tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70741040224761906432024-03-13T23:17:32.109-07:00Geography Ka ChashmaRichahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047440675017435022noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7074104022476190643.post-11959865882605390232020-05-08T23:49:00.000-07:002020-05-08T23:49:56.601-07:00Pangong Tso<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhV1Q1sMivuApt0QSYZPQ0OdRR90heLBOsOmZJr-sjkujyM08nCsxlVEGSnnuG4PCIS1cbV8F1Jhv04bJ8gMDE8MXTfPg4DOp6SPF3DwQp3NdT2u6HLfxUE9VLHyCpcjyQ1t2BOmF3Os/s1600/DSCN7097.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhV1Q1sMivuApt0QSYZPQ0OdRR90heLBOsOmZJr-sjkujyM08nCsxlVEGSnnuG4PCIS1cbV8F1Jhv04bJ8gMDE8MXTfPg4DOp6SPF3DwQp3NdT2u6HLfxUE9VLHyCpcjyQ1t2BOmF3Os/s640/DSCN7097.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>And here they fell,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The bravehearts in blue</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Fighting a battle already lost</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Their blood smeared across its icy cold shores</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>But today nobody cared</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>For all we knew</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Was the reel shot at the Pangong Tso</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRHSb1zgxbuA2qVG8Zc5ISp7gLDi0mZuFLOG_YtUL2mts-X0AflcaHohsno7ibMZFa5Mipb1Ke7MOTxqA425mPEUM_yXLMUkzjvxr0PsaFl3IwA8b4FTL9MbcUjBZ08-AAGi3OL_F3CA/s1600/DSCN6962.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRHSb1zgxbuA2qVG8Zc5ISp7gLDi0mZuFLOG_YtUL2mts-X0AflcaHohsno7ibMZFa5Mipb1Ke7MOTxqA425mPEUM_yXLMUkzjvxr0PsaFl3IwA8b4FTL9MbcUjBZ08-AAGi3OL_F3CA/s640/DSCN6962.JPG" width="640" /></a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The road to Pangong Tso is rather precarious, yet interspersed with some amazing views on the way like the one above. Everywhere you see in the region of Ladakh, the mountains are bare, smooth, multicoloured and unfortunately, pretty fragile. One heavy shower, and the sand and gravel that the mountains are made of might just come tumbling down. They may remind you of the sand mountains made at the beach, flat, once the waves come and go! And that's a pretty scary feeling. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-nI_rubhqbda8Hru7Uzjf2jhS_USzfeCWPBxd1PU8k60JM6HQKbpps8mrWY9zaLwg7q0sJ3AU4Ah7DQiGhyKjZzRcWXAcJggRi1gz9PTO0QG7BLgSAwaxsqQOvXsGMf-PkO4hmHSfvU/s1600/DSCN6976.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-nI_rubhqbda8Hru7Uzjf2jhS_USzfeCWPBxd1PU8k60JM6HQKbpps8mrWY9zaLwg7q0sJ3AU4Ah7DQiGhyKjZzRcWXAcJggRi1gz9PTO0QG7BLgSAwaxsqQOvXsGMf-PkO4hmHSfvU/s640/DSCN6976.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Zzzzzzz....Naa....the first rule of travelling in Ladakh is never to sleep when climbing up or down a mountain, nor when you are in any of the half a dozen highest passes of the world. That basically consists a majority of your journey. So the thumb rule here is, Wake Up Sleepyhead! You are here to see the sights as you have never seen before! Photographs can hardly capture what the human eyes can see.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-PGkSXJLyiImkvjR2OsGhHu9_omCxpRbq4Z8A8hyphenhyphen4I4Oe2oxjrUJHfPOxaBTFUVwypKlW32l1AaXuSc9gGqubzjwxc0_6Cy6umPfh7ZatMl_NILYLTqOPNKyiVFmrttcSorXkg2CPy0/s1600/DSCN6979.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-PGkSXJLyiImkvjR2OsGhHu9_omCxpRbq4Z8A8hyphenhyphen4I4Oe2oxjrUJHfPOxaBTFUVwypKlW32l1AaXuSc9gGqubzjwxc0_6Cy6umPfh7ZatMl_NILYLTqOPNKyiVFmrttcSorXkg2CPy0/s640/DSCN6979.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Our first photo break was a Zingral. Notice how the name has been painted on the mountain at the back - that's how they do it in J&K, that's their style! This is basically before you start climbing the 2nd highest Motorable Road of the world - Chang La. It is impossible and not even advisable to step out of the warm comforts of your car more than 5 minutes or so.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1KaF6Vl5xLv99doRBARrCBUK-MvOGM16RjqBba6DsAfiqc3ploT396uN-o6sx1n4OwYwwg2INCpOV-R0151iNUUwJkx-FBYJTxn5OxlXyaL6b-yU-8pirv37tRxNmP6cj3ywgwsGQ1E/s1600/P_20170607_122004_vHDR_Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1KaF6Vl5xLv99doRBARrCBUK-MvOGM16RjqBba6DsAfiqc3ploT396uN-o6sx1n4OwYwwg2INCpOV-R0151iNUUwJkx-FBYJTxn5OxlXyaL6b-yU-8pirv37tRxNmP6cj3ywgwsGQ1E/s320/P_20170607_122004_vHDR_Auto.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvRysOO6BWmx2l-mJocX_BMXTHGV9yspTLqLQNDhVPsJlVireBQu7fm0NGfZEzML-HTM82F6QAOW1BNWY1AwOD6mkjhd720F37m4rfJu_yXFFo2F3S8r4hxUXTY-cyiLu7FAhmKfr7q8/s1600/DSCN7006.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvRysOO6BWmx2l-mJocX_BMXTHGV9yspTLqLQNDhVPsJlVireBQu7fm0NGfZEzML-HTM82F6QAOW1BNWY1AwOD6mkjhd720F37m4rfJu_yXFFo2F3S8r4hxUXTY-cyiLu7FAhmKfr7q8/s320/DSCN7006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnDXyhaIX8zi0OLvxnNftgQzDh30KHShUG_turu10jxcdBHH0wBFdbBudYmVpVJl90fTUZT2zGyjHIF92qeimfpGqxLgd23S5AnssU2n4hpe_MZhL49Gn4XG4EnKussa_UHinSRQuDPU/s1600/DSCN7009.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnDXyhaIX8zi0OLvxnNftgQzDh30KHShUG_turu10jxcdBHH0wBFdbBudYmVpVJl90fTUZT2zGyjHIF92qeimfpGqxLgd23S5AnssU2n4hpe_MZhL49Gn4XG4EnKussa_UHinSRQuDPU/s320/DSCN7009.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAS-Zz-uwOJfXrIsj06GXUudebegqZ-eSUBFgx1i1cDwjhnq7NKBCFmp5ZUJI8TwFyqvLO0EoeSadKUITGsmvXV_UmZnq-0HBWkxdwp-64-fxYSK1WbYHl8ZONydUxV59nLVR4N0pdBZc/s1600/DSCN7025.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAS-Zz-uwOJfXrIsj06GXUudebegqZ-eSUBFgx1i1cDwjhnq7NKBCFmp5ZUJI8TwFyqvLO0EoeSadKUITGsmvXV_UmZnq-0HBWkxdwp-64-fxYSK1WbYHl8ZONydUxV59nLVR4N0pdBZc/s320/DSCN7025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Welcome to Chang La. The cafeteria is pretty changla, if you know what I mean. The hot maggi and the steaming hot chai and coffee is very very changla as well! Ok enough with the changla pun, but it was changla indeed! Ok, enough already! Hey, don't stop reading! I wont do that again ok? Promise!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnmTLdgSeCLoT168aQa0t78fHSn9Vt8yZLXPrlxbZ0y0ObUs8RvSwk6oTWtumD4PREywRUnFdY8dfBCy1iEaLsnvH-G2P620WcpGZGoDxMxc9DD9iQJ8Vabw4QChJEXoyvm_u9BrHORM/s1600/DSCN7018.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnmTLdgSeCLoT168aQa0t78fHSn9Vt8yZLXPrlxbZ0y0ObUs8RvSwk6oTWtumD4PREywRUnFdY8dfBCy1iEaLsnvH-G2P620WcpGZGoDxMxc9DD9iQJ8Vabw4QChJEXoyvm_u9BrHORM/s320/DSCN7018.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHz3dbnRRtrMXdux3x5dgCgr4C0bV_w817AklVgMiqDRrV40QQlq6zaLuoWAI8adY2N0nIyiOUxRpON3cdUZMM9oWUEAif_vQAsb7iId57IzIVi9s_v6yY2zQ7f9E9sIkORAnVlZDeOTw/s1600/DSCN7023.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHz3dbnRRtrMXdux3x5dgCgr4C0bV_w817AklVgMiqDRrV40QQlq6zaLuoWAI8adY2N0nIyiOUxRpON3cdUZMM9oWUEAif_vQAsb7iId57IzIVi9s_v6yY2zQ7f9E9sIkORAnVlZDeOTw/s320/DSCN7023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;">Although we were supposed to spend only 20 minutes here, we ended up spending about 4 long hours! The reason being a massive avalanche ahead that was being cleared by the BRO (Border Roads Organisation). So we ended up meeting and interacting with a few soldiers on duty. Though I cannot reveal their identities or roles for security reasons, speaking to a Maharashtrian soldier, in Marathi, thousands of kilometres away from home, is definitely an experience to cherish! We felt so proud of these Bravehearts who are there, protecting us, in those uninhabitable conditions! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Richahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047440675017435022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7074104022476190643.post-50655475675871790822017-06-26T11:21:00.000-07:002017-06-26T11:21:41.961-07:00National Highway 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Jullay!</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0Z253-4Ud9I5nlzP-wmtP4Lhim9oWWRkeS57hUOR1pqgbh6Y74_3OFpohVsSO0e6xs59vku3q-vqkZCZYg8nqahRA-OlGzzivd8FVArlCcI8I9jwHbA_THy5MN8XLagqHknDuBxRBeU/s1600/DSCN6534.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0Z253-4Ud9I5nlzP-wmtP4Lhim9oWWRkeS57hUOR1pqgbh6Y74_3OFpohVsSO0e6xs59vku3q-vqkZCZYg8nqahRA-OlGzzivd8FVArlCcI8I9jwHbA_THy5MN8XLagqHknDuBxRBeU/s640/DSCN6534.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When in Ladakh, you'll realize one thing very quickly. Your journey is going to be as beautiful or sometimes even more beautiful than your destination. This is one such route. The Leh - Srinagar Highway or NH1. So picturesque is the road, that you will never realise that you have travelled about 217 km till Kargil!</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWvazqGOMtrob8sSVb3tZT-u5cLX8ojTtYSv-v6CdjRRKsZQZJZWc005TdWe94GSsJCxSJY1O4Z5M5Y_9aNSGq2u47XjJDITUosyKyBgrtt_HjEeD_hoIbObCTOqR0cdNGxZ_2nGZscM/s1600/DSCN6477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> We began our journey at around 8 a.m. Pretty early, considering it was just our second day in Leh. It is advisable that you rest for a minimum of 1-2 days in Leh to acclimatise yourself to the high altitude, cold weather and the less oxygen. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazCUrbSwMOMcpY3sOKj0iqUNbojRR844q-M_tUPpjBKRys-i06jc6bpfZgn65Uj4Er04uJTEsd7HUZHkmo_ACesRt-D4Ex215DgIqoY8n9FNHQOZdvjQn541YKydA4hLChB8bLbY2ZhQ/s1600/DSCN6474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazCUrbSwMOMcpY3sOKj0iqUNbojRR844q-M_tUPpjBKRys-i06jc6bpfZgn65Uj4Er04uJTEsd7HUZHkmo_ACesRt-D4Ex215DgIqoY8n9FNHQOZdvjQn541YKydA4hLChB8bLbY2ZhQ/s640/DSCN6474.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Leh is barren. Well, most of it anyways. In the recent years, a number of trees have been planted in the area to increase it's level of oxygen so that it can accommodate the increasing number of tourists.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi468MMb7m8awGu5h0c3GHVtJAX4hv0YXlzQLM37-oyKv_FV5_LhrTGsZPDhfw6dnZ0Ni_il-Y3DFiJay1mq8xtGdlPRTcXsC4kyyNhqKkivyJT2aEwNnffHBTtIQbsxS9DZ6JU6GUmdbU/s1600/DSCN6466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi468MMb7m8awGu5h0c3GHVtJAX4hv0YXlzQLM37-oyKv_FV5_LhrTGsZPDhfw6dnZ0Ni_il-Y3DFiJay1mq8xtGdlPRTcXsC4kyyNhqKkivyJT2aEwNnffHBTtIQbsxS9DZ6JU6GUmdbU/s640/DSCN6466.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is usually your first stop on the highway. The Gurdwara Sri Pathar Sahib. Managed by Army personals, this is a pleasant place to stop by. Do take blessings when you pass by. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWvazqGOMtrob8sSVb3tZT-u5cLX8ojTtYSv-v6CdjRRKsZQZJZWc005TdWe94GSsJCxSJY1O4Z5M5Y_9aNSGq2u47XjJDITUosyKyBgrtt_HjEeD_hoIbObCTOqR0cdNGxZ_2nGZscM/s1600/DSCN6477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWvazqGOMtrob8sSVb3tZT-u5cLX8ojTtYSv-v6CdjRRKsZQZJZWc005TdWe94GSsJCxSJY1O4Z5M5Y_9aNSGq2u47XjJDITUosyKyBgrtt_HjEeD_hoIbObCTOqR0cdNGxZ_2nGZscM/s640/DSCN6477.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Himalayan river system is very complicated. The varying number of mountain ranges in the Himalayas, with their varying heights, ensure that there are many different watersheds in the area. The Sangam of <b>River Indus </b>(on the left) and <b>River Zanskar </b>(on the right) takes place in the town of Nimmu. The greenish blue Indus, which rises from the Changthang National Park in the Himalayas (China occupied Tibet), mixes with the Greyish, silt-laden Zanskar which rises from the Zanskar mountain ranges.The famous Chaddar trek takes place on the frozen Zanskar in the winters, when the temperature in the valley trips to -50 degrees Celcius.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8H9Fn9eZXsfDSK5FUz6N02RibkRNlNLdriCqlj1YhK7_PPWujM0ilVg72zz8IBWaeqy9sVZK2YEFnjBrGx-4_qZtbnZ-hrkJbk3pg8A7diVazfu8kvXrrVc_RqOkqoEL2D9B8Lm8yGY/s1600/DSCN6484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8H9Fn9eZXsfDSK5FUz6N02RibkRNlNLdriCqlj1YhK7_PPWujM0ilVg72zz8IBWaeqy9sVZK2YEFnjBrGx-4_qZtbnZ-hrkJbk3pg8A7diVazfu8kvXrrVc_RqOkqoEL2D9B8Lm8yGY/s640/DSCN6484.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Close to the Sangam, the hills are so eroded, that even the underlying Asymmetrical Folds are clearly visible! Such a joy to actually see some!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgS6SC-axn6L_J2gnOqztl1R3AuSbylBLt00mEB5827HvKtECEs9lA-1zRUJcr8hdeD4vnnxIaaXvwgOXLYGYKQ8JciH8aH2NXHaXSdNw950CsBfx2TfnDG36epMfrELg1ux3YiVuRoI/s1600/DSCN6501.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgS6SC-axn6L_J2gnOqztl1R3AuSbylBLt00mEB5827HvKtECEs9lA-1zRUJcr8hdeD4vnnxIaaXvwgOXLYGYKQ8JciH8aH2NXHaXSdNw950CsBfx2TfnDG36epMfrELg1ux3YiVuRoI/s640/DSCN6501.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">What is the point of going to the Grand Canyon National Park, Utah? You can see all of it's features and amazing landforms, right here in India! The features that you see in the above photograph are known as '<b>Mesas and Buttes</b>' in geological terms. To put it simply, they are the hard rocks left behind after the softer rocks were eroded by winds. You will see a lot of these in the Ladakh region. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjG0Rkfv5ZUHLhikZFR31nQs3d-d14yIkdbTXps-QG9VYlUssW71MMlKypfYdoC3SdP5nxGhljhBT0_psdJ1Todqi9BVP6S7yfzwZQiEzv7XidfBZujtgGqLiHAhlzSz3TWCZgvq9yy1o/s1600/DSCN6510.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjG0Rkfv5ZUHLhikZFR31nQs3d-d14yIkdbTXps-QG9VYlUssW71MMlKypfYdoC3SdP5nxGhljhBT0_psdJ1Todqi9BVP6S7yfzwZQiEzv7XidfBZujtgGqLiHAhlzSz3TWCZgvq9yy1o/s640/DSCN6510.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you are a person who generally sleeps during long journeys, Ladakh is definitely not for you! For you are going to miss some amazing Geography lessons on the go! Look at the above photograph. You'll notice the <b>stratification</b>, the different layers of rocks, exposed due to wind erosion. Learning it out of a book is just not interesting enough!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Y82kU1pKIr9GmYLcHa7a9XSlNSQ9Bf-uoVEnmpApERuq9CXkElhn151TG-Z0UMiGeG_2lJCW53phyTXn0UnmXUn2g0WmLbl95oXJGufhSJcOEeIFoqpN-UOO9Q2hLlO6T_MrvBRxB_E/s1600/DSCN6518.