A PANORAMIC VIEW OF PARIS-

A PANORAMIC VIEW OF PARIS-

Paris is a very popular and preferred tourist destination in Europe. You will marvel at its absolute beauty and completely absorbed in its  history and culture. During our visit to Europe, I got an opportunity to discover Paris in three different ways- 

1- The Eiffel Tower provides a panoramic view of Paris. The Eiffel Tower is the tallest structure in Paris located in a area known as Champ de Mars. It is dedicated to Gustave Eiffel, the designer, engineer and architect of this tower. 
This tower is the most visited monument in whole of the Europe. It has three levels for visitors and Lifts are available to reach platforms.Take the lift all the way up to the 3rd level for some most spectacular views across Paris from the Paris sky line itself.At night the Eiffel Tower comes alive with a mesmerising light show.

2- Another great way to see the city is to cruise the river Seine. The cruise, while passing beneath the beautiful and majestic bridges, crosses UNESCO listed river banks along many wonderful historic sites. The river bank is dotted with several picturesque monument like Eiffel Tower, Museo d’Orsay and  Notre Dane Cathedral etc. You will find it  an unforgettable and unique experience.
Visitors may find the cruise equipped with the facility of audio commentary on board in their favourite languages. A river cruise at evening is the best way to experience the seine.You will definitely admire the beauty  of  Pont Neuf,the famous bridge with a total of twelve arches
3-Tourists may also discover the city with "Pass City Tour" or having an exclusive "Private Tour of Paris".The numerous of Paris monuments and beautiful buildings in the city having splendid structures are breath taking. 

Museum du-Louvre,having a glass pyramid in its courtyard, is a world famous collections of numerous landmark artworks including the Mona Lisa painting and  Venus de Milo. It was a palace which was later converted into  an art museum.
Notre-Dame Cathedral,a masterpiece of Gothic architecture is  another place to visit.It is still a operating church and a religious centre in Paris.This cathedral having two 226 ft. towers is majestically located in a small island  within Paris.
With  a beautiful historical architecture, Arc de Triomphe is a land mark  of imperial France under Napoleon.The monument is engraved  with the names of several dedicated generals of Napoleon's regime. History is literally etched everywhere in this monument. 
La Sainte-Chapelle is an another beautiful cathedral decorated with some of the thirteenth century splendid stain glass. 
Opera Garnier  is a magnificent architectural treasure  with a seating capacity of 2200 people. It still hosts ballets and classical dance performances. 
Some of the photographs of panoramic view of Paris are as follows-

                                                           

A PANORAMIC VIEW OF PARIS

A PANORAMIC VIEW OF PARIS

A PANORAMIC VIEW OF PARIS

THE LOUVRE

ARC DE TRIOMPHE

EIFFEL TOWER

STATUE OF GUSTAVE EIFFEL

KANYAKUMARI IN TAMILNADU-

KANYAKUMARI IN TAMILNADU-

During our visit to Thiruvanthapuram,we got an opportunity to visit Kanyakumari. Kanyakumari is about 90 kmrs from Thiruvanthapuram and may conveniently be visited by hiring a taxi.Buses are also frequently available from Thiruvanthpuram. This small town  in the state of Tamilnadu is located at the southernmost tip of India at the confluence of three seas.During the British period this town was also known as 'Cape Comrin'.Kanyakumari is well connected by rail with Delhi. Chennai, Bangalore and several other important cities.

The place takes its name from the Kumari Amman Temple,which is a  Shaktipeeth and  regarded as a very important religious shrine.The temple is very old and is mentioned in various ancient religious books.The Goddess Kumari is the earthly incarnation of Shakti.The eastern entrance of the temple is kept closed as the Goddess' jewels shown so bright that the passing ships often mistook the temple for a light house and some times hit the rocks.While visiting the temple men are required to remain bare chested. 

