“Man, I would kill for a bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich. Can we get one?” asked Steve for the eighty seventh time, as we traveled through India, not a big BLT nation. We had traveled before and he would get these cravings for some crazy food and that was all he would talk about until he got some or you socked him in the head. I only had to do this once. While in Maine last summer on break we were in Acadia Island and he had to have a Coney. I threatened to drive to Detroit to shut him up, but instead bonked him on the head. We had decided to come to India and were now looking for any Jaipur hotels that would have us. And bacon sandwiches were on his feverish, Indian heated brain. “Hey, maybe on of those fancy British place will have them, d the British eat a lot of bacon?” I knew the British were pig friendly, but the BLT? Why not? Just then, the Canadian embassy came in to view. “Hey, let me off, I’m going to go ask the Canadian guys.” Steve later explained that since that was the nation that brought us Canadian bacon, they were bound to have a source. Off he went crossing the street and dodging the auto rickshaws, the fantastically decorated taxis, two skinny dogs, a lady selling umbrellas, and a guy on a bicycle push cart selling fresh coconut juice. I wanted to get to a nice Indian restaurant, my tender stomach recovering now, and we had been given the name of a vegetarian restaurant in the central city of Jaipur. He was gone for about twenty minutes and I began to worry when out he bounded down the street with a paper bag. the embassy had sold him two BLTs, and he was happy.
India is full of gems. The country side, the people, the history, spiritually and literally the gems and minerals. Many stones are mined as well as cut polished and processed in India. Some very fine micro faceting of gemstones by laser has been developed over the past few years. This produces an especially sparkling gem stone bead or setting cut stone. The qualit of the carving and cutting is top notch with many factories in Delhi/ A short distance from my five star hotels in Delhi are many showrooms proudly showing these items. The richness of the history and spiritually play into this as many whom follow the Hindu faith believe it auspicious to adorn oneself only with gold and transparent stones. There for emeralds, rubies, tourmalines and many other fine stones are mined and processed in India. Adding to the richness of the sub continent. The spiritual history goes back eons with many traditions being adopted from things that developed in India. Like the Mala or Prayer Beads. These devises for ritual use specifically to count the repetitions of mantras have been adapted around the world and by many religions and groups. In Greece they are called worry beads the Catholics call them Rosary. It is all from the same ancient tradition that Hinduism grew from that the use of these beads cam into being and the concept shared throughout the world. The concept of meditation, getting in touch with your-own mind is an ancient gem from the Indian sub continent. Meditation employs quiet sitting to changing out loud or to oneself or walking or repetition of some other kind. The point of which is to focus the energy of the mind. India has many more gems to be spoken of these are just a few.
We took a leisure trip to India. While in New Delhi the Capital of India, someone told us to check out Goa before we leave India. We were told that Goa is the ‘chill’ capital of India. So, my husband and I managed to book a room at a Goa Resort Spa for a few nights before we headed back to the States.
We noticed that Goa draws many Indians for there Casinos alone. But we checked out the beach to spend our days, being all laid back and unwinding from the previous partying we did at the fabulous chill lounges and clubs. We were fortunate enough that we were in Goa during a non rainy season and a non heat season, perfect really. We thought it would be ideal to take a guided tour through Goa. We were mesmerized by the old architecture which was predominantly Portuguese. Apparently, Goa was founded originally by Portuguese, but now has a Goan rule and culture. But besides the Portuguese architecture, we got to see famous churches, temples and a waterfall. The tour included a lunch were we got to taste the local cuisine. I had the Goan fish curry and rice, scrumptious. I will have to make this dish back home, it was so savory and delightful.
One tour we took, on our last day in Goa, was to the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. A wildlife paradise and a sanctuary for Leopards, Elephants, India Bison and Deer. The birds alone were spectacular. All the animals were easily spotted. I especially liked the elephants, such magnificent mammals. My husband liked the elephant ride, he wanted to travel like that from this point on. Fortunately for me, his legs couldn’t take riding the elephant for longer than an hour.
We will definitely have to come back to Goa, a few nights here we could tell we barely scratched the surface of this phantasmal resort city. Like frolicking with the dolphins!
There are many historical buildings in the city of Jaipur. Many were at one time the residences of the various members of the Royal families, or houses of government. In modern days these structures become registered on the Heritage site, and many of these sites become locations for the heritage hotel. India has many such sites, and many are in the Pink City. The City Palace was once a complex, a bit like extremely luxurious condominiums of today, and the architecture shows evidence of the influence of the Rajput Rulers and the Mughals. There are monuments around the city and in the parks and gardens to these bygone kings and queens, many of whom may seen in the photographs collected and on exhibit in the Palace Museum. The Hawa Mahal is another location from the earlier times of the city and stands eminently in the Bazaar of Johri. This is said to be one of the coolest places in the city as the breezes have easy access through any of the nine hundred and fifty three windows in the structure.
