globaltravel

Travel Plug Set.

2009-05-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Power is one thing that everybody likes and needs. Without power it is difficult to survive, by which I mean electric power. And charger is one such instrument that requires constant power, which is got by charging often. Imagine, while you are on travel abroad and your charger or adapter that powers your mobile goes dry and to your chagrin you find it not compatible in the supply point in the other nation. Relax. You may now add to your paraphernelia the 'Swiss Military Adapter' that features a three-in-one travel plug set, which is compatible across 150 countries. Get recharged with full zest while you are on tour abroad with this adapter.

Annual Flower Show in Yercaud - June 5 to June 7.

2009-05-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

Yercaud, known for its cardamom and coffee estates is gearing up for the annual flower show scheduled from June 5 to June 7. The 'poor man's Ooty' would show off more than 10,000 flowers for the show which is next only to Ooty. Yercaud, is situated above Salem in Tamilnadu state of India and has all the elements of a hill station waiting to entertain a traveler. Canine show and boat race would also form part of the festival and before I forge, important tourist spots in Yercaud such as Anna Park, Pagoda point, and the lake is being spruced up for better ambience. The district administration is making elaborate transport arrangements to facilitate tourist arrivals. Book mark June 5 to June 7 if anybody has ideas to be in Tamilnadu at that time.

'Sky Restaurant' in Tel Aviv - Israel

2009-05-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

It was the first of sorts in Belgium. And now it's in Tel Aviv, Israel. If you are in the old city of Jaffa, do have fun in the restaurant where you will be lifted to a height of about 133 feet to have an aeriel view of the city. A 120 ton crane capable of lifting a platform with 22 customers and 5 staff to serve tasty Israeli cuisine, takes them all up in the air so high to have an exhilarating experience. The name given is 'Dinner in the Sky'. No worry about safety. People are fastened to seat belts and bingo! Now the only thing left is to go in for some tasty items sitting atop hundreds of feet. A unique experience in await indeed. By the way, Israel is already for its 'Pago Pago' floating restaurant in water.

It’s festive time in Eiffel Tower – Paris

2009-05-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Gustave Eiffel created this marvel and has gone into history forever. 120 years have passed since 1889, but the monument is young in pulling crowds from all over the world. One would find pride in saying he visited Eifel Tower in Paris. To commemorate its 120^th birthday, Paris has gone into the festive mode. Anybody nearby Paris even as you read this? Get the feel of the longstanding monument and also the party mood of the French.

It’s bed of roses in Ooty now

2009-05-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Ooty in Tamilnadu, India is now booming with travelers. It’s summer and the season is synonymous with Ooty. The boom of travelers and the bloom of roses is the talk of the town. The Flower show in Ooty has started, which has blossoms of different varieties of roses, lilies, daisies enchanting tourists and the locals. Come, watch and enjoy the beauty of the flower that the first Prime Minister of India, Jawarharlal Nehru wore close to his heart. The old saying ‘A Rose is a Rose is a Rose’ is evergreen and the ongoing flower show hosting scores of varieties of roses stands testimony to the adage.

'Bun Bang Fai' - Rocket Firing Festival in Laos.

2009-05-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

If you were in Laos, you may not like to miss the 'Bun Bang Fai' or the rocket firing festival, which resembles the Diwali that is celebrated in India. If Diwali - the festival of lights is celebrated in India to commemorate the Triumph of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakusara, Bun Bang Fai is a festival in which serious salvos are fired in the air that is believed to bring rain on the country sides.

A good crop yield is the expectation which the rockets are believed to bring after profuse rains. The belief exists for several centuries and till today, the festival carries gaiety and fun filled excitement with cross-dressed Laos' people enjoying themselves with Lao whiskey, beer and 'sato'- a sort of brewed rice alcohol akin to the Japanese 'sake'. Sounds interesting... right.

By the way, Laos is a landlocked Southeast Asian country bordered by Burma, China, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. The country has UNESCO world heritage sites 'Luang Prabang' - famous for 'Kuang Si' falls and 'Pak Ou caves', and 'Wat Phou' - that has a mountain with a natural 'linga' ( nuclear reactor shaped structure). This is considered to be sacred as linga pertains to Lord Shiva and the mountain is considered his abode. The country is seeking similar status for its 'Plain of Jars'. Vientaine is the capital of Laos.

Butterfly breeding in Rome

2009-05-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

All roads lead to Rome; and this is especially true for butterflies. The most elegant and beautiful color stuffed creature is finding lot of patronage in Gardens at Rome. Romans are engaged in rearing butterflies in gardens which enables good natural pollination and adds beauty to the eyes of beholders. They are also teaching people who visit such gardens about techniques involved in raising butterflies. If you are in Rome, make an enquiry about these gardens and have a visual treat to look at the colorful flying creatures. You may also come to know the ways and means to bring them up in your native garden.

Crowning glory for Statue of Liberty in New York

2009-05-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

Hardly a couple of months away and New York on America’s Independence Day would be on an important event. The most important tourist landmark of New York, the lady of liberty would have her crown reopened on America’s Independence Day this July 4. The statue of Liberty’s crown was closed to the public since the 2001 attacks, which has taken nearly 8 years for the crown to get reopened for public view.