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Y82kU1pKIr9GmYLcHa7a9XSlNSQ9Bf-uoVEnmpApERuq9CXkElhn151TG-Z0UMiGeG_2lJCW53phyTXn0UnmXUn2g0WmLbl95oXJGufhSJcOEeIFoqpN-UOO9Q2hLlO6T_MrvBRxB_E/s320/DSCN6518.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzM-LWR8W8s92t2RZXpOw1cZ0kQkR07hiHnaCd63RF1j_fe1KY7-7sFtPAChliueMTUgXndMOsOsEK4f_X8cjzpNwv5ADk6bTroLHnz-yVdhTW84FYWA1zKBOhZ2KzxEmItuX9tyq8dzc/s1600/DSCN6519.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzM-LWR8W8s92t2RZXpOw1cZ0kQkR07hiHnaCd63RF1j_fe1KY7-7sFtPAChliueMTUgXndMOsOsEK4f_X8cjzpNwv5ADk6bTroLHnz-yVdhTW84FYWA1zKBOhZ2KzxEmItuX9tyq8dzc/s320/DSCN6519.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywhyphenhyphen0KjU88fmuDx8GBCno6F8f1xiFmnEB-dZ1PjSaibM6PnH559KWGOzx90EIGZJhWxEcjrnIlEijgHfC5z-Bb5zt7S_myJadFHfneqr8Kr5tpCO93ukJn9bbCrlzcimf3nOU-g8gb1E/s1600/DSCN6521.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywhyphenhyphen0KjU88fmuDx8GBCno6F8f1xiFmnEB-dZ1PjSaibM6PnH559KWGOzx90EIGZJhWxEcjrnIlEijgHfC5z-Bb5zt7S_myJadFHfneqr8Kr5tpCO93ukJn9bbCrlzcimf3nOU-g8gb1E/s320/DSCN6521.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85Gcf3Cj8O_T4UMV3alXk8tKmhQIXG_idFi5TF-rIPDk93NybG46OaQn3nVffic0LtFyz0ZKphqR84x3VNYVl43FCe6o_zsI8WehdNwo57TMgya21pK6lR5aG9fGfVEK-SvLkhgRj2Bg/s1600/DSCN6520.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85Gcf3Cj8O_T4UMV3alXk8tKmhQIXG_idFi5TF-rIPDk93NybG46OaQn3nVffic0LtFyz0ZKphqR84x3VNYVl43FCe6o_zsI8WehdNwo57TMgya21pK6lR5aG9fGfVEK-SvLkhgRj2Bg/s320/DSCN6520.JPG" width="320" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Lamayuru - the Moonland. </b>Continental drift made sure that the Himalayas became the youngest fold mountains in the world. The Himalayas are made up of the marine sediments that came from the ancient Tethys Sea. Lamayuru is one such place which, though not unique, gives a very clear example of badlands or wastelands formed by gullies or running water. Here, once again, the underlying hard rocks have been exposed, leaving tall columns of sandstones standing behind. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1tCg06Wu0HovqMVvMWmrDuR4dgqH0iyEvnhqTWe0MUefxdv-9y42QOp2OywXvW4CJxnkRi8zg4RRGCZWVwAtKbZieSsD1bKz8aI-B-Goo3kwSMwbQ6BBfg_ceH0j9NBC9LitDI0A7vM/s1600/DSCN6529.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1tCg06Wu0HovqMVvMWmrDuR4dgqH0iyEvnhqTWe0MUefxdv-9y42QOp2OywXvW4CJxnkRi8zg4RRGCZWVwAtKbZieSsD1bKz8aI-B-Goo3kwSMwbQ6BBfg_ceH0j9NBC9LitDI0A7vM/s640/DSCN6529.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Lamayuru Monastery stands on one such patch of badland. Monasteries dot the Ladakhi landscape like patches of bright colour in the otherwise grey, barren area. Built in the 11th Century, this is the oldest and the largest standing gompa in Ladakh. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0yeIDT9nZaPaBM0GyR1ynS5ECNEbRwem-Haaag5JHs_r5KfteUZn_K5W54VZ7fAxoOsexasGtqBvQ4GVtjKQ2w15Dd0J-MqIi2eGr_d5Puatw9BROFLeCgKjHAYrrJa1wMrkTkiL0So/s1600/DSCN6537.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0yeIDT9nZaPaBM0GyR1ynS5ECNEbRwem-Haaag5JHs_r5KfteUZn_K5W54VZ7fAxoOsexasGtqBvQ4GVtjKQ2w15Dd0J-MqIi2eGr_d5Puatw9BROFLeCgKjHAYrrJa1wMrkTkiL0So/s640/DSCN6537.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Fatula Top, as you can see, is the highest point on the Leh - Srinagar highway. The winds here are very strong and persistent. You will pass through many such passes on the way. Namik la is the 2nd highest pass (</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">12,139 feet above the sea level) on this route.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jdLXXqppZBlf9tfQsuP1IDrjiN8SGxewVe4BjK3b32pza31Pnlp07dHUDx0eNbT4sc5V2dT-AO_VotrAzKaQyD_FxrbjQwzKsyNId7SPmakwtUCyySDZDPTAeQpAkKiPbXjwyTzncL0/s1600/DSCN6541.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jdLXXqppZBlf9tfQsuP1IDrjiN8SGxewVe4BjK3b32pza31Pnlp07dHUDx0eNbT4sc5V2dT-AO_VotrAzKaQyD_FxrbjQwzKsyNId7SPmakwtUCyySDZDPTAeQpAkKiPbXjwyTzncL0/s320/DSCN6541.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSP-5eacT1lDS9vho25BsbxO37rVebN8H-MRE7fbYF74noJjm3EaAaToUmxt4NfZIDH_yhTQUaK_2pznj9E8BB34LwSmByrI-lYW4eHhg9X48kqTUrsOTO8m-TwdWwRD4kOSq3hmP7Xk/s1600/DSCN6810.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSP-5eacT1lDS9vho25BsbxO37rVebN8H-MRE7fbYF74noJjm3EaAaToUmxt4NfZIDH_yhTQUaK_2pznj9E8BB34LwSmByrI-lYW4eHhg9X48kqTUrsOTO8m-TwdWwRD4kOSq3hmP7Xk/s320/DSCN6810.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Moving over wind and water erosion, you will also see examples of glacial erosion throughout the road. As you can see in the above photos, the glaciers have eroded the mountains to form </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>arĂȘtes</b> (sharp mountain ridges), <b>cirques</b> (deep hollows formed near mountain tops) and <b>horns</b> (or pyramidal peaks). The lower part of the mountain is mostly scattered with glacial moraine (stones and gravel transported downstream by glaciers).</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ak01jddE-c-QpDf_2nBj36c5JC11dZiqKYq3jBV43mg_uLW3gS62iHXNNDMyWVkKz1FonhybQazqIh9vZkW3wYm_fVJJFHXqrWkBEGaWoCe53Rl2VlEazvBy01WMVkJp1jYVu4lDW-s/s1600/DSCN6785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ak01jddE-c-QpDf_2nBj36c5JC11dZiqKYq3jBV43mg_uLW3gS62iHXNNDMyWVkKz1FonhybQazqIh9vZkW3wYm_fVJJFHXqrWkBEGaWoCe53Rl2VlEazvBy01WMVkJp1jYVu4lDW-s/s640/DSCN6785.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">These particular mountains appeared to be another glacial depositional landform, namely '<b>Drumlins</b>'. These are elongated mountains, generally formed of boulder clay deposited by glacial transportation processes. They have smooth tops and when looked at from a vantage point, look like a basket of half-buried eggs.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLh71KgLJ7wVHwmJOu4vf5EDD4NV4641bwmhgI05gtvTXihMuqdNMMvVbBXXYYK1sq3Glr6cIcqFUYE7o_oMxIEBBOflHBcvfpCwkF1MCHUBkweGlxhhVejaDPEG1mbRMTjvtSVuqWfE/s1600/DSCN6569.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLh71KgLJ7wVHwmJOu4vf5EDD4NV4641bwmhgI05gtvTXihMuqdNMMvVbBXXYYK1sq3Glr6cIcqFUYE7o_oMxIEBBOflHBcvfpCwkF1MCHUBkweGlxhhVejaDPEG1mbRMTjvtSVuqWfE/s640/DSCN6569.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">Farmlands, cultivated on <b>Piedmont plateaus</b>, often break the monotony of the barren panorama. Towns on the highway are far and few in between. Actually, after a while, you might get an impression that there are more Army cantonments and Army men living close to the highway than locals. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgMop4AyEm8gCPnL-ZZliYopkLAfTV795pJBH45vyo238A0cHZ2TJLYhZ0r5Ni5t5HzEn8qTBa-HWS1flK2gowkqWFExV8z6qrdhh5EJ-GosfRsitkvgx0kChjSmqmtcirNM3mZ86fUU/s1600/DSCN6570.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgMop4AyEm8gCPnL-ZZliYopkLAfTV795pJBH45vyo238A0cHZ2TJLYhZ0r5Ni5t5HzEn8qTBa-HWS1flK2gowkqWFExV8z6qrdhh5EJ-GosfRsitkvgx0kChjSmqmtcirNM3mZ86fUU/s640/DSCN6570.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The statue of <b>Future Buddha</b> is carved in a mountain in Mulbekh. This is a quaint town located about 1 hour before Kargil. Here, you can also enjoy some refreshing Kahwa or Kashmiri masala tea. Also, try the 'Garlic soup' for some instant dose of O2. This was our last stop before reaching our hotel in Kargil. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0YJcpxZ6voab-mfW0SjnrYMXB7tLeHe3VmIkZ_HmUXVG0G2H0YeJwzDIeax7RWEanlzM6NUckm2yGamdiziVhqFVPZMlDCDDK4yoo9QegOOGIXo2a9-_8IJEt9cMtuxYrAiZVPYr10E/s1600/DSCN6602.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0YJcpxZ6voab-mfW0SjnrYMXB7tLeHe3VmIkZ_HmUXVG0G2H0YeJwzDIeax7RWEanlzM6NUckm2yGamdiziVhqFVPZMlDCDDK4yoo9QegOOGIXo2a9-_8IJEt9cMtuxYrAiZVPYr10E/s640/DSCN6602.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Hotel Rangyul</b>, about 8 km before the main town of Kargil, was our home for the night. With a view like that for our company, what else could we ask for? A quick walk in the surrounding areas told us that we were surrounded by mustard fields. Sunlight doesn't dim in these regions till about 8 p.m. in early June. As soon as the night falls, you are overwhelmed by cold and chilly winds. Hence it is important to cover every part of your body by as many layers as possible. Food-wise, do not expect anything great, but basic Punjabi food. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">P.S. POK was just 2-3 km away from our Hotel.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2fNnvDTd5-avbvYRydUUsxIuyO7mQF5H3yVRdyQoqiLtAzM8N4TCurTV_JKlZGydeFzyhp3wwCyBYeY5QMWgj3YtgRcosnLCwZGcbrIpZXyLlhJCH7orFdwzrIjfkv4XGaaecXMG104/s1600/DSCN6632.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2fNnvDTd5-avbvYRydUUsxIuyO7mQF5H3yVRdyQoqiLtAzM8N4TCurTV_JKlZGydeFzyhp3wwCyBYeY5QMWgj3YtgRcosnLCwZGcbrIpZXyLlhJCH7orFdwzrIjfkv4XGaaecXMG104/s640/DSCN6632.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our first glimpse of the famous town of Kargil on the banks of the fast flowing <b>River Suru</b> (a tributary of the River Indus). This river has such high velocity that it carries a lot of silt and load along with it, making it look grey in colour. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R_RjhBcs-w8bHhyF5smyyQcr6VPKEObCT9rea4EHd0nREI0Dy-btBPKyYRUR0ibv1LX-HsgGw1mSufQqKzO13sj-truJf0YKQPrdao7Dze93Yhzd1_7P_UPR1K4vIf0YbTlq7NNMsGI/s1600/DSCN6707.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R_RjhBcs-w8bHhyF5smyyQcr6VPKEObCT9rea4EHd0nREI0Dy-btBPKyYRUR0ibv1LX-HsgGw1mSufQqKzO13sj-truJf0YKQPrdao7Dze93Yhzd1_7P_UPR1K4vIf0YbTlq7NNMsGI/s320/DSCN6707.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FJ2BUqoBnsbHGrgxgs4CDAyzIfqiwFL_KCTJHOFWh686xuK8G4nX0ycjaSPJZVGJh4ngjcW_4pFXf4-ZVKfxeOk9u09ETiA97we_cmr-y1MtKC7muI8J7G_NtzakeKvSdH4F0OONEiI/s1600/DSCN6701.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FJ2BUqoBnsbHGrgxgs4CDAyzIfqiwFL_KCTJHOFWh686xuK8G4nX0ycjaSPJZVGJh4ngjcW_4pFXf4-ZVKfxeOk9u09ETiA97we_cmr-y1MtKC7muI8J7G_NtzakeKvSdH4F0OONEiI/s320/DSCN6701.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Terminal glaciers with moraine on the banks of the river. The temperature outside was just 2-3 degrees Celcius. At many places, the glaciers were melting, creating fresh, foamy, snow-white streams of water and waterfalls. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqIVK4__dHFvRNoQpJJmfatp4qht3nZ6EYTLev-6ztxyN0Di4mfgo91pcD_pLjYP5JCqUOYiyE1_noFF3yz-JTMB3HAFkoUFs9mMSkq_GvCTCO-1_t_Ttdrl7cBrP1uwEgCGAbd1-39o/s1600/DSCN6722.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqIVK4__dHFvRNoQpJJmfatp4qht3nZ6EYTLev-6ztxyN0Di4mfgo91pcD_pLjYP5JCqUOYiyE1_noFF3yz-JTMB3HAFkoUFs9mMSkq_GvCTCO-1_t_Ttdrl7cBrP1uwEgCGAbd1-39o/s320/DSCN6722.JPG" width="240" /></a> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaesR1jhKHVdRZ3OeSLmAZtRI6Ok5b28cI94u46KZWhAdFzRxQoiI6ae5NnpO_zf8YHXZuSmLvmnO5VPGoqPLKW1-SSgEBpFE3E4QNXaMvTabnO3Xn_oQrQAtWrRY1CwATr9DOCaRiZ6s/s1600/DSCN6753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaesR1jhKHVdRZ3OeSLmAZtRI6Ok5b28cI94u46KZWhAdFzRxQoiI6ae5NnpO_zf8YHXZuSmLvmnO5VPGoqPLKW1-SSgEBpFE3E4QNXaMvTabnO3Xn_oQrQAtWrRY1CwATr9DOCaRiZ6s/s320/DSCN6753.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Kargil War Memorial was our last stop in the Drass valley. The mountains that are seen behind are the very mountains on which the historic Indo-Pak war was fought. Pakistani infiltrators had captured more than 160 snow covered high peaks during the winters of 1999. That, inspite of the pact between the two armies to leave the high altitudes during the biting cold winters and retreat to lower passes. The Indian army, lead by many great generals captured back all these posts within 3 months, thus saving the Leh - Srinagar highway from going under the control of the enemy. This memorial stands to salute the bravery of those very brave hearts. Imagine a soldier on duty narrating the Kargil war story to you, the goosebumps you feel, standing on the very land, looking at the dangerous mountains behind, imagining the sacrifice of those young soldiers, who died for their nation, for us...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>This particular feature is a tribute to all those brave soldiers who guard our border in the most difficult of terrains. They die, with the hope that we will live a little longer! A big salute to their families!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jai Hind!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Richahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047440675017435022noreply@blogger.com11Leh34.1525864 77.5770534999999234.0474809 77.415691999999922 34.2576919 77.738414999999918tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7074104022476190643.post-79106373021143960912016-11-15T22:06:00.000-08:002016-11-15T22:09:21.621-08:00Goa: Seven Secret Sacred Spots!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_SPcgcmWEyGg5p3raI2lZYqEuiCv1NOE4VmoIVSvEc7ZufEfIWb1zUDn1oXi8mqarF_N8MchxFW7sAk8tksddd5svH3L-hRvpQe2RYlJQAQ94eH-S2RZ1iay7A0kaHdtVkoO7ATgDPc/s1600/IMG_6467.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_SPcgcmWEyGg5p3raI2lZYqEuiCv1NOE4VmoIVSvEc7ZufEfIWb1zUDn1oXi8mqarF_N8MchxFW7sAk8tksddd5svH3L-hRvpQe2RYlJQAQ94eH-S2RZ1iay7A0kaHdtVkoO7ATgDPc/s400/IMG_6467.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i> This blog post is dedicated to my friend <b>Chandrakant Shinde (Chandu)</b>. Chandu, you are the one who inspired me, not once, but twice, to take the off-beat path when it comes to the beautiful state of Goa!</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Being a resident of Goa, Chandu would often say during our University days, "Whenever people think of Goa, all they can imagine is beaches, babes, and booze. But my Goa is much more than that! We are blessed with nature's bounty! We have dense forests hosting a huge biodiversity, serene villages, a rich history, temples, churches, winding roads leading to nowhere...come explore that once and you will never feel like going to the rowdier parts of Goa."</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> And explore, we did! I'm sure the list below is going to be on the top of your bucketlist for your next Goa trip!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> So here we go!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">1. <span style="color: orange;">Nature's Nest, Tambdi Surla</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVqF37e9BVkgqXHm4Owfne_IjbNCJo0RWD2FrJIkCsx-S-esxGNzby_g1GelR9IqlpK3TR78VBEmhYtEJwzRW08L9pVUcP-NFXCP2HNAJRqyvOhnTSBMeK7QVJw92skA6pK-JRGQOqOo/s1600/P1060834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVqF37e9BVkgqXHm4Owfne_IjbNCJo0RWD2FrJIkCsx-S-esxGNzby_g1GelR9IqlpK3TR78VBEmhYtEJwzRW08L9pVUcP-NFXCP2HNAJRqyvOhnTSBMeK7QVJw92skA6pK-JRGQOqOo/s640/P1060834.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A cabin in the woods! That's the exact feel you get when you enter this place. Deep inside the jungles of Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary, this eco-friendly resort is a dream come true! Amazing food, big cottages built with eco-friendly material and the feel of being inside a forest and away from all human civilization!<br />They organise birding tours, waterfall trails, trekking, cycle tours and a lot more.<br />Be ready to welcome some wild guests while at this hotel! ;-)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmguPiK5HVfTYb5JjttC2bqUC2oc_pApA-t7M5DiWptXV8ialm4XakQ-EqX9-gtg8wgq0oBg24JG-Ku7z36LK91CIQvGHv8EdGvTijOvx-raDOEZjUPrK4YhTKOvT2EMnou0Yetb2gVlM/s1600/P1060846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmguPiK5HVfTYb5JjttC2bqUC2oc_pApA-t7M5DiWptXV8ialm4XakQ-EqX9-gtg8wgq0oBg24JG-Ku7z36LK91CIQvGHv8EdGvTijOvx-raDOEZjUPrK4YhTKOvT2EMnou0Yetb2gVlM/s640/P1060846.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a natural spring located inside the resort. Here you can simply immerse your feet into the magical waters and let the fish treat you to a tingling pedicure and foot spa! </span><br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="font-size: x-large;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2. <span style="color: orange;">Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla</span></b></span></div>
