Saturday, February 7, 2009

ALIBAUG – Green, fresh, quite ..Mumbaikers’mini Kerala







Radison resort Alibag villegers Mandva jetty
Alibaug, the beautiful coastal town of Maharashtra, allures its visitors with fresh air, hills, lakes and beaches. It is a great weekend getaway from the stressful city life. Hotels of various ranges are available for all categories of tourists. The pleasant climate and the quietness of the village is an added bonus. It is hard to believe that such a quite and beautiful place exists just an hour away from the maddening rush of Mumbai!!

Radisson Resort & Spa , the first international 5 star resort of Alibaug, is located in Krushalwal district, just about 110 km away from the Mumbai Airport (about 3 – 4 hours by road) and by sea , 45 minutes by boat (Rs 110 / person) from Gate way of India to Mandwa beach and from there about 21 km (20 – 25 minute) by road. It is owned by Radisson Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies owned by Carlson Hotels and has been developed in Alibaug by the Sahil Real Estate Group.

The luxurious property is set in 16 acres of landscaped greens along the banks of the Veshvi Lake at Gondhalpada , Just 1.5 kms from Alibaug Town. The natural beauty of landscaped gardens, reflection pools and the beautiful Sahyadri mountain ranges surrounds the Resort. The resort has a Thai and Balinese influence in its interiors and architectural design. In -house temple is another speciality of the property.

The rooms are well designed and spacious. Plenty of light enters the rooms through the glass windows which opens to the reflection pools / swimming pool in the middle of the property.If your room is in the ground floor, enjoy fresh air & sun light/or a drink /or a book by sitting on the seats provided or on steps of the 'sit outs'. You can even put your legs in the water and enjoy the quiteness.They also have suits and villas.

The food and beverage outlets include all day dining, regional speciality restaurant, pool bar, piano bar, Razzmaatazz(discotheque) etc. Aparanta , the all day restaurant, offers Indian, Mediterranean and international cuisine. Kokum & Spice is an all ladies service restaurant serving regional coastal cuisine and is open for dinner only. If you love the out doors, have dinner at Mangroves, the open-air restaurant surrounded by reflection pools.

The resort also has conference and meeting facilities and is an ideal venue for meetings, launches ,trainings etc. The big open lawns are good to organize weddings & cocktail parties. The gym is well equipped and the steam bath is just great. They also have a good library well stocked with books on Indian culture, art , music ,cinema , textiles, architecture etc.

The 20,000 sq feet magnificently designed Mandara Spa at the Radisson, Alibaug,(a part of the prestigious Mspa International, Thailad), is said to be the largest spa in Asia. The spa , which is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and clear blue waters, offers an array of therapies to pamper the guests. They have exclusive weekend packages, 2 nights & 3 days , where the guests can avail choice of special massages, therapies, yoga /meditation sessions etc.

The Radisson Resort & Spa is a beautiful destination for a vacation where you can just relax in the quite large breezy open spaces or read a book sitting by the side of the pool or visit the beaches or historical forts near by.

For those who are interested, the contact details are as under.
Radisson Resorts & Spa
Alibaug - 402209
Maharashtra,India.
Tel - +91-2141-277777/227777
Fax - +91-2141-277799
Web - www.radisson.com/alibaugin

Unable to post pictures due to technical reasons. Shall try to post them on Monday

Monday, February 2, 2009

Slumdog Millionaire ….The Oscar nominated ….Golden Globe Winner

I liked the movie!

It’s a beautifully taken fantasy ……...about a Mumbai teenager, who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on a TV Show (Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?")… with glimpses of realism .....events from his life history which explain why he knows the answers……………………

Good actors ….good acting.…. good music ( well done Rahman…we are proud of you...hope/wish you bring Oscar to India)…good picturisation …. Sizzling , positive, fighting energy ……

Unlike ‘Salam Bombay’ which also picturise Mumbai’s slum life , this movie ends with ,a positive note , a smile on your face. I will never forget the last scene of ‘Salam Bombay’ , that helpless little boy’s crying face. It always pains……

About the controversy of projecting (shining) India’s slum face, the mission (or the prime aim )of this movie is not to project India as an emerging economy , but to sell the picture worldwide . I think the makers succeeded in a great deal. Have seen similar criticism when movies like Water , Fire ,1947(Earth), Salam Bombay..etc were made. Why are we so scared of the truths ? Why should we run away from them ? Will this running away from the naked realities will help us any way ?? I doubt.....