Ponto de Vista

A walk and dinner over sunset and moonrise at the Ponte Abril de 25 and doca de Santa Amaro in late August. We walked for (pointless) miles to get here but it was worth it. I loved how the esplanade was bustling with joggers, bikers, and walkers. Under the bridge, by the marina, is a public sports facility with squash and raquetball (maybe even tennis). Such a cool use of space. We had a lovely, slightly pricey dinner seated outdoors as we watched the big, bright moon come up. Then we took the extremely short way back back to the main road and took the tram back to our hotel. #travel #portugal #Lisboa #throwback #summer #blog

A post shared by chhavi sachdev (@chhavi_sachdev) on Sep 26, 2015 at 9:26am PDT

AND

'We later considered this crap.' Subversive graffiti under Lisboa's ponte 25 de abril bridge. The legend is on the left/West side support pillar. I loved it 🙂 #streetart #graffiti #snarky #travel #portugal

A post shared by chhavi sachdev (@chhavi_sachdev) on Oct 4, 2015 at 6:02am PDT

#travel #Portugal #Lisboa #throwback #summer #blog
Shared via Instagram http://ift.tt/1PFKyBx and IFFT

"Hum sab ek hain," says the Christian cobbler gassing with his Muslim buddy in what has got to be the best looking mochi outpost I've ever seen in India. Look at the potted plants and vines. He waved me over and when I complimented him on his decor, I noticed his cross. And then he showed off his friend, raised his hand in benediction and said, we're all the same. #touching #pluralism #india #secular #blog

A post shared by chhavi sachdev (@chhavi_sachdev) on Sep 18, 2015 at 5:27am PDT

Everybody's got baggage! #travel #cats #blog

A post shared by chhavi sachdev (@chhavi_sachdev) on Sep 16, 2015 at 3:59am PDT

I usually try to do two international trips every year, one in Asia, one elsewhere, but this year has been remarkably poor – both moneywise and healthwise, so I’d only done short trips within India (Assam, Goa, Delhi, Jaipur) until August, when I went to Portugal. And of course, I’d timed my Schengen visa application really tight. I had wanted to wait until some funds hit my bank account and realized quite late that VFS can take up to 15 working days to process it since it’s forwarded to Goa! Grrr.

So I ended up totally scrambling and getting to the visa centre a bit earlier than I’d planned.
The good thing was I have most of my documents scanned and digitized and I had already bought travel insurance that covered me through September of this year. (I buy it online and you can find several options with companies like ICICI Lombard). (more…)

Soaring. One of several ferris wheels at the #bandrafair last evening. This one in Mt. Carmel's 'September Garden'. The fair seems even larger this year. And I love the spill over: along with catechisms, tapers and crosses, there are Dussehra dhanush-bans and gaddas. #pluralism #mumbai #blog

A post shared by chhavi sachdev (@chhavi_sachdev) on Sep 15, 2015 at 12:27am PDT

Tigger photobombs a few of the jars from @JoyAndLife's wife as I try to recover from shock and unpack a box of goodies. I spot *chickpea* pickle amidst fish pickle, apple-raisin chutney, caramel sauce. Overwhelmed! And there's more! #food #speechless #blog

A post shared by chhavi sachdev (@chhavi_sachdev) on Sep 15, 2015 at 1:17am PDT

These beauties are from Rummy’s Kitchen

And that, ladies and gentlemen and others, is the tomb of Vasco da Gama, traveller and seafarer, merchant and statesman. Goa owes him. #travel #Portugal #blog #history

A post shared by chhavi sachdev (@chhavi_sachdev) on Sep 15, 2015 at 2:33am PDT