Category - Travel Tips

Places to See in Mussoorie

October 6, 2015

As the second highest peak in Mussoorie, it’s believed that in the past a canon was fired every afternoon, providing the time to the local residents, who then adjusted their watches accordingly. At present the location houses a water reservoir. Tourists will witness spectacular views of the snow capped peaks of Himalayas from the hill and it can be reached by taking a ropeway ride or by trekking. Check out the must visit places to see in Mussoorie.

The Christ Church

Built in 1836, the church is believed to be the oldest church in Himalayas. Designed in Gothic style, the events in the life of Jesus Christ are illustrated in the glass windows within the Church. The church has an ancient William Hill organ, about 100 years old and the church vicinity has a deodar tree planted by Princess of Wales in 1906.

Camel’s Back Road

It is a stretch of roughly 3 km long road from Library point to Kulri Bazaar. The road got its name from its rocks formed sort of a camel’s hump. Surrounded by mountains and greenery, the road is known for its natural beauty and offers beautiful views of sunrise, sunset and mountains. It’s ideally used by locals for morning and evening walks. Horseback rides are also available on this road.

Lal Tibba

The highest point in Mussoorie, the hill is also referred as Depot Hill. The Indian Military services are positioned at Lal Tibba. Broadcasting stations of All India Radio and Doordarshan are situated atop Lal Tibba. From here sightseeing through the lens of an old Japanese telescope is possible. Beautiful views of sunrise and sunset can also be witnessed from this vantage point.

The Mall

It’s the main shopping location situated at the center of Mussoorie, with lamppost and benches lined up besides the road, the mall throws a glimpse of the colonial period. One has to pass through the Mall to reach any place in Mussoorie. Apart from shopping the main attractions of the mall are video game parlours, restaurants, skating ring, windy point and the Methodist Church.

Happy Valley

The valley is popular for Tibetan Buddhist temple – Shedup Choepelling temple, the IAS Academy and also the Municipal Garden. Set on the western side of Library point, the valley leads to Cloud’s End, a tourist place where the borders of Mussoorie end and further on is the Hathipaon Park Estate. The valley is known for its estates, gardens, and temples.

Sisters Bazaar

The bazaar got its name from the Nuns who served as nurses in the British dormitories during this space. The area is more like a residential colony with a few shops spread across. One will visit the celebrated confectionery shop of the Bazaar- “the Prakash Brothers Store”. Other famous attractions are the residence of celebrated personalities like Dev Anand, Victor Banerjee and Tom Alter.

Image by paulhami,Michael Scalet Under Creative Common License.

Norway Travel Guide

October 3, 2015

Chris

Destinations, Travel Talk, Travel Tips

Add comment

Norway is best celebrated for its outstanding natural beauty, significantly the fjords on its west coast. Once a haven for marauding Vikings, these deep inlets are currently the country’s most well liked traveller attraction. This is a country shaped by the ice age, with towering mountains, thunderous waterfalls and dense forests.

What to See & Do

Norway is found on the west of the Scandinavian peninsula in northern Europe. Although a third of the country sits in the Arctic Circle, a length of 1,089 miles means that Norway is a year round destination. The summer months are excellent for hiking and mountain biking, while in winter the skiing and winter sports are unparalleled.

The country is usually hierarchal ranked as one of the most effective places in the world to live, and one among the most reasons is that the glorious infrastructure and also the quality of local services. The capital city of Oslo offers visitors a stunning contrast of picturesque history and spectacular modern architecture.

Most Important Places in Norway Travel Guide.

Oslo

Norway’s capital and most inhabited town, Oslo may be a vibrant fashionable town with a confident attitude and relaxed atmosphere. Hugging the horseshoe-shaped shores of the Oslofjord, Oslo is one-third city and two-thirds forests, parks and green spaces, making outdoor activities like hiking and biking well-liked pastimes. From its 19th-century city centerwith its museums, spirited bars and restaurants to the Nobel Peace Center settled within the city’s former railway station, Oslo is culturally made further. The city’s fifty museums vary from the Munch museum, that options “The Scream” and other works byEdvard Munch, to the Folkemuseet, an outdoor museum that includes more than 150 historic buildings from all over Norway, including a Stave Church.

Bergen

Norway’s second largest town, Bergen has been the nation’s leading western port since the Middle Ages. Today, its 15th-century waterfront in the Bryggen district is both a working port and a traveller destination for guests eager to sample fresh fare at seashore restaurants. Though Bergen makes a great home base for explorations of the scenic fjords around the city and the neighboring islands, there’s plenty to see within the city as well. A quick trip up Bergen’s fashionable funicular could be a great way to get oriented in the place known as the Gateway to the Fjords.

Check out this Norway Travel Guide and I hope this will help you out for your trip.

Image by j0sh,EKSidley,Moyan_Brenn,randihausken Under Creative Common License.

London or Rome

October 15, 2013

Chris

Travel Tips

2 Comments

As they say, time is money and because of this we never have enough time to see all the things that we want to. Reality dictates that many decisions have to be made in terms of the things that you are going to commit yourself to see. With that said, what if someone offered you a trip to either Rome or London. You wouldn’t be able to go to both – a tough call, right? This blog is going to try to offer up some assistance by considering each of these world cities along three dimensions. They will be weighed against each other considering; the aesthetic of the city and how it looks overall; things to do – which takes into account the city’s attractions, sites, and outdoor features; and lastly fun – which considers the restaurants, cafes, nightlife, and the attitude of the people.

