In Western Cornwall—Penzance, Mousehole and St. Michael’s Mount.

Thursday, March 5, 2009
Cornwall

I had a rather restless night. High winds blew fiercely against my windowpane and I was very cold. Grabbing another comforter from a neighboring bed at the hostel, I tucked it around me and tried to return to sleep. It is a relief to have the 10-bedded dorm room with en suite bathroom entirely to myself. This is the sort of luxury for which you pay pennies and get massive returns.

Room with a View:
The sounds of the Atlantic’s breakers reached my ears and when I sat up in bed and turned slightly to take in the view, I was dumbstruck. Dawn was just breaking over the eastern skies that were tinged a pale orange. Soft jade waves lightly bordered with creamy surf flowed lazily towards shore. I could have gazed upon this scene without moving a muscle for hours. But though it was only 6.45 am, I decided to get ready to face my day as I had a lot of ground to cover.

Breakfast was a delightful affair as the sea kept me company outside my window. Over muesli, toast with butter and apricot jam and instant coffee (the only discordant note), I de-stressed as I watched the relentless waves make their journey to the sand-covered rocks of the cove. I took it really easy, savoring each bite, relishing each sip, but all too soon, it was time to pick up my backpack and rain slicker and leave for the bus station to start my long journey to Penzance.

Off to Penance:
I caught the bus an hour earlier today (at 8. 55 am) after purchasing an Explorer ticket for 6. 50 pounds. The journey to Truro was the same as yesterday’s except that the sun was out, shining full and glorious upon Cornwall, and bringing into sharp focus the lone stray horses in pasture, so similar to the ones I had seen in Ben Nicholson’s paintings in the Tate St. Ives yesterday—and I understood afresh the sources of his inspiration.

Exploring Truro:
When we arrived in Truro, I decided to explore the town a bit and my rambles took me towards the lovely Cathedral with its five spires. I got some beautiful shots of it from a bridge that forded a shallow stream en route to an antiques store in which I browsed. A flea market selling vintage items also caught my attention, and then it was time to catch the 10. 35 bus for the long ride to Penzance.

I enjoyed observing my traveling companions en route for they spanned many decades. The high school kids and the college students (most from Truro College) gave way to the elderly (loads of them) out on shopping jaunts into the bigger cities from their tiny pastoral villages. There is a uniformly polite interaction between them and the driver (Pleases and Thank yous every single time) and a tremendous patience as the driver waits for them to hop on and alight—the likes of which would be unseen in London where life is so much quicker paced. I got talking to a nice man who summed it up when he told me that in Cornwall everything can be achieved tomorrow and he said that when you have lived in such a place for a while, you grow accustomed to its lifestyle.

The Fabled Cornish Landscape:
I found the passing scene outside my window so fascinating that not for a moment did I doze off. Indeed, I can say that I saw Cornwall from a double decker bus and a better way to see it would be tough to find. The buses take rural routes that pass by villages that Time forgot. You see fields lying in fallow, daffodils blooming along wayside hedges (surely they can’t be wild, can they?), horses in pasture, the remnants of tin mines and their smoke stacks, occasional towns with their familiar high street retailers and everywhere the inevitable bakeries selling Cornish pasties and luxurious cream teas. This is the quintessential Cornish countryside and viewing it in this fashion was a dream come true for me. And then, of course, there is the sea that is never too far away. It is like being on New York’s Long Island where you are always just a stone’s throw away from the North or South shores.

First Glimpse of St. Michael’s Mount:
And so it was that we turned a corner en route to Penzance and there was Mount St. Michael looking for all the world like its French counterpart–Mont St. Michel–that sits in the English Channel just off the coast of Brittany. Llew and I had been there many years ago in the company of our friend Patrick LeClerc and the memory of that sunny day was strongly with me as we approached the bustling township of Penzance made famous by Gilbert and Sullivan through their opera The Pirates of Penzance.

On to Mousehole:
But I did not linger long in this area deciding instead to take the bus to Mousehole (pronounced ‘Mowzall’). Of course, by this time, it was 12. 40 and I had spent the entire morning on a bus…but what better way to see Cornwall on a relentlessly windy day than through the heated interior of a comfortable bus? I mean the sun was gorgeous but the wind made me miserable as it whipped around me in icy gusts flinging my hair all over my face and tugging on my hat. When I realized that a bus to Mousehole would follow not too much later, I decided to board it and off I went.

None of the books I had read had mentioned anything about the drive along the coastal road from Penzance westwards to Mousehole; but though short and brief, I would rate it as one of the best I have ever taken and in this category I include such world-famous rides as the one along the Italian Amalfi Coast from Naples to Sorrento, the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to San Diego and along the Hanna Coast on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. I mean it was breathtakingly staggering. The sea was a much deeper blue–almost aquamarine–than it was at Newquay and I understood for the first time why they call it the Cornish Riviera; for the blue of the water was as startling as that of France’s Cote d’Azur at Cannes or Nice!

I could not get enough of it as I kept my eyes peeled. The bus wound slowly along the low-lying hills past neat sea-facing cottages but each was more modest than the next and there was nothing showy or ostentatious about these homes that hugged the waterside as might have been expected of similar homes in Malibu or Carmel in California.

Along the way, we passed by the town of Newlyn, almost as famous as St. Ives for its own artists’ colony that led to the creation of the Newlyn Artists’ Circle. Their works are also on display in the renowned museum in the town whose cove is full of colorful fishing boats that bring in the famed Cornish seafood.

Within twenty minutes, we were in Mousehole, the tiny village in which the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (“Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”) spent his honeymoon and called ‘the loveliest village in England’. Now I know that a lot of English villages claim this distinction. My own particular favorite still continues to be Castle Combe in Wiltshire. Thomas’ new marriage must certainly have lent enchantment to his view! Though undoubtedly pretty, in that it clings to the softly rising hills in tiers and overlooks a jeweled ocean, I cannot imagine why Thomas was so taken by this place. It is very similar to all the Cornish villages I had traveled through all morning and can boast nothing to distinguish it so spectacularly from the rest.

Still, I decided to stroll at random through its ‘town’ and discovered that there wasn’t much of a town to explore. The few stores that dotted its narrow winding streets were mostly closed. At Jessie’s Dairy, I bought a take-out Steak and Potatoes Pasty for 2. 60 pounds that was made to Grandma’s recipe and was scrumptious. Not only was it gigantic but also it was stuffed to the gills with a very tasty stew-like stuffing that was hot and peppery and very satisfying. I felt so invigorated that I almost walked along the Cornish coastal pathway from Mousehole back to Penzance but then decided that I would save time and take the bus to allow myself to get in good time to my next destination—the village of Marazion from where I intended to reach St. Michael’s Mount. Already I could see it in the distance in Mount’s Bay and my desire to get there was suddenly fierce.

So I hopped on to the 1.25 bus and was back in Penzance at 2.00, which left me enough time to buy a few souvenir postcards and find my way down the High Street back to the Bus station for the 2. 15 bus to Marazion.

Marazion and Mount St. Michael:
The bus arrived at Marazion at exactly 2. 30 pm. I had stopped briefly in the Tourist Information Center in Penzance, obtained a map and was told that the Causeway that linked the island with the mainland and would allow me to walk across Mount’s Bay to get to where the castle and the Cathedral of Saint Michael were perched would be accessible by foot only after 3.30 pm when the tide receded. Not to be daunted, I boarded the bus and enjoyed the uninhibited view of a rainbow that painted itself magnificently against the cloud- filled sky. A passing storm had generated this natural wonder; but then the clouds had parted leaving the rainbow to stain the sky as the sun bore down upon us again dispelling the awful feeling of discomfort which the wind continued to create.

Marazion is tiny, a very small one-horse town (if that). At Marazion Square, I tried to find a few stores that would allow me to while away the time until 3. 30 (for I did want to give walking across to the Mount a try) but there were none. It seemed sensible to make my way down to the waterfront and finding a few stone steps very conveniently located, I began my slow descent to the pebbly beach, much in the manner of Louisa in Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. The wind did not stop whipping itself around me, much to my annoyance.

I climbed a small rock called Chapel Rock and kept waiting for the tide to recede. It was almost
3 pm and I wondered whether I really ought to chance it and try to ford the chasm between mainland and rocky island. What kept me dithering was the fact that the entire island was closed (it being the off-season, it is only open to the public on Tuesdays and Fridays). I wondered if it was worth making the trip only to have to walk along the quay on the other side and do nothing more exciting.

