Tag: Pagesfromydiary

The Rise of Disability stories.

In the Year 2023, I read a few books on Disability characters, And all of them have been written around in the last decade They all have had a personal connection with the author and the story.

The disability ranging from intellectual to physical disabilities. Have only made it more human to have a sense of fulfilment of how fortunate they are those who haven’t gone through any of these experiences, that challenges ones existence for a small task that seem simple to the ones who are completely mobile or have all their senses functioning to the fullest.

Whether it was The housekeeper and the professor. A story about a professor who has only 80 minutes of memory in a day and he likes to associate with numbers. To Elena a story about a missing daughter and a mothers struggle to find her daughter while the mother is suffering from Parkinson’s.

To the injustice the disabled have to deal with in the “disability visibility by Alice Wong.”

To a child who suffers from autism is being curious about a dogs death and how he associates certain daily activities for his day or week to go by.

“True Biz about Deafness “in a world that can see. Through sign language one could learn to communicate with another deaf person.

“Tomorrow Tomorrow Tomorrow “protagonist who has been physically hurt by an accident. And how he has to bring certain changes into his life.

These stories have been pushing the acceptance of what these disabilities are and why one shouldn’t take advantage and be more considerate to the ones who have to deal with so much from the ones around them.

These stories aren’t just about children, but also about Adults who have more challenges to face than the younger ones.

While these are the books! The question that comes to mind is Films and television.

What controls them & stops them from adapting these stories, that could have a wider reach and be more influential in accepting disabilities?

These books out there only have pushed the boundaries of acceptance of the existence of disabilities that we haven’t made any arrangements for.

Best Books on Disability: I have Read 

  • Disability Visibility by Alice Wong
  • Elena Knows by Claudia Pinerio
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon
  • Tomorrow Tomorrow Tomorrow by Gabriell Zevin
  • True Biz by Sara Novic
  • The Housekeeper and the Professor by Ogawa
  • The Diary of Murder by Kim Young-ha

Goa Foodie Weekend!

North Goa:

Is another city altogether. With quite a few hotel options and so many restaurants and places to choose from.

Goa has tried balancing the two sides very well!

Even the MOPA airport has been done up so well! With shopping options and food options available at the airport.

On my recent visit from Nashik to North Goa.

I was impressed with Goa. It had been years since I visited as a tourist. And being a complete foodie! I did not miss any of the restaurants that were on the other side of Goa.

I had a completely new list of places to explore in north Goa.

Some of the places, that we managed to explore and enjoy in our 48 Hrs In Goa.

Hosa: A Coastal cuisine restaurant in Goa that

is beautifully done up in a 100-year-old Portuguese Villa that was restored by the same hospitality group that also has Indian Accent and Comorin under them. Two very popular restaurants they have been listed as one of the best places to Eat & drink annually in the world best.

The Muttonpepper Ghee Roast and coconut Shrimp were the two things we tasted and enjoyed from the menu.

A sure shot must visit during your visit to Goa.

Assa House: 

A French restaurant in North Goa that shouldn’t be missed by any foodie!

The menu is done by French Chef Alexis Gielbaum who was the chef at Souffle & Slink & Bardot.

Both of the restaurants that I had visited and had meals too.

The Onion French soup at Soufle and the interiors of Slink & Bardot would remind you a lot of it at Assa House. The Baked Alaska, The Clams in Pesto Butter Sauce, The Sea Bass and the Pork Belly were so good! A perfect recommendation for a light meal with a great ambience.

Sakana Goa: A Japanese Restaurant that has been opened by an Israeli-Israeli-Japanese couple is a must-visit for Japanese food. The interiors can be enjoyed during the day as well as at night with green gardens and trees around as you walk in. The Miso Calamari was a different palate but a great combination. The Pork belly Zucchini roll wais s soft & smooth they just melted right away. The Sea Bass in Teriyaki sauce two combinations that we couldn’t get enough of.

These are all not to be missed.
Burger Factory: Juicy meaty or leafy burgers. Burger Factory Burger will remind you of the typical American burgers and fries. The Zucchini fries were crispy and yummy! The Pork Cheddar bacon burger, Avocado and truffle and BBQ Pork Bacon were so well made!

Babka: A cafe that was tiny, but packed with surprises. The Tiramisu & the Salted Eclaris were so Good! Only if we were not dripping in the heat! We would have had more!
G-Shot: A coffee space more than bakes! The Vegan Vietnamese Coffee with Cashew Butter! Had heard so much about the space! And with coffee, it did not fail.

Stay: In North Goa 

  • W Hotel 
  • JW Marriott Goa 
  • Westin Hotel

Bookstore to Visit:

Champaca Bookstore

Hampiness – An adventure in the waiting!

Virupaksha Temple

A journey that had been on the bucket list for the last few years.

And having explored India from the north and west.

South had a been little unexplored and was waiting to be explored.

