As we travel....

2008-11-09T09:17:00.000-06:00

Scary-On has moved

2008-11-09T06:14:00.002-06:00

We have made the move and there will be no posts here. Our new home - http://www.ourowncorner.com/scaryon/

Do update your feeds and drop by our new place

WE ARE MOVING

2008-11-02T08:04:00.003-06:00

We are moving to our own domain - do check out www.ourowncorner.com and please update your feeds. As we get settled in, we'll have more posts coming up at our new place.
Drop in soon!

Dubai - 2

2008-10-01T08:44:00.007-05:00

This post has been in the making for a while but here we go,

The modern Dubai is filled with tall skyscrapers, and malls. We visited a lot of malls mainly to see and admire their architecture. As architecture buffs we just needed to get to each mall. We did not obviously visit all malls but made it to quite a few.

- The Wafi City Mall

Shaped like a pyramid this mall takes the Pharaohs and mall watching to a different level. Art exhibitions, stained glass paintings and mosaics make this place a must visit in any architecture lover's visit to Dubai. Shopping-wise this place is filled with expensive stores and is not great for bargain shopping. If you are looking for brands and boutiques this is the place to go. They also have a big children's video game arcade next to the rather small food court. We went there on a weekday, mid morning and the place was practically deserted other than a few tourists and locals so were able to click some good pictures.

- Mercato Mall

This mall is a page off Venice. This was the first themed mall in Dubai and a cool place to hang out. The decorations look authentic and I particularly loved the acrobat life-size dolls in display. There was a kiddy corner and a musician entertaining the crowd the day we were there. The place gets really crowded and most of the people are seen right in the lobby near the stage and the Starbucks. For a relaxing cuppa, I would recommend the Second Cup a floor above the crowded Starbucks. There is a Spinney's supermarket in the mall that stocks up most of the luxury necessities. There is also a movie theater inside in addition to fashion wear and usual mall kiosks. There was a food court but we were not hungry and did not head that direction.

- Madinat Jumeriah Mall

This was our favorite. An old souk recreated inside the modern building with air conditioning, a fake creek and abbra rides that give you great views of Burj Al Arab. This was a last minute visit and I would hated to miss this place. There are a lot of shops, arts, artifacts seem to be the most common items sold. Some exclusive restaurants were around but the architecture - to die for!

Here are more pictures of the modern Dubai. The city itself is a good mix of old and new and a wonderful experience for people like us who need a bit of both worlds!

Dubai - 1

2008-09-08T09:06:00.002-05:00

On our way to India, we stopped over at Dubai for a couple of days this summer. Destination Dubai was chosen because we wanted to try out the brand new Emirates non-stop from Houston. Simple enough reason.. and unlike European cities (which typically is the other usual option when flying to India from the US), Dubai itself is small and compact enough to handle in a couple of days without rushing. Dubai, we found could be distinctly divided into two - the old and the new. Part 1 is going to be on old Dubai and we'll write about new Dubai in part 2.

Bastakiya Roundabout

Old Dubai - If you want to hit the famed Gold Souk or the other Souks this is where you'll head to. Dubai's history is not that old and one of the things that struck us hard was the lack of historic buildings that we love. But there are quite a few things that made up for it.

The place to start Old Dubai expedition is Bastakiya along the Creek. The area comprises of everything from a Krishna temple to narrow alleys filled with shops to the Grand Mosque, the Ruler's office and other administrative offices. The area showcases the wind-tower architecture which makes the whole area look so mystique and open.

Wind towers - architectural marvels from those days

We were in the area by 8am before the art galleries opened so we practically had the area to ourselves and spent quite sometime clicking photos and admiring the architecture. The Bastra Art Cafe and other galleries seemed like places we would have loved to visit but they were closed when we were there and these were small compromises we had to make when we wanted to beat the heat and visit the city fully.

The grand mosque

Walking along the creek is fun. One gets to witness the daily life of people -commuters hailing abbras and rushing to work, the pigeons flocking the courtyards, the pious at the temple and gurudwaras were some of the sights we enjoyed. Do walk down the creek early in the morning or late in the evening and enjoy Dubai life swish past you.

Our next destination was the Dubai museum housed at Al Fahidi fort build in 1880. This is also in the same area around the creek and it is quite interesting walk as you see so many mosques and interesting buildings as you walk down from Bastaikya to the museum, As previously mentioned the history of the city is relatively not much. But the museum sheds light about the life in deserts and the nomadic way of life. The whole museum should not take more than an hour of your time. Definitely not a must do in Dubai but fit-it-in-if-you-can kind of place. The museum opens at 10 and we had 15 minutes to kill before they opened so we headed to the Starbucks housed in the Arabian Court hotel for some refreshments and cooling down.

By the time we were done with the museum and heading out, it was around 11 and the souks had started coming to life. Prior to this trip, we had spent hours reading about Dubai in travel guides published by the leaders Fodors, Formmers, Rough guide etc. They all glorified the souks. But to me as an Indian it felt like walking in Burma bazar. We had gone dreaming about shopping in the textile souks and spice souks and it was a let down. The spice souks with spices filled in jute (saaku) bags displayed at the store front was so much like the maligai kadais (grocery stores) my granny used to frequent inside Gandhi market in Trichy. But ofcourse, today my family shops at Spencer's Daily and More and Nilgiris and Kaveri so jute bags filled with exotic looking spices is a thing of past.. a memory... I am not sure if those stores exist still and I guess I need to make a trip down Gandhi market just to see what changes time and technology has brought in.

Early morning calm at the textile souk

One can very well understand why the Dubai souks fascinates the Westerner. Lanes and lanes of small shops that can unearth anything you dream of and offer you goods 50% or more less than what was quoted in the other store in the yonder is a thrill just like being on a roller coaster. The same reason why we shop at Westlife and Pantaloons and the Citi Center and then walk up and down Pondy Bazaar bargaining. Well at least, the women do it and women around the world are but the same when it comes to finding bargains. And to this I should add that the whole souk area is kept clean and trash is disposed off properly making shopping in streets as hygienic as possible. Ofcourse one cannot avoid the fine layer of desert sand that settles on virtually everything in Dubai.

Gold Souk is what T-Nagar with just jewelery shops. The biggest attraction personally is the lack of fear and assured safety Dubai offers for its gold shoppers. We could walk around without fear after major jewelry shopping. But then, watch out for these guys who walk beside you whispering copy watches for sir, copy bags madam, Gucci, Prada....if you are interested in fake goods follow these people through narrow alleys and small staircases equipped with the latest video monitoring devices and fake goods. And do not forget to bargain.

The Deira City Centre is probably the other place you might want to head out in the area. Though I would not call it Old Dubai it is the oldest mall in Dubai. The Carefour supermarket is a good place to pick gifts, food and bags (for those extra luggage)... The mall architecture is otherwise unimpressive (compared to other other malls in Dubai)... the children's play area seemed to be huge and had many offerings. The food court was decent - very crowded around lunch time...

A good place to stay in old Dubai is the Bank Street area also called the Khalid Bin Walid Street. There are tons of hotels, apartment hotels in the area and it is quite close to Bastakiya area (you can walk to the area in 15 minutes, take an abbra across to the gold and spice souks). The hotels in these areas give good deals unlike the many hotels along the creek that tend to get expensive. Taxis are also easily available to get around Dubai. We walked a lot as we feel that is the way to experience the city and Dubai is very pedestrian friendly. But it does get hot, so remember to carry water, sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat.

More on Dubai coming soon!

Wine Country Texas

2008-09-05T11:15:00.005-05:00

Texas is a country by itself. Amazingly diverse landscapes greet you at every town and it has long been our desire to explore Texas fully. Having lived in Houston for ages we complain about everything - it has none of the charm of the Southern cities, life of NYC, beaches of Florida, mountains of Seattle, Arches of SLC and the list goes on. In fact, I can write a whole book on why we hate Houston. But within Houston and the state of Texas there are tons of to-visit and to-do things which we keep putting off just because we live here. Often we plan great things for the weekends but end up canceling them due to commitments and priorities.

A couple of weekends back we visited another part of Texas - the wine country of Texas. It is no Napa Valley but a fun thing to do. Messina Hof, a family run wineyard is located just outside Bryan, Texas. A 100 mile drive from home.

Harvest season is a grand celebration is any winery. The main reason is you need as many hands as possible to pick the grapes at the right time and usually the right time is not more than a couple of weeks. So with many hands working and eating it becomes a huge party and it has been a tradition in most vineyards.

The foggy vineyard

At Messina Hof, they offer this experience and little bit of wine-making classes for a price. After a 30 minute orientation early in the morning around 8am we are in cutting grapes and tossing them into bins. Initially the whole thing is fun and we seemed to have boundless energy but as the sun rises and cutting grapes off the vines for what seems like hours the whole activity starts to seem boring and we are more than ready to stop cutting.

The Spanish grapes - lush and ripe

We picked grapes for around an hour and half and then headed for more excitement - the stomping. For some reason I had assumed we will be stomping grapes in big tanks (influence Bollywood, Kollywood no doubt) but unfortunately we were in small plastic bins in which they packed 4 people like sardines. Not the best but worth a try. It looked like getting your footprints on white tees as you got off the tank was a big event. The tees were overpriced (approximately $20) and totally not worth it imho.

Stomping and wine-print tees designed at site and dried

After this is the fun part, the working of the winery. The crushers, the storage drums, the yeast, the bottling line are all open to public and a wine-maker leads you through them. At the end of this session we went in for a wine tasting.

Grapes being dumped into the crusher and the fermenting wines in the storage room

And to wrap up we had a harvest lunch made with fresh herbs from the garden. Perfect way to enjoy an will-it-be-fall-weather-soon Saturday morning in Texas.

Harvest festivals typically fall in the last weekend in August at Messina Hof and get filled up early. So you need reservations. Wine tasting and tours are available all through the year. They also have a gift shop, restaurant and a bed and breakfast in the property. The restaurant offers specialty dinners and cooking courses regularly. Check their website for more details.

By the sea, In the desert

2008-07-08T23:07:00.008-05:00

Travel in its best is a window into different cultures and a peek into the life of others. As travelers we love to experience life as the natives, enjoy their local delicacies and surprises. In the span of 6 months we have witnessed two different cultures and surprisingly or not-so-surprisingly were able to connect both of them. A small portion of the old time charm from these cultures were sliced and served to us hungry tourists. Ofcourse as any offering to tourists there was a generous helping of commercialization added to it.

We were left with memories we would treasure for a long time and will we repeat the same experiences if we ever head out to the destinations again? Read on,

Hawaiian Luau:

This was the first and truly Hawaiian experience we wanted to dip our toes into! Luau in short is the Hawaiian party and way of celebration. Anything from a graduation, to a wedding are celebrated as luaus where the family gathers together in the backyard (which often happens to be a pristine beach) to feast on specially prepared party foods. Today what Hawaii offers to its many tourists is a commercial version of the family party. There are a number of organizations that offer a luau experience for its visitors and we chose to experience our luau with Germaine's.

Our trip started when our cheerful hostess dressed up in a shirt that screams Hawaii greets us with touristy cheap shell leis. We board one of the many buses plying from many corners of the small island towards party central. The bus obviously filled with tourists like us stop at different hotels to pick up other excited guests. As we head out of town, our hostess turns on a microphone and starts her own stand-up comedy show while dispensing in between facts about Hawaii, luau food and customs. She also found time to make note of people celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and ofcourse the honeymooners.

A fun-filled 30-40 minutes drive later we were at our destination - palm trees, a abandoned light house, clean blue waters, the setting sun... everything picture perfect - the way a mainlander dreams of Hawaii. At the luau, the first thing done was the prerequisite photograph by a professional photographer and then we moved on to the open area to get seated. Typical luau seating is on straw mats spread out on the sand and low tables. Of course being a commercial operation, our luau offered both traditional and modern table/chair seating.

Within minutes of being seated, activities started. Dancers depicted dances from different Polynesian countries which share the tradition of luaus. Graceful dances, fire dancers wooed the audience. The dances were all short not more than few minutes each, mainly to keep the attention of even the most uninterested person in the audience. And in between the dances, there were announcers who explained the origin and history of the dance form and the mood of the song.

Strewn seamlessly inbetween these dances were a mention of the birthday babies, the honeymooners and those celebration other occasions (anniversaries, family reunion, engagement etc). In fact, most people come to Hawaii as a celebration, typically weddings, honeymoons and anniversaries form a big chunk of it. A special mention indeed makes the day and the celebrating guests got a orchid lei and some freebies! It kept the guests occupied and quite a few ooohs and aahs were there to greet the honeymooners and the newly engaged! An army mom with her son got a big round of applause.. Inshort, they brought in the family/belongingness feeling that luau's are all about to the 300+ strangers on the beach - quite an achievement. Typically, the luau being a meeting up friends and family over food event, there is bound to be news and updates and celebrations which the commercial luau tried to replicate.

The most important part was the luau food. Hawaiian delicacies were spread out and there was quite a spread. You can read more about Hawaiian luau food here. The specialty of the evening was the Kalua Pig - which is basically a whole pig, salted and wrapped and cooked into a underground oven. As a commercial luau, the removal of the cooked pig is a ritual by itself. Drums are beaten, lamps are lit and two men compete with each other on the number of hot burning stones they can remove with their bare hands. And this is where the women guests go ga-ga! It was like watching a chick-flick - well-built men, stripped down to the waist, wearing exotic jewelery and handling burning hot stones and bring food.... what more does a woman want? The food at the commercial luau is at best "mediocre" as expected. As the buffet opens, there is a mad scramble as 300 odd guests make their way down (it is important to note that most of the guests had by then cleaned up the free 3 alcoholic drinks tab at the bar and were drowning in Mai Tais, Blue Hawaiis and Pina Coladas).