Jhelum River in Kashmir gets attention

2009-05-18T19:56:00.001-07:00

Kashmir is serious about eco-tourism and it’s quite evident from the boating race in ‘Jhelum River’ that adds beauty to the state’s prolonged list of tourism avenues. The Kashmir Rafters Association recently conducted a boating race on Jhelum River, Where many enthusiastic boaters took part in hundreds to sensitize tourists and locals on the hazards of polluting water bodies; and they had a right theme ‘Avoid Sanitation Before Waterbodies’. With improved tourist arrivals, the Jhelum also suffers from pollution. The locals and tourists thronging Kashmir throw lot of plastic and waste, which is making worse for the flow of Jhelum and its marine life. Several travelers and locals witnessed the event, which hopefully may bring a change atleast to some extent in reducing environmental abuse of the river.

Some interesting facts about 'Land of lightening and Thunder'

2009-05-11T02:41:00.000-07:00

Many may have heard about the sobriquet ' Land of Lightening and Thunder' for an Asian nation. But some may not know it. For those uninitiated, the land is 'Bhutan', which has some interesting facts to offer in the globalized era.

The population of Bhutan is just 70% of a million, but lying between the most populous nations on earth viz: India and China. It has only one airport with just two commercial planes available for cruise. The idiot box came into being in Bhutan just 10 years ago (probably that way the citizens may be assumed to be bit more intelligent than others), when the whole of the world was supposedly becoming worldy wise watching the television (which is otherwise known as the idiot box).

The east can be reached from west only after 4 days on mountainous terrains. And sorry... no puffing in Bhutan. Cigarettes are banned here and 'Thimpu' has no stoplight and just one traffic officer on duty. Thimpu happens to be the capital city and now one can imagine the regulated life of Bhutan, where the frontiers of technology and modernity are yet to pierce deep. The government is scaling on the concept of GNH (Gross National Happiness) than pushing their population to the wild goose chase of improving GNP (Gross National Product). The country has just shed its monarchy, though it has stuck to its traditional attire and architecture as enforced by law.

Do these facts interest anybody to make a try to this land of pristine values?

Air cruise at discounted prices

2009-05-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

'Jet Airways' is sweet sixteen now. At the brink of youth, the airways has decided to go in for a special offer starting May 1 during which passengers will receive thier baording passes in a special jacket that would carry a unique promotional code. This in addition to the airliner offering a special discount on base fares alongwith a slew of prizes to its passengers. Make hay while the sun shines! Incidentally it is summer too.

Constro2009

2009-05-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Going green is the latest buzzword; and the world getting a serious threat from global warming and related issues, green concept is entering every sphere. ‘Constro2009’ an international biennial event is scheduled for exhibiting construction machinery, materials, methods and projects. The eleventh such series is to be held from December 2 to 6 at Pune in India. The expo would have a special emphasis on green concepts of construction.

China, Germany, Italy, and France would be among the foreign nations that would have a special pavilion. Muenchen of Germany known for organizing BAU 2009, a successfully concluded international expo that showcased architecture and construction associated designs has co-sponsored ‘The Pune Construction Engineering Research Foundation’ (PCERF) – official organizers of the ‘Constroexpo2009’ . If any of the readers are interested to have a business travel on this area earmark the event in December. For further details of the expo regarding participation, logon to www.constroindia.org.

By the way you can also cool yourself in Pune, as the place has lot to offer in terms of lush greenery and hilly terrains. Lonavla and Khandala are in Pune, which give excellent views of hilly tracts and cool weather. December being winter, You have the dual benefit of seeing the expo and a cool experience at Pune. And before I forget, Pune is in the state of Maharashtra, India.

The tale of two cities

2009-05-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

The city of the clock of Big Ben may be one of the beautiful cities in the world, but when it comes to the surveys among the European nations, London has become suddenly become infamous for its ‘dirtiest and most expensive city’ status. TripAdvisor company had surveyed 2376 European travelers that felt the city had also the worst cuisine. The deterring factors were also the worst-dressed locals and most tourist traps, which have seen the London being rated the dirtiest European city for the second year in tandem. 36% of tourists voted London to be the dirtiest followed by Paris in second place with 9% voting for the French capital.

However not all is worse for London. The surveyed felt that London has the best free attractions, the best public parks and the best nightlife – the upbeat factors that any tourist wants in common. With tourism touted to be one of the sources of revenues in a recession era, the city authorities may want to address these deterring factors to build the city’s image.

Jammu & Kashmir Tourism and the Tulip Gardens.

2009-05-03T03:19:00.000-07:00

Jammu and Kashmir is known for its picturesque beauty filled with valleys, flowers and lakes. Boats wading through the lakes and snow capped mountains offer delight to the eyes of the beholder. Jammu & Kashmir tourism board is poised to promote eco-tourism with the co-operation of rural folks in remote areas. Home-stay visitors would have a soul-satisfying experience, as countryside exploration for foreign tourists is one of the key areas of focus. The state is determined to set the ball rolling on forest camps, adventure tourism, trekking, water rafting, bird watching and wetland visits.

Tourists can also have a feast for their eyes in the recently opened 'Tulip flower garden' in Kashmir. The tulip garden is supposed to be one of the biggest in Asia and is situated in the foothills of the Zabarwan mountains on the banks of the Dal lake in Srinagar. The expanse of the fertile land is called 'Sirajbagh' (Siraj Garden) filled with a plethora of 50 exotic varieties of Tulip flowers. of course, it was hard labor for the tourism authorities to bring consultants from Holland and develop the garden. with the beauty becoming breathtaking, Pahalgam and Gulmarg in Kashmir are to have additional Tulip gardens to enthrall domestic and foreign tourists.

