Delhi in autumn - blissful and alluring

It's the autumn season here in Delhi and the city is looking absolutely inviting at this time of the year. The tree lined boulevards in Lutyen's area which are unique to Delhi (vis a vis other metros) are looking glorious. Delhi's extended date with the monsoons has washed the trees of all their dust and they are looking very resplendent and lush green. So are the flowers, blooming at the roundabouts in Central Delhi.

Lutyen's tree lined avenue

There is a slight nip in the air ... enough to feel the urge to switch off the fan at night but yet not cold enough for a blanket. After the intense summer heat and the cloying humidity of the rainy season, the weather has changed to a subdued coolness which you want to make the most of before the dreary winter months set in. Fall is the best time to enjoy the city when the days are cool and crisp. Since Dusshera there has been an ongoing scene of festivities. It's party time till Diwali and moreover it’s great fun to visit the neighboring CP (Connaught Place) and Khan Market and be a part of the hustle bustle and gaze at brightly lit shops which will be a feature till New Year's.

With winters round the corner, at least for a few months, one can safely say goodbye to the monotonous gym and be out in open spaces savoring some crisp fresh morning air. Now is the time to put on your sneakers, for a walk or maybe a run in the green environs of Lodhi Gardens in the heart of Delhi. And if you are a true blue Delhiite you are sure to run into one of your school or college friends here and can catch up on your good old days. Of late even my evening walk has become something to look forward too; more people frequent the park now. Even our neighboring Bengali Market is all decked up and its good fun to sit in Triveni's terrace garden and linger over coffee.

The daily newspapers are filled with the numerous exhibitions on in the city ... a sale in Aga Khan hall, another textile fair at Chinmaya Mission and numerous fairs and sales. Of course who can forget the Dilli Haat Diwali Mela where it’s a never ending jamboree and it becomes quite a task trying to juggle all of these outings in one weekend. There is the urge to soak in all the sights and sounds and you realize it’s a typical touristy habit - trying to squeeze in as much as possible. There are so many events to catch up on, in this happening city- a cultural evening in Nehru Park or maybe a play at IHC. There is something to suit everyone's liking. An annual event around Diwali time is the Blind school Diwali mela which is a popular draw for the variety of  things, particularly the 'zara hatke'(unusual) ethnic gifts on sale here and also for their beautiful candles and earthen diyas which are a huge sellout during festival time. The Dastkar Nature Bazaar at Kisan Haat, is also well known for its handmade artisanal stuff.

Winters are all about soaking in the sun and in Delhi's oldest Club- Gymkhana you can enjoy a nice lunch in the lawns outside and though the food is nothing to write reams about but it's easy on the wallet and savoring your meal in the light sun and eating alfresco can indeed be blissful.  It's a good place to go with family and friends to spend a lazy afternoon - the catch is it’s for members only. But despair not; there are plenty of other places for a Sunday brunch like Lodi, the Garden Restaurant besides Lodhi Gardens. Beautiful surroundings, maybe a tad expensive but the ambience is great and relaxing. From there one gets to view the wide expanse of the Lodhi gardens and the realization dawns on you that, thankfully Delhi still has these pockets of oasis. Again you could drive down to Neemrana Fort Palace for a royal repast ... just an hours' drive from the capital and you hit the groups' flagship hotel ... great for a weekend.

We are enjoying winter vegetables like radish and cauliflower and soon the local market will be flooded with all types of greens which can be turned into a delectable 'saag' tempered with dollops of butter. This is also the perfect time to gorge on some typical North Indian gastronomic delights like 'makki and bajre ki roti' with tall glasses of freshly churned buttermilk, best enjoyed in the winter months.

Though Connaught Place is always buzzing with activity but these days it looks particularly invigorated and energized. It takes on a different hue with a lot of events being performed in its Central Park and the whole area comes alive. It’s great fun strolling down the Inner Circle and watching people basking in the wintry sun and gorging on some hot 'sweet potato chaat'- a winter offering and a street food unique to these parts.

And if you are in town do drop by to say Hello! - I would have you suffer my home prepared 'gajar ka halwa'  (carrot halwa) ... dunno despair you would not be disappointed.  

