Inside Chatsworth House – The Grand Home of The Dukes of Devonshire

June 22, 2018

It was back in February when I first got to know of Chatsworth House. I was watching a Netflix series on the Secrets of Royal Palaces and one of the episodes was on Chatsworth House, a grand estate, home to the Cavendish family since 1549. That episode really intrigued me. The history behind the house and its inhabitants, the opulence, all upped my interest level and I made it a point to visit the estate once I returned to the UK.

Chatsworth House

The opportunity came in April. I was going to Sheffield for two weeks and I got to know that Chatsworth was only a 40 minute bus ride away. And the best thing was that the House was now open to public. For nearly a decade, it was undergoing a restoration worth 32.7 million pounds with the aim of bringing the 500-year old House to its original glory and the doors opened again in March. It seemed as if the universe wanted me to visit. Plans were chalked out, bus tickets from Sheffield Interchange to Chatsworth House were bought and on a cold, Sunday morning, five of us set out to explore this stately home.

History of Chatsworth House

Chatsworth is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and has been passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family. It was built by Sir William Cavendish and then passed down to his son William, who rebuilt Chatsworth over a period of twenty years. During the Georgian period, Chatsworth was owned by five different Dukes of Devonshire, all named William. The 5^th Duke William in 1774 married the vivacious and fashionable Lady Georgina Spencer (Lady Diana’s ancestor) and that’s when the story becomes interesting. Georgina after her marriage learned that her husband already had a mistress, Charlotte, with whom he had a daughter and all that he wanted from Georgina was a male heir. Possibly frustrated with her marital life, she threw herself into the world of extravagance, throwing lavish parties and gambling away her riches. The story gets even more interesting when she traveled with her husband to Bath in 1782 and met Lady Elizabeth Foster or Bess. The two ladies became great friends and Bess came to Chatsworth to live with them. Unfortunately, her husband and Bess started an affair soon and strangely, Georgina accepted the “menage a trois” that resulted. After Georgina’s death, William married Bess and she became the new Duchess of Devonshire.

Chatsworth House

Many books have been written on Georgina’s life and the various scandals at Chatsworth as well as movies have been made. A recent one is The Duchess starring Kiera Knightley which was actually shot at Chatsworth House. Watch it if you are interested 🙂

The Chatsworth Estate

The estate is huge and is the size of nearly 20 football fields as told by our guide inside the house. It is located in the Peak District which is one of the most beautiful and picturesque locations in the UK. The estate includes the House, Farmyard and Playground and a 105 acre Garden. The price for tickets to see all of these is 23 pounds for adults and 14.50 pounds for children. If you don’t want to see everything together, prices are slightly lower. We did not go to the playground and only bought tickets for the House and Garden which was 21 pounds. If you are taking a car, it is better to book tickets online from www.chatsworth.org else you will need to pay a charge for parking. We took a bus that dropped us off right in front of the gates so we just got our entry tickets from the counter.

Chatsworth Estate

Chatsworth House

The Chatsworth Garden

I have honestly never seen a garden this big and this beautiful! The history of the garden is also an illustrious one. It was first started in 1555, then restored around 1811 on a grand scale and then changed again around 1858.

Chatsworth House Gardens

Highlights of the Garden include beautiful green houses to grow exotic plants, Fountains, a Cascade, a Vinery, a Maze, a Kitchen Garden, Summer House, Golden Grove etc. I went at a time when everything was grey and dull and I can only imagine how spectacular the garden will look in full bloom.

The garden is huge and if you want to see everything, it will take you approx 2 hours to walk around. If you are lazy like I am, you can also book a buggy ride for about 5 pounds to take you around. The person who was driving my buggy gave me a valuable piece of information – Bollywood has also explored Chatsworth House. Some parts of the horrible film Humshakals was also shot there!

Chatsworth Gardens

Trivia – Around 1834, William, 6th Duke of Devonshire received a shipment of bananas from Mauritius. He liked them so much, he ordered his gardener to cultivate them in the greenhouses of Chatsworth House. And those bananas were names as Cavendish Bananas.

