TravelStream™ news feed for member tom-of-boracay on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/tom-of-boracay en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 09 Aug 2009 04:43:33 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246351594/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246351594/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246351594/tpod.html Sun, 09 Aug 2009 04:43:33 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Mumbai (Bombay), Maharashtra, India

The Gateway of India is the main attraction of Mumbai city. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar in 1911. Situated at the Apollo Bunder, the gateway holds greater historical significance as the last of the British troops that left India by sea, marched through its portals. The monument is complete with four turrets and intricate latticework carved into the yellow basalt stone. You can also go for a short cruise through Mumbai's natural harbour in one of the little motor launches that are stationed here.But the more interesting trip isa half day excursion with the same boats to Elephanta islands,around 10 kilometers from Mumbai.Elephanta Island is also called Gharapuri Island or place of caves. It is one among a number of islands in Mumbai harbor, east of Mumbai. The island is specifically popular among tourists for its number of cave temples also called Elephanta caves, which have been carved out of rock,and are dedicated to Lord Shiva.Elephanta owes  its name  to the Portuguese, who captured the island from the Sultan of Gujarat in 1535AD.This  unforgettable journey to India comes herewith to an end, with  our return flight to Bangkoktomorrow.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246265148/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246265148/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246265148/tpod.html Sun, 09 Aug 2009 04:26:09 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Udaipur, Rājasthān, India

Udaipur City Palace is one of the architectural marvels of Rajasthan, located peacefully on the banks of Lake Pichola. This majestic City Palace is the most-visited tourist attraction of Udaipur and often distinguished as the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. Initially, Maharana Udai Singh built this superb wonder, but the present form of the Palace is the result of subsequent additions by his successors. Unfortunately, during our visit in June, shortly before the monsoon season,Lake Pichola did not have  much water, local kids were playing football on the grounds of the lake,Not entirely dried up, but the level of water has gone down dramatically, it was featured in BBCa few weeks later in a documentary movie.Hopefully, Rajasthan will get lots of rain during this year's monsoon season as Udaipur depends on the beauty of its lakes for tourists to return to the city.The Maharanas of Udaipur's private vintage car collection is another must-do-see during a visit to Udaipur.One of the cars, a black Rolls Royce Phantom limousine, was used in the James Bondmovie "Octopussy" that was partially filmed in Udaipur.The movie itself is still shown every night on one of the city's countless rooftop restaurants.Next stop was Ahmedabad and its jewel of a museum called Calico.Beautiful presentation of ancient traditional fabrics and textiles,with a  2 hours guided tour of both parts of the museum.The Shatabdi express train to Mumbai leaves at 14.30h.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246092328/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246092328/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246092328/tpod.html Sun, 09 Aug 2009 03:43:47 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

The pink city of Jaipur is steeped in Rajasthani history and tradition, forts, palaces, monuments, and old buildings speckled all across Jaipur, speak of its rich cultural heritage. The city was conceived and designed in 1727 AD by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh and was later named after him.The city looks almost magical at sunset when the sunrays paint different hues of pink on the walls. It was painted a `welcoming pink` during the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1876. We stayed at the very homey guesthouse Karni Niwas, centrally located, plus a  friendly service as well.An old mansion where rooms have been beautifully renovated.The Udaipur  express train leaves at 22.40h and takes almost 9 hours.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246005897/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246005897/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1246005897/tpod.html Sat, 08 Aug 2009 07:17:53 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

