On a Monday morning, I joined my cousin brother and his family on short day-trip to a place called Pyramid Valley International, just off Kanakapura Road.
Pyramid Valley is around 27 kms from the METRO Cash & Carry store on Kanakapura Road.Even though I was primarily using my phone to shoot photographs, I carried my GoPro with me to take some photos tooThe drive barely took an hour
You have to get off Kanakapura Road when you see the sign pointing left to where Pyramid Valley International is located. Once you get on to the small road, it’s pretty bad. You pass through a village with poor roads before you reach the gates at Pyramid Valley.
There is an open ground for parking and there is no fee for the same. We parked under a big tree as it was quite sunny.
Like many spiritual centers in India, they are spread across many acres
Pyramid Valley International claims to be a “new age meditation” and “spiritual science” center (if there ever is such a thing as spiritual science).
Much of the space inside looks like there is still a lot of work to be done
Done with my Philippines series, I had no other trip report to write about after that. Being in Kannur, I had always wanted to go to Bekal Fort in Kasarkode district, north of Kannur. Bekal Fort is the largest fort in Kerala. I had vague memories of visiting the fort when I was very young… but my mom insists I had never been there. She say it must have been St. Angelo’s Fort I got confused with and said she herself has never been to Bekal Fort!
So on a fine Sunday morning, we went to Kannur’s ‘private bus stand’. We chose to go by bus thinking it would be easy to get one as Bekal was only 90kms away. The route on Google Maps showed one long road up north and it would take no less than 2 hours. Trouble is, there was some railway crossing repair work going on along the way and because of that, the route buses would be taking today would be longer. But we were only told of this while we waited for the bus to arrive. We (myself, my mother and my cousin brother) contemplated going by train but because we wasted more than half-an-hour waiting for the bus, we missed the trains going north. Finally we boarded a bus going to Kanhangad as we were told we could catch another bus going to Bekal Fort, or Pallikere (the place), from there. So at 9:45 am, the bus finally left Kannur ‘private bus stand’ and we began our long journey to Bekal.
A bus ticket to Kanhangad costs Rs. 50 ($0.80/€0.60) per person.
One of the reasons why I wanted to go by bus is to the see the places along the way. While coming back we decided to take the train for a different view.There were quite a few timber, wood and tile factories along the way
The bus filled up with passengers after picking up more people from the municipal bus stations along the way. It was a good thing we got seats.
We would pass many farms along the wayAnd a few churches
As I looked at the time, I realized we would only arrive at Bekal Fort past noon. I was disappointed knowing I would miss the morning blue skies and would instead be shooting during the dreaded 11am-1pm time slot — the period during which the sun is at its brightest and washes out all the blues in the sky in photographs.
Still, I enjoyed the sights along the wayI also realized how sparsely populated and barren Kannur district is outside of Kannur town
Past noon, we had reached Kanhagad. From there, we saw a bus with Bekal Fort written on it (in English) and so we knew that was our next bus. We boarded it (Rs. 10 for ticket) and it was another 30 minutes until we reached the road leading to Bekal Fort.
From here it was just a short walk to the fortGood parking space for cars right outside the fortFinally we were at Bekal fort!InstructionsThis was the Mukhyaprana TempleTickets cost Rs. 5 for Indian citizens and Rs. 100 for foreigners. I don’t agree with this sort of dual-pricing, but it’s what it is. Archeological Society of India (ASI) should raise it to at least Rs. 10 for us. Rs. 5 is too low. Every Indian can afford Rs. 10!I could already see how big Bekal fort wasAnd I was also pleased with how clean and well kept it wasThis was an observation tower. I just had to climb it to see what the views from up there were like.They have a CCTV installed up hereI took a panorama but oddly the camera wouldn’t focusThe ‘black’ you see below is because they burnt the dry grassAnother panorama. That’s Bekal beach in the distance.Through the rocksAnother panorama
Unlike St. Angelo’s Fort in Kannur, which was built by the Dutch, Bekal Fort was built in 1650AD by Shivappa Nayaka, an Indian ruler. You may read about the fort’s history on Wikipedia.
A panorama of the other sideThat’s the entranceWe went back down
That’s my motherThis is what they were looking down atWe walked along the outer wall
I wanted to get to that beachThis was the way to get down below
You have to go down a few (large) stepsFrom the extension. Bekal Fort was the setting for the song “Uyire” from Bombay.There was a sign saying not to enter the beach or the water. I’m assuming it was largely because there is no one to watch over you if something were to go wrong.You have beaches on either side of Bekal fortA view from back up the fort
There was little else to seeWe were making our way back to the entrance
The final panoramaOne photo of ourselves
… and we were out. It was 2pm and we were hungry. There weren’t any restaurants to be found outside Bekal Fort, so we had to eat from the closest resort.