<div style="font-size: x-large;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2V3MmqUaGy2yDVJfcAiKbYH_xCxWMjCMbjcXgLeIb7BHgWj7sJrn_HStIUziX38xH1POylNaab9t8NyzDuIjz-5nIrD_U1WIwAsIrCDGpoKx6xTaUeIcZlLfe2En-GNqBJDt-ZrGjl4/s1600/IMG_6441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2V3MmqUaGy2yDVJfcAiKbYH_xCxWMjCMbjcXgLeIb7BHgWj7sJrn_HStIUziX38xH1POylNaab9t8NyzDuIjz-5nIrD_U1WIwAsIrCDGpoKx6xTaUeIcZlLfe2En-GNqBJDt-ZrGjl4/s640/IMG_6441.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Located inside the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary, this 13th C temple was built by the Kadamba dynasty who ruled over Goa then. It is just 11 km away from Nature's Nest Resort. A stream runs by the temple, making it an ideal place for relaxing and enjoying some fresh air!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilumzg-G6VM0RnuVmTskgpB6T8bwOVFu-nb3kiF8SCp3Hd3Yvgkb4S_vzdc6ERQFzGxpWxRpmpzPCUh5eae7E5tXr8ytRAQmp5JU7nyGlGmeMnX2Cc38DpKNd-ZZAQJz-TgjNX6lY12i4/s1600/P1060868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilumzg-G6VM0RnuVmTskgpB6T8bwOVFu-nb3kiF8SCp3Hd3Yvgkb4S_vzdc6ERQFzGxpWxRpmpzPCUh5eae7E5tXr8ytRAQmp5JU7nyGlGmeMnX2Cc38DpKNd-ZZAQJz-TgjNX6lY12i4/s640/P1060868.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Archeological Survey of India as done some brilliant work here in restoring the stone structure.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>3. <span style="color: orange;">The Bondla Zoo, Ponda</span></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0MPZFy5zhc10d_K8odxSIzassgzR3luoc3CI4_qWFSvZlvFBpRJObCtgFU1yamTEQYWQzAU-lriR3OEFn_gaO047iwJW6vQYUeTLwoG_N6x6KZUE6WNoAluf2ycGEiDtxA_d9pYPGKY/s1600/IMG_6484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0MPZFy5zhc10d_K8odxSIzassgzR3luoc3CI4_qWFSvZlvFBpRJObCtgFU1yamTEQYWQzAU-lriR3OEFn_gaO047iwJW6vQYUeTLwoG_N6x6KZUE6WNoAluf2ycGEiDtxA_d9pYPGKY/s640/IMG_6484.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let me make one thing clear, I'm not a big fan of zoos. They are nothing but slow torture for animals. I would rather see these beautiful animals in their natural habitat.<br />Yet, Bondla zoo is an example of how a zoo should be conceptualized and maintained if animals have to be kept in captivity. <br />Huge area for the big animals, limited timings for visitors and animals on display and a semblance of their natural habitat!<br />The only disappointment was the jungle cat that was kept inside a tiny cage...what would the poor animal do in such a small space for his entire lifetime??</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIuXmUMVOAkVzeufav7ooFrgMLJBxwifWBraQjSxCdbL7_BmV4kV2_f0k1VbBIHH9-TPWhIqYhajZOD1rND1uqNoryerWGpXbxeJ7CqzJd5JG9VQKNbiKvcVF6nLIicW-zEeth1lwbMU/s1600/IMG_6470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIuXmUMVOAkVzeufav7ooFrgMLJBxwifWBraQjSxCdbL7_BmV4kV2_f0k1VbBIHH9-TPWhIqYhajZOD1rND1uqNoryerWGpXbxeJ7CqzJd5JG9VQKNbiKvcVF6nLIicW-zEeth1lwbMU/s200/IMG_6470.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgadPK0zEirGb8Cx4BIxqmENQMsiQ_DGSmXjsHfVWWAxOYanTzGMNl_WyqVVu3Lse9XhsT4-DhxIRP9-sgQmNU23KNe5Ks5VNmh0MjNj1R1JW5Qrk12pbA6ik-GW10mR_GO5W8eDbN_A/s1600/IMG_6471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgadPK0zEirGb8Cx4BIxqmENQMsiQ_DGSmXjsHfVWWAxOYanTzGMNl_WyqVVu3Lse9XhsT4-DhxIRP9-sgQmNU23KNe5Ks5VNmh0MjNj1R1JW5Qrk12pbA6ik-GW10mR_GO5W8eDbN_A/s200/IMG_6471.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDC6H96p5WzQtZbsJl8mhzlUsX8SSojoZsZcqGC3_h64I3JmY77wd4p4RsoZFa8CAklFiMAZ19ACyNZGH0Dn_FcuTeiRZzcp1W8BHwD729-F9DFNWYWg7YkY0X8KxvVZ7-bPTx0UJNRg/s1600/IMG_6475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDC6H96p5WzQtZbsJl8mhzlUsX8SSojoZsZcqGC3_h64I3JmY77wd4p4RsoZFa8CAklFiMAZ19ACyNZGH0Dn_FcuTeiRZzcp1W8BHwD729-F9DFNWYWg7YkY0X8KxvVZ7-bPTx0UJNRg/s200/IMG_6475.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Don't forget to watch the tall trees while walking through the zoo. You might catch a glimpse of the Indian Giant Squirrel!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Yh7fbJ_4fuo4IlzjRUryDRUbyOetbIk0Rqj8zl_CQqCn3vsTc4j8Qa6-1CCwo-t7iZcJCeCs7CRK92VTP5MkwsocvB9kmgXZtgNRzd5k1xFZPbjYYk2YHfKuGjiSHeWXn9XOAMbkDd4/s1600/P1060914.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Yh7fbJ_4fuo4IlzjRUryDRUbyOetbIk0Rqj8zl_CQqCn3vsTc4j8Qa6-1CCwo-t7iZcJCeCs7CRK92VTP5MkwsocvB9kmgXZtgNRzd5k1xFZPbjYYk2YHfKuGjiSHeWXn9XOAMbkDd4/s320/P1060914.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4. <span style="color: orange;">Tropical Spice Plantation, Ponda</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwO8Xf_0YOkS24Ab50yTTZ7gH8OCMN6c9S4FAU8gZGZf2r1TpXl5C8OzajiNQVFXPR9TX_REqK4IzOlBVW5t6PUcyb4C8rDjvuLToBz8yfFdmb2uxjHTCdV4y6IGtn0ymYCQxi85DFZY/s1600/P1060972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwO8Xf_0YOkS24Ab50yTTZ7gH8OCMN6c9S4FAU8gZGZf2r1TpXl5C8OzajiNQVFXPR9TX_REqK4IzOlBVW5t6PUcyb4C8rDjvuLToBz8yfFdmb2uxjHTCdV4y6IGtn0ymYCQxi85DFZY/s640/P1060972.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another gem for us city-dwellers is this beautiful spice plantation. After crossing an eco-friendly bridge over a quiet lake, you will enter the world of spices!</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSvrei-jTU-4CaayaprIXZnFgU08O9bk1dXx3xQEEyDvqp4yd5v3OZAu3dMifKJ8Trh5VxrQFmjMXhNmgaGjYqy2xTm2ryXTrJqO49U-imx3cn2UPnG2V_Pu743YV-m4FhO30c7LtmHY/s1600/P1060976.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSvrei-jTU-4CaayaprIXZnFgU08O9bk1dXx3xQEEyDvqp4yd5v3OZAu3dMifKJ8Trh5VxrQFmjMXhNmgaGjYqy2xTm2ryXTrJqO49U-imx3cn2UPnG2V_Pu743YV-m4FhO30c7LtmHY/s640/P1060976.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Coffee pods</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIGNFRTsQVwMDjy_EV4FJjeVGv89QrIzMIaWMUqn8SQVEQ-xAA-HjJhru574nfAf9kCRngRjY55IeeeAJ8D1MWUi3ALmHREEnbGp2qnpMzZVyCY9GrKzk5CTN0KPr49e8sMwMpIQAA2Y/s1600/P1060970.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIGNFRTsQVwMDjy_EV4FJjeVGv89QrIzMIaWMUqn8SQVEQ-xAA-HjJhru574nfAf9kCRngRjY55IeeeAJ8D1MWUi3ALmHREEnbGp2qnpMzZVyCY9GrKzk5CTN0KPr49e8sMwMpIQAA2Y/s640/P1060970.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Peri Peri Chilli</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNHOgJzTsEBTyb-b7axom_EtMbCRyCXvlof05Ob75szjp_KNgd4VT8CqRZIrLL9lEyP4uxNeaiY2W09S_74l5xdsIOuvUaYxQPONLfLjUjTsJ9heVxiyI0VmBYpbykDwJnbuiAWz6Lhs/s1600/P1060983.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNHOgJzTsEBTyb-b7axom_EtMbCRyCXvlof05Ob75szjp_KNgd4VT8CqRZIrLL9lEyP4uxNeaiY2W09S_74l5xdsIOuvUaYxQPONLfLjUjTsJ9heVxiyI0VmBYpbykDwJnbuiAWz6Lhs/s640/P1060983.JPG" width="480" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Look at these traditional serving pots. Aren't they beautiful? Here you can enjoy a delicious veg and non-veg meal served in bamboo plates. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>5. <span style="color: orange;">Fernandes Heritage Home, Chandor</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4kVJ8YNy4Rk-SMw5RPVSZamZgQhtThhYklBPpOkbOQmd-P4VB3DvmQ9ELmxdyOSMhSRQR8H0etN-ZpklyAYFLDebd_zzVztg3DrzMZ8l1ap2R15oJzQYoijacY5x7LEFp7zTtEHaxjA/s1600/IMG_6568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4kVJ8YNy4Rk-SMw5RPVSZamZgQhtThhYklBPpOkbOQmd-P4VB3DvmQ9ELmxdyOSMhSRQR8H0etN-ZpklyAYFLDebd_zzVztg3DrzMZ8l1ap2R15oJzQYoijacY5x7LEFp7zTtEHaxjA/s640/IMG_6568.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ok, this 450-year-old Portuguese villa can surely give you the creeps. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnvxrJCWsLydKPGGI02UaNbR36bgHeGbxfM4S9mFrIhlusjlh0w6WeGxxsYztDFjtGHlWmExG9awkqIGtCE9o-Ym3MKYZWHAFYdtcT7ILU2KN5_KR-VCzaUtVSePPCLZ8mTOtXoUjb78/s1600/IMG_6533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnvxrJCWsLydKPGGI02UaNbR36bgHeGbxfM4S9mFrIhlusjlh0w6WeGxxsYztDFjtGHlWmExG9awkqIGtCE9o-Ym3MKYZWHAFYdtcT7ILU2KN5_KR-VCzaUtVSePPCLZ8mTOtXoUjb78/s320/IMG_6533.JPG" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbDgntBqdk54TET9ZTBfqEm383X20UGGb5KjJb2oGh7zkxigL8QA_PvnTtn__YBjGQMPOlRg3VIKqG8uw2SupZUiKgSEPtKS19zeCb-r3-sxluXrbFWbxImofQyJ92aOgYKnrOH9AO8s/s1600/IMG_6539.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbDgntBqdk54TET9ZTBfqEm383X20UGGb5KjJb2oGh7zkxigL8QA_PvnTtn__YBjGQMPOlRg3VIKqG8uw2SupZUiKgSEPtKS19zeCb-r3-sxluXrbFWbxImofQyJ92aOgYKnrOH9AO8s/s320/IMG_6539.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The huge, heavy entrance door closes on you as you enter the ancient villa, giving you a feeling of being trapped in another century. Old artefacts, relics, paintings of the Fernandes family members starting at you with a piercing look, all of this can be pretty overwhelming.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2o_NwxYAKjviltGOPqhBeVZZa2FcGThiY5cAJXMSoLiHnCXKBxL5L9vnY9s1EJVvqOUKo1XT7aKb51BkQASN2tmHK6F-5b82uSHclzP_WVUoWha-EHbXdeXzbtGkLUQyntcqC4jigm8/s1600/IMG_6540.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2o_NwxYAKjviltGOPqhBeVZZa2FcGThiY5cAJXMSoLiHnCXKBxL5L9vnY9s1EJVvqOUKo1XT7aKb51BkQASN2tmHK6F-5b82uSHclzP_WVUoWha-EHbXdeXzbtGkLUQyntcqC4jigm8/s640/IMG_6540.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />Yet, you realise, that this is a piece of history that has been so well preserved.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJ1qbsD2fM-XKIlV0b5vNdM7S2j25JYke5tBBlMy6pHuq0aqwohUjmMFSSCJAJerGmn2bLG4w6mZqOqhhh-itigiV1XdKFC5HsLzO6HYdXIM2fEVVNa9y7CREYAkewhN5e9Yk6AWiWiM/s1600/IMG_6552.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJ1qbsD2fM-XKIlV0b5vNdM7S2j25JYke5tBBlMy6pHuq0aqwohUjmMFSSCJAJerGmn2bLG4w6mZqOqhhh-itigiV1XdKFC5HsLzO6HYdXIM2fEVVNa9y7CREYAkewhN5e9Yk6AWiWiM/s320/IMG_6552.JPG" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPDjf2pkkzu8TVtKjcaFRehR-qwT2HjZf2OtAW4qOeIWd4nRqrUyim634VIUFAYdSNdXCoBOC3Du0Vy0IcKH8RDhBUuer8LLbn1bEuOQ9ZwYbdUR1ZYg3AFouLK51cgkKAT_yPOu2n1Q/s1600/IMG_6542.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPDjf2pkkzu8TVtKjcaFRehR-qwT2HjZf2OtAW4qOeIWd4nRqrUyim634VIUFAYdSNdXCoBOC3Du0Vy0IcKH8RDhBUuer8LLbn1bEuOQ9ZwYbdUR1ZYg3AFouLK51cgkKAT_yPOu2n1Q/s320/IMG_6542.JPG" width="240" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Victorian love chair sofas, four-poster beds, old Chinese and Egyptian artefacts are just a delight to see.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTqyoZrjAq0N6pO0XAIRm-ZVvuFjE_uCLqvb65zr-44bcljLqaQ0WnZoQoN1hK06yIrO0_w7Ym-qME4hE1vlXCKTiOOTfM9zvq8GVzM8w9IL6XcpxCw32eLtKDhjeUD77JICwZetp1eQ/s1600/IMG_6547.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTqyoZrjAq0N6pO0XAIRm-ZVvuFjE_uCLqvb65zr-44bcljLqaQ0WnZoQoN1hK06yIrO0_w7Ym-qME4hE1vlXCKTiOOTfM9zvq8GVzM8w9IL6XcpxCw32eLtKDhjeUD77JICwZetp1eQ/s400/IMG_6547.JPG" width="400" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The best part of the house, however, is the secret passage that will take you down to the basement! A steep stairway, and winding narrow passages later, you will reach a secret hideaway of the Fernandes family. This was used by them during battles and skirmishes as an escape route to the nearby river. Today it is a home to bats, measuring chains and a few other old equipments.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">6. <span style="color: orange;">Big Foot Museum, Loutolim</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cr7zzo4e-pheFTk7FyUN_ZTU3irNHr8XurjThyphenhyphenh3_cArjdLb7QQcQmcEI6-RHU3lmxDsGopis6PXUj91ScP08eO-Y6wwDLIDm06o0WLuxLWmq8uphGM6eV5GtDpz6Iy6hoibMKQh15E/s1600/IMG_6582.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cr7zzo4e-pheFTk7FyUN_ZTU3irNHr8XurjThyphenhyphenh3_cArjdLb7QQcQmcEI6-RHU3lmxDsGopis6PXUj91ScP08eO-Y6wwDLIDm06o0WLuxLWmq8uphGM6eV5GtDpz6Iy6hoibMKQh15E/s320/IMG_6582.JPG" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wL-iZxoi0L_i0IWqBLmU3Hcq9ptkpqqX5vjVbTvSkh5M2paR274xIc8bjFzGcSq21za6pilariZlTHjO8BfjvDncFpJCET_EnP5an7CSUMxIno2tyHeLdTxi1eLRw0xS4rIWngo8WPU/s1600/IMG_6609.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wL-iZxoi0L_i0IWqBLmU3Hcq9ptkpqqX5vjVbTvSkh5M2paR274xIc8bjFzGcSq21za6pilariZlTHjO8BfjvDncFpJCET_EnP5an7CSUMxIno2tyHeLdTxi1eLRw0xS4rIWngo8WPU/s320/IMG_6609.JPG" width="320" /></a></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9sSs52uFzFIk-Sr2-8pwL-Xn4hyphenhyphenY3a_OMsvI8afMZJ665c5mC_T0tfCppDy5LNtCmVTHzIVlEgQ5eQwED5DG9lBljsBMzA73TJlBjHvYhLFrnNew3yk5V8kXuq7CTlocRM9LHy4gIIs/s1600/IMG_6602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9sSs52uFzFIk-Sr2-8pwL-Xn4hyphenhyphenY3a_OMsvI8afMZJ665c5mC_T0tfCppDy5LNtCmVTHzIVlEgQ5eQwED5DG9lBljsBMzA73TJlBjHvYhLFrnNew3yk5V8kXuq7CTlocRM9LHy4gIIs/s400/IMG_6602.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to Old Goa! Take a voice guided tour of this village and you will get to learn a lot about the old and new ways of life of Goa. The statues and displays look very lively. This is one experience that will leave you feeling proud of this small state of India.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">7. <span style="color: orange;">Chorla Ghat</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></b>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmijTFcdLw3P9KTZhQDVVS1QmwssNsEXt8R6DbioUR53cOBE1SUhSWLQ9-FXjK4KOSMz_mH-YUB3QGhb4kKTuCGq67V2Pbz-j21N91Vy0h7jbDjkad1q-i0i_-XjNqvZMyGmtBd14-oHQ/s1600/IMG_6655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmijTFcdLw3P9KTZhQDVVS1QmwssNsEXt8R6DbioUR53cOBE1SUhSWLQ9-FXjK4KOSMz_mH-YUB3QGhb4kKTuCGq67V2Pbz-j21N91Vy0h7jbDjkad1q-i0i_-XjNqvZMyGmtBd14-oHQ/s640/IMG_6655.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are on a road trip to Goa, do take this route at least once! Dense, probably evergreen forest, might give you a chance of spotting a wild animal or two. The road is just perfect, less used and hence sparsely populated by vehicles. Be careful while driving through this patch, though. Let the perfect setting for driving not give you a false sense of security. We came across a terrible and fatal bike accident in the same patch.<br />Enjoy the beauty of this route only during daylight. It will take you to Belgavi (Belgaum) from where you can take the superfast highway to Kolhapur and ahead to Pune.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">So there it is, add these places to you bucketlist asap! I hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Keep trave<span style="font-family: inherit;">lling!</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And keep your Geogr</span>aphy ka Chashma on!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Adios!</i></span></div>
Richahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047440675017435022noreply@blogger.com2South Goa, Goa, India15.11766 74.12399600000003414.136998 72.833102500000038 16.098322 75.414889500000029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7074104022476190643.post-78612980807473792512016-10-03T10:14:00.000-07:002016-10-03T10:17:13.389-07:00Dubai ka Dil Dekho! (Part 2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 2 - </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Good morning Dubai! Today, we have a very heavy breakfast (as you generally do when on a foreign trip). You see, most packages include only breakfast. Spending separately on lunch every day can be a bit costly. So what to do? Carry theplas and khakras (Go Gujju!!). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Park Regis (our hotel) serves some amazing variety of breakfast. You have Indian and Continental, veg and non-veg, high-calorie and low-calorie! We got to taste and an amazing variety of cheese from all around the world (my increased flab didn't say a big thank you later on, though!).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> Anyway, this morning, we would be picked up by our car (SIC basis) to be driven all around Dubai on a city tour. These pick-ups are all on time. You need a local number to coordinate with the travel agent.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Travel Tip No 1:</b> Buy a local SIM card, either DU or Etisalat. You can fill it with the minimum amount of talk time just for the sake of contacting your tour operator. Data connection is not really needed as most hotels and tourist attractions in Dubai have FREE WIFI! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dubai City Tour</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The city tour takes you around old and new Dubai. Observe the lane discipline. Most guides are local Arabs speaking fluently in Hindi. (I heavily suspected our guide to be a Pakistani dressed as an Arab!) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> Dubai started developing rapidly in the 1990s after the end of the Gulf war. Till then, it was nothing but a trading port. Being a desert, it was under-developed. The locals built mud houses with flat roofs and a box-like structure on the top to let warm air escape. The old houses have been preserved in this new Dubai. Heritage village, they call it. </span><br />
<img src="http://blog.imonholidays.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Dubai-Heritage-Village.jpg" height="430" style="-webkit-user-select: none;" width="640" /><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> Oil had been discovered in 1966, but Dubai had only 2% of the total reserves in UAE, almost 90% being in Abu Dhabi. The formation of UAE, itself, was quite a story to start with. The then King of Abu Dhabi, in 1971, proposed that all these seven cities or Emirates - <i><b>Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah and Umm al-Quwain</b></i> - come together to form a federation. It was the king of Dubai who first accepted the offer. Thus, it was the king of Abu Dhabi who became the President, while that of Dubai, became the Vice-President of the United Arab Emirates. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Interesting Fact 1: </b>UAE and India, had two things in common - both were colonised by the British (UAE till 1971) and both had the same currency (Rupee). Infact, from 1959 to 1966, the Reserve Bank of India, issued a separate 'Gulf Rupee'! Currency only changed when the Indian Rupee got devalued in 1966!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/India_Gulf_Rupee_1957.jpg/800px-India_Gulf_Rupee_1957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="mw-mmv-final-image jpg" crossorigin="anonymous" height="400" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/India_Gulf_Rupee_1957.jpg/800px-India_Gulf_Rupee_1957.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Anyways, so after the formation of the UAE, there was no looking back. The oil brought in a majority of the revenue. It also got in a lot of migrants - from South Asia, Europe, Africa, East Asia and so on. The migrants formed their own ghettos, so you have a mostly European, posh colony in Jumeirah (probably one of the only public places in Dubai where you will see bikini-clad women), Al-Karama and Bur Dubai (Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi residential area), 5th December road and the Palm islands (Arab area).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMq4dI8GnN6RiqemnmQQdftUcubeGiqJ0-8_oVShQEuORMVujIYys5CYZ5CNVAGe0W3C1Qo6DimTgL43KilTEph3dh8n9SdUTCXgtjs8XoRjOZgiGRpMxP4HlhGk7A_aqapfwOs3Plls/s1600/IMG_5951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMq4dI8GnN6RiqemnmQQdftUcubeGiqJ0-8_oVShQEuORMVujIYys5CYZ5CNVAGe0W3C1Qo6DimTgL43KilTEph3dh8n9SdUTCXgtjs8XoRjOZgiGRpMxP4HlhGk7A_aqapfwOs3Plls/s640/IMG_5951.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A typical bungalow, given to a local Arab after marriage.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> So if you are an Arab living in the UAE, you are definitely a Shiekh! The life of this 'son-of-the-soil' is a cakewalk. Why would it not be when all he has to do is to get married! And voila! He gets his own free house in the most luxurious area of Dubai + 25000 Dirhams has a marriage gift from the government + 10000 Dirhams each on the birth of his first 2 kids + 5000 Dirhams on the birth of the 3rd one! (Shiv Sena, are you listening????) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> So basically the localite has to do nothing for his entire life. He just needs to own a business, in which he acts as a 50% partner. The business is run by a migrant while 50% profit is shared with the Arab. So no hard work and all the money in the world...the Arabs surely know how to take care of their own kind! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Interesting fact 2: </b>No one, but an Arab can own property in UAE (except for very very few areas). Houses and shops are leased out on a 99 years term after which they go back to the owner. Rentals are high. You can only start a business in UAE if you have an Arab partner. The partner shares both your loss and profit. Cool, huh?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHih21SelEWH0D3Fvfhu_cDIAWMFxEPXV6JPqRoqO_JkAkZFj3X9x7wnqNaPUnkLVvB2yn3WPolkniQMDJ8D4JdUC9qNLhUW-r3T9iRjtS_9KVml1Y-ZvD016F8OJ5H7RGxNmX2q-LQQ/s1600/IMG_5947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHih21SelEWH0D3Fvfhu_cDIAWMFxEPXV6JPqRoqO_JkAkZFj3X9x7wnqNaPUnkLVvB2yn3WPolkniQMDJ8D4JdUC9qNLhUW-r3T9iRjtS_9KVml1Y-ZvD016F8OJ5H7RGxNmX2q-LQQ/s400/IMG_5947.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Burj Khalifa (Burju - as my husband lovingly named it) is a constant companion.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF30WX163yJDHndiQum6u6V1-j-fSeBj3mWEXsaID3kyEOGbPK1DbDsGgFb7pha8StgQSdCxD1wEVr1pXvZiqI-75NHjYJFXJ-a7nIR5-GLH06yJsmezlT9ep2-z_Rex5zrGIVdVG348c/s1600/IMG_5973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF30WX163yJDHndiQum6u6V1-j-fSeBj3mWEXsaID3kyEOGbPK1DbDsGgFb7pha8StgQSdCxD1wEVr1pXvZiqI-75NHjYJFXJ-a7nIR5-GLH06yJsmezlT9ep2-z_Rex5zrGIVdVG348c/s640/IMG_5973.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oriental World Museum was our first stop on the city tour. Photography is not allowed inside. It houses local artefacts for sale. You can buy (or rather window-shop) gold embroidered rugs and pillow covers, gold souvenirs, pricey perfumes and shawls and all other items beyond the budget of a normal traveller.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBuwsevzvLVSyh_lv-ZqiEZVPdHGL66VB4knn6TqGAvoMPRV75Sf1h5L47CV-hBolziOBDWsPGlZRLVrXK3QUL3QmgaeEHUB6_yKD5VrBN56pedkAXjwO6bEKKexx1-bJf-50sI4lqr0/s1600/IMG_5974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBuwsevzvLVSyh_lv-ZqiEZVPdHGL66VB4knn6TqGAvoMPRV75Sf1h5L47CV-hBolziOBDWsPGlZRLVrXK3QUL3QmgaeEHUB6_yKD5VrBN56pedkAXjwO6bEKKexx1-bJf-50sI4lqr0/s640/IMG_5974.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The crystal-clear waters of Jumeirah beach.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsZpeX2lsOTllQys8GZ6OAg0z3Z_ztfRZajYn6qQC1n0XIHcrZVH6ALrVRm6kSj2Dt4vH_tVpJHSi9XVqWnG7E5a6mNybMYtYztfYqE6Re10GIlhtjfGLJe4Hnddn6mJhfC0g4hjygg0/s1600/IMG_5975.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsZpeX2lsOTllQys8GZ6OAg0z3Z_ztfRZajYn6qQC1n0XIHcrZVH6ALrVRm6kSj2Dt4vH_tVpJHSi9XVqWnG7E5a6mNybMYtYztfYqE6Re10GIlhtjfGLJe4Hnddn6mJhfC0g4hjygg0/s400/IMG_5975.JPG" width="300" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCstA6jcNTC0Do-_H_uEzX1vQe_AGz9owqkkZDs83Sum9xRcs9iwumWIWnt-N14IqQ7iXEVgdI1BpZYjsxS_24REuaA1vNkCby2vp7HMuoM8745JY0lmLnCM9MvbeMTA1qFQhGcQh_Pg/s1600/IMG_5983.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCstA6jcNTC0Do-_H_uEzX1vQe_AGz9owqkkZDs83Sum9xRcs9iwumWIWnt-N14IqQ7iXEVgdI1BpZYjsxS_24REuaA1vNkCby2vp7HMuoM8745JY0lmLnCM9MvbeMTA1qFQhGcQh_Pg/s400/IMG_5983.JPG" width="300" /></a></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">7-star hotels dot the sea-shore, each with their private beaches. Luxury at it's best! The Burj al Arab (on the left) was once the tallest free-standing hotel in the world before the Burj Khalifa was constructed. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJ3Sm3t8t_hiHYjhxsGBE8sD4VMsB-1i4UiE33rOcp87HbrtPgtwD6ZfIH80NggR8pIIj7B7J-1w1fxlDbILCIiQRrOBL1dxi9oYmybc2gVVU0TRD1Y4Ab9aZHX9MbtsvcEUkkSHlChI/s1600/IMG_6002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJ3Sm3t8t_hiHYjhxsGBE8sD4VMsB-1i4UiE33rOcp87HbrtPgtwD6ZfIH80NggR8pIIj7B7J-1w1fxlDbILCIiQRrOBL1dxi9oYmybc2gVVU0TRD1Y4Ab9aZHX9MbtsvcEUkkSHlChI/s640/IMG_6002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The twin towers of Dubai, mirroring the once at Malaysia and the fallen once of USA.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfCkXcue6En7Ff-cc2Xqrc8wgB1lsURjlyQVyo5vKIjDSt8UmzRTKa6ayFIQozRAJyUqFbK2CuRgSz3MdLnOcTQAr9i74YfENk98Nz0m9jqb_n6-Up212l3FOUQNJK5NE2X2CysGewek/s1600/IMG_5998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfCkXcue6En7Ff-cc2Xqrc8wgB1lsURjlyQVyo5vKIjDSt8UmzRTKa6ayFIQozRAJyUqFbK2CuRgSz3MdLnOcTQAr9i74YfENk98Nz0m9jqb_n6-Up212l3FOUQNJK5NE2X2CysGewek/s640/IMG_5998.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">18 carat Gold - plated horses at Al Qasr 7* hotel, Madinat Juneirah - A part of the movie 'Welcome' was shot here.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPY_sAYFW2Epki33LlBbpPsj5DttaXf3V99vhWixFIPGbxwpAMxp1ANdfWiS03HX9mwfehi8BkbL64Od9WfmIqYCJdohD4J3ZW6vG50zSlKjODPVxwb1xxrrLfkoLad-0SxPwKrB0kzhM/s1600/IMG_6006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPY_sAYFW2Epki33LlBbpPsj5DttaXf3V99vhWixFIPGbxwpAMxp1ANdfWiS03HX9mwfehi8BkbL64Od9WfmIqYCJdohD4J3ZW6vG50zSlKjODPVxwb1xxrrLfkoLad-0SxPwKrB0kzhM/s640/IMG_6006.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another 7* hotel of Dubai - Atlantis the Palm. There are only two such hotels in the world. It's identical twin is found in the Bahamas. The hotel also houses the famous underwater restaurant Ossiano. All a regular traveller can afford at this hotel is the amazing aquarium - The Lost Chambers Aquarium (Ticket price per person - 125 Dirham). </span><br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQRatbYD0i0e1wi4y0rvw4wznEoICkh8I6dsnAZ86vCoBClLfbG5MhktMP12bwXDFeEgRurUjC13rLU3PvmVsdcfeuo6rG5sfzmAooIibtZNqT4GJxFxb6qo1c2QikVoVEO3moG3DnGY/s1600/IMG_6041.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQRatbYD0i0e1wi4y0rvw4wznEoICkh8I6dsnAZ86vCoBClLfbG5MhktMP12bwXDFeEgRurUjC13rLU3PvmVsdcfeuo6rG5sfzmAooIibtZNqT4GJxFxb6qo1c2QikVoVEO3moG3DnGY/s320/IMG_6041.JPG" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHv_FShcZ1gk3cw3vXwV48o-5kBQT6BeZn_O4yHDLFTnvxTaVDBxCjaD8_XG7zrBWaBLXlOxm24_qQu3Oq9akg7uyumTPWNCkv08tgPfHOgDlg38wqdyeXrWBAzxi2p-FlWaYUoxTtTpo/s1600/IMG_6052.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHv_FShcZ1gk3cw3vXwV48o-5kBQT6BeZn_O4yHDLFTnvxTaVDBxCjaD8_XG7zrBWaBLXlOxm24_qQu3Oq9akg7uyumTPWNCkv08tgPfHOgDlg38wqdyeXrWBAzxi2p-FlWaYUoxTtTpo/s320/IMG_6052.