The House

At first glance, the House reminds you of The Palace of Versailles and I got to know that the French Palace was actually an inspiration to the Dukes when they were building and remodeling the house. Inside, the opulence and grandeur is breath taking. Have you seen the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice? Remember the scene when Elizabeth Bennet goes exploring in the sculpture gallery of Mr. Darcy’s house? Well that house in the film is Chatsworth House and that sculpture gallery very much exists.

Chatsworth House Sculpture Gallery

As soon as you enter the House, you realize that you are in the midst of some remarkable and precious works of art collected by the Cavendish family over generations. You get to see centuries-old sketches by the Great masters, ancient Egyptian statues, and luxurious interior decorations interspersed with contemporary art pieces especially that of ceramic, something that the current Duke of Devonshire is very interested in.

The Painted Hall is one of the most stunning rooms with a grand staircase leading to the first floor and balconies on both sides. The Painted hall is striking because of the murals painted on the ceilings.

Chatsworth House Painted Hall

Ascend the stairs and you come to the State Apartments. The first Duke hoped that King William II and Queen Mary would visit him in Chatsworth and the rooms as they were prepared for the royal couple are there for us to see. The King and Queen never came down but if they did, they would have definitely liked those rooms!

Rooms prepared for royalty

The House is full of Sketch Galleries and one of the rooms is full of art from Da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt and Guercino. One of the most striking pieces of art in the House for me was the Veiled Statue of the Vestal Virgin by Raffaele Monti.

A Veiled Vestal Virgin by Raffaelle Monti

In the South Sketch Gallery is a stunning portrait of Duchess Georgina made to look like Goddess Diana. Georgina was said to be very interested in collecting crystals, fossils and minerals and we can still see some of the pieces that she brought into the house.

Chatsworth House is not just a mecca for art enthusiasts but also for bibliophiles. There are nearly 30,000 books in the Library including some original manuscripts and works.

Inside Chatsworth House

There’s so much to see in Chatsworth that it is very difficult to condense everything in a blog post and I realize that I’ve already written a lot. It is a beautiful and fascinating place with a riveting history. If you are ever in the Derbyshire area, definitely make it a point to visit the estate. I am sure you will be as marveled by it as I was.

Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon : Walking in the Bard’s footsteps

June 21, 2018

“And now my dear, you will literally be walking in William Shakespeare’s footsteps”. That’s when it sunk in. I was in Stratford-upon-Avon and I was about to enter the house where the greatest English playwright was born in 1564 and spent his childhood years.

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Visiting Stratford-upon-Avon

When I got to know that I’d be in Sheffield for two weeks in April, the first thing that I did was find out where I could go on the weekends. Everyone I knew said that there was nothing to see in Sheffield so I should make plans to visit some of the nearby places and one of the suggestions was Stratford-upon-Avon. I’ll write about the other two soon 🙂

William Shakespeare

Me and my colleague looked up Google, checked all information available, booked train tickets and tickets to see Shakespeare’s family homes and on a very cold, snowy Easter Monday morning, set out to discover the Bard’s birthplace.

How to Get To Stratford-Upon-Avon

Since we did not have a car, we took a train from Sheffield to Birmingham New Street railway station. Got down at the station and walked for about ten minutes to the Birmingham Moor Street railway station from where we took a London Midland train to Stratford-upon-Avon. There are a number of websites from where you can book train tickets for travelling within UK. We used the website Go Euro and paid around 35 pounds for the return tickets from Sheffield.

If you are travelling from London, the train ride is around 2 hours long and you will need to get down at Stratford railway station. If you want to fly down, the nearest airport is Birmingham and from there you can either take a train to Stratford or rent a car to drive down.

Travel tip – Don’t wait to buy train tickets two days before your travel because prices can be really high. It is always a good idea to book them atleast a couple of weeks before your trip. Make sure to compare prices between a few websites to get the best rates. Go Euro, The Train Line, My Train Ticket are some of the websites that you can check for tickets at reasonable rates.