As the guests picked on the food (note that I said pick and not eat), the organizers keep us entertained with stories and dance and then start scouring for hula wanna-be dancers! Women of all ages and shapes, take their first lessons in front of everyone and then it was the turn of the men! And here the routine and rather predictable way of entertainment being picking on one individual and making fun of his dance/hip moves when compared to a professional dancer reigned. The guy who was "the chosen one" the day we were there was a jolly good sport and he took everything with a smile. But personally, I find it quite humiliating and embarrassing.. kind of like the reality shows...

Time flew and soon it was time to pick up memorabilia (oh they have tons of those stuff, cheap cocktail glasses, tees, shell-leis) and board our buses ( all buses are numbered and you get back on the one you were initially on). The hostess tries in vain to bring life into half-asleep, half-drunk passengers by asking questions and giving gifts but in vain! In fact, on our bus we had one very-drunk grandma who kept insulting the hostess quite badly! Oh! all in the name of luau and a Hawaiian experience!

Dubai Desert Safari:

Unlike the luau, the desert safari can be distinctly divided into two parts - one the modern and touristy part and two the cultural and traditional part. The concept of desert safari is a mix of dune bashing (off-roading along the sand dunes) and a peek into the Bedouin (Arab desert nomads) tribal life. It is one of the biggest tourist attractions in current-day Dubai.

We were picked up (behind schedule) in front of our hotel in a Toyota Land Cruiser. We were the last of the 6 guests in the vehicle. Our driver was dressed up in Arabic standard wear, a flowing white Dishdasha and a Keffiyeh. Within seconds we were in and off. The driver (whose name remains unknown) tuned on to one of the radio stations playing some Arabic tunes and we kept ourselves entertained with the views of Burj Dubai playing hide-n-seek amongst the smog and random sights. Some time later, our driver tuned on to the India Vs. Srilanka Asia Cup Final match, unmindful of the fact that that other than us no one understood what was happening. In fact, at some point of time in the middle of dune bashing, one of the guests requested the driver to turn off the cricket commentary and turn-on some music to help her feel better during the roller coaster bashing and the driver refused not-so-politely!

Coming back, after nearly 45 mts of driving out of Dubai we were off-road, and were greeted with a sight of more than 50 4x4's. We got down to feel the sand on our feet (and it invariably finds its way to our faces) and our driver started letting the air our of the tires. Soon we were dune bashing. Typically, no vehicle travels alone. Vehicles from the same commercial tour organizer travel together in a line and dune bashing is an experience that is best experienced. I am a roller-coaster fan and dune bashing did not give me the much loved butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling when I am on a roller-coaster but the effect was something different. It was kind of like go-karting and hitting a very hard barrier. It was fun and a bit scary at times. A good 15 minutes into the dune bashing and when the weak-at-heart and stomach start to wonder how much longer, we stop.

Miles of sand dunes ever shifting before the eye such a different landscape from the pristine beach in Hawaii, the sand felt same but very different. And in the middle there were 8 white land cruisers and around 50 tourists furiously clicking pictures and gulping down the water. After 10 minute break we were off again heading towards our camp. More dunes, more bashing, a few stray camels, a few settlements in the middle of nowhere and suddenly a fenced area with a stage and big lights greeted us.

The camp set in the desert was a sight in itself. Glad to be out of the rather-cramped vehicle, we got down and took in the sight around us. Miles and miles of sand, a few ATVs, the camp and a camel farm were the only things we could see. Three camels were lined up for rides and excited tourists had a day. Personally I felt the camels looked sad and tired might be it was just me. But we opted to sit on the sand and enjoy the sight and sounds around us. A few people headed out on ATV's and other few started sandboarding. All modern additions to the experience of the nomadic Arabic way of life.

After a while, we made our way into the camp and there we saw a table set up with two flasks. No name cards, no one near-by to ask and we did drink them. I assume they were Arabian coffee (they did not have the distinct coffee aroma and had more a herbal smell to it) or some kind of date flavored drink. A little beyond there was a man on a stove frying hot dumplings. Drizzled with date syrup the dumplings were out of this world. A little googling research tells me that these dumplings are called Looqemat.

As we sat drooling over the dumplings, I spotted one of the guests with fresh mehandi on her forehand. And I started hunting down the henna-decorated and I spotted her. In one of the corners, almost hidden from public view, sat this young lady in a Abaya drawing designs. I sat down to get a design done and tried to make conversation. The woman was stubbornly silent. The few questions she answered she spoke good English but I could not understand why she refused to make conversation. It was then I spotted a changing room where Arabic costumes were available for men and women to try on and click pictures. A photographer - a must in anything that is related to tourists around the world was ofcourse present. It was like a little treasure hunt, each cabin had some small activity and most of them were free (included in the cost) and there was no one guiding us to these - A sheesha corner, a small memorabilia stall, sand art table, a water stand, a falcon.. The falcon had its feet tied and provided a good photo-op to all the guests.

Around 50 guests in a camp that can easily accommodate 300 roamed around and after an hour or so, boredom struck. I played the game of putting incorrigible Tamil lyrics to Arabic songs echoing on some really bad quality sound system with my husband who was busy photographing! Probably this is where they can improve on? learn something from their Hawaiian counterparts on how to keep the guests entertained while the food gets cooked?

Soon darkness came and the lamps provided a gorgeous glow over the place and it was quite romantic! Imagine this, him and her seated on a mat, in front of them - a low table with a votive candle shedding soft light, the setting sun, sand dunes all around, music with lyrics you cannot understand ... it feels like you are the only two in the world.. throw in some heavenly Looqemat drizzled with date syrup... perfect for a date/special occasion! As we waited holding hands and getting rather irritated a projector was set up and some really bad quality pictures captured by the resident photographer (a Chinese(?) guy) were shown, with hopes of tempting people to buy.

Losing interest in the photos we started people watching (the next best part of travel!) and observing the activities the camp employees were engaged in. Silently they floated behind in their traditional wear carrying out their duties in getting the food ready and ofcourse chatting with each other in Malayalam (oh yeah! most of the workers were Indians dressed up! What a fun job! A fancy dress everyday!)

The food was served. A mix of Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine.. samosas, hummus, pita, falafels, shawarmas, kebobs, fattoush, tabbuloueh , cheese spring rolls were the ones we could identify from our frequent trips to Mediterranean restaurants in Houston. We ate, drank our rationed soda (one can per person), had some custard and payasam (kheer) and waited for action (spelled belly dancer)

The stars were out now and we took our seat around the stage and there she appeared! The belly dancer, clad in green n silver she looked stunning. The first music started and she started dancing (or is it shimming?) and it was beautiful. Next she pulled in some men to dance with her. The men tried to shake their non-existent hips! One of the hosts/organizers a man in white, then started pulling all men on to the stage, by force and got the women chantting "Ah Ah Ah" Then the host put in some moves with the belly dancer more like the way a man drooling over a good looking skimpily clad woman! Then the host started pulling all the women rather forcefully on to the stage to dance a song later the men were on again and then the dancer n host disappeared!

As we sat back expecting something big and exciting, the big lights came on and we could hear the engines of the Land Cruisers on signaling it is time for us to leave. Rather surprised by the abrupt end to the show, we walked back towards 10 white Land Cruisers not knowing which one was ours. Our driver spotted us looking rather lost and guided us back to the vehicle and within minutes we were back on road (we did hit some dunes on the desert sand with full tire pressure before we were back on paved roads) We tried to make conversation with our driver and asked him about the cricket match. He just mentioned India lost and lapsed into silence.

And soon the city lights of Dubai were there welcoming us leaving us feeling the sea or rather desert of difference a few kilometers can do! The desert safari has options for overnight camp stays which we could not avail due to the climate (it is typically not offered in summer).

The desert safari in Dubai and Hawaiian Luau in Honolulu both offered things that were so similar yet different. The luau obviously was more commercialized and marketed unlike the desert safari where I felt so much more can be done. But both are experiences that one should not miss!

Dubai Heat Waves....

2008-07-05T06:27:00.005-05:00

Coming up soon...our Dubai Chronicles... where to stay, what to shop and where to shop!

Oh yeah! I am typing this in a few minutes break before heading out for our desert safari!

Windy City Breezes

2008-06-02T15:27:00.007-05:00

We were on whirlwind trip to the Windy City. A few good friends, and a wedding drew us towards Chicago. It was a short-trip and more focussed on visiting and spending time with friends than checking out the city. Here are our observations of Chicago.

Bad roads.. and we thought H-town was the worst. Even tollways are like Indian roads in Chicago.
Suburbs looked pretty! We were there the first weekend of May and Spring transformed the suburbs. The burbs looked like the typical American dream homes... white picket fences, green yards brimming with tulips .. pretty very pretty
It was cold... it was 90+ in Houston and Chicago's 40's temp and winds did leave us longing for home
Chicago's downtown was neat... a good mix of ancient and new buildings. The meandering river does add a romantic touch to the city while the trains underground were kind of disturbing
Sears Tower was disappointing in a way. But it is worth taking a trip up just for the heights-of-tourism (pun intended). The views were not that great and the usual gift shops, photo before entering with backdrops of the tower views were kind of too boring. Also please change the cartoon infomercial on the lifts. The hens running around trying to pass info was horrible.
Overall, Chicago did not impress us much. But then we did not have time for more stuff. We really wanted to drive along Lake Michigan and visit some of the architecturally famed buildings. But time constraints were the biggest problem.
Chicago is not in our must-visit-places-in-US but would love to take in some of their architecture, and enjoy on the shores of Lake Michigan a deep dish pizza!

View from top of Sears

And the reason we went to Chicago

Independence, Texas

2008-04-19T17:18:00.008-05:00

Texas within its boundaries is home to quite a lot of history and ghost towns. A roadtrip through Texas requires not much planning - just an open mind and a friendly nature. It has long been our dream to visit small towns in Texas, soak in their hospitality and history and click pictures!

Fields of Blue

Our first destination exploring small town Texas was at the town of Independence, Texas. Situated 85 miles NW of Houston, getting to Independence is a breeze. We had visited family down in College Station and drove down to Independence from College Station - a mere 40 miles away. As we hit the freeway and moved away from the college town of College Station it was a different country. Farm lands, oil rigs in the middle of farms, narrow roads, trucks whizzing past one lane farm roads. Our first encounter with the friendly nature of Texas was quite an experience. As we whizzed past the farms, V spotted a small lake and two great blue herons (R's favorite bird to photograph) so turning on the indicator lights, we pulled on to the dirt road and the truck driver behind us also pulled over and after knowing everything was fine moved on. It is rare to find such hospitality in the big, bad city of Houston we come from. It touched us and put a smile on our face!Unfortunately for R the herons took flight and we carried on into the town of Independence.

Founded in 1838 as Cole's Settlement, Independence was once a thriving cultural and a major economic cross-road in Texas. But today it is more of a ghost town with tourists stopping for a quick course of history. In fact it was the richest town in the 1840's. The Baylor University was started in 1840's at Cole's Settlement (Independence) as a co-ed school. A few years later, the school was divided by gender and the male's Baylor moved to its current location in Waco, Texas and the female's University of Mary Haldin-Baylor moved to Belton. This moved was one of the steps in transforming Independence into the ghost town it is today. The Independence Baptist Church dating to 1839 is the oldest Baptist congregation and still continues to hold services. Today, the small town is one of the often forgotten tourist destinations in Texas.

We have lived so close to the town and never made a trip there. There are quite a few must-see places and adding it along with a wildflower hunting trip was a good decision we made. The whole trip took us around 7 hours (including travel from College Station and back to Navasota) - perfect for a spring Saturday trip.

Driving towards Independence, the first stop was the Liberty Baptist Church. A small church established in the 1860's as a "colored church". Though the current building is not the one built in the 1800's it still is a part of the history of Independence.

Liberty Baptist Church

Our next stop was Independence Baptist Church. Located amongst old trees the 1873 built stone built church (built after a fire destroyed the older building) fills one with peace. This was the church Sam Houston (ofcourse a Texas household name) was baptized.

Wish gas prices remained the same.....

Our next destination was the Antique Rose Emporium. In today's world of hybrids and cross-breeds Antique Rose Emproium showcases the best old garden roses. The emporium gardens are free and it was amazing roaming around them and smelling the roses. Roses I buy at the store don't have the smell anymore. These roses smelt like roses.. the strong aroma! We just wished we had packed a picnic lunch to enjoy there. Wildflowers were also abundant in the gardens making it perfect for a lazy spring afternoon. On the other side, the garden sales area was crowded and quite noisy. The antique rose plants sell for around $20 each.

Pot art at the Rose Emporium

Pure and sweet smelling the way they should be!

Bottle Art

In a town with 140 people residing there are no Walmarts or Whole Foods not even a MacDonald's. Lueckemeyer General Store is their all-in-all store. From deli meat to spa products the store carries them all. It is smaller than many of the gas station stores in Houston and is served by a happy couple and their big shaggy dog. A happy Texan family dishing out everything from fresh pizzas to gas. We stopped for some icecream (yeah April is hot in Texas). I cannot imagine a life in such a small town. How different is it from Houston life!

