IN "HAPPY TOGETHER" (1997), directed by Wong Kar-wai, two gay men from Hong Kong—Ho Po-Wing (Leslie Cheung) and Lai Yiu-Fai (Tony Leung ChiuWai)—travel to Argentina to see the Iguazu Falls. Their voyage, however, ends in disaster and disappointment: They run out of money and break up. Despite several attempts to reconcile, their relationship is marred; yet, through all their troubles in a foreign land, where they are stranded, Ho and Lai fantasise about the Iguazu Falls, a metonym of sorts, a signifier of the possibilities of travel, love, and fulfilment that constantly eludes them.
From Homer's epic "Odyssey," written around the 8th century BC, the story of a remarkable journey undertaken by Odysseus from Troy to his homeland Ithaca, to Sinbad's adventures in the "Arabian Nights" to our contemporary narratives, humans have written almost obsessively about travel, real or imaginary.
The roots of cinema, too, are intricately related to travel.
CASABLANCA: A PLACE OF GREATER SAFETY
As wars raged worldwide from Ukraine to Gaza, the American Film Institute (AFI) named the Hollywood classic "Casablanca" the greatest war film ever. Released only a year after the US entry into the Second World War and set in Casablanca on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, the film's appeal owes much to the conflict it portrays.
American expatriate Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) runs the Café Américain in Casablanca. He claims to be disinterested in politics and the conflict tearing Europe apart — "Your business is politics; mine is running a saloon." The reason for his cynicism is Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), with whom he had a relationship in Paris before she jilted him on the eve of the Nazi invasion of the French capital.
This story is from the February - March 2024 edition of Outlook Traveller.
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This story is from the February - March 2024 edition of Outlook Traveller.
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JHARKHAND IN A SIP
IN VAST URBAN SPRAWLS where life pulsates frenetically, we often surrender to the convenience of pre-packaged sustenance.
SWEET SIN
FROM THE LEGENDARY STORES IN OLD TOWN TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST CHOCOLATE MUSEUM, FOLLOW THIS CHOCOLATE TRAIL THROUGH ZÜRICH TO DISCOVER HOW A MISTAKE GAVE THE WORLD THE IRRESISTIBLE SWISS MILK CHOCOLATE
FROM INTENT TO ACTION
IT'S DIFFICULT TO CONVINCE TRAVELLERS AND INDUSTRY PLAYERS TO PRACTICE SUSTAINABILITY. CAN THE FIELD OF BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE SHIFT INDUSTRY-WIDE ATTITUDES TO MAKE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM THE NORM?
LAND OF THE SKY
MONGOLIA'S VAST LANDSCAPES BECKON WITH SWEEPING STEPPES AND RUGGED BEAUTY, WHERE NOMADIC TRADITIONS HARMONISE WITH UNTOUCHED WILDERNESS
Of Mountains And Lakes
Slovenia Is A Charming European Getaway With Lovely Cities, Spa Towns, Nature Parks And Cool Party Hotspots At A Price That Won't Make You Bankrupt
Can Travel Insurance Be Your Friend?
Tapan Singhel, Md And CEO Of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, Talks About The Importance Of Buying A Comprehensive Travel Insurance Policy And How It Can Ensure Your Mental Peace
KENYA
If you want to experience a diversity of environments, visiting Kenya should be on your bucket list.
PEARL OF THE DANUBE
WITH AFFORDABLE ATTRACTIONS, IMPOSING ARCHITECTURE, EXCELLENT STREET FOOD AND VIBRANT NIGHTLIFE, BUDAPEST MAKES FOR A VALUE-FOR-MONEY EUROPEAN DESTINATION
SECRETS OF SIRPUR
STEPPING OFF THE PLANE in Raipur, the sweltering sun greeted me with a stifling embrace.
A SLICE OF ITALY
THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE in Naples is Diego Maradona. His face appears as graffiti on the walls under bridges, as murals covering the side of buildings, painted on café chairs, imprinted on bedroom sheets, and even marketed on energy drinks.