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZoM0NXT6UyqHHCxPQDRws2e35A3iqs7-Zah0W7S3hqyc4OMYIEN-k2OeyfwzR7Dn8cItjTCxDk1JYKduhQbW8oBO0bGy8ahfZNrrEasVuJb1tbHeZ4LzpPymrmr1tTk0IXWiwtV1WMM/s1600/WP_20160911_12_20_39_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZoM0NXT6UyqHHCxPQDRws2e35A3iqs7-Zah0W7S3hqyc4OMYIEN-k2OeyfwzR7Dn8cItjTCxDk1JYKduhQbW8oBO0bGy8ahfZNrrEasVuJb1tbHeZ4LzpPymrmr1tTk0IXWiwtV1WMM/s320/WP_20160911_12_20_39_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_VPt6eOHToEe48PNHyv3aih84rgt8pcoF0i8SnbPzs7s-ly-uyJMuyBsGDOV3ZvqlDCTq6OKzX3MaN90BZ7D21EgzEglnJd-TSlXaYFkVbExFv85UQgaNT1QZpxP6rz8P4GFsslPtFY/s1600/WP_20160911_12_29_16_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_VPt6eOHToEe48PNHyv3aih84rgt8pcoF0i8SnbPzs7s-ly-uyJMuyBsGDOV3ZvqlDCTq6OKzX3MaN90BZ7D21EgzEglnJd-TSlXaYFkVbExFv85UQgaNT1QZpxP6rz8P4GFsslPtFY/s320/WP_20160911_12_29_16_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Totally worth the Dirhams, this aquarium is a must visit! The display is huge, the theme being the mythical lost city of Atlantis. This was my second visit to the aquarium and yet, I found myself to be as amazed as I was the first time!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> This particular place is located on an island, at the end of the Palm Islands, off the last of it's so called branches. To reach here, you pass an underwater tunnel if coming by road. The Palm islands also have a dedicated Monorail. We had left our City tour bus at this stop as the Lost Chambers was not included in our trip. So while going back, we had to take a taxi to the nearest Metro station 'Internet city'. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq_RHAy49rqkGtTbPRVFk0RTS-NqeIruW_jncuuan5oBR2cmv57uD745w3Oeyx-Q58-xGkpCeX25eqRBeBtl3aCX-ddkzQNM3uIqUBBQH91G-r3owff8J1NwbsuxGQSEYZkTFhTx_pyA/s1600/IMG_6067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq_RHAy49rqkGtTbPRVFk0RTS-NqeIruW_jncuuan5oBR2cmv57uD745w3Oeyx-Q58-xGkpCeX25eqRBeBtl3aCX-ddkzQNM3uIqUBBQH91G-r3owff8J1NwbsuxGQSEYZkTFhTx_pyA/s640/IMG_6067.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One thing that you will observe and experience in Dubai is that you will have to walk a lot The above photo is of a footover bridge above the highway to reach the 'Internet city' metro station. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Travel Trip No. 2:</b> Forget the fashion, carry your walking shoes to Dubai. I did a grave mistake of wearing my heels on this particular day without realising that we would need to walk so much. Trust me, you don't want to make the same mistake! :D</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HJK6LeEt-13SUclalllSrfZMR_7yjp8CbzKWV7ryRLhVc3Rib_RfnU-yfLT8iHJuX3VbLputxXBW9Ft1yNUPvdYqEZovBmHNOPxvLHYSQ1kyE3x8sYjvuKfhHOMfUQhFUvMF8dowtTw/s1600/IMG_6070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HJK6LeEt-13SUclalllSrfZMR_7yjp8CbzKWV7ryRLhVc3Rib_RfnU-yfLT8iHJuX3VbLputxXBW9Ft1yNUPvdYqEZovBmHNOPxvLHYSQ1kyE3x8sYjvuKfhHOMfUQhFUvMF8dowtTw/s640/IMG_6070.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Highways are not meant for pedestrians. Road travel here is super-duper fast. No human or animal can possibly land up on the highway as there are footover bridges everywhere. Nice way to burn those calories!<br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Travel Tip No. 3: </b>Dubai has an amazing metro network covering almost all of the city and it's suburbs. It is pretty cheap too. There are two lines - red and green, overlapping each other at some point and covering two different areas. You can easily understand this network while travelling. Do not drink, eat or smoke while in the metro, the fine for the same is 200 Dirham. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ahh well, that's all for right now. This one is going to be pretty long...Dubai is a case study in Human geography indeed! The entire development process is worth understanding and exploring. Do leave your comments/ questions/ suggestions in the below section.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Next time - You'll find out more about Sand bashing in Dubai desert, Burj Khalifa and Dubai mall....</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Al Abwab Toghlaq....Doors closing! :)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
Richahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047440675017435022noreply@blogger.com5Dubai - United Arab Emirates25.2048493 55.27078280000000624.2844163 53.9798893 26.1252823 56.561676300000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7074104022476190643.post-48260037621172229722016-09-19T10:03:00.000-07:002016-09-19T10:10:53.220-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">Dubai ka Dil Dekho! (Part 1)</span></span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <i>The moment you land in Dubai, you are thrilled. The superfast metro that takes you out of the arrival hall to the baggage counters is your first adventure ride! For a first-timer to Dubai, a 'metro-ride' while still being at the airport gives a feeling of finally landing in a 'super-rich country'!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> It was pre-dawn. We had taken a late night flight from Mumbai (SpiceJet - mainly as it was one of the cheaper options and secondly we did not want to miss even a single day in Dubai!). After being whisked by our driver speaking fluent Hindi (again, for a first-timer, Hello?? Have I actually landed in another country or no?? Why is my driver speaking Hindi??) or actually a mix of Hindi and Urdu, (most drivers in Dubai are either from Pakistan or Bangladesh), we were dropped at our posh 5* hotel in Al Karama - </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.hotelplanner.com/Common/Images/HotelImage/177192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for park regis kris kin hotel dubai" border="0" class="irc_mi iEg_PRiQYhuY-pQOPx8XEepE" height="476" src="https://cdn.hotelplanner.com/Common/Images/HotelImage/177192.jpg" style="margin-top: 17px;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Hotel Park Regis Kris Kin, Dubai</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Excitement overload! But, we were sleepy and dead tired! Alas, we did not have a room! I'll explain! It was 10th September, 4 a.m UAE time. Our check-in date & time was 10th September, 2 p.m! Ho gaya na problem?</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> So the sweet receptionist at the counter tells us that we will have to pay the room charges for the night (or whatever was remaining of it!) What option did we have? Bye, bye half of the Dirhams that we were carrying! Who knew staying at a 5* star hotel cost so much?? </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Travel Tip No. 1 </b>- </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you have taken a late night flight from India, it is advisable to book your hotel room starting from the same night. (Even though you will be using it for only a few hours!) A better option will be to book at a low-cost hotel to save the dirhams!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <b>Day 1 - </b></span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Good morning, Dubai! A look outside the window told us that the hotel was located in a mainly residential area with a huge Indian population.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hiBZiFEEwomBcrhzWetutx-ihwMHIm968iVA_MWA5IfjKUuw0eaZm5TAeiX0w9aJn-MirHnhM4m4_kVoJSo5Q55NrK1GBNsKV1SRKR_vxlJYqBJfO_1KLAsGDq8FG4rqq45JZx16Wao/s1600/Sight_2016_09_10_174524_118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hiBZiFEEwomBcrhzWetutx-ihwMHIm968iVA_MWA5IfjKUuw0eaZm5TAeiX0w9aJn-MirHnhM4m4_kVoJSo5Q55NrK1GBNsKV1SRKR_vxlJYqBJfO_1KLAsGDq8FG4rqq45JZx16Wao/s640/Sight_2016_09_10_174524_118.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> We decided to take a walk in the nearby area. What we saw amazed us! Huge footpaths (bigger than the narrow gallies of Mumbai!) made walking a breeze. The temperature was around 34-35 degrees Celcius. Yet, being a desert, Dubai is dry despite being close to the sea. So no sweat! Thank God!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Travel Tip No. 2</b> - </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You will find a lot of eating options in Dubai, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. You can find South Indian, North Indian, Gujarati Thalis, Vada Pav (Yes!), Misal, Mediterranean, Italian, Mexican and all varieties. The price range depends on the kind of outlet (AC/ Non - AC) and the location. If you are not a very fussy eater and on a low-budget trip, try out the local shawarmas (they have vegetarian varieties with falafel). There are plenty of small eateries with good food. Avoid non-veg food in these small eateries. It is absolutely bland.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Our walk in the afternoon sun took us to some local supermarkets like LuLu's Supermarket (a big hit with the local Indian population for the variety of Indian stuff that they keep), Day to Day supermarket (very cheap if you want to buy gift items) and TESCO supermarket.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJT7jFPMjxaTrDXlCX9VW1D2harnPB2lnSgvYi8xQlzAWOTFYy6CtoBOV0y9Ov2I2YCOVzPPVO__9hbcnZQ4H_yeU5NCkPOcS46_TuShqejb_uHaVA6wRpBJsGyC2u2m1VF9XDUQC0HT8/s1600/IMG_5857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJT7jFPMjxaTrDXlCX9VW1D2harnPB2lnSgvYi8xQlzAWOTFYy6CtoBOV0y9Ov2I2YCOVzPPVO__9hbcnZQ4H_yeU5NCkPOcS46_TuShqejb_uHaVA6wRpBJsGyC2u2m1VF9XDUQC0HT8/s320/IMG_5857.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pk7XEvqR-BVHty2nve8Z-qEgxgbZi9Nd_1pwwPwvFVuBygWD3Qu9mTOlOV6LOo6mXaIa7Wa0eULz1l-rRtfkAG0-QxXg1ym98dT9k47U62nN2VHkhuS_DVJvYbvudAGBYNW43gekurM/s1600/IMG_5858.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pk7XEvqR-BVHty2nve8Z-qEgxgbZi9Nd_1pwwPwvFVuBygWD3Qu9mTOlOV6LOo6mXaIa7Wa0eULz1l-rRtfkAG0-QxXg1ym98dT9k47U62nN2VHkhuS_DVJvYbvudAGBYNW43gekurM/s320/IMG_5858.JPG" width="320" /></a> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjua7mYVEkz0N-5tzrcLtguf2FzTmHh8kHqcV_OQb21db7eY_wJhOOYKRydZc059ZUyekS8lqq9apZdFzdZn24vNL7QQfE841ay8q92MNRN53KA6dfCv3RgPp-hvbrmCAvnMzqaucT88IM/s1600/IMG_5859.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjua7mYVEkz0N-5tzrcLtguf2FzTmHh8kHqcV_OQb21db7eY_wJhOOYKRydZc059ZUyekS8lqq9apZdFzdZn24vNL7QQfE841ay8q92MNRN53KA6dfCv3RgPp-hvbrmCAvnMzqaucT88IM/s320/IMG_5859.JPG" width="320" /></a> The biggest vegetables I've ever seen!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> The best part of the walk was the VVIP treatment you get as a pedestrian! Whenever you stop to cross the road, may it be a big one or small, the cars will stop to let you cross first! Every time they did this, we were amazed! It was unbelievable! After being treated as vermin in India, where every car driver thinks of himself as the king of the road and treats the pedestrian as an obstacle in his path (and vice-versa), this was too much to bear with! We started smiling and mouthing a 'thank you' to every driver who gave us a way. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgco_Fu-P8EVWXesqh3E03-KVhlUymdKnOJxk9wRn7v8e4aVggdVnbHMsmBPE5i28-N9fHIVdK5AqXmktp8uptVEf-Z1YLxbE3W5_bRxo8OXQFgSQTdx9r0Qk2cG4LAMLs8yl5HpC0jrAQ/s1600/IMG_5860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgco_Fu-P8EVWXesqh3E03-KVhlUymdKnOJxk9wRn7v8e4aVggdVnbHMsmBPE5i28-N9fHIVdK5AqXmktp8uptVEf-Z1YLxbE3W5_bRxo8OXQFgSQTdx9r0Qk2cG4LAMLs8yl5HpC0jrAQ/s640/IMG_5860.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A push button to change the signal in case of emergency or any urgency to cross the road. Even found in many European countries, though hardly used by the locals.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJT7jFPMjxaTrDXlCX9VW1D2harnPB2lnSgvYi8xQlzAWOTFYy6CtoBOV0y9Ov2I2YCOVzPPVO__9hbcnZQ4H_yeU5NCkPOcS46_TuShqejb_uHaVA6wRpBJsGyC2u2m1VF9XDUQC0HT8/s1600/IMG_5857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Travel Tip No 3 - </b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">When in Dubai, cross the road only at the zebra-crossing. There are heavy fines (200 Dirhams) for crossing from anywhere else. Mind you there are CCTV cameras everywhere, plus their secret police roams in plain clothes and might catch you unawares. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> The walk lasted for about three hours. We explored all the nearby shops. We checked out the prices of gift items, groceries, sports goods, but did not buy anything. It is advisable to keep the shopping for the last day as by that time you are well versed with the prices everywhere and more importantly you know how much forex remains with you.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Day 1 (Evening) - </b></span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Off to the first sight-seeing tour. Dhow cruise! A supposedly romantic cruise in the Dubai creek, overlooking the old and new Dubai. </span></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HPuHI_xJj3fLt75ovJ03lF_6RECb5tezJ5sFrEf16pFWhyta0IjX-7QwHTcQW3tBGtaEubstMqmndmOGitKkiN72fQZBiprDkRvKNhVOIdUyV6VglsH2DbB7BJ9fTeiv87u27wK_SLk/s1600/IMG_5930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HPuHI_xJj3fLt75ovJ03lF_6RECb5tezJ5sFrEf16pFWhyta0IjX-7QwHTcQW3tBGtaEubstMqmndmOGitKkiN72fQZBiprDkRvKNhVOIdUyV6VglsH2DbB7BJ9fTeiv87u27wK_SLk/s640/IMG_5930.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Old Dubai - Heritage village</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSTFkjbhLSCLDMzZmvgqMqhS44wMwuzi8_Br9iJy0TEqLR89t5eDMirXz_ULwaLKLwSvt1OggglsmqexHtQac8-8I3JCPnkaa9mozSnT5DEKEuAqmN1wXEH5gqD-jNebEFDo69G6A5w0/s1600/IMG_5937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSTFkjbhLSCLDMzZmvgqMqhS44wMwuzi8_Br9iJy0TEqLR89t5eDMirXz_ULwaLKLwSvt1OggglsmqexHtQac8-8I3JCPnkaa9mozSnT5DEKEuAqmN1wXEH5gqD-jNebEFDo69G6A5w0/s640/IMG_5937.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The glitzy 'Dhows' - the word 'Dhow' was used for ships with one or two masts, mainly in the Arabian region.