Our next destination was the Baylor University ruins and on the way we passed through the Town Square, the old Sam Houston House (looks right at home in this ghost town...). The old Baylor park holds the 4 columns from the main building and some remains of the kitchen from those days. The university was established in 1845 and then separated in 1855 by President Graves. The male and female divisions operated in Independence for 20 more years before the male division moved to Waco and merged with the Waco University. The old Baylor park is now a picnic site and a park teaming with wildflowers during Spring. We missed the bluebonnet season but there was an abundance of Indian paint brushes and the yellow flowers making the sight worth remembering. Along the old Baylor park are few ruins from the good ole days of Independence...

The Baylor cloumns

Wildflowers waving under the blue sky

The magnificent old oak trees, the ruins of an historic university, churches that have been around for centuries, roses that smell the way they ought to, a general store that spreads out cheer, friendliness that Southerners take pride in, oil rigs and ranches, great blue herons and blue bonnets, Independence offers them all.

Independence is indeed what the term "deep in the heart of Texas" means!

Ford is the best in Texas

Winding roads, Spring days

R has more pictures here

Texas towns

2008-04-16T08:06:00.004-05:00

What do the words Temple, Independence, Bastrop, Salem, Palestine, Delhi, Athens, Naples all have in common?

They are all small towns in Texas.... the next few posts will be our journey to small towns in Texas!

Coming up, Independence, Texas

Germany wrap-up!

2008-04-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

All about our Germany trip here

Day 1
Day 1 photos
Day 2
Day 2 photos
Day 3
Day 3 photos
Day 4a
Day 4a photos
Day 4b
Day 4b photos

Day 4-b Pictures

2008-04-14T09:15:00.000-05:00

Nördlingen - the city center

Saint Georg's Church Nördlingen

Dinkelsbüh - my kind of place

Dinkelsbüh

St. Jacobs Church, Rothenburg ODT

Rothenburg ODT

Rothenburg ODT townhall square

Weikersheim - in front of the castle

Weikersheim Castle garden

Weikersheim Castle garden truly romantic

Weikersheim

Würzburg

Würzburg Marienkirche

Würzburg Julius Spital

On Alte Mainbrücke

There ends our Germany series...

Day 4-b

2008-04-14T08:13:00.002-05:00

Heading out of rainy Augsburg after a Chinese lunch, our bus passed through the small towns of Donauwörth and Harburg into Nördlingen. This quaint city has a deep root in history like many of the other towns in the Romantic Road. It is one of the three cities to have a established city wall. Inside the wall, are homes located in a circular pattern. At the center is the Market where Saint Georg's Church (a amazing baroque church). The city is the major city in the fertile Ries depression (a crater 10-25km/6-15mi across caused by the fall of a meteorite 15 million years ago). We walked around the city before heading out to our next destination.

Dinkelsbüh surrounded by high city walls, essentially lives in a time wrap or so it feels. The town is everything 13th -15th century style. But that does not mean it lacks modern amenities. We had to buy some very specialized batteries for the photographer's camera and we did it in this town. As we were mainly checking out electronics stores for the batteries, we really did not explore the city much. But we did capture a few good photos and a piece of its history.

Our next destination is the much famed, Rothenburg ob der Tauber.Known for its medieval charm and Christmas markets, this city. It was around 5 pm when we reached Rothenburg - a bit tired but ready for the adventure, we walked around the city, visiting the famous St.Jacobskriche, the townhall square listening to musicians and peeping into stores showcasing nutcrackers of all shapes and sizes.

As we had previously mentioned each of these towns need atleast 4-5 hours to actually see everything and do justice but with our time crunch we did have to settle for a whirlwind one day trip. Tiring, overload but fun! We really wanted to walk on the city wall tour but just could not fit it in our trip.

As the sun set in the horizon we headed to Weikersheim, a small town on the river Tauber. The town boasts of its 12th century castle which belonged to the Hohenlohe family. We got there a little past 6, the closing time but our bus driver/tour guide was able to get us into the beautiful gardens of the castle. We watched the setting sun in the lovely castle gardens and yes it was truly romantic!

We had one more stop at Würzburg before we reached Frankfurt. Since our flight out of Frankfurt was the next morning at 9 we decided to get out of the bus at Würzburg and explore the city for longer before taking the rail to Frankfurt. We headed to the lockers at Würzburg station, deposited our suitcase and started exploring the city. It was around 7.30pm and the city was almost asleep. We rushed in to the nearest Macdonald's for a bite and headed towards the Alte Mainbrücke (the old main bridge) lined with Baroque statues of saints. As with all other towns we had been to this one had numerous beautiful churches and buildings like the Julius Spital and Marienkirche. Due to the lateness of the hour we could not visit the famous Residenz. We spent a few more hours around the town before heading back to the railway station.

We headed to Würzburg's station and caught the next train to Frankfurt airport. We were there at the airport around midnight, we spent the night, a little uncomfortably on the reclining chairs at the airport before catching the morning flight to Chennai.

4 days in Germany, fast, lovely and filled with memories! A wonderful way to spend our 2nd wedding anniversary!

Day 4 -a

2008-04-11T06:28:00.007-05:00

All through the Romantic Road sights like these greet the eyes! Visual Treat!

WiesKriche looks like a barn!

Rococo style decor - personally not my favorite! But it is still beautiful!

All along the road there are numerous windmills. At times I feel it spoils the views but renewable energy rocks!

Lech River before entering Landsberg - most of the pictures are from the coach bus! not bad right?

Landsberg

Landsberg city square

Landsberg city square and the romantic road coach bus

City of Augsburg

The Rainy City of Augsburg and the criss-crossing electric lines overhead

The Rainy City of Augsburg

Romantic Day 4 - a

2008-04-09T13:23:00.004-05:00

Our last day in Germany and we had an ambitious plan. Travel back to Frankfurt via the Romantic Road and enjoy Germany's most popular tourist route. Over 350 kms of culture, heritage, varied landscape... The distance to be covered and the places to be visited made our day quite long. But we were determined to do it.

Germany tourism provides daily regular coach service along the Romantic Road and the buses are very comfortable and stop along many small towns. They also have a recorded audio/video about the prominent places to visit in each small town. Ideally the best way to do the romantic road is take 3-4 days, take the bus, hop off at few prominent places and hop in the bus the next day. But as I had previously said the tight time line in our trip made it impossible and we did the romantic road in one day.

The bus leaves Fussen at around 10.00am and reaches Frankfurt around 8pm. Bags and camera in tow we headed to the Fussen bus stop and after a few minutes of panic about missing the bus we hopped on to the bus and were off. The bus is relatively empty throughout and clean and neat. Remember to pick up some food/water for the road. There will be times when you miss those. Our bus driver, was a jolly old fellow who spoke English well.

The first stop along the road was at Hohenschwangau - the access point for the Neuschwanstein Schloss. The bus actually stops here for just 15 mts. Obviously not enough time to see the castle but we did click some pictures from the bus stop and moved on. Moving on from these touristy places, you can admire the lovely landscape - green rolling hills, the majestic Alps, the towering firs and the farmhouses teeming with flowers. It is a sight I'll never get tired of.

Crossing the small towns of Halblech and Steingaden we were greeted with sights of cows grazing and onion-domed churches doting the skyline and competing with the Alps. A big advantage of these tour coaches were that they had huge windows and we could click pictures easily.

A little off-beat stop is Wieskriche (Wies Church). A 1700's rococo style church - it is a treasure found in the rarest places. Amist the fields and small farming community I did not expect to see so much beauty. Even the outside of the church betrays what has in store inside. In fact we thought the outside looked like a barn house ;) History has it that, tears were seen from the dilapidated wooden figure of the Scourged Saviour in the 1730's and since then the church has gained prominence. A little rain, a beautiful church, amazing Bavarian dessert - curd dumplings in peach sauce (kind of like our rasmalais), 20 minutes....

Again we pass through tons of small towns (Wildsteig, Rottenbuch, Peiting, Schongau, Hohenfurch) where the bus will stop only if previously requested by calling a toll-free number. All these small towns looked beautiful from the bus, with pretty churches and small town flavor seeping!

Our next major stop was Landsberg. Located on Lech river, this town was best known for concentration camps during the World War II. The bus stops at the town square a quaint place flooded with flowers and big historic buildings. We spent around 10 minutes in the town, we would have loved to spend more time exploring that place.

Out of Landsberg we headed for Augsburg. The city founded in 15BC (it is that old!) and was another concentration camp area under the Nazi rule. The city is a cool mix between modern architecture and traditional stone buildings. The bus stopped in front of the old Renaissance style town hall. Augsburg welcomed us with rains and hunger. So we dashed into a neighborhood Chinese fast-food place (yes they have those every where!). Piping hot jasmine tea, white rice and soy-based veggies later we were good to go. We picked up some more snacks for the road at a supermarket there and moved on. The city has a electric tram service that is kind of strange... crisscrossing electric lines hide the beauty of the century old buildings. So we thought!

The rains did play spoil-sport in Augsburg but we had more small town Germany waiting for us. Will continue in the next post!

Day 3 in pictures

2008-04-09T06:31:00.005-05:00

Old and the new - Schloss Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein Schloss

Teal colored lakes, towering firs... anyone will fall in love with this place

Schloss Hohenschwangau

Neuschwanstein Schloss - no wonder Disney wanted this to be Cinderella's castle

You wonder what this is? Scroll a few pics down

Neuschwanstein Schloss

Marienbrücke (Marie's Bridge) over the deep Pollät Gorge.. We were over that bridge and took pictures

Neuschwanstein Schloss

Neuschwanstein Schloss - the castle still is incomplete

Marienbrücke (Marie's Bridge) milling with tourists

Trekking down

Bollywood in Fussen
Another pic of Fussen - lovely and beautiful

Day 3 in Germany

2008-04-08T15:04:00.004-05:00

Day three plans were quite simple. Tour the Neuschwanstein Schloss - the 19th century Bavarian castle - the creation of mad king Ludwig. Better known as the Disney inspiration castle, it is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the area.

What draws visitors to the castle is its location. It literally hangs between 2 mountains, scary and an engineering marvel compared to the construction situations in the 1800's. Another aspect is owner, the mad king. King Ludwing II, was crowned the King at the age of 18 when he was still the shy dreamer. The King conceived the idea of a private retreat of solitude in the mountains, little far off from his family castle - Schloss Hohenschwangau.

Adding more mystique to the whole castle is fact that the King was declared insane without medical examination in the June of 1886 and his mysterious death within 3 days of being declared insane.

After a breakfast at Suzanne's consisting of amazing whole grain bread, eggs and assorted cold cuts, we took a taxi to Neuschwanstein. We first explored the old family castle - Hohenschwangau, a little one and not that impressive. And then took the laborious longer trek to Neushwanstein. Neushwanstein is only accessible by foot or a horse carriage. We decided to trek through the woods - a little longer but well-worth it. The slight drizzle and chill in the air were actually invigorating. The teal lake, the towering firs, the castle spires all added to the beauty. Something that can just be experienced.

We first made it to Marienbrücke (Marie's Bridge) over the deep Pollät Gorge. It was definitely scary being on top of a bridge built in the 1880's and of course thrown in 1000 tourists jumping around and clicking photos just like us. More photos and we made way to the castle. The castle can be viewed only by means of a guided tour and no photography inside the castle is permitted. We waited for our turn and enjoyed the tour inside the castle. It is amazing to see the amount of thought, architectural elements and ornamental decorations gone into the castle.

After we were done with the tour, we decided to trek around the castle. The wooded area around the castle has numerous trekking trails and we decided to take one of the longer routes. Most of the trails are paved partially and beyond a point most people turn back. We decided to go on and walked down to the river and then continued on. Slippery trails, rains, lack of a watch to keep track of time and absolute no knowledge of how much further we needed to go added to the pleasures of being out in crispy green forests. Suddenly we finally found ourselves back at the parking lot, wet and muddy and realized we had actually trekked all the way around the mountain.

We took the local bus back to Fussen and a shower and sleep were in order. We spent the evening walking and exploring Fussen further and shopping for souvenirs. The nutcrackers, the cow bells (yeah the DDLJ ones) and cuckoo clocks from Bavaria are very famous.

We had a long day planned for our final day in Germany!!

Day Two in Germany

2008-04-02T14:44:00.003-06:00

The plan for the day was to travel the 290 miles South of Koln to the city of München(Munich), walk around and explore the city and head out to the tiny village of Füssen near the Germany-Austria border.

We planned to take the Intercity Express (ICE) train out of Koln early in the morning and reach Munich by 10am. And we made it, in spite of being half-asleep. The train speed through towns and we slept.

First job in Munich was to locate the storage area and store our suitcase so that we can walk around the city in peace. Munich is the third largest city in Germany and the home of the famed Oktoberfest. As with any modern large city, Munich has an uptown with steel and glass buildings towering the skyline but it was not our plan to explore the modern architecture, so we headed out to the crowded city center - inner city - Marienplatz. It is home to Munich's Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus) and the Neues Rathaus.

The walk to Marienplatz from the rail station is around 15-20 minutes, with amazing sights along the way and well worth it. We were there when there was a local political meeting happening so it was quite crowded and cops all around and stuff. The important points of interest along the walk to Marienplatz include the Stachus (Karlsplatz), Rathaus-Glockenspiel (considered the most famous in the world), Frauenkirche and the Viktualienmarkt (marketplace).

We spend quite sometime, people watching and sampling the local delicacies. We found a cute bakery that served hot-fresh-out-of-the-oven Bavarian style rolls and pizza and went crazy with the choices offered. One thing we realized here is that soda is cheaper than water. So we stuck to soda and just walked in circles for hours taking pictures and exclaiming over sights. We were like children at a toyshop, every building said a story, and had so much detail. It was so easy to fall in love with the city.