While I was debating my options, I sat down on the rocks and enjoyed the mild afternoon sunshine and the cries of the seagulls. This was the Cornwall for which thousands of tourists descend upon this southwestern corner of England each year. And here I was–having the panorama all to myself. I hugged the scene closely to my heart and stored it in my memory…St. Michael’s Mount rising sharply not a few hundred meters in front of me, a couple of children playing with their dad on the shore, a black Labrador chasing a ball obligingly for its owner and those perpetually encircling seagulls whooping lustily at the sky. I soaked it all in as I sat in tranquil meditation thinking how fortunate I had been to undertake this journey and to arrive at so enchanting a destination.

Then, it was almost 3. 30 pm and I decided against the walk to the island—not because I was tired but because I felt that being unable to climb to the cathedral or the castle made the entire excursion pointless. I nipped into the Post Office instead, back at the bus stop, where I found postcards and a Cornwall magnet (featuring a Cornish cream tea!), then hopped on to the 4. 05 bus and made it back to Penzance in time to catch my 4. 20 pm Bus Number 18 back to Truro.

Savoring Cornwall:
It had been an amazing day, filled with sights that would stay with me, I was sure, for the rest of my life. In the summer, humanity must be converging upon this part of the country in a manner than can only be oppressive. So, I was grateful to be able to savor these spaces when I had them entirely to myself. For me, these spots are not just venues that I have visited, but stops on a journey that have served to make me conscious and appreciative of life’s simplest blessings.

Along the long ride to Truro, I continued to enjoy the Cornish countryside. After a ten-minute wait, I caught Bus Number 90 back to Newquay that entwined itself around tiny villages as we lost light rapidly. I was at the Newquay bus station by 7 pm and I spent the evening transcribing an interview (I knew I would use my laptop after all and get some work done) as I sipped Cornish cider in my room, munched Thai sweet red chilli crisps and then hammered out this blog as I relived my day.

The sound of the Atlantic’s breakers still echo in my ear as I get ready for bed. I can think of no better location for a writer than a room that overlooks the Atlantic in this most idyllic of fashions and I felt blessed that, for a few days at least, this was my room with a view!

Captivated by Cornwall–Discovering St. Ives

Mar8

Wednesday, March 4, 2009
St. Ives, Cornwall

Departure for Cornwall:
As always happens when I have to awake in the middle of the night, I slept sporadically throughout and awoke spontaneously at 2 am. It was I who called Llew to tell him not to bother to call me as I had awoken already. We chatted for a bit. He worried at the thought of my going out into the London night at 2. 30 am but I reassured him that the city is buzzing all night long. I got out of my building at 2.45 only when I saw the N8 bus a few meters away. This allowed me to cross the street and hop right into it without having to wait alone on High Holborn at that hour.

At Victoria, there were late-night commuters hauling their strolleys behind them all along the street leading to the Easybus stand where an older couple were already ahead of me waiting for our coach which arrived at 3. 30 am. Because there was no traffic at all, we reached Stanstead at 4. 48 and within minutes, I was all checked-in and waiting at the gate for my 6. 30 am flight to Newquay.

Touch Down in Cornwall:
Dawn had already broken over Southwestern England as our aircraft lost height on its descent into Cornwall. I was so pleased to be able to spy the biodomes of the Eden Project from the air. Indeed, though the sky was thickly overcast, Cornwall looked bright green at that early hour though I did discern some patches of leftover snow especially over Bodmin Moor. The landscape was crisscrossed with tarred roads that ran through it like narrow black ribbons and occasional traffic was easily visible on them. Then, we were touching down into the wilderness of Newquay airport (at exactly 7. 30 am) and since my bus to the City Center was not for another half hour, I sat in the airport lobby and waited.

It was horribly cold outside today and my expectations of mild Cornish weather were shattered as the icy wind whipped around me. I was so grateful for my warm layered clothing and was thrilled to be able to settle down in the heated coach that took me to Newquay Bus Station from where I followed directions on the five-minute walk to St. Christopher’s Inn where I had a reservation. The sound of the thundering Atlantic waves reached my ears and when I caught my first glimpse of the sea, I also caught my breath, as the pale jade expanse was startlingly beautiful.

At St. Christopher’s Inn, I discovered that check-in time was 2 pm. I could leave my bag there, however, and after extracting my camera and the few essentials I would need for the day, I left it in the care of a young staff attendant to look for the Tourist Information Office as it had just gone 9 am. However, when I did find the Office, I realized that they were closed. It is still off-season in Cornwall and many seasonal businesses remained shut.

A lovely man named Allan in the next-door Council Office did, however, go online to help me find bus schedules and other information. It was not long before I was seated on the bus making my way to Truro, a junction of sorts, from which I needed to connect to another bus. All along the way, I enjoyed the Cornish landscape. Our bus wove lazily through tiny villages somewhat pretentiously and amusingly named High Street and Higher Bugle! Fields with lone horses and new-born black lambs prancing in the early spring sunshine passed outside my window. For indeed Spring had arrived in Cornwall and daffodils were everywhere. Leaving the built-in recesses of Newquay behind with its garish casinos, amusement arcades and surfer’s supplies stores was a relief for rural Cornwall was serene and spiritual and a salve to my travel-weary senses. It wasn’t long before we arrived in Truro and I was able to get a quick look around the market.

Stopping in Truro:
Truro is a bustling town with a cathedral whose spires reach out above the rooftops of uniformly built houses. In the market square, as I was browsing around the stalls, it suddenly came down again ferociously, but just as suddenly, the rain stopped and it was then that I realized that it wasn’t rain at all but hailstones the size of small peas. No wonder the local folk were shaking their heads in bewilderment. It appears that such occurrences are rather rare in these parts and they were quite perplexed by the strangeness of the weather.

Arrival at St. Ives:
Back on the bus to St. Ives, I enjoyed the sun once again—in fact, I have rarely seen such mood swings in the people as impacted by the weather! When we finally reached the town of St. Ives, the sun had disappeared behind a dark cloud and it looked as if it would pour again any second. I decided that it would be a perfect time to closet myself inside the Tate St. Ives which, at any rate, is the chief attraction of the town other than its beaches. Within five minutes, I was at the waterfront and there was Porthmeor Beach with the fierce waves bringing froth and foam to the sand’s edge. The setting of the museum is indeed stunning–a very futuristic space built in 1993. I was grateful for my Metropolitan Museum connections that got me in for free and saved me the 12. 50 pounds that it would have cost to see both the Tate St. Ives and the Barbara Hepworth House and Garden for which a joint ticket is issued.

Exploring Tate St. Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museums:
The Tate St.Ives does not have a permanent collection. Though created to showcase the work of the Cornish artists who made the area their home and set up an artists’ colony there as early as the 40s, it specializes in setting up periodic exhibitions that focus on the work of the major figures who contributed to the area’s development as a significant artistic Mecca. Leading this movement was Hepworth herself and her husband Ben Nicholson as well as other artists such as Luke Frost and Bernard Leach and it was the work of some of these artists that I saw for the first time today. Apart from their very abstract canvasses, the museum boasts a really singular design and a charming café on the top floor whose picture windows afford some of the most stunning views of the ocean and the lands that embrace it on this sheltered cove.

When I had taken my fill of photographs from this vantage point, I went out in search of Barbara Hepworth’s Studio and Garden and spent the next half hour taking in the individualistic vision that led to her arresting body of work. Ranging in size from small tabletop pieces to gigantic compositions that grace the garden that she personally designed and planted, it was interesting to see her workspace and the tools she used to accomplish her unique designs. Without the use of any machines, she was able to fashion abstract shapes and forms and give them depth and a character that was entirely her own. I shuddered to learn that she passed away in a fire that engulfed her home. Apparently, she was asleep while it broke out leaving her oblivious to it.

Becoming a Beach Bum:
Then, I was out on the cobbled streets of St. Ives enjoying the seaside ambience of this renowned beach resort, checking out its stores, enjoying the ‘tasters’ passed out by the old-fashioned chocolate shops and honey and marmalade stores, buying myself a genuine Cornish pasty from a small bakery that the locals patronized (I ordered a “Premier Steak” because that’s what I heard a regular Cornish customer order) and enjoying its warmth, the crispness of its crust, the flavor of its filling and thinking of the origin of this most regional of foods—the need for Cornish miners to fix themselves a meal that could be eaten underground without silverware. In fact, I remembered that in one of her recent novels, Anita Desai had talked about the Mexican empanada having originated when Cornish miners moved from the tin mines of Cornwall to the silver mines of Mexico in search of work taking the pasty with them and indigenizing it for local consumption.