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> The cruise generally begins at 8.30 p.m and ends at around 10.30 p.m. Mostly managed by local Pakistanis, the cruise includes a belly dance show, magic show, and Tanoura dance show. Unfortunately for us, all this entertainment was missing as it was the eve of Eid and being a holy festival, it was a dry day in Dubai. A dry day in Dubai, it seems, is not just restricted to non-availability of alcohol but also of any kind of entertainment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Dinner (included in the cruise bookings) is similar every time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Starters</span></u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Mixed </span>bhajji<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and dry Manchurian.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Main course</span></u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Salads, pasta/noodles, rice, dal, a veg gravy, bread/naan, a chicken dish </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>Desserts</u> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">- Bread pudding and mini cakes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Food is, as always, bland considering the different nationalities who are going to taste it for maybe the first time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Travel Tip No 4 </b>- </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">UAE has only 3 main long holidays i.e. the 3 main Eids. Our holiday coincided with one of those - Bakri Eid. Hence, most of the attractions are either too crowded or closed. Make sure you plan accordingly. Thankfully for us, we did not miss anything as such except for the entertainment on Dhow cruise.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>More of Dubai to come in the next blog in the series...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Till then, do leave your comments, questions and suggestions below!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Salaam!</i></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Richahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047440675017435022noreply@blogger.com6Dubai - United Arab Emirates25.2048493 55.27078280000000624.2844163 53.9798893 26.1252823 56.561676300000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7074104022476190643.post-85133241083058278712016-06-08T01:20:00.000-07:002016-06-08T01:25:29.562-07:00The Story of Mcleodganj<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>The first thing that you notice, or rather experience while going from Dharmashala to Mcleodganj is that it is a steep climb!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>So much so, that you might think that the engineer might be a kid who loves to slide down! So damn steep are the roads that you are afraid that the car will topple if not driven by an expert.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>It takes hardly 10-15 minutes to reach McLeodganj from Dharamshala. While Dharamshala is in a valley, Mcleodganj is on a mountain top, hence cooler. </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJSZSRyA7phVcM-zAxBaIRXT9bvf376HccgZOhuNqF3JLMoYi7kE_hrIJ8Du2JgVGUhZ4-2QYAoMvu0_4boVzQJiMuMngQP4_CiwahvFud7i8RiY5JQgeVaw0JMK57MGwAsPO7IHhTZA/s1600/IMG_4626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJSZSRyA7phVcM-zAxBaIRXT9bvf376HccgZOhuNqF3JLMoYi7kE_hrIJ8Du2JgVGUhZ4-2QYAoMvu0_4boVzQJiMuMngQP4_CiwahvFud7i8RiY5JQgeVaw0JMK57MGwAsPO7IHhTZA/s400/IMG_4626.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our hotel was located on a sharp turn, Mind you, most hotels in Mcleodganj are not as small as they look. What you see in the image is less than half of the hotel. <br />These are actually the top 3 floors. <br />There were four more floors in the valley below. The top floor is the restaurant. <br />Parking space is limited, make sure you check in on time to get the best parking!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1mE8L4EWFNjqG_OwcLiyUtK5C-eGu29_sSsPYqlEQFhZpu31m0w-y8Zh-hjsmQ4XdmB40uVegLEPHgEWqn9BVfUbi-myozJmxMIrRaN3aHaxu2lSP8D-Czo2Yk70aiw-ak-AVT-13MQ/s1600/IMG_4695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1mE8L4EWFNjqG_OwcLiyUtK5C-eGu29_sSsPYqlEQFhZpu31m0w-y8Zh-hjsmQ4XdmB40uVegLEPHgEWqn9BVfUbi-myozJmxMIrRaN3aHaxu2lSP8D-Czo2Yk70aiw-ak-AVT-13MQ/s400/IMG_4695.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Book a room close to the reception, for this is the view that you will get from your balcony. Almost all hotels in Mcleodganj have rooms with balconies. <br />Beware of the monkeys that jump from the tall trees directly into your balconies! <br />Not that I'm scaring you, but it would be quiet an experience trying to shoo one away! :D</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc21NpCefQhPB0C_P8KHbQY5hbkRwSh02CDKvJ4aprb1LrhI4XRJhnaPOP8trrh2wRQOhJQgfCy2PGYGMxDNrXg6nqD30izSnY0r1YfebT3TmdPpYvlgq5XHiG2ll7pzS-WwJuRIfnjC0/s1600/IMG_4601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc21NpCefQhPB0C_P8KHbQY5hbkRwSh02CDKvJ4aprb1LrhI4XRJhnaPOP8trrh2wRQOhJQgfCy2PGYGMxDNrXg6nqD30izSnY0r1YfebT3TmdPpYvlgq5XHiG2ll7pzS-WwJuRIfnjC0/s400/IMG_4601.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Let's come to our story now...that's the market street in the photo btw...<br />Situated at a height of 6575 feet, Mcleodganj is located in the mighty Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas.<br />Mcleodganj, like many hill stations of the north, was a summer retreat for the Britishers.<br />In the year 1905, it experienced a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in the Kangra district (of which McLeod is a part), which destroyed most of the hill station. About 20,000 people were killed and many injured.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtKSw1ytFpLHkx0PGx2LUhLuicR5DYmJ6rfPsTo1SeFOJ7wGo43lHuCdh5KwvRlf8ajVbqzLQxT2kjO3-mNoII0Ga2YWoO-ZZyM2vnrVVjcONQmw4Nt-p-Q4NDbRKJlUVJXN_SshO9Oc/s1600/IMG_4596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtKSw1ytFpLHkx0PGx2LUhLuicR5DYmJ6rfPsTo1SeFOJ7wGo43lHuCdh5KwvRlf8ajVbqzLQxT2kjO3-mNoII0Ga2YWoO-ZZyM2vnrVVjcONQmw4Nt-p-Q4NDbRKJlUVJXN_SshO9Oc/s400/IMG_4596.JPG" width="400" /></a><br /><br />In the year 1959, after the uprising in Tibet failed, the 14th Dalai Lama <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenzin_Gyatso,_the_14th_Dalai_Lama" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.4px;" title="Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama">Tenzin Gyatso</a>, escaped to India along with fellow Tibetans. The Indian government decided to help the Tibetans in their times of need and allotted the town of Dharamshala for their settlement.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWDow4xLDTJngNQOWo-iaIK7ADppVfJtSt3lprBFocwnoXTEqk2Ex7hA46KIpJ51HHxxi6kQySmoyYErAvBR-VdR6koiskAtGM1F_8VhReGhC98JOKPS8JPop-twAeuRv3PPAXW8OXUc/s1600/IMG_4597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWDow4xLDTJngNQOWo-iaIK7ADppVfJtSt3lprBFocwnoXTEqk2Ex7hA46KIpJ51HHxxi6kQySmoyYErAvBR-VdR6koiskAtGM1F_8VhReGhC98JOKPS8JPop-twAeuRv3PPAXW8OXUc/s400/IMG_4597.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In 1960, the Government of Tibet in - exile, was set up in Dharamshala. Mcleodganj became the official residence of the Dalai Lama and later came to known as 'Little Lhasa'. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mcleodganj since then, has attracted a huge Tibetan population.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKIugET566UZGN30wXgcw8rZfoAJUDySLOh17usdSopZ4Wovh0bUhxQ2J0zwnJWb-wHCHAAgEoatHNQ_5Nv6lQ8qgB1wD1Fy1eTIf3_dzHY1oRdvqDxrYiIMFxO-XLWPXw-0ZKEBFBuE/s1600/IMG_4622.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKIugET566UZGN30wXgcw8rZfoAJUDySLOh17usdSopZ4Wovh0bUhxQ2J0zwnJWb-wHCHAAgEoatHNQ_5Nv6lQ8qgB1wD1Fy1eTIf3_dzHY1oRdvqDxrYiIMFxO-XLWPXw-0ZKEBFBuE/s400/IMG_4622.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Throughout the town, you will find street art, representative of the 'Free Tibet Movement'.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Tibetans have learned the Indian way of life and adapted themselves well with it. The present generation may be the 2nd or 3rd generation Tibetans who may have never visited their home country but are desperate to do so.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_2hW4huH5I8VXvX5vzXDDnljK8IYDkvjKzkj19JnBqhyphenhyphenHVwZ9S07vyet_9ge_NeChitqxFIULcskR11crtg7EkfyQA1K3xy_HEvqWjXETbfWVONKm_q1Dyz9ydAtslihW7pBX4z5FCg/s1600/IMG_4598.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_2hW4huH5I8VXvX5vzXDDnljK8IYDkvjKzkj19JnBqhyphenhyphenHVwZ9S07vyet_9ge_NeChitqxFIULcskR11crtg7EkfyQA1K3xy_HEvqWjXETbfWVONKm_q1Dyz9ydAtslihW7pBX4z5FCg/s400/IMG_4598.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">School going children from Tibet are sent across the borders by their parents, forcing them to cross the mighty Himalayan peaks in the winter months. All for a good cause though. As schools in the China-occupied Tibet, cater to making the new generation of Tibetans more Chinese, the Tibetans worry that their children may lose their own culture.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYokOzicVTy0N-XV54qpZOK5IZkJUiqaiSKroHphwz-VxrbTNuhht9zqZy06CwDnB1Geuo7iqtR0SyLXw6pT48nyh4xniaAT8ZDJ_deCeMNgQv8vBMDnV3RcDV0P-wKZyN9bfbh1vIZM/s1600/IMG_4604.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYokOzicVTy0N-XV54qpZOK5IZkJUiqaiSKroHphwz-VxrbTNuhht9zqZy06CwDnB1Geuo7iqtR0SyLXw6pT48nyh4xniaAT8ZDJ_deCeMNgQv8vBMDnV3RcDV0P-wKZyN9bfbh1vIZM/s400/IMG_4604.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The children (aged between 10 - 16 years) travel in groups, cross the Himalayas to first enter Nepal. If they are successful in doing so, they stay in Nepal for a year, where special arrangements have been made for them. The journey is dangerous to say the least, for if they are caught by the Chinese border force while trying to cross, they are sent to jail. What happens later, is anybody's guess.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQV-GTMRCq4Uyp1f_rnFgn1JLadp3ezJNPIcOsD8-JbKMsKahzrRyuEFtijzLtOyYH3uhDs3AK7WaD_k6U1QqMyimjTZK6_eWKcrO_lSdDTvXwsMO-_XpDQNEkTxIUPBPT9jnwqTnSSyk/s1600/IMG_4602.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQV-GTMRCq4Uyp1f_rnFgn1JLadp3ezJNPIcOsD8-JbKMsKahzrRyuEFtijzLtOyYH3uhDs3AK7WaD_k6U1QqMyimjTZK6_eWKcrO_lSdDTvXwsMO-_XpDQNEkTxIUPBPT9jnwqTnSSyk/s400/IMG_4602.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After a year, they are sent across to India. Here in India, there are many centers in the Himalayas where Tibetan schools have been established. Mussorrie, Nainital, Manali, Shimla, Deheradun, Gangtok Dharamshala, and ofcourse Mcleodganj are places where you will find a huge Tibetan population.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwTHBizkxw1PlfXhvS4M27U8B-xYEz9PoTxFFKRcBw88oyf3XJfKhdNNpAVAaA7wDWfAEGZAjZZW5S2I0Pw0D0rhZLxqH4lu9mVB5Svpa9YZWsfOh5MTy6Q9XWKd2aSRsHAdRcJfTLeo/s1600/IMG_4612.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwTHBizkxw1PlfXhvS4M27U8B-xYEz9PoTxFFKRcBw88oyf3XJfKhdNNpAVAaA7wDWfAEGZAjZZW5S2I0Pw0D0rhZLxqH4lu9mVB5Svpa9YZWsfOh5MTy6Q9XWKd2aSRsHAdRcJfTLeo/s400/IMG_4612.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While in India, they study in a kind of a hostel. The older kids are responsible for the younger ones. There are families who take care of these kids while they are here. Their own parents cannot visit them often, if ever. Nor can they ever go back to Tibet. They are refugees now, living at the mercy of another country. After finishing their higher studies, they often migrate to other countries on a refugee passport granted by the Indian government.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNX-VMn87ehK5PFsGtnHuYkrC8RXH9X_pfm4mRAIvH-UiMCoYaKBCyr66NgaHAkiNcNeRDLy_VxVLjdPcRcu8gV6SXM4jW2bPKQGL0okNSGo8smSd8tsJFrPrtakoSB_miBZ-HpnwpIE/s1600/IMG_4641.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNX-VMn87ehK5PFsGtnHuYkrC8RXH9X_pfm4mRAIvH-UiMCoYaKBCyr66NgaHAkiNcNeRDLy_VxVLjdPcRcu8gV6SXM4jW2bPKQGL0okNSGo8smSd8tsJFrPrtakoSB_miBZ-HpnwpIE/s400/IMG_4641.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Coming back to my story of McLeodganj however, it was Lord Elgin (the British Viceroy of India 1862-63) who fell in love with the town. So much so, that he even died here and preferred to rest in peace at this place forever. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGeAarBRWvRqWRdCb4ZYNf8QnhxQU_eNmXdF272sW_A1TZ93yICPP5xjC3RQZ7z2dI2akT5OaqxX4YwsydEzUXLeIvDUGNevB0wAWfjOrdnoSbv-7MYwQgJCKVYrFVlNmks3U5M6FSdc/s1600/IMG_4642.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGeAarBRWvRqWRdCb4ZYNf8QnhxQU_eNmXdF272sW_A1TZ93yICPP5xjC3RQZ7z2dI2akT5OaqxX4YwsydEzUXLeIvDUGNevB0wAWfjOrdnoSbv-7MYwQgJCKVYrFVlNmks3U5M6FSdc/s400/IMG_4642.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The church is located at a quaint, beautiful place. No wonder the place was chosen as the preferred site! Surrounded by tall Deodars, overlooking the Dhauladhar ranges, one would surely be at peace here.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuBuiCi9WOPLATfsz56sd4WWJa297_isDvJE3PGaguToQ0mudixTDwX7x8ALZE0qNtWAbyrRHETGmW5qDpPDYUQpd6JqrlQgmTbylz7ccX6oBLlzrT6z_kZtcGuLjnhP3iewkxZnOTcw/s1600/IMG_4651.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuBuiCi9WOPLATfsz56sd4WWJa297_isDvJE3PGaguToQ0mudixTDwX7x8ALZE0qNtWAbyrRHETGmW5qDpPDYUQpd6JqrlQgmTbylz7ccX6oBLlzrT6z_kZtcGuLjnhP3iewkxZnOTcw/s400/IMG_4651.JPG" width="300" /></a> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After Lord Elgin was buried here, his wife specially imported the stained glasses from England, to be fitted on the church windows.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, during the terrible Kangra earthquake, the roof of the church collapsed.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yet, it remain the only standing building in Kangra that had suffered the least damage.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The roof was built again in the coming years, restoring the church to its formal glory.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pw6nkgL8FYfHC0A0zI2-qG4WsywPIghkNlAdNCCP13vIS44Kp_-MKo18_tcSrR_y8mllMCe8QoUoMw_W3aHPcTbpuzHnKhfsOZ3LFgaPdiVDpp_fLY4V8Hwh-MaL9_Dlc4tXX2dkaTE/s1600/IMG_4655.