by Mandeep Gaygoat
As we decided to check out of this suite and move into another suite, we took advantage of the garden in the meantime.
Relaxing
Getting ready to wash the locally grown strawberries
We then moved to the new suite named after Jean Cocteau. Jean Cocteau, (born July 5, 1889, Maisons-Laffitte, near Paris, France—died October 11, 1963, Milly-la-Forêt, near Paris), French poet, librettist, novelist, actor, film director, and painter. Some of his most important works include the poem L’Ange Heurtebise (1925; “The Angel Heurtebise”); the play Orphée (1926; Orpheus); the novels Les Enfants terribles (1929; “The Incorrigible Children”; Eng. trans. Children of the Game or The Holy Terrors) and La Machine infernale (1934; The Infernal Machine); and his surrealistic motion pictures Le Sang d’un poète (1930; The Blood of a Poet) and La Belle et la bête (1946; Beauty and the Beast).
In France restaurants usually start service at 12 noon until 2:30pm then reopen in the evening at 6pm (varies restaurant to restaurant, but those the are general rough times)
So around 1pm we drove to Loving Hut in Menton.
A fantastic dish, that is why you do not see a single bit of food left!
Delicious vegan cheesecake
On the way back to Eze, we decided to take the middle corniche road.
Three”Corniche” roads, said to be “Lower, Middle and Upper or Grand” considering their different altitudes, lie between Nice and Monaco.
The Lower one culminates 150 ft above sea level and from Nice, leads to the little fishing port of Villefranche that boasts such a beautiful bay ; after Cap Ferrat, the millionaires’ peninsula, the road enters the little resort of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, that became very chic and fashionable at the Turn of the Century. From Beaulieu through the section of “Little Africa” at the foot of very impressive cliffs, the Lower road crosses Eze on Sea, then Cap d’Ail and its crystal clear little inlet. That’s the last French town before entering the Principality of Monaco.
More recent, the Middle road, offers incredible views at all the little resorts mentioned before and leads to the “eagle nest” village of Eze culminating 1200 ft above sea level.
The Upper Road, a strategic road and the older one, offers great views as well, but doesn’t cross any city center, except the one of La Turbie, little town just above Monaco, renowned for its Roman trophy : built in 6 B.C., this monument is unique among all the world’s Roman remains presently known.
The Upper Road leads finally to the perched village of Roquebrune.
We seemed to take a wrong turning at one point which was a blessing as we ended up on windy roads with stunning vistas and then onto a quaint windy road to Sospel.
The town dates back to the 5th century, when it served as an important staging post on the royal road from Nice to Turin. The old toll bridge used by travellers to cross the Bevera, built in the 13th century, still stands. It was bombed by the Germans during World War II to prevent contact between the French Resistance (“The Maquis”) and the Italians. Much of the town was destroyed. Renovated after World War II it now houses the tourist office. Ruins of a tower, part of a château belonging to the counts of Provence, are all that remain of the 14th century city walls.
On the way to Sospel
We wanted to park up to view the amazing sights, it ended up being somebodies garden!
On the way to Sospel I saw a snake crossing the road! It came as a bit of a shock.
Sospel
People here seemed very surprised to see us, it does not seem many tourists visit this place. They were very friendly and smiled and said bonjour! It was fun to watch a game of French Boules being played by the locals in the park.
Boules is a collective name for a wide range of games in which the objective is to throw or roll heavy balls (called boules in France, and “bocce” in Italy) as close as possible to a small target ball.
Boules-type games are traditional and popular in France, Italy and Croatia, and are also popular in some former French colonies. In those countries, boules games are often played in open spaces (town squares and parks) in villages and towns. Dedicated playing areas for boules-type games are typically large, level, rectangular courts made of flattened earth, gravel, or crushed stone, enclosed in wooden rails or back boards.
In the south of France, the word boules is also often used as a synonym for pétanque.
As Italy is only 8km away we decided to drive there.
An Italian village
We drove to Italy, down to Ventimiglia on the Italian coast then back to France.
Back to Menton
We decided to enjoy a takeaway in our suite this evening. Previously when entering Menton we saw an Indian restaurant called Indian Moods, we walked to the restaurant, as we saw it was a halal restaurant we decided to go back to Le Taj for a takeaway. On the way we passed a nice fruit and vegetable shop where we stocked up on locally grown apples and a fruit similiar to blood-satsuma.