A getaway to the Blue Mountains

Coonoor which aptly means 'a village of hillocks' is a hill station in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, an hour’s drive from Ooty. Though Ooty is better known and more frequented but of the two Coonoor is the more peaceful one, not overrun by tourists and still maintains a quiet air about it ... something which one looks forward to in a hill station.

 The loveliness of this place starts with the climb to Coonoor, as lush green forests, give way to the dense green tea estates and the beauty of this area called the Blue Mountains engulfs you. We were totally taken in by its quaint charm which held a promise that our time spent here would be something to be cherished. At first sight Coonoor looks like a Colonial haven with old British style bungalows and heritage buildings dotting its landscape- relics of the Raj era with the sloping red tiled rooftops. New bungalows have come up but thankfully they merge in beautifully with the surroundings and don't stand out like an eye sore.

Colonial style bungalow

Unlike the hill stations up North, Coonoor doesn't have a Mall Road to boast of, instead it has the main bazaar (market) in Lower Coonoor ...a bustling area, the main bus stand is located there and that makes it  very busy. We were staying in Upper Coonoor which is around 3 kms above the town centre and at least once a day we would traverse down to the market. Going downhill was a cake walk but the climb up was sheer torture and one realized how unfit we city dwellers are. Coonoor is a small town so we could easily cover it in a couple of days and there was never a hurry to rush from one spot to another.

It seems that every second shop here is in the business of selling bakery items and there were umpteen number of them filled with yummy cakes - plum, chocolate, vanilla, cream puffs, and an assortment of cookies.Coonoor is a small enough place so one wonders how do so many bakery shops survive and whom do they sell to? A shop which we frequented for cakes was the Crown Bakery, a shop which has been around since 1880, on Mount Road in lower Coonoor. Their honey cake and chocolate vanilla cream cakes were truly delicious, spongy, with that melt in the mouth softness that is the hallmark of freshly baked stuff. Another unique feature in this part of the country is the 'Hot Chips' shops which basically sells savories (namkeen). They were always crowded and are very popular, especially for their local goodies like plantain and bitter gourd chips. Filter coffee is also a big fad here and people drink it at all hours - sidewalk cafes would be crowded with people sipping their coffee in tiny little glasses and munching bhajiya (an assortment of deep fried dumplings). Their coffee is definitely awesome and since, I too am a coffeeholic it was great fun, savouring innumerable cups of it throughout the day. 

The major attraction of this town is the 12 hectares Sim's Park in Upper Coonoor. It’s a botanical garden, a must visit destination for, the wide variety of flora and fauna it offers. The park is quite well maintained and has some unusual plants from all over the world. There is a separate play area for children, and a pond where one can do some boating.The glass house inside the park had some wonderful ornamental plants on display and everything was beautifully laid out.

The charming glass house

 The crowning glory in the park is undoubtedly the rare Rudrakash tree (from the Himalayan region), apparently one of the oldest in this region and one could spot the small beads growing on the tree.

Ancient Rudrakash tree in Sim's Park

Other touristy attractions are the Dolphins nose, Lady Canning's seat, Lamb's Rock - all these places are honestly speaking nothing much to talk about except the fact that  the route is through beautiful tea estates and they offer some spectacular views of the Nilgiris. Coonoor is also home to the Pasteur Institute which is a leading institute in the country in the production of Antirabies vaccine. The Nilgiris have always been known for its fine tea in the world and there are a number of tea estates here and coffee plantations too. Tranquiltea is one such estate which gives you a tour of their tea estate and also takes you through the whole process of tea manufacturing. They also have a tea appreciation tour to brush up your knowledge of the different varieties of tea grown in the Nilgiris -of course with some tasting of their gourmet teas thrown in - a great way to discover if becoming a tea taster is your calling.

Lush green tea estates

Since I have always lived in the Northern part of the country it was interesting to note the different lifestyle, mannerisms of the local populace. The people here are generally laidback and go about their everyday work in a very unhurried manner. Of course though this is true of most of the non metro towns in any part of the country, here it is reflected in the way they drive too - nobody seems to be in any kind of tearing hurry. No wonder our journey from Mysore to Coonoor which ideally takes around 4 hours took 6. People are in general helpful, most of the folks here thankfully understand English and can converse in it too but for this fact sometimes language here does become a challenge, particularly when asking for directions.