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pw6nkgL8FYfHC0A0zI2-qG4WsywPIghkNlAdNCCP13vIS44Kp_-MKo18_tcSrR_y8mllMCe8QoUoMw_W3aHPcTbpuzHnKhfsOZ3LFgaPdiVDpp_fLY4V8Hwh-MaL9_Dlc4tXX2dkaTE/s400/IMG_4655.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The stained glasses that you see now, are all new, yet beautiful.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPG6qQBu7s2wftxW9kMKltcspH7BPvphH91Z1orJh9EELpIKsok7lphPSbMaEH7qR1w82k2HldgvOKlEPkIt7wXVvTqbeqTc_-DSPRTL-a8vLdr4LY7nAIbRQk9h9IU6jR-8v_qirDFs/s1600/IMG_4665.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPG6qQBu7s2wftxW9kMKltcspH7BPvphH91Z1orJh9EELpIKsok7lphPSbMaEH7qR1w82k2HldgvOKlEPkIt7wXVvTqbeqTc_-DSPRTL-a8vLdr4LY7nAIbRQk9h9IU6jR-8v_qirDFs/s400/IMG_4665.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The graveyard besides the church.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Such a beautiful place to rest forever.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHVtzkp76-uNkPVhzwmoy8ar5pYdGMG7I5vLPnPRVgHahkGJrbEHjNLpIRl6ioJeYwz7EXy1YpRFhrw7t4ZhqBTSXZhCDGkWq64v3BCJWLUKpkq1Pt7Z2tLm2tX494t7iTIaf_W1Y0Sk/s1600/IMG_4682.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHVtzkp76-uNkPVhzwmoy8ar5pYdGMG7I5vLPnPRVgHahkGJrbEHjNLpIRl6ioJeYwz7EXy1YpRFhrw7t4ZhqBTSXZhCDGkWq64v3BCJWLUKpkq1Pt7Z2tLm2tX494t7iTIaf_W1Y0Sk/s400/IMG_4682.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Dal Lake of Mcleodganj, a popular tourist destination. Surrounded by tall Deodar trees (trust me, you can never get bored of seeing the same trees everywhere you go, they are just so beautiful!!)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYmEbUx_eC-r0uPNTS7Us8AH2c_CfGZ4UAn7fj-1qShc1V5El7v9VtEfVlmge6PmH1whx-wBR8bSZQldAn7bqf7rq00lMExvVE-KpQPYMm6CmkI_xrQmAzWa8V6VjxkmU872ljb7AGj8/s1600/IMG_4618.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigYmEbUx_eC-r0uPNTS7Us8AH2c_CfGZ4UAn7fj-1qShc1V5El7v9VtEfVlmge6PmH1whx-wBR8bSZQldAn7bqf7rq00lMExvVE-KpQPYMm6CmkI_xrQmAzWa8V6VjxkmU872ljb7AGj8/s400/IMG_4618.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Monasteries and temples lie alongside in the Mcleodganj of today. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It just goes on to show how well the Tibetans have made themselves a part of the Indian culture. They believe in living peacefully, and that peace truly echos in Mcleodganj.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrQS-l3D3zduBm-K120ZZBWWCayTgXx8fsE5PqMMTI3x7T8IQjMmXs1vhmfIi7DALf76xWG1VlqnR1xCrWa7SH2XUhxsPHsqD_SGkKXIdhDRW36DbU_C-htJrxgHFp29U-ZfW6p-e8pU/s1600/IMG_4620.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrQS-l3D3zduBm-K120ZZBWWCayTgXx8fsE5PqMMTI3x7T8IQjMmXs1vhmfIi7DALf76xWG1VlqnR1xCrWa7SH2XUhxsPHsqD_SGkKXIdhDRW36DbU_C-htJrxgHFp29U-ZfW6p-e8pU/s400/IMG_4620.JPG" width="400" /></a> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The town square looks all glitzy and glam.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Mcleodganj of today, attract many foreigners from different countries who come here to enjoy the peace and solitude. There are many yoga and meditation centers in the town.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXdft0aDqd_JeANs3udfRtOr89-fKq6HHetFMZVqCv1ESN5KFDlbb8mziMdf6SK2ZPPc1sa3IrOuPwQ-xpUwAJ6Yo1QgTYt-kWAa_pppRD1k0QV4bRwViTtyXchb6ZH0Do9liUfrNFYY/s1600/WP_20160509_19_38_10_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXdft0aDqd_JeANs3udfRtOr89-fKq6HHetFMZVqCv1ESN5KFDlbb8mziMdf6SK2ZPPc1sa3IrOuPwQ-xpUwAJ6Yo1QgTYt-kWAa_pppRD1k0QV4bRwViTtyXchb6ZH0Do9liUfrNFYY/s400/WP_20160509_19_38_10_Pro.jpg" width="297" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The main market is dotted with many road-side, terrace cafes. Special features of these cafes are - </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">1. They serve only vegetarian food (except eggs)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2. No alcohol</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">3. Most of them have libraries like the one in the picture which stock really good BOOKS!!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">4. You can sit here for hours, lazing around, reading a book, surfing on your tabs or laptops (FREE WIFI).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">5. They are quiet cheap!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAdYqmO7E1rAUwsIbVLCbgtagziA7w6YY3Dwo5gRyfmr0R7IjyRD591h1ukIw-SXdyN0cc7ceocdY2eGjC5GUKMJumZ-jcp3Z86NBI3qALssIC3SlqS6jfX_CTQ0DjaOOrEvt5A0eOHM/s1600/IMG_4609.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAdYqmO7E1rAUwsIbVLCbgtagziA7w6YY3Dwo5gRyfmr0R7IjyRD591h1ukIw-SXdyN0cc7ceocdY2eGjC5GUKMJumZ-jcp3Z86NBI3qALssIC3SlqS6jfX_CTQ0DjaOOrEvt5A0eOHM/s320/IMG_4609.JPG" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqXt18I1qs9Md39ThSwkjIMhOEBK1rgoYhvjxxgWLByV0mwAY924qS_fjd_XnVf_e0xQ20nC5j8mSV6qqJsM3g9ogjkxMywwnpDy-fvHLKAbnHrRLjPbA1o0aeSLCaU62QYDB5_ZBz70/s1600/IMG_4605.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqXt18I1qs9Md39ThSwkjIMhOEBK1rgoYhvjxxgWLByV0mwAY924qS_fjd_XnVf_e0xQ20nC5j8mSV6qqJsM3g9ogjkxMywwnpDy-fvHLKAbnHrRLjPbA1o0aeSLCaU62QYDB5_ZBz70/s320/IMG_4605.JPG" width="240" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaLJgiFJn4hzfMPEAH1cLZffE2h-qclmcJDUxlwSAi91iqpCuph3dm3yr6wLR9UUT77EK0zQ-wtliO4mRpUb6OJhRJQkPED7PP8lRfg8xYHEFM9iZPw-Gtdc6jhuKnaG9h-ew1qlSVHo/s1600/IMG_4608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaLJgiFJn4hzfMPEAH1cLZffE2h-qclmcJDUxlwSAi91iqpCuph3dm3yr6wLR9UUT77EK0zQ-wtliO4mRpUb6OJhRJQkPED7PP8lRfg8xYHEFM9iZPw-Gtdc6jhuKnaG9h-ew1qlSVHo/s320/IMG_4608.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You can shop for a variety of gift items, junk jewellery and mineral rocks here.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Shopping is pretty cheap near the Bagsunath temple. Bargain, but don't over do it. You will get a good price as it is. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tips for travelers:</span></h2>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><b><u>Best season to visit:</u></b> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Throughout the year!</span></span></span></h4>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Places to visit: </span></u></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bagsunath temple and the waterfall behind it.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">St John Church (10-15 mins away from the main town, on the way towards Dharamshala)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The main monastery on the market road</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dal lake</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hill top point (amazing views and maggi point!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">HPCA Cricket ground (Dharamshala stadium, 20 minutes from Mcleodganj by car) </span></span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>Other tips:</u></span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stay in Mcleodganj and then visit Dharmashala. Not vice-versa.Plan a stay for 2 nights. One day is sufficient to explore both the towns. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Walk throughout the main town, it's an experience in itself. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Explore the cafes.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eat <b>momos</b> (they come in different varieties!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Try the pastries and cakes from the <b>Tibetan Bakery </b>on the main market road. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Carry a <b>raincoat or an umbrella</b> while exploring, they skies have a mind of their own!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Explore the <b>Kangra fort</b>. It is on the road to Chandigard. It is totally worth exploring. It will take you about 1 and half hour to explore if you are really interested in the history. They provide audio guides for a couple (Rs. 150 per couple).</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
Richahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047440675017435022noreply@blogger.com6McLeodganj Rd, Himachal Pradesh 176216, India32.2323557 76.31447149999996832.2054922 76.274130999999969 32.2592192 76.354811999999967tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7074104022476190643.post-68394843019933538372016-05-23T00:30:00.000-07:002016-05-23T00:39:29.870-07:00Manali Travelogue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>From Chandigarh to Manali...from the foothills of the Himalayas to the Himachal range, observe the changes that take place in the topography around you. When in the Himalayas, travel as geographers do...</i></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsRN_c44A3ocFg6wqWo2KZPDlbWyE7iTbqX45WYa26RsRcguuw5yTzMzxvcgl7-KIZXmZCMpZPd2nUw3HD-SggkytkYwJlzCjthP1_3xG75Obui9Wg59gb9YaqxHcC6ajSrKJxDiMQoo/s1600/Dry+river+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsRN_c44A3ocFg6wqWo2KZPDlbWyE7iTbqX45WYa26RsRcguuw5yTzMzxvcgl7-KIZXmZCMpZPd2nUw3HD-SggkytkYwJlzCjthP1_3xG75Obui9Wg59gb9YaqxHcC6ajSrKJxDiMQoo/s400/Dry+river+bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The dry river bed of River Beas, downstream from the Himalayas. The water level has never been this low. Yet, this year, due to low rainfall, there is hardly any water in the middle course of the river.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-size: large;">The silt deposited on the banks shows the actual size of the river when it gets flooded.</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpzFK1ldotqwuaRlP9EvDY0h92r8wiGFIiYSFumk4XMZ3VOz5qKFTHyhHDPp6NKmXeq2-TXok_bdCtpPfsCRnDHQVr-sdGuZXwR-hYYTD2h6Lh46KbXlzJHe2TE3RUVdLtjXlamkQ0SE/s1600/V+shaped+valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpzFK1ldotqwuaRlP9EvDY0h92r8wiGFIiYSFumk4XMZ3VOz5qKFTHyhHDPp6NKmXeq2-TXok_bdCtpPfsCRnDHQVr-sdGuZXwR-hYYTD2h6Lh46KbXlzJHe2TE3RUVdLtjXlamkQ0SE/s400/V+shaped+valley.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Huge V-Shaped Valleys carved by River Beas in the valley course of the river. The water that you see, remains as a part of a reservoir.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuGiIGYS6wmeR3YpZmwzcuhyphenhyphenw_5sK5yCUpWmOMTjiu3cLReb2vLBoMzJ6qcDlwf7gIer8OPgsQVLdZG9cDJr5zYmAYxoRdwKq1wQ0IaHBOT3Q3cxnJGVhQVxloLo-CaxuwU3cPtDyUqHg/s1600/IMG_4421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuGiIGYS6wmeR3YpZmwzcuhyphenhyphenw_5sK5yCUpWmOMTjiu3cLReb2vLBoMzJ6qcDlwf7gIer8OPgsQVLdZG9cDJr5zYmAYxoRdwKq1wQ0IaHBOT3Q3cxnJGVhQVxloLo-CaxuwU3cPtDyUqHg/s400/IMG_4421.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Middle - aged Deodar (Cedar) trees in the higher ranges of the mountains. These are the lungs of the mountains. The air, rivers, soil, animals, birds as well as humans depend on them for their livelihood. Tourism industry itself thrives due to the presence of these forests. The moment they disappear, that will be the doomsday. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvGGCUNv2QJmHw4MiiLoKcUL8RyB_TBhw7FDcSzmH02ElJrqXAC3kUCUw_1vVzg5c_i2-ITGB2ACCONfF9jrSah57zUkmXr5OWZq4DKIVIiuWE84ptUey8o_tFnqb6-Dbaw1xuJjP2jY/s1600/IMG_4499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvGGCUNv2QJmHw4MiiLoKcUL8RyB_TBhw7FDcSzmH02ElJrqXAC3kUCUw_1vVzg5c_i2-ITGB2ACCONfF9jrSah57zUkmXr5OWZq4DKIVIiuWE84ptUey8o_tFnqb6-Dbaw1xuJjP2jY/s400/IMG_4499.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Huge dinosaur - egg sized boulders lie on either side of the river. What is interesting, is their shape. These perfect pebble shaped rocks have been created by the grinding action of the river water. Fancy a natural paper weight anyone?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR40xbkoynCMKSJ9PaHTwIhpLe_mnVeFgetThb7RpN8BssqhrNjRqQBRjBIpP9WA1HpUy4cNtX3N8Rliw7jrxb5lcRpOk55rqL-mWUuOG9skBDXmnT9xqAsrooUvxy5abFaVnVraKurA/s1600/IMG_4513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR40xbkoynCMKSJ9PaHTwIhpLe_mnVeFgetThb7RpN8BssqhrNjRqQBRjBIpP9WA1HpUy4cNtX3N8Rliw7jrxb5lcRpOk55rqL-mWUuOG9skBDXmnT9xqAsrooUvxy5abFaVnVraKurA/s400/IMG_4513.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Where religion and nature worship go hand in hand. The locals respect the nature in the hope that the nature will help them survive.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5t2EBD-1xyJw_QZ-xipPC62qb54ewcK0swO06p52PAZAx_JBvwNEXCSxwzofZ0YTtLtTNzG9G8HYtgWGRMttjInuzlOjaJuA5TrSdaJemLRtxw8-nQcayl-fYc_dyo0an0wiEgsFhMVc/s1600/IMG_4548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5t2EBD-1xyJw_QZ-xipPC62qb54ewcK0swO06p52PAZAx_JBvwNEXCSxwzofZ0YTtLtTNzG9G8HYtgWGRMttjInuzlOjaJuA5TrSdaJemLRtxw8-nQcayl-fYc_dyo0an0wiEgsFhMVc/s400/IMG_4548.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So when the Tibetans had to escape from their homeland in 1949, it was here in the Himalayas that they found their refuge. The Himalayas were a common bond between Tibet and India and so they felt at home, while being away from it. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">You will find many such beautiful monasteries throughout the Himalayas.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yaGM7OeonpxYJSmWPtAzKQhTBKMReC4vJtH0cpqyb433tM5DSvmtF8YV1CtJEX6sZbVfQp5sIn20mbs3ZEDB0bsEG8W2z2AX51WLMFJH6Dt2qiYiqnzLs7ymbQX9qDy9bCkBr_VlRys/s1600/IMG_4555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yaGM7OeonpxYJSmWPtAzKQhTBKMReC4vJtH0cpqyb433tM5DSvmtF8YV1CtJEX6sZbVfQp5sIn20mbs3ZEDB0bsEG8W2z2AX51WLMFJH6Dt2qiYiqnzLs7ymbQX9qDy9bCkBr_VlRys/s400/IMG_4555.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">On the way to the Solang Valley, the River Beas is your constant companion. The freezing cold waters make a deafening, yet pleasant sound.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNA93ktpF3-vvcGJyJB3xKh11011xY_5rXsb-XMKcoyc13fg0BVTg7UKBpTxgiS_myoEw9GSFSLkESGzEAYxyJEfmrRzJaANJv7BYwo4R0hntE2F-VKOYTeg8dy823RZPKuYA63Xj-aw/s1600/glacier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNA93ktpF3-vvcGJyJB3xKh11011xY_5rXsb-XMKcoyc13fg0BVTg7UKBpTxgiS_myoEw9GSFSLkESGzEAYxyJEfmrRzJaANJv7BYwo4R0hntE2F-VKOYTeg8dy823RZPKuYA63Xj-aw/s320/glacier.