A Travel, Culture & Design Blogazine
My Featured Posts
Dear girls, let NOT society decide if you CAN or CANNOT travel SOLO
I am off to Mexico solo – and I must say, the people who matter in my world have been hugely supportive. But was I loaded with raised eyebrows, taunts and lots of odd questions before booking this trip? – Hell, YES! Was everyone completely okay with it? – Hell, NO! Am I still doing it? – YES.
Stories from KUTCH: The people & their legends
India is known for its rich and vivid craft culture. ‘Kutch’, a district of Gujarat state in western India proudly tops the list of the craft development of the country with its world famous embroideries and patchwork. Boasting of an aesthetic between traditional and the modern hippie, this post talks about the people of Kutch and the legends that are attached to their communities.
Featured Reads
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Deconstructing the Ravana Effigy Making Craft of Tatarpur, Delhi and meeting the Ravanwalas
A line of effigies shaped in bamboo in the form of humongous heads, giant mustaches, and fearsome eyes, lie around on an open road. Some are ready to be painted, some are getting their finishing touches, while others are all decked up to be assembled. Besides the heads are huge structures of limbs and torsos that range from a few feet to about three or four storeys high. These effigy parts lying around are of the mythical demon king of Lanka, ‘Ravana’ in Hindu mythology. And the place we are describing is popularly known as the “Lanka of Delhi'', ‘Tatarpur’.
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Inside the Amazon’s Spheres: A link between nature and the human workspace
In the center of the Amazon office towers in Seattle, three connected glass-domes have become one of a kind structures in the world, used as office space for most of Amazon’s Seattle-based employees. It is without a doubt, an architectural marvel of our times and a botanical conservatory - built on the foundations of extensive research and innovation. The Spheres are a fully functioning, self-contained ecosystem - a greenhouse with more than 40,000 different varieties of plants collected and curated from universities and botanical gardens all over the world.
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Untangling the threads of the Toda Tribe
Historically an ancient tribal community of the upper Nilgiri plateau, today the Todas may be popularly associated with their art of creating distinctive, geometric red and black embroideries of the Poothukuli craft. But the more we probe into understanding their culture, the less we are led to stereotyping them as only expert craft weavers from the South of India. What makes them truly distinguishable is their unique outlook, customs and age-old traditions - all of which have gone down the books of history as a fascinating subject.
Most Popular
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Life of FRIDA: A Walkthrough La Casa Azul
Frida Kahlo is more than a legend, but one who has left an indelible mark in the realm of art, fashion and culture around the world. One of the most iconic artists of all time, and today even a celebrated fashion icon, when I first read about a woman wearing pantsuits and creating ground-breaking art in the 1930s, it immediately ignited my curiosity about her background and the kind of life she must have lived. Having set foot in Mexico City became the perfect reason to get to know her more as I booked myself for a tour at the famous ‘La Casa Azul’ (The blue house) - Frida’s residence which has now become a museum open to tourists to get a glimpse of her memorabilia throughout her life.
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Tattoo Culture: From Ritual to Revolution
Tattoos have been marks of our uniqueness since 3300 B.C. Humans have turned to altering their physical appearances and ways of body modifications ever since the dawn of civilization. Within the realms of body piercings, esoteric branding and scarification - tattooing became a common practice amongst various cultures and tribes as tangible signs of identity. From prehistoric rituals, to carefully carved sub-cultures and today an important art form in our popular culture - the evolution of tattooing as a practice is intriguing.
Editor’s Opinion
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I made a career switch in my 30s. Turned out to be the best decision of my life.
But first, let me start from exactly where I left.
I quit my job at 31 to take a break without a plan B? - But that was back in 2019 - SO WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Fast Forward to today: I am currently a UX Manager and Design Lead in a tech+design agency in Toronto, and it took me a while to find this career that I have really started to enjoy. It did not happen by chance, and I didn’t just fall into it. In fact, I chose it.
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I quit my job at 31 to take a break without a plan B. Is that really a bad idea? NO.
