by Roy -

This article is written by Sathish K, a Software Professional and travel writer, based in Bangalore.

From Innsbruck I take the evening train to Wien. On the train I meet a student of Wien University who happened to be flipping through pages of lonely planet book. Under impression that it was for Wien I enquire to learn that it is for South India a journey which is under plan for them. Me being an Indian and a South Indian I share my knowledge about this beautiful country. And goes the conversation for few hours till we reach Wien.

At the station my host picks me up and we walk down to the place.

Its pretty easy to travel around in Wien also. Most of the touristic spots are located in the 1st district.

On the first day I walk around the 1st district for 6hrs stopping at spots like Parliament, History Museum, SchornKirch. I paid 10euros for walking inside the History Museum which had a wonderful tagline “We don’t have emperors, We have only their jewels”.

The entry fee looked pretty high for me and so I stayed away from other museums, tho I dont think I missed much.

I complete almost 3/4th of the tour when I reach the river Danube. I spend about 1hr along the river side without doing anything. Some other time I would have thot why am I wasting time but here I was on vacation and had liberty to do what I wanted to do without thinking about work or anything else.

Then I walk along the river check out some clubs and then feeling hungry walk over to “Der Wien Deewan” restaurant. This restaurant is very unique. They serve Pakistani/North-Indian curry (3 varieties of chicken & 3 veg). You can take the curry with as much rice as you want. The concept is very simple “Pay as you wish”. How much ever you eat, whatever you feel like paying pay. This was started by a Pakistani who married an Austrian and settled in Wien. This is a definite must for whoever is touring this city.

On the second day I dont do much. Later in the afternoon, I meet two guys Dirk and Nick who are travelling around the World on their motorbikes. They, my host and me we have lunch and then some photoshoot time and then some conversation with the bikers am off to take the train back to Frankfurt which ends my vacation.

Sathish K

17 Apr 2008

http://sathishk.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/vienna-wien-austria/

Average Rating: 5 out of 5 based on 202 user reviews.

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by Roy -

Since the 1970s, the vibrant community of New Orleans East has been home to what some say is the densest concentration of Vietnamese people outside Vietnam.

Located in the city’s Ninth Ward, the Vietnamese enclave is hidden in the city’s outlying neighbourhoods, about a 15-minute drive from the French Quarter and other, more tourist-friendly areas. Because of that, residents and visitors seeking authentic pho or lemongrass grilled chicken have generally had to hop in a car to get their fix.

But in recent years, Vietnamese cuisine started moving into the city proper, as New Orleans residents grow increasingly health-conscious and restaurateurs trade in cream-soaked, deep-fried cuisine for spring rolls and broth-based soups. The Vietnamese MagasinCafe even opened on trendy Magazine Street in mid-February.

The Vietnamese Kitchen at the Lost Love Lounge

The LostLoveLounge, a bar in the city’s bohemian Marigny neighbourhood, features occasional stand-up comedy nights and spelling bees – and has a permanent Vietnamese restaurant in the back. Owner Bill Walker, who opened the lounge in 2010, said the informally named restaraunt (formally known as Pho King) was born from a desire to do something different in a neighbourhood saturated by traditional New Orleans food, and to attract the influx of younger, more progressive residents – some of whom are vegan and vegetarian. Instead of traditional bar fare like wings and french fries, the kitchen makes fresh stock for vegan, chicken and beef pho every day, and offers a variety of other traditional Vietnamese stews, banh mi, spring rolls and noodle salads, many of which are vegan-friendly.

Le Viet Café

When Kim Le opened Le Viet Café (2135 St Charles Avenue; 504-304-1339) in December 2011, she specifically chose to do so in the city’s uptown area, which suffered from a death of Vietnamese restaurants. “We have a lot of Chinese, Japanese, American and French food [here], but not Vietnamese, ” Le said.  Le comes from generations of experience – her family has owned restaurants in the area since 1979 – but most served heavily-fried seafood. This is the first time she has experimented with her native Vietnamese cuisine, which emphasizes grilled meats and tofu.