At 12 noon everyday, the Glockenspiel springs into action. By 11.30, people mainly tourists were lining up around the plaza for a good view. R set up his camera with his telescopic lens and we were able to view the action clearly and capture some good pictures. It was like the old cartoons we used to see as kids, elves and men dressed up in the vivid red shirts and knickers, waving hands and dancing in a circle. A tip here is don't get stressed out that the action will stop, the Glockenspiel rotates for quite a while and in fact we walked away while it was still moving.

Our plan was to take the 3.30 train to Füssen and we slowly made our way back to the station. We did some shopping, picked up local baked delights and fruits for the train journey. We made it to the station in time, picked our suitcase and got into the train. Unlike the trains we have traveled so far, this was a "local" train, which just meant, it was more like our Indian trains. Slow, basic amenities and stopping at all villages.

The train was mostly empty and was frequented by locals mainly. Most of the time, we enjoyed the coach to ourselves and were exclaiming over the beauty around us. Since the train was empty, we streched out legs in the seat in front of us and the ticket checker got pissed off at us and probably bashed at inconsiderate tourists in German. Not knowing a language is bliss at times!

The world around us was so different and beautiful. As we left the crowded cities and moved into the countryside. It was rolling green grasslands, the tall Alps in the background, doted by cute homes and cows. Soon we were in Fussen.

We had booked a room at Suzanne's Bed and Breakfast. The place was recommended by Rick Steves again. It was a splurge for us considering our budget. So we choose their cheapest attic room for a couple of nights. Though the place was highly recommended by Rick Steves, we read mixed reviews, mainly about Suzanne herself. But we went ahead with it, as it was close to the railway station.

The walk from the railway station to Suzanne's was about 3-5 minutes and located admist so much beauty. Our attic room was basic with two single beds and a shower stall where R had to sit and bend to prevent bumping. But the room was absolutely comfy and the views were divine. Since we were in the attic, we were cut off from the rest of the crowd so we enjoyed our peace and quiet.

The main idea for us staying in Fussen and not Munich was to visit the famous Disney-inspiration, Neuschwanstein Castle also known as the Mad King Ludwig's castle. We had booked the first tour of the castle at around 8am online based on numerous suggestions read online. But Suzanne serves breakfast at 7.45am and we had to skip either the breakfast or the castle trip. So she went ahead and called the castle people and rescheduled our whole tour and it was really nice of her.

We rested for a while and then went to explore the town. The town actually is quite small and can be explored easily. The town goes to sleep early and make sure you hit the restaurants early if you want to grab a bite. We wandered around aimlessly browsing through shops and found a quaint Italian place to have dinner. It was one of those cafes on the town center and we sat there eating and watching people.

Back at our room, we slept watching the stars shine over the alps. Beautiful and romantic! Everything we wanted the holiday to be!

Day Two in Germany in pictures

2008-04-02T05:23:00.006-06:00

We'll write, we promise.... soon
Till then enjoy the pictures!

Milling Crowds, Lovely Buildings

The Court House and the Cop Vans

The glockenspiel at 12

Shopping at the marketplace

Our idea of perfection - sunny day, blue skies, few clouds, flowers, lovely old buildings

Another sight that caught our eye

Street Entertainment

The City Center

Flower shop at the market place

Street Musicians

Window Planters blooming and lovely

Traveling to Fussen along the Germany-Austria border, the towering Alps, the green rolling grass, the red roofed houses, bliss!

The typical German home, beautiful and homely!

Lakes and towering mountains - kind of the DDLJ setting

The town of Fussen, the perfect small town...

Day One in Germany - pictures

2008-04-01T05:24:00.006-06:00

The Koln Rail Station - old and historic

A view of the Koln Station from the Hotel

Co-existing in peace - the cathedral and rail station blend together
Architecture marvels in every direction

Spidey meets Granny

Views from the parks on Rhine

The Lindt Museum

The fountain of chocolate!

The Dom Cathedral

4 days in Germany - Day 1

2008-03-31T07:19:00.005-06:00

We spent 4 days in Germany, backpacking and pinching pennies to see the country during the summer of 2006. Why Germany was the first question many of our friends asked us. Europe has so many treasures and lovely places to visit was their argument. We choose Germany just coz Lufthansa gave us the best deals to India and we were counting our pennies. Why 4 days they asked, again the budget, wedding in India and holidays were our answers.

After booking the tickets we started researching. Personally we find the research part of equally exciting as visiting new places. The usual Frommers, Fodors, Rough guide series on Germany made their way home. As with all other travel planning we usually find one book which actually captures what we want to do. And for Germany, it was Rick Steves. We loved Rick Steves, off-beat suggestions and back roads and soon it become our primary book and we did use other books just for tips.

Our plans/itinerary were based on certain factors

Photo-ops - when you are a photo enthusiast, every vacation you plan must have ample photo-ops
Budget - we were on a tight budget
Time - a tighter time frame, we were not able to spend more than 4 days in Germany
Architecture - we are big time architecture and nature people and prefer smaller town to big towns.

With our preferences clearly chalked out we started fitting in places, schedules and maxing out on the 4 days.

Day 1:

Our Lufthansa flight landed in Frankfurt airport around 8.30am. We had previously looked into the airport maps and guides and after clearing the customs and a few questions in a mix of what-R-called-German and English we were able to locate the luggage storage room. It costs us around 7 euros per bag per day. We dumped our big-stuffed-India-gifts suitcases in the room and with our camera bag and one suitcase started our trip around Germany.

Probably the best thing about Europe is their rail system. We walked down to the rail station in the airport, activated our rail passes we had previously purchased online and boarded the train to Koln. 110 miles away and a couple of hours on the rail, we were in the lovely city of Koln.

Köln Hauptbahnhof is a sight by itself. The building built in 1859 right on top of the famous Koln Cathedral and across from the Rhine was our first taste of Europe beyond the airports of Frankfurt and London. We stood there a few minutes in awe at the high steel beams and arches, cameras came out and we were in element, clicking pictures and capturing memories.

We had found Hotel-Station, very close to the cathedral, the rail station and at a backpackers budget. The hotel was recommended by Rick Steves and we had booked a room with attached bath online. The walk from the rail station was just under 7 minutes and of course added to it is at least 3-5 minutes spent awing at the cathedral and the Benz taxis on the road.

The hotel is mainly a youth back-packer central, noisy with free internet and a small coffee/snack bar in the front. Our rooms were in the 6th or was it the 7th floor, clean, very small and sparsely furnished. It served our purpose, a clean place to sleep that night. A quick shower later we were out.

It was just past 11 and we went in search of something to eat. We had printed maps and picked up some from the reception desk at the hotel. But we actually found them unnecessary if there was someone in your group who has some direction sense you can survive Koln.

Like the old time, Indian cities, the Cathedral with its towering spires forms the center of the city. And around it is the main shopping district all closed to traffic and a busy bustling place for all activities. We found a lovely bakery selling fresh, out-of-oven pastries and stocked up and started walking towards the cathedral. Clicking pictures, feeding the pigeons, people watching, watching the sleek silver-red trains stream past, admiring the intricate carvings in the church. The church dating back to the 1800's has a very rich history and is known to be the only structure in Koln that survived the World War II bombings.

Walking around the perimeter of the cathedral we were treated with sights so similar to Indian temples. The only thing missing were the elephant blessing people and slipper stands. A superman look-alike, the Mozart drawing on the floors, ice cream stalls, shops selling tacky stuff like Koln famous colognes and a few good items.

August being the on-set of summer in Germany is certainly a good time to visit. Perfect weather, flowering plants all over added to the lovely architecture of the city. We spent quite a while around the cathedral and then ended up walking to the parks by Rhine for a impromptu picnic. The parks along Rhine was filled with locals carrying picnic baskets and enjoying the sun. When in Koln, picnic like the locals!

Our next destination was the Lindt schokolade museum. Lindt truffles have long been our favorite and we were not going to miss this chocolate museum. Situated in the Rhine river (in fact it looks like a fortress), the museum is a brisk 15-20 minute walk from the cathedral. The entrance fee was a little too much, but yeah V does anything for chocolate. History of chocolate, the making and free samples make up for it. It is an interesting place for any chocoholic to visit. They have a small cafe dishing out chocolaty stuff and a gift shop. Give yourself an hour to 90 minutes to visit the museum.

We walked back following the cathedral towers and some more pictures around the cathedral and a quick stop and the local bakery for some bread and rolls for breakfast next day we were set. The jet lag was getting to us and we hit our motel for some sleep. Our plan was to catch the first train to Munchen at around 5.40am. So we needed to be up early.

There ended Day one in Germany.

R's pics of Koln are here

What next?

2008-01-29T10:06:00.001-06:00

With quite a bit of traveling in 2007 (NY, Niagara, Phoenix, Seattle, New England and Hawaii) we need to now build our travel fund again before we head out anywhere. And a new job and a proposed trip to India in 2008 are more excuses for us not to travel. But that does not mean this space will see no activity. We plan to write about our old trips and in the works are San Antonio, Germany and Caribbean cruise. R already has a few wonderful photos from these trips in his blog. Check them here, here and here and oh yeah I missed this

We also plan to write about all the small towns in Texas we stumble upon! Watch out for action!

Day Ten in Hawaii

2008-01-01T09:28:00.000-06:00

Our last day in Hawaii. Part of us wanting to stay in the Aloha State for ever while another side of us wanted to be home! We choose to carry our luggage out and not take part in the ship's disembarkment schedule. We were off by 8am and on our Thrifty car rental pretty soon.

Our first stop was Honolulu's famed Chinatown. Teaming with activity and exotic food and fruits this place was a treat. We treated ourselves to some Chinese pastries and Jackfruit smoothies.. yummy! V also got her much wanted floral lei... sweet smelling and really cheap in Chinatown!

We also visited the only royal palace in US. After visiting the pretty and grand ones in India and Europe this was a let down!

The so-called palace

Off we went towards Oahu's North Shore. A quick stop at the over-priced Dole Plantation ended up with a ultra-sized Pineapple Split and a walk through the world's biggest maze! A fun place and more suited for kids in my opinion! But a sure tourist trap! We were lucky to watch a few minutes from the finals of the Billabong surf competition along the pipeline. The pipeline is the hollowest and biggest of its kind in the world and has surfers from all over trying their best to ride it. For people with no knowledge about surfing it was kind of strange to watch it. It was like watching a foreign movie with no sub-titles! Fun though!

The gigantic Pineapple split

We had to stop for shave ice at Haleiwa. Two of the best places for shave ice in Hawaii are right next to each other. Each with a big line! We stopped at Atikos just coz the line was smaller and it was amazing. The ice melts in your mouth, smooth as silk unlike anything else we had on our trip! For a bit of drama/adventure try adding beans at the bottom of your shave ice. It is just plain beans (like black beans) boiled and added. Yes it is strange to imagine boiled beans in shave ice but the contrast is amazing and yummy!

Atiko's Menu

Anyone recognize the surfer? He was one of the finalists

After a pit stop we were back on the road, a bit tired and ready to head back home! We drove along just oohing and aahing at the beauty! It was a nice drive and by 6pm we were back in Honolulu. We headed to the Ward Center Stores just to spend some time! Window shopping, net browsing and a sub later we were ready to return to the airport and catch our flight home.

Delta flight from Honolulu to LA was a breeze. We were asleep before takeoff! But arriving at LA we realized our Houston flight was delayed by over an hour and they were not able to fit us in an earlier flight! We waited in LA and then reached Houston only to realize, one of our suitcases was missing. Well it really just had dirty laundry and some memorabilia. Afterwards we realized our suitcase (just 1 of the 3) went to Salt Lake City from Honolulu! Don't ask me how they did it! We got the baggage the next day. So it was fine!

And thus ended our trip. We nursed a fit of coughing and runny nose for nearly a week after that and slowly got into the Christmas and New Year celebrations!

And as they say, what happens in Hawaii stays with you forever! We'll cherish this trip a lot and have memories and photos to last a lifetime and more!

Day Eight and Nine in Hawaii

2007-12-29T18:50:00.001-06:00

Day Eight:

This was our last port of call and we were on the oldest island in the Hawaiian archipelago - Kauai. This island is famed for its waterfalls, the sheer cliffs, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific - Waimea and of course the Jurassic Park locales. Most parts of the island are inaccessible and the best way to take in its beauty is from air, from a helicopter.

And that is what we did. We had booked with Island Helicopters for an hour flight around the island. The weather played a havoc and finally we were in air only by 3pm. And this meant our other plans went haywire. We had to cancel our car rental and be content with taking the helicopter tour and taking it easy in the ship.

The helicopter trip was just amazing. The abundant rains that canceled our tour in the morning made sure that there were waterfalls in every direction we turned around. Rainbows doting the horizon, the cliffs of Napali Coast and the waterfalls were sights that cannot be described. We were glad we took it. A heli ride scares many people off and it is quite expensive and as I said before we were so glad we took it. It was once in a life time trip and it was amazing.

After the ride, we spent the rest of the day taking it easy and hitting a few stores to shop for souvenirs. We had Tex-Mex dinner at Paniolos on board the ship and enjoyed free entertainment on board.

Day Nine:
Almost at the end of our cruise, we started the tough job of packing! We spent the morning at Kauai's Walmart ;) and enjoyed the ship's sailing through the beautiful Napali Coast. Seeing from air and sea made a good contrast.