The evidence is already there. Handful of bollywood producers have already shown an 'express interest' to shoot their films in these gardens. And tourists... it's now your turn to provide a feast of rioting color to your eyes. Come. Visit the garden and forget yourself.

Bookmark the place when you are on a trip to India.

The Sylvan ‘Sullivan Bungalow’ in Ooty, India.

2009-04-27T02:32:00.000-07:00

If somebody is in Ooty, 'The Queen of Hills’ or if you have plans to be there between May 1 and May 3, then you may consider yourself fortunate. What is the hype about? The historical ‘Sullivan Bungalow’ in the sylvan surroundings of Ooty is turning 190 years in May this year. The Nilgiris Documentation Centre has proposed to organize a three-day program from May 1 to May 3 in which the first day would have an exhibition about John Sullivan, the founder of Ooty. Inauguration of 'Nilgiris Souvenir Shop' & folk music and dance programs would be the highlight of second and third day respectively.

British Collector John Sullivan built the bungalow in 1819 at Kannerimukku Badaga village in Kotagiri during his maiden visit to the Nilgiris (Blue Mountains) in 1819. History has it that he stayed at the bungalow during his sojourns until 1823. The bungalow became the property of Church Missionary Society after the collector shifted to Ooty. It then changed hands to Madras Governor S R Lushinton who donated the building for the sick and poor European soldiers. The wheel of time rotates fast and finally a ‘Parsi’ ( a native of the erstwhile Persia) owned the bungalow somewhere up to 1880. The building was honored in 2002, when it was renovated in the year 2002 as the landmark of Ooty. Tourists can contact mobile no. 948663092 for further details.

Puducherry - India

2009-04-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

‘Puducherry’ or Pondicherry as it was popularly called is already known for its wonderful beach, its proximity to ‘Auroville’ – the unique international living community and above all- The ‘Aurobindo Ashram’. Now, you may add one more spot for your visit in case your make it to Puducherry. You would certainly love it further more in case you are a lover of birds and you love bird watching. However, you may not necessarily be an ‘Ornithologist’ just to watch the beauty of birds.

Make your way to ‘Oussudu Tank’ which measures 390 hectares located at 12 km west of Puducherry. Constructed during the Vijayanagar rule – the dynasty famous for the great king Krishnadevaraya, the place attracts around 51 different species of birds according to statistics by an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization). The Pondicherry government has declared ‘Oussudu Tank’, a sanctuary through a Government notification.

Plan for a fly in the hotelicoptor? Read more.

2009-04-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

You might have heard a helicopter called a ‘chopper’. Ever heard of the word ‘Hotelicoptor’? Well, as a tourist or a traveler, you would be at benefit to add the word in your lexicon. You may fly in the hotelicoptor and enjoy your travel with five star hotel facilities.

The hotelicoptor could be called a ‘flying hotel’. The Mil V12 modified by the Russians, the flying machine has 18 luxurious rooms with attached bar, dressing rooms, internet facilities etc. Tourists that have traveled opine they had unforgettable experience in the hotelicoptor. The hotelicoptor company has announced a holiday program, for which interested tourists can book in advance.

The first batch starts on 26 Apr and would fly over California for 14 days. The next 7 day trip would be in Jamaica on end July. There is a schedule for 16 days in the European nations too. Like to fly in the hotelicoptor? Now that you have seen the schedules, you may plan accordingly.

World Sand Art competition - Japan

2009-04-18T07:50:00.000-07:00

Sculpting is one of the best form of arts. Sculptors have shown the gift of thier hands in the World Sand Art competition in Tottori, Japan. The show was held from April 5 to April 15, where expert sculptors of sand from Australia, Spain, China, Russia, Holland, Czech Repulic, US, Canada and Germany participated. The International Sand Sculpture Committee invites participation.

Book mark the event in your diary for next year so you can keep track of the event and try to visit the place. By the way, Tottori is known for its San In beach party held every beginning of summer. The 'Shan- Shan festival' is also held every summer where people are seen dancing with umbrellas and traditional japanese dresses.

Peter Zumthor's famous designs in important tourist destinations

2009-04-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

What does the Kodumba Art Museum in Cologne, Germany, the Kensthaus Bregenz in Austria and the Saint Benedict Chapel in Switzerland , and the Thermal Bath at Vals in Switzerland have in common? These extraordinary marvels of arechitectue were created by Swiss Architect Peter Zumthor, who runs an office with a modest 15 people at Haldenstein in the swiss mountains. He will be the proud recipient of this year's Pritzker's Prize - the nobel equivalent of Architecture. He wil receive the award in Buenos Aires on May 29. Presented by the Hyatt Foundation, the prize carries a grant of $ 100000 and a bronze medallion.

Tourists heading to Germany, Austria and Switzerland may have a look at these buildings to see the genius in Peter Zumthor.

Get Straight to the bent pyramid at Dhahsur

2009-03-25T02:05:00.000-07:00

Pyramids have always been an area of interest of a global trotter. These ancient marvels are gettign more exposure with the decision to allow toursits to the 'bent pyramid in Dahshur village, 50 km south of Cairo. The estimatedly 450o year old, 330 feet tall pyramid fascinates viewers with the bent profile unlike other normal pyramids. Adding excitement to the news is the belief that Egyptian emperor Snefuru lies buried inside the pyramid.