So far, it seems to be catching on: “A lot of people come in for the first time and don’t know what it’s about, but they’ll try because it’s different, it’s exotic, it’s very healthy, ” she said. “And they really like it. We have regulars already.”

Tan Dinh

Located across the Mississippi River, in Gretna, Louisiana, Tan Dinh (1705 Lafayette Street; 504-361-8008) has always drawn a primarily Vietnamese crowd. When the restaurant opened in 2006, more than two-thirds of its clientele was Asian, according to manager Phat Vu. These days, a more diverse crowd sits down to dinner — only about half of Tan Dinh’s customers are Asian — and more New Orleans natives and tourists are pouring in, attracted by how waistline-friendly Vietnamese cuisine can be, as well as by the opportunity to try an unfamiliar menu that is still fairly heavy on local seafood. “Our soup is light and healthy, ” Vu said. “It doesn’t have cream like lots of people are used to. People are more conscious of their health nowadays, and that’s helped a lot.”

Tina Peng

24 Feb 2012

http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20120223-new-orleans-is-wild-about-pho

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 202 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Prakash Bang.

 Breathtaking waterfalls stretching over 3 kms is a unique sight. The delta on the upper Iguazu river breaks the mighty river into over 200 different streams. These streams (large enough to be called rivers in themselves) dance down the cliffs… offering a spectacular sight all along the trails.

Iguazu is a small town north of Buenos Aires. It’s a 90 minute flight. I was lucky to get a window seat. Make it a point to ask for window seat on the right side of the plane whilst flying from Buenos Aires to Iguazu. On a clear day, just before landing, the mighty waterfalls are visible.

For my trip to Argentina, I availed the services of Eurotur, an Argentine Destination Management Company. I was travelling in a group of 5. We had at our disposal the services of a tour guide and a comfortable van. Travelers on their own can avail the services of taxis. They run by meter and are not expensive. Public transport was minimal. We landed at Iguazu airport at 11 in the morning. The airport is between Iguazu town and the National Park. We straightaway headed for the Iguazu National Park to make the most from the day we had with us. The park opens at 8 in the morning and closes at 6 in the evening.

We were at the park in about 20 minutes. It was a beautiful drive through the lush green forest. The heat and the humidity were obvious as soon as we got down from our vehicle. Be sure to carry with you sun screens, hat and water. Of course, you can buy water, soft drinks and snacks at the food kiosks strategically located in the park. Entrance to the National Park is Argentine Peso 80. The Peso symbol is $. At the time of writing US $1 fetched Argentine $3.80. The Argentine currency is quite vulnerable. It might be a good idea not to change the currency at one go.

Amidst a massive rain forest, The Iguazu National Park consumes 65, 000 hectares. About 20% of it is open for the public. Just opposite the river is the Brazilian side of the park that is 3 times larger. I personally think the view from the Argentine side has a slight advantage. The direction of the wind (and the mist it creates) would certainly block some view from the other side. However, the advantage from the Brazilian side is that you could get a helicopter tour of the falls. There’s no such service from the Argentine side.

Essentially there are 3 trails to be followed. The Upper Circuit; The Lower Circuit and the Green Train of The Jungle that takes you to the Devil’s Throat – a highlight of the day, I would say. Put together, this would mean a walk of at least 7 kms. All the trails are well marked and well kept and comfortable to negotiate. On your way out, if you get your pass stamped, that will allow you a free entry to the park the next day to be able to explore more. One day was enough for us.

Generally, all visitors would first flock to the train station. The lines could get long. To avoid the morning rush, we decided to trek the Upper Circuit first. After a km we got our first view of the water falls. Awesome. I could only imagine the day ahead that was to offer hundreds of different viewpoints. As we walked we met with scores of butterflies, different species of birds, webs, raccoons, turtles, monitor lizards and of course vegetation.