This is when Baby bro got his revenge with the photographer aka Captain by asking him to pose for a picture, the poor guy was pissed off!

While V headed off for a quick lesson on ribbon lei making, the guys enjoyed a lazy game of table tennis. Dinner at Alizar, finale show at Stardust Theater and the trip was almost over.

Day Seven in Hawaii

2007-12-28T18:06:00.000-06:00

Day Seven:

This morning we sailed into Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. We had booked a snorkeling excursion with Sea Quest Excursions. This was the only port on this trip where we had to take a tender boat to reach the shore.

Since we were on the first morning excursion we had to be on the first tender from the ship and we were there in no time. The snorkeling excursion began from the Keauhou Bay and we took a free shuttle in a trolley aka matu vandi (as named by baby bro).

A view of the ship from the shore

We were soon in an inflatable raft slicing through the water. The trip by itself was an adventure. It was like being on a water roller coaster and we were hanging on to our dear lives. The coastline filled with numerous sea caves and amazing beauty. Zipping along the pristine clear waters we were rewarding with sightings of the winter time Hawaii visitors - the humpback whales from the cold Arctic waters. There is a certain amount of awe as we saw these enormous creatures.

We zipped through to the Captain Cook Monument in Kealakekua Bay. The history behind it is intriguing and bloody. It raises more questions than we have answers for. The bay is a marine sanctuary for years and that this is the place where they filmed a scene for "Finding Nemo".

We also had a chance to snorkel along the Honaunau Bay which is another historic site. Under the clear waters it is a different world. Thriving coral reefs, tropical fishes... to feast our eyes on. This is the area known for the green sea turtles - Honu. Unfortunately we did not see any.

The sea caves and lava tubes doting the coast are really fascinating and the lores and legends associated with them make it more interesting. It was a wonderful trip and another highlight of the trip. And just when we thought the trip was over we spotted the Hawaiian spinner dolphins. These were such adorable creatures and they swam just next to our raft. It took all all I can, to control myself and not try to touch these wild creatures!

The Sea Quest raft inside a cave and the blow hole on the Kona Coast

It was a four hour trip and we would recommend Sea Quest for anyone who wants to enjoy the Kona Coast whether you snorkel or not. After a great trip we were back in the ship for lunch and some R&R. We enjoyed a wonderful American diner lunch at the Blue Lagoon on the ship, feasting on burgers, fries, mac n cheese... yummy!

There was always something on the ship to keep us entertained, be it lounging by the pool, taking a dip in the hot tub or playing table tennis or learning some Hawaiian crafts! It was so much fun! We were just too lazy to head back to the land and stayed on ship.

We headed to Papas Italian Kitchen for dinner and enjoyed the family style dining at Papas. Lasagnas, Fettuccines and triamisus later we were too stuffed to move out. But we had late night plans too. A visit to the spa for a Hawaiian style lomi-lomi massage for V and a date with the illusionist for the men. Both were really great and wonderful. Memories we will carry with us forever!

Fettuccine Alfredo at Papa's

Our vacation was coming to an end soon. Our last port of call - Kauai soon up!

Photos from Hawaii

2007-12-27T22:13:00.001-06:00

R has been uploading his photos from our Hawaii trip on his blog. Drop by lightpixels and take a look.

Day Six in Hawaii

2007-12-27T08:17:00.000-06:00

Day Six:
This was the second day in Maui and we were up at 3.00am! Why were we up at such an ungodly hour? We were off to make another dream come true - Sunrise on top of Haleakala. At an elevation of around 10000 feet above mean sea level this is the highest point in Maui. In just 32 short miles you rise up from 0 feet MSL to 10,200 feet MSL. Quite a ride!

Haleakala is considered active by scientists. It can erupt anytime and its last eruption was supposed to have been in 1790 AD. Haleakala means the house of the suns and its story is as impressive and imaginative as the Indian folk lores we grew up with. The story goes that the demi-god Maui lassoed the sun from the summit of Haleakala and made it promise to go slowly over Maui and that is the reason why Maui to this day gets abundant sunshine!

We had booked with Roberts Hawaii - a well known travel agency to take us to the summit and off we went sleepy in the bus. We were there by 5.30am and the sun was expected to rise around 6.40am. It was freezing cold and wind chills were well below 30. Pre-warned we wore layers and layers of clothing and still kept shivering. The biggest concern was the big band of low-lying clouds. Fingers crossed, eyes closed in sleep we waited and unfortunately for us, the clouds hid the sun and we really could not even see the crater.

We were really disappointed but nothing we can do! Nature's will and we go with it. The park rangers chant to welcome the sun, it was like the Indian surya namaskaram! The Hawaiians say watch the sunrise in the East and then turn West and there you'll see your future! We never saw the sun rise!

Our view of sunrise at Haleakala

We were back in the ship by 9am and a quick shower and breakfast later we were ready to head out to the sunny and dry beaches of Kanapali and Lahaina. The top down on our rental convertible, 35 minutes later we were in the pretty beach behind Whaler's Village in Kanapali.
Pretty as a picture, bluish green clear waters, blue skies, people relaxing.. what a sight! We spent a good 2 hours lying in the sand and water. Covered with sand we were then ready to get back to the ship.

We had our own mini-adventure here. The car's engine heated light turned on and we pulled over and then we could not get the car to start! Stranded near a beach in Kanapali, 30 miles from our cruise ship we were worried. Frantic call to the rental agency assured help will be there in a good 2 hours. After a 15 minute wait we tried starting the engine, it started and off we went non-stop ignoring the blinking engine heated sign! Thrifty gave us a 10% off for the trouble and we were in the ship by 4!

And V headed out to the Spinaker Lounge for a quick hula lesson. The Hawaiian ambassador on the cruise had been conducting regular lessons and this was the only day V had to shake her hips to the Hawaiian music. Hula is such a graceful dance and so pretty! Four songs, a lot of hip shaking later V was done!

Hungry and with long waits in all the restaurants we took the short way out - ate at the buffet!
What a day it was!

Day Five in Hawaii

2007-12-26T20:49:00.000-06:00

Day 5:
And this was R's dream day! Our ship docked at Maui for two days and we had a big list of to-see places in the magic isle - Maui. With so many excursions to choose from it was tough deciding what we really wanted to do and during the planning stages of this vacation we had many a struggle deciding. But we were really glad we did what we did.

As with Hilo we had booked a rental car with Thrifty and it was a convertible this time! Yup the dream of zipping across the islands with the wind playing in the hair did come true. Maui Thrifty was not really efficient like the one in Hilo but they did get the job done and soon we were zipping to Hana!

The Road to Hana is one of Maui's famous tourist attractions. The 68-mile long stretch encompassing Hawaiian highways 36 and 360 connecting Kahului and Hana is known for its narrow, winding roads with breathtaking scenery. The route consists of around 56 bridges of which more than 45 are one lane bridges. Driving through lush rainforest is beautiful but adding picturesque blue waters and beaches make it magical. The 60+ miles to Hana normally takes around 2.5 hours to 3 hours with no stops and a typical tourist takes 5 hours to reach Hana. And we took 7 hours to reach Hana!

On our Chrysler Sebring we were off. Our first stop was at wind surfing capital of the world, Hoopika Beach. Pristine blue waters doted by men and women riding the waves , white sands and the trees make this a wonderful spot for people watching and a picnic. We stopped for a few minutes before heading off. Time is precious when you are on a cruise ship and you are heading off to Hana with a photographer-in-tow.

And off we went. All along nature showcased at its best and with the top of in our rental we were able to smell the wet earth and the powerful waves slashing the rocks. It is an experience and an amazing one. The whispering and waving bamboo forests, the cascading waterfalls, the beaches were all spectacular. The black sand beach with the sea arch and blowhole was probably the best part of the trip. The Ke`ane Peninsula with its very powerful waves slashing against the volcanic rocks made it a sight to be remembered.

We stopped along the way enjoying local favorites, sugarcane juice with ginger, hot from the oven moist banana nut bread and shave ice! Yummy! We had some rain along the way and the top came on and off.

And finally we were in Hana, a small town and just beyond it we entered the Haleakala National Park. This is the location of the seven scared pools, this is a series of lovely waterfalls and tranquil pools trails through the O'heo Gulch and into the ocean. Unfortunately due to a heavy inflow of water the pools were closed for swimming. But we did walk along the trails and enjoy the beauty of the place.

It was past 3.30 when we were ready to head out of the National Park and we wanted to get moving and hit the winding roads when there was light. And off we went. Non-stop winding roads and if you are prone to motion sickness this is not the road for you and the driving does tend to get difficult. So caution is recommended.

We were back at the harbor and at the ship by 6pm. We decided to head for a sit-down dinner at one of ship's main restaurants - Alizar. It was decent food in a spectacular but overcrowded dining area. We were lucky to get a table for ourselves and enjoy the meal.

And I need to add this, more a personal joke but for memories sake. This is where we first met " the captain" aka the ship photographer. Well the "captain" made it his job to interupt conversations and private moments to click pictures. Well the one he took of us that day in Alizar was the best. Baby bro KA had a grudge against poor captain and baby bro had his sweet revenge later in the cruise.

And that was day five and we were half done with our vacation!

Day Four in Hawaii

2007-12-24T06:26:00.000-06:00

Day Four:

The best thing about this cruise is that every morning we were in a new place, a dream indeed and this morning we were in Hilo, Big Island. After breakfast we were off the ship and ready to explore Hilo.
We had previously reserved a rental car with Thrifty and the shuttle was waiting for us. A quick check-in and a red PT cruiser later we were on the road heading through lush, green, rainforests. Our destination - the Volcanoes National Park. We stopped at the Visitors Center to pick up some maps and watch the 20 minute long film - “Born of Fire…Born of the Sea.” It really opened our eyes into the history of the land we were standing on and the areas we were about to see.

We were back in our car, heading on. Our first stop was the streaming bluffs and sulfur banks. The vegetation here is a stark contrast and between the top and bottom cliffs of Kilauea Caldera we could see volcanic gases seeping through the cracks. And yes the stream was indeed a blessing when winds picked up speed. It was quite windy and cold at the National Park and we wish we had the sense to bring a jacket in addition to to our rain ponchos. Hawaii brings to mind the amazing beaches, white sands and swaying palms and the sun shining but on top of the volcanoes and mountains the air carries a chill to it, the wind speed quite high. Quite a contrast. We enjoyed a mini sauna at the streaming bluffs before heading over to see other sights at the National Park.

As we drove along the area, there were numerous outlooks, where we can see hot gases streaming out, green sulfur deposits along the sides, the air filled with the smell of sulfur, the land uneven with lava flows. We took a short detour from the Crater Rim drive, to go to the very end of Chain of Craters. The views as we drove down to sea level, the views were spectacular and remains of villages covered by lava stood out. And at very end and at sea level the road closed due to lava flows, we spot a whale - magnificent as the sea arch there. This is one place on earth where the power of nature is truly felt.

Tired and exhausted after these long drives we drove on and soon were out of the Volcanoes National Park. With time still left we decided to head out to the famous Akaka Falls. But first a quick stop at the famous Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory.Some samples, chocolate covered macadamia nuts, macadamia nut icecream we were off. The drive to the falls is beautiful. We could see the blue waters, the cruise ship doting the horizon, lush greenery, pretty bridges and an occasional waterfall. The drive took us around 25-30 minutes and with scenic detours and outlooks all around it was well worth the drive.

The small parking lot was filled when we arrived, slight drizzle and we started our walk down to the falls. The trek down is along a well paved concrete trail with handrails and it takes less than 5 minutes to feast our eyes on the 420 feet falls. It was amazing and well worth the drive. And there was one awe-struck kid who asked his mom " who designed this" and that pretty much sums it.

Back at the Hilo airport, we returned out rental car and were back to board our ship. At the pier there were florists selling pretty cabin bouquets and soon there was a $10 bouquet gracing our stateroom. Dinner at the Lanai and the day was almost over!

Day Three - Hawaii

2007-12-22T17:30:00.000-06:00

Day 3:
This was the day we were starting our cruise. Our cruise ship was scheduled to sail out of Honolulu by 8pm and we had planned to get onboard around 1pm and that left us the whole morning to explore.

The Bus and google maps were our guides to the famed Diamond Head. The good instructions let us down. We got down a good mile ahead and started our hike much much earlier. We ended up walking more than any other typical tourist hiking the Diamond Head would do. But it was all a part of the fun!

The hike basically starts from the floor of the crater and leads you all the way to the top. Spectacular views are all around but the ocean is visible only from the very top. The trail has handrails all through and uneven. The killer part of the hike is the two flights of very steep and narrow stairs and it is like you are on the stairmaster machines in the gym.

Good walking shoes, water and camera are highly recommended. The hike overall was not really stressful. It was good fun with us stopping very frequently for photographs and teasing each other. We also realized it gets really hot and sweaty very fast. As every tour book advises start early. We started our hike around 7.45~8am and would recommend starting much earlier. Surprisingly we realized it was cooler at the floor of the crater than at the summit.

It was also quite crowded. Many of the hikers that day happened to be marathon runners from Japan making the most of their visit to the US. We would have loved a little more solitude and one-on-one with Mother Nature.

Once up the spiral stairs, there is a tiny crawl space through which one has to pull oneself. It is kind of interesting that nothing much has been done to improve the crawl space. The hike down is quick and fast. We had packed some fresh fruits and wonderful stuffed bread (purchased at the Aloha Swap Meet on Day 2) for a after-hike treat and we were hungry. Feeding the Brazilian cardinals we had a picnic lunch and were ready to head back to the hotel. We were planning to take the Bus again but a taxi driver offered us a ride along with another couple for $2 pp (the same rate the Bus charges) so we took the easy way out. The drive to our hotel was short but we were forced to put up with the FM taxi driver who spoke about everything from tender coconut water to Noni juice to his belief in Christ! Yeah he was ahem....entertaining (also spelt as irritating)!