Egypt's Chief Archaeologist Zahir Hawass shares his experience as to how he tied his legs to ropes in order not to miss inside the 'maze' in one of the nearby pyramids. And this was nearly 25 years ago. Several neighbouring pyramids are already accessible to tourists. Ina month or two, tourists are likely to be allowed to enter the pyramid with the irregular profile.

Only 5% of tourists are making it to th pyramids of Dahshur. Now it's your opportunity to enter inside the pyramid and claim to be another visitor to these pyramids - just in case you happen to visit Cairo.

2008-12-10T03:26:00.000-08:00

Now monuments can even play a double role – Welcome to Taj Mahal of Bangladesh.

It’s sad that Mumbai’s Taj was in an inferno for a while. But, you can expect to have a sojourn to a new ‘Taj Mahal’ that would be a ‘near cousin’ for the existing one at Agra, India. And you needn’t go too far. It’s coming up 30km northeast of capital city Dhaka of Bangladesh.

Bangladeshi filmmaker Ahsanullah Moni is expediting the construction with specialist architects to scale the length and breadth of the original Taj Mahal in India. Moni, inspired at his maiden visit to the original monument in 1980, has imported marble and granite from Italy. Diamonds came from Belgium, which would adorn the new replica of the mechanized construction of Taj Mahal. This fact assumes significance as the original wonder of the world used only human labor of 22,000 people to be constructed over a period of 20 years.

Moni has poured a generous $58 million in the making of the new Taj, which he says he built for the love of Shah Jahan. Started in 2003, the Taj is being spruced up with final additions and is likely to be opened to public in the near future. You may bookmark the ‘near cousin’ for your viewing, if you make it to Bangladesh.

Walrus inside four walls at Istanbul - Turkey

Did you know Walrus inside four walls can amuse public akin to Dolphins? If you wish to have to see such a female Walrus whistling, clapping, saluting, dancing to music and all such enjoyable acts, you may visit the private museum at Turkey’s capital Istanbul.

The trainers have excellently domesticated the Walrus that welcomes spectators, dances to music, claps, blows a whistle (not a whistleblower of course) and even mimes the action of her master. The show is pulling huge crowd to the museum, which may be an important to place to visit.

A Lion at the Trafalgar Square – London

Fear not for there is no real Lion at the Trafalgar Square. The dummy of a Lion is right now sitting in the most famous square of London to greet and welcome visitors. Christmas is fast approaching. The added need to woo more visitors in the growing recession period and terrorism threats around the globe call for novel methods to attract tourists. The Lion also speaks sans its usual roar. UK bound tourists may not like to miss the Lion at the square. Don’t worry. The king of the jungle is not going to encircle anybody in the square.

2008-11-27T06:42:00.001-08:00

Simpson Desert Conservation Park to be out of bounds for sometime December onwards

Tourists who might have added the Simpson Desert Conservation Park and Regional Reserve in South Australia may have to take a disappointment – if the itinerary is between Dec 1 of 2008 and March 15 of next year.

According to sources of The South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage, the step has been taken in the interest of the tourists taking into consideration the extreme heat that touches 40 to 50 degrees Celsius during the season.

An official of the department has also opined that many do not have the experience for such a crossing in the desert and they do so devoid of a properly equipped vehicle with radio communications and recovery gear in case of an emergency. The soft summer sand dunes increased the chance of vehicle being bogged down and causing breakdown. Travelers please take note of the comments. Be prepared with the cautionary notes as told by the expert in the department in case you make it to Simpson Desert.

2008-11-25T17:32:00.000-08:00

Tiruvannamalai in Tamilnadu - India, attracts westerners

Nowadays, there are many westerners being seen in one of the spiritual epicenters of Tamilnadu state in India. Tiruvannamalai is abuzz with westerners that are thronging in hundreds to prove that it’s a genuine retreat for the peace-cum-bliss loving. Tiruvannamalai is the land of the siddhas or the class of the self-realized who are believed to still occupy spaces in the ‘Arunachala’ mount in search of the divine.

The land is believed to be one of the abodes of Lord Shiva in the form of mountain and famous for the ‘Ramanashram’ – the place where his holiness Ramana Maharishi attained enlightenment. Maharishi means a great seer and true to his spiritual quest he was revered and continues to be deified by the majority of his times. Paul Brunton was one of the famous authors who settled down in Tiruvannamalai and wrote in detail about the great seer. There are many such spiritual retreats around the Tiruvannamalai Mountain, which thousands of devotees circumambulate every full moon day.

Hundreds of westerners are drinking the nectar of tranquil that Tiruvannamalai has to offer. Westerners scouting for peace and harmony have gainfully employed themselves and are settling down here. It’s common sight to see westerners sitting at roadside tea shops with smiles writ large on their faces. Lots of them can be seen in the internet browsing centers and market places being blended with the local populace.

Peter runs a German restaurant in Tiruvannamalai and he stays with his family. A woman from the western hemisphere on an interview to one of the leading satellite channels said that she was happy to stay in Tivuvannamalai and her children are studying there. She wished her visa was extended, but feels chances are remote. Another westerner said he prayed ‘Bhagwan’ (god) to allow him to stay forever in Tiruvannamalai.

If you wish to see yourself the facts, you may come to Chennai and visit Tirvannamalai, which is about 4.5 hrs by bus from the capital. You may alternatively make it up from Pondicherry or Puducherry after visiting ‘Aurobindo Ashram’ and ‘Auroville’ near Pondy.

2008-11-23T04:47:00.000-08:00

Belly Dancing in Indian Railway route - A proposal by IRCTC.

