Glittering waterways, blooming parks and nightlife aplenty welcome the adventure seeker to the Irish capital. Saumya Sinha feasts her eyes on lush landscapes, beautiful Georgian architecture and striking street art in the city
I try to be judicious when describing a city as magical, but after just four days in the Irish capital I’m sure Dublin deserves this accolade. Besides the world-famous breweries and pubs — the ultimate passion of the Paddies — the Gaelic town has a lot on offer. This is the city where James Joyce set his highly acclaimed novel Ulysses, where Gulliver’s Travels began and where Oscar Wilde was born. Home to some of the most celebrated wordsmiths, Dublin’s lexical landscape comes as no surprise. But it’s the energy of the buzzing local markets, the humour contained in centuries-old history, a flavoursome bite of the freshly baked soda bread, and above all a taste of the unmatchable Irish hospitality that cast their irrevocable spells on me.
VINTAGE WONDERS
As someone who is thrilled by the idea of solo travel, I jump at the opportunity of using my first few hours in the city on an independent tour on the hop-on hop-off buses. Once aboard, I prop myself on the open top of the double decker to get the best views of the vibrant city. As we journey through some of the attractions, I’m amused by the live commentary of the guide-cum-driver who sure has the gift of the gab or, as the locals would say, has kissed the Blarney Stone! From the comfort of my seat, I appreciate the glorious expanse of the Trinity College, obsessively overuse my camera as we pass the iconic Guinness Storehouse and fall in love with the many beautiful bridges on the River Liffey that flows through the city. I make notes of all the places I would come back to when I have some me-time and the lanes I would wander aimlessly in, just soaking in all the beauty.
This story is from the August 2017 edition of Verve.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2017 edition of Verve.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Making Amends
This generation’s penchant for thoughtless consumption gets Madhu Jain roiled up, and she wonders if nature is getting its own back for our missteps…
Diamonds With Provenance
In keeping with the company’s commitment to environmental and social responsibility, Anisa Kamadoli Costa, chief sustainability officer at Tiffany & Co. and chairman and president at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, enlightens Shirin Mehta on the efforts that make the jewellery giant an industry leader in transparency
SARTORIAL ECONOMICS
Sisters Tashi and Tara Mitra demonstrate to Akanksha Pandey how deviating from the mainstream can bend the way we think, live and dress
NOTES TO SELF
An anthropomorphized tiger’s perspective, a viscerally worded futuristic interpretation of loss, a critique of performative activism, a meta reflection on the earth’s crises. Told through different lenses, Janaki Lenin, Indrapramit Das, Keshava Guha and Roshan Ali’s stories — written exclusively for Verve — attempt to make sense of the fraught reality that we exist in today
The Eternal Optimist
As Generation X and xennials grapple with fully transitioning to conscious living, young millennials and Generation Z are leading the charge to reverse human-caused environmental damage. Sahar Mansoor, founder and CEO of the Bengaluru-based zero-waste social enterprise Bare Necessities, has a simple overarching philosophy: consume less and stay positive. Verve gets deeper into the mindset of the action-oriented earth advocate
Redemption SONGS
Indian music festivals have been demonstrating a refreshing sense of responsibility in terms of their ecological impact. Interacting with stakeholders who strive to make these large-scale events greener, Akhil Sood investigates the reasons behind the improved attitudes of audiences and the increase in corporate support.
earth hour
Crafted using nature’s elements, these dials draw inspiration from the many heterogeneous materials and hues around us.Verve turns its lens onto a mesmerising few
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Children are holding adults accountable for both the grim future they are facing and the toll this is taking on their mental health. Madhumita Bhattacharyya initiates conversations with families of young climate activists and observes the extent to which parenting has changed in the face of catastrophe
NATURAL JUSTICE
Most of us are only just waking up to the urgency of climatic action. When the stakes are so high, what can individual action solve? Mridula Mary Paul, an environmental policy expert, is proof of the tenacity needed to effect systemic change. It’s not glamorous, and the rewards are few and far between, but that doesn’t stop her from aiming big, finds Anandita Bhalerao
Along For The Ride
Navigating Indian streets as a woman is hard enough. But what is it like while riding a bicycle? Bengaluru-based Shreya Dasgupta, a regular cyclist, speaks to five urban women about the pros and cons of this increasingly popular means of transport.