We had a couple of hours to kill before checkout and we did what any tourist in Hawaii would have done at 10am, hit Waikiki. Waikiki with its gentle warm waves is the perfect spot for our dream vacation but for the crowd. Well we people watched and enjoyed the sun n the sand before heading back to the hotel. Frantic packing, quick checkout and a taxi ride later we were at Pier 2.

Check-in was a breeze at the Latitudes member check-in (past NCL cruisers) and the first impressions of the NCLA Pride of Hawaii - WOW! She was a beauty, in and out. Lavish furnishings with a Hawaiian touch, bright colors with a touch of whimsy. The ship is amazing and if given a chance we'll choose her again without any reservations. From Feb 2008, Pride of Hawaii is renamed as NCL Jade and moves to the Mediterranean seas.

Our deck was not ready and so we headed with all our scary-on to the 12th deck for some lunch. The lunch buffet was open and so were some tables on the lanai on the deck. Grabbing a table and lot of food we did what we do the best - eat, laugh, talk, eat, relax, eat :)

Our room was finally ready and we made way to our interior stateroom. We really went penny pinching on this trip and booked a inside stateroom and it worked out well as the only time we were in our cabins was to sleep or to grab a shower. I am constantly amazed by the way these cabins are designed. In that small less than 100 square feet space, there was room for our enormous bags, scary-ons, three adults, a wonderful and functional bathroom, three beds and a closet. Unpacked and ready to sail!

All cruiselines have a mandatory safety drill and ours was held in the Stardust theater. The theater left us speechless! It was wonderfully and colorfully designed! We left for Hawaii imagining the sights of Hawaii to leave us stunned but the tastefully decorated POH did leave us stunned!

A spa tour, preview show, sailaway party, fitness center we crammed as much as possible into our first day before we hit the sack! What a day! Many more wonderful ones to come!

Day Two in Hawaii

2007-12-22T07:22:00.000-06:00

Day 2:

It was the day of the famed Honolulu marathon and hence there were quite some detours and road closures in the Waikiki, Diamond Head area so we decided to head early towards the US Arizona Memorial aka Pearl Harbor. The one thing about Honolulu is that you can spend a couple of days there visiting all the top tourist spots without bothering to rent a car. We took " The Bus" public transit bus to Pearl Harbor. Another tip here, in google maps type your to and from addresses and then if you click on the take public transit button you can find out about bus schedules easily.

All tour books and Honolulu veterans suggest you be at the ticket line for Pearl Harbor the first thing in the morning at around 7.30. So we took the 6.40 am bus from Waikiki and were there by 7.40am. There were no lines and it was a breeze walking in. We also heard that it was the slowest day in Pearl Harbor and was attributed to the weather and marathon. There is no entry fee to visit the memorial but you need to watch 25 minute film before taking a boat to the memorial.

The whole area is maintained by the national park services and the facilities are quite good. The 25 minute black and white movie takes one back to the era of the WW2 and it raises some questions for which there are no answers. It was afterall war and the survival of the strongest. The skies cleared out by the time we were on the boat to the memorial. The memorial, white and stark is a tribute to the 1777 crew members on board the USS Arizona on Dec 7th 1941. It spans the sunken hull of the battleship without touching it.

Our personal views about the memorial are mixed. It is small and built on top of the sunken USS Arizona. Architecturally, at times we feel it is great and there are times we wonder if it is a fitting memorial. So I guess you need to see the film and really feel the spirit before forming your own opinions about the memorial. But it is a sobering experience when you think of all the lives lost.

You can see the oil leaking from the sunken battleship (the survivors call it black tears. Around 2 quarts of oil leaks out daily), bouquets of flowers, a list of the lost lives ( there were 37 sets of siblings on board when the ship was hit) reminds us of the era of bloodshed and history lessons that are never forgotten.

After our visit to the Pearl Harbor we decided to walk to the nearby Aloha Stadium where there is a flea market every Monday, Wednesday and Sunday. It is a 10 minute walk from Pearl Harbor and we walked by the healing field. The healing field is a 2500 flag memorial for those who fell on Dec 7th 1941. It is quite a sight and we were glad to be in Honolulu when the flags were in display.

There is a nominal entry fee for the Aloha Swap Meet at the Aloha Stadium. We had picked up some free entry coupons at one of the coupons books found all around Waikiki. It is a good place to shop local style and enjoy some of the local favorites. The tender coconut juice sweet and refreshing on the hot day brought back childhood memories. The Aloha state's very own shave ice and Portuguese malassadas (kind of like doughnuts) yummy! Here you can pick up cheap gifts, tees and local breads and jam for half the price you can find in Waikiki area. We ended up with tee shirts for everyone in the family, local lilikoi, mango, guava, papaya jams.

The jetlag and heat was catching up on all of us and we caught the local bus and headed back to the hotel for a short nap. And we were ready to luau! Luau - the Hawaiian feast and a tourist staple! We had previously booked with Germaine's Luau - a commercial luau on the ocean's edge, under the palm trees. The tour bus was waiting and off we headed towards their private beach luau location. Our tour bus hostess, Georgie had a set of jokes to keep us all entertained and laughing getting into a relaxed mood.

The luau cost us each around $45 (we used a discount coupon from entertainment.com) and yes it is a bit expensive but it is an evening of the Aloha spirit and fun. So we would highly recommend a luau if you are in Hawaii. A lei greeting, formal portrait and we were with 300+ others at the picnic area. We watched the kalua pig come out of the imu oven. With the sun setting on the yonder, the place lit with tiki lights was magical. The dancers were nimble and graceful. Depicting dances from different Polynesian countries it was like watching a pretty movie. Loved the fire dancer, the drum players and the dancers. The lady hosting the event was kind of irritating (a personal opinion) and asking the bus drivers to dance was dumb (another personal opinion). I also hated the most common and prevalent idea of picking someone from the audience and making the audience laugh at the scrapegoat's expense.

Nothing good to write about the food. It is really not the best or even mediocre. The imu roasted pork, the island coleslaw and island long rice (transparent rice noodles) were the only items remotely edible. Go for the dancers, go for the pretty setting, go to experience the aloha spirit, go for experiencing Hawaii! And yes you get 3 drink coupons with every ticket and a few mai tais and blue islands later, laughter flows more easily! There were a few drunk people on board the bus on our return journey and our magical day drew to an end!

Day 1 in Hawaii

2007-12-20T09:29:00.000-06:00

Jumping straight into our trip details

Day 1:
Flight out of Houston to Honolulu. We flew Continental and a practically no-hassles flight. Other than for the 8 hours in the flight, we really did not have any delays or problems. We landed in Honolulu airport at around 3pm. The first views of Honolulu was amazingly blue skies and waters with white puff clouds, lush greenery and mountains on the horizon. The runway in the Aloha International Airport deserves a special mention. It is like landing in the wide ocean, beautiful and I just wish we had clicked some pics then.

We had reservations at the Aqua Waikiki Wave and to get there we took the easy way out with 2 oversize baggages. 2 scary-ons and 3 adults - the taxi. Honolulu airport has a taxi wrangler system and goodness gracious we were put in a limo! An antique limo doubling as a taxi but a limo none the less.

At the hotel and checked in, we got into our beachweat and hit Waikiki beach right in time to see the sun setting. A perfect welcome to Hawaii! If I have one complaint about Waikiki, it is the crowd. Well I guess we need to live with that. Waikiki is a tourist trap, you can see everything from a man handing out pamphlets for excursions to another promising pictures with a giant macaw perched on your shoulder. And for the fashionesta in your group, anything from Macys to Coach and for the foodie, everything imaginable. It is crowded and bustling with activity with a stretch of white sand and unbeatable water. I loved the beach but a crowded beach is not my idea of an ideal vacation.
And like every other tourist trap, everything is expensive in Waikiki. But if you are just spending a couple of days in Honolulu, Waikiki is the place and with their public transportation there is no need to rent a car or worry about parking.

And that was Day 1. The jetlag forced us back to the hotel early!
Some pictures from Day 1 are here and here

A few pictures from Hawaii

2007-12-09T09:31:00.001-06:00

We are in Honolulu, the jet lag keeping us awake at odd hours. I leave you with a few pictures from Waikiki beach. More details about the trip once we get back to H-town.

Cruise in Hawaii -1

2007-12-02T17:23:00.001-06:00

We are off next week to Hawaii. Our plan is to fly into Honolulu, take in the local sights at Honolulu, the usual and famous, Waikiki beach, the Diamond Head hike, the Pearl Harbor. And then board our ship, the NCL Pride of Hawaii for 7 days of touring the islands. Hilo, Kona, Kauai and Maui are all on our list. We have taken the time to choose activities in each of the ports that would showcase the beauty of Hawaii and our love for nature.

We hope to come back with memories and pictures to last a life time. We will not be updating from the ship and will have detailed, day-to-day reviews once we are back!

Sailing away!

2007-11-24T09:28:00.000-06:00

Cruising is currently the big wave in the tourism industry. We got bitten by the cruising bug a few years ago and decided to dive in. The common misconception about cruising is that it is very expensive, but in fact it is not. And if you keep your eyes peeled open, there are amazing deals popping all over for exotic locales.

Like any vacation cruising has its own pros and cons. The biggest con is the amount of sightseeing you can get done in one port while the ship is docked. Typically you end up doing something like snorkeling or scuba diving or just lazing around the beaches. But the best part about the cruise is that it is an all-inclusive vacation kind of deal and you really do not have to worry about where to eat, how much is it going to me, are we on the right course kind of stuff.

With cruise lines becoming more casual these days, there are no reasons to worry about being strait and formal on vacations as the cruise industry once was. Today cruising is really casual, some cruise lines more than the others. We previously cruised with NCL and we loved their freestyle concept. Casual attire, private tables and it was the perfect relaxing vacation for two.

Our upcoming cruise is also with NCL and we are looking forward to floating around the Hawaii islands and enjoying stuff. We'll sure have details about our cruise coming up soon.

Aloha!

2007-11-23T18:21:00.000-06:00

And yes we are heading off to the Aloha land. To the warm tropical waters, ripe pineapples, the volcanoes and the coral reefs. To Hawaii we go. Our trip is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of deal and we all pulling all stops to have a full adventure.

The Plan:

It was tough making a decision, every island in Hawaii is so unique and special and we wanted it all. Greedy of us and we found the best way to do it. We are cruising in Hawaii. Cruise is a totally different form of travel and it suits some. We have cruised before and loved it. And we are glad we can do it again in Hawaii. Another great thing about this trip is our travel companion, baby bro KA. It sure is going to be merry sailing.

Blogging from the ship is going to be impossible as it is exorbitant. And we have quite a lot of plans for each of the islands but I know we are being ambitious. I sure will have a detailed day to day account once we are back and more about our trip coming up soon.

Oh yes we are off in less than a couple of weeks!

Why we love to travel?

2007-11-14T06:44:00.000-06:00

Some people consider traveling the best way to spend their vacation time while others think travel is a waste of time and money. We love traveling and we encourage others to travel. Our travels are more the stretching-the-budget kind of trips. We pack in as much into our days we can. We travel with a big list of places to see within a short span of time. No it is not the style most people enjoy. But it works for us and that is what the perfect travel plans are about. Tailor-made to suit individual needs.

The process of deciding where to go is a big task in itself for us. We have a big list of to visit places. The where-to-go debate rages for days and it is the dreaming part of the planning. We look into websites for reviews and pictures and try to convince the better half. It is probably the most challenging part of any vacation planning. It involves looking into the calender and checking how many days we can afford to take off from our respective jobs. If we need to fly to the destination we also check flight rates, hotel rates and kind of work a tentative budget. Sometimes our vacations are tied together with obligations like visiting family, friends, occasions and in that case it makes things easier. The destination is just one! Typically for any vacation we have 2 such choices, his and hers.

The next step is further planning, where we pick up books from the library and start reading about the destinations. It is the exciting phase of planning and our house is filled with books for two dream vacations and every free minute reading. After a week or so, we sit down and finalize the destination. Yes one of them has to compromise and say, there is always the next time.

Once the decision has been made, we start reading like crazy. This is the best past of the vacation, sometimes more exciting than the travel itself. We bring back so many books and start writing copious notes and planning out details. Another list of possible places to visit and choosing what we really would enjoy. We enjoy off-beat things and the hunt for such places in the vicinity. And the more we read, the more we learn about the history, the culture and everything interesting. It brings the photos in the book to life and we enter the day dream phase...

More planning and notes later we are on our way. To another dream destination. Pinching pennies we travel and is it worth it? Yes it is worth every single penny saved.. Seeing the day dreams come true is really amazing. After all life is all about dreams coming true and reality merging with fantasies. We travel for fulfillment of the soul. And we look forward to many more traveling adventures...

And do we have our next trip planned? Yes we are working on it.. it is a long time dream and a fantasy vacation for most people... will update details soon.

Pictures from the trip

2007-10-18T09:47:00.001-05:00

Pastoral Vermont, green and beautiful

Somewhere along the road, colors as far as the eye can see

Scenic drive along Castle on Clouds. Seems like an SUV ad

Day Four - Road Trip

2007-10-17T15:47:00.000-05:00

After a quick breakfast at the Atlantic Birches Inn we headed out to Boston. We chose the scenic route along the coastal holiday towns. Past the summer season most of these towns bore a deserted look as we zipped past them. A quick stop for some retail therapy at the Kittery outlet malls and we were all set to head back to H-town. Crossing the state lines of Maine into New Hampshire and finally into Massachusetts!

