Venus (c.1484-6 CE) and La Primavera (c. 1482 CE)!

One more that I totally adored was Adoration of Shepherds made in 1475 CE by Hugo van der Goes, a Flemish artist. This was in 3 sections and was originally a meant to be the altarpiece in the chapel of an hospital. The detailing in this was really interesting. Unlike the usual style of depicting the 3 wise men, here the 3 are of 3 different races! The oh-so-colorful brocaded detailing in the clothing of the angels is to be noted! Guess what, he was a contemporary of Jan Van Eyck who painted the Arnolfini Wedding. The style of shoes depicted in both are exactly the same. And you think touching the fingers of both hands to form a heart is something new??? Well, Magi is doing it in 1475 CE!

The 2nd floor wraps up with the golden room, Niobe. Quite literally, its gilded with gold detailing in the ceiling & walls. This is filled with 17 sculptures of 15th - 16th C CE. Beyond this is the refreshment area with cafe and the view of Duomo from here is just spectacular.

The 1st floor begins with quite a few ancient Roman Hellenistic sculptures incl Doryphorus Torso of the 1st half of 1st C CE. This is made of a very strong mineral called Bassanite and I'm unsure if its harder than granite. The sleeping beauty is actually a Hermaphrodite of Roman Art of 1st - 2nd C CE. Though looks like a female, complete with b*easts, from the other side it also has a p*nis!!!

Further rooms in this floor are dedicated to region-wise segregated artists. This is Our Lady of Sorrows made in 1500 and is accredited to Anonimo Pittore Fiorentino. Further ahead was Caravaggio's Medusa made in 1597 and was originally intended to be a shield in the armory. By this time, infact even by the time I got to half of 1st floor I got pretty tired and that's completely justified when you think of how extensive this Gallery is!!!! I got out, collected my backpack and came out. There were some cute spherical seating arrangement of roadside made of concrete and that was something I totally needed after walking all over Uffizi. That's where I had my lunch of 2 apples!!!!!

To Get There:

Nearest Metro Station: Santa Maria Novella
Nearest Bus stop: San Marco Rettorato

Entry Ticket: €8.00; €4.00 (if you're below 25 yrs of age and an EU citizen)
Plus if there any temporary exhibition happening there, that cost is extra and that cost in not optional. You cannot say that you don't want to see the exhibition!!! I paid €4.00 for painted wooden sculptures exhibition.
Plus €4.00 as reservation charges if booked online
Timings: 8:15AM to 6:50PM

Here are some tips:

There are way too many sites that sell tickets for entry and I had a tough time to figure out which is real and which is fake, so let me make your life easier - Official Uffizi Tickets by B-Ticket, the only official channel as authorized by Ministry of Heritage & Tourism of Govt of Italy.
Italians do not call is Florence. Its an anglicized term. They call the place Firenze.

Follow the Museum map, that's the easiest way to see all the rooms of the gallery, without missing too much (I say this, coz to not miss anything at all, is almost impossible).
If you're into art history or an art buff, you could see just Uffizi for 2 days minimum. But just to justify saying that you've been to Uffizi, dedicate atleast 2 hrs to it!

I reached Florence by almost night 9:30 and directly went off to the hostel. My actual exploration of Florence started on the next day. I had booked the entry of Galleria dell'Accademia at 8:15AM when it opens its doors. I had booked for Uffizi by noon and by afternoon was my bus to Pisa. So I was exploring Florence soon after I got out of Galleria till I entered Uffizi.

Firenze Duomo and David were my primary inspirations to visit Florence. Its a place that I wanted to see since, not my college days, but my school days. Long back I was gifted a table calendar by someone called 'Renaissance' with its cover image as Florence Duomo and 12 Renaissance paintings in the monthly pages. And I was so so so enthralled to see it from a distance. While learning about it online to buy tickets, I came to know that its entry is free and no booking is required. However when I went there, the queue was.............................

The queue began at the door of the Duomo and went all around the duomo!!! At certain places there were placards that gave an idea of how much more time is expected to reach the entrance! And the place where this queue ended, the placard was at 2.5hrs!!!!!!!!!! There was absolutely no point in waiting in that queue, so I just began to pacify myself with just the outside view of the Duomo.

There was a very short queue though. But that was to see the dome of the Duomo which has tickets that could be booked online for a particular time slot. Also the Museum and Bell Tower have a time slot booking system which is a part of the Dome visit ticket. Once you're inside, you can see the Cathedral as well! However if you opt to see just the Cathedral for free, no choice than to stand in the queue.

The Cathedral is called Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore or Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flowers and along with its Baptistry and Campanile, together they are listed under UNESCO. Its construction began in 1296 and was completed in 1436, after being stopped for several times due to various reasons incl death of architect, war, unrest etc. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th-century Gothic Revival facade.

Leaving the cathedral, I stopped by at the Open Air Museum - Loggia della Signoria. Next I had a look at another piazza - Piazza della Republica where 2 things attracted me. One was this arch called the Arcone designed by Micheli with an inscription on it that says that the ancient city has revived. Second was an awesome carousel aka merry-go-round complete with Renaissance styled images atop!

There are several pillars with statues atop & fountains scattered all over Florence. As I was walking the streets of Florence, kinda aimlessly (since Duomo visit flopped), just admiring the old world charm and the inherernt chaotic nature (that's so similar to India). Almost every building in the town was ancient. And then I saw a group of tourists who were being explained by a tour guide. So I stopped to figure out what's so important in that. It was a church and there was a plaque which explained its history.... - Its the Orsanmichele Church & Museum.

Documents for the existence of this church are from 893 CE which was demolished in 1239. Later on this was built as a granary in early 1290 CE. It was then a loggia with lots of open spaces and was used as for agricultural marketplace. The original architects were Andrea Pissano, Francesco Talenti, Neri di Fioravante, and Benci di Cione. However later the place became more known for its painitng of Madonna on a pillar and miracles associated with it.

So the loggia was closed with exquisite stained glass work and gothic styled arched windows. Several sculptures were made to ornate the church and some were even made of bronze all between 1399-1430. These were funded by the various guilds of that era incl Silk workers, Linen workers, Physicians, Furriers, Butchers, Bankers, Armorours etc. Those bronze sculptures were made the rich guilds. Once this was the most beautiful collection of sculptures by the greatest Gothic artists.

Today some of the sculptures have been moved to the 1st floor which is today a museum. The original tabernacles (similar to Goshtam in Hindu temples) are filled with replicas of original sculptures. Efforts are on to move all the sculptures and refill with replicas. Unfortunately I did not get to visit the Museum as its open only on Mondays. The main painting of Madonna is Madonna della Grazie from 1346 by Bernardo Daddi. The Marble Altar is by Andrea Orcagna made in 1359. Beside the main altar is the altar of St.Anne.

Some of the sculptures were so exquisite and the one I liked the most was of Thomas and Jesus which depicts Thomas reaching out to touch the wound on Jesus' chest. Infact this is the one that faces an important road there called Via dei Calzaiuoli (well, that's the shopping street with all the high end brand showrooms). The entire church is completely filled with frecoes on its wall and ceiling, mostly of 14th C CE.

Infact even before I got to Galleria dell'Accademia, on my way from the hostel to here, I came across Piazza della Santissima Annunziata. Its a square from which both the Duomo and Galleria are accessible. Bang at the centre of the Piazza is an Equestrian Monument of Ferdinando I made in 1602. Plus there are also 2 fountains here. These were sculpted by Pietro Tacca.

This bridge is across river Arno and that's the view from Uffizi. This is the oldest bridge in Florence and is called the Ponte Vecchio. Its a medieval stone closed bridge filled with shops all over. The earliest reference of this bridge is from 996 CE. The current structure was built in 1345 CE. Guess what, the whole of this area of Florence incl Duomo, Galleria, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, Loggia dei Lanzi, and many more monuments together is called the Historic Centre of Florence and all of it are under UNESCO!

Finally, roaming about the streets of Florence, I had a strange sense of belonging.... As weird as it may sound - the streets were filled with hawkers and open spaces near places of interest were filled with flea markets - soooo much like Chennai or Mumbai or Delhi!!!!!

To Get There:
Florence Duomo:
Nearest Metro Station: Santa Maria Novella

Entry Ticket to dome of Duomo (combined with Baptistry, Bell Tower, Museum, Crypt etc): €15.00

Museum alone is closed on the first Tuesday every month.