There are many observatories throughout the city of Jaipur, as the early king was taken with the sky and the importance of the study of astronomy. Many of these were constructed by Jai Singh, with the most significant one being, the Jaipur Observatory. This designed with giant shapes of geometric patterns and curves, a testament to this belief in the need of an understanding of the science of astronomy. And although this was constructed hundreds of years ago, it reads as modern architectural designs of today. Amber Fort is another Heritage Site that is located on top of a mountain, easily accessible by car or by riding an elephant. The positioning of these building makes the best times for a visit during the morning hours when the sun is rising or at evening time as the sun is setting, as the light during this times is perfect for highlight the amber, the gold and the red hues in the designs of the building’s facade. These are just a few of the Heritage Sites in the city of Jaipur that must be visited on any holiday to the city.
As in many cities in the world, the culture of today, has been influenced by the influx of immigrants over the years, Punjab, India is no exception, with many of those living in the city today the descendants of ancestors from Turkey, Iran, Arabia, and Afghanistan. Some of those immigrating made their ways to Punjab singularly while during other times in the history, groups from various areas migrated in large groups, in search of a better way of life for themselves and their offspring. The fertile land in the region of Punjab has created a viable and financially successful farming community, and this sense of community has created a society of people with one singular identity even though most come from many different backgrounds and heritages. Those working the fields take care of those working in the businesses such as the Punjab hotels and restaurants. They share a singular religion, that of Islam, and have commonalities in their folklore, their sensibilities and their traditions, and all share in the common goal of similar aspirations and hopes of attaining the best possible lives, for now and for the future.
Traditional values and ethics, combined with a sincere love of strangers and tourists has made Punjab one of the most fabulous places in the country to visit and to spend some time in getting to know the locals. They love each other, regardless of differences such as background or local dialect, and will share that love with anyone who happens to cross their paths. Their culture is based on Sufism, and the festivals and the celebrations are often fun and joyous occasions, that reflect the ideas and the philosophies, as well as the traditions and the folk life, the stories and the myths and the beliefs. The fairs differ in three ways. There are those based in trade and commerce, those of the seasons of the year, and those of devotional or religious meaning. Any one of these ‘kinds’ of festivals will open up a view of this Indian town to travelers and adventurers, and are well worth attending.
The local movie center of India is located in Mumbai and is commonly referred to as Bollywood. It has an obvious association to the United States film industry in Hollywood, California. However, a major distinguishing factor, aside from being on the other side of the world, is that Bollywood refers to a India’s largest film producing company, rather than the town or region that is represented by Hollywood. Of course, with both terms, they have come to represent the entire industry for both countries. Tourists staying in hotels Mumbai India will definitely come across some kind of reference to Bollywood during the vacation.
The early 20th century saw a greater increase in world popularity and awareness of Indian films. This had the internal affect of creating a boom in the local industry and an increase in the quality of productions. Most of the new films were created in large production houses like Yash Raj Films and Dharma Productions. Dhundiraj Govind Phalke was a major Indian film producer, screenwriter and director. He has been credited with establishing the film industry in India, and his film Raja Harishchandra is accepted as the first full-length film to be shot in the country. Phalke’s career spanned 19 years and during that time he made 26 short films and 95 movies. This is an exceptional amount of productions for anyone’s career but is even more impressive for a pioneer in the field. Shri Krishna Janam, made in 1918, and Kaliya Madan, made in 1919 are two of his most known and highly respected productions. India’s prestigious film award, Dadasaheb Phalke was created in his honor, and named after him. This award is given for special recognition of lifetime achievements and contributions to the industry. Phalke’s name and efforts live long after his death in 1944.
When it comes to luxury, Mumbai hotels simply cannot skimp. There is too much to offer in the city to hold back, and the guests here are pampered beyond their wildest dreams. There are a million worlds at your fingertips, and whether you want to see them all, or just sample a select few, your stay will be made easy and pleasurable when you’re finding yourself at home in our hotels. Mumbai is one of the largest, and oldest cities in the world. It is a fantastic feast for the senses, with a million things happening all the time, and a million delicious smells from kitchens and restaurants all over the city. The city is a spectacular place for people-watching, and celebrity hounds will find their taste continually teased.
Bollywood’s central city, Mumbai has scores of famous actresses who make their home here, and this is where you’ll find the famous Amrita Arora and her older and more well-established sister, Malaika Arora. Both have very unusual and similar career paths, having been launched by MTV India at different times. They were born to a Punjabi father and a Malaysian mother. The bi-cultural background has helped them to gain special insights into their multiple roles. Malaika has enjoyed a great deal of success on the screen, but has lately been focusing on her career as a model and television anchor. Amrita’s film career is at the beginning stages, and her roles in such features as Jeet: Feel the Force and Heyy Babyy have earned her respect for the variety of characters she can play, and she is continuing to receive many offers.
