Travelling has been one of my best experiences in life
During COVID when we were confined to being just in one city, one place and the limitation of not moving from our comfort zone at home, or being at Work.
Having a supermarket and coming under Essential service, We were open throughout.
As things started to ease, all we wanted to do was travel first and we travelled to Mumbai, And that time, going out for Coffee and a meal was something so refreshing and beautiful.
We visited Juhu Beach, To breathe in some Fresh Air, And enjoy the calmness of the Sea.
A few months later we travelled to Kolkata and the experience of reliving the city of Joy was wonderful, Mocambo, Kusum Rolls & Hangla’s Rolls, and Flury’s were all so wonderful.
But, at the same time, we experienced the Durga Puja, Visiting the Pandals, Witnessing the Art & Culture of the city with artisans challenging themselves to have innovative designs and ideas for doing up their pandals.
If we hadn’t known the locals, This experience wouldn’t be the same as we experienced it first-hand.
Even Amritsar, A city where mom has spent about Two decades of her life before she moved to Mumbai and then Nashik.
Knowing the Ice Cream, The Chaat place, the Kulcha Counter, Poori Aloo place, Fruit Cream and the Lassi place. Making the trip even more memorable.
We had also travelled to Japan Pre Covid, and Brazil this year and in both these places we knew people locally. And both these places, we enjoyed ourselves so much, because of the recommendations we received, The travel Tips and the insights into the travel destination. In both, these countries we explored and found hidden gems that would only be known to locals.
That’s one of the reasons why I have enjoyed travelling to countries and hope to know people around the world, so you can live and Travel like locals.
Firstly, think about why are you looking to buy a watch? Is it a milestone you are celebrating?
Or you have liked it, because it looks cool, and you spotted your role Model/ Favourite celebrity wearing it and would like to own that watch.
These are some of the reasons.
But, you could also like the Watch, Because You simply like it for its design, And it’s distinctive from anything you have seen before!
Or You have aspired to own a particular make or brand since your childhood.
But, at the same time, You might have liked the simplicity of the complications it has to offer, The perpetual calendar, The Moon phase, The GMT dial or a simple analog watch whose needles fascinate you.
Or it would be the Mechanism movement you have also been in awe of a Automatic, Mechancial winding.
The Size of the Watch, Small, Medium size or Large sizes.
Watches have an history and often an association that we look into when owning that timepiece.
Oh! It could also be a limited edition timepiece or an investment you would like to make.
But, it’s the only Jewellery piece that a Man has on his wrist always. It’s not something you buy to keep a watch on the time.
But, something that you would like to keep for the rest of your life.
Something we don’t often think about is the Age at which we own the watch, sometime we might be too young to own that or too old to have it.
Some of the most prominent watch makers to consider.
Swatch, Tissot, Timex, Casio, G-Shock, Seiko in the entry level segment
For premium level you could look into :
Oris, Beaume & Mercier, Breitling
Luxury would be: Omega, Panerai, Cartier, Tag Heuer, Tudor
Ultra Luxury: Audermars, Rolex, Patekh Philips
Some Indian watchmakers you might like to look into are Jaipur Watch Company and Horpa.
Jaipur Watch company has some interesting designs of watches like the Stamp watch.
Horpa a fairly new brand has the look of Blancpain and Swatch watches.
But, watches are always a personal choice.
Design, Make and functions are always something you must consider personally.
The 25+ Hours journey through the UK to Sao Paulo was slightly tiring.
The first impression, Sao Paulo is a huge city!
The architecture and construction are lovely.
Water! No Water in the rooms! This was going to become a common observation as we would travel around the country!
The restaurants too don’t serve you water.
This was quite alarming, Maybe the water isn’t quite hygienic here! Or maybe they aren’t hospitable or maybe they are going through a Water Crisis.
Sao Paulo had the appeal of New York, Wall Street and Fifth Avenue. The Liberade, Japanese Neibhourhood did remind me of being lost in Japan!
The Food whether it was the local Brazilian Meat, Mexican Gucaomole, American Burgers, Italian Pizza, Thai or Japanese was the best in Sao Paulo. In the places we visited, we realised they were either part of the best Restaurants in the World and Latin America or were part of the Michelin restaurant guide.
The Cafes and coffee were also some of the finest we had here in the city!