Orsanmichele Church & Museum
Entry Ticket: Free
Timings of Church: 10:00AM to 17:00PM Everyday
Timings of Museum: 10:00AM to 17:00PM Mondays only

Here are some tips:

There are way too many sites that sell tickets for entry and I had a tough time to figure out which is real and which is fake, so let me make your life easier - Official Florence Duomo Tickets

The original location of David was in front of this open air museum of Florence called Loggia dei Lanzi also called Loggia della Signoria. It was built between 1376 and 1382 by Benci di Cione and Simone di Francesco Talenti, to hold public events and ceremonies. It was decorated with imageries of virtues carved in 1384 - 1389 sculpted by Angolo Gaddi. It was restored much later in 1837.

The entire space is filled with several marble sculptures and a couple bronze ones too. On either sides of the entrance are 2 lions. Along the back wall are 6 sculptures of Roman women called 'Sabine', who are Italian tribes, which belong to the era of Trajan Hadrian and from the II C CE and underwent several restoration since their discovery in 16th C CE and got placed in various places till 1789 CE when they were brought here to Loggia.

The main sculptures are the 5 free standing sculptures. Somehow 3 of those 5 have the concept of rape and I have no clue why is it so! The first is the bronze sculpture of Perseus holding a sword in one hand and the severed head of Medusa in the other. This was sculpted by Benvenuto Cellini in 1545.

The 2nd is Rape of Polyxena. This was sculpted by Pio Fedi in 1855-65. Its said that Achilles saw her and fell in love with her and to get her, he killed 2 of her brothers and abducted her. Its this very abduction that's being depicted here with her mother trying to stop her and Achilles raising his sword against her. However he didn't kill her though. Of all the sculptures there, this was my most favourite because of the complexity of the composition and the detailing in it incl the draping of the fabric and even the nails & veins!!!

The 3rd is Menelaus holding the body of Patroclus. The one here is a Roman copy of the original Greek sculpture made in 240-230 BCE.

The 4th is Hercules and Centaur. This was sculpted by Giambologna in 1549-99. This depicts the story of Hercules killing Nessus, a Centaur, who tried to force himself upon Deianeira, Hercules' wife. However Deianeira trusted the dying Nessus when he said that his blood would keep him loyal to her. So she applied its blood allover the inside of Hercules' robe, eventually killing him as it was poison.

The 5th one is called the Rape of Sabine Women. Similar to Polyxena, this to is a complex sculpture with 3 characters in it. The original plaster sculpture which is usually made by artists before starting with marble, can still be seen at Galleria dell'Accademia. It actually means more of Abduction than Rape. This too was sculpted by Giambologna in 1581-83. It depicts the first generation of Roman soldiers who took the local tribal women to be their wives in 750 BCE.

It is open to all to all times. However it does have a barrier across the entrance and if there are too many people inside at a time, its entry is regulated.

To Get There:

Nearest Metro Station: Santa Maria Novella
Nearest Bus stop:
Entry Fee: Free

Since my planned visit to Florence Duomo got flopped, I had quite a bit of time left in Florence to see something else after Uffizi. However I didn't want to go somewhere and get delayed for my bus to Pisa. So I opted to go to the Bus Depot instead. But then when I reached the Bus Depot, very close to it was this Church. So it was by chance, that I visited this Santa Maria Novella and I was & am glad that I did. Going by its name, I thought it would be a new church but..........

The church was originally called Novella, because there was old chapel in the same site called Santa Maria delle Vigne of 9th C CE. This 'new' church was built in 1221 and I was so fooled by its name!!!! Plus this also comes under the Historic Centre of Florence UNESCO Sites!!!!! I honestly got lost in its beauty and antiquity. There was so much to see in the church that, at that point, I felt pressed for time!!! Each and every wall was filled with frescoes of 13-15th C CE (we're talking about something that pre-dates renaissance and ofcourse Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel!). If you're an art buff or into art history, this place is a treasure trove.

In 1219 CE, it was designed by Dominican Frairs as a simple church. Later on in 1279 CE, the present huge facade with all its marble detailing and adjacent convent which all got ready by mid 14th C CE. My first impression as soon as I got in - its so huge and every bit of the wall and ceiling is covered with frescoes. Behind the main altar are 3 huge stained glass windows. The frescoes all around are by Domenico Ghirlandaio made in 1485-90 incl a gorgeous Coronation of Madonna with angels, prophets and saints.

On either sides are 2 more altars and on the 2 sides are 2 more chapels all filled with frescoes. In Capella Maggiore, the entire life of Mary is painted since her birth to presentation to temple, wedding to Joseph, her adoration, birth of St John, baptism of Jesus & more.

At some places the frescoes are so worn out incl a coronation of Madonna painted in 1335 in Western Transept. The Gaddi Chapel has frescoes of Giovanni Antonio Dosio in 1575-77. However these too were very worn out.

Chapel Rucellai has frescoes of 1310 to 1540 painted by various artists. How is the sculpture above??? Well, that's a painting too!!!

Most of the nave is restored with the original frescoes forming panels in them. Along the walls are certain tiny chapel like structures with small stained glass windows and frescoes. On the facade, atop is a circular stained glass window depicting the Coronation of Virgin made by 1365 by Andrea di Bonaiuto. Around the door are fresco panels of Nativity and Annuciation made between 1366 - 1592 by multiple artists.

The cloisters are also painted and the crypt is filled with tombstones as usual. Then I went to the Spanish Chapel and..................... I didn't want to get out of it!!! This was originally the Chapter House of the monastery.

Every bit of it was so well painted. On one wall of Triumph of St Thomas, story of St.Peter Martyr, Ascension of Christ, Scenes of Earthly life, Passion of Christ all by Andrea di Bonaiuto in 1365-67.

Remember the good old 9th C CE church? After that a 2nd church was built in 1094. The present structure is the 3rd. There are remnants of that 1094 church below the present church at the nave. At one point on the right when you're in front of the altar, is a glass floor below which the old structure is visible.

It was a blessing in disguise that my visit to Duomo got flopped. I got to see the awesomeness of this church and guess what, there were hardly 20-25 people in this church when I was there and I got to see each and every fresco at my own pace and space!

To Get There:

Nearest Metro Station: Santa Maria Novella

Nearest Bus Station: Santa Maria Novella

Entry Fee: €5

For anyone who knows about Neemrana Non-Hotel Hotels, it’s a definitely in their wishlist to stay atleast in one of their properties atleast once. Last month, I happened to go on a long weekend, around Mother’s Day, with my mom. We headed south to Tranquebar aka Tharangambadi where there’s not 1 but 2 Neemrana properties.

The main property here is called Bungalow on the Beach. It was built by the Danish in 17th C CE along with Dansborg and Governer’s Bungalow. After the Danish pretty much left India after selling the town for Rs.12.5 lakhs to the British (more on Tharangambadi itself coming up soon) they used this building as the Collector’s Bungalow. This was from 1845-60. The town’s name was anglicized as Tranquebar by them.

As the name says, it is pretty much a Bungalow on the Beach! Located just beside Danish Fort Dansborg, this was once pretty much in ruins. The locals were using this place as a relaxing place beside beach, to mend their fishing nets, the water pump here used for bathing & washing clothes etc. This was then owned by a Rao Bahadur Rattinasamy Nadar of the Porayar Nadar Estate. Later on this came into the hands of INTACH in early 2003 who along with Neemrana Hotels restored this place. Esp Mr. Francis Wacziarg, one of the founders of Neemrana, took special care and stayed here to overlook the restoration himself! After 2 years this was open as a hotel in 2005.

Actually the hotel doesn’t even show from outside, it’s surrounded by so much vegetation! Even from the car park it isn’t clearly visible! As soon as I entered, I was given wet towels and coconut water as refreshment! You get the antique and restored feel at the reception itself! Right from retro Kolu dolls and Danish cupboards & desks and wooden ceiling, it’s just simple yet stunning. Originally the way to first floor was only from outside, but during restoration, they made a wooden spiral staircase from the reception!