Hampi is a city full of temples that have references not just mythology ( Ramayan) Hanuman’s Birthplace. But, also with Shiva- A single monolith statue that’s one of the most visited sights of the city. To the Dynasties battles Kilji, Chanayaka and later the British coming to existence.

No Wonder a city filled with so much history and mythology feels like one place with many world heritage references that the The Ministry of Tourism, on 29th September, declared Karnataka’s iconic destination as the Best Tourism Village of India-2023.

Hampi was selected one among the 795 applications received from 31 states and UTs.

Some bits of Hampi feel like you are in Macchi- Picchu to some feel like you are in Greece. While some truly belong to India.

The city has many world heritage sites.Think your ₹50 currency and you will observe the chariot stone. Hampi is also referred to as India’s Rome with so many ruins and history to the sights.

The historians at Hampi, also mentioned to explore the whole of Hampi that has 80 monuments worth exploring would take you an ideal 45 days here! So much history!

And if you would like to travel to Hampi some of the most important sites are Vitthala temple, that’s full of interpretations of history and the home to the stone Chariot. To the Virupaksha temple an active temple that has rituals performed daily including feeding of elephants as an experience of lifetime.

Elephant Stables a monument that was built for the kings elephant many centuries ago is another site worth visiting.

At times Hampi makes you believe you are In Stonehenge with the rocks here beautifully placed naturally or makes you believe you are In Grand Canyon with trekking around on rocks that are placed with boulders for support.

The sunset and sunrise view points of the city, give you an overview of the lush green landscapes covered with sugarcane’s and Banana plantations.

With so much to offer for history & nature buffs.Hampi still has the rawness and beauty of India.

Hampi is still not considered a tourist destination, with only one flight to Mumbai! And limited advertising for tourism in Hampi.

Stay: Evolve Back Resort

Did You Know?

Karnataka once served as the capital of one of the largest kingdoms of India the Vijayanagara Empire around the 1500 AD. And during that time it was known to be one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world.

The Virupaksha temple dates back to 7th-century, which makes it one of the oldest functional temple in the country is dedicated to Virupaksha, an incarnation of Lord Shiva, built with a pillared hall, three.

One of the must things to do before you leave the temple take blessings from Lakshmi elephant

The pillars in the Vittahla temple would also be used as musical instruments by the locals. Each pillar would have a different sound and rhythm.

Elephant Stables
Vitthala temple

American & British Thriller Books – I have enjoyed reading!

The President is Missing by James Patterson: one of the thrillers that I read this year written by Bill Clinton & James Patterson
The Details of how the president office operates & what happens in the president office- only a Former President can and would have the authentic details. And James Patterson was one author- whose thriller was on my reading list. The Book is too descriptive and can leave one uninterested especially When you are looking for page Turner.

Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins: A thriller that has each character being described and each character’s action also described until only a few are the focus of the story.
And how the writer has something to look forward to in her journey every day.
A simple, yet intriguing story.

The Guestlist: by Lucy Foley A thriller that is set on an island where an important celebration is set to take place and things start going wrong.
What could have happened? Who could it be? A thriller is a page-turner that will take you by surprise.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie :

This was the first time! I read Agatha Christie. Yes! Have watched the movie The Murder on the Orient Express. And loved it! The detective Hercule Poirot was an instant hit!
And Death on the Nile has been another movie that I would be watching soon!
Murder of Roger Ackroyd isn’t a book that comes to your mind immediately when you mention Agatha Christie.
But, it’s been voted as the 3rd World’s best Agatha Christie after And the most popular one And there were none & Murder on the orient express taking the first two place.
* The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
The book has the popular Hercules Poirot solving the case. And in many ways reminded me of many mystery/ crime thrillers I have read! Are they all on the foundation of Agatha Christie?
And how important are the characters?
Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Coyle, Hercule Poirot, and Feluda by Satyajit Ray are some of the characters we read the author’s work for! Similar works have been done by Japanese writers like Keigo Higashino with the detective Galileo series, and Scandinavian writer Jo snob’s Harry Hole to name a few.
Coming back to The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. Some certain scenes & parts have either been entirely replicated or have quite a few similarities in a lot of thrillers that I have watched in the last couple of years…
I am glad to have gone ahead and read this book which has been one of the most popular and well-written books by the author.
The way it’s written! If you read the story carefully you might just be able to solve the mysterious death in no time! But, whenever you realise it’s these characters… There are enough reasons mentioned to change your mind!
Why isn’t Agatha Christie adapted into more movies or more series adaptations?

My Sister The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

When the title itself gives you away what the story is…
A story about how one of the sisters’
boyfriends turns up dead.
Korede’s dinner is interrupted one night by a call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what’s expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. That’ll be the third boyfriend Ayoola. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor with where Korede works as a nurse. Korede’s long been in love with him, and isn’t prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other…

A book is written in short chapters and very neatly gripping.
Based in Nigeria and written in 2018. This story remains more than relevant today with the world becoming increasingly unstable.
This book is your weekend read. And a rainy day company.
It’s very different from all the thrillers that I have read in the past in terms of the style of writing & language.