Kanyakumari is also known for its astounding and serene beaches. Vivekanand Rock Memorial located about a hundred meters from the shore,is an other important place which attracts large number of tourists.The memorial consists of two Mandaps. Vivekanad Mandapam is the place where Swami Vivekanand mediated during his visit to the Kanyakumari. Sripada Mandapam,  having the footprint of Goddess Kumari, is a holy place. Sripad is believed  to be the same place where Goddess Kumari stood  on one foot praying to Lord Shiva.Ferry services are available from main land to reach this memorial. People assemble here to see sunset which is a breath taking event.

The memorial statue of Thiruvaluvar is dedicated to the great legendary poet and tamil philosopher Thiruvaluvar. The height of Adhar Peetham is about 38 feet over which stands the 95 feet high statue of saint Thiruvaluvar with a grand total of 133 feet.

Being a beach town,kanyakumari provides the choice of buy various beautiful sea shell of various sizes,seashell-bangles and Conches. Tourists may also buy handicraft items,wooden toys  and other decorative articles. Multi coloured sand packets are very popular  and may  be purchased as souvenir.

The St. Xavier Church located in Kanyakumari  is known for its architectural grandeur. Tourists interested in picturesque and scenic spot may visit Thiruparrapu Falls.  Muttom Beach, located about 32 kms from Kanyakumari, is known for its sunset view point and a century old light- house. It is worth staying over night to catch both a sunset and sunrise at Kanyakumari. Mahatma Ghandhi  Memorial is also a worth seeing place in Kanyakumari. The Padmanathpuram palace on the Thiruvanthapuram-Kanyakumari road   is another architectural grandeur which has been the palatial residence of the former rulers of Travancore. The palace, which is made entirely of wood is under the control of the Archaeological Department of Kerala.

Some of the photographs of Kanyakumari are as follows-

KUMARI AMMAN TEMPLE

YAJURVED PATHSALA NEAR  KUMARIAMMAN TEMPLE

VIVEKANAND ROCK MEMORIAL 

STATUE OF THIRUVALUAR

VENICE-

                     

VENICE-

Venice is  one of the most visited cities in Europe,always vibrating with the tourists of various nationalities .It is also known as a pedestrian city. This city is in a lagoon having more than a hundred small islands.

 Vaporetti,the motorised water-buses  are the most preferred and affordable means of transportation in Venice, how ever if you want to explore and travel through the narrow canals.you should take a gondola ride.Gondola ride offers you many interesting sights. Up to a maximum six passengers can be accommodated in a single gondola. Most of the Gondoliers are male and  local born.The cost of ride is negotiable with the Gondoliers. 

Venice is dotted with the historical monuments, bridges and canals.The Saint Mark' square is the central place always filled with tourists.It is renowned world wide for it's unique beauty.The bell tower located  in Saint Mark' square is the highest structure of Venice.The National library  and the Museum of archaeology are also located along this square.Here you may also click some fun photo with friendly pigeons.

The Doge' Palace,the former residence of the Doge, was built in the 9th century and is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. This building has also been associated with the political and cultural activities of Venice .The Rialto bridge and the bridge of sighs are the two most famous bridges. The Rialto bridge is known for it's beauty and several commercial activities around it. The bridge of sighs ,associated with some of the   interesting stories,is also  a very popular tourist sight in Venice. It is said that  one of the first settlements in Venice grew along the Grand Canal near Rialto bridge. The Grand Canal  has been the centre of maritime waterways in Venice.