This has 8 rooms in all with 2 in ground floor and 6 in the first floor. All the rooms are named after Danish ships! Though the basic infrastructure of the rooms are same, each and every room is actually unique! The furniture have been collected from various places (yes, they are real vintage stuff). So obviously there can’t be 8 of each! For eg, one of the room has an iron trunk box, another room has a barrel for side table, another room has a super comfortable plantation chair, another has a rocking chair etc!!!!!

Of the 6 rooms in first floor, 3 are sea facing. Indeed a room with a view. To be able to sit in the balcony as long as you’re awake and see the sea crashing the beach is just breathtaking! Being on the east, obviously watching both sunrise & moonrise is so peaceful. Just to cater to this, there’s one fantastic corridor cum balcony with 2 chairs and a table per room with a partition screen between them as well!

The rooms are air-conditioned and has a fan too. There’s ofcourse the regular toiletries (except dental kit), mini bar, mini café, towels etc. However there’s no slipper or bathrobes provided, so gotta bring yours. RO water is available on request if you’re eco-conscious and don’t want to break a bottled waterbottle everytime. The service is good and housekeeping does a very good job. Plumbing maintenance could have been better!

One fine morning by about 7 AM, as soon as I woke up and lazily came out to the balcony, the kids in the next room were already up, looking at the sea and screaming!!! Confused, I enquired the mother what was happening and guess what I saw too - a school of dolphins!!! A huge family perhaps which had 2 probably younger ones, playfully following them! And soon, it happened - one of those 2 playful ones, started to jump!!!! What more could I have asked for!!!!!

Food is highly personalized! With just 8 rooms, it is more like a family!!! The chefs enquire what you want by the previous food time, to procure & prepare accordingly! Breakfast has cereals, bread, jam, eggs, fruits etc and if you request prior anything else also incl Idly, Vada, Paratha etc. Once I tried the proper South Indian meals for lunch and it was just awesome! Esp the Puli Kulambu (Tamarind gravy) was just divine! It was spicy, sour and suited the Indian palate so well! Yes, I was asked what I wanted to have for lunch when I was having breakfast itself and this entire array was my lunch, made just for me & my mom!!!

Another time I tried the continental cuisine of Mashed potato and sautéed vegetables. This time it was mild with just salt and pepper without any spices and was true to the cuisine! One thing I’d suggest all the Neemrana properties is to have 24hrs service of basic something food.........

You see, this hotel is in the middle of a village at the sea! If I felt hungry or if a diabetic patient wanted something to eat in the middle of the night or very early in the morning, there’s nothing available! Any other hotel in bigger cities of towns, we could get out & buy something in the nearby store. In locations like this, the whole village is sleeping and to even get bread or biscuits isn’t possible after 10PM!!! Nothing much – coffee, tea, bread sandwich & omlette would do for 24 hrs! I hope they bring the service across all Neemrana hotels!

The pool is fantastic and well maintained and to view the pool, the Masilamaninathar temple and the sea beyond it from the balcony is one awesome view! To sit on the poolside and eat is one thing, but to sit in the balcony and eat with the sea view just takes it to so many level higher!

Nothing could beat the stress of city life than sitting in this balcony and staring at the sea all day & night for a weekend!!! Want something better? How about some Ancient Tamil, Early Buddhism, Chola architecture & Danish history put together??? Stay tuned for more.

P.S: Check out what I wore at BoB, Neemrana, Tranquebar - OOTD 1, OOTD 2!

To get there:

On Google Maps: Bungalow on the Beach, Neemrana, Tharangambadi

From Chennai: 271km via Pondicherry
From Pondicherry / Puducherry: 117km
From Trichy Airport: 149km via Kumbakonam
Nearest Airport: Trichy; Nearest Railway Station: Karaikal & Mayiladuthurai Jn

Transport is arranged by the resort from nearest airport / railway station on prior request.

Room tariff begins at Rs.7800/-

To Book: Neemrana Hotels

Resort Ph no: +91 4364 289036

P.S: I was invited by Neemrana Hotels to stay and experience Bungalow on the Beach, Tranquebar for review purpose, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.

Most of India was a British Colony till we attained Independence in 1947. Smaller portions were under other countries incl Pondicherry with France; Goa with Portugal; Cochin, portions of Chennai with Dutch etc. Colonial India was a very painful past of India! Before that India has fantastic trade connections across the world. But since 1496, since the arrival Portuguese with Vasco da Gama, situation totally changed! From business dealings, it got to ruling & colonizing and instead of buying, it became looting!!!

Few tiny little places were Danish colonies incl Nicobar Islands, Calicut in Kerala, Serampore in Bengal, Balasore in Odisha, Patna in Bihar and Tharamgambadi in Tamil Nadu. By 1868, the Danish sold their Indian colonies to other Europeans, mostly to British!!!

The Danish reached India at Thanjavur and its king Sri Raghunatha Nayak granted them with Tharangambadi to start with their trade forming Danish East India Company and the permission to build a fort here! Eventually they colonized few towns here! Today, like Pondicherry, this town too is also so unusual than rest of India which have a British influence! Here, the town planning and architecture have a very Danish influence!

To begin with, there’s the Danish Fort aka Dansborg (remember Rosenborg and Christianborg? Yes, Borg means Fort in Danish) built in 1620! Its located bang opposite to Bungalow on the Beach! It is in 2 floors of which the lower floor was used as a storage place for food, liquor, arms & ammunition, poultry etc as well as the dorm for the soldiers as well! The upper floor was used as the living space for the governor and priests! Today the upper floor is used as the office and inhouse museum!

All the storage areas in the lower floor were locked and can only be seen from outside. The Museum has a good collection of historical Danish artifacts, as well as local artifacts incl coins, pottery, documents etc.

On the other side of Neemrana, is the Masilamaninathar temple aka Manivanneswaram! The original temple was built by Maravarman Kulasekara Pandiyan in 1305 CE. It was so much pain to even look at it! The original temple was very much on the beach itself! Centuries ago, when the Danish visited here, it was much away from the sea, but with rising sea levels, currently it is on the edge of the sea! During Tsunami, the temple’s Vimanam (tower) broke and fell into the sea. The Govt had set aside funds for its renovation. However instead of restoring this temple with its ancient charm, currently a new, modern temple has been built next to it, complete with tiles! So I’m just refraining from writing anything more about it!

Just beside Neemrana (which was originally Collector’s Bungalow), is the Governer’s Bungalow. Today it has been restored but is not being used as anything and is under lock and key. The keys are with Dansborg and can be seen with special permission. Besides this is the Commander’s House which is now being used as the Maritime Museum.

Under the Danish, the whole of Tranquebar had a fortification wall! Today the Gateway built in 1792 (renovated in 2002) still survives but the wall is completely gone. I went in search of the bastions marked in the map of INTACH. I managed to find the base of one of the three behind the cemetery in the midst of several outgrowths!!! I’m still not sure if what I found was actually a bastion or not!!! The post office here also been there since Danish times though the building has been rebuilt over and over!

Why this tiny little town is very important, both nationally and internationally is because this has the first ever Protestant Church of India! When the Danish came here, the King also wanted to bring in their Christian missionaries. However the Danish missionaries, showed a lack of interest in moving to India. So he sent Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Plütschau from Germany who reached here on 1706. There is a plaque planted here in 1906 at the beach marking their landing site very close to the entrance of the hotel. More about Zeigenbalg, Christianity and more Danish Architecture coming up soon. Stay tuned.

To Get There:

On Google Maps - Danish Fort, Masilamani Nathar temple, Gateway, Post Office, Landing Site

All are walkable from Bungalow and the Beach, Neemrana Hotels. Refer to my earlier post to reach the hotel.

Here’s the INTACH Map of all the important buildings of Tranquebar.

Continuing with the Danish Heritage of Tranquebar from the last post. Soon after Zeigenbalg and Plütschau landed, they began propagating their religion.

In 1707 the Jerusalem Church was built which proved to be too small. So in 1718, the New Jerusalem Church was built – the still standing, first ever protestant Lutheran church of India (not to be confused with first ever church in India. Christianity came to India with Apostle St.Thomas and the earliest church of Kerala is of 52CE).

Ziegenbalg then proceeded to learn the local language of Tamil and translated Bible to Tamil. He also founded the first ever printing press in India and printed the Tamil Bible! He also continued to translate some Tamil books to German! He died in 1719 and was buried here! His tombstone is here as well.