Months of diving into all the above personal and wellness chaos: I decided to take the leap, quit and move on anyways. I knew I could not take it anymore, neither my body or sanity could. And the worst was I didn’t have a backup plan. I still don’t.
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The dilemma of giving up on your slow or dying blog? You are not alone. And there is still hope.
So after months of regret, stressful nights of thinking about my oh-so-dying blog, and some great amount of self-motivation – I decided to write this post out, with a promise to myself that I will bring it back. Why? – Because I always tell people – “The universe is kind. And dreams to come true. You just have to wish for it.” StreetTrotter was and is – my dream.
Meet the Editor
Travel Stories
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Why you should rent a car for a road trip in Oahu, Hawaii
Oahu is the third largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago and home to some of the most beautiful beaches, lush forests, and volcanic landscapes in the world. It's a place where ancient culture meets modern-day luxury, where visitors can experience authentic Hawaiian traditions and immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the island. Oahu offers something for everyone, whether you're seeking adventure, relaxation, or a little bit of both. So pack your bags, rent a car, and get ready to experience the magic of Oahu, Hawaii.
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A Day trip to Mysore: City Guide
Nestled in the heart of the southwestern state of Karnataka, at the foothills of the Chamundi Hills, India's City of Palaces sits quietly. Mysore, or Mysuru, is one of India's most beautiful and culturally rich cities with a whiff of history wherever one turns to. One of the best ways to plan a trip to Mysore is to make a round trip from Bangalore. At a distance of 140 km from Bangalore, a road trip would be ideal for making certain stops and visiting the most important and beautiful places that this place has to offer. If we had to make an itinerary for a day, we recommend 4 must-see places that everyone should visit.
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Ghazipur Phool Mandi: A morning with flowers
“The lone porter snakes through a few winding lanes while it is still dark. The first flush of sunlight appears, but it is still some time before dawn. If someone watches closely, there are bright red roses and bundles of yellow daisies that are peeking out on either side of the load he is carrying over his head. He finds his way through the crowded marketplace, making his way in between vans and rickshaws pulling in with similar sacks, filled with colors and smells that are spreading throughout the area.” - It's 4 AM, and the day has begun at the Ghazipur Phool Mandi.
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The Masjid-i Jehan Numa: The Mosque that displays the world
With its imposing structure, tall minarets, and sprawling courtyard, the Masjid-i Jehan Numa (translated: world-displaying mosque) is one of the most beautiful mosques in India. More popularly known as the Jama Masjid, this monument is an architectural marvel from the Mughal era. From the pages of our history textbooks, we have come to know about Emperor Shah Jahan and his love for building breathtaking monuments. As a spectator to four centuries of history, this mosque has become an important tourist spot and a center of cultural heritage in India.
Must Read
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Inside CANNABIS TOURISM: All that you need to know
Not a lot of pot heads know that Cannabis, popularly known as weed is the largest cash crop in the U.S., exceeding corn and wheat combined. Since many passionate travelers see the experiencing of smoking weed as an essential enhancer of their travel experiences, Marijuana tourism as a sector has become an extremely popular way of traveling for travelers all across the world. This shift in traveling patterns has led to the legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes in multiple countries. Here is an insight into the booming Marijuana Tourism Industry.
In conversation with:
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Meet Cody, a Calligraphy Artist: On running her own small business, its highs & lows and her creative journey
Not too often do you meet people who have been all over the professional planet with their varied career experiences. But when you meet one, you instantly recognize that creative soul that won’t settle. Cody, a 29-year-old, based out of her home studio in the St. Clair West neighborhood of Toronto, spends her weekends taking calligraphy workshops that are full of fun - flowing through her effortless sense of humor and approachability to her teaching style.
DESIGN PORTFOLIO
In the end, we only regret the chances we did not take.
Switching your career in your 30's is hard, but who said you can't? Life is all about the chances - you did or did not take. So I took a leap and switched to being a UX/UI Designer in Toronto. Here is a peak into my design life, and a portfolio I am building, one day at a time.
