greenery

creep, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

it was truly clean and green, very refreshing...

warli painting

warli painting, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

the cottage entrances had hand painted warli art work adding that personal touch, each cottage has a different and unique theme...

solar panels

solar panels for heating water, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

and what I admired the most was that the cottages were equipped with solar panels that were used to heat water for bathing... it was a great idea to use up all the sun energy and not have to rely on the fluctuating electricity supply in this area....

sun and hammocks

sun and hammocks, great combination, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

and what is a beach holiday without the warm sun and lazy hammocks.. enjoy your own personal space around your cottage...

cottages

swing by, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

the cottages are compact, clean and very cosy... each one has its own front yard with a stone table and garden chairs.. and not to be missed, a gorgeous old style yellow metal garden swing nestled between plants...

wonderful to go back to the simple joys of living in a little more space than Mumbai flats allow for...

botanical garden and pond

botanical garden and pond, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

all over the place you can see local Indian plants, herbs, shrubs, trees and creepers... all growing in harmony, neatly labeled.. and this small beautifully green pond right next to the dining area, a delight to watch...

forget farmville

forget farmville :P, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

yes.. forget farm ville on FaceBook and try the farm life for real :) everything from the vegetables and eggs to milk is organic and grown in house.. it was fun to see the cowshed and chicken coops at the farm.

hand made furniture

hand made furniture from fallen tree branches, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

the karpe couple strongly believe in recycling and we found they had even made their dining furniture from what seemed like fallen tree branches from their farms... it was sturdy, rustic and good looking and gave everyone a sense of being part of a greater good, recycling and helping the environment.

dining area

dining area, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

there is enough parking space and once we parked, we headed straight for the food :) the dining area is clean, open and airy, right next to the kitchen... everyone staying in the 10 odd cottages on karpe farms gathers here at meal times to chit chat and dine... there are no waiters and you are expected to self serve, feel free to enjoy as much as you like...

karpe farms

karpe farms, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

the drive to karpe farms is nice and not very tiring if you go on a low traffic day. We reached around 3 pm after a ride of about 4 hours from Mumbai. Lunch was just being served and we enjoyed the lovely homemade Maharashtrian thali... the food is one of the highlights of this farm and you can enjoy organic farm produce cooked by hand by the couple that runs the farm and their staff...

here is a link to their website http://www.karpewadi.com/

korlai fort lighthouse

korlai fort lighthouse, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

the lighthouse is beautiful and white... the climb up its steep and narrow staircase is fun and something to look forward to...Madhav took us to the top of the lighthouse, from where we could see the actual light flashing...the view of ocean was stunning, the colors captivating...

korlai fort

korlai fort ruins, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

this was the main entrance to the korlai fort ruins... and a nice place to sit and watch the sunset

Korlai fort ruins

Korlai fort was built in the 15th century by the Portuguese in an attempt to establish their sovereignty. It was huge and massive and strong, but the best feature was its strategic, killer location. What remains of the Korlai fort are just ruins now, but the location is still incredible. The walk up the stairs is totally worth it when you reach the fort and take a look at the view of the ocean... its so vast that you will even be able to see the water currents in the ocean...

we got lucky as we made it up just before sunset and could get a nice clear sky and open ocean before it got dark...

climb up the hill

the crazy steep climb from the lighthouse to the fort, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

we really enjoyed the crazy steep climb from the lighthouse to the fort... just behind the light house are the stairs that lead up to the fort or rather the ruins of the fort that remain... the stairs are broken in places and very narrow, so its best to at least climb up while there is light.. watch the sunset from the top of the fort and later alight...in the far top left is the light house below me over looking the sea...its also a good idea to have a torch handy for the climb down

Korlai Fort Lighthouse

, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

this was my first visit to a real and functional lighthouse and needless to say I was very excited... we were to visit the korlai light house, very close to our stay destination karpe farms...

as you move towards kashid from alibag, you pass a huge banner announcing korlai... ask anyone for the lighthouse and you will be directed up a treacherous path leading to the light house...

korlai light house is on the foot of the korlai hills, which has the great Portuguese built Korlai Fort ( http://www.dgllnoida.gov.in/mumbai/KORLAI%20FORT.html )...the light house was simple and clean... and a gentleman named Madhav runs the place.. he will be delighted to show you around the light house and also give the entire history in a 15 min tour... the entry fee is rs 20 and he does not accept any tips...

the korlai fort lighthouse is an amateur hikers and photographers delight...

sunsets

, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

sunsets by the country side beaches are a sight to be seen... calm and serene, with hardly any population around to pollute the scenic charm and natural goodness of these amazing beaches... though I write about them and advertise, I hope every one who visits has great civic sense and takes responsibility to keep these amazing beaches clean... here I caught a shot by the sunset, near the korlai fort lighthouse

shepherd

, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

this is what I travel for... beautiful countryside and lovely country people....

weekend getaway

headed out of mumbai, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

OK, so Im going to take a break from the great wall of Mumbai project to share some pictures of my recent weekend getaway...the wall pictures will return soon :)


took the opportunity this valentines day weekend, to travel out of Mumbai for a couple of days... had good company, a couple of deep's office friends, who i was meeting for the first time... and as it turned out, they were super...

so here we were bags packed, heading out of Mumbai at about 11 am on a Sunday, so the roads were pretty OK and the sun was just right...we were heading for Karpewadi or Karpefarms as it is also known....

peace

peace, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

peace be with you !
love the cool 60s feel of this art work !

head in the air

, originally uploaded by radicaleye.

Loved the cute lil birdie singing to the tall giraffe with his head in the air !