Just opposite to the New Jerusalem Church is the Zeigenbalg spiritual centre where the writing table, pen etc used by him are preserved. They can also be seen upon request at the church! Behind this is another Danish building Gruendler’s House which is now being used as a boys’ hostel.

Though there are a lot of burials within the church premises, behind the New Jerusalem Church is the large Old Danish Cemetery. Today the house he lived in is under restoration to be converted to a Museum and the little chapel beside it is also being restored. The printing press was continued to be used as a typewriting institute which has now fallen in disuse and is yet to be restored!

The main King’s street has quite a few more Danish buildings incl the Ladies Hostel (which has been shifted and the building is in disuse) just opposite to Neemrana Gate House, Muhldorff’s House (which is now a private property) just beside Gate House.

Beside the spiritual centre is the Van Theylingen’s House which is locally called Pillar House today (yeah, the reason is pretty evident). This is where the Dr.Van Theylingen lived and today this has been renovated by INTACH and then taken over by Best Seller. Next to this is the Rehling’s House which was used as the St.Theresa’s Teachers’ Training institute and now renovated and is under lock & key.

In the Gold Smith street 5 such old buildings were renovated by INTACH and later taken over by Best Seller now. One of it is Thanga House which has been taken over by Neemrana and will be soon available to stay. At the end of this street is a 3D stone map of Tranquebar on the beach made by Best Seller Foundation!

To Get There:

On Google Maps - New Jerusalem Church, Zeigenbalg spiritual centre, Gruendler’s House, Old Danish Cemetery, Zeigenbalg House, Chapel& Printing Press, Muhldorff’s House, Van Theylingen’s House, Rehling’s House, Stone Map.

All are walkable from Bungalow and the Beach, Neemrana Hotels. Refer to my earlier post to reach the hotel.

Here’s the INTACH Map of all the important buildings of Tranquebar.

From Bungalow on the Beach, I wanted to go on both North towards Poompuhar & South towards Karaikal which were filled with so so so many ancient temples!!! I hired a car and set out. Of all the places I saw, the most important 3 were Pallavaneeshwaram Excavations, Ponsei Temple and Valampura Nathar Temple.

I’ll cover Ponsei and Valampura Nathar in another post, coz they were so awesome. Here’s a gist of the other temples, beginning with Akkur. Lord Shiva here is called Thanthondrishwara or Suyambunathar and his consort here is Kadaganethri or Val Nedunkanni. The temple has hymns sung by both Appar and Sambandhar. It’s a Maada Koil, meaning it’s in a higher altitude and has a flight of stairs to reach it. The main section is white washed which even covers the inscriptions here. The inscriptions are of Rajendra Chola II and Kopperunchinga Pallava.

From there, my next stop was Sembanarkoil. The Lord Shiva here is Swarnapuriswarar and His consort is Maruvarkuzhali or Sugundhakundhalambikai. The temple has lost it old charm. The inscriptions in the outer wall had been whitewashed and someone had realized its importance and has scratched it off! It is surrounded by concrete shrines in which the ancient idols are preserved.

A relief sculpture in one of the shrines shows the king in devotion with a saint and minister! The stand-alone sculptures of Saptamatrika and Jyesta Devi are just stunning! With the presence of these 2 (one of the oldest forms of worship in Hinduism), it is presumed to be built by Aditya Chola I. There are 6 inscriptions here of Chola Dynasty belonging to Kulothunga Chola, Rajathiraja Chola and King Sarfoji.

Our next stop was Ponsei, followed by Thirukadaimudi Mahadevar Temple. The Lord Shiva here is Kadaimudinathar or Annisamrakshaneeswarar and His consort is Abhirami. It’s a smaller temple and the whole ground has been paved with cement, enclosed in concrete walls and iron grills.

Next was the Pallavaneeswaram Excavations. For anyone who knows about Tamil History, would know of Silappadhikaram. It’s one of the 5 Great Tamil Epics written by Ilango Adigal in 2nd-3rd C CE, where all the main characters where Buddhists and the setting is in Poompuhar. However today, Buddhism and Poompuhar don’t really match and I’ve always wondered about the ancient Tamil Buddists! Recent excavation in Poompuhar has revealed a Buddha Vihara in ruins! It’s maintained by Archaeological Survey of India.

Our next stop was Pallavaneeswara Swamy Temple. The Lord Shiva here is Pallavaneeswarar and His consort is Sowndaranayaki. Sambandhar has sung hymns here! We stopped next at Chayavaneswarar Temple. The Lord Shiva here is Chayavaneshwarar and His consort is Kuyilinum Nanmozhiyammai. This place has been mentioned in the Agananuru as well!!!

Just behind this temple is the temple of the village diety of Sampathiamman! She is one of the oldest dieties of Tamil culture. Its more of a village diety than a properly maintained temples. Though the original temple is one of the oldest, the current sculpture is probably just a couple centuries old. Next was the Valampura Nathar temple.

Our morning section ended with Thalachankadu. Sambandhar has sung hymn on this temple. The Lord Shiva here is Sankaaranyeswarar and His consort is Soundaranayaki.

For the evening section, we went southwards and began with Thiruvettakudy. I could have just shed my tears in this temple. It has totally lost its old beauty and architecture. The entire temple is new and the whole of interiors is paved with tiles!!! Even the friezes of relief sculptures were painted upon!!! The bronzes here were stunning esp of Lord Shiva and Parvathi as hunters!!!

Next stop was Karai Koilpatthu and it was just a stunning huge temple! The sheer size of it and the number of sculptures inside were so many! It has a tall Gopuram. The Lord Shiva here is Parvathiswarar or Sameevaneswarar and His consort is Suyamvara Thapaswini. The main bronze sculpture is of Lord Shiva as a hunter (Kiraadhamurthy). The other bronzes incl Somaskandar were also gorgeous!

We completed the day with Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple. This is a new temple built in 1929. Her legend is so extraordinary in Saivaite tradition (Lord Shiva Himself called her Ammai, which means Mother) that there would be a bronze of her in many temples. Realizing that there's no dedicated temple to Karaikal Ammaiyar in her own town, this was built!

P.S.1: All temples mentioned in this post (except Pallavaneeswaram Excavation, Sampathiamman temple & Karaikal Ammayar Temple) are பாடல் பெற்ற ஸ்தலம் (paadal petra sthalam) meaning, has hymns sung on them atleast one of the 4 Saivaite Saints called Nalvar (Appar, Sundarar, Manikkavasagar, Thirungyana Sambandar). They were religious (specifically Lord Shiva) Tamil poets who lived in 6th to 9th C CE. Hymns sung by them on these temples are proof of existence of these temples since then!!!
P.S.2: At Karaikal, don't forget to try out the Paruthi Paal Halwa at Nagoor Alwa Kadai! Paruthi Paal is the milk of Cotton Seeds! Its a local delicacy and its yummm!!!

To get there:

On Google Maps: Akkur Thanthondriswarar, Sembanarkoil, Ponsai, Thirukadaimudi Mahadevar Temple, Pallavaneeswaram Excavation, Pallavaneeswara Swamy Temple, Chayavaneswarar Temple, Sampathiamman Temple, Valampura Nathar Temple, Thalachankadu, Thiruvettakudy, Karai Koil Pathu, Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple, Nagoor Alwa Kada

Contact number of the temple priests:
Akkur Thanthondriswarar - +91 97877 09742; +91 75022 22850
Sembanarkoil - +91 99437 97974 (Mr.Muthukumar)
Ponsai - +91 96989 50011 (Mr.Sambandhakumar)
Thirukadaimudi Mahadevar Temple - +91 94876 73261; +91 4364 283261 (Swaminatha Kurukkal)
Pallavaneeswara Swamy Temple - +91 94437 19193 (Mr.Ravi); +91 99446 65998 (Mr.Prabhu)
Chayavaneswarar Temple - +91 94431 07069 (Mr.Chandrashekhar)
Valampura Nathar Temple - +91 94428 60605 (Pattu Kurukal); +91 97877 09754 (Mr.Radhakrishnan)
Thalachankadu - +91 94434 01060 (Mr.Balachandran)
Thiruvettakudy - +91 98658 45102 (Ramesh Kurukkal)
Karai Koil Pathu - +91 97866 35559

Continuing on the last post in detail on the 2 temples that took me by awe!!! The first one that totally took me by awe was the Shiva Temple in Ponsai. I was introduced to Ponsai by Pradeep Chakravarthy and that’s esp why I didn’t want to miss the place and it was totally worth it!