Be that as it may, the town was a delight to stroll through and I was charmed by everything I saw. Best of all, I had it to myself. Though many of the restaurants were still closed, there was enough of a buzz to make the place feel lived in without becoming overwhelming. I had seagulls for company along the railings that separate rock and cliff from foaming breakers. I spied Godrevy Lighthouse on an island in the distance—the lighthouse that inspired Virginia Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness novel To The Lighthouse. I took pictures galore, trying to capture, as the artists had done through their paints and canvases, the light, the angles of the rooftops and the colors of the sand, the ocean and the sky in that particular brightness which only Cornwall seems to possess.

I walked through the entire curve of the harbor, stopping to buy postcards and searching for magnets (but finding none that took my fancy). I knocked around narrow cobbled streets that were reminiscent of Mykonnos’ ‘chora’ (Old Town) for me with its winding roads, small picturesque balconies and shop windows. I guess all beach resorts have the same laid back ambience, the same combination of bleached sea whiteness with the shocking dashes of color that come from kites and inflatable toys and beach wear. All of it was delightful and I soaked it in, glad to find myself finally in Cornwall where I have often dreamed of being.

Missing the Sea:
I realized, with a sudden pang, that the ocean took me sharply home to Southport and my beloved Connecticut coastline, for I have indeed missed the sea and my close proximity to it in the landlocked environs of London. All my life, I have lived close to the sea-side. In the Bombay suburb of Bandra where I grew up, I could walk to the promenade of the Arabian Sea in three minutes and in Southport, the harbor and the marina of Long Island Sound are similarly close at hand. The salt tang of the Atlantic and the waves that licked the St. Ives’ shores reminded me that these same ones had originated in the same ocean not too far from my permanent home in America and on that nostalgic and very sentimental mode of contemplation, I passed the rest of the afternoon.

A Commuting Faux-Pas:
Then, at close to five, after I had passed by a stone church and its adjoining Memorial Gardens filled with more vivid primroses and daffodils, I climbed uphill towards the bus station and caught the 5 pm bus to Truro where I arrived at 6.30. I had a half hour wait before I made my connection at 7 pm for a bus back to Newquay but that was where I wasn’t thinking right. I waited at the same place where I had alighted from St. Ives instead of at the gate where my bus to Newquay would depart. This meant that I missed the last bus and had to take one run by the Western Greyhound bus service, which did not leave for another 45 minutes. It had grown uncomfortably cold by this time and all the major stores had closed down leaving me with no place to shelter in while I awaited the bus.

Finally, I found the foyer of a hotel called Manning’s and there I settled for 20 minutes before the coach did trundle along and take it with me. I nodded off for a bit and arrived at Newquay at 9 pm and made my way to the inn where the bar was lively with youngsters.

I, however, was pooped and settling into my room, I wrote this blog and went straight to bed.

Lecturing at the V&A, Visiting the Royal Academy of Art and a Posh Private Club

Mar8

Tuesday, March 3, 2009
London

Today was a day for museum hopping. Awaking, as usual, at 5 am, I did a lot of writing in bed, then called my nephew Arav in Bombay and spoke at the same time to his mother, my sister-in-law Lalita whose birthday it was. I also caught up with my brother Roger and told both him and Lalita that I had a new understanding of the kind of life they have led for over 20 years as cabin crew members with Air-India, for I have often felt like a stewardess myself this year as I have lived out of suitcases on my many jaunts and awoken in strange beds wondering, for a few seconds, in which part of the world I was.

Then, I had my yogurt and muesli breakfast at 7. 30am, showered, and left my flat by 9.15. Instead of bussing it, I took the Tube to South Kensington and arrived a little too early to start my 10 am gallery lecture at the Victoria and Albert Museum for my South Asian Studies students. I decided to explore the area that is fashionably known as “South Ken”, a stronghold of London’s French community, according to my Parisienne student, Julia Anderson.

And she was quite right. I passed by Jolie Fleur, a tres chic florist whose window displays were as beguiling as the ones you see all over France. There were any amount of cafés trottoirs (pavement cafes—yes even in the chill of late winter) selling filled baguettes and cafes au laits and even a delicatessen with a stock of typiquement French ingredients such as pate and saumon fume and cornichons, not to mention Proust’s famous madelienes! It was fun indeed to wander around this little corner of Gaul and I did wish I had more time especially to browse in the vintage stores—another time, perhaps.

I arrived at the V&A a few minutes after ten, but my students were nowhere to be seen. I settled down in the lobby (as that was our meeting spot) and awaited their arrival while admiring the stunning Dale Chihuly chandelier, which is one of my favorite pieces in the museum. It is funny but after having spent only a few days in this place, it feels like home to me—in the same way that the National Gallery and the Metropolitan Museum in New York do!

When at 10. 15, there was no sign of my students, I began to worry. Did I not make myself clear that we were to meet in the lobby? Had I make a mistake with the time? We were meeting at 10 and not at 11, right? With all these worries floating through my brain, I took a deep breath, decided to stay calm and wait patiently. It was possible that they were stuck in the Tube, wasn’t it? A few minutes later, they burst upon me, laughing and apologizing and sighing with relief, all at the same time. It seems that they had been waiting for me at a side entrance, not the main one. When we failed to connect, they had begun to panic!

Well, all was well, fortunately, that ended well, and we made our way to the Nehru Gallery of South Asian Art which I had studied a few weeks ago and where I took them through a brief history of Modern India as manifested by its art and craftsmanship. We examined Mogul and Rajasthani miniatures, Indian calico cottons, marble and wooden (jali) carvings, gold (jari) embroidered sarees and sheraras as worn by Muslim nobility, gold and bejeweled ornaments including turban pieces worn by men that were studded with emeralds, rubies and sapphires, wooden furniture inlaid with ivory (gifts from Indian royalty to East India Company officials), bidriware, enamelware, ivory furniture, a golden throne, Tipu’s famous Tiger, the jade drinking cup of Shah Jehan, and a host of other marvelous items that had them exclaiming and asking all kinds of very relevant questions. I also took them up to the museum’s jewelry galleries where they did some more exclaiming and finally, I led them to the café where the restaurant rooms featuring the work of William Morris, Poynter and Gamble are showpieces in themselves.

We parted company as they returned to campus for their next class while I took the bus home. While eating my lunch (Pizza Paradiso’s pizza), I finished watching 1947 Earth as I do want to start work on the lecture I am giving in Italy later this month based on this movie. Despite the fact that I have seen it so many times before, it never fails to brings tears to my eyes and I was deeply saddened, once again, by the end of the film in which the author Bapsi Sidhwa herself makes a cameo appearance.

Meanwhile, in the midst of all these things, I was also trying desperately to reach the Podiatry Clinic as I had finally received my letter in the mail informing me that a referral had been received on my behalf and that I was required to call and make an appointment. Except that though I tried more than 50 times (I know because the number of tries I made are recorded on my cell phone), I always got the message “User Busy” back! All day—I mean from 9. 30 am (when they opened) until 3.00 pm—it said “User Busy”. I am convinced that something was wrong with that line. But, get this, at 1. 10pm, when I finally did get through, I got Voice Mail, informing me that they were closed between 1.00 and 1.3 0 for lunch! At 1. 45, I got “User Busy” once again. It was enough to make me want to tear out my hair by the handful in frustration! I was keen to make the appointment as I would be in Cornwall for the next few days and wanted to get the business of fixing an appointment over with!!! In the end, I simply gave up. I guess I shall try again tomorrow.

Next, I turned to packing—or rather re-packing. Having decided to take my laptop with me, my backpack was inadequate and I had to move all my stuff into my duffel bag. This was swift work and by 3. 45 pm, I was heading out the door again, this time to the Royal Academy of Art to meet Rosemary who is a member there. She is privileged to use the museum for free and to take companions along as well. We had planned to meet there at 4. 15 and since I did not want to be late, I took the Tube again—as buses are very unreliable and do not work if one has an appointment to keep.

Though I have passed by the Royal Academy dozens of time in the bus, I had never been to this gallery and I have to say that I was floored by the splendor of the building. Its Neo-Classical quadrangle is grand in every sense of the term and the rather contemporary fountain in the center is the only element that clashes, I thought, with the dignity of the place. Like Rosemary, my taste is much too traditional and both of us would have preferred a cascading fountain in the center rather than the kind that spouts water sporadically from the ground (as also seen at Somerset House). A wonderful bronze sculpture of Sir Joshua Reynolds at the entrance is a very appropriate touch for, undoubtedly, he had much to do with the setting up of this venerable institution.