‘If you have the inclination, we have the time- the exact time’. This was the advert of HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools) of India for the Indian masses long ago.

‘If you have the money, we will provide the entertainment’ may be the implicit message conveyed by IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation- an arm of the Indian Railways that looks into the travel and hospitality requirements for its passengers.

The latest buzzword of IRCTC is the introduction of ‘Belly Dancers’ in train and the proposal is true. You need not be taken by surprise as to whether it’s really happening in India. Targeted at high end passengers and aiming to give a touch of renewed tourism, IRCTC is set to introduce ‘Belly dancing’, which Russian belly dancers would do in the Kolkata- Goa- Mumbai train. The added bonanza is that the train would pass through Goa and there would be a brief sojourn there.

In addition to hip gyration of belly dancers, passengers can have toast with bollywood actors. Gorgeous train hostesses akin to airhostesses would also be there to greet the travelers. IRCTC has joined hands with the Kolkata based tour operator ‘I-Nova’ to provide these facilities for the changing mindset of travelers in Train. The train would have 16 coaches, which would depart Kolkata on Jan 2 and return on 11 Jan. The fare is fixed at Rs.35,000/- per passenger ( about $ US 700) and would include a boarding pass, Doctors and Nurses to take care of emergencies.

If any of my readers would like to be part of the 700 passenger capacity train, log onto net for further details. Luck smiles for those interested, in the form of a shipping cruise and dances at Goa. A five-star hotel stay at Mumbai is also on the cards for those that choose the route.

2008-11-19T06:23:00.001-08:00

For your ice only – Ice sculpture festival in Bremen, Germany

Is anybody over there in Germany? Don’t you waste a moment to see the ice sculpture festival in Bremen North Germany. Sculpting is a special art requiring artistic mindset and precision. Carving on ice requires much more eye for detail and special nuances to bring the cold bar into a hot selling piece.

Around 40 artists are expected to carve 28 figures centered on Grimm’s fairy tales at an ice sculpture festival at Bremen. The exhibits would include an 18 feet horse sculpture by a Russian Carver. For tourists it’s real chilly news for a cool tour in Germany.

Eleventh Annual New York Chocolate Show

It was a sweet occasion, where chocolates dominated with a difference. The 11th annual New York chocolate show on the Hudson River had sweet catwalks, where models walked the ramps in chocolate outfits. The week long New York Chocolate Show offered Chocolate makers an opportunity to display demonstration of their chocolate recipes in different forms of outfits.

A bodybuilder carrying chocolate dumbbells to exhibit the outfit designed by chocolate maker Jacques Torres and Narciso Rodriguez - who designed the red-and -black election - night dress of the better half of the US President elect, was one of the centre of attractions. Models in chocolates depicting Lara Croft, Bat Girl and Warrior Princess were additional attractions of the show, which was first started by Sylvie Douce and her hubby Francois Jeantet of France.

Rabbit Fashion Festa in Yokohoma City, Japan

If we think fashion contests are only for humans, then we are wrong. If models walked the ramp adorned in sweet chocolate outfits at New York, Rabbits decorated the podium during the Rabbit Fashion Festa at Kanagawa Prefecture in Yokohoma City, suburban Tokyo. The Rabbits participated in varieties of outfits last Sunday at Yokohoma City. Some 8000 rabbit lovers watched rabbits dressed in school outfits and dresses including a native ‘Thai dressing’, which was the cynosure of all eyes.

2008-11-16T19:10:00.000-08:00

Cambodian Water Festival

Hundreds of ‘Dragon boats’ vying for victory on the waters of Cambodia was eye-catching in the Cambodian capital. The occasion was the annual Cambodian Water Festival in which hundreds of wooden boats sailed for race. Each boat contained scores of people with oars on their hands to cruise their boats for victory.

The specially designed boats set for the race to commemorate the victory of their wars, which the Cambodians had won centuries ago on their sails. The Cambodian Royal also witnessed the race, which was held as a highly decorated fair with all the luminescence any event that would carry with it. Underscore this season so you may witness the event in case you happen to be near Cambodia next time.

‘Oussudu Tank’ in Puducherry (India) declared Bird Sanctuary

Puducherry or Pondicherry as it was popularly known is already drawing crowds for its wonderful beach, its proximity to ‘Auroville’ – the unique international living community and above all the ‘Aurobindo Ashram’. Now you may add one more spot for your visit in case you make it to Puducherry. You would certainly love it especially if you have a penchant for chirping of birds and bird watching.

However, you may not necessarily be an Ornithologist just to appreciate the beauty of the winged visitors that travel thousands of miles to settle for serenity in particular seasons. Fly your way to ‘Oussudu Tank’, which measures 390 hectares located at 12 km west of Puducherry. Chronicled to be constructed during the Vijayanagar rule, the place attracts around 51 different species of birds according to a study by a NGO (Non Governmental Organization). The Puducherry recently declared the area a bird sanctuary through a government notification, which would help the birds chirp for the tourists.

2008-08-25T19:50:00.000-07:00

Olympics for pets in Hong Kong

Who said Olympics are conducted only for humans? Humans are good enough to conduct Olympic events for pets. The ongoing ‘Pet Olympic events’ in Hong Kong is an example for how pet dogs vie for their medal tallies in long jump, high jump, running and of on. Their masters are also allowed to run alongwith them. The pets chill themselves in a swimming pool after the tiresome events. Any reader of this posting is right now there in Hong Kong? Don’t miss seeing the barking species in sporting action.