Nirvana Resort is the nearest hotel to Bekal Fort. Like, right outside the fort — that near! We didn’t find any other restaurant nearby so we just ate here. The food was nothing special and not really worth how much they were charging, but you don’t have any choice.We then left Bekal fort and figured how to get to the beachWe walked down a small village pathThat led us just outside the fence bordering Bekal FortMy cousin isn’t peeing, just keeping the phone back in his pocket 🙂The path we took was far from the right way to get to the beach, but it’s a shortcutFinally… time to walk barefoot!The beach was filled with small green shellsGoodbye Bekal fortPretty big beachBlademon, which literally translates to “blade son”. Okay Blademon 🙂Funny, both the boat and the airline have a chance of sinkingFishing boats have registration numbers much like vehicles have license numbers
When we reached Bekal Beach Park, a security guard ran towards us and told even if we walk across on the beach without even entering the park, we still need to pay Rs. 10 per person.
Rs. 10 to enter a state-run park? Hmmm.Camel rides in Kerala
There’s a “zoo” but that costs extra and it was largely domestic animals, so we just walked away. Instead my mom bought us “kids” some cone ice cream.
When I went to use the park’s toilet, even there they were charging Rs. 5 for using it! So Rs. 10 is for you to walk in the vicinity. Rubbish! And so was the condition the toilets were in going by how much they were charging.
Anyway, we asked the security guard how to get to Kanhangad railway station and he gave us the directions to the main road from where we could board the bus.
We crossed a railway trackAnd got a bus going to Kanhangad town
When we arrived at the town bus stand, we crossed over to the other side to get to the railway station. The next train to Kannur was only at 5:20pm, but we had no choice. We bought three tickets (Rs. 50 per person for General class) and went out to drink some chai.
We sat at Kanhangad railway station platform for an hourThe Mangalore -> Chennai Express train arrived at 5:20pm… with a few extra minutes added to it
It was crowded inside the general compartment, as expected, but I had no issues standing because I wanted to take photos.
The sights along the journey were largely that of village life and paddy fields…… and a lot of football being played on the now dry paddy fieldsNorth Kerala (Malabar) has a long history with IslamMe and my cousin stood by the door to make sure I could get photos of the sunsetThat’s a houseboat in the distance. Quite the glorious way to catch the sun set.This train would only stop briefly at two stations before stopping at KannurBeautiful Kerala
The sun had set by the time we crossed the river you see in the very first photo above
The train reached Kannur station a few minutes before 7pm. After helping a French tourist who was in the same train with some travel advice, we all left the station.
Overall, the trip was good and I’m quite pleased with the photos I got using only my Sony Xperia Z1 phone camera. This is the first trip taking photos only using my phone and I am now confident that even if I don’t have my DSLR, the photos I get from my phone would still serve me fine.
But a bit of advice, if you wish to visit Bekal Fort from either Kannur or any other cities south of Kerala, just take the train. The buses aren’t as frequent as I thought they would be and it takes longer depending on the time of the day. The ticket rates are the same anyway and although you may not get a seat in some of the general class trains, you get to Kasragod district a lot quicker. Also, try and get to the fort by 9am or post lunch so you can watch the sun set from Bekal Fort itself.
Kannur may have St. Angelo’s Fort but trust me, Bekal Fort is a lot bigger and well worth the views.
Today was my last full day in Manila. I had to step out of the condo as Janet had to go for work. I really didn’t have much planned for today as far as sight-seeing was concerned. I packed light and carried only my Canon 7D camera.
I said my goodbyes to Janet and made my way to UN Avenue station. I was at this stop because I was searching for the Sikh temple in Manila. Online, the Khalsa Diwan was listed as being situated on UN Avenue road. I walked down the road a bit, but didn’t find any temple and the people I asked couldn’t comprehend what I was asking about either.
I walked back to UN Avenue station where I was approached by one of the many cycle taxi drivers who asked me where I wanted to go. I told him I was looking for the Sikh temple… which he didn’t understand. So I just said “Indian temple” and then he went, “ah! sure!”
The cycle went down the same road I walked on earlier… only much further downI guess he was in the right direction when I saw these Indian grocery stores
The name is Khalsa Dewan Sikh Temple and it is the oldest (and only?) gurudwara in Manila. Like a lot countries in South East Asia, much of the Indian population that have been here for decades are predominantly of Punjabi/Sindhi origin. Philippines isn’t that different either.
The facadeIt doesn’t appear to be very bigI went upstairsThe main prayer hallI came back down to the langar for a meal. Like all gurudwaras, anybody and everybody is served a free meal — regardless of their faith.After two weeks of “non-masala” food, Indian flavour tasted so good. Even if was just roti, dal curry and semolina paysam.
Feeling full, I left the gurudwara after making a ₱100 donation.
I crossed the road to get a better view of the temple’s exterior. The temple is situated right after a bridge.
I walked back to UN Avenue LRT station and took the train to Monumento station. I had seen quite a few malls and markets in the area way back in 2011, but couldn’t explore much because it rained heavily that day.
But after roaming around the area for nearly two hours, I didn’t find much of a difference in prices or quality than what you would find even in areas like Makati. So I left.
An aerial view of the Pasay junction from one of the overbridges
I made way back to Ayala because I made plans with Janet to go out for drinks in the evening.