We placed our takeaway order at Le Taj
Then went for a wander, since coming to France I have been wanting to eat fresh bread, the lady at Le Taj told us where we can get some so we searched for the boulangerie (bakery.) On the way we saw a live performance by a very good local band:
httpvh://youtu.be/CFy4-ECLvsM
httpvh://youtu.be/K8Leb1AHLx4
It was a fantastic and lively atmosphere, so good to see people dancing and enjoying themselves, without the need for drink!
The search for my bread continues!
Woohoo, found some.
On the way back to the hotel we passed Carrefour.
Carrefour S.A. is a French multinational retailer headquartered in Boulogne Billancourt, France, in Greater Paris. It is one of the largest hypermarket chains in the world (with 1,452 hypermarkets at the end of 2011, the second largest retail group in the world in terms of revenue, and the third largest in profit (after Wal-Mart and Tesco). Carrefour operates mainly in Europe, Argentina, Brazil, China, Dominican Republic, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, but also has shops in North Africa and other parts of Asia, with most stores being of smaller size than hypermarket or even supermarket. Carrefour means “crossroads” and “public square” in French. Previously the company head office was in Levallois-Perret, also in Greater Paris.
There we bought water, fruit smoothie and snacks.
Back at the hotel we ate whilst watching a movie called Short Cuts, wish I could tell you what it was about but whilst watching we felt sleepy, probably because the movie had a very slow start!
by Mandeep Gaygoat
Sangeet bought me a birthday treat, a long weekend away in Nice, South France.
After a manic rush and being held up in traffic we dropped our bags 40 minutes before departure. We were so relieved not to miss the flight.
The flight was with Lufthansa via Frankfurt, when we landed at Frankfurt we went through customs and back onto the same plane, which was bound for Nice. At Frankfurt airport I went through the security checks with no problem, they did not pat down my turban, with Sangeet the security lady started physically patting down her turban without even asking for permission, this annoyed Sangeet very much and she had words with her and another nearby security guard about the importance of not touching a Sikh’s turban. Apparently they are not allowed to use any other search method which seems strange. Sangeet is going to check what the security guards told her and take appropriate steps. It is crazy that we travelled around the world without ever having issues with security over our turbans, yet in such a developed country like Germany so close to home, there is so much ignorance.
The plane flew over the Alps which gave us a chance to enjoy fantastic scenery.
Once we landed at Nice we collected our bags and headed to Avis to pick up our car. The Avis desk has now moved to Terminal 2, therefore if you take the exit A0 out of the airport there is a free shuttle bus. Once you enter terminal 2 you will see most of the car rental desks. As we are Avis preferred members we got a reasonable upgrade. The car is a Alfa Romeo, we like how it drives and looks, the car is brand new with only 1km on the clock.
We exited the airport and took signs for Monaco, the drive is along the coast and goes through Nice. At a vista point we just had to stop and take in the beauty. Nice is a two hour direct flight from the UK but it just feels like a million miles away. It is like we have stepped into a picture.
On the way to Eze
A coastal drive
We continued our drive to the hotel in Eze village, about 10km from Nice, as Sangeet had kept the hotel a secret I was not aware of the name. We arrived into Eze village a quaint village and turned right towards the hotel…..just arriving at the entrance I was wowed by its beauty and that is just at the entrance!! Eze is a medieval village, perched on the cliff edge overlooking the stunning Riviera coast and Mediterranean Sea.
The area surrounding Èze was first populated around 2000 BC as a commune situated near Mount Bastide. The earliest occurrence of the name “Èze” can be found in the maritime books of Antonin as a bay called the St. Laurent of Èze. The area was subsequently occupied by not only the Romans but also the Moors who held the area for approximately 80 years until they were driven out by William of Provence in 973.
By 1388 Èze fell under the jurisdiction of the House of Savoy, who built up the town as a fortified stronghold because of its proximity to Nice. The history of Èze became turbulent several times in the next few centuries as French and Turkish troops seized the village under orders from Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1543, and Louis XIV destroyed the walls surrounding the city in 1706 in the war of the Spanish succession. Finally in April 1860, Eze was designated as part of France by unanimous decision by the people of Eze.
Èze has been described as an “eagle’s nest” because of its location overlooking a high cliff 427 metres (1,401 ft) above sea level on the French Mediterranean. It’s so high that the light ochre church within (Notre Dame de l’Assomption built in 1764) can be seen from afar. An Egyptian cross inside the church suggests the village’s ancient roots, when the Phoenicians erected a temple there to honour the goddess Isis.
Traditionally, the territory of the Principality of Monaco was considered to begin in the Èze village (outskirts of Nice), running along the Mediterranean coast to Menton, on the present Italian border.
It is valet parking so we walked the 400 yards to the hotel reception, I was flabbergasted at such an amazing hotel. Sangeet knows exactly what I like!