Rosewood in Sao Paulo. Ranked #25 in the Worlds best was truly an experience. Walking into the lush green arches and being welcomed by books at the entrance/Waiting area. As you make yourself comfortable through the hotel you pass through a couple of more coffee table bookshelves before you reach the restaurant, which you feel is in the middle of the forest.
The Acai Berry Smoothie, Pastrami Sandwich and Burger were the juiciest, healthiest and most satisfying meals of our trip.
Rosewood was a nice experience.
The city, Was so clean with ample of dustbins, unlike Japan. Where you struggle to find even one.
The shopping malls, Each one competing with the size and the interiors.
The weather, Yes, we did feel the heat waves.
The roads were so broad and well-maintained. It was a challenge to find even one pothole in the country.
Rio was a tourist hub, and so was our instruction. Be extra careful while walking on the streets of Rio, After 5 pm avoid strolling on the street with Mobile Phones, Jewellery or Watches/Smart Watches.
The Sugarloaf Mountain & Christ The Redeemer have to be our typical tourist highlight. One for the sunset view and the other for getting the structure to the top.
Copacabana Beach was going through a post-event pack-up! Madonna had performed a free concert two days before we planned to reach Rio de Janeiro.
Language is a huge barrier! The locals don’t understand English and as Tourist, we had no understanding of Portuguese.
Brazil has their measurement too!
P being M , The universal Medium size, G being large, GG being Extra large in clothing. For Footwear too, they are normally a size or two smaller than the Typical US sizes one Wears.
Salvador was a small quaint colourful city that would remind you a lot about Europe’s small towns.
While travelling across the city we flew through GOl or Latam. The local airlines of Brazil were always on time and internally we travelled through the Uber App with minimum communication!
Oh! One thing that was a huge disappointment was Google Maps! Often they did not take us at the right location, either 100 meters away from our location or would be pinned at another entrance/Exit of the same location.
The Google Maps, were always not updated with locations that had been permanently closed or had being relocated to another location.
In both of these times, We were faced with challenges on how to communicate to the exact location.
While planning Brazil I had also noted a few bookstores I wanted to visit in Brazil!
To my disappointment both of the bookstores that were listed for the longest time as the most beautiful bookstores in the world had been closed now! One in Sao PauloAnd the other in Rio. While I visited other bookstores across the cities. There weren’t any books available in English at all.
Brazil with two of the most prominent global events like FIFA and the Olympics in the past decade is still not considered a Tourist Destination. With Food options, the Weather being pleasant, Globally recognised homegrown Fashion brands and Warm and friendly people you wonder if the Country’s not being Safe Image is playing a key role in tourism.
Eat: #saopaulo @ranchoportuguessp @nbsteak @michelinguide @aizomerestaurante – Part of @theworlds50best #latinamerica @pingyangsp – #11 Best Place to eat in #Brazil
Taro Sushi – Michelinguide
@rosewoodsaopaulo -#25 Worlds Best Hotel @theworlds50best @sisenorbrasil @brazpizzaria – #4 best pizzeria brand in the World @pecorinoteresina @apizzadamooca – #77 in the Worlds Best Pizza
Chocolates: #brazil @dengochocolates @kopenhagen_
Personal favourite for Shopping : @farmrio @osklen
Today if you look around more than sixty percent people wear a smart watch! About 30 % don’t wear a watch at all. The Rest 10% wear a traditional watch. What makes smart watch so popular is it being health conscious , A fashion statement or affordability? How has the Smartwatch replaced traditional watches? Are Smartwatches, worn to track Health & fitness levels or are they just a cultural movement replacing traditional watches? Do we wear a watch to keep an eye on the time or do we look at a watch being the only legitimate piece of jewellery a man can wear? More recently Timex took A dig at smartwatches – “Read the time, not your emails, Watches like they used to be” Are watches a necessity? Or are they considered a luxury? So many brands like Titan, Sonata, HMT are heavily investing in the market with newer collection and stores. But what sets the traditional watches apart from the smart watches? A statement or A piece of accessory or a watch makers history? Are collaborations the only way for traditional watch makers to Woo the market and Buyers? Timex X Peanuts & Swatch X Omega to name a couple that have gained popularity recently. Or is it bringing back classic designs from the watchmakers?
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