After the Upper Circuit, we took the Green Train of The Jungle for its final destination – Garganta del Diablo meaning Devil’s Throat. From the station a 2 km trek took us to a point where the water was falling down with all its might creating mist and rainbows. We were a little a lucky because the catchment area had received a heavy rainfall in the past two days.

We took the train back. At the station, my colleagues opted to take a boat ride that would take them all the way below the falls. The cost for the ride was Argentine $200 per head. A safari van took my friends through the jungle down to the river bed. From there, they boarded their boats and soaked themselves wet under the falls. The look on their faces was of sheer amazement. In the meantime, I decided to walk the Lower Circuit.

While this could be debatable, I personally think that the view from the Lower Circuit was more fascinating. At one point, it gave walkers the opportunity, to drench themselves under one of the waterfalls.

It was 5 in the afternoon when I met with my group from the boat. Our meeting point was scheduled at the lobby of Sheraton Hotel. This is a fantastic property. Every room gets a view of the falls. Not sure of the price though. After some souvenir shopping at the arcade in the park, we headed for the Amerian Iguazu Hotel – located right on the bank of River Iguazu. With my back to the hotel’s swimming pool, Brazil was in the front and Paraguay to my left!

The walking had drained us out. We crashed after an early dinner. The next morning we were to board our flight to the end of the world – Ushuaia.

Prakash Bang

http://www.yogoyo.com/argentina-travel-guide/iguazu-falls.htm

Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 228 user reviews.

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by Roy -

When someone gives you directions that start off with “you can’t get there from here, ” you know you are in Boston. But aside from the maddening one-way systems and tangle of streets, the city has an extensive public transport system, grand cultural institutions, albion towers of academia and smugly bourgeois brick architecture that are permanently attractive to long-time residents and mini-fridge carrying university students alike.

What is it known for?

In many ways the history of Boston is the history of the United States. Many of the nation’s creation myths were born here, from “the shot heard round the world” that began the American Revolution (in nearby Lexington), to the tea party that has political resonance today. You can walk the Freedom Trail (just follow the red bricks!) that takes you through a tour of downtown Boston, past the Old North Church and the State House to name a few historic spots.

Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 153 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Sathish K, a Software Professional and travel writer, based in Bangalore.

After the Heidelberg bridge across Neckar if you still keep going down towards end of town, you will find water flowing with strong currents. I was wondering why the currents are high in this area You will not find anything out of ordinary here. The towns look the same as in other places over Neckar.

There is just one iron based long cylindrical object which causes such currents. At the other end of bridge you would notice two sets of three gates. Turn around and you will find a board on the wall. This is Hydro-electric power project by Neckar AG. started in 1991.

Why are there three gates parallel to each other. These are for the boats and ships to pass through the river. The boat crosses one gate and second gate. Now, they need to stop between the second and third gates.

Water is pumped in between the two gates so that the water level is same as the river on the other side.

One the level is reached the third gate is opened and the boat passes through. There is one guy manning the gates from the shore.

Pretty interesting how well managed it is. More photos later after uploading them.

Sathish K

8 July 2009

http://sathishk.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/heidelberg-germany/

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 based on 216 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Justin Rabindra. Justin is a Manager with an Advertising Agency in Delhi. He is also an avid traveler and photographer.

I saw this tiny cafe through half closed doors when we were wandering in Macau on a day trip from Hong Kong. It’s funny how something so mundane can trigger memories from childhood. We used to drive from KL to Penang through palm estates and crossed rivers on ferries along the way. We’d stop for a drink in one of the chinese cafes along the way. They used to be smoke filled and packed mostly with chinese men in sweaty white t-shirts chattering away noisily. I remember learning that you can’t make more Coke come through the straw by tilting the bottle up, drenching the front of my shirt.

They were cafe’s like this one. I remember my feet didn’t reach the floor sitting on one of those chairs. I doubt you see any more of those cafe’s in Malaysia, at least not with cane woven chairs and marble top tables.