The hotel is called La Chèvre D’Or
06360
Eze Village
T: +33 4 92 10 66 66
F +33 4 93 41 06 72
View from hotel gardens
It is a member of Relais Chateau. Relais & Châteaux is a global fellowship of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants. Although the total number or members changes as members are added and others drop away, the group currently has some 500 members in 60 countries on five continents. Strongly represented in Europe, the association is growing in North America and Asia.
Established in France in 1954, the Association’s mission is “to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character.
The group is known for its extremely strict admission standards. In addition to luxurious facilities, members must have special features distinguishing them from chain hotels. Most of them are historic landmarks such as castles, manor houses, or townhouses in idyllic settings and offering exquisite cuisine. Relais & Châteaux is an example of affiliate marketing
Prospective and current members are evaluated by the group’s traditional “five C” motto: Caractère, Courtoisie, Calme, Charme et Cuisine.
This hotel has a 2 Michelin star restaurant. Since Michelin started in France, the guides are sometimes accused of having a bias towards French cuisine/style/technique, or towards a snobby, formal dining style. In New York City, for instance, there are seven restaurants that received the top three-star rating, and only one of them greatly varies from a classic and formal dining experience. (That’s Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, where the meal is served at a kitchen table.)
Michelin Stars Defined:
One star: A very good restaurant in its category.
Two stars: Excellent cooking and worth a detour. First class cuisine of its type.
Three stars: Exceptional cuisine and worth a special journey. Often extremely expensive, and with an extensive wine list.
The reason Michelin stars are so coveted is that most restaurants receive no stars at all. For example, in the Michelin Guide to France 2009, 3,531 restaurants are included, but just 548 received a star. Most of these restaurants — 449 — received one-star, 73 received two stars, and 26 received three.
After checking in we were taken to the hotel terrace where we enjoyed a welcome drink, a mixture of nuts and the amazing views. We got chatting to a couple who were sat nearby, they were from South Africa, the chap’s name is Merlin and the lady’s name is Susie, a very friendly couple who had come over to watch the Monaco Masters Tennis, something which attracted our attention.
Once we had enjoyed the drinks, snacks and views we headed back to the reception where they showed us to our room, well I thought we had booked a room, Sangeet had booked the Suite!
We have stayed in some amazing suites but this is one of the best. The suite is on four floors with it’s own garden, it even has a lift!!
The suite is named after Luis Navarro, named after a musician and painter with a very recognizable style. He was a passionate yet discreet man, a contemporary and friend of Picasso who worked and lived for many years in this region. The Navarro Suite boasts contemporary, high-tech interior décor, and the artists’ illustrations are perfectly suited to these two very distinctive suites.
It has a fantastic mix of the old chateau with modern mod cons, the lights, audio system and temperature are all controlled by a electronic pad, there is a lift to access various floors as well as stairs.
This is really an amazing suite. Sangeet did an absolutely amazing job at arranging this!
The following video of the suite is a must see!
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad_CoY0yofs&sns=em
The suite lift
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnLA96t5IJk&sns=em
The suite Hifi system
Lights, heating, audio and door intercom are electronically controlled
One of the views from the suite
Our private garden
Living room
Audio system on the left, lift on the right
The guest bathroom
Exit to the garden
The kitchen/dining room
What you see is the whole of our suite
Eze village
After admiring this amazing room (basically means I was playing around in the lift and making sure the audio was playing in every room including the garden!) we decided to get some food, now there are two vegan restaurants in this area, one which we planned to go to tonight is called Loving Hut in the town Menton, which is around 14 km away. It was a costal drive with amazing Vista points. Once we got to Menton, Sangeet who is a fantastic map reader guided me directly to the restaurant.
Menton
Just everywhere!
Great architecture
Unfortunately the restaurant was closed though it was listed on Happy Cow’s website as open on Wednesdays. By now Sangeet was hungry, for once I was not, probably because I was still excited by the amazing suite. We decided to drive around Menton to see what other cuisine we could find. After a little short wander around Menton town, we ended up at:
Le Taj
19 Quai Monleon
06500
Menton
T: + 33 4 93 17 41 91
The owners are from Sri Lanka, a very chatty couple who assured us the food will be made completely separate to the non-veg.
Sangeet ordered Saag Aloo with Rice, I ordered Bhagan Bharta with Naan, the owner informed us that the naan is cooked in the same tandoor as the meat, so I decided to have rice instead. It was good of her to be so honest, it gives you peace of mind as you know the food will be cooked totally separately. Once the food arrived it was ‘okay’ both main dishes had the same base taste of cream! The rice was very nice, it consisted of rice (obviously) cashew, raisins and various spices. I also ordered raita which was nice. We shared a delicious halwa dessert – the Sri Lankan ladies own personal recipe.