Swimming from a crane in Hamburg – Germany

Hamburg was in news between end July and mid first week of August when the ‘Cruise Tourism Festival’ took place at Hamburg port. The well-lit festival had the luxury cruise ‘Queen Mary – 2’ floating on its waters through the famous 'Landungsbrucken’ area.
If this was the cynosure of all eyes at Hamburg, its waters had another tale to say. 11 international swimmers including a woman dived from a crane – from a height of 50 feet to 90 feet in Hamburg waters. A similar event took place in Italy and Austria before.

Red Bull Air Race in Budapest – Hungary

Austria’s Hanes Arc – the pilot who won the ‘Red Bull Air Race’ after crossing all the hurdles in élan with his risky performance said he was excited and shedding tears of joy. The event was ‘Red Bull Race’ in Budapest and the time Hanes Arc took to win the race was a meager I minute 3 seconds.

The second and third place went to England.

Dear chums, don’t forget to see the next ‘Red Bull Race’ on September 20 at Portugal. I know you wouldn’t forget to keep the event in your alert list.

Boobs on Bikes in Auckland – New Zealand

The event may look hot and luscious, however, an event either weird or normal attracts tourists and the local folks alike.

Aug 20 had such an event in New Zealand’s Auckland, when an ‘Erotica Expo’ organized by Steve Crow, A self-styled porn king managed to send about 100 porn stars in bikes and you know it. Needless to say, it’s just one’s guessing as to how the babes would have flaunted their ‘assets’ and set the pulse of the spectators ‘racing’. And the best part is that a female judge said it was not offensive and gave the go.

2008-08-23T18:13:00.000-07:00

A different fashion show in ‘Orange City’ Nagpur, Maharashtra

The country is India and the place was India’s ‘Orange City’ Nagpur. The event was unique, where ‘twins’ of different ages participated in a fashion show. Tiny tots from six to oldies in their sixties robed in new dresses in their sixties walked the ramp, which was an interesting event to watch. Some of the twins felt that it was interesting to watch the other pairs, as they were not left alone in the world of twin beings. The event gained unprecedented cheers, which has prompted the organizers to decide for another show next year.

Nagpur, situated in Maharashtra, India is famous for oranges. As an intelligent reader of my site, you might have guessed it right.

‘Bhujaria’ Festival of the transgendered in Bhopal

Times have changed and terminologies also change with progressing times. Eunuchs as they were called are being called ‘transgendered’ and their social acceptance is gaining ground the world over. They have their own forums and communities, which has led to celebrations and gaiety at select occasions. One such festival is the Bhujaria festival that was celebrated in Bhopal – Capital city of the state of Madhya Pradesh in India. The festival had celebrations, where hundreds of eunuchs carried ‘Bhujaria” or wheat plants over their head to please the god or rains. The festival coincides with ‘Rakhi’ where sisters tie ‘Rakhis’ to brothers for mutual affection and welfare.

Another festival of the transgendered at ‘Koovagam’, Tamilnadu takes place with much fanfare in the month of April during full moon. This is one of the biggest festivals of the generally despised section of the society on which I would keep posted at the appropriate time. Watch out for the article in April 09.

The transgendered gather with an Indian touch, while the same class may be gathering at different parts of the world on occasions with different names.

Usain Bolt dances for ‘Nuh Linga’ – the Jamaican street dance.

When Usain Bolt created the world record of running 100 meters in 9.69 seconds by breaking his own world record of 9.72 seconds, Jamaica rejoiced to the hilt. And that’s quite natural for any country to take part in the joy of their fellow sportsman –especially if it’s an Olympic victory.

But Usain went ‘foot’loose as he took part in the native ‘Nuh Linga’ street dance of Jamaica, dance which means ‘I’m not lingering’. This is one of the dances that has been taking Jamaica by storm for the past few months. Marlon “Overmars” Hardy of the Ravers Clavers dance crew created the dance move. Try to know more about the dance, if you happen to be there at Jamaica.

Colombo suffers from poor tourist arrivals

The ethnic strife and the mutual blitzkrieg on each other by the rebelling Tamil militants and the Sinhalese armed forces have torn asunder the travel industry in Sri Lanka. Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka known for its beautiful travel spots is of-late feeling the vacuum of tourists due to the violence and bloodshed over there.

According to reports in the media, though there was a boom in tourism between 2002 and 2003- thanks to the ceasefire between the warring groups, the situation is grim now. Notwithstanding sops for tourists and emphatic advertisement promotions like cheaper air fares and reduced hotel accommodations, Colombo is not witnessing the light of the day in terms of its guest arrivals from around the globe. Travel pundits also feel that the only international airport is needs an addition to cater to the needs of tourists.

Aviation turbine fuel facts (ATF)

Travelers ought to know certain ground realities or shall we call ‘air’ realities. Global trotters need to be aware of ATF or Air Turbine Fuel costs, which form the basis of the travelling cost. The pleasure of travelling apart, it would be news to know that price of ATF is about 40% high in India compared globally. A kiloliter of ATF is about $ US 1700 in India, while it is about $ US 857 per kiloliter in South East Asia. ATF presently accounts for 45% of operating cost of airlines. Any Airlines’ expenditure on fuel is directly proportional to occupancy and load.

Spiraling crude oil prices and ATF prices have become a double whammy for travelers and the airline operators alike. This has deterred both the sections, While the former are constrained to limit their traveling, the latter – specifically in India, have brought down their services in the wake of increased operating costs. To have a detailed reading on the subject click http://ezinearticles.com/?id=1336530.