Rosemary and I were there to see the special exhibition on ‘Byzantium’. It is funny how I have learned to pronounce the word “Byzantine” the American way—I now say “Biz-en-teen’. It sounded odd to hear the very English Rosemary pronounce it as “By-zin-tyne”. Yet before I moved to American that was exactly how I would have pronounced it myself! While we were in the midst of the exhibition, I realized that I had seen quite a few of these pieces before in the Treasures of Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice last March. In fact, the signature piece that is used on all the publicity posters–a very ornate censer in three different metals—silver, brass and copper—I do remember seeing with my friends Amy and Mahnaz when we were in Venice last year. Some of the pieces reminded me so much of the staggering beauty of the Pala D’Oro especially in the precious stones that were studded in the gold settings that formed the frames of some of the work.

The last rooms contained some magnificent icons that had arrived in London from the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece, and from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia. They were superb and very exciting to examine as I have never really had the chance to study icons so closed and in such a large number. For me, this was certainly the highlight of the exhibition. I told Rosemary that I would like her to take me to the special exhibition that has just opened on Andrea Palladio, as coincidentally, I am, later this month, going to be staying in Vicenza, Italy, the city of Palladio, with my friend Annalisa Oboe, who lives there. While Llew, Chriselle and I have visited Annalisa in Vicenza before, this time I really do want to take careful notice of his ‘Palladian’ architecture that is showcased all over this city.

The museum closed at 6 pm and Rosemary suggested we go out for a drink as the evening was still young. It had started to drizzle by this time and since I had no umbrella, we shared her’s. Instead of hunting around for a pub in the rain, at her suggestion, we made our way down St. James’ Street towards her Club—The Royal Overseas League Club–where she has been a member for a while and her partner Christie Cherian is on the Board of Directors.

Indeed, the building was another one of those posh London residences that have been converted into private clubs or into hotels and in the lovely interior with its ornamental staircase, its portrait of the Queen and its beautiful flower arrangements, we ordered our drinks (a white wine for her, a Guinness for me) and settled down to one of our cozy chats. Rosemary ran into a friend called John Edwards to whom she introduced me as “her friend from New York” and John suggested that I take a look at a special exhibition in the foyer of oil paintings by an artist from New York.

Soon, it was time for us to leave as I had to wake up at 2. 15 am for my flight to Cornwall and at about 7. 30, we parted company and went our separate ways. Back home, I finalized the packing of my duffel bag, ate my dinner of Thai Green Curry (Chicken) with Tiramisu for dessert before I got ready for bed at 9 pm.

I called Llew and told him to call me at 9. 15 pm which would be 2. 15 am (my time), just in case my cell phone alarm did not go off, and on that note, I hit the sack.

A Routine Sorta Day!

Mar2

Monday, March 2, 2009
London

Up again at 5 am, I spent most of the morning preparing for my classes today and fine-tuning my grant application. I am also getting material ready for my trip to Cornwall on Wednesday and did remember to book my Easybus ticket from Victoria to Stanstead airport.

When I did get out of bed at 7. 30 am, I ate my breakfast (Tesco’s Muesli with yogurt and honey) while watching a part of 1947, Earth–Deepa Mehta’s film on the partition of the Indian sub-continent which is based on the novel Cracking India by Bapsi Sidhwa. I have been invited by my friend Annalisa Oboe of the Modern Languages Department at the University of Padua in Italy to give a lecture to her graduate students on March 19 and I do need to get started with the research and writing of this paper. And, of course, since I am intending to comment on the adaptation of the work from page to screen, I need to watch the film one more time and show excerpts from it. After a very long time, I shall be taking my laptop on a trip–this one to Cornwall–where I intend to continue working on this presentation as well as transcribing two of the interviews I did with Anglo-Indian subjects.

I set off from home a little earlier than usual to teach my Monday classes as Llew wanted me to pop into a camera store to take a look at a new camera that he intends to buy for us as I have damaged the one we have been using for almost ten years. I hopped into Jessops on New Oxford Street and took a look at the model, only to discover that it is very similar to the one we currently own–but sleeker, smaller, lighter and with a larger viewing screen. I liked it as much as Llew does and I green lighted his proposal to go ahead and buy it–in the States, of course, where it is much cheaper (almost half the price that was quoted to me by the guy at Jessops). Truly, we are so fortunate about the reasonable cost of living in America–this is being brought home to me not just while living here in London, but indeed on my recent visit to Norway where the prices of everything were just exorbitant!

My classes went off well and while I ate my tongue sandwich lunch at my desk, I managed to touch base with the real estate agent who represents my landlord in the hope of being able to extend my lease through the summer months. The issue of my summer accommodation continues to be a worry (as it is for my colleague Karen who has also been served with notice to vacate her Islington flat by the end of May) and I hope I shall be able to resolve it soon. What I am realizing is that it in London one only starts to look for June accommodation in May! It really doesn’t serve any purpose to try to be the early bird… so I simply must try to develop patience.

Right after my second class ended, I had a private Tutorial in my office with my South Asian Studies students who are coming along very well in their reading and writing through the independent study module that I am supervising. They handed in their assignments to me (0ne report on a film, another on a book) and have completed reading Dominic Lapierre and Larry Collins’ Freedom at Midnight as well as seen Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi. We had a very animated discussion indeed and I am very pleased with their progress.

I barely had the time to send in my application for the grant by the deadline when I had to leave my office to attend the General Faculty Meeting held upstairs at 6 pm. Dinner (an assortment of finger sandwiches and drinks) was provided and I had the chance to socialize with some of the new friends I’ve made among the faculty such as Emma Sweeney, Julia Pascal and Moira Ferguson. It is funny but though I do not see them very often (faculty members always have differing schedules and so rarely meet outside of such venues), I feel quite comfortable with many of them and do enjoy catching up with them. So many have been asking me to get together with them for lunch or coffee and I am keen to do this now that I know that my time here is limited and fast drawing to a close. I also met Karen today after a very long time. Now that we are teaching on different days, we no longer meet regularly and I do miss our weekly dinners. She has also been entertaining her in-laws from the States while trying to meet a publication deadline and coping with poor health. We resolved to get together soon, though with all the traveling I will be doing this month, any plans look doubtful.

I returned to my office after the meeting to tie up a few loose ends and left about 8. 30 pm to catch the bus and get home to respond to my email and write this blog.

It was a good beginning to the week and I am looking forward to the rest of it with much anticipation.

Chained to my PC!

Mar1

Sunday, March 1, 2009
London

I awoke again at 5 am. I am now convinced it has something to do with the temperature in my bedroom–perhaps it is too warm! While in Oslo, I slept effortlessly until almost 7 am each day. Yet, here I was, unable to get back to sleep and, left with little choice at that unearthly hour, I turned to my PC to hammer out my Norway Travelogue. I was all done by 7. 30 am–it did take me two and a half straight hours, but when it was done, it was time to say a quick Hello to my parents in Bombay and tell them that I would call them later for a longer chat as I needed to shower and get ready for Mass.

Stephanie and I had both decided that we would stay put at home this Sunday as she was feeling under the weather and I had a pile of things to do. When I was done showering, I made myself a cup of coffee and gulping it down quickly, I set off for St. Etheldreda’s Church to which I was returning after several Sundays as my weekly sojourns with Steph have taken me to services all over the Home Counties! It felt like home and quite suddenly I was gripped by the strange feeling that I have attended Mass in this church all my life–it helped, I suppose, that Fr. Sebu, a priest from Kerala was the chief celebrant this morning!

Indeed, as I walked home, London felt like home. There is a certain ease now with which I find my way around unfamiliar places, with which I use the internet to find bus routes, with which I find the cheapest ways to purchase air tickets or theater tickets or opera tickets. Though I still feel as if I am on a year-long vacation, I no longer feel unsure of myself in this city. And this is a blessedly calming feeling indeed.

I ate a big bowl of cereal with yogurt and honey as I was starving, but I did not linger over it as I had a great deal of items on my To-Do List. One after the other, I ticked them off, the most crucial being the finalizing of a draft for an application for a grant that I need for the summer. I brought my blog up to date, drafted my February newsletter, downloaded my Norway photographs from my camera, unpacked my backpack and put things away while re-packing for the trip to Cornwall that I shall be doing on Wednesday. I did have a long chat with my Mum in Bombay and then with Llew who told me all about a 50th birthday party he had attended last night for our friend Kim Walton in Connecticut.