On June 17, 1631 Mumtaz Mahal died, after delivering her fourteenth child "Gauharar". Shahjahan stood dazed, unable to comprehend the situation. She had died leaving all her children, mother, and relations to his care. But he had promised her never to remarry and to build the grandest mausoleum over her grave. Shahjahan had already acquired from Raja Jai Singh a plot of land on the riverside. Here was to be built the Taj Mahal. Work on the tomb started in a frenzy with thousands of artisans and laborers toiling ceaselessly. The Taj Mahal mausoleum was nearly completed within ten years around 1643.Much of the quality of pictures taken here depends on the weather and light conditions during the visit. Since it was the beginning of the monsoon season, the sky was relatively cloudy, but still I was able to get some good photos.Its an impressive monument, made out of grief & true love   by one of the most powerful muslim  rulers to his beautiful Indian queen."Mumtaz Mahal died in childbirth in 1630 accompanying Shah Jahan as he went to war with Khan Jahanb Lodi. As she lay on her deathbed, it is said that she whispered to him to build for her a monument that would symbolize the beauty of their love. For a week Shah Jahan remained behind closed doors. When he emerged his hair had turned white, his back was bent, his face worn with despair. The entire kingdom was ordered into mourning for two years".I also went out to see the Agra Fort, and the former capital city of Fatehpur Sikri ( 37 km from Agra) , both very much a part of the lively Indian history.Here it goes:Akbar was the greatest of all the Mughal rulers and one of the best to have ruled India. In 1556, he ascended the Mughal throne at the tender age of 14, after the sudden demise of his father, Humayun. As soon as he consolidated his power, he turned his attention towards building an imperial capital in Agra. The result was the Agra Fort, which not only served military purposes, but was also the royal residence. Most of the buildings within the precincts of this magnificent Red FortHowever, in the course of time, Akbar decided to shift his capital to Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. Akbar used to visit the hamlet of Sikri to take the blessings of the great Sufi saint Salim Chisti in order to have an heir to his throne. Akbar’s visitations were fruitful, for he was blessed with three sons. The new city, built on a ridge, grew into a magnificent township larger than contemporary London. At Sikri the various royal palaces have been built in Gujarati and Rajasthani architectural styles. The overwhelmingly Hindu architectural vocabulary, however, cannot conceal the Islamic norms followed in the large-scale planning that is supposed to have derived from Arab and Central Asia tent compartments!  There are a number of buildings within the Fatehpur Sikri complex. Each of the small palaces in Fatehpur Sikri has a specific purpose and generally faces a courtyard. Diwan-I-Aam (Hall of Public Audience) is an enclosed space surrounded by colonnades and has a large open area where petitioners and courtiers once stood in attendance. On the western face of this building is the pavilion where the emperor sat in honor surrounded by his courtiers. The Diwan-I-Khas (Hall of Private Audience)—used for serious, confidential, diplomatic, and religious discourses—is just behind. The Diwan-I-Khas is famous for its central decorated pillar consisting of 36 elegantly carved brackets in the Gujarati style—heavy and ornate, and sprouting in shape. The most intriguing building in Fatehpur Sikri is the Panch Mahal (five-tiered palace), which is a five-storied pavilion of winds.  Jodha Bai’s Palace (Jodha Bai was Akbar’s Rajput queen) has the most distinctively Gujarati and Rajasthani architectural features. A strong portal guards this place, which was the residence of Akbar’s prominent queens.  But Fatehpur Sikri had a short life of splendor. Once Akbar left it in 1585, it never regained its lost importance and has remained the most magnificent and well-preserved ghost city of India. The next stopover is Jaipur, 230km from Agra by bus. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245833072/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245833072/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245833072/tpod.html Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:21:30 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Amritsar, Punjab, India

Amritsar is home to the The Golden Temple, the cradle of Amritsar with the city growing around it nurtured by its divine sanctity. Amritsar is one of the most sacred sikh religious sites in India.We visited this holy site during night time, and were very impressed with the  amount of goldglittering under the spotlights. The top of the dome is supposed to be gilded with 100 kilos of pure gold.All visitors are allowed to enter the premises, after washing the feet, and covering the face with a headscarf.People are sleeping already, some of them around the pool, entire families, just on the floor or on thin mats.Also foreigners are welcome, they provide special dormitories.But we already had reserved a room in another Amritsar institution, the Grand Hotel, close to the Railway station.This relaxing garden hotel has been functionning since 1952, and has a very nice pub with Kingfisher draft.Late afternoon people are heading to Attari, on the Indian-Pakistani border to attend the colourful border ceremony.Its so much fun to see the border guards in their nice uniforms, and to watch the Indian visitors dancing and singing, mostly women in their wonderful saris.There is a unique athmosphere in the air, especially when the border gate closes,and the flags of both countries  are lowered.I estimated the crowd on the Indian side to be near 5000, while on the other side of the border, in Pakistan, there were less than 1000, so it was clear who had the stronger voice on that night..
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245573845/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245573845/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245573845/tpod.html Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:20:02 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

From Kargil to Srinigar, its about 200 kilometers, but its a whole day trip as there are again several mountain passes to cross. One of the unique charm of Srinagar are the houseboats. The houseboats are the floating little hotels which can be seen on the edge of the Dal Lake or in the secluded areas of the Nagin Lake. There are about 1300 houseboats moored on the waters of the lake and about 1,000 are on the official approved list of the Tourist Department of the State Government. The government has fixed tariff for each houseboat depending on the facilities it offers. Living in a houseboat is an exotic way of spending a holiday in Srinagar.Another attraction is the Masjid mosque and the huge Moghul gardens.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245228229/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245228229/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245228229/tpod.html Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:02:04 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Leh, Jammu and Kashmir, India