This was built by Parantaka Chola in 10th C. Hymns are by Appar, Sundarar and Sambandhar. It’s believed that Sambandhar sang hymn on this temple when he was toddler sitting on the shoulder of his dad! The prayer by him was to convert the land that was arid (paalai), to be fertile with lush greenery (marudham)!!! The Lord Shiva here is Natrunaiyappar and His consort is Parvathaputhri!

The sculptural marvel here is astonishing! It was totally unexpected! Like Gopurapatti, there are miniature Ramayana panels all around the temple. Very unusally in one of the Goshtam (side shrines) is Saint Agasthyar! Just beside him is a gorgeous Vinayar as well. The foundation inscriptions are so clear and pristine!

The Dakshinamurthy is also stunning! The Makara Thorana above the goshtam were also gorgeous complete with layers of humans, yaali, elephants, bulls and swans. In one of it, at the centre was a miniature Ardhanarishwarar (Half Shiva & Half Parvathi)! The Brahma in the goshtam is also a thing of beauty! His face is so beautiful!

The dwarapala (door keeper) were just majestic, fiery, and fear inducing, reminding me of Thirumeyyam dwarapalas!

The miniature dancing girls along the upper sections of the pilasters were also gorgeous, reminding me much of Srinivasanallur Kuranganathar temple! A little quaint temple with nothing fancy in architecture, very basic – but filled with such tiny little miniature panels - ditto Parantaka Chola style!!!

Moving over to Valampura Nathar Koil. It took me by surprise! The Lord Shiva here is Valampura Nathar and His consort is Vaduvakirkanni. This was built by Vikrama Chola (early 12th C CE) and it has inscriptions from the era as well.

The special celebration here is to denote the King welcoming Pattinathtar. The legend goes that the King who went for hunting, just for fun, sent someone to inform his family that he died. Hearing this, the Queen actually dies! All the subjects were now accusing the king and he didn’t know what to do! A wiseman told him to provide free food to 1000 people everyday and on the day when a noble man eats here, his would be freed of his sin. One fine day, Pattinathar, on my nomadic trip, came here. He was so hungry that he didn’t even wait for the food to be served and drank the porridge which was a cooking waste and the bell rang! The king, came with open arms to welcome Pattinaththar!

This temple too has those miniature dancing girls on pilasters, similar to Ponsei. The entire inner circumambulation passage wall is filled with inscriptions. The roof of this passage has a very Islamic influence in architecture! Here too, the Makara Torana was gorgeous and in the centre of one of it, was this tiny little Yoga Narasimha!

To get there and contact numbers of temple priests: Refer my earlier post

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know that I'm a sucker for heritage hotels or those which have a historical ambiance! The number of times I've been to Puducherry or Pondicherry is oh so many! For anyone who has lived in Chennai for sometime, would know what is Pondy to Chennai-ites!! This time I got to stay at Red Lotus Hotel - a heritage building built about 80 years ago! Recently, this was converted into a hotel and 2 yrs back it was taken over by Treebo - one of India's budget hotel chain.

It was originally built to be a dormitory and was used as one for long! It was originally built in a Vietnamese style with bright red doors & windows! A few years ago it was taken over by the French couple Chris & Daniella who made this hotel what it is now! The dorm was segregated into rooms with en-suite bathrooms & toilets to give it a more hotel feel! The 2 floored dorm became a hotel with 10 rooms ( 5 in each 1st & 2nd floor). The exterior's Vietnamese style is left untouched but the interiors is a different feel altogether!

Each of the rooms have been decorated with a very different aesthetic! My favourite was the Royal Enfield room! The bedside lamp is the RE's sidepanel re-imagined! The decor includes its rear light, number plate, tool kit, speedometer etc as well as various photographs of the bike.

Another room has a beach feel with decor made of shells and yet another has a retro bollywood feel with posters of old movies and old pictures of actors and actresses. Specific rooms could be requested while booking and if its available, it would be allotted for you. That said, all the rooms belong to the same category and the facilities & service is the same for all rooms.

Another room has a spiritual vibe to it with reds and yellows while another room is pristine white with silver decor in it! Another room has a green decor inspired by bamboo and yet another has red decor inspired by maple tree in autumn! Since its a heritage property, there is no elevator here, so for senior citizens and differently-abled, it could be a trouble.

All the rooms have multiple power slots which is awesome coz today we need so many for the multiple gadgets we carry all the time! Rooms are airconditioned, and there is a TV and wifi with a good speed. The bathrooms are equipped with geyser and shower. The toiletries supply are shampoo, moisturizer and 2 soaps only! Sadly somehow, on day 2, suddenly the water supply in the bathroom stopped much to my dismay! It resumed after I informed the reception about it!

The location is on the main market - Jawaharlal Nehru Street! This is where are the major shops are and also just at a minute's walk from Red Lotus are both Adyar Ananda Bhavan and Saravana Bhavan, the giants of South Indian Food Restaurants! Also in the vicinity are McD, KFC, Dominos, Wangs and several restaurants that cater to varied cuisines! At a 2 minute distance is the police station as well! However being in such an area with all facilities, comes with its disadvantage as well - there is noise! The street's traffic brings in noise! Also there is no dedicated parking space for the hotel! It was such a blessing that by chance, we arrived at the hotel at midnight and found a nice parking spot on the main street! Bike parking shouldn't be an issue but finding a slot for car is not very easy!

It is a wee-bit difficult to actually find the hotel. The entrance is in the narrow passage off the main street. For the first time ever I experienced a hotel's door closing by night. It closes by 11:30PM for safety purposes and only guests are let in after that.

Though its a heritage property, as it was originally a dorm, effectively its filled with concrete. There's no greenery or ground within the building. Since today the location is the main market area of Pondy, there is no greenery outside as well! There are some plants in the rooftop terrace restaurant, that's it! Breakfast is complimentary and is a choice of basic fast food (toast, omelet, sandwich etc) and south Indian food. Though the rooms have a kettle and supply of diary creamer, coffee, tea and sugar, there is no mini bar! Being in Pondicherry which is where whole of Chennai travels for weekend fun incl booze, a room without fridge is a minus!

With the noise level and no fridge, if you're looking for a resort kinda, peaceful experience, this is not the place for you. But at this price point, its more a budget hotel and being located in a prime location from where all must-visit places, shopping, food and beach are at a walkable distance, its perfect for a tourist!

Check out my earlier post on the Top 10 must-visit places & must-do things in Pondicherry!

Also check out my Outfit post clicked here in this hotel!

To get there:

On Google Maps: Treebo Red Lotus

From Puducherry Railway Station: 2km

From Puducherry Bus Stand: 2.5km

From Aurobindo Ashram: 1km

Room tariff begins at Rs.2400/- for single occupancy

To Book: Treebo Red Lotus

P.S: I was invited by Treebo Hotels to stay and experience Red Lotus, Pondicherry for review purpose, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.

From the Historic City of Florence, after the last stint at Santa Maria Novella, I took the 1 hr journey by bus to reach Pisa. I went directly to the hostel, dropped my bag and went straight to Pisa. It was about 6PM and by this time it would have been closed. Since anyways, I didn't have any ticket to climb the Pisa, I decided to see it all from outside, so I can spend the next day in the other places in the complex.

I took the bus from the hostel to Pisa and guess what, some random stranger, a tourist, asked me if the bus goes to the Tower! Well, I was following Google Maps and was hoping it wouldn't mis-direct me. Did I look like a local to him? Anyways, I said, I was getting down there as well. He was a Brazilian and on an Pan-Europe backpacking trip.

Walking down the passage that goes across Baptistery and Cathedral, and then leads to the Pisa, it was one mesmerizing walk!!! That's one more of the 7 Wonders of the World struck off my list!!!

The whole complex consists of Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), Cathedral, Baptistery, Sinopias Museum, Cathedral Museum and Leaning Tower ofcourse. The construction of the whole place began in 1064 CE. The tower as such was built in 1173 - 1372 CE. However the construction was halted several times in between including for an entire century due to wars!