Tour or no Tour?

If you are staying in Stratford-upon-Avon, it does not make sense to book a tour because the town is quite small and on a grid, so it is easy to walk around. If you are visiting for a day and have only a few hours to explore, it makes sense to book a hop on-hop-off bus tour from Viator for about 14 pounds (peak season will be more). We reached Stratford-upon-Avon around 11.30 in the morning and had about 6 hours till we boarded our train back to Sheffield in the evening. The bus tour therefore came in really handy because we saved time in getting from one place to another.

We booked the bus tickets online and once we reached the town, from the railway station we took a cab to go to the tourist office to board the bus. Like all hop on-hop off buses, this one was also an open top bus so the ride was a very enjoyable one. The bus drops you off at the major tourist spots and picks up at a designated time.

What to see?

Shakespeare’s Birthplace – No visit to Stratford-upon-Avon is complete without visiting the birth house of William Shakespeare. This is the house where Shakespeare was born, grew up and spent his childhood years. The house is located in the center of the town and is surrounded by shops, cafes and restaurants making it the most popular tourist spot. I went when the weather was really cold and there were hardly any tourists around but if you go during the peak season, make sure to reach early to avoid the queues.

Outside Shakespeare’s Birthplace

The visit starts at the Shakespeare Centre which houses an array of artifacts that date back to Shakespeare’s time including one of the three First Folios owned by The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. There are only 230 First Folios that have survived to this day thus making the artifact extremely rare.

Shakespeare Centre

From the exhibition, you go into the main house. Inside, you’ll find guides in medieval costume either performing or talking about the history of the house. It is remarkable how well the house has been maintained and credit for that goes to The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. There are various pieces of furniture that belonged to Shakespeare’s time. You can see the room where he was born, the crib where he slept, the kitchens, the bedrooms, desks, chairs etc.

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Inside Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Travel tip – If you are a Harry Potter fan or intrigued by the world of witches and wizards, definitely go to Magic Alley and The Creaky Cauldron, a shop selling magic wands, wizardry games, spells and butterbeer made from an old Tudor recipe. The shop is located next to Shakespeare’s Birthplace and is quite easy to find.

Butterbeer

Shakespeare’s New Place – New Place is said to be the site of Shakespeare’s last home and the place where he died in 1616. The house no longer exists as it was demolished by Francis Gastrell in 1759. The story goes that Gastrell who bought the house after the death of Shakespeare’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall got irritated by the influx of visitors and destroyed a mulberry tree in the garden said to have been planted by Shakespeare. In retaliation, the townsfolk destroyed New Place’s windows. Gastrell applied for local permission to extend the garden. His application was rejected and his tax was increased so Gastrell retaliated by demolishing the house in 1759. This greatly outraged the inhabitants and Gastrell was eventually forced to leave town. In fact even till this day, anyone with the surname Gastrell is not given permission to live in Stratford-upon-Avon!

Shakespeare’s New Place

New Place reopened in 2016 and features an exhibition center with rare artefacts relating to Shakespeare’s life, as well as a beautiful garden with commissioned artworks.

Shakespeare’s New Place

Guild Chapel – Standing across from New Place, Guild Chapel was built when in 1269 the Guild of the Holy Cross was given permission to build a hospital and chapel in Stratford-upon-Avon. In 1500, Hugh Clopton, Lord Mayor of London paid for the Chapel’s wall paintings. Conservators now believe that the Guild Chapel’s walls display one of the few surviving pre-Reformation medieval schemes painted at the same time, and painted as one piece.

Guild Chapel

Guild Chapel Wall Painting

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage – Located slightly outside the town, this 600 year old thatched roof cottage was the childhood home of Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway. Inside, there are guides narrating the story of the Hathaway family, how Shakespeare met Anne, how he came to the house to ask for her hand from Anne’s father, the scandal their marriage caused etc. You can see many rare family items of furniture that date back to Anne’s time, including the finely carved, oak “Second Best Bed” that William left in his will for Anne.