Von Trapp family Villa opened its doors for Salzburg music

Salzburg in Austria and music is so synonymous that music lovers would answer any connected trivia. The grand villa was built in 1863 with 22 rooms. The historical villa, which was closed to the outside world since 1939 has been opened at last with the objective of passing on its historical significance with an exhibition in the ground floor. The parklands around the villa, houses the stone bench where Maria and Baron Georg used to sit.

Touted as the largest privately owned park in Salzburg, Austria, an annual event of summer charity event is expected to take place from 2009. The Drawing room of the villa would accommodate nearly 20 guests, where dinner would be served. With reservations around the corner from end August 2008, visitors may expect to be guests on the villa from October 2008. Travelers keep note that August is about to end and rest is anybody’s guess.

Hotel Info

Pride Hotel became a member of 'World Hotels' first class collection. World Hotels is the largest Europel based glboal group for individual and independent hotels.

Windhoek for the connoisseurs of wild life

Any’buddy’ has travel plans for Namibia? Then you must visit Windhoek, capital of Namibia for its game reserves teaming with wildlife. The place has stunning desert scenes and well-managed game reserves vivacious with wild life. It is also well-known for its conservation efforts that have increased the headcount of lions, cheetahs, elephants, and rhinos.

Windhoek is a blend of modern architecture and a German colonial era and what with the city situated at an altitude of 1650 meters, it is gaining strong grounds as a tourist’s paradise. The city is nestled between the Eros mountains in the north and the Auas mountains in the south. German influence is stronger and nothing surprising to hear that German Carnival is one of the main festivals in Windhoek.

Places worth a visit are the ‘Ink Palace’ (Tintenpalast), which happens to be Namibia’s parliament, Christukirche (Christ Church) of the Lutheran parish and ‘Alte Feste’ (Old Fort) – the present day Namibia’s national museum.

Windhoek has an international airport. So the basic prerequisite of a tourist’s need is fulfilled. Get hooked to Windhoek, when you tread the African continent for glimpses of monuments and wildlife safaris.

2008-08-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

The world’s best city is Copenhagen – Survey by ‘Monocle’

The Danes can have a pat on their shoulders for ‘Monocle’ magazine has selected their nation their capital as the world’s best city. Copenhagen scored its points for its top quality of life and status as a cutting-edge design center, its efficient transport system, restaurants and environmental credentials. The city has emboldened itself to pulling back cars off its streets, which has improved the ecology of the nation as a whole. Wine connoisseurs can raise a toast even at 1 am, which is one among the factors that made Copenhagen to the top slot.

An energy rich nation, which is shrugging off the oil crisis, Copenhagen has left behind major cities like London and New York in the ranking. While Munich was the runner –up, Tokyo, Zurich and Helsinki managed to make up for the rest of the top five cities. Paris won accolades for its Vlib bicycle sharing scheme, which saw the French Capital make it to the top ten.

According to the Vlib scheme subscribers must pay Sterling Pounds 29 a year, give their credit card details and leave a Sterling pounds 150 credit card deposit. This would give them half-an –hour pedaling a day and a locking facility for bicycles at automated stations in the city’s centre.
Visitors to Paris also have a good news as they can buy weekly or daily Vlib cards for their brief sojourn at the French Capital. By the way, Vlib means ‘free or freedom-bikes’ in French.

Madrid was the best city for business. Berlin known for its art galleries was declared the best for culture.

2008-08-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

Flavors of India – A food festival by ‘Goa Marriott’ in Goa India

It’s happening right now in India and it’s very hot. I mean the Gourmet’s dishes. If you are a traveler and a Gourmet, then you strike a dual deal in Goa. Indian cuisines are aplenty in varieties proportionate to its diversified culture and states. Recognizing the need for a feast that would highlight Indian cuisines under one roof, five-star luxury giant Goa Marriott has organized a 10 day long food festival in Goa. This coincides with Independence week (incidentally India’s Independence Day falls on August 15) and has been named ‘Flavors of India’.

Anybody right there in Goa now may attend the festival or anybody proceeding towards Goa may take note of the festival in order to taste some spicy Indian dishes from states of Tamilnadu, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Wood Cutting competition in Germany

Cutting wood is serious business and that requires a lot of stamina and expertise. If it’s a competition it would be much tougher. A competition was held in Germany recently, where many wood cutters participated to show their strength and speed to chop and finish the wood cut from trees and sawing it with élan. Scores of participants attended the competition from different places.

Body painting festival in Germany

Again it’s Germany, but on the news for a different festival. A woman had her one half of the face painted with a castle and many such paintings on people were done in Germany, which was something different. It may sound interesting for tourists from other parts to know about such festivals. The festival took place in the western German City of Mainz on August 10, where 60 body painters took part in the competition. If, by chance any one had the opportunity to see the event, it would have been a day to reckon with in their tour movements.

Oh! It’s Domino cards in Germany again

Placing thousands of cards in series and arranging them into various shapes not only needs patience, but also tremendous imagination and hard work to gain attraction and applause from the spectators. Domino cards are similar to playing cards and which were played last week in Germany. Members participated in placing cards with shapes like ‘Titanic ship’ and it took a maximum of 15 minutes to crumble an entire set of nearly 15,500 cards in an orderly fashion.