Tourists may purchase typical Venice mask as a souvenir which are plenty available in different sizes even at street shops.Masks are generally hand painted using natural feathers. Distinct types of mask are worn during the  annual carnival festival in Venice. You can purchase a small and  ordinary  mask even in two Euros. Besides Masks,tourists are also seen purchasing clothes ,shoes ,handbags or wallets.Tourists  may also visit Murano glass factory  and purchase colourful glass wares  or several other articles made of  glass. 
Some of the photographs of Venice are as follows-

Doge' Palace

Bell tower

Rialto bridge

Gondola ride

Gondola ride

Venice maskS

Saint Mark' square

LUCERNE-

LUCERNE-

                 

   During my visit to Switzerland,I got an opportunity to visit Lucerne,a city located along the picturesque lake Lucerne. Lucerne is a very beautiful city having a calm, quite and natural surroundings. For the tourists, there are several attractive places to visit in Lucerne but among all of them Chappel bridge (also known as Kapell bridge), Lion mountain and the lake Lucerne itself are most popular. The Chappel bridge having a tastefully painted roof all along, is a  covered footbridge built over the Reuss river.It is said to be the one of the oldest bridges of Europe however after a fire in the year 1933, this was restored and painted in the present form. Lion monument is a memorial to the Swiss guards who were killed in the Paris. Here the sculpture of the dying lion on a sandstone rock is magnificent and worth watching. This monument is dedicated to the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss. Lake Lucerne is a big and vast lake having a long walkway around it.The scenic beauty of this lake, the views of swans, the townscape, the views of the mountain Pilatus or the Rigi  can easily be discovered with the  facility of motor boats ,cruises or steamers. Several cruises,also providing excellent cuisine, run daily and all year around. Lucerne is also a proper place for shopping. There are several souvenir shops where Swiss watches ,Swiss knives and Swiss chocolates may be purchased at reasonable prices.
  Some of the Photographs of Lucerne are as follows-

The Chappel bridge

Lake  Lucerne

Lion monument

Lucerne

Pictures mountain

Lucerne

JIM CORBETTE PARK-

JIM CORBETTE NATIONAL PARK-

During our visit to Nainital, we  got an opportunity to visit Jim Corbette National Park. This Park, situated in the State of Uttarakhand is well connected by road and rail  from Delhi, Lucknow, Agra and also with  several other important cities. The nearest Railway Station is Ramnagar located along Moradabad-Kathgodam  Railway Line. There are several good resorts all around this national park. We choose to stay in Corbett Aamod Resort, Dhikuli (www.anandhotelsandresort.com).  This park is dedicated to well known hunter James E.Corbette, who later turned as a preserver of wild life.   Although this National Park inhibits several Tigers, Leopards, Elephants and other mammals like Cheetal, Sambhar, Deer, Barking Deer, Wild Boar etc, but mainly it is recognised as a Tiger Reserve. In the year 1973, this park became the first Tiger reserve of India. This wildlife reserve is also a shelter of several reptiles like Crocodiles, King Cobra, Monitor Lizard and Pythons etc. It is said that about 600 species of local and migrated Birds  may also be seen in this Park. The common birds seen are Peacock,Wood Packer, Pigeon, Owl, Duck, Eagle and Falcon. This National Park  in the foothills of Himalayas is rich in different types of vegetation and the most visible trees are Sal, Khair, Sheesam, Dhak, Rohini, Bel, Mahua and Bamboo etc. Several important herbs and shrubs, which are used in the Ayurvedic therapy, are also found in this forest. The  facilities of Jeep Safari and Elephant Safari are available for the tourists to cover the large and extended area of this Park. The best time to visit this Park is from 15th October to 15th May. Besides the main National Park, visitors may also visit Jim Corbette Museum and Corbette Falls.

Some of the Photographs of Jim Corbette National Park are as follows-

SNOWDONIA IN WALES

SNOWDONIA IN WALES

During my visit to United Kingdom, I got an opportunity to visit Snowdonia and enjoy the calm, cool and breath taking view of Snowden. Snowden is the highest mountain in Wales. Snowdonia is located in the northern part of Wales and is a designated National Park in U.K. Snowdonia is rich in local flora and fauna where the most popular variety of flower is the  'Snowden Lily'.It is said that Snowdonia is the only place in United Kingdom where this variety of lily is found. The Welsh Oak is the most common tree found in this region. Snowdonia National Park was established in the year 1951 and is now governed by the Snowdonia National Park Authority . The northern area of the park is most popular visited site, which also includes Snowdon Massif.  There are several traditional footpaths from all sides of mountain to reach  at the summit however Snowdon may also be visited with Snowdon Mountain Railways which goes up to the summit. Snowdon Mountain Railways was opened in the year 1896.At the top of the Snowdon, a visitor center having several facilities, known as "Haford Eryri" has been established. Eryri is also the welsh name of Snowdonia. Snowdon and surrounding mountains having magnificent cliffs  are also very popular among the rock-climbers.