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Although mountain glaciers seem to be stationary, they are always on the move, albeit rather slowly.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">As they move down the valley, they shape it, making it deeper and sharper. This is the source of water that keeps the Himalayan rivers <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perennial_stream" target="_blank">perennial</a>. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR3L6vSYVV_j5lKy6przp6O-D8ICh3lA6MNKSIQ2w1VZ4Mgw5avZLbRIH7asjvuSb6KG1ghvrMjpBcZ_NfQnW_eAKiqjd7ap5clcOx4aypRraJSpbgyoAApDSfJ0tuHzI2RXmu2Rsvak/s1600/IMG_4563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR3L6vSYVV_j5lKy6przp6O-D8ICh3lA6MNKSIQ2w1VZ4Mgw5avZLbRIH7asjvuSb6KG1ghvrMjpBcZ_NfQnW_eAKiqjd7ap5clcOx4aypRraJSpbgyoAApDSfJ0tuHzI2RXmu2Rsvak/s320/IMG_4563.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqG31f1_alj7PiyUUDgpb0bLv-ClDk8CYArKwjezYRdQ5QHaUWnHa4rSB2oD3Z8HZQh38L-bfQr5N7XFzVbaEPM8vr_TfOqJ-KqrutLavXF4KNck219G6Qmr9PLE02lm34ltMRnMtqKM/s1600/IMG_4562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqG31f1_alj7PiyUUDgpb0bLv-ClDk8CYArKwjezYRdQ5QHaUWnHa4rSB2oD3Z8HZQh38L-bfQr5N7XFzVbaEPM8vr_TfOqJ-KqrutLavXF4KNck219G6Qmr9PLE02lm34ltMRnMtqKM/s320/IMG_4562.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Trekking in the mountain is not easy...at least not for flatfooted humans like me! The stones are sharp, the soil is slippery and your have goats, lambs, horses, cows and other such animals who are climbing up the mountain for their annual <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumance" target="_blank">transhumance</a>. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdi_NSrRJAnrVUdWXhQTV9y2PEm_AcR9nM_7PHTpJdu6_v0s1bjmzq9-vG3itzP8rP2EPqABQGKwQb0acr99nEFA8iteARSY-l3iGK9zfyiy9Y3onrZJ9_H5t6Z08rHgSti0idpxe36js/s1600/IMG_4565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdi_NSrRJAnrVUdWXhQTV9y2PEm_AcR9nM_7PHTpJdu6_v0s1bjmzq9-vG3itzP8rP2EPqABQGKwQb0acr99nEFA8iteARSY-l3iGK9zfyiy9Y3onrZJ9_H5t6Z08rHgSti0idpxe36js/s400/IMG_4565.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Yet, beautiful scenes around you, keep you going. ( Also the hope of finally landing in snow!) </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">As our guide commented, "Barf to bhagwan ki tarah ho gaya hai! Kaha kaha se log aate hai aur itni mehnat karte hai sirf barf dekhne ke liye!" </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">(Loosely translated - The way people take a pilgrimage, similarly here, people are trekking to see some snow!)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsEx9iuDkejS1PseU2m1sZzBYWodwcRHbdYZ0sxgfDuXm0rW1KhVXg3LlFAcx7pvBBWukmXVYHMXKB6rKqYnh6xTdizG5YYSQ5jcCV-Kn3ETn1sjyuONJi56T_1pDGJdumvTvLdn-sIg/s1600/IMG_4566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsEx9iuDkejS1PseU2m1sZzBYWodwcRHbdYZ0sxgfDuXm0rW1KhVXg3LlFAcx7pvBBWukmXVYHMXKB6rKqYnh6xTdizG5YYSQ5jcCV-Kn3ETn1sjyuONJi56T_1pDGJdumvTvLdn-sIg/s400/IMG_4566.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But what you see at the end of your long and arduous journey is rather a disappointment at first. Considering what you expected was snow - clean, white, fluffy, the one in which you could play and make a snowman! But alas, what you get is a small glacier made up of ice. The ice is mixed with plant matter and mud that was brought along with it as it came down the valley! And the entire journey suddenly seems a big waste!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6t6Q84-tEYVq9laYUebs4fqU1NJvG6K-ag6C3GhgP88BneVYoIxjx0EVeeow_vEiGZc5u3teoa3FMrsDTMcU8KX74mv1Bcsya0w35bRddxeO7VeG3BjqHOpdIBxFs6VaCNjpRHbyG1uc/s1600/IMG_4575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6t6Q84-tEYVq9laYUebs4fqU1NJvG6K-ag6C3GhgP88BneVYoIxjx0EVeeow_vEiGZc5u3teoa3FMrsDTMcU8KX74mv1Bcsya0w35bRddxeO7VeG3BjqHOpdIBxFs6VaCNjpRHbyG1uc/s400/IMG_4575.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, but well, after all you have come to enjoy...snow or ice...who cares! Lets wear some traditional Himachal clothes and take some typical photos!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffn-vttHgC-piVsKQz2tLctg6Ef-8nQkzDDuxPmCxdLHytcsSdmbRHaeuPROlJ_CwZtrsvIU-TbG16dFFQCCLKEtFY-qFJyMd-L1vakOXQsGLQ8pUro_fZCtLEo2BFjrhZLktt-2v858/s1600/Sight_2016_05_07_105219_562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffn-vttHgC-piVsKQz2tLctg6Ef-8nQkzDDuxPmCxdLHytcsSdmbRHaeuPROlJ_CwZtrsvIU-TbG16dFFQCCLKEtFY-qFJyMd-L1vakOXQsGLQ8pUro_fZCtLEo2BFjrhZLktt-2v858/s400/Sight_2016_05_07_105219_562.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Let's also pick up huge ice balls to show back home that you have actually seen some SNOW!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9shRZ3wVAwVunR_wpqMtTypvD-BCRVy7LS29UajP1iam2I36clHut5r1klIw9LSFSpBRuaw6PQ9-VaTIxIMoMF8lqSbRx-keXWNT00CDUyHo9LFpqPJX3qMvq-3WoqHuo-PVXjDF0bPA/s1600/Sight_2016_05_07_112710_793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9shRZ3wVAwVunR_wpqMtTypvD-BCRVy7LS29UajP1iam2I36clHut5r1klIw9LSFSpBRuaw6PQ9-VaTIxIMoMF8lqSbRx-keXWNT00CDUyHo9LFpqPJX3qMvq-3WoqHuo-PVXjDF0bPA/s400/Sight_2016_05_07_112710_793.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And finally, let's roll on the ice wearing the - Rs.250, 5 kg in weight - snow suit, that you have rented, just so that you can play in SNOW! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Why otherwise would you be wearing it when the temperature is not even 15 degrees C??</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh yes, just so that your clothes don't get wet and dirty.</span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">(One advice - the ice below may be freezing, but the Sun above is not! It does it's normal work and burns your skin, no matter what! So please so not try this stunt without wearing a good sunscreen, unlike myself...) </span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC-PbA0uuEgPJ0rSXGvx43dkuMQ2yojiR3aQo4FCfDDSSF7I2d4OfO09M1ABsYoaG66brxMJzcNZCH69kzELHU-ZlOGkMZQzZSygNOlPl8XT40iywIkhgk5J87YJFv5Y-YA4Jlv1NkkA/s1600/Sight_2016_05_07_124730_841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC-PbA0uuEgPJ0rSXGvx43dkuMQ2yojiR3aQo4FCfDDSSF7I2d4OfO09M1ABsYoaG66brxMJzcNZCH69kzELHU-ZlOGkMZQzZSygNOlPl8XT40iywIkhgk5J87YJFv5Y-YA4Jlv1NkkA/s400/Sight_2016_05_07_124730_841.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">While coming down the valley, this is what we found - a skeleton, probably of a dead sheep.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mind you, we did not carry it along with us. In the months to come, it would decompose and become a part of the Earth once again, thus completing the cycle.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCO_k6XsUcAW5iw1NdeY7vSF1F7HkdesVpzUA5T_T95RULASG91NE6cwrdQTIpAQm93XJmz7tmL4uJcEqNGWiMSuCY946bd5IOeTNG9gYUvEbPDquA1fk23hhp0KCpsFAc3kIqCbA0OI/s1600/IMG_4582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCO_k6XsUcAW5iw1NdeY7vSF1F7HkdesVpzUA5T_T95RULASG91NE6cwrdQTIpAQm93XJmz7tmL4uJcEqNGWiMSuCY946bd5IOeTNG9gYUvEbPDquA1fk23hhp0KCpsFAc3kIqCbA0OI/s400/IMG_4582.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Horses grazing freely on the slopes.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1l7UruFw7I-VrcCG15TVh4B_QA3GAnUv9cegnljyVljwj0CqdrvBkaZwyVwNGWGQXVFE4_uEIT8izKIggcg3tIBbcPoM-nHBYB1-vaJM5Csttyvr1c79Fdi_uehGuPbBF2EG4sZm_co/s1600/IMG_4585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1l7UruFw7I-VrcCG15TVh4B_QA3GAnUv9cegnljyVljwj0CqdrvBkaZwyVwNGWGQXVFE4_uEIT8izKIggcg3tIBbcPoM-nHBYB1-vaJM5Csttyvr1c79Fdi_uehGuPbBF2EG4sZm_co/s400/IMG_4585.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The return journey was much quicker as we took the road. We could have done so while going too, but the security guys did not allow us. This new road is under construction. A tunnel is being constructed that would take you directly to Rohtang Pass from here. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, the Rohtang Pass was closed when we went. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">(Advice - Prior permission needs to be taken to visit the Rohtang Pass. Do confirm if it is open before making your travel plans.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQHcktrAC_DLg7v04vKktTfpkLYO4HHh_yTPuQwq5gOvicbIsdYgY-a-2UYEEZ-UesGSGfE2eODWkUAX7KeEyEVqzK0t8PhBrdT_Ql9dQD-TxM0BuQ5H4jBf_5vteirVPsi3T_zozC7k/s1600/IMG_4590.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQHcktrAC_DLg7v04vKktTfpkLYO4HHh_yTPuQwq5gOvicbIsdYgY-a-2UYEEZ-UesGSGfE2eODWkUAX7KeEyEVqzK0t8PhBrdT_Ql9dQD-TxM0BuQ5H4jBf_5vteirVPsi3T_zozC7k/s400/IMG_4590.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The road has been closed for the right reasons too. You can see landslides dotting the sides of the road. Retention walls have been constructed at most places, yet precaution is better.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvK9P0jr4L5v749PVGdhwQtUm-KKPHFXbAfbU2qP04zhaulo-5t6K3zwKXfi0gcYE9-k2MVmREcHWsasr2rZx6Tq19Oxgp165_Oabdz6u_7UXEO8tFvdLe6B4AehJxKrk3veYGXLua8E/s1600/river+valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvK9P0jr4L5v749PVGdhwQtUm-KKPHFXbAfbU2qP04zhaulo-5t6K3zwKXfi0gcYE9-k2MVmREcHWsasr2rZx6Tq19Oxgp165_Oabdz6u_7UXEO8tFvdLe6B4AehJxKrk3veYGXLua8E/s400/river+valley.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So many things to be observed in just one frame!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The river flows down from the high mountain with very high velocity (here, in the form of a waterfall).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">It slows down a bit as the slope decreases. Various streams join together to make one stream.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">As it reaches the valley bottom, it is seen splitting into two streams. It has deposited a large amount of debris in the valley, forming a fan. This is just before it meets the main river.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">Terrace farming, a common practice in hilly areas.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjRN4bxZb-uOQqF95nC-PypfBWj8rB5-bSiQSvWukOZcvRYyA_r8zWiTDPtyuFRUam7X0cgFKjmB_QSQ6RLgbm3siqcd28GYbP2J8lqHMuFYF88hXuLjaOjL0nCEgf7685J6PrHOEni4/s1600/IMG_4595.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjRN4bxZb-uOQqF95nC-PypfBWj8rB5-bSiQSvWukOZcvRYyA_r8zWiTDPtyuFRUam7X0cgFKjmB_QSQ6RLgbm3siqcd28GYbP2J8lqHMuFYF88hXuLjaOjL0nCEgf7685J6PrHOEni4/s400/IMG_4595.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Solang village (from where all the guides come)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Population:</b> Approx. 400 people</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Occupation: </b>Farming, tourism, herding</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>People:</b> Soft - spoken, kindhearted, loyal, not greedy for money.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Facilities:</b> The village has a HP Board school upto class 10.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Treat them well, they work hard for a living. Our tour guide took Rs.1000 for the 4-5 hour trek. We split the charges with another couple who came with us. The guide did not mind. He was friendly. Halfway on the trek, he asked us to carry on with another lady, while he would go back and bring more people. They would carry your extra baggage happily.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzQGqQlljkFPSyiWNPwMk9KhuG8EWZraPmRtLEDzcHbBUNRAkXzWOWNiN3CK6qZjokkWL4IZMB7yfOUrsJtBw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And finally, listen to the force of nature...River Beas, flowing in all it's abundance!</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
Richahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047440675017435022noreply@blogger.com15Himachal Pradesh, India31.1048294 77.173390127.6521084 72.009816100000009 34.5575504 82.3369641tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7074104022476190643.post-62940053403308530182016-05-13T10:33:00.003-07:002016-05-13T10:38:51.359-07:00What is so different about Geographers?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Well, for one thing, we Geographers observe things differently.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Wherever we go, we put on our 'Geography ka Chashma'! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This helps us observe things, places and settings that normal people don't! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We are the happiest while we are travelling, as that is when we can observe everything peacefully and interpret it as per our knowledge! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So here I dedicate this Photoblog to all the Geographers who love travelling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I would be posting photos from all my travels around the world. The photos would reveal secrets that non-geographers hardly ever observe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So keep coming back for my photo blogs and earn your own 'Geography ka Chashma'!:D</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here's a sneak-peak at my photo-blog from one of my recent travels - </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdycMR6z5zHKain8ZENQYWa2qkBG8wmdqypI7Kq_vRuT3sfkHDUPzNo2sxjctrlmagKmHdW3WzgmZJysfBUJhmEi4RAsDNBkhzxXSn074A_fi3hRyVMUiYFOO1VPxr-u9LLr0hR0m4Kg/s1600/IMG_4523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdycMR6z5zHKain8ZENQYWa2qkBG8wmdqypI7Kq_vRuT3sfkHDUPzNo2sxjctrlmagKmHdW3WzgmZJysfBUJhmEi4RAsDNBkhzxXSn074A_fi3hRyVMUiYFOO1VPxr-u9LLr0hR0m4Kg/s400/IMG_4523.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Location:</b> Van Vihar Park, Beas Riverside, Manali, Himachal Pradesh (India)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Tree - roots hold soils tight. Notice, how the roots, in this case, are even holding the round boulders tightly in place. No wonder trees are so important to control soil erosion!)</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
Richahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06047440675017435022noreply@blogger.com6Manali, India31.278550858946531 77.95898437529.519352858946529 75.377197375 33.037748858946529 80.540771375