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage Garden

Inside Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Why Second Best Bed? Because in those days, having a bed at home was a rarity and a symbol of wealth. People rarely slept on the Best Bed and it was more of a showpiece. The Second Best Bed was used by a couple and therefore to give that to Anne was an expression of William’s love and affection for her.

Mary Arden’s farm – Want to experience life in a Tudor farm? Then you’ll perhaps also like to visit Mary Arden’s Farm, which is the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother and is also a working Tudor farm. I did not have the time to go in and only saw the farm from outside and it looked fascinating. If you are going with kids it will be a great experience for them because there are lots of farm animals inside and interesting activities.

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre – If you are planning on staying overnight then you must definitely complete your Shakespeare experience with a show at The Royal Shakespeare Theatre. I missed out on the experience because I was there for only a few hours but if I ever go back, I’m definitely booking a ticket for myself.

River Avon – A walk along the river Avon or even a river cruise is a must do here. Before going back we spent some time walking along the riverside, gazing at the beautiful swans, clicking pictures and also enjoying a snack of crepes and strawberries. The peaceful atmosphere and the beauty of the place is soul soothing!

River Avon, Stratford-upon-Avon

Bank of River Avon

Useful Resources

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Viator Sightseeing Stratford-upon-Avon Hop=on Hop-off Tour

Royal Shakespeare Company

I hope this guide was useful and you enjoyed reading about my travel story. If you have been to Stratford-upon-Avon, I would love to know your experience and your stories. Do share in the comments below.

The Tempest

Pics – Niladri Chakraborty

My Weekend Stay At The Park Hotel, Hyderabad

March 25, 2018

Since late last year, Hyderabad has pretty much become my second home thanks to work. However, like all business trips, my stay would start on a Monday and get over on a Friday evening so I could never really see much of the city. It was just hotel to office and back to the hotel at night and the same old routine for five days. This month, I spent nearly 2.5 weeks in the city and got a chance to explore. And also, thanks to The Park Hotel, Hyderabad, I spent a weekend in their beautiful property and felt like royalty.

The Park’s Chronicles of the Deccan

The Park Hotel, Hyderabad

Location:

One of the best features of The Park Hotel, Hyderabad is undoubtedly the location. It overlooks the Hussain Sagar Lake so the view from the rooms is incredible. Hussain Sagar is one of the most popular sights in Hyderabad and I was told not to miss out on watching the sunrise and sunset by the lake. I did not have to venture outside at all for the view because all I had to do for those two days was to just walk up to the window and see the beauty unfolding right in front of my eyes.

Traveller’s Tip – If you are staying at The Park, definitely opt for the Lake View rooms.

Another reason why The Park Hotel, Hyderabad can be a perfect choice for a tourist visiting the city is again the location. Major tourist spots like Charminar, Salar Jung Museum, Chowmahallah Palace, the old city is all within a distance of 30-45 mins. Considering Hyderabad’s traffic scene, it definitely makes sense to stay somewhere near these places if you are a tourist.

Read on to know more about the property, the rooms and the dining options.

Continue Reading . . .

Top Ten Things To Do When You Visit Johor In Malaysia

November 27, 2017

The first time I visited Johor was nearly twenty years back. At that time, my dad used to go to Malaysia frequently for work and on one such trip, my mom and I tagged along. I was in the capital city of Johor Bahru only for a day and did not get time to see much. A few days back, I got the opportunity to visit Johor once again and this time, I spent four days exploring the beautiful state with Air Asia and Tourism Johor.

Air Asia is starting direct flights from Kolkata to Johor

Malay Traditional Dance

About Johor

Johor is located in the southern part of Malaysia. It is surrounded by Pahang in the north, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan in the northwest, and the Straits of Johor in the south, which separates Johor and Singapore. Because of its location, Johor is an excellent holiday destination. If you want a beach holiday, head to one of the many islands off the coast. If nature and wildlife is your thing, Endau-Rompin National Park offers a brilliant experience. And if the city life attracts you more, head to Johor Bahru for shopping, amusement parks, sightseeing, and only a 5 minute shuttle train ride to Singapore!

