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 We thought ourselves rather lucky to arrive amid crustaceans, but when we began driving towards Thiruvananthapuram this morning, our true goal was to find a grand lunch served on a traditional banana leaf. And so we did, thanks to our expert driver. You know how people sometimes say the best restaurants are the ones that slightly disrespect you—not obnoxiously, but in an oddly endearing way? This lunch stood as a testament to focusing solely on the food while every other distraction faded quietly into the background. Long after we were back on the road towards the beach at Kovalam, I still found myself dwelling on the savoury curries and beetroot chutney. Even now, the memory oppressively saddens my palate as I lament the distance, both in time and geography, between myself and that meal. And now, having brought it all back to mind, I shall let you share in my despair. Speaking of downers, we arrived in Kovalam just in time for a cosy sunset, so we decided to stroll along the shor...

 As the king of 17th-century Denmark, Christian IV commissioned this garden for private use. This large, spacious patch of ground was designated as a fruit and vegetable garden for the royal family, but now the purpose and design of the garden have broadened considerably. Although not far from the entrance, we quickly see the first mark that the old king left as his legacy here: this statue of the lion and the horse, which depicts a battle between light and darkness. Walking along these huge lime trees does impress something grand afoot, and just as it should, because this path is also known as the Knight's Path, presumably for the knights of a bygone era. They must have guarded these doors to the crown jewels that are stored in the mighty Rosenborg Castle. It is surrounded by a moat, which is rather typical of a castle, and then also filled with friendly carp fish, which is rather atypical. But that explains the abundance of birds in this area too. source: wikipedia As we move tow...

In the outskirts of the Indian peninsula, Fort Kochi is a rather well-known seaside area with good food, good vibes, and a very good ground cover of trees and plant life. Speaking of which, I noticed many of these tall coconut trees standing with their half-shaved mohawks, which could be a sign of the huge wind speeds along the coast. And as we made our way from the city of Ernakulam into the island where Fort Kochi is located, we could already spot religious sentiments graffitied along the bridgeway, which was the perfect segue to St. Francis Church. This was first built in 1503 by Portuguese allies as Catholic settlement began and was even the first of its kind in India. Many turbulent events later, this church is now a mosaic of historical value, including the gravestones that decorate the inner façade, the gabled wooden roof, and the remains of Vasco da Gama's tombstone. And even though we did not stay in the church for much longer, there were many architectural details across ...

 As we began climbing the steps towards Kochi's Hill Palace, we began to fully grasp the grandeur that must have once defined Kochi's royal bearings. This complex itself is composed of an archaeological museum, deer park, and a heritage museum. We have to remove our shoes before entering the palace, which brought us in direct contact with the sun-kissed tiles on the ground, so we tiptoed inside with great aplomb. This palace was built by the Raja of Kochi in 1865, Sri Thampuran, and the architecture takes influence from both traditional Kerala wood-based intricate designs and European tilework and motifs. Since India was under colonial rule at the time, this palace served as both the residence and administrative centre for the royal family of Kerala, and today, under the governance of the Department of Archaeology, we can see artifacts from those times still preserved at the site. We often see the elephant motif, which is part of the court's insignia. There are multiple roo...

 If you start to think about it, any spot in the world could have been a monumental place in its time, but now gets overwritten by newer world events. Just like this Sankt Thomas Plads in Copenhagen, which acknowledges the country villa that was demolished in favour of newer construction. Does it mean we must learn to let go? No, rather it recognizes the value of history while still making the present accessible to newer audiences.  A moment of appreciation, that's all! Airial image credit:  copenhagenbycosedis What first caught my eye in Copenhagen was the way this circular plaza seamlessly blended into the road, which immediately gives the impression that one must slow down and look around, although the real achievement here is that Sankt Thomas Plads offers a small respite from the rest of the city's concrete jungle. From an aerial view, one can easily spot the residential buildings surrounding it, and as I walked around this cobblestoned junction, I spotted the Sankt ...

 Every road I took or boat I ferried on, I was just not able to escape the sight of this magnificent building in Copenhagen. Out of a lingering, unreconciled curiosity, I stepped into the Church of Our Saviour, which describes itself as Lutheran-Protestant. Since the actual interior was under construction at the time, I took a ticket to climb up the 400 steps and catch a bird's-eye view of the city. To be honest, I knew nothing about this 17th-century marvel, so all my next discoveries were as much overwhelming as serendipitous. The Baroque design inside was accentuated by actual pieces of the construction, including previously mended façade portions and statues, which oddly added to the spiritual effect of the climb. As I ascended over some creaking and thin wooden steps, I began realizing that the tower is really, really tall. I mean, the 90 m height totally creeps up on you with the full effect of a cardio workout as you carefully squeeze past woodwork and other descending peopl...