One of the local schools ST. Joseph's Boys' was celebrating its 125th year and over the weekend the town was filled with its alumni who came from far off places, some of them even coming down from overseas. A few of them were putting up in the same place as we were and they all had such happy memories of their years spent here - it’s a town that people relate to and feel a connect with and old timers loose no opportunity to revisit this place. 

Coonoor is known for its salubrious climate - very pleasant in summers, with the winters also being mild. This equitable weather throughout the year makes it an ideal retirement destination and a lot of people have preferred it over the bright lights of the city and made it their home. More on that in another post.

Mist laden Coonoor

Spicy Indian green chilli pickle

What is it about a vacation that it always brings a smile to your lips and sparkle in your eyes? It sure lifts your spirits, at least mine have at the prospect of my coming holiday. Though there are a lot of firsts to this one - going without the kiddos for the first time, cannot help feeling kind of strange about it and also slightly guilty that I would be busy enjoying myself, whereas they would be slogging it out. Also travelling to the South for the first time (barring a couple of months in Chennai long back).

There are so many memories attached with these domestic holidays - of those times when holidays meant summer vacations spent at nani’s place and also the inevitable train journey. An enjoyable part of it used to be the food that mom used to carry for the journey. Though it's been aeons since I travelled within the country by train (though would love to) but the one thing that I still do whenever we travel is to carry some eats with me - some familiar finger food to fall back on in case I miss home food. So I packed some ‘mathris’and though they are good to eat on their own but I couldn't resist packing some green chilli pickle too that I had made.

The pickle has turned out swell... coming from someone who had no clue of pickle making (I think it is true for most of us who have grandparents and parents sending them endless supply of pickles and ‘papads’ for a long time, even post marriage). I guess it was time for me to learn! How else how would my grandchildren remember me? Emboldened by my success (and of course joy) I have already committed to my daughter to make mixed veg pickle (a winter specialty) when she’s home in winters … just keeping my fingers crossed that it turns out fine, she is a tough cookie to please.

Coming back to green chilli pickle … it is quite simple to make and has all the normal ‘masalas’ which you would find in any Indian kitchen. I got the normal small and thin green chillies available in the market … there are two varieties in this, the very thin ones are pure bombs in terms of their spiciness or you can take the slightly bigger ones which are lighter in the spice quotient. Green chilli pickle can be made either by stuffing the masala in them or by cutting them into bite sized piece and then adding the masala to them. I have cut them into pieces as it is way easy and quick and even this way the chillies get coated very well with the pickling spice. It gets ready to eat in a weeks’ time and keeps well. In case one wants to keep it for a longer period then top it with mustard oil, which will prevent it from getting spoilt. So here is my green chilli pickle recipe and hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Green Chilli Pickle

250 gms green chillies
4 tablespoon mustard seeds (rai)
3 teaspoon salt
11/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
11/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)
11/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1 teaspoon ground spices powder (garam masala)
4 tablespoon lemon juice/vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder (lal mirch)
1 cup mustard oil

Wash the chillies properly and then pat them completely dry. Chop the chillies into bite sized pieces and add salt and turmeric powder to it. Mix well and keep aside.

Roast fenugreek, fennel, and cumin seeds on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Towards the end add asafoetida. Cool and grind coarsely in a spice grinder. Add the powdered spices to the green chillies and mix. Now add the garam masala, red chilli powder and the lemon juice/vinegar and stir well.

Heat the mustard oil to smoking point and then remove from burner and let it cool. Once completely cool add it to the green chilly spice mixture and mix well. The pickle should be well covered with the oil, to prevent it from getting spoiled.

Bottle this mixture in a sterilized jar. Place the jar in a sunny area for the pickle to mature. Keep stirring the pickle from time to time with a clean dry spoon to mix the spices properly. The pickle will be ready to eat in a weeks’ time.

  

Green chilli pickle

Vacation home in Europe...no longer just a dream !

