Young

Imagine being Belgium in 1830, a country fresh out of political control from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, and in search of a ruling class which will be free of sociopolitical influences like the Catholics and socialists. This is one part of the nation's history which goes unseen, but effectively dictated how the leaders of the noble aristocracy met the new-age industrialists who were already expanding and growing their businesses. In short, certain circles of intellectuals like lawyers, scientists and philosophers established a safe space for networking, and today, the same space doubles as a trusted hub for diplomats to visit and meet people from different walks of life. This circle is additionally granted the title of royalty by the Belgian monarch, and if you happen to walk around the Royal Park of Brussels, you're already at the core of Le Cercle Royal Gaulois.

 Delhi is replete with monuments and historical artefacts that are undefeated architectural marvels, but one of the most iconic ones is a war memorial known as India Gate. This building of limestone was created to serve as a living memory of the many soldiers who were part of the British Army during World War I. We see 13,000 names inscribed on the walls, along with Roman numerals signifying 1914 and 1919, the years of the military campaigns. Interestingly, we find a grand statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the beloved leader of the Indian Army at the time and also remembered for his fierce anti-colonial actions. This brings us to the nearby National War Memorial, which is a haunting reminder of the national conflicts that India has faced post-independence as well. Those valiant sacrifices are honoured with the burning of an eternal flame, Amar Jawan Jyoti, and on occasion, we even witness relatives of martyrs who are invited to pay respects to the brave soldiers. It is undenia...

 A good habit I have picked up since living in Belgium is to go where this box is. In French, it is une boîte à livres , and in Dutch, boekenruilkastjes —essentially open libraries which invite you to take one and give one book at your convenience. And if you've been following my walks around town, you know where there's a book, there is Adi, so I often find myself scanning for titles that catch my attention.  Since there are so many around, my appetite for reading is always impassioned. On some days, I donate books from my own collection, and, humbly, if I say so myself, that must count towards my good karma in this life.

Recently, I visited the dinosaur museum in Brussels, which is actually the Institute of Natural Sciences, but as soon as you walk in, you are welcomed by the silent hosts of this estate. The building offers multi-level viewing of the main exhibit, so you truly appreciate the size and well-preserved skeletons of Iguanodon bernissartensis , a name which is quite fitting because it was here in Bernissart, a city in Belgium, that a coal mine accidentally drilled into a clay sinkhole underground and discovered these gigantic skeletons. And what better way to experience their grandiosity than a walk around the museum's corridors? Many factoids are translated into French, English, Dutch and German, often with interactive boards and games that I am sure cater to all ages and audiences. In one way or the other, I find it rather funny how dinosaurs continue to fascinate and surround us, in both fossilised form as well as in petroleum (note, it is a modern myth that dinosaurs lead to petrol!)...

 United Coffee House claims to be Delhi's first-ever café, which it very well might be, given its pre-Partition roots and location in the core of Connaught Place. The capital city of New Delhi welcomed a diverse crowd of professionals and future-builders of the country, some of whom could find respite in this glamorous chamber, and it stays almost stuck in time with iconic European designs like ornate symmetrical curves mixed with motifs from India. Even though I only ordered chai in this coffee house, I could sense the deliberate choice of foreign ambience in the room. It is a landmark of a bygone era, selected remnants of which make for a special dining experience.

Although the Botanical Garden of Copenhagen is sprawled out across huge acres of walkable tracks and land, an unmissable spot for your visit is the Palm House, which is essentially a collection of multiple greenhouses. These include cactus and succulent sections, an actual walkway among palm trees, as the name suggests, and a butterfly garden, which is the ultimate attraction. In my short visit to the city, I actually spent the better half of an afternoon dedicated to the Palm House, which meant that I was more at peace reading the history and science behind the upkeep of these plants. Even if that does not capture your fancy, this space is a wonderland for observing plants of peculiar shapes and colours. The inner structure of the main greenhouse is actually inspired by the botanical garden in London, which features a white staircase to get a bird's-eye view of the entire Palm House. It is, in fact, quite interesting to see these tall, skyscraping trees at eye level, and even spot...