The Arabian Sea rhythmically rolls in on big white waves that span the length of Varkala beach. Travellers from India, and increasingly from other parts of the globe, visit the shores and cliffs of Varkala for the refreshing beauty, the long sandy beach, and for the healing waters attributed to this holy sight by those who worship Vishnu.
We stayed 5 nights at the Varkala Marine Palace, one of the few hotels on the beach, and dined here too. Fresh seafood prepared tandoori or masala, tasty thorans, friendly staff and wonderful views - why not? Here we totally relaxed, read the local papers, and watched all that was happening on the beach. Birds and sea, fishermen and their boats, women in bright, pretty sarees, yoga practitioners, tourists in search of dinner - the beach was full of life! Indian families and friends gathered for hours where the water meets the sand, not to swim, but to enjoy the sea breeze, and the pleasing sunsets.
Tides can be dangerous at Varkala and lifeguards with whistles warned kids and crowds to be careful. Further north, below the town, were safer swimming waters where tourists from around the world tackled the waves and sunbathed - in typical Western swimwear, themselves a tourist attraction for those used to more modest attire.
Along the top rim of the cliffs at Varkala are shops, internet cafes, restaurants, yoga schools, ayurvedic care and even some hotels offering dental surgery. Behind this strip lies the town of Varkala, home to about 45,000. It was sunny and hot in Varkala in late November. I had some light clothes sewn up for me on the spot at a tourist tailor shop. Cotton-linen pants and a tunic. A perfect fit.
We didn’t do much in Varkala, but the days flew by. A masala dosa* for breakfast, maybe a walk up into town to check the internet, an afternoon dip in the sea, to the restaurant to watch the sunset until dark and then under the mosquito net and fans until morning. The soothing rhythm of the waves, the bright colours of happy people against the soft blue of the Arabian Sea, Varkala, India is like a dream now.
On the beautiful Greek island of Syros, in the Cyclades, we enjoyed a glimpse of Greek family life and culture. We stayed in the port town of Ermoupolis, a hub of economic activity in the Cyclades. During the evenings the magnificent town square was full of children racing around, teens hanging out, and adults of all generations visiting and chatting. On Saturday night the town pumped it up with popular Greek bands. Families dined , danced, played and mingled until after dark.
Picturesque neighbourhoods grace the hills that rise from the town square in Ermoupolis. We took a taxi up to one neighbourhood, the quiet medieval Catholic settlement of Ano Syros where, amidst the chalk white houses on tiny, winding alleyways, we found a 13th Century Church, Agios Georgios. We saw splendid views of the town, the port, the sea and surrounding islands on our hike back down to the main square.
Syros has superb cuisine. Many of the narrow streets of Ermoupolis are home to family run restaurants that dish out delicious local specialities. We loved the baked peppers, stuffed with feta cheese, and have tried to re-create the recipe at home. The Greek salads had capers, a tasty addition. The wine was refreshing and was often offered free to repeat customers.
At the Hotel Hermes we had a room with a balcony that directly overlooked the sea. The bright blue sky, the deep blue Aegean and the sound of lapping waves on the pebbles below was breathtaking. Siros, one of the loveliest Greek islands.
From Avignon, France we travelled by train through Provence to Arles, the town where Vincent Van Gogh painted some of his most beloved works. We began our holiday to Europe several weeks before in Amsterdam where the inspiring Van Gogh Museum led us to Arles to learn more about Vincent, his life and his art. The painter moved to Arles in 1888 and stayed for about 14 months. He left Arles in May 1889 and died in late July 1890.Van Gogh was 37 years old when he died. He sold only one painting in his difficult life.
In Arles, we strolled the Van Gogh Trail, where we stood at some of the very spots where Vincent Van Gogh painted. We looked over the Grand Rhone River where he painted "Starry Night Over the Rhone". We stopped to eat in the square believed to be the place where Van Gogh painted “Café Terrace at Night”. It was a warm, sunny day in Arles in late April and like much of France, there was an air of celebration here.
Equestrians in Arles
Arles, in and of itself, is charming, with other interesting sights. We sought out the exceptional Roman Amphitheatre, Les Arenes, which was built almost 2,000 years ago by the Romans, and is still used today for events, such as bullfighting. In the old courtyard near the Eglise St- Trophime, a 12 century church, we were surprised by enthusiastic equestrians.
After a few hours of enjoyable traipsing around Arles we returned to the train station to discover we had an hour or so wait for the train back to Avignon. We readily found an outdoor café, where we sipped white wine, watched the pleasant bustle around us and chatted about wonderful Arles.
Arles, in beautiful southern France, a place to return to.
Here's a few ideas to help you save money for travel.
1) In your day to day life, take public transportation instead of owning and operating a car. Can you carpool? Do you need two cars in your family? Bike? Walk? Get some exercise. Reduce your daily transportation expenditures and save this money for travel instead.
2) Keep housing costs down and your housing modest. A big mortgage can occupy your income for years. You don't really need a big fancy house or apartment. If you want travel to be a major theme in your life, don't be grounded by high housing costs.
3) Save, don't spend. Don't spend any more money on things. Just don't! Make do with older stuff. Wear things out. Borrow things. Forget fashion. Eat more beans and less steak. Use the public library. Buy second-hand or wait for super sales. Fix things. Buy good used stuff for kids, there is lots of it around. Get them off the consumer treadmill. Spend time with them, not tons of money on them. Think before that cash leaves your hands! 4) Review your regular expenses and reduce them. What are you spending your money on? Designer coffee? Eating out? Check your phone costs, TV, computer, etc. How much are you really spending on this stuff? Are these luxuries you can do without? Give yourself a weekly cash budget.
5) Create a fund or account for travel and regularly contribute to it. Put money aside every payday and adjust your day to day spending accordingly. Some sort of automatic deduction into a special account is ideal, because you don't have to do anything to save, and you don't have this money readily available to spend. Save up the money for your next trip - don't borrow it, and you will enjoy the travel even more!
No matter how far off, always have a future trip in mind to plan and read about. This will keep you going.
A highlight of our trip to Sicily was a visit to the 'walled' fishing village of Cefalu, which sits at the base of a mass of rock, on the north coast. We climbed the huge rock via a stone staircase to a 4th century BC 'Temple to Diana'. Great views. We still talk about the incredible chocolate croissants we had in the lively, friendly town square, Piazza del Duomo, framed at one end by a 12th century church.
Medieval laundromat
Beach in Cefalu
The medieval 'laundromat' must have been handy for the ancient residents of Cefalu. A stream flows just under rock walkways, through the interior of an arched building in the old town, near the sea. Clothes were dipped and washed in the waters below the walkways. Smart.
We stayed in a small, old Cefalu hotel on a narrow street in the old part of town. Kids played ball outside under laundry strung overhead to dry. In the newer part of town there is a popular beach.
Great food and delicious Sicilian wine all made Cefalu one of our all-time favourite travel spots. Cefalu, it's wonderful. For those who like train travel, we traveled by train to Cefalu, from Taormina, Sicily.
Tides can be dangerous at Varkala and lifeguards with whistles warned kids and crowds to be careful. Further north, below the town, were safer swimming waters where tourists from around the world tackled the waves and sunbathed - in typical Western swimwear, themselves a tourist attraction for those used to more modest attire.
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