2008-08-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

Places most tourists visit in India

Taj Mahal has retained the topmost position among places visited by foreign tourists in India. It also stands as the number 1 place to be visited not only by the commons, but also the VIPs. The marbled edifice of love that Shah Jahan built for his wife Mumtaz in the 15th century attracts nearly 2.5 million visitors every year.
Nearly 2 million Indians and 0.5 million foreign tourists visit this marbled edifice, which Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built for his beloved wife Mumtaz.
The second place most visited by Indian tourists is ‘Red Fort’ in Delhi, while 2, 59,000 foreign tourists have visited the ‘Agra Fort’ next to Taj Mahal. The ‘Kutb Minar’ follows a close 3rd place, where 19 lakh Indians and 2,49,000 foreigners have witnessed the towering structure in the Indian Capital city.
Mamallapuram in Tamilnadu, ‘Golconda Fort’ and ‘Charminar’ in Andhra Pradesh, Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh are other places where tourists visit in India.

A different style of wedding in Turkey

Bridegroom accompanying the bride walking like a Cinderella with wedding bells ringing at the background is the usual scene of a wedding. But, one may find it interesting to hear continuous gun shots during wedding; and this happens at Turkey. A particular native sect in Turkey, whose majority populace has their representation in Turkey military rejoice the wedding amidst continuous salvos of gunshots and throwing of currency notes in air.

Shrine of Abraham Ben Zmirro – Morocco

The shrine named after a Jewish Rabbi is a place of unique event, where two different sections in the world find harmony here. The Jews and the Muslims that represent Israel and Palestine respectively, and who are always at loggerheads with each other near the Gaza strip, celebrate their unity at this shrine.
During the festival that began on July 4 visitors prayed and feasted around the shrine named after the rabbi, who escaped a persecution bid in the 15th century and then lived in Safi, Morocco.
“There is only one god, you worship him sitting down and I while standing up”. These are the lines, which a group of half-Jewish and half- Muslim played including a song in French, Arabic and Hebrew. The great Rabbi of Morocco Aaron Monsenego prayed for the health of Morocco King Mohammed VI and his family.
Interestingly, Morocco hosts the Arab world’s only Jewish Museum, funds Jewish institutions and celebrates Judeo-Moroccan heritage. However, fear of living in an Arab state seems to have dwindled the population of Jews to as low as 4500 people.

Annual Belly Dance Festival in Japan

When one of the Indian films carried out a scene with a song sequence showing hundreds of potbellied dancers having paintings on their belly, little we knew that the inspiration might have come from the annual festival in Japan.
The traditional dance saw hundreds of Japanese with artistic work on their stomach dancing on Shibekawa Street in Japan, which is an annual event that takes place in Japan.

Madame Tussauds wax museum in Berlin

Lively wax statues of celebrities adorn Madame Tussauds wax museum in world’s finest places like Las Vegas, New York, Amsterdam, Washington, Shanghai, Hongkong and London. Celebrities range from world’s famous politicians to Hollywood super idols. Any celebrity would be awe inspired to see his/her own statue, which is made out of wax with absolute vivacity.
The latest place in Europe to join the bandwagon of Madame Tussauds is Berlin. Of course, the start was not devoid of many controversies and as it would be anybody’s guess, Hitler was the subject. There are divided opinions about the wax statue of Hitler, where a section want it in the museum and some not for it. A German citizen went to the extent of damaging the statue’s head, which stirred a controversy and later he asked an apology for doing so.
Notwithstanding the events, Madame Tussauds deserves a visit in Berlin and if you have a visit of Berlin on the cards, why not you include it to have the fortune of seeing celebrities like Enrich Honecker, Boris Becker and Ottowan Bismarck, known … and others.

‘Honecker Bunker’ opened near Wandlitz, Berlin.

Finally with the additional efforts of Berlin Bunker Network, the ‘Honecker Bunker’ has been thrown open to the view of public and tourists. The three-storey complex built between 1978 and 1983 was built for Erich Honecker, who ruled the German Democratic Republic (GDR) for nearly two decades. Interestingly, Honecker is believed to have visited the Bunker only once, as he was believed to be frightened or shocked when he visited there.
History has it that the bunker at that time was surrounded by East German Spy Agency, Stasi. It had a fountain and shock absorbing rooms to safeguard leaders from detonations.
Tourists will have the opportunity to the 70 meter deep bunker below ground. There are 170 rooms in the submarine like tunnels in the ‘Honecker Bunker’ that was built in a forest 25 km near Wandlitz, north-east of Berlin.
Tourists please watch out! The bunker would remain open only for 3 months. Those interested make it a point to add it in your itinerary at the earliest.

Red Bull Air Race in England

The Red Bull Air Race sends shiver down the spines what with the best acrobats performing between towers; and somersaults and other feats, where pilots exhibited dare devilry recently. Pilot Kirby of England was selected the best in the recent Red Bull Race. Watch out for the next race at Hungary’s Budapest somewhere around August 20.

Sand statues at Blakenberge, Belgium

Sixty international artists, twenty tons of sand and a beautiful sea shore at Blankenberge, Belgium. What more would it require to have an excellent combination to provide a visual treat for tourists? Artists specialized in making sand statues proved their mettle, when they made sand exhibits of castles, princesses and witches from Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales. ‘Rapunzel’,’ Cinderella’ and ‘sleeping beauty’ were the famous characters that came to life at the touch of international sand sculptures at Blakenberge. Though the event is over, Global trotters may make a note of it. By the way, Blakenberge is situated at a distance equivalent to a 90 minute drive from Belgium’s capital Brussels – capital of Belgium.