Rawa Island, Johor, Malaysia

How to get to Johor? If you are in Kolkata, there is very good news. You no longer need to go via KL because Air Asia is starting direct flights from Kolkata to Johor Bahru from the 28th of November, five times a week at very reasonable prices.

What to do when you come to Johor? Continue reading to find out..

Top Ten Things To Do When You Visit Johor

1. Stay at Legoland Hotel and enjoy the Legoland Malaysia Resort Experience – If you have kids or even if you don’t, this should be on your agenda while visiting Johor. Legoland is Malaysia’s first international theme park and the first Legoland in Asia. There are more than 70 rides, slides, shows and attractions for families and children of all ages.

Legoland Hotel

Legoland Malaysia Resort has a Legoland Park with Lego Technic, Lego Kingdoms, Imagination, Land of Adventure, Lego City and Miniland, where miniature replicas of Asia’s popular landmarks made with more than 30 million Lego bricks can be seen. The resort also has the Legoland Water Park with the Lego Wave Pool, Slides and other ‘splashtastic’ rides and the Legoland Hotel, the ultimate staycation destination for your holidays. From the spectacular dragon guarded entrance to interactive Lego features to the fully Lego-themed bedrooms and lobby complete with Lego pirate ship and Lego castle, the hotel is packed with Lego-awesomeness in every nook and corner.

Legoland Hotel

Legoland Malaysia

Legoland offers a number of packages that you can book online to suit your needs. Check out their website for details.

2. Say Hello to Hello Kitty at Sanrio Hello Kitty Town and Play with the Angry Birds at The Angry Birds Activity Park – Sanrio Hello Kitty Town is a treat for Hello Kitty fans. It is the first Hello Kitty theme park outside Japan and the park’s highlights include Black Wonder, a state-of-the-art interactive experience and Kitty House, filled with everything Hello Kitty from top to bottom. A must-do here is to watch a live performance by Hello Kitty and friends at the Town’s Purrfect stage.

Sanrio Hello Kitty Town, Johor

One of the most downloaded games of all time, has come to life at the Angry Birds Activity Park in Johor Bahru. The indoor park covers 26,000 sq.ft. and is located in the premises of Komtar JBCC, Johor Bahru City Centre’s premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination. The activity park offers a wide variety of fun games and attractions suitable for toddlers, kids, youth and adults alike. I did not try any of the games here but few of my friends were brave enough to try the Space Drop Airbag where you have to jump off from a platform onto an airbag below. Other interesting attractions here are the Laser Maze Spaceship where you have to manoeuvre through lasers without touching them, Angry Birds GO! Kart Track, Birds Nest Climbing Track, Air Parkour Track and many others.

Angry Birds Activity Park

Angry Birds Activity Park Johor

3. Shop For Less at Johor Premium Outlets – Want to buy from luxury brands like Gucci, Coach, Furla, Michael Kors, Aigner etc at low prices? Johor Premium Outlets is where you must go then. JPO is a huge shopping centre and consists of all the premium luxury brands along with a few Malaysian brands as well. The reason why JPO is so popular is because you discounts at all the stores throughout the year. Everywhere I went, I saw boards with 50% off, 70% off etc hung outside.

Johor Premium Outlets

4. Enjoy the sights of Johor Bahru on a Trishaw – Possibly the best way to roam around the city centre. Hop into a trishaw and enjoy a 2.2 km journey through the Street of Harmony, where several places of worship are located, JB bazaar, a museum and Sungai Segget.

Trishaw rides organised by Johor Tourism

5. Eat Traditional Malay Food At Dapor Warisan – Dapor Warisan is located inside the Sultan Abu Bakar Heritage Complex and if you want to get a taste of authentic Malay food, this is where you should go. The restaurant offers a selection of traditional food like Nasi Ambeng, Tenggiri, Laksa, Mi Kolok etc. Try and go during a weekend for dinner because then you will also get to see cultural performances as well.