It being leaning, is actually a construction problem, a mistake to be precise. The foundation was not laid properly added with the fact that the ground was soft on one side than the other, caused its leaning even as it was being constructed, just as they reached 2nd floor in 1178 CE. I read somewhere that the foundation was just 3m for this super structure, though I don't know of the authenticity of this info. Stupidity, right??? As they reached the higher floors, they tried to compensate this with, increasing the height of pillars on the slanting side to make it appear straight, but again in total vain. Finally, The 7 floors were completed in 1319 and the bell chamber was added in 1372.

The detailing in this was not much, its very less. But whatever is there, is pretty much interesting. Roaming all over Europe. I've been seeing such weird mythical creatures, many a times, eating other mythical creatures in ancient structures that were built around 10th C CE. A lady at Switzerland, told me there were connection between the Pagan traditions and these symbolization!!!

Much later it was closed for public in 1990 as its tilt got too much! Cables were attached in the 3rd floor against the leaning direction and were secured a few 100m away, bells were removed to reduce strain, blocks of weight were added to increase pressure, soil was also removed from this side to make this side sink down a bit and it worked!!! After 10 years of stabilization efforts, it was re-opened in 2001.

Btw, see the 2nd pic of this post??? See how I stand all alone in front of Pisa!!!! That's one of my treasured photograph. That was taken on Day 2, when I went there early in the morning at about 8:30AM and there were hardly anyone at all and I got my solo photo-op there with absolutely no one around in front of one of the 7 Wonders of the World!!!

To Get There:

Nearest Metro Station: Pisa S.Rossore
Nearest Bus Stop: Cammeo

Entry Ticket to Pisa Tower (incl Cathedral, Baptistery, 2 Museums & Compasanto): €18.00
Only Baptistery, Museum, Compasanto: Any 1 at €5.00; Any 2 at €7.00; All 3 at €8.00
Cathedral entry is free with any ticket bought.

Timings:
Tower, Baptistery, Compasanto, Museum : 9:00 to 18:00
Cathedral: 10:00 to 18:00

Here are some tips:

There are way too many sites that sell tickets for entry and I had a tough time to figure out which is real and which is fake, so let me make your life easier - Official Pisa Tower Tickets by OpaPisa

I didn't take any transport within Pisa Town and walked about the whole town! Its a small town with River Arno in its midst and its best experienced walking about. But yes, 1 day transport passes are available for the buses, which I took once just to experience it. There are no trams here and its too small for metro.
There are so many people who opt for Pisa Airport to fly in/out of Florence (cheaper option!). So the buses from Florence to Pisa are usually Airport Shuttles and drop at the airport. A short local bus ride from the airport or half an hour walk takes you to the town centre / leaning tower!

After being awe struck at the mere sight of Pisa Tower, I quickly composed myself and headed to the Cathedral. The Cathedral was open till 8 PM and it opened only by 10 AM, so my target was to finish seeing the Catherdral in the evening and see the Camposanto and Baptistery next day morning as those 2 opened by 8 AM!

As soon as I entered the Cathedral I was awestruck - One of the major paintings (or rather a mosaic work) that I studied as an art history student, was there in front of my eyes. There, atop the altar, in the curved dome of the ceiling was Jesus Christ seated made of mosaic and gilded a lot in gold! But then the depression struck as I went closer to it - what I was actually seeing was the digital print of the original work in the original size! Ahhhhh......

Restoration of the ceiling atop the nave was happening. So a plank was put up, that covered most of the original mosaic work!!!! The closest I could reach, I could see about the lower half of the original! That’s it!!! I requested them so much to let me go in for 1 little moment, but they wouldn’t!!! My luck – restoration and conservation was happening everywhere I went – Windsor Castle, Sagrada Familia, Milan Duomo, Florence Duomo, Pisa Cathedral, everywhere…. :) :) :)

Anyways, my little happiness was that the similar, smaller works on the east and west transepts were visible. Now, check out the detailing – the way the mosaic pieces are arranged to follow the natural flow, the subtle tonal variation on the skin to show the depth perception, all that in not painting, but in mosaic work!!!

The western transept has the relic of Saint Ranieri, who died in 1161. The curved wall of the altar was completely filled with paintings.

The pulpit was a masterpiece in ivory. The sculptural detailing in it was just spectacular, or should I say, unusual. This was sculpted by Giovanni Pisano in 1302-10 combining the 3 orders, superimposed. Some of the figures in it, I could figure out, but the rest, I couldn’t. Atop were panels in each facet that told the story of some prophets and saints as well as Jesus Christ incl Slaughter of innocents, Escaping Egypt, Nativity etc.

It has 8 pillars around and 1 central pillar. 4 were plain cylindrical while 4 were sculptural. The lower part of the 2 plain pillars had ferocious lions killing horses which I didn’t know the reason/story behind. The sculptural pillars were all humans depicting cardinal virtues and evangelists. There was a Moses clad in animal skin, there was a lady feeding 2 children on his breasts, a n*ked woman with an huge eagle (Daenerys of GoT was inspired by her?), a woman holding a dead lion etc . The central pillar was a combo of 3 humans who shared forearms in the sculpture depicting the Arts of Trivium, Quadrivium and Theological Virtues.

The present structure of the church was built after the 1595 fire. Didn’t I already tell you major arsons had happened all across UK & Europe time and again in history. The oldest surviving painting here is of 13th C. It is of Virgin with Child on a golden background and quite unusually infant Jesus is shown here holding a book on which a Biblical verse is written in Greek. When it was painted is unknown and in 1225 it was brought to the Cathedral.

It was almost 8 PM and they were sending people out of the Cathedral when I came out. There were 3 doors and they were a thing of beauty with several panels of high relief bronze sculptures on them. I do not know when these bronze doors were made. Atop each of them, was this mosaic panel which such a gorgeous level of intricacy. On the edging atop the 2nd floor was this very interesting panel – an entire row of assorted animals in very amusing postures including pigs feeding the piglets!

Exactly opposite to this was the baptistery. However it was also closed by then and I set off back to the hostel. Next morning I was there by 8.15 since its opening time was 8 AM. I was the first person to enter it. From the exterior it’s a circular building with sculptures in its mezzanine level panel, all around the building with a centrally placed Madonna with infant Jesus surrounded by apostles sculpted in 1152 CE. I must say I was rather intrigued be the quality, or rather the lack of aesthetics of the sculpture! But later on, I came across this video explaining, why these sculptures lack beauty. Check it out...

Just above the door, was a panel of Last Supper and scenes from the life of Jesus which were much more intricate and detailed and aesthetically pleasing than the larger sculptures. Right atop was this bronze sculpture of John the Baptist, greened today reminding me much of the sculptures at Stocklet Palace in Brussels.

Inside, at the centre was the bronze sculpture of John the Baptist. The hexagonal pulpit here was an interesting one, but not as intricate as the Cathedral.

On the wall was a tiny door, which was the opening to a curved staircase passage, hidden between the inner and outer walls, that took to the mezzanine floor.

The view from this floor of the Cathedral and the Leaning Tower behind it, in that morning, against the rising sun was a view totally worth getting up early in the morning (ofcourse, getting the solo shot in front of the Leaning Tower was also worth it to rise early!)

The baptistry floor is octagonal surrounded by an intricately inlay and cutout marble parapet wall. The pillars were plain but for the cornices which were sculpted with such detailing depicting mythological events and stories. This was a common factor in most of the 11-14th C Churches all across UK & Europe incl Canterbury, Basel etc. At one place, a lady informed me that the pagan origins of Christianity is the reason behind these sculptures that these spots were originally pagan worship spots. However I don’t know its authenticity and I’m yet to figure out the stories behind these imageries. If you know, please let me know.

To get there, tickets etc: Refer to my earlier post

P.S: I was invited by Opa Pisa to experience the Pisa Cathedral, Baptistery, Museum & Camposanto for review purpose, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.

To begin with I hardly had any time left after seeing the Baptistery and anyways I didn’t expect anything out of the Campasanto other than some tombstones and tablets. I hardly had 1 hr left when I entered the Campasanto and I was just mindblown.

The basic structure of the Camposanto is as usual, a square shaped one. One portion of the wall has some marble sculptures and guess what, these were the originals of the cast that I saw in Florence Uffizi Gallery! The whole corridor was filled with sarcophagi along the walls. There are ofcourse arches all along the wall like any other cemetery.