A mid-afternoon telephone call brought me the very spontaneous invitation to supper from my friend Bishop Michael Colclough. I was looking forward to seeing him and his wife Cynthia again as I hadn’t seen them for a while as both they and I have been traveling so much. By 7. 15 pm, I was at their lovely and very gracious home at Amen Corner near St. Paul’s Cathedral were we sat down for a long chat. Their boys Aidan and Edward were home and we all sat down to a cozy family dinner of Cottage Pie and Corn and Coleslaw with fresh pineapple and butterscotch ice-cream for dessert. It was simple home-cooked fare brimming with flavor that was served in a mood of generous hospitality. Best of all, I managed to catch up with my friends and learn all about their recent trip to Tenerife and about the boys’ upcoming exams as they grapple with their Law studies.

Then, I was on the bus again returning home after a long day that had me practically chained to my PC. I have caught up with almost all my pending chores and have decided to carry my PC with me to Cornwall as I do wish to use the evenings to transcribe a couple of interviews, edit and caption photographs on my hard drive and just organize the material that I have been gleaning and collating through my research.

Another week begins tomorrow and with it comes the promise of more exciting travel and the joys of the English seaside. I can’t wait…

Goodbye Oslo, Hello London!

Mar1

Saturday, February 28, 2009
Oslo-London

Day Three–Tying up Loose Ends:
The Oslo Opera House:
I awoke to another hearty Norwegian breakfast and having packed my backpack for my 6. 20 pm Ryanair departure from Torp airport, I decided to spend my last day seeing a few things that I did not want to leave Oslo without covering.

Breakfasting with Katya, I discovered that the Oslo Opera House is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture and she urged me to take a look at it before leaving. She also told me that it was very easy to access it from the Central Train Station if I walked along a bridge that connected me to the waterfront where the building is located. I followed her guidance and did see the Opera House for myself. It is not as unusual as the Sydney Opera House in design but I am sure it has superb acoustics in addition to a very interesting design. With that item scratched off my list of Must-See Items, I headed to the next attraction.

The Baldishol Tapestry in the Museum of Applied Arts:
Reading my guide book, I had discovered that one of Norway’s greatest cultural treasures is the Baldishol Tapestry that hangs in the lightly-frequently Museum of Applied Art. This lies a little off the beaten tourist track and took some finding.

But when I got there, I discovered that it did not open until 12 noon on Saturdays. I was crushed. I really was determined to see it, especially as my ignorance of its existence had prevented me from seeing France’s famous Bayeaux Tapestry, about fifteen years ago, when I was only a few miles away from it in Normandy! If ever I have to return to Normandy some day, it will be to see the Tapestry at the Cathedral at Bayeux that tells the entire story of the conquering of England by William the Conqueror in 1066.

Now that I was here in Norway and was only a few feet away from the Baldishol Tapestry that dates from between 1040 and 1190 and is the only Nordic tapestry from the Middle Ages that uses the Gobelin Techniques, I was bent on seeing it. I am not going to detail the ways and means I used to get into the museum to see it, but suffice it to say, that see it I did and what a sight it was! The colors are so vivid, the detail so minute, the workmanship so fine and so breathtaking that I was so pleased I had braved hell and high water to cast an appreciative eye over it! Though it is only a fragment of a larger piece, this one showing the months of April and May, give only a small indication of what the entire work must have looked like!

The Tapestry is named after the Baldishol church in Hedmark, Norway, which came to light after the demolition of the Baldishol church in the late 1870s. I was delighted to have had the chance to see it and though I wasn;t able to take a photograph, I will carry its image in my mind forever.

Vigeland Park:
This left me enough time to take a tram to Vigeland Park, another great show case of fine art—this one the work of Norway’s most famous sculptor, Gustav Vigeland. Indeed, if Parc Gruell in Barcelona provides a showcase for the work of Antoni Gaudi, then Vigeland Park, which serves the same purpose, is a must-see for any visitor to Oslo. Though I clearly would not be seeing the park at its best (the green expanses must be awesome in summer), the snow-covered lawns were no less uplifting and I was stunned repeatedly by the size and the vision of this artist of whose work I have never heard until I set foot in Norway!

The park, which is right in the heart of the city, contains 212 sculptures by Vigeland done in the 1920, 30s and 40s in a variety of materials, though the most common are stone and metal. The visitor follows the path that leads to the Monolith, a tall obelisk that is covered quite splendidly with human nudes. All around the monolith are more stone sculptures. To get to the monolith, one needs to walk upon a granite bridge, both sides of which are full of sculptures (similar to Karlovy Most or Charles Bridge in Prague and I often felt as if I were there with Llew and Chriselle who followed me in my imagination of my discovery of these moving masterpieces). Of the sculptures on the bridge, the most famous is that of the Little Angry Boy and while most visitors take pictures of this animated baby in the midst of a tantrum, the little serene girl on the other side sadly goes unnoticed! I had to take her picture, of course, as I am sure the two were meant to be viewed together! The bridge leads to another colossal sculpture of six giants holding up a gigantic bowl on their shoulders. In the summer, this also serves as a fountain. At this time of year, it is invariably filled with snow which is also a pretty sight.

Return Journey Home:
One could, doubtless, spend hours in this park, and had I leisure enough and time, I would had lingered. But I needed to get on the bus and then the metro to return to the Oslo Bus Terminal to take my bus back to Torp—a good two hours away. Almost all Ryan air flights land at remote airports and the journey to the airport from Oslo took me more time that the flight across the North Sea from London to Oslo! But this too is something to which I have become accustomed and I do choose my flights accordingly.

All went well. I enjoyed another lovely drive through the heart of Norwegian winter landscapes as I took in the beauty of lakes, hills, mountains and meadows all draped uniformly in thick fluffy mounds of snow. It had been a very interesting experience and though I did not return filled with a sense of historical awe as I had done from my visit to Berlin, Oslo was so full of fascinating surprises that it kept me completely under its spell for three full days.

As I returned home on the Easybus coach, I couldn’t help thinking that this past year is like a Gap Year for me—the kind of year to which students treat themselves between high school and college when they leave their familiar environment behind to launch into the unknown. It is a year filled with discovery–of themselves and the world they inhabit. In every respect that is exactly what this year is proving to be for me. And I cannot help but feel deeply blessed that I had this incredible opportunity to explore our world in this carefree fashion.

Bygdoy–Oslo’s Lovely Peninsular

Mar1

Friday, February 27, 2009
Oslo, Norway

Exploring Bygdo–The Viking Ships Museum:

I decided to devote Day Two to Bygdoy (Like Big Boy, except this is Big Doy!), a peninsular that juts into the fjord. Once an island, it was reclaimed by Karl Johans and now had a motorway that connects the island to the mainland. Claimed as prime real estate, it has a number of embassies and consulates located here as well as beautiful residential mansions and homes that were magically transformed into million-dollar beauties under the cover of winter. I loved the drive on Bus Number 30 that got me to Bygdoy and having purchased an Oslo Pass for 24 hours (220 kroner), I was able to visit all the museums on the peninsular free of charge as well as use all forms of transportation for free.

My first port of call was the Viking Ships Museum which is set in a fabulously designed building (by Arnestein Arneberg in 1914) in the shape of a cross—each arm containing one of the ships themselves. These ships were found in burial mounds (similar to the concept behind the Sutton Hoo Buried Viking ship and its contents in the British Museum) in southern Norway. The three 1000 year old Viking ships, the Oseberg, the Gokstad and the Tune ship (this one in the least well-preserved state) were excavated in the early years of the 20th century, then restored beautifully and exhibited in this museum where they stand as silent sentinels of Norway’s history, telling, nevertheless, many intriguing stories of belief in the afterlife. We saw a burial chamber as would have been on every ship together with a vast number of metal artifacts that were buried with the dead. The gold, silver and previous jewelry that would have also been buried with the dead Viking chieftains were plundered many years ago, but the articles left behind speak eloquently of a long lost civilization that once lorded it over the waters of Europe. The ships and the hoard left behind had me spellbound.

The Nordic Folk Museum:
A short stroll away along ice encrusted streets is the Nordic Folk Museum, a vast open air museum that documents the lives of Norwegians through the centuries. While it must seem like Disneyland in the summer when mobbed by tourists, it was empty but for a few school kids who had come with their teachers on field trips. Despite the cold, they enjoyed themselves fully in the open air running around in their winter gear and playing tag.

My tour book had informed me that there were three highlights I should not miss in this vast space and I headed first for Gamlebyen or Old Town, a cluster of homes, shops, post office, etc. dating from the last century and transported to this space in a bid to preserve them. These Tudor-like structures with their stucco walls and exposed beams had a quiet beauty about them. Inside, I could peak into the rooms and see the fitments that proclaimed the kind of rural lives led by Norway’s ordinary people back in the day. Following the path through the museum, I arrived at a grand building that was open. I pushed the heavy door and found myself in an apartment building. Each floor was recreated to produce an idea of what life would have been like in Oslo over the past century. There was, for instance, an apartment decorated to look like the interior of Torvald and Nora Helmer’s home in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. This was superbly done and I felt as I was on the film set with Jane Harris and Jason Robards in the film version that I have seen. And wasn’t Torvald played by Christopher Plummer?