Malay Food

Malay Traditional Dance

6. Experience Johor’s History, Heritage, Culture and Nature at Kota Iskandar – Kota Iskandar is the Johor state administrative centre and one of Malaysia’s iconic landmarks. It is said to represent many things about Johor – ‘the heart of its politics, a storybook of its heritage, a thriving tourist hub, and the pride of its people‘.

Kota Iskandar

At Kota Iskandar, you can pray or marvel at the architectural brilliance of the Kota Iskandar mosque that serves as a visual gateway to the administrative centre. You can watch democracy in action at the State Legislative Assembly Hall, Malaysia’s first parliament that’s open to the public. You can relax in the many lush gardens, such as the fragrant Laman Kasturi (Musk Lime Garden) and Laman Bunga Rampai (Potpourri Garden). You can read about the state’s rich history at the Heritage Wall or take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the scenic views of the surrounding attractions.

Kota Iskandar

7. Get Back to Nature At Desaru Fruit Farm – Situated on 100 acres of land, Desaru Fruit Farm is a one of a kind experience. Packed with over 100 varieties of tropical fruits, plants, a petting zoo, koi fish pond and other attractions, a visit here promises an interesting experience for the whole family. Here, you get to know about different fruits, herbs and plants, get a crash course on all things honey, feast on fresh fruits from the farm, enjoy a buffet that includes dishes made with fruits and indulge in outdoor activities like paintball and dirt kart ride.

Desaru Fruit Farm

8. Play a Round of Golf at The Els Club Desaru Coast – Take the exhilarating natural setting of the Desaru Coast and the South China Sea, add the golfing mind of Ernie Els and the result is The Els Club Desaru Coast.

The Els Club Desaru Coast

I know nothing of golf but I can tell you that if I played the game, I would love to come to The Els Club to practice my swing. The three nine hole loops – The Lakes, The Coast and The Ridge, make up the distinct course layout. The 45,000 sq foot clubhouse overlooks the golf course and academy and offers plenty of comfortable corners to relax, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy service from the two casual dining restaurants. The Els Club also includes a fully stocked golf shop, practice areas for chipping and putting, private golf lessons at the EPGA Par 3 Academy and offers various corporate and golf packages.

The Els Club Desaru Coast

9. Soak up the Sun at the Beaches of Desaru Coast – Located on the south eastern tip of the Malaysian Peninsular, Desaru’s sandy white beaches are said to be amongst the best in Malaysia. The beaches are clean, lined with casuarina trees and stretch 17 kilometres long. The coast is lined with plenty of hotels and the Malaysian Govt has big plans of developing the Desaru Coast. Westin, Anantara, Aman and Hard Rock are scheduled to open resorts next year and there are plans of building a waterpark and a retail and lifestyle village. This area will be the next big thing in Malaysia very soon!

Desaru Coast

10. Stay in a private island owned by the Sultan of Johor – No, you don’t need to be friends with the Sultan to go to Rawa Island. It is open to everyone except on days when he decides to visit.

Rawa Island, Johor

The highlight of my trip to Johor was definitely the stay at Rawa Island. To go there, you need to get into a ferry at Mersing Jetty and the ride takes about 30 minutes. Rawa is a small island and there are limited options for accommodation but the beauty of that small island will take your breath away. Think soft white sand and clear azure water. In terms of activities, you can go for snorkeling, swimming, beach volleyball, windsurfing, sailing and fishing. For people seeking a relaxed holiday, you can’t find a more idyllic location than this one.

Rawa Island, Johor

From a bustling city life with swanky malls and amusement parks to breathtakingly beautiful postcard-perfect islands with white sand and azure water beaches, Johor is an excellent holiday destination that must be explored. It is wonderful that Air Asia is making it so much easier to visit Johor from Kolkata this month onward. I had one of my best holidays there recently and I really recommend you to visit as well. In my next post, I will share details of some of the places where you can stay in Johor. Stay tuned!

I was invited to visit Johor as part of the media FAM trip organised by Air Asia and Johor Tourism. If you are planning a trip to #Johor, check out AirAsia for the best deals.