Aesthetic

London is stately and has a palatial feel to it, but Rome is Rome and there are few cities that can match its wealth of scenic beauty. Ancient walk ways lead to wondrous Roman spectacle after spectacle, the number of plazas and monuments leave tourists awe struck and looking around in a daze… perhaps aiding the city’s large pick pocket community. As attractive as London is, it pales to the grandeur of Rome. As they said in the antiquity, “see Rome and die.”

Result: Rome

Things to Do

The category of “Things to Do” in each city bring up some interesting differences between these cities. Rome has so many wondrous sites like the Vatican City, the Coliseum, and the Pantheon while London has more modern, though still classical, sites like Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. BUT, London also has the overall sensation of walking the streets in a world class, cosmopolitan hub where street walking alone is a spectacle of different world fashion and city vibe. The battle between things to do is close, in these vastly different ways, but in the end there can only be one winner and it is London.

Result – London

Fun

Same as the first category there is a clear cut winner here. London is one of the funniest cities in the world! The night life never stops, the pubs (a hallmark of English life) always have people in them, and the restaurants are diverse and world class. Rome does have aspects of this, but a country mile from what London brings to the table. The fun of London as was touched upon in the last category is also just the feeling of the streets too.

Result: London

Overall:

Rome is an amazing aesthetic spectacle and a great vacation for lovers of history and culture, but London is a world class mecca and really must be explored at least once.

Result: London

Things to Do in Berlin Part 2

August 9, 2013

Chris

Destinations, Travel Talk, Travel Tips

Add comment

Depending on your taste there is scarcely a limit on the different things that you can do in Berlin. The city has a variety of different and vibrant sections for visitors to enjoy, a great art scene and plenty of modern and historic monument to visit. People who come to Berlin come here to see how this city, once divided in its middle by the Berlin wall, has fused itself together and become one of Europe’s, if not the worlds, most dynamic and cosmopolitan city’s. A couple more things to do in Berlin includes.

Brandenburg Gate

Pariser Platz 7 | Berlin 10117 |

Located in Pariser Platz, one of Berlin’s most famous squares, is the Brandenburg Gates one of Berlin’s most iconic monuments. The legend of this gate has grown since it was constructed in the 18th century as it has, almost inexplicable, been able to survive several invasions over the years including attacks by Napoleon and the aerial bombardment and shelling of World War 2, The original design concept of the gate was to be built like the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens. Several guided tours meet at the Brandenburg gate daily for great guided walks around the city also.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Cora-Berliner-Straße 1 | Berlin 10117 |

One of the more harrowing sites in Berlin is the Memorial to Murdered Jews. This monument consists of 2,711 concrete blocks designed to represent the Jewish victims of the Third Reich. The blocks are made of varying heights that seem to loom over visitors to the monument coming in a sense coming in around them. People who are interested in more information about the site and its construction can visit the visitor centre to learn more. The memorial is in a square that is assessable 24 hours a day.

Tiergarten

Große Sternallee | 12587 Berlin, Deutschland

Those looking for a respite from the pace of downtown Berlin often head to Tiergarten to relax in its green space. An expansive park, taking up 630 acres, visitors enjoy wandering through its meadows, tree adorned pathways and lakes. Tiergarten actually translates to animal garden and there is indeed a chance of running into some wild life inside of its confines. Also, if you fancy a bit of libation Tiergarten also has two beer gardens to sit back and enjoy a drink on a nice summer’s day.

What to Do in Berlin

August 9, 2013

Chris

Travel Talk, Travel Tips

Add comment

One of the world’s most intriguingly diverse cities is Berlin. Berlin literally was divided across its centre for 30 years before the fall of the Berlin wall. As one might imagine in such a Calderon of difference there is a massive amount of art and culture to be found here in Berlin. Visitors to Berlin often enjoy visiting the remnants of the city’s checkered pass at Checkpoint Charley, seeing the remains of the Berlin wall and visiting the fantastic exhibits at Museum Island. Other ways that people spend their time in Berlin include:

Museum Island

The concept of Museum Island is to place five different museums together on a tiny island in the River Spree. Each museum endeavours to create an organic feel with the art that it showcases. There is the Old National Museum, the Old Museum, the New Museum, the Pergamonmuseum, and the Bode Museum. People describe the experience of visiting the museum island like stepping back in time as the buildings themselves are infused with a lot of columns and old world design. The favourite museum for visitors to see is the Pergamonmuseum.

Viktoriapark

Großbeerenstraße 52 | 10965 Berlin, Germany

Nestled away in the Berlin hipster and artists neighborhood of Kreuzberg is Viktoriapark which has become a vastly popular hangout for local Berliners. The park gets a great multi use with musicians playing, people kicking around a soccer ball, picnics with wine and drink and families enjoying a summer day. This park is a fantastic place to come and do a little people watching. When the chance arises climb atop of the parks hill for some great panoramic views over the city. At night time, and even during the day people bring their own drinks into the park… so if you fancy drinking cheaply this is a great place for that too.

Potsdamer Platz

Potsdamer Platz | Berlin , BE 10785

Prior to World War 2 Potsdammer Platz was a bustling square that was at the heart of Berlin life. Unfortunately this area was hit hard by the ally attacks and completely destroyed. After the cold way major companies like Sony and Daimler utilized the space and built their headquarters into the square. The result has been a revival of the space with some otherworldly, hyper modern architecture. Though some visitors to the city claim the square has no soul, it is still worthwhile to see in order to see the luminous quality that modern architecture can put on a public space. The iconic building is the tower like Sony Centre.