Hit by economic recession, Europe has never had it so bad. Though there are flickering signs of revival but it will still be a long time before the Euro Zone can breathe easy. While Europe as a whole bleeds, the financial health of the so called PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Iceland, Greece and Spain), despite bailouts, is in dire straits. On the verge of bankruptcy, with dwindling economic activity and high levels of unemployment, the real estate market crashed and the banks were left holding mortgaged properties which were difficult to offload even at heavily discounted prices.

To revive their flagging property market and consequently to rev up their beleaguered economies, countries like Portugal and Spain announced, a hitherto unheard of program, Residency by Investment Program for non EU residents. The intent is clear … attracting foreign capital, and more so the super rich in the hope that it might spur the stagnant real estate market saddled with heaps of unsold inventory. Foreign investors just need to invest a hefty sum to secure residency of these countries as a segue to permanent residency and culminating in a opportunity to be citizens! The schemes have generated a lot of interest in the emerging economies of Russia, China and India. The rich there, looking at Spain and Portugal for a second passport.

Earlier people migrated to developed countries mainly, for better financial and job prospects. Now what draws people, apart from economic and political stability is the superior quality of life that the western countries offer. Europe with its charming locales and a culturally rich lifestyle is definitely a cut above the rest. For a growing breed of super rich who are now in the increasingly globalized world no longer alien to western lifestyles, it makes immense sense to have a vacation home abroad.

What makes Portugal and Spain attractive is that not only do they make it to the list of destinations coveted by expats as excellent for relocating – great climes, developed infrastructure, safety and security, mature political and legal systems; they both also offer excellent healthcare system. The economic slump has resulted in a sizeable drop in housing prices in both the countries and even makes them a good investment opportunity from a long term perspective. Spain boasts of a rich history, lots of sunshine (a big reason why it’s a favorite with Britishers), art and culture in abundance. Barcelona is its most modern city and oft visited too for its Gothic (read Gaudi’s) architecture, wonderful Mediterranean climate and its cosmopolitan feel. The Spanish people are very laidback and take their siesta time very seriously … all in all makes for an ideal country for a laid back life. Of course not to forget their cuisine- the Spanish Paella and the Tapas bars - the new buzz in town.

Portugal is sought after for its stunning coastline and great climate. Lisbon its capital city has a high quality of life and offers some beautiful architectural marvels. It’s one of the most affordable countries in Europe and has a low cost of living. Locals are friendly and would exchange a ‘Bom Dia’ when you run into them.  Algrave is another coastal town in the southern part of Portugal whose beaches are among the best and it also boasts of some of most known golf courses in Europe..

So what’s the deal … you need to invest  500 thousand Euros in one or more properties (commercial /residential).This entitles you and your family (children up to 18 years of age) a residency permit for one year to begin with and post that  two subsequent renewals of 2 years. On completion of 5 years you can apply for permanent residency and that does away with any further requirement of renewing the visas. For the entire duration of 5 years you are free to travel anywhere in the 26 Schengen countries.  Also you are legally entitled to set up a business. The only additional obligations are to maintain this investment for a minimum period of 5 years. The Golden Residence Permit Program FAQ's (for Portugal) are available at http://www.sef.pt/documentos/56/ARI_FAQ_EN_I.pdf

Till sometime back, as per RBI regulations Indian nationals were permitted to buy immovable property overseas and could invest up to US$ 200000 each year. This meant that an affluent family could afford  the required investment of about Rs 4 crore. However, as per recent RBI regulations an individual is not permitted to invest in immovable property overseas – hopefully this is a temporary restriction … introduced recently in wake of the rather steep depreciation of the Indian Rupee. In fact an investment in overseas property also works as a hedge against depreciation of the rupee for HNI (high net worth individuals) apart from affording numerous non-monetary benefits.

Though the scheme might look very attractive to those having spare moolah and a zing for having a second home in Europe… but care must be taken to go into the fine print … and hiring a legal expert might be a prudent decision.  Lucas Fox is a well established real estate company which handles both Spain and Portugal for buying properties in one of these countries. However, you need to do a lot of homework before taking the plunge. Happy hunting for a second home … in charming Europe.