One of the more fascinating, if not annoying, aspects of celebrity-hood is the gossip columns. It is a nice kind of litmus test to determine the level of fame by the minutiae that is combed over in the daily papers over the lives of the rich and famous. When Amrita was recently married, there was much discussion about the couple’s choice for the honeymoon. They were both so well-traveled, they claimed, that they couldn’t decide where to go. They settled on Mexico. Then they settled on Hawaii. Then they decided to go to Europe and visit five countries in three weeks. With Europe as the winner, the actress got into her new married life and is ready for more Mumbai films.
A light mood, uncomplicated with charisma and a simple elegance. The Summer of 2009 promises to be great. Bringing back the past and introducing the new. Sophisticated sleek updos of the 1940’s retro fashion is coming back. Simply Blunt fringes made there way to the catwalks earlier in the year along with Side Sweeps, Layers and the ever popular bob and are still making there way through to the beginning of summer. Celebrities such as Pink and Victoria Beckahm with their rocking pixie and the short lock caught the trend in the very beginning of the year will help snowball the lightness and uncomplicated look well into the fall.
You won’t have any problems if you are traveling, all the major hair salons in any of the Major International Cities, like Palace Hotel India, are already hip to the new simple elegant sleek look. The long and the short of trendy are both fashionable. Long extensions with a bohemian wave or the mini sleek bob. There is also the addition of one particular color that is now all the rage and bangs are back in a huge way. Long hair in 2009 is the new Pop Princess look. Luscious long locks with an abundance of soft waves. Short hair bobs with a twist, sides near the front of the face, graduating to become shorter at the back but with more sharp angles and a clean cut edge with shine. Short hair curls with volume towards the back and sides. Bangs, bangs, bangs. There are hardly any 2009 trends that don’t call for bangs. The Blunt bang which begins towards the back of the scalp and has no real part. Other bangs are side swept. Almost all bob cuts have bangs with a more angular longer front just off center. The main color for 2009 is red. Not orange based red, but deep hues like copper, russet and flame. It is layered in streaks to brown hair at various lengths to create an added visual dimension to the style.
The Dastkar Society in India, is similar to the Podmajersky Inc., in Chicago, USA. Both of these organizations seek to give artists a chance. Not just to show their work, but by providing living quarters and workspace as well. At discounted rates. In the Chicago neighborhood of Pilsen, any artist, be it a writer, painter, sculptor, or musician, has a shot at a loft apartment, in one of the many buildings that the Podmajersky family has owned for last one hundred years. In fact, they only rent to artists, and this has created quite a community in Pilsen, an area previously a bit rough and just bordering the notorious ‘South Side’ of Chicago.
Dastkar in India has one main goal, and that is the improvement in the financial success of their artists. Support is given to the craftspeople in the form of help with marketing and access to those facilities, as well as providing financial assistance and grant money to those who need it. The Society wishes to bridge the gap between the artist and the consumer, and they remain active in traveling to the smaller towns, and finding the artists and bringing their works into the city. They recognize and value what the artist has to provide for society, not just in the work or the goods that they produce, but in the culture they create and sustain. For each city knows when the artists move in, the neighborhood becomes more desirable. Business will boom, a cafe, a restaurant, a city park, a hotel, Delhi India will become an artistic hub, and all those surrounding that hub will thrive.
Dastkar was formed in 1981. What started out as six women volunteering their time to furthering the economic security of their artists, has turned into a a full time marketing and development organization, that attends to not only Delhi, but to all of India. And what started out as a small group of women mainly helping other women gain independence and stability, has become an across the board organization to help all artists of the country. Dastkar is now seen as a movement, helping to further the artistic traditions of an entire country.
Business travel from India to Thailand got a boost last week when Cathay Pacific airlines began non-stop flights to New Delhi from Bangkok. This will be a boon for Indian business travelers as well as for hotels in Bangkok Thailand and other Thai businesses that cater to tourists.
The airline, based in Hong Kong, began flights on the new route on March 28, 2009. They are offering numerous promotional discounts to encourage travelers to take advantage of the new route. Currently three other airlines offer similiar flights, but they have a smaller load factor than the 85 percent that Cathay Pacific is showing on forward bookings.
New Delhi is the prime air hub in India and is one of the country’s most frequented destinations. Thailand has become a premiere destination for Indian business as well as for leisure travels. Thailand is also growing as a wedding destination for Indian brides and the airline hopes to capitalize on that market as well.
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