Travel: India, Pondicherry

Pondicherry or Pondy is like stepping from one country into another - France. 

Pondy was a French colonial settlement, with the French quarter greeting you with beautiful, cobbled, tree lined streets and villas, florally decorated.

We spent a few days here, which is all you need in my opinion for backpackers and world travellers.

Cuisine is a mix of delicious, traditional Tamil dishes and some European. They have the best dosas in India, costing eighty pence and keeping you full until lunch. 

Pondy is incredibly peaceful, so if you're expecting night life perhaps this isn't for you. Albeit it does have chic bars, pubs (would you believe it) and glorious restaurants.

Daytimes are spent, wandering past boutiques, enjoying an ice cream in its tranquil park and visiting the Ghandi memorial statue. Excuse my photo, with the decorative detailing, left by a pigeon, clearly they loved Ghandi too. 

You are not stuck for choice of cafes, small but all in their way unique. My favourite was ..... , with a picturesque courtyard, painted with quirky, artistic touches.

If you fancy a bit more culture, there is a quaint museum for an incredibly, reasonable price to enjoy.

Accommodation can be hard to find depending on your budget. However wherever you stay I'm sure you won't be without a rooftop view, overlooking the town.

Whilst we were in Pondicherry, in the new year, we discovered the kolam designs. An old tradition used to mark celebrations, using rice flour mixed with dyes, to make breathtaking, symbolistic designs. 

Pretty Pondy we loved you and so do many. You might have even seen Pondicherry in films, for example Life of Pie. A book and film based on an Indian family who ran a zoo here, there isn't a zoo now, if there even was. Perhaps watch the film just to get an idea, at how outstanding this place is.

Love Chlobo's Closet

Xx 

Reading: Top Reads

I am sure you are all probably aware that it was world book day recently and I expect your social media (like mine) was brimming with images of Alice in Wonderland and Where’s Wally’s. I have to say a big well done to some of you, the efforts made were pretty outstanding. When I was at primary school no one went that far. So to commemorate the occasion and to encourage the joy that can be found in a good book, I thought I would share some of my favourite literary.

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

I am a huge lover of Jane Austen’s work but I fell in love with this story since the age of six or seven. For the time it was written I thought it was very courageous of her to be so modern and to start introducing feminism, by providing independent, strong, funny, women in her book. Not to mention Mr Darcy (thank you Colin Firth and the BBC for choosing this story to cover), the bad boy you come to love. A tale of love, strong wills and controversy.

The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

As a child and albeit even as an adult, I think this book is beautifully sweet to read. A story of friendship, magic and a reason to never give up on life. A tale of how two lives can change with the power of beauty and taking a different view on things. This book is a brilliant example that we too, should take a leap out of their book (pun intended) and put down the technology, get some fresh air, learn, build friendships and appreciate the world for its splendour.

The Lord Of the Rings, J.R.R.Tolkien

Oh Tolkien, how I love the!! His writing and the fantasy, mythological world he created, not to mention create a new language always provides me with hope. If I ever feel negative or fed up about life, I will read anything by Tolkien. The lengths and emotional ride between friends, on a reckless and dangerous journey, proves that there is light at the end of every tunnel. Follow Tolkien’s characters that will emote you, with love, humour and tension.

Post Secret, Frank Warren

One of my favourite coffee table books that is honest and inspirational. Trust me if you read this, you will never feel like a freak, or out of place in society – turns out millions of people are exactly the same and or think the same. Frank is a genius who decided to take people’s honesty, pain and humour and turn it into art. Plus it got people talking about anything and everything, by being anonymously honest on a postcard. 

Hamlet, William Shakespeare

I love a good playwright from Shakespeare, perhaps not so much the stereotypical choice of Romeo and Juliet but Hamlet is my favourite. I personally always pick out this one because it is quite dark; the language is elegant (the time period of when it was composed might have something to do with that) and the story is pretty gripping. I hate it when people think that older English literature is boring, give this one a go, featuring murder, madness and there are some brilliant, philosophical quotes to take away.

Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carol

A huge favourite, loved by many and why not? Who does not want to step into a psychedelic, world, with Cheshire cats, mad hatters and rabbits in waistcoats? Open your mind up to imagination and wonder, in an adventure that will leave you high or low.

Harry Potty, J K Rowling

A nostalgic choice of mine, which reminds me of being read this in primary school, at nine years old and that is how it started. I can remember everyone being hooked and not being able to put it down. Every time a new Harry Potter book came out, you almost had to read it all in one go in fear someone at school would tell you what happened. A great book filled with magic, friendship and courage. 

Game of Thrones, George.R.Martin

A gripping series of books, brimming with wars, murder, supernatural beings, incest and the extraordinary lengths people will go to, to get a throne. If you have watched the television series, please read the books, they are filled with so much more detail.

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”

Love Chlobo’s Closet

Xxx