On another floor, there was a replica of the apartment once owned in the 1960s by Norway’s then Prime Minister. The Beatles played on the radiogram, Beatles and Rolling Stones posters filled the walls of the teenage son’s room and the gadgetry in the kitchen spoke of cozy family dinners in the winter. Loving interior decoration and design as much as I do, it was a treat to wander through the silent home and try to place myself in those epochs.

Then, I was out on the street again making my way towards Setesdaltunet, a whole street containing old wooden homes built on stilts that were transported from Setesdal in Northern Norway and brought there. The snow was melting in the bright sunshine and fell in great big drops on the grounds or formed mini-stalactites around the eaves of these charming wooden structures—many of which I entered and found to be dark and sparse.

The last highlight of this museum, according to my book, is the 11th century Gol Stave Church and to get there, I had to climb a steep winding hill to gaze upon a small wooden church that was very reminiscent of the many pagodas I saw in Thailand in the ancient wats that dot the Northern highlands. The layers of the church’s exterior were densely covered with snow (at least six inches had fallen) but it was the inside that was amazing. The rear wall was covered with a faint painting of the Last Supper and in front of it was a very rustic altar—just a table basically with two candle stands. It was in this church that I saw the carved portal at the door which took me back to the magnificent specimen I had seen in the History Museum and I realized where in such a church, this sort of structure would fit. It was mind blowing and the impressions these discoveries made on me were heightened by the utter silence of the landscape that allowed me to contemplate my surroundings and seemed to spiritualize my discoveries.

The Kon-Tiki, Fram and Maritime Museums:
It was time then to board the bus (the Oslo Pass includes free rides on all modes of transport) and make my way to the tip of the peninsula to get to the Kon-Tiki Museum. I had done bit of reading and knew that the Kon-Tiki is associated with Thor Heyerdahl, one of Norway’s best known oceanographers. Indeed, Nordic sea-faring history which began with the Vikings who were aggressive sailors, explorers and adventurers, carried forward well into contemporary times in the many explorations and experiments undertaken by Heyerdahl throughout his life.

The Kon-Tiki Museum documents the two main voyages he undertook—one from Peru to the Easter Islands with a crew of six in a balsam raft he called the Kon-Tiki and another called the Ra II, a papyrus boat (as existed in ancient Egypt) that he sailed from Morocco to Barbados with a multi-racial and multi-cultural crew of eight. The museum has done such a wondrous job of educating the visitor on the planning, preparation, dangers and accomplishments of these voyages that, unbelievably, were undertaken successfully on such primitive craft as to leave on speechless. The Kon-Tiki expedition was completed in 1947 and a few years later, in 1954, the documentary film that was made on it won the Oscar Award for Best Documentary Film. Not only were we able to see the actually award-winning documentary in a marvelous setting—the inside of a cave as found on Easter Island—but, get this, we were actually able to see the Oscar that the film won! For me, a devoted cinema-buff, to finally see Oscar face-to-face and so unexpectedly, was a thrill that words cannot describe. Naturally, I had to take a picture right by the golden statue and it was for me more exciting that the news than the crew braved a 60 foot long killer whale shark that encircled the raft for hours on end before one of the crew members could stand the stress no longer and harpooned it off into the Deep! So, I went to see the Kon-Tiki and I ended up seeing a real Oscar!

My next destination was the Fram Museum, another quite wondrous structure built around the height and width of the great ship, the Fram, that had participated in so many expeditions to the South Pole including the last one by Roald Amundsen in 1910-1912. Not only could you see the great dimensions of this ship but you could actually walk upon its deck. It was similar to the experience I had walking upon the deck not inches away from where Lord Nelson had fallen on the H.M.S. Victory at Portsmouth only a few days earlier. A visit into the interior of the ship proves that shipping had improved enormously since Nelson’s time.

The small crews on these voyages had almost luxurious cabins (tiny but very well fitted out indeed) and none of the squalor that characterized life at sea for sailors who were “hard-pressed” (forced) into sea service in the 18th century. There actually was a billiards table and a piano on board that spoke of evenings of leisure and happy entertainment. It blew my mind to think that I was actually standing on a ship that had been to the farthest points in the north and south of our planet—parts of the globe on which, I know, I will never set foot. Outside, in the expanses that faced Oslo harbor, is the Gjoa, a small boat that Amundsen used when negotiating the Northwest Passage for the first time in 1912. This area also afforded some terrific views of the fjord and the port.

And then I could not resist popping into the Maritime Museum next door which is the receptacle of all of Norway’s sea-faring history. Here, another unexpected treat awaited me for visitors are led into a vast auditorium to watch a film on a multi-plex screen (five parts) similar to the experience of watching an IMAX movie. This marvelous film took us on a guided coastal visual tour of Norway with stupendous camera work from a low-flying helicopter and a boat. In and out, we wound through fjords that rose with steep cliffs facing ahead of us which reminded me so much of the real helicopter ride that Llew and I had taken on the island of Kauai in Hawaii when we had skimmed only feet above the famed Na Pali Cliffs. Though I was seated in an auditorium, I had a few nail biting moments as we swerved with the camera over these heights then dropped rapidly to the depths of the sea shore where fishing villages that scar the landscape offered a glimpse into the plain rural life of Nordic country folk. From villages to cities, we passed through Bergen and made our way to Oslo as we learned about the role she has played in global maritime life. Truly, this was one of the highlights of my trip—and it ranked almost as close as did the seeing of the Oscar Award for the first time.

Also very interesting about this museum is the painting Leif Erickson Sees America for the First Time by Christian Krogh which fills one wall. It is based on the theory that the Nordic seamen had arrived in North American long before Columbus did and is proudly displayed in this space. I was also deeply touched by a special exhibition on the Boat People of Vietnam who were rescued by Nordic sailors and brought as immigrants to Norway right after the end of the Vietnam War. A recent reunion brought these half starved and dying immigrant people together after thirty years and it was in their honor that this exhibition was held together with one of the actual boats on which they were rescued from those troubled Asian waters.

Night had fallen by the time I arrived at Haraldsheim as the tram I chose to take had to come to a standstill for almost an hour as another one ahead of it had broken down. By this time, I felt confident about finding my way back to the Youth Hostel and the darkness no longer served to unnerve me. A hot shower later, I was in bed and reading and marveling at everything I had seen.

Exploring Downtown Oslo

Mar1

Thursday, February 26, 2009
Oslo, Norway

Day One in Oslo–Breakfast at the Youth Hostel:
Because I had managed to get some reading done from my Norway DK Eye Eyewitness Guide en route to Stanstead airport, I decided that I would spend my first day in the City Center getting oriented. It seemed that the city was rather small and could easily be explored on foot. Attempting to avoid what I imagined would be the early-morning rush for the bathrooms down the hall, I decided to shower in the evening.

Dressing warmly, I went downstairs to the dining room for breakfast (included in the price of 22 Euros per night) and thought I was in a hotel. Truly, after the breakfasts I have consumed in other European youth hostels, this one appeared princely. There was a variety of cereals with milk or yogurt, a buffet bar with rolls, various types of sliced bread and the famous Scandinavian crisp bread and all sorts of jams and marmalades as well as a rather chunky and very delicious apple sauce. In the deli bar, there was cheese (Jarlsberg, of course, Norway’s gift to the world) ham, salami, liverwurst, coleslaw, fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumbers and a variety of fish dishes—in mustard sauce, tomato sauce and pickled with onions. There was also a variety of juices, tea and coffee—like I said, fit for a king. There was even a traditional brown cheese called geitost, served in a round block with a cheese knife. This is eaten at breakfast, very thinly sliced, and when I tasted some, I found this goat’s cheese sweet, sharply flavored and very delicious, especially when placed on the crisp bread and eaten with the tomatoes. I found myself crafting very creative open sandwiches each day for breakfast! Well, when in Oslo…..

Exploring Downtown Oslo:
Well fortified to face my day and having joined a group of women my age at their table—they were international academics from Brazil and Norway attending a conference in the hostel premises—I left to explore the city. Katya from Brazil joined me on the downhill trek to the tram stop which I boarded ten minutes later. It promised to be a beautiful day for the sun was just beginning to gild the snow draped hills and being warmly clad myself, I wasn’t in the least uncomfortable. One great thing about New England winters is that they teach you now to dress in layers and feel snug.