But that’s not the eye-catching factor! The entire wall is completely filled with murals, though not in a great condition & eroded a lot, it was just awesome!

It was built in 1277 and the frescoes were made in 14th C by Francesco Traini and Bonamico Buffalmacco. At that very moment I came to know that fact, I realized I was standing in front of frescoes that were older than Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel which were painted in 16th C!!! Most of the subjects I did not understand and were from the Old Testament and the saints of Pisa!

One particular panel that totally caught my attention was this panel about hell. Centrally places was a monster and all around it were humans going through various torture techniques in hell incl holding their own severed head, standing with their intestines pulled out, being fried and barbecued, being eaten by dragons and snakes – it was just gruesome at its worst!!!

There was also a nativity scene and the Adoration of Magi. Another scene that I could understand was the building of Babylon! Especially the way the buildings and architecture was depicted was awesome. Reminded me much of Ajanta Frescoes though this more than a millennium newer!!!

There are a couple of tiny chapels and a major chapel in this place. The 2 tiny chapels are called Chapel Ammannati and Chapel Aulla. Atop one of the tiny chapels was this outline design. I think the artist gave up before completing it! Then is the spectacular other chapel called Dal Pozzo.

The moment I stepped into this Chapel, it was altogether a different feel. It was originally commissioned by archbishop of Pisa Carlo Antonio Dal Pozzo in 1594. Right above is the dome with the 4 Gospels painted in 4 corners. The shrine is of St.Jerome and has his Mural painted on the altar.

Later in 2009, this became the Cathedral of relics and today it houses a whooping 80 relics including - eleven of the twelve Apostles, two fragments of the True Cross, a thorn from the Crown of Thorns of Christ and a small piece of the dress of the Virgin Mary. The entire place was golden in color. It was just mind blowing!

As I said in the beginning, all I had was just 1 hr at Camposanto and the place was a pandora’s box for anyone who’s interested in art and history - murals, sculptures, relics, it was just too much for 1 hr!!!! Esp. the murals themselves need half a day!!!

Apart from the main Pisa Tower complex (incl the Leaning Tower, Cathedral, Baptistery and Camposanto), I didn’t have much plans or time, so I was just roaming about on foot. But yeah, Pisa Town is so beautiful that roaming about is necessary to feel the beauty of the Town!

After being mesmerized by the awesomeness of Pisa Tower, I chose to walk back to the hostel, just to feel the local impression of Pisa Town. Just before the Pisa Centrale Railway Station is Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. By evening the entire place was filled with people – youngsters in love, older people chatting, some with a book and/or a dog, office goers relaxing after a tough day…… The setting sun just made the place so beautiful!

Most of the streets here were curvy and esp the streets around the Pisa complex were just gorgeously curved, reminding me much of Edinburgh& Bath! Just as I said, then, here too it looks like the place got frozen in time a few centuries ago!

Just like how London has Thames, Paris has Sienne, Berlin has Spree, Basel has Rhine, Amsterdam has Amstel and Florence has Amo, here, Pisa has Arno! The river with its colorful buildings on either sides, it was just a visual delight! Just besides Arno, was this tiny little church that I spotted on the way.

This tiny little church is called Santa Maria della Spina. Its open from 10 AM to 12 Noon and 5 PM to 8 PM, so unfortunately I couldn’t go inside the church! It’s a cute little Gothic styled church built in 13th C and was rebuilt in 1871.

On my way back from Pisa Cathedral, I came across this place called Piazza dei Cavalieri or the Knight Square, which was the 2nd main square since the medieval times. The building that totally caught my attention here was Palazzo della Carovana which houses the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa. This was built in 1562–1564 by Giorgio Vasari.

What caught my attention was the artwork in its exterior by the Sgraffiti technique! The technique is when 2 layers of plaster of different colors, in this case a grey beneath and a white atop. Then the upper layer is scratched off, to reveal the bottom layer forming a gorgeous pattern! The sculpture in the front is of Cosimo I de Medici.

Just beside this building is the Palazzo dell'Orologio also called the Clock Tower. This was originally built in 1288, however got rebuilt several times after that! The present structure is only about a century old!

I did spot a couple of installations all over the town. I dunno if they are permanent or keeps changing. Spot the egg shaped installation in front of Santa Maria della Spina. There was a sperm shaped one near the Pisa Tower and this white fluid shape is from Piazza dei Cavalieri! From here I headed over to Milan and that's coming up in the next few posts. Stay tuned.

On the other hand, I have 2 good news to share with you guys!
1. Aditi of LyfandSpice nominated me for 2017 Trip Expert Awards by Tripscam and in turn I nominate Shrinidhi, Indrani and Niranjan. Check out the rules of this contest here. Best wishes!
2. Feedspot has featured this blog as one of the Top 100 India Travel Blogs! Thanks to all of you for that! Without you readers, this blog would be nothing! So I'm dedicating this to each and everyone of you! :)

Getting out of the intercity train, I headed right to the metro station and got the 1 day pass and headed to Milan Duomo. It’s the largest church in Italy (considering St.Peter’s Basilica is in Vatican Nation!). It was about 4pm by the time I reached Milan Cathedral. It was open till 7pm and so was the Archaeological Area and Terraces. However the Crypt was only till 5.30pm and Museum was only open till 6pm. However I did was to go to terrace first, so that I can enjoy the place before it gets too dark!

Since I had opted for ascent by lift, it was quick, or rather that’s what I thought. The lift actually takes you through half the distance. Beyond that, anyways, you’ve gotta climb up. Its somewhat similar to the climbing needed in Copenhagen Spire or Basel Munster, just that, here the whole bits and pieces of staircases are all outside, in open air. Short walk, small staircase, change direction, short walk, small staircase, change direction, repeat…….. But all that is totally worth it. The view is excellent, but what’s more mesmerizing is the ability to get to see the sculpture up and close!!!

If you’re an architecture student, this is your heaven! I don’t remember why or where I read about Flying Buttress longback, but this place is just filled with those!!! These arches support the spires atop them which is the signature look of Milan Duomo

Even from a distance what makes Milan Duomo so spectacular are its spires. And climbing up the terrace and to see them upclose was even better. These are 17m tall. At some places the sculptures were too unbelievable!!! There were some sculptures that were fitted within 3 columns and that’s just splendid! Though it was not all carved one piece of stone, it was a visual delight. There are 135 spires with over 1800 statues!

The construction of the Duomo began in 1386. Its construction happened bit by bit every century. The façade that we see today as well as the stained glass work was made in 1800-1900. The Madonnina sculpture atop was made in 1650-1800. The sculptor was Giuseppe Perego and he designed and made this in wood. Later goldsmith Giuseppe Bini added copper plates over the wooden model and iron rods were inserted into the wooden model. Recently while restoration, the iron rod was replaced with stainless steel. Madonnina stands tall today at 4.16m.

After enjoying the terrace (not that its enough, but I had to see the rest of the Cathedral as well!), I went down and entered the Cathedral. Its high ceiling, and stained glass windows plus the gorgeous flying buttress, this is the perfect symbol of Neo Gothic architecture!

There is so much more to the Cathedral and one post isn't enough. So will continue the rest in the upcoming post.

To Get There:

Nearest Metro Station: Duomo (red and yellow lines stop here)

Entry tickets begin at € 2.50.

However the Duomo Pass A, gives entry to Cathedral, Terrace by lift, Museum, Archaeological Area and San Gottardo Church. That is priced at € 15,00.

Duomo Pass B gives the same entry, but the access to Terrace is on foot and that’s priced at € 11,00

Can be bought online from their website

Here are some tips:

If you have a bad knee, you may not want to try climbing the terrace.

The security is really heavy, so be prepared to an airport styled security check to enter the Cathedral! My power bank was examined thoroughly before letting me in!!!

The best way to explore Milan is by taking the 1 day transport pass.

P.S: I was invited by Duomo di Milano to experience the Cathedral for review purpose, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.

Continuing with the marvel of Milan Duomo from the last post. The entire church was filled with so so many sculptures. Esp the exterior is unbelievable. In total, there are more than 4000 sculptures incl the spires, outer walls, interior pillars etc!