A friend from Bombay remarked that the cafe looked like Irani restaurants, also fast disappearing. Who knows where the designs originated and how they are connected.

Justin Rabindra

9 Nov 2008

http://justinrabindra.blogspot.in/#!http://justinrabindra.blogspot.com/2008/11/cafe-in-macau.html

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 205 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Shantanu Ghosh.

Another quick trip to San Francisco and Silicon Valley. I expected downtown San Francisco to be very cold but the weather turned out to be pleasant, unusually so for this time of the year. Emirates had upgraded me to first class on my entire onward journey from Mumbai to San Francisco, and I was nicely rested by the time I arrived. By the time I checked in, showered and thought of lunch, it was pretty late in the afternoon.

I strolled over to California Pizza Kitchen which was right in front of my hotel. For some reason, I had never eaten at this restaurant chain before. The meat lovers pizza was a delight, as was the super friendly waitress who served me. The generous toppings of cheese and meats (compared to those I get in India) took care of my hunger pangs very nicely indeed!

I was back at Alexander’s Steak House in Cupertino after a long gap. After they were awarded the Michelin star a couple of years back, this restaurant is even more popular. It took me a 45-minute wait to get a table at lunch-time on a week-day; thankfully, I did have the time! Hamachi shots, a steak and truffle fries later, I asked for the cheque. Along with the cheque came a cotton candy which was cherry flavored and actually quite nice!

The view early in the morning from my downtown San Francisco hotel was phenomenal. Here’s a picture taken through my window on the 34th floor just before I walk down for my morning fix at the neighboring Starbucks.

I am going to retrace this trip in two weeks’ time; I expect to have a lot more to write then. Hopefully, Emirates will also have an upgrade available for me again. I could get used to that! 🙂

Shantanu Ghosh

8 Feb 2012

http://www.shantanughosh.com/2012/02/another-whirlwind-trip.html

Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 174 user reviews.

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by Roy -

Ornamented with the title of “City of Charm and Dignity”, Pietermaritzburg is located in the core part of South Africa. Basically, Pietermaritzburg is well-known as “Maritzburg” and is the second largest city of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The Voortrekkers were responsible for the foundation of capital city of Natalia, Pietermaritzburg in 1838. Geographically, Pietermaritzburg lies in the south-west edge of the Valley of a Thousand Hills, KwaZulu Natal. The best season to explore this wonderful city is spring season when the city is at its full bloom. Fantastic shops, delicious restaurants and high class hotels, historical museums, old buildings and amusement parks are the main attractions for tourists in Pietermaritzburg.

Top of all attractions in Pietermaritzburg, Tatham Art Gallery deserves the first introduction. This art gallery has a unique position in the world of tourism in South Africa for its amazing Art collection of 1903. Artwork displayed in this museum is totally linked with British and French artworks of 18th century though the museum is also good display of KwaZulu-Natal artworks. Voortrekker Museum is also an important tourist attraction in Pietermaritzburg. The museum was constructed in 1912 in order to house the historical relics of five parties of Voortrekkers. At present, the Museum has one main building, the Voortrekker Complex, the Zulu Hut, 333 Boom Street and the Shiva Indian Temple. Natal Museum is the most popular attraction of Pietermaritzburg that houses wide range of collections relevant to animals. The museum is quite popular for its huge collection of insects and also, tourists will not remain untouched with the attraction of The Dinosaur Gallery and the Fossil Exhibit. The Pietermaritzburg Railway Station itself is a great attraction for the tourists as it is made up of red-brick. This railway station is also popular for the incident when Mahatma Gandhi was thrown away from a train in the year 1893. The Pietermaritzburg Garden of Remembrance, as the name suggests, is an attractive garden constructed to memorize those warriors who lost their lives during World Wars. Pietermaritzburg Mosque is referred as the main mosque of the city and is situated in the popular Church Street.