Oslo’s National Gallery:
Fifteen minutes later, I was at Karl Johans Gate which is the main artery that runs through the City Center. I headed first off to the National Gallery mainly to see The Scream by Edvard Munch, Norway’s best-known artist. Not only has this painting being stolen from this museum twice, but it has been, miraculously, recovered twice as well! One of the things that visiting the world’s museums has taught me is that no pictures in the world can prepare the viewer for the actual size of famous paintings and, time after time, I have been surprised at how small the real thing is when all I have seen were pictures. The Scream is small indeed but rather riveting. In the Munch Gallery, there was also his other famous work, Madonna—these two were held behind plexiglass shields.

A few rooms away, there was a special exhibition on his very personal work The Sick Child, based on his memories of his sister who lay dying of tuberculosis. There were various versions of this subject, painted over twenty years, the work getting more and more Expressionistic as he progressed. I was so fortunate to be able to see about eight version of it all gathered together in one room, as well as the definitive one which was the center piece of the exhibition. In addition to works by Munch, there were some wonderful Norwegian artists represented such as J.C. Dahl, Tilemund and Dude and some other canvases by Old Masters—After the Bath by Renoir was particularly lovely as was St. Peter by El Greco. Tilemund and Dude’s Norwegian Bridal Party on display in their museum has achieved iconic stature in the country as it comprises all the elements that best portray Norway—mountains, lakes and traditional rural people dressed in their colorful bunads. Best part of all was that this museum was free to the public and though there was almost no one when I first entered, a few tour groups did arrive later in the day.

The National History Museum:
Right next door to the National Gallery is the National History Museum—also free of charge. I entered it to find myself lost for the next hour as I took in some marvelous medieval art. There was the front portal of a traditional Stave Church—richly carved and in a fantastic state of preservation though dating to the 1100s. I did not appreciate it right away but, a few days later, after I saw and entered a real stave church on Bygdoy, I realized where exactly at the church door it would fit and I was then so taken by this piece.

A special exhibition on the Vikings taught me a great deal about these people who originated in Scandinavia. All I had known about the Vikings was that they were violent marauders who destroyed abbeys in Ireland. So I was pleasantly surprised to see the artistic streak they also possessed as evidenced in the silver-studded sword handles and the vast amount of metal jewelry (mainly brooches to hold their flowing garments in place) that they produced. In the Sami section, I saw a great deal of material on the ethnic people who thrive in the northernmost reaches of Norway and, as my school geography lessons had taught me, live in igloos, wear reindeer fur and travel on dog sleds. It was thoroughly enjoyable. Everywhere I went, I saw the museums filled with school groups on field trips, their teachers actually teaching them lessons in the galleries.

Karl Johans Gate:
Then I was out on the sunshine-washed streets of Oslo walking towards the Royal Palace called Slottet that sits on a hill overlooking the city’s main thoroughfare called Karl Johans Gate. The word ‘gate’ in Norwegian does not mean ‘gate’; it means ‘road’ and this one named after one of Norway’s most illustrious kings, Karl Johans, is its busiest. Groups of tourists were out by this time, slip sliding on the ice and throwing snowballs at each other. There were no guided tours of the interior in the winter but I did enjoy the exterior environs of the palace that are set in sprawling lawns open to the public—all thickly covered with crisp and spotlessly white blankets. The current monarchs were resident in the palace as was evident by the flag which flew from the flag mast.

I walked downhill towards the National Theater and paused to take pictures of the sculpture of Henrik Ibsen of whom Norway is so proud. The National Theater was actually putting on a production of his most famous play A Doll’s House together with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Kazamarov. A few steps away, the grand Neo-Classical building of Oslo University lay ahead of me in its own square. The Aula is its most interesting feature—a room that is covered with murals by Munch–but since it was under renovation, it was closed to the public.

The Wonders of Radhuset:
Using my map, I found my way, a few blocks away, to Radhuset, the City Hall, and scene, each year, of the distribution of the Nobel Peace Prize. This extremely modern building built by Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson, who won a competition to design it, dominates the cityscape by its unusual shape and conception. The exterior is only the beginning, however, as the inside of the building, covered with murals, sculptures in bas relief and almost floor-to-ceiling size paintings is breathtaking. The public can move freely from room to room including the Chamber where the Council meet to debate state affairs. Norway’s leading artists have painted each one with murals. Filled with traditional carved furniture, they are truly a delight to explore while the brilliance of the architecture is never very far from one’s mind.

Right outside the Radhusett is the Nobel Peace Center (which is open to visitors) but for lack of time, I decided to forego visiting it and proceeded towards Akker Brygge where I found a cozy corner in a McDonald’s overlooking Oslofjordden, for Oslo is indeed situated at the head of a fjord and the sun gleaming on the ice-filled waters was a lovely sight indeed. I spent almost an hour there watching the ferries come in and take off for the many islands that dot the fjord and admiring the sight of the turrets of nearby Akershus Slott (also closed in the winter), a castle and fortress that also contains the remains of some of Norway’s most prominent monarchs.

Christiana Torv and Oslo Domkirk:
Using my Guide Book, I then walked towards Christiana Torv (or Christiana Square) which is one of the oldest and best preserved of Oslo’s medieval squares. Indeed, I was so taken by the beautiful old structures that comprise the square that I braved traffic moving in slow circles around the ice and took many pictures.

Then, since most European capitals have at least one spectacular cathedral, I went in the direction of the Domkirk, only to find it completely shrouded in ugly scaffolding and completely closed. My book is rather old and doesn’t have up-to-the-minute information and had, therefore, failed to warn me of this. But I was glad to have seen the busy square around Kirkstein and since, by that point, I had walked a great deal and was tired, I hopped aboard the tram and returned to my room as I did not want to get back too late.

How delighted I was to find the hill leading to the hostel covered with tiny tots sledding and tobogganing on the slopes in the noisy company of their parents. Indeed, the Norwegians really do know how to enjoy the winter and make the most of its pleasures. As the sun was about to disappear behind the hills that surround the city, I decided to sit outside myself and watch it wave its magic wand upon the ice making the countryside seem as if asleep under a diamond encrusted comforter. It was pure magic and I was glad that I had not missed the beauty of winter completely this year but had caught some of its glory in Scandinavia.

Hullo Norway!

Mar1

Wednesday, February 25, 2009
London-Oslo

Never having been to Scandinavia, I was excited about my visit to Norway. And not having read too much about it until I was on the coach driving to Stanstead airport, I really did not know what to expect. I mean, there are a few aspects about it we all know: Land of the Midnight Sun, open face sandwiches, and those gorgeous Scandinavian blondes… As for the rest of it, I was blank. Which turned out to be a good thing because Norway was a revelation.

Departure:
I was glad my flight left from Stanstead at 10.30 am. Of course, this did mean waking up at 6.00 am, leaving my flat at 6. 45 am, and catching the Easybus coach at 7.30 am to arrive at Stanstead at 9.00. I gave myself an hour and a half for airport formalities—which left me ample time in the airport before the half-empty flight took off.I lucked out once again on this flight (as I had done on the one to Berlin), in that I found myself besides a companion who knew how to get from Torp airport to Oslo City Center. He, Simon Rees, made a very interesting travel companion as he works for the Mayor’s Office at City Hall, London, and since I have been a fan of Boris Johnson for a while now, I was pleased to chat with him about his special portfolio—advising the Mayor on the upcoming Olympics.

Just before we landed at Torp airport, after we had cleared the thick layer of clouds that had obscured the scene outside the window all across the North Sea, the sights of the fjords had me spell bound. For though there was no sun, there was enough light to be able to discern the outlines of scattered islands that lay under a thick frosting of ice. This famed coast line viewed from the air but best seen on summer boat cruises, was my first glimpse of the country, Norway—a country that revealed itself to me in new and exciting ways from day to day and left me enchanted.

It was Simon who led me to the bus stand at Torp airport and who chatted with me on the two-hour ride into Oslo. The first thing I realized as I stepped outside was that it was cold—much colder than the London I had left behind—and I was grateful for the warm cashmere clothing I had packed. We had a bit of a wait until the bus arrived, and by the time we boarded it, it was almost 2 pm local Oslo time (which is an hour ahead of London) and by the time we drew into the Oslo Central Station, it was almost 4 pm. IT would be another two hours before I arrived at my lodgings—so a whole day had been consumed by travel.

