Cities

Whirlwind Trip to Vancouver – Part 2

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Stanley Park is an urban park surrounding the city, a two minute walk from my hotel in Canada Place. I spent an early morning taking a stroll, watching the runners practice for the upcoming half marathon, mommies walking around with their babies in strollers, and tourists walking excitedly with their cameras, posing and taking pictures of everything. In fact, two of my lab mates signed up to run the half-marathon the day after their conference presentations, and it was inspiring to see people travel across the coast to talk at conferences, and then change into their gym clothes from the formal suits and go about running miles all around the city. Hats off to their energy, although this gave me some more time to sleep late.

Stanley Park is huge, and when I say it is huge, I mean it. If you have been to Central Park in New York City, this is even bigger than that, a paved path running around its circumference. Lined with tall trees, lush greenery, and full of enthusiastic people jogging around, Stanley Park is ranked the 16th best park in the world and the 6th best in North America.

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WELCOME TO DREAM WORLD (RANGEEN SAPNON KI DUNIYA) – RAMOJI FILM CITY

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So after we had finished viewing our shows it was almost 1600 hrs and we had only 1.5 hour left with us to see the Gardens. So we quickly went to Bus stop to catch the bus. Again the guide in a bus was so good, so friendly with everyone, knows all three languages (English, Hindi and Telugu). But 1600 hrs bus timing is the last bus timings and you are not allowed to get down and see the gardens and the sets. There are approximately 120 gardens, so many beautiful fountains and so many readily available film sets like railway station ,airport , Foreign country , village, Hospital , Jail , Highway , streets , Raj darbaar etc.The guide was explaining us about all the gardens, sets, which all movie shot at RFC

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A memorable trip on bike to rediscover myself in the foothills of Himalayas – Part II

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By evening, I used to come again at Har-ki-Pauri for the evening ritual (Sandhya Aarti) performed by the priests on the banks of river Ganga. This is a highly enchanting and divine experience. Devotees light ‘Pradip’ or Diyas and let them flow in the river Ganga… The beautiful diyas float on the water and it is a wonderful sight to experience. A splendid aura of lights and chants fills the atmosphere in the evenings.  I used to sit there hours after hours, doing nothing, but never felt bored even for a second…it attracts me always. I knew that I would be visiting this place again & again during this trip and forever in my life. I would have loved to go there any time,  can sit there hours after hours, fully aware of the fact that my mind is trying to figure out the reason.

After spending three days in Haridwar, I thought to go to Rishikesh, which is ~ 25 km from Haridwar. The plan was to go there in the morning and come back by afternoon, as I was staying in Bharat Seva Shram Sangha. The drive to Rishikesh from Haridwar is wonderful and is a joy to your eyes.  You need to pass through Rajaji National Park, few small streams, railway line (Delhi to Dehradun). Landscape changes as you are getting closer to Rishikesh and all of a sudden the mountain is just in front of you. Amazing! I reached there around 8:30 in the morning.

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My trip to Odisha – Dhauli, Pipli and Konark

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We passed through an old toll booth. Papa held a competition that who will spot the Konark Temple first? We all eagerly started to look outside. Papa was looking straight with confidence that only he will win. I thought that probably he knew where the Sun Temple would come. I was proved right as after sometime papa was the first person to spot the Sun Temple’s mastaka. It was brightly shining, rising above the tree canopy.

By then it was evening so we decided to go to the Konark beach first and get a glance of the temple in the night. It was a nice warm day and towards the evening it turned a little cool. I wore my swimming costume and had fun on the beach. Nikki Mama and I played with a disk. When Mama went to play with his friends who had also come from Delhi, I strolled on the beach going near to the ocean so that I could get my feet wet. The water was chillingly cold. I wanted to go further deep but papa had cautioned me not to do so as Konark Beaches are unsafe and dangerous. It was a beautiful evening with finally the sun diving and disappearing in the ocean.

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FLOATING VILLAGES OF CAMBODIA

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The eco-system and habitat surrounding the Tonlé Sap Lake also pulsates with its seasonal flooding and draining. A great majority of the trees, plants and shrubs are deciduous. Instead of shedding their leaves during the dry season, they loose them when the lake deepens, when they are inundated. However, there are also several plant species that remain evergreen, despite being waterlogged for six to eight months, each year. They are laden with fruits and seeds, at the time of flooding.

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Rameswaram …My trip to Char-dham…

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After Darshan we returned to our room and planned to go around the temple.At around 1800 hrs we decided to go around for tea/ coffee and some snacks. Unfortunately when we went around we could not find any restaurant where we can get something to eat as all were preparing for Dinner. Generally around 1900 hrs Dinners are available at all the restaurant. We have taken route from East side to South side and then to West side. One important thing is that there are number of Lodges and Dharamshala at East and South side.

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A trip to Bolivia – Part 1

A trip to Bolivia – Part 1

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Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. We left our hotel early morning around 7.30am since it as a long way to Lake Titicaca. We went by road for about an hour and then by boat for half an hour. We traveled again by road to the small island of Copacabana.

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Johannesburg City Tour

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Nelson Mandela Square is dominated by a massive , bronze tribute to the moral voice of South Africa’s struggle for freedom and reconciliation. The statue, nearly 20 feet tall, dominates one end of a square in Sandton, the posh white suburb of Johannesburg that has emerged as the nation’s post-apartheid business capital. Unveiled in March 2004, this is the first public statue of Mandela. But it doesn’t stand in the forecourt of a government agency. It marks the entrance to a fancy mall, built in the 1990s and renamed after Mandela in 2004.

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Kolkata- Fun and Food Capital- “Aami Shotti Bolchi”

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I came of out the memorial premises and after sipping a local tea for 3 bucks, I also wanted to feel like a Chancellor. I hired a chariot car drawn by 2 white horses for my Royal Evening Stroll. I guess, the chariot driver murmured faintly (in English).. “Your Highness, step up please”. I was almost in seventh’s heaven by then, but when I looked at him, I could figure out his speechless angry face almost saying (in Hindi)..

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Revisit to Johannesburg

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We checked in our rooms which were designed in the shape of Huts with African furnishing. The ambience of the room was stunning. Everything in the room was just perfectly done. Rooms were decorated with bright coloured African fabrics, artwork & handmade furniture. Our next four days program was well placed on the side table.

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Sizzling Sydney

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Though the view and ambience at Darling Harbour are nothing compared to Sydney Harbour, the former has one thing that the latter doesn’t – the Lindt Café at Cockle Bay Wharf. Here, the mouth-watering array of pastries, milk shakes, ice-creams, macaroons and other desserts prepared from Lindt chocolate is to die for! Yummm… sinful, did I hear someone say?

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वाटरटन नेशनल पार्क और यु.एस. बोर्डर (भाग २)

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पार्क की सुबह बहुत खूबसूरत थी. हिरण जैसे दो प्राणी घूम रहे थे. सुबह उठ कर एक चक्कर गांव का लगाता हूँ. एक दुकान खुली देख कर अंदर काफी लेने जाता हूँ, साथ ही खाने के लिए एक पेस्ट्री ले लेता हूँ. यह दुकान वाला बहुत सामान बेच रहा था. काफी, ब्रेड चोकलेट, और बहुत सा सामान. पेट्रोल पम्प भी इस दुकान वाले का ही था. साथ में साइकल भी किराये पर दे रहा था. एक साइकल का एक घंटे का किराया १० डॉलर, और हेल्मट के १० डॉलर अलग से. साथ में मोटर बाइक भी किराये के लिए थे.

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