The church is massive with several stained glass windows! There between the 2 doors, close to the entrance, is a tiny door that leads to the underground Archaeological Area! With a controlled temperature and humidity, it was altogether a very different place. It was a bit eerie inside to some extent.

Traces of the original cathedral of 4th C CE can be found here. After it, there was one more cathedral built here in 8th C. The central octagonal altar is pretty clear and just at one portion even have the ancient frescoes are intact!!! Some of the cement tiles are also still intact. In the centre of this octagonal altar was an octagonal pool from which waterways had been created to reach various parts of the Cathedral and places around it.

This had also served as a burial site and several remains have been unearthed here. These are in various museums. The inhouse museum has the precious stones that were used for the making of mosaic works in the church. Some intact mosaic works are also in display.

By evening the entire place gets a complete makeover. Several people thronged the square in front of the church and it is also filled with a few hundred of pigeons, several street side musicians add sound of music to the air and that very moment at that very place is the best way to experience Milan.

Finally from there I headed to Santa Maria della Grazie by about 7:30PM. From there I headed to the much hyped about Fashion District and was very very much disappointed. With all the hype, I had too much of expectation, but it wasn’t even half the grandeur of London’s Oxford Street or Regent Street!!! If you’ve been to Regent Street, you might as well, skip Quadrilatero della Moda!

Tips & To Get There:

Refer the earlier post

P.S: I was invited by Duomo di Milano to experience the Cathedral for review purpose, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.

Yet another masterpiece that completely mesmerized me ever since uni days when I studied art history was The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci. Its on the wall of Santa Maria della Grazie in Milan. What's more? Its a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It would been a dream come true to see it with my own eyes. But unfortunately I wasn't that gifted. When I tried to book the tickets for it on the day I was visiting Milan, there weren't any left!!!

However when I visited Milan, I didn't want to just miss it all together. So I just went over there, just to see its exteriors! Atleast to have the feel that I was there... So the evening after going to Duomo Milano, I visited Santa Maria della Grazie.

It was originally built as a convent and church in the same location. Guiniforte Solari was the architect of the convent, which was built in 1469 under Duke of Milan Francesco I Sforza. Later on the idea of church was reconsidered and the place was used to build a cloister and apse and the Duke & his wife were buried here.

The concept of Last Supper painting is very interesting concept in various categories. One, its technique which is Fresco Succo which is a dry fresco, unlike the traditional damp fresco, which Da Vinco experimented here and unfortunately it didn't work out well and it began to peel in his own lifetime itself!

Two, the perspective of the painting. If you're sitting on a dining table, you'd be sitting around it, not all in one side. However this painting depicts Jesus and his apostles, all in the same side, with a single point perspective. The reason, this was painted on the wall of the dining room of the convent. So, the painting looks like an extension of the room itself. 2 dining benches along the side walls and the painting on the 3rd, which gives an impression that its the 3rd bench on which Jesus & his apostles are seated!!!

During WWII, the church suffered severe bombing which destroyed some walls of the church. Fortunately the wall which has the painting was sandbagged and it survived the war!

Again, very very unfortunately I didn't get to go into the church..... Sad......... :(

To Get There:

Nearest Metro Station: Conciliazione and Cadorna
Nearest Tram Stop: S. Maria Delle Grazie

Entry Ticket: €10.00
There are way too many sites that sell tickets for entry and I had a tough time to figure out which is real and which is fake, so let me make your life easier - Official Last Supper Tickets by Viva Ticket of Ministry of Tourism.
Free admission on the first Sunday of every month. But reservation is necessary for this too.
There are 15-18 tours everyday from 8:30AM to 6:30PM.

The visit lasts 15 minutes; only 30 visitors per tour. So reserve as early as possible.

Wrapping up Italy posts with some random pics & musings! That’s the wing of the flight and view of the earth from Milan to London and the next is Florence Duomo from the terrace of Uffizi Gallery!!!
As weird as it may sound, Italy totally reminded me of my own country, Incredible India and I felt home!!! Especially if you’ve been to Delhi or Mumbai or Chennai in India, you’ll relate to this post very well. Making peace with inherent chaos and humidity and a slight off-timekeeping and graffiti - again very, very similar to India!

To begin with, the pic below was clicked very close to Rome Tiburtina bus station… The scene with street side vendors and hawkers - that’s so similar to Mumbai, Delhi or Chennai!!! It was after roaming about all over Rome, and reaching the bus station and settling in the bus, did I feel my face, which was covered in a layer of dust stuck on my sweat!!!! If you’re from Chennai or Mumbai, and has taken the local train or auto, you know what I’m talking about!!! This was in the month of August.

In the outskirts of Rome – those posters stuck everywhere, a bit broken pavements, written graffiti everywhere including walls & shutters!!! When I returned back home and showed my guy these pics and asked him to guess to location, he looked at me totally weirded out! But once I revealed that it is NOT India, but Italy, his expression - priceless!!! If you don’t understand this scenario, it's time to book your flight tickets to India, if you’ve been to Italy and to Italy if you’ve been to India.

The railway route from Pisa to Milan was just incredible. Especially from Pisa to Genoa, the route was just along the sea and the views were incredible. A platform of a railway station enroute - the grass grown railway tracks, the multi storied buildings beside them very similar to several regions in the extensive railway network of India.
More from that train journey from Pisa to Milan – several fields including one with a scare crow, those trucks and hay stacks in one of those fields, stunning greenery of countryside. How unbelievably similar is it to India???!!!!! Been to Italy already? Book your flight to India with the Indian national airline, AirIndia online booking and experience what I experienced!!!

Here are some of my observations about Italy for a short visit!
Locals prefer the Italian names and not anglicized names and also get a bit offended – Roma, not Rome; Firenze, not Florence.
Always reach a bit early to bus stations. Exact spot where your bus will board is not fixed and last minute can make you frenzy!!!
Time keeping is not hard and fast like UK or Germany! It’s a bit more relaxed like India! It’s sometimes a blessing. It was for me at Vatican Museums entrance.

Public free wifi is only for 45 mins or 1 hr, not unlimited! Felt that in Milan Airport, Milan & Firenze Town etc.
Vegetarian food is not a problem at all!!! I’m not sure of Vegan though. Felt that both in Firenze and Milan!
Tap water is NOT drinkable! Certain fountains are and they’re mentioned so….
General public in tourist spots and hotels and eateries manage a decent English, but bus drivers don’t! Google Translate to rescue!!!

1 day unlimited public transport pass is available in Rome, Florence and Milan. I don’t know of other cities.
Have some cash and change. See those hawkers and street side shops? They don’t accept card! Many a times also those small kiosks that sell water and snacks too don’t accept cards.
Most cities including Rome, Florence, Milan etc have 2 airports - main airport for major airlines within the city and one out of the city with about an hour travel for the budget airlines. When planning be careful to check which airport you’re dealing with, and include the time taken in travel to/fro city centre!

David by Michelangelo at Galleria dell'Accademia (Florence (Firenze) - Italy)

Galleria dell'Accademia (Florence (Firenze) - Italy)

Uffizi Gallery (Florence (Firenze) - Italy)

UNESCO Historic Centre of Florence (Firenze) - Italy

Loggia dei Lanzi (Florence (Firenze) - Italy)

Santa Maria Novella (Florence (Firenze) - Italy)

Neemrana Bungalow on the Beach Tranquebar - A Review (Nagapattinam - Tamil Nadu)

Tranquebar aka Tharangambadi - Part I (Nagapattinam - Tamil Nadu)

Tranquebar aka Tharangambadi - Part II (Nagapattinam - Tamil Nadu)

Poompuhar - Karaikal Temples & More - Part I (Nagapattinam - Tamil Nadu & Puducherry)

Poompuhar Temples - Part II (Nagapattinam - Tamil Nadu)

Treebo Red Lotus Hotel - A Review (Puducherry aka Pondicherry)

Leaning Tower of Pisa (Florence (Firenze) - Italy)

Pisa Cathedral and Baptistery (Florence (Firenze) - Italy)

Pisa Camposanto (Florence (Firenze) - Italy)

Pisa Town (Florence (Firenze) - Italy)

Duomo di Milano - Part 1 (Milan - Italy)

Duomo di Milano - Part 2 (Milan - Italy)

Santa Maria della Grazie (Milan - Italy)

Musings at Italy