One final evening sunset in Manila
Janet promised to take me to her favourite restaurant/bar she frequents called Giligan’s at Market! Market!
On my way there, I saw a big gathering of camera crew all lined upJust yesterday, there was a loud explosion at this Serendra condos, which claimed the lives of 3 people. The damage was caused by an LPG line explosion.
I met up with Janet and we went to Giligan’s after I picked up a bottle of watermelon rum I really liked.
Fresh baked oysters for ₱138 (Rs. 190/$3/€2.2) just a plate!After a pleasant dinner, Janet recommended I try halo halo from Razon’s. Halo Halo is the Philippines’ equivalent of India’s falooda
After that, it was back to the condo for packing bags and an early night’s sleep.
Date: June 4, 2013
I left the condo with Janet after a light breakfast. Janet was kind enough to hire a taxi and see me off at the airport. Much like how my “2011 Pinay friend” Aimee was of immense help on that trip, this 2013 Philippines journey wouldn’t have been the same if not for Janet’s help. It really helps to have a local in a foreign land to help you out.
I was sad to say goodbye to not only her, but also to Philippines. I really like this country and I wish I could travel and explore this beautiful nation at my own pace, but alas, 21 day visa it is.
My Cathay Pacific flight departed on time… and landed in Hong Kong an hour later
I had a few hours before my connecting flight to Bangalore, so I decided to step out of the airport and go see an ex-colleague. (Hong Kong gives free visa on arrival to Indians so that’s why it’s easy to step out).
I took the high speed train last time, so I figured I would try the bus this time. Bus to Kowloon cost around HKD$38 while the train costs HKD$100The train is obviously fasterHong Kong’s infrastructure impresses me every single time
I reached Kowloon in 30 minutes time, but the bus slowed down as we hit trafficI got down near the The Peninsula hotel and made my way to a mall where my friend Bikram was waiting for meBikram treated me to a nice chili crab lunch. We talked about work and his future ventures.
Post-lunch, Bikram and I parted ways and I took the MTR to Tai Po. I had wanted to see Tai Po market during my 2012 visit to Hong Kong, but I didn’t get a chance to. I had time to kill before heading back to the airport, and I had no interest in wasting time inside malls and amidst the maddening crowds of Kowloon.
I wasn’t carrying a map so I really didn’t know where exactly Tai Po market was
I just followed the signsWas this it? It was A market in Tai Po, but is this what Hong Kong Tourism Board was promoting as a heritage market?I kept walkingThat’s how narrow some apartments can be in tight-spaced Hong KongBut after dropping in and out 7-11s to remain hydrated and picking up snacks, I gave up my search for Tai Po market and figured it was time to board a bus and head back to the airportI sat upstairs and looking out the window, I admired Hong Kong’s impressive city planning and infrastructure as bus took around 30-40 minutes to get to the airportAlong the way, it began to rain heavily as the bus neared the airport
I arrived at HKIA two hours ahead of my flight. I already had my boarding pass, so I just walked straight to the security check and completed immigration. I felt hungry so I went up to the food court, which has quite a few restaurants and popular food chains.
I’ve never had Popeye’s before, so I got the chicken and biscuit meal. I really liked it!
It continued to rain outside so we had to make a dash to the bus which would drop passengers at the Dragon Air plane to Bangalore.
My second dinner meal was in-flight. This was a lamb and flavoured rice meal. Pretty okay.
The flight landed on time and I had my younger brother pick me up from the airport.
Although this visit to Philippines wasn’t as “WOW” as my 2011 visit, I look back at the previous few posts and realize it wasn’t too bad either. Yeah, yeah… I couldn’t see many things I had planned on seeing/doing (whalesharks in Donsol, Mt. Pinatubo trek, para-sailing in Boracay) all because I arrived at the tail-end of the tourist season.
Whatever — at least I could use this as an excuse for a third visit, if needed.
The biggest highlight of this trip was possibly all the underwater photographs I managed to capture, all thanks to Janet lending me her friend’s underwater camera. I’ve been snorkeling many times before but this was the first time I could give my readers an idea of what I saw with own eyes rather than just describe how awesome it looked.
The other thing that convinces me to continue travelling across the Philippines is just based on the fact my Philippines posts do so well. Even from the newer 2013 series, several posts continue to get hundreds of views every week — and I thank my readers for that. I keep getting friend requests from Filipinos on a weekly basis, and I consider that a sign they like really my blog. Not to mention some of my most shared stories online on social media are my Philippines posts.
Unlike last time, I don’t have a lot to say to wrap up this travel series. I still don’t enjoy Filipino cuisine (sorry), I still find Filipinos to be some of the friendliest people on earth, I discovered the ugly side to tourism development in island destinations like Boracay and Coron, and I realized the best time to travel Philippines is between February and April, no later than that. Oh, and NAIA Terminal 1 still sucks.
Other than that, I ❤ Philippines and I recommend this country to all those seeking adventure, beautiful beaches, wonderful nature and equally wonderful people. But just get out of Manila and Angeles City first.