Nordic Country Landscapes:
It was plainly obvious that southern Norway had gone through a major recent snowstorm. Tall mounds of snow almost blinded me in their dazzling white garb. However, unlike London, it was also plain that the authorities were fully equipped to handle it for snow ploughs were everywhere and the sanding and salting of motorways leading out of the airport was superbly done. Once we arrived at the highway that led to Oslo, the landscape was so enchanting that each little vignette could make a Christmas card. Within seconds, I was reminded sharply of my own home in New England for there were so many similarities. For one thing, because both Norway and New England have an abundance of trees, all structures are made of wood (unlike the brick and stone that I so love in the United Kingdom). The siding of all homes were exactly the same was those in parts of New England in which the Pilgrims settled—indeed similar to my own Holly Berry House in Southport, Connecticut.

The three preferred colored of all dwellings are white, ochre and maroon, or as some would more fashionably say, burgundy. These little cottages were draped in white shrouds, their roofs thickly covered with snow. Most trees stood bare of foliage, their branches still wearing traces of freshly fallen snow while conifers stood in clumps draping the hillsides. Occasionally, we past vast spreads of snow white land masses which we soon realized were snow-covered lakes as the boat slips at the edges gave them away. I was taken back sharply to my coastal Connecticut winters as I watched the beauty of the Norwegian countryside slip by the window.

Arrival at my Hostel:
If there is one thing that did not work too well for me, it was the location of the Youth Hostel in Oslo on Haraldsheim. Though well served by bus, tram and metro lines, it is a good ten-minute walk from all these stops and, what is more, the trek involves a climb up a steep hillside, which is challenging at the best of times but was a trial in the snow. The path was not adequately sanded or de-iced and with the light fading fast, I was not exactly sure how to get there and had to ask for directions frequently.

That’s when I made the astonishing discovery that almost everyone in Oslo speaks very good English and is happy to help. When I finally arrived at the Youth Hostel, it was most 5. 30 pm and I was grateful to sink into a four-bedded female dorm. Now I have used youth hostels for enough years of my life to know that the biggest downside is the kind of companions with which one might be saddled. To my enormous good luck, I was all alone in my room for all four days which meant that my youth hostel fees were the best kroner I spent on the entire trip. For Norway is not a part of the EU and does not use Euros. I had changed 20 Euro at Stanstead airport before boarding the flight and with the hundred odd kroner in my bag, I felt confident as I disembarked from the aircraft—only to discover that the country is frightfully expensive (yes, far more expensive than the UK) and I was grateful I was able to use my credit card. I spent a quiet evening in my lovely room reading The Goblet of Fire and fell asleep at 9. 30 pm because the traveling had taken its toll on me and I was exhausted.

British Library, Accommodation Hunting and Another Interview

Feb24

Wednesday, February 25, 2009
London

Through the miracle of modern technology and flawless logistics, my Frank Anthony book was awaiting my arrival at the British Library when I reached there this morning at 10. 30. In the lovely Asia and Africa Reading Room, while being gazed upon by the oil-painted portraits of India’ s erstwhile rajas and maharajas, I devoured the contents of several chapters trying to find clues to justify the Anglo-Indian exodus from India and the reasons why so many of my Anglo-Indians subjects are so staunchly anti-Anthony. I came away with some rather interesting conclusions as I tried to read between the lines. I become conscious of a rumble in my tummy and when I glanced at my watch, you could have struck me down with a feather. It was 1 .30 pm already! No wonder I was starving!

Since I wasn’t too far away from Euston, I decided to go and pay a visit to the Physiotherapy ward at UCL to find out why my referral to the Podiatrist had not yet reached them. At least that was what I discovered before I set out this morning when, in accordance, with the directive of my physiotherapist, Claire Curtin, I had called to ascertain my appointment date for my Orthotics. Well, surprise! UCL hadn’t sent Podiatry a referral at all!!! And here I was waiting patiently, day after day, for the mailman to deliver a letter giving me an appointment. And, another surprise! Claire Curtin was off-duty, so I could not speak with her to find out where the impasse lay. Luckily, the receptionist suggested I talk to a manager, a lovely lady named Nuss Devon, who took me into her office and tried to help me by emailing Claire. I left feeling very disappointed indeed at the way things had turned out.

On the bus, as I made my way to Kilburn, I couldn’t help feeling that I haven’t had the best week. I was headed to Kilburn to meet a man who runs a budget accommodation service as I need to find a place to stay for the months of June and July. The proprietor who runs the hostel was doubtful that it would be the most suitable place for me as his lodgings are used mainly, he said, short term, by backpackers. He offered to show me the place and suggested I book for a week. If I am happy through that week, I can decide to prolong my stay for the rest of the summer, he said. It seemed like a reasonable enough suggestion…so off I went to check it out with, I must admit, a great deal of trepidation. This lovely flat I currently occupy at High Holborn has so spoiled me for anything else that I am actually loath to go and inspect other prospective digs as I know that nothing else will quite measure up.

I was pleased about the location–it is on a quiet residential street about a five minute walk from the Tube station, has free internet facilities, spotless toilets and showers, fully-stocked community kitchens and a separate female dorm that just might work for me. Of course, I would much rather have my own studio or an ensuite room in a house; but given London’s exorbitant rents, I might have to settle for something much less luxurious. Still, having a look at the hostel and knowing that, at a pinch, I can opt for this space means that I will not be homeless come June. This is a big comfort to me and I am determined now not to worry too much though I shall continue to keep looking for something better.

On the bus back, I found out that it takes about 25 minutes to get to Baker Street (not too bad at all). I did not try to make a bus connection, however, preferring to take the the Tube as I had a 4.oo pm appointment at Charing Cross station with another Anglo-Indian, Claire Jansen, who, bless her heart, had agreed to meet me despite the fact that she was feeling decidedly under the weather today.

We decided to find a quiet corner in the National Gallery where Claire generously treated me to a hot chocolate as we seated ourselves down for our chat. Unlike most of the respondents in my survey, Claire is close to my own age. She arrived as an immigrant to the UK rather recently but because she has also lived in Australia and the United States, she was able to make very intelligent comparative statements about the Anglo-Indian lifestyle in these different countries. I found her a pleasure to talk to as she combined humor with her acute insights and candid perceptions. The two of us were amazed to discover that a whole two hours had passed in the course of our conversation. If it weren’t for the fact that the security staff at the museum was ready to shoo us off at closing time, we’d have sat there for another two hours! I told Claire that I would love to stay in touch with her and she warmly invited me over to her place for a meal–an invitation I’d be grateful to accept as her reputation as a fine chef has preceded her.

I had so many little chores to do when I got back home. My laundry (that I did last night) had to be folded and put away. I had to pack my backpack as I leave early tomorrow morning for my four day stay in Oslo, Norway. I was excited (as I have never been to Scandinavia) but my excitement disappeared when I checked the weather forecast for the next few days and discovered that it is freezing out there and that snow is expected every single day! I crammed my backpack with my warmest cashmere sweaters and threw in extra woolen socks, etc. I guess I will have no option but to live in the museums for the next few days!

With my packing done, I tidied and straightened my rooms–I hate to come home from a trip to a disorderly house. Then, I downloaded my pictures from my camera, charged it and my cell phone and sat down to have a long chat with Llew. When I had told him all about my search for a place for the summer, I rang off and heated my dinner (Sainsbury’s Fisherman’s Pie) and sat to eat it while watching In Bruges. I had no idea what to expect and basically ordered the film on Love Film.com because I thought it would be shot in Bruges and I would enjoy the locations. Well, it turned out to be a thriller but with the most hilarious dialogue and the craziest twists. Starring Colin Farrel and Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes makes an appearance at the very end. Yes, there was all the cinematography that I had expected (which makes me anticipate my forthcoming April trip to Belgium all the more) but there was this gruesome end that seemed so incongruous with the plot’s setting.

I am all set now to switch on my alarm as I need to leave my flat at 6. 45 am for my 7. 30 Easybus to Stanstead. I can only hope that the weather in Oslo will not make my trip a complete disaster. I will return to this blog on Sunday though I will continue to keep a travel journal–in long hand!

Rochelle's Roost

Welcome to Holly Berry House!

Archives

In Western Cornwall—Penzance, Mousehole and St. Michael’s Mount.

Captivated by Cornwall–Discovering St. Ives

Lecturing at the V&A, Visiting the Royal Academy of Art and a Posh Private Club

A Routine Sorta Day!

Chained to my PC!

Goodbye Oslo, Hello London!

Bygdoy–Oslo’s Lovely Peninsular

Exploring Downtown Oslo

Hullo Norway!

British Library, Accommodation Hunting and Another Interview