Halwa
We left the restaurant and drove back to the hotel, Sangeet had nodded off, she awoke to find me talking to some lady through the intercom at a highway toll station, as my co-driver and excellent navigator had fallen asleep I took a wrong turning! The lady said you have to pay a toll go along the highway for 5km then turn back, I paid 2.30 euros each way!
Back at the hotel I decided to have coffee, as there was no milk/cream I ordered some coffee and Creme from room service, they sent me coffee capsules for the coffee maker, which is what I wanted and body lotion!
The suite bedroom floor has a glass section, this looks down to the living room
After enjoying the coffee and messing around some more with the audio system and lift we fell asleep.
Today has been an amazing day. The South of France is fantastic and the hotel stunning and immaculate.
by Mandeep Gaygoat
Vaisakhi is a very important day for Sikhs and one of the most colourful events in the Sikh calendar. It occurs during mid-April every year and traditionally concurs in Punjab with the first harvesting of the crops for the year. So, historically, it has been a very joyous occasion and a time for celebration. However, since 1699, it had marked the very significant dharmic event of the creation of the Khalsa. Khalsa which means ‘pure’ is the name given by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh Guru, to all Sikhs who have been initiated by taking Amrit (ambrosial nectar / deathlessness) in a ceremony called Amrit Sanchar. The first time that this ceremony took place was on Vaisakhi, which fell on 30 March 1699, at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, India when Guru Gobind Singh ji wielding a sword asked for five heads and upon the call being answered, initiated five Sikhs who offered their heads who therein became the five beloved ones. Completely unprecedented, the Guru then knelt before the five beloved ones asking them for the gift of Amrit. Guruji was asked ‘we offered our heads for this Amrit; what will you give’. Guru ji proclaimed that they would give everything and time bore witness to this. Guru Ji’s love and respect for the true Khalsa was extraordinary and can be experienced through Guru Ji’s poetry which brims with reverence and affection. Upon hearing of the martyrdom of their four sons in the fight for truth against the tyrannical rule of the Mughals, Guruji proclaimed ‘why to grieve if four are lost; many thousands live on’ highlighting Guruji’s love for the Khalsa as no less than that for his children.
The word “Khalsa” is derived from Arabic khalis (literally meaning “pure” or “unsullied”) and Perso-Arabic khalisah and is used collectively for the community of initiated Sikhs. Khalsa commit to a life of purity, excellence, truth, courage and service. Immense importance was and is placed on the concept of equality, regardless of caste, race, gender…all are equal. This is integral to the Amrit ceremony where the concept was crystallised. All ablakhees (those presenting themselves for Amrit) acquire a royal identity becoming part of the one Khalsa panth (brother / sisterhood), regardless of social status or background, upon acquiring the blessing of Amrit. Crucially, the ceremony requires the ablakhee’s complete surrender to God and Guru, a commitment to live a life according to a code of conduct set out by Guru ji, not one determined by the individual ego.
The purpose of the Khalsa as defined by Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji who established the order of Sant Sipahi (Saintly warriors) was to act as “the army of God” to guard and protect everyone (not just Sikhs) and who always act according to their Gurus’ teachings, rules and ethics, acting at all times with charity, love and service to all human beings. This brings unprecedented responsibilities and duties that need to be fulfilled by the Khalsa. As Akal Purakh’s fauj or “God’s army” as the Khalsa is referred to, the duty of the Khalsa is to serve the Almighty and the entire people of the world. This concept is all encompassing and cannot be used in a narrow sense to refer to the duties of the Khalsa to a small sect or elite group of men/women who share similar beliefs; the Khalsa’s role is to serve the wider world community.
The word “Khalsa” appears in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the eleventh and eternal Guru of the Sikhs. It is mentioned in the bani of Bhagat Kabir:
Kaho Kabīr jan bẖaė kẖĝlsė parėm bẖagaṯ jih jĝnī. ॥4॥3॥
Says Kabeer, those humble people become pure – they become Khalsa
– who know the Lord’s loving devotional worship.॥4॥3॥
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, Ang 655)
Vaisakhi falls in the Nanakshahi calendar on the first day of Vaisakh month and marks the sun’s entering Mesha Rasi (this fact is called Mesha Sankranti, i.e. the solar transit into Aries). Vaisakhi is therefore determined by the solar calendar. Vaisakhi usually falls on April 14, and on April 15 once every thirty-six years, however it has now been agreed for Vaisakhi to always fall on the 14th of April. It is not, as is commonly believed, a New Year for the Sikhs. This Sikh New Year is celebrated on the 1st day of Chet which usually falls on March 14, a month earlier.