The Dinosaur Gallery and the Fossil Exhibit, Pietermaritzburg

This Mosque is a popular Islamic historical site and houses artwork and local artifacts concerned with Muslims. Marathon House is another must see attraction for tourists in Pietermaritzburg. This gorgeous museum attracts its visitors by display of wide collection of trophies, significant press releases and photographs of marathon. Old Colonial Building is one of the prime attractions of Pietermaritzburg. It is fabulous building well connected to the era of colonial rule. This historical building is related to 19th century and is successful in attracting its visitors with its superb architecture. Macrorie House is also a top-rated museum in Pietermaritzburg. This museum houses numerous relics related to history of South Africa. In 1862, this museum was constructed and is situated in the Loop Street of the city. To refresh your mood with stunning picturesque and heart thrilling scenes, World’s View is a perfect spot in Pietermaritzburg for views. Other most fascinating attractions in Pietermaritzburg are Howick Falls, Queen Elizabeth Park, Midmar Public Nature Reserve, Pietermaritzburg City Hall and One O’Clock Gun!!

28 Nov 2011

http://blog.gohoto.com/blog/2011/11/28/pietermaritzburg-city-of-charm-and-dignity/

Average Rating: 5 out of 5 based on 228 user reviews.

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by Roy -

The Routemaster design adds a hop-on hop-off platform at the rear, in addition to front and side passenger doors.

London’s iconic double-decker buses have gotten an update that looks uncannily like the past.

Seven buses with an open hop-on hop-off platform at the rear hit downtown streets on 20 February, running on route 38, between Victoria Station and Hackney, an east London neighbourhood.

Between the 1950s and 2000s, royal red double deckers sported distinctive open platforms in the rear. But in 2005, authorities took that Routemaster model out of service, replacing it with versions that only have an entrance at the front.

The city also added so-called “bendy”, or articulated, buses, because they could carry more passengers, thanks to hinged midsections. But locals loathed the replacement vehicles. A common complaint was that the extended length of the buses snarled traffic on many narrow, twisting streets. So the city pulled that design off the streets in 2011, leaving regular double-decker buses in service and shipping the bendys off to other cities in the United Kingdom that have more spacious streets. Officials then ran a design competition to see if a better bus could be invented. The design that won, by Thomas Heatherwick and Wrightbus, restored the open rear platform.

The revived Routemaster design adds a second staircase to speed up passenger movement. It also claims to get a low 12 miles to gallon thanks to energy efficient engines and interior-heating systems. That efficiency means it produces 40% fewer emissions than the current double deckers, which run on diesel.

The success of this design depends on the outcome of this spring’s mayoral election. If candidate Ken Livingstone defeats current mayor Boris Johnson, he may kill the new Routemasters, which are Johnson’s pet project and cost about £1.3 million each, significantly higher than more prosaic models. A Johnson victory, on the other hand, may mean that hundreds of the buses are put into services within the next few years.

In the meantime, original 1950s buses with the open platform in the rear are still in service on parts of route 9, running between Trafalgar Square and Kensington, and route 15, running between Trafalgar Square and Tower Hill. Check the Transport for London website for route maps and schedules that say “heritage”.

21 Feb 2012

http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20120217-londons-iconic-buses-are-back

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 192 user reviews.

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by Roy -

This article is written by Anuj Bang.

The best place to run fuel guzzling racing cars has to be Bahrain – the country where it all started. Bahrain, popularly known as ‘The Pearl of the Gulf’, is the place where the first oil well in the Persian Gulf was started in 1932. Now, oil is a synonym to the Gulf. Oil found its right match when the first ever Formula 1 race in the Gulf was hosted in Bahrain in 2004. It usually hosts race in the hot month of April. Other than F1, Bahrain is a popular weekend getaway for the Arab world as liquor is legal and the country is very liberal. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are just separated by a 22 km. long causeway.

Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, BahrainBeing a Formula 1 buff, it was my childhood dream to watch a F1 race up close. Well, watching F1 live is not cheap by any means. Everything is expensive – tickets, travel etc. Residing in India, the nearest race I could catch was Bahrain, just 3 hours flying from Mumbai. About 150, 000 F1 enthusiasts visit the Bahrain race every year. It is very much recommended to book your entire itinerary well in advance. I was lucky; the global financial crunch too had its toll on F1. The 3-day weekend race ticket I bought cost me just US$150. It is way cheap considering the usual F1 ticket prices.

The Gulf Air flight timings are very convenient from India. It reaches early morning and departs at mid-night. This saves 2 nights at the hotel. It really is a blessing as the hotels during F1 period run at a premium and cost 3 times more than normal days. I had booked the Days Inn Manama hotel, a very comfortable and friendly hotel next to the Diplomat area. My room on the 10th floor offered good views over the Marina. Even though in a popular location, it was nightmare finding this hotel as it had recently changed its name from the Marine Towers Hotel and the locals (including the taxi guys) had no clue if the Days Inn even existed! Language made that even more horrifying. English is very limited. After Arabic, Hindi is the most widely spoken language.

Drivers Autograph Session, F1 Village, Sakhir, BahrainThere are hardly any hotels near the Sakhir F1 circuit, which is about 30 km. from the Manama center. The worst part about Bahrain is its public transport. There are very limited options to move around. No wonder I saw so many car hire booths around the city! However, if you visit during the F1 period, there are loads of complimentary AC buses (really a welcome as the mercury rises well over 40 degrees Celsius in April) running between select hotels in Manama, the airport and the circuit.

The F1 fever grips you as soon as you land in Bahrain. Fancy banners and chequered flags are to be found everywhere – from airport to the streets. You can feel that when you take the free bus directly from the airport to the circuit, which takes about 45 minutes. En-route you can see the Bahrain WTC – the first building in the world to incorporate wind turbines in its design, the famous twin towers of Bahrain Financial Harbor, the iconic roundabouts and of course the desert, doted with date palms. I did not get the time to shop, but there are some huge malls and souks too along the way. Spare some time to buy the local Bahraini Halwa – a jelly sweet filled with rich dry fruits.

World Trade Centre, Manama, BahrainThe sound of the F1 V8 engines greets you once at the Bahrain International Circuit. There are various stands from which you could choose to watch the race. I chose the ‘Victory 2’ stand ticket, well that was the cheapest, but to my surprise it was the best choice! On Friday you have the freedom to walk about in any stand of your choice. I experienced them all. For me the ‘Victory 2’ stand has to be the best. It is strategically located on the last corner of the track leading to the start-finish straight. You can have a look at your favorite car zooming down the straights, tackling a bend and entering the pits. Due to the height of the stand, almost half the circuit is visible – can’t ask for more!

F1 is not the only race that takes place during the weekend. It is accompanied by- GP2, Speedcar Series, Porsche Super Cup, Cheverly Supercar and drag racing, all included in the ticket price! There is much more action off the track at the Formula 1 Village, located just behind the Main Stand. It is a complete fan fare. Music, dance, kebabs, hookah and non-stop performances by well-known artists from round the globe. For die-hard fans there are memorabilia stores set up by most of the teams. I was lucky to view the personal exhibition put on by Bernie Ecclestone, the commercial promoter of F1. On display for the first time were 23 of the best racing cars right since 1927. I also witnessed the Guinness world record set by David Merlini, for being 21.29 minutes under water, just before the start of the race. To top it all, there is a Dhow – an Arab sailing boat, placed right at the entrance of the village, where all the drivers have an autograph session. It is not easy to get the autographs though. I had to queue for about 2 hours in blistering heat to get signatures of about six drivers! If I wanted more, it would mean missing action on the track. Tough choice to make!

The three-day event passed by with the same speed as the F1 cars. Time to head back home. Well there was still a surprise in store; the winner of the GP2 race, Luiz Razia was next to me at the airport-waiting lounge!

And all that for US$150!

Anuj Bang

2009

http://www.yogoyo.com/travel-guide/anuj-bahrain/manama-city.htm

Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 160 user reviews.

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