The route from Manali to Leh, covering a distance of 473 km (294 mi), is one more commonly taken by tourists. It takes two days, normally with an overnight stop either in Keylong (alt. 3096) or in tent accommodation in Sarchu (4253) or Pang (4500). Making the first stop in Keylong reduces the risk of altitude sickness (AMS). It traverses one of the highest road passes in the world and is surrounded by wild rugged mountains. The scenery is fantastic, though it is definitely not for the faint hearted. This historical trade route was linked to Yarkhand and was severed by the India-China war in 1962, and later was transformed in to military supply road. Reliable access is limited from mid-June to end-September, as it is blocked by snow for rest of the year.We left Manali at2am in the morning with a private jeep,we were just 12 passengers, all from different corners of the world.The first confusion was when about 6 jeeps arrived in Old Manali, their drivers looking for the names of the passengers they wrote down on a small paper, and the passengers not fully understanding what was going on, most of them still drunk from Jazz party that was still going on.. finally everyone on board, we left, and a few hours later we could enjoy already a beautiful sunrise with snow covered mountain peaks at the horizon, and a frozen mountain lake.But the joy did not last long, we had the first problem crossing the Rohtang pass at 3,978 meters, with our tyres.Spectacular scenery on the way,we were happy to continue the adventureous journey,but past Keylong there was another problem at higher altitudes;one of the petrol trucks drove off the mountain road, and blocked the highway, all traffic stopped in both directions,and they had to call the military for help.After 4 hours, the road was finally cleared.We drove for a while,crossing just another mountain pass, but soon our vehicle developped engine problems, and we had to spendthe night at 4,500 meters in a tent put up by tibetan people in Pang .Noodle soup, lemon tea,symtpoms of the AMS in the middle of the night, stomach problems, open air toilets under the stars, but no running water those were the main events during that night in Pang.The following day, we finally reached Leh, after climbing over the second highest mountain pass in the world, Taglang La at 5328 meters.To move around in the Indus valley, visit all the beautiful monasteries incl.Hemis, I really recommand to rent a jeep for about 1000 INR per day incl.driver.Other places to go are Alchi and Lamayuru,both astonishing monasteries, not far off theroad to Kargil, but difficult to reach by public transport.We paid 4000 rupies for a private jeepto Kargil with stops in both monasteries, plus the Basgo Chamba Gompa which was closedduring our visit and the keys kept in the Hemis monastery, according to the caretaker.The distance from Leh to Kargil is 235km, the last few hours is a real change in landscape,replacing the rock desert feeling with green plants and apple trees;here is also the culturalboundary from tibetan buddhism to islam, our driver had to stop at the first minarett andpray to Allah for a few minutes.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245141805/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245141805/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1245141805/tpod.html Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:51:01 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India

Considered as a wonder for a visitor, Manali is a calm and tranquil hill town, situated 40 kms north of the popular Kullu Valley. Set at an altitude of 1928 m, above the sea level, Manali is an excellent destination for both common tourists as well as the die-hard adventure enthusiasts. Once known as “Dana Agha”, Manali was an old village, the signs of that period is even today present across the town. Manali derives its name from Manu Rishi, who lived here and wrote the first constitution of India called “Manu Samriti”. In olden days, the present town of Manali was the transaction point between the traders of Hoshiarpur and Kangra and also the traders of Yarkand, Smarkand, Tash Kand, Ladakh, Zanskar and Western Tibet. Manali is blessed with several gifts like a beautiful landscape, dense thick pine and deodar forests, ice-capped peaks, steep cliffs, rolling valleys, adventure and mystery and lush meadows of wild flowers and fragrant fruit orchard in full bloom. Besides, the Beas river with clear water meanders through the town, making Manali truly a paradise on earth for any traveller.After some relaxing days in the very heart of Old Manali with its nice collection of old cow stables, we had to move on, on an incredible busride directionLeh in Laddakh.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1244796120/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1244796120/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1244796120/tpod.html Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:22:49 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

Shimla (also spelt as 'Simla') derives its name from goddess 'Shayamla Devi', which is another manifestation of Goddess Kali. The capital of Himachal Pradesh came into light when the British discovered it in 1819. Till then, it was a part of the Nepalese kingdom. In 1864 Shimla was declared as the summer capital of India. After Independence, Shimla became the capital of Punjab and was later named the capital of Himachal Pradesh. In 1903 a rail line was constructed between Kalka and Shimla.During our short stay of 2 days, the city was extremely busy with local Indiantourists since it was summer school holidays in some of the bigger Indian states, entire families moved here to escape the unbearable heat of the lowlands.But Shimla has lots of charm, rangingfrom natural beauty, to nice hillstation feelings and wonderful views;there are also very photogeniccolonial buildings dotted along the main avenues of town. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1244623300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1244623300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tom-of-boracay/8/1244623300/tpod.html Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:55:26 -0400 2009-Switzerland, Germany, India and Nepal

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Ramnagar, Uttarakhand, India

This reserve forest was established in the year 1936 and was initially called the Hailey National Park. This wildlife park was later renamed as the Corbett National Park after the wildlife conservationist Jim Corbett who spent most of his life in the area and had a great understanding of the animal life and ecology of this region. This wildlife park was categorized as a Project Tiger Reserve in the year 1973, and there are approx. 50 tigers  inside the reserve, plus numerousother animals, elephants, antilopes, monkeys etc.However, after a long overnight train ride from Delhi to Ramnagar on board the "Corbett" express train, and a difficult registration with the park authority (only a handfull of private cars are allowed every day, and we had to fall in line for more than 2 hours),we finally had the permission to enter the park.Unfortunately, we did not see one tiger during our mini safari,just a few antilopes andblack face monkeys..incredible India..!
]]>