Here are a few pictures of the Bradford Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan. It started and finished at Gurdwara Singh Sabha this year with many hundreds taking part. Good weather, uplifting Sangat and great energy – a wonderful day!
by Mandeep Gaygoat
What a fantastic day, we visited the Northern Vegan Festival in Manchester, http://www.northernveganfestival.com/
There were many stalls supporting animal rights and conservation of the environment.
Now what really attracted me was the free food, unfortunately as we arrived at the venue around 3:30pm most of the free food had disappeared. On entering the hall we found a stall that sold gluten free and vegan cupcakes, they looked delicious so we bought two…….nice to have later with coffee!
Further into the small crowded hall we saw a stall selling bhel puri, bhel puri is a savoury Indian snack, and is also a type of chaat. It is made out of puffed rice, vegetables and a tangy tamarind sauce.
Bhelpuri is often identified with the beaches of Mumbai (Bombay), such as Chowpatty. Bhelpuri is thought to have originated within the Gujarati cafes and street food stalls of Bombay, and the recipe has spread to most parts of India where it has been modified to suit local food availability. The Kolkata variant of Bhelpuri is called Jhaal Muri (meaning “hot puffed rice”). A native Mysore variant of Bhelpuri is known as Churumuri in Bangalore. A dry variant of Bhelpuri popularly known as Bhadang is consumed after garnishing with onions, coriander and lemon juice.
Sangeet had one bhel puri and said it was good. We were both hungry so everything tasted nice!!
There was a very popular Turkish stall which sold vegan Gozleme, Gözleme is a savoury traditional Turkish pastry dish, made of hand-rolled dough that is lightly brushed with butter and eggs, filled with various toppings, sealed, and cooked over a griddle.
The name derives from the Turkish word göz meaning “compartment”, in reference to the pocket of dough in which the various toppings are sealed and cooked. Traditionally, this is done on a saç griddle. stuffing options were Vegan cheese, mushroom, potato or spinach. It looked very popular. I decided to try this later.
Around the corner was Mistry’s Catering where I purchased mogo, also called Cassava, Cassava (Manihot esculenta), also called manioc, yuca, balinghoy, mogo, mandioca, kamoteng kahoy, and manioc root, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy, tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. It differs from the similarly spelled yucca, an unrelated fruit-bearing shrub in the Asparagaceae family. Cassava, when dried to a starchy, powdery (or pearly) extract is called tapioca, while its fermented, flaky version is named garri. The mogo was fried which is exactly how I like them!
One of the many stalls:
There were many other stalls including Lush, Pudology and a vegan clothes stall……I will not be eating my clothes after wearing them!
It was also great to meet David from Dandelion and Burdock, http://www.dandelionandburdockrestaurant.com/_/home.html
(16 Town hall street, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 2EA) we have been visiting this excellent vegetarian restaurant for a number of years.
I managed to find a stall which sold fake meats, ‘chicken’ burgers and ‘sausage’ the smell was fantastic, therefore, I decided to sample it a number of times!
Waiting for the next batch of burgers!
Ready to sample, even before the owner has put the food on the table!
As we are now going to phase out processed foods I did not buy any burgers.
The venue was small for the number of people and after a while you can really smell the sweat….I am hoping next year the organisers choose a bigger venue!
In the evening we tried the gluten free, vegan cupcakes they were very dry and did not taste quite how we expected….like a real cup cake, I have tasted many gluten free and vegan cupcakes which have tasted amazing, unfortunately for this one I suggest the creators go back into the kitchen and try again!
by Mandeep Gaygoat
This morning was an early start 7am, Sangeet went to the Gurdwara to celebrate Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s birthday. We both went to the Gurdwara where I paid my respects and went to the gym. Sangeet stayed at the Gurdwara.
Normally there are two Muay Thai classes a day 7am until 9am and 16:00 until 18:00. Today I learnt about clinching and had a clinching session with another guy. Afterwards both of necks were very stiff! I also did some pad work and sparring. The class finished at 11am. Another amazing class, I was so exhausted but can feel it doing my body some good. I really want to comeback and train here for at least a month.
Later, I headed back to the hotel. Sangeet got back around 1pm. She could tell I was thrilled with the Muay Thai, by the way I was telling her about it!
by Mandeep Gaygoat
Apologies for the lack of updates, Thailand has not really inspired me like the other countries. I will start updating the blog over the next couple of days.
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