Following are the few photographs of Snowdonia-

NAINITAL IN UTTARAKHAND

NAINITAL IN UTTARAKHAND-

Nainital is a beautiful and very popular hill station located in the kumayun region of Uttarakhand. Nature has generously endowed Nanital with numerous lakes, green valleys and picturesque landscape.During our visit to Nainital,we stayed in"The Naini Retreat",overlooking the beautiful valley. In Nainital and round about, there are several places of adventure and recreations.

Naina Peak (also known as China Peak) located at a height of 2610 mtrs. is a scenic place, another such popular place is Snow View peak. On a clear day, tourists can enjoy a panoramic view of the snow capped mountains from these peaks. Tourists may also avail the facility of Aerial Rope ways (Cable Car) to reach Snow View Point .State Observatory, under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, is an attraction for those people, who are  interested in the studies of astrophysics, optical tracking of earth satellites and solar system. However the biggest attraction in Nainital is the Nainital Lake  itself, which is about 67 ft deep and a preferred place for boating and yachting for all. Where as Nainital Lake is located in the centre of Nainital, there are several other lakes in this lake district. The Bhimtal Lake, which is about 22 km from Nainital, is biggest lake in this region. The other two important lakes  are the Khurpatal Lake along the Kaladhungi road and Naukuchiyatal Lake. Naukuchiyatal  Lake is about 130 ft.deep and is  a nine cornered lake.
The other places of interest are High Altitude Zoo and Botanical Garden . High Altitude Zoo is at a distance of 1.5 km.from the bus station and it houses several animals ,who used to live in such high altitude. Botanical Garden is about 5 km away from Nainital on the way to Kaldhungi. This garden, extending to an area of about 30 hectares, has a collection of several native plants and species.The Flat (plain) area in Mallital, adjacent to the lake, is a popular place for sports and other recreation activities. Mall Road which links the Tallital to Mallital along the beautiful lake is the most preferred place of shopping and eating  in Nainital. While shopping in Nainital ,locally made wooden items , candles and other gift items are the main attractions.
Nainital is  a place of religious significance also and there are several places of religious importance. The Naina Devi temple, located at the north bank of Nainital Lake is believed to be the same place where the eyes (nain, as called in the local language) of Sati fell during the ancient time, when the charred body of Goddess Sati  was being carried by Lord Shiva. This is the reason why this lake is known as Nainital. During our visit to Nainital, we also visited Mukteshwar town which is about 50 kms from Nainital and is located at a height of 2286 mtrs. This is a celebrated place of scenic beauty and also known for a spot locally known as chaulli ki Jhali, which is also a favourite place for Rock Climbers. However Mukteshwar (also known as Mukteshwar Dham ) is mainly dedicated to a old and famous  temple of Lord Shiva, which is located at the top of the hill within deep forest.Tourists interested in wild life and birds watching are advised to visit Jim Corbett National Park,which is about 52 kms from Nainital and is a well known Tiger Reserve.
             
Some of the photographs of Nainital are as follows-

NAINITAL LAKE

                          WATER FALL ALONG THE  KALADHUNGI ROAD                                  

NAINITAL LAKE

                     TEMPLE OF LORD SHIVA IN MUKTESHWAR                         

NAINADEVI TEMPLE

APPLE GARDEN  ALONG THE MUKTESHWAR ROAD