The four hour flight was boring and too long and we were more than happy to be home!

The photos will be up soon!

Day Three - Roadtrip 2

2007-10-15T18:47:00.000-05:00

Small town, USA

We are logging in from Old Orchard Beach, Maine and tonight is the last night out of our trip. We fly back to Houston tomorrow.

It was a road day and we spent most of the time on road today admiring scenic beauty all around. The day started out with a wonderful breakfast served by our hosts at the Applebutter Inn. Scrumptious baked apples, whole grain pancakes, apple butter, vermont maple syrup! Yum!

We left Woodstock around 10am and headed towards Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire. You might think we had seen all possible fall colors yesterday but this morning we fell in love with New England's famed fall foliage all over again. The beauty is just breathtaking! We stopped along the Quechee Gorge before heading into New Hampshire. We decided to take the scenic drive offered by the Castle in the Clouds and enjoy fall foliage. And it was beautiful. The trees were just showcasing their peak colors. The reflections of the colors on the lake was just amazing.

From there our plans were simply to reach our final destination Old Orchard Beach in coastal Maine driving through the famed Kancamagus Highway (Rte 112). And what a ride it was! The foliage was the best at lower elevations and we did find mostly bare trees atop the Rte 112. We did stop at a few pullout points along the route but it wasn't just the best we had seen.

Our drive today took us through small town, USA established in the late 1870's with its 25 mph speed limits, volunteer fire stations, antique stores, rundown gas stations, a country store, a few homes, inns/bed&breakfasts, the must-have farm equipment store! We were in rural USA and believe there was not even a Golden Arch in those areas! Boy! It was comforting the see the first Starbucks in days at Portland, Maine! No we are not Starbucks regular customers, it has been months since we stepped inside one.. but just the sight of the familiar chain restaurants and stores are comforting after days in small town, USA!

We are done with the leaves and spending the night at Atlantic Birches Inn at Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Our plans for morrow are to drive through coastal Maine and reach Boston to catch our flight home....Cya in Houston!

Day Two - Road trip 2

2007-10-14T18:32:00.000-05:00

Leaf Peeping...

Day two of our trip and after breakfast we decided to change our plans and head towards Provincetown before heading to Vermont. Provincetown, the tip of Cape Cod is mostly a protected reserve. Marshes, fingers of water, tidal flats and sand dunes dot the landscape and the town itself is filled with holidaymakers walking along the narrow, crowded roads. Bed and breakfasts and art galleries are found in abundance here. A good drive and we were glad we did it.

And from there we started our 4 hour journey towards Brattleboro, Vermont. As we drove towards Vermont on I-91 we could see reds and yellows along with the greens. We had previously read that along Route 100 (off I-91) the fall colors were at the peak and we planned to head out to Route 100. And of course no roadtrip will be complete without getting lost! We got lost and went to the nearest gas station and it seems that most tourists get lost there. They knew exactly what we would ask and had mini-map handouts ready for lost souls like us.

Back on track, we were off the freeway and into rural Vermont, with white clapboard houses, farms and bales of hay, the village square with the courthouses and churches, winding rivers accompanying us, mountains towering all around and trees changing colors. We drove through the small towns of Newfane, Townshend, Jamaica, Ludlow, Weston, Plymouth, Bridgewater before reaching our destination for the night - Woodstock.

It is tough to put into words or use any other media to express the beauty that lay in front of us. We were lucky to be in the area when the colors were at their peak. Yes it is just some leaves turning colors and falling down, but it is a sight to be seen and treasured for ever. The whole area was a riot of colors and every direction was a beauty by itself. Nature at its best.

Yes of course we did see a few of Vermont's famed covered bridges! and no photos for the day as we cannot find the USB cord to transfer the photos!

Tonight we are at another historic and charming bed and breakfast, Applebutter Inn!
Our plan for tomorrow is to drive through the scenic and beautiful Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire into southern coastal Maine. And that would be our last destination before we head back to H-town!

More from the road morrow if we get wi-fi access!

Day one - Roadtrip 2

2007-10-13T18:34:00.001-05:00

On the Pilgrims trail...

First day on road and it was quite a ride. We started off in the morning and headed out to downtown Boston, to check out the sights. Though a historic town, Boston does have a modern look to it. We loved the bridges and hated the cold weather! We visited the old State house and the the famous Quincy market. Nothing much to be said about those places.

Heading out of Boston towards Cape Cod, our first stop was at Plymouth. The drive to Plymouth was short and had some real pretty fall colors. Though the peak season was not yet there, it still was a sight to savor. The touristy Plymouth Rock, a reproduction of the Mayflower 2, perfectly blue seas doted with white yachts and eclectic stores made this an amazing place to stop for lunch. After a quick dose of history and a hearty lunch at an off-beat tavern at the Jenney Grist Mill we hit the road again.

The Jenney Grist Mill in Plymouth

Entering Cape Cod, we decided to the take the scenic Old King's Highway Route 6A and drive around. The drive through the Route takes you through the small, quaint towns called Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Brewster. These towns seem so different from the run-of-the-mill towns seen else where. Pretty old mansions teaming with flowers, grandmothers lovingly watering their gardens, lovely churches, old court houses, bed and breakfasts and some assorted small businesses here and there make these places special. With the leaves changing colors it was a wonderful sight as we drove along the winding roads!

Driving along Cape Cod, we reached our final destination for the night, Chatham. Located on the southern edge of the Middle Cape, Chatham is another quaint town filled with boutiques and inns. We are spending the night at the historic Nantucket House. We spent the evening watching the sunset at Chatham beach and it was a beauty. The setting sun set forth a riot of colors and it was just picture perfect!

A couple enjoying the sunset at Chatham beach

Tomorrow is another day as we head towards Vermont! We hope we can get wi-fi access there to update the blog!

Brrrrr... it is cold

2007-10-12T23:38:00.000-05:00

We are in Boston and it is cold! The current temperature is around 46F. We really don't have any first impressions of Boston, it is hard to see anything when you arrive at 11.30pm. We were pleasantly surprised to see the extremely friendly people at the Enterprise car rental! It sure must have been a long day for them also! Oh they upgraded our compact car to a SUV! So we are all set to explore the place morrow!

One more day!

2007-10-11T15:21:00.000-05:00

There has never been a time when we have been so desperate for a break. With so much happening in our lives we are glad to hit the road for a few days, away from reality, away from Houston. We are off tomorrow and just to refresh our plans

Duration : 4 nights and 4 days

Location : New England, US covering the states of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine

Travelers: V and R

Mode of transport : Continental Airlines flight to Boston and then a Enterprise car rental

The plan:

Fly into Boston late Friday night, check out the sights of Boston and then head out for our road trip. We plan to drive along the historic towns and head to Cape Cod. And then drive from there to Vermont. And then via New Hampshire to the Southern coasts of Maine. From where we plan to get back to Boston.

We do have some timings planned out but we are just going to take things as it comes.

The major idea of this trip is to take in the back-roads showcasing the best Fall colors. And that is bound to be the best part of the trip. Colors and more colors. We do plan to break for nights at quaint bed and breakfasts along the way.

Seaside charm, historic towns, mountains and gorges, lakes and farms. Seems to be the perfect vacation plan!

We are planning to have fun and we hope we to update this blog as we are on road at least this time.

400 Places to see

2007-09-26T18:23:00.000-05:00

It is the World Tourism Day today (September 27, 2007). Celebrating the event in our own style, here are 400 places in our must see places around the world (in no particular order)!

North America
1. Banff National Park, Calgary, Canada
2. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
3. New Foundland, Canada
4. Vancouver Islands, Canada
5. Churchill, Canada for their polar bears
6. Denali National Park, Alaska, US
7. Cruising the Glacier Bay, Alaska, US
8. Dog Sledging with the Huskies, Alaska, US
9. Get enchanted by the Northern lights, Alaska, US
10. Bear Watching at Katmai National Park, Alaska, US
11. Orcas and humpback watching in Alaska, US
12. Exploring Olympic Peninsula, Washington, US
13. Fresh produce shopping in Pike's Market, Seattle, US
14. Coffee in Seattle, US
15. Road trip along the Cascade Loop, Washington, US
16. Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, US
17. Crater Lake, Oregon, US
18. Watching the Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US
19. Mt.Rushmore, South Dakota, US
20. Driving around the Great Lakes, US/Canada
21. Wind-blown in the Windy City, Chicago, US
22. Fall Colors in New England, US
23. Watching the sunrise in Acadia National Park, Maine, US
24. Shopping in style at New York, New York, US
25. Museum hopping in New York, New York, US
26. Catch a Broadway show at New York, New York, US
27. Nightlife in New York, US
28. Liberty Lady, New York, US
29. Empire State building, New York, US
30. New Year’s ball drop, New York, US
31. Follow the Pilgrims, Boston, US
32. Cranberry bogs and turkey dinner, Thanksgiving in Nantucket, US
33. Popping to say hi to the First Family, Washington DC, US
34. Camping out at Rocky Mountains, Colorado, US
35. Arches National Park, Utah, US
36. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, US
37. Trying our luck at Las Vegas, Nevada, US
38. Structural Marvel - Hoover Dam, Nevada, US
39. Lake Tahoe, Nevada/California, US
40. Yosemite National Park, California, US
41. Drive through service through the Red Woods, California, US
42. Road trip from San Francisco to San Diego along the Coast, California, US
43. Death Valley, California, US
44. Grand Canyon, Arizona, US
45. Red rocks at Sedona, Arizona, US
46. Native Indian Arts in New Mexico/Arizona, US
47. Hot air balloon festival at Albuquerque, New Mexico, US
48. Trek along the Rio Grande, Big Bend National Park, Texas, US
49. Romantic Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas, US
50. Eat at Emerill's and enjoy Jazz in New Orleans, Louisiana, US
51. Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, US
52. Road trip along Carolina and Georgia coasts
53. Plantation homes of the South, Georgia
54. Bring out the inner kid at the theme parks of Orlando, Florida, US
55. Beach hopping in Florida, US
56. Relaxing in the Florida Keys
57. Chopper ride over the Hawaii islands, US
58. Lava red and hot, Hawaii, US
59. Blue seas, blue skies all the way at the US Virgin Islands
60. Splashing in the waterfalls in Puerto Rico, US
61. Spanish Colonial architecture, San Juan, Puerto Rico
62. Cruising along the Mexican Rivera, Mexico
63. Copper Canyon train ride, Chihuahua, Mexico
64. Exploring ruins at Mexico City, Mexico
65. Chicken Itza, Mexico
66. Relaxing at the resorts in Cozumel and Cancun, Mexico
67. Inca Ruins in Central America
68. Costa Rica, a mix of seas, forests and spas
69. Cruising through the small Caribbean islands
70. Cave tubing in Belize
71. Ambergris Caye, Belize
72. Sailing through the Panama Canal
73. Enjoying the tropical forests of Panama

South America :

74. Angel Falls, Venezuela
75. Interacting with giant tortoises in Galapagos
76. Penguins in the tropics at Galapagos
77. Standing on the equator at Ecuador
78. Mt.Cotopaxi, the volcanic mountain at Ecuador
79. Trekking up Machu Picchu , Peru
80. Taking in culture and history and Lima
81. Lake Titicaca, Peru
82. Discover the Amazon rain forests, Brazil
83. Copacabana, the world’s most famous beach???, Brazil
84. Experience the Carnival in Rio, Brazil
85. The magnificent Iguassu Falls, Brazil/Argentina
86. Tango in the streets of Buenes Aires, Argentina
87. Leather in Argentina
88. Explore the last frontier of Patagonia, Argentina/Chile
89. Penguin watching in South Georgia Islands, Argentina
90. Check out the moai statues at Easter Islands, Chile
91. The disappearing lake in Chile

Europe:

92. A dip in the hot springs, Reykjavik, Iceland
93. Take in the Fjords of Norway
94. Cross into the Arctic Circle to see the midnight sun at Norway
95. Shiver staying at the Ice Hotel at Jukkasjarvi, Sweden
96. Explore the canals of Stockholm, Sweden
97. Bohemian culture of Stockholm, Sweden
98. Taste an authentic Chicken Tikka Masala, the national food of England at London
99. A high Tea at London
100. Take a ride on the London Eye
101. Watch the changing of the guards, London
102. London Bridge is falling down!
103. Strawberries and Tennis at Wimbledon, England
104. Visit mysterious Stonehenge, England
105. Stratford-upon-Avon
106. Visit romance novels’ famous destinations, Bath and Greta Green, Great Britain
107. Waxing at Madam Tussads, England
108. Set our watches to the Greenwich time
109. Try to catch a sight of Nessie at Loch Ness, Scotland
110. Sip Scotch while enjoying a Bagpiper’s music from a kilted Scotsman
111. The castles of Scotland and Wales
112. Drive along the coast of Ireland
113. Pub-hopping in Ireland
114. Take a train ride through the “Chunnel” from England to France
115. Explore the monuments of Paris, France
116. Relax at a Café on the Champs Elysee, Paris, France
117. Shopping for designer wear in the Paris, France
118. Versailles, France
119. Taste the French wine at Bordeaux, France
120. Take French cooking lessons in France
121. Visit the beaches of the French Riviera
122. History and coastal charm, Normandy, France
123. Catch a Bullfight and Run with the bulls in Pamplona Spain
124. Tapas, tapas and more tapas in Spain
125. Check out the magnificent Cathedral in Barcelona, Spain
126. Tour the beautiful seaside’s of Portugal and Spain
127. Chocoholics on Rampage at Belgium
128. Bike around Holland looking at Windmills
129. Tulips in spring in Holland
130. Berlin Wall, in Berlin, Germany
131. Lindt Chocolate Museum in Koln, Germany
132. The amazing Koln Cathedral, Koln Germany
133. A Rhine valley cruise near Koln, Germany
134. Trek the Black Forest, Germany
135. Drive along the romantic road, Germany
136. Oktoberfest in Munchen, Germany
137. Cuckoo over cuckoo clocks in Bavaria, Germany
138. Christmas markets and nutcrackers in Bavaria, Germany
139. Alpine castles in Bavaria, Germany
140. Speed along the Autobahn, Germany
141. Mercedes and BMW car factories in Germany
142. Visit the little mermaid at Copenhagen, Denmark
143. Drive through the mountains of Austria
144. Check out the classic city of Vienna and catch an opera
145. Indulge our sweet tooth with Swiss Chocolates
146. Bank accounts in Switzerland?
147. Skiing the Alps in Switzerland
148. Say Cheese in Switzerland
149. Right time for a Swiss watch?
150. Gamble in Monte Carlo, Monaco
151. Check out the fashion at Milan, Italy
152. Ride the Gondola in Venice, Italy
153. Visit the St. Peter’s Basilica in Venice, Italy
154. Blow glass in Murano, Venice, italy
155. Visit the monuments of Rome, italy
156. Seek the blessings of the Pope at Vatican
157. Taste Tuscan Olive Oil
158. Have an authentic Italian Pizza
159. Lean on the leaning tower at Pisa
160. Cruise the Danube from Austria to Czech republic
161. History lessons at Prague and other eastern European cities
162. Magnificent monuments of Athens, Greece
163. Island hop Greece
164. White homes with blue roofs at Greece
165. Sunset at Mykonos, Greece
166. Stomp grapes at Mykonos, Greece
167. Hunt for Onion Domes in Russia
168. Take in the Kremlin square at Moscow, Russia
169. Cruise the Volga from Moscow to St.Petersburg, Russia
170. Caspian sea!
171. Faberge eggs in Russia
172. Hunt for the Siberian white tiger
173. Taste the Turkish Coffee in Istanbul, Turkey
174. Sounds and Sights of Istanbul, Turkey
175. Kabobs and more, Istanbul
176. Explore the Mediterranean coast of Turkey

Africa:

177. Spices of Morocco
178. Architecture in Casablanca, Morocco
179. Exploring the city of Fez
180. Look over the strait of Gibraltar, Morocco
181. Experience the heat and dryness of the Great Sahara Desert
182. Nile valley, Egypt
183. The great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
184. The Sphinx
185. Watch the great migration of the wildebeest, Serengeti-Mara, Kenya/Tanzania
186. Safari for wildlife sighting through Kruger National Park, South Africa
187. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe/ Zambia
188. The Great Namib Desert, Namibia
189. Watch the Springbok, South Africa
190. Lemur play, Madagascar
191. Mt. Kilimanjaro
192. Search for the gal’s best friend, diamonds
193. Trip along the KwaZulu Natal’s Elephant Coast
194. Kalahari for nature at its best
195. Drive along Tsitsikamma, South Africa

Asia:

196. Gobi Desert, Mongolia
197. Conquer the Great wall of China
198. Rice fields of China
199. Getting lost in Shangai
200. Food adventures in China
201. Three Rivers Gorge dam, China
202. Forbidden City of Lhasa, China
203. Stroll through the now modern Beijing
204. Bubble Tea and Tofu in China
205. Drink yak’s milk in Tibet
206. Buddhist monks and customs, Tibet
207. Folk khamba customs, Tibet
208. Mt. Qomolangma, Tibet
209. Yarlung Zangbo River Great Canyon, Tibet
210. Pagodas and their beauty
211. Religious trek and trip to Mount Kailash and Manasarovar, Tibet
212. Heights at Mt.Everest, Nepal
213. The hidden country of Bhutan
214. Shop till you drop in Hong Kong
215. Check out the Pandas in China
216. Up Mt. Fiji, Japan
217. The gardens of Japan
218. Sumo wrestling, Japan
219. Shopping for electronics, Japan
220. Palaces and monasteries, Japan
221. Kabuki, No, Bunraku stage art of Japan
222. Sushi n tempura, Japan
223. Shopping festival, Dubai
224. Stay at the Burj, Dubai
225. Dead Sea, Israel
226. Palestine, Israel
227. Awe at the beauty of Lebanon
228. Petra, Jordon
229. The ancient port of Constantinople, Turkey
230. House boat on Dal Lake
231. Take in the beauty of Jammu Kashmir
232. Amarnath Yatra
233. Apple Orchards in Shimla
234. Le Corbusier’s planned city of Chandigarh
235. Golden Temple, Amristar
236. The Indo-Pak border
237. Palaces of Rajasthan
238. Pink City, Jaipur
239. Jewelry from India
240. Mt.Abu the hillstation
241. Tribal life in Rajasthan
242. Dhabha food in North India
243. Pushkar Camel Festival
244. Palace on Wheels journey
245. Monuments of old Delhi
246. Bargaining the way through Chandi Chowk
247. Wah! Taj!, Agra
248. Agra fort, a beauty of its own
249. Marvels of Mughal Architecture, Ferozabad
250. Dip in the Ganges at Haridwar and Rishikesh
251. Lucknow Chickan work clothes
252. Religious frenzy at Varanasi
253. Tea in Darjeeling
254. Road trip through the North Eastern states of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, Mehalaya
255. Bihu dance, Mizoram
256. Get wet at Cherapunji
257. Rhizo track in Kaziranga
258. Rasagullas in Kolkotta
259. Mangroves of Sundabans and on the lookout for the tigers
260. Victoria Memorial, Calcutta
261. Howrah bridge , Calcutta
262. Shanti Nikethan, West Bengal
263. Khajraho temples, Madhya Pradesh
264. Sanchi Stupa, Ranchi
265. Gateway of India, Bombay
266. Shop, shop, shop, Bombay
267. Elephanta Caves, Bombay
268. Chaat in the streets, Bombay
269. Ajanta, Ellora Caves, Maharastra,
270. Navaratri Raas in Gujarat
271. Sarees in Surat
272. Gandhi’s birthplace, Phorbandar, Gujarat
273. Kite Festival, Gujarat
274. Watch the last of the Asiatic lions at the Gir forest, Gujarat
275. Chiki at Lonanawala
276. Jaganath Temple, Puri
277. Konark Sun Temple
278. Handicrafts from Pipili, Orissa
279. Beaches along the coast of Orissa
280. Hi-Tech city of Hyderabad
281. Charming Charminar
282. Bangle Shopping in Hyderabad
283. Buddha on the lake, Hyderabad
284. Govinda, Govinda at Thriupati
285. Lal baugh and Cubbn park, Bangalore
286. Ulsoor Lake, Bangalore
287. Electronics City, Bangalore
288. Vishweshvarya Museums, Bangalore
289. Dasara at the palace, Mysore
290. Bird watching at Rangatitu, Mysore
291. Brindhavan Gardens, Mysore
292. Trekking along the Western Ghats
293. Birth place of the River Kaveri
294. Coorg coffee estates
295. Kashmir of the South, Karwar
296. Pristine beaches on the Konkan Coast
297. Ruins of Vijayanagar at Hampi
298. Temples of Belur and Halebid
299. Gomateshwara Statue,
300. Jog Falls, Karnataka
301. Miles of beaches in Goa
302. Portuguese architecture in Goa
303. Munnar, Kerala
304. Ayurvedic spas and pampering, Kerala
305. House boating in Kumarkom
306. Tree houses in Wayanad
307. Sunsets in Kochi
308. Chinese fishing nets in Kochi
309. The palaces in Trivandrum, Kerala
310. Poovar Islands, kerala
311. Sailing to Lakshadweep Islands
312. Thekkady, Kerala/Tamil Nadu
313. Wind energy wanes along Kayatrau
314. Confluence of three seas at Kanniyakumari
315. Sunrise and sunsets at Kanniyakumari
316. A visit to Thiruvaluvar statue and Vivekananda Rock
317. Waterfalls in Courtrallam
318. Temple hopping in Madurai
319. Madurai malli poo
320. Pearls and Corals at Tuticorin
321. Hill stations of Tamil Nadu, Ooty, Kodaikanal and Yercuard
322. Through the Mudumalai forests
323. The longest temple corridor, Rameshwaram
324. The sunken city of Dhanskodi
325. Kanchiveram pattu
326. The fertile Cavery delta
327. Our favorite Bhrihadeshwara temple
328. Road trip along Trichy, Thanjavur, Chidambaram stopping at off-beat small temples
329. Navagraha temple RV trip
330. Thanjavur filter coffee
331. Chettiyar architecture at Kararikudi
332. Mangroves in Pichavaram
333. Metropolis of Chennai
334. Shopping in Chennai
335. Marina Beach, polluted yet famous
336. Another era at Mahabalipuram
337. Dance festival at Mahabalipuram
338. The ashram at Pondicherry
339. French culture and architecture in Pondicherry
340. Sun and fun at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
341. History lessons at Andaman and Nicobar
342. Tribal culture at Andaman and Nicobar
343. Island hopping in Indonesia
344. Baliese Culture, Indonesia
345. Forests of Indonesia
346. Shopping in Singapore
347. Dare we try the Durain fruit?
348. Street foods of Singapore
349. Thai food!
350. Learn cooking Thai food, Thailand
351. Phuket Beaches
352. Spas and pampering in Thailand
353. Following the Indian culture in Thailand
354. Phimai Historic Park, Thailand
355. Forests and nature pristine and pure, Thailand
356. Khon dancing, Thailand
357. Palaces of Thailand
358. Phanom Rung Historic Park, Thailand
359. Khmer dance, music and artifacts, Cambodia
360. Strolling through Angkor Wat, Cambodia
361. Vietnamese hats and rice fields, Vietnam
362. The rich lands of Brunei
363. Island Hopping in Philippines
364. Beaches and more, Philippines
365. Calauit Island with exotic wildlife, Philippines
366. Tubbataha Reef, Philippines
367. Orchids, Orchids and more Orchids, Philippines
368. Ifugao Rice terraces, Philippines
369. St. Paul Subterrean park, Philippines
370. In isolation at Palau
371. Taipei, Taiwan
372. Elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka
373. Sea and beauty at Sri Lanka
374. The Buddha of Kandy, Sri Lanka
375. Adams Peak, Sri Lanka
376. Coconut cooking of Sri Lanka
377. Beauty of Maldives

Australia:

378. The great outback, Australia
379. Climb the Uluru or Ayer's Rock, Australia
380. The Great Barrier reef, Australia
381. Make merry in the beaches of Gold Coast, Australia
382. Untouched rainforests of Queensland
383. The Sydney opera house, Sydney, Australia
384. Koala Bears and Kangaroos, Australia
385. The Aboriginal culture, Australia
386. Tasmanian devil sighting in Tasmania, Australia
387. A trip to Perth, one of the most isolated cities in the world
388. Visit a Maori village, New Zealand
389. Visit the Fjord land National Park, New Zealand
390. Climb down into the subterranean caverns in New Zealand
391. Visit a Sheep farm, New Zealand
392. Do the speedboat adventure in New Zealand
393. Watch others Bungee jump in New Zealand
394. Look for Kiwis in New Zealand
395. With the seals at Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand
396. Kaikoura for marine life, New Zealand
397. White Island, the active volcano, New Zealand
398. Check out the islands of Fiji and Samoa in the south pacific
399. She sells, sea shells at Scheycells
400. Dare we say Antarctica?

Road trip - 2 - THE PLAN

2007-09-26T08:50:00.000-05:00

If there is one thing we both enjoy doing together on a vacation, it is to explore amazing sights, nature awes us. Give us the trees, the mountains, the rivers and anything else we'll take it. We love the mysteries nature offers. And this time we are off to the East Coast of US to explore some amazing sights and a bit history thrown in.

There is bound to be a crispness in the air (should I say cold compared to the 95+ Houston temps?), leaves changing colors, hues of yellow and red, apples and cranberries and pumpkins and corns symbolizing fall. We are waiting for it!

Duration : 4 nights and 4 days

Location : New England, US covering the states of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine

Travelers: V and R

Mode of transport : Continental Airlines flight to Boston and then a Enterprise car rental

The plan:

Fly into Boston late Friday night, check out the sights of Boston and then head out for our road trip. We plan to drive along the historic towns and head to Cape Cod. And then drive from there to Vermont. And then via New Hampshire to the Southern coasts of Maine. From where we plan to get back to Boston.

We do have some timings planned out but we are just going to take things as it comes.

The major idea of this trip is to take in the back-roads showcasing the best Fall colors. And that is bound to be the best part of the trip. Colors and more colors. We do plan to break for nights at quaint bed and breakfasts along the way.

Seaside charm, historic towns, mountains and gorges, lakes and farms. Seems to be the perfect vacation plan!

We are planning to have fun and we hope we to update this blog as we are on road atleast this time.

Ha! There you go, our scary-on now includes a laptop and all the assorted accessories it comes with.

Look for your updates from the road starting October 12th.

Roadtrip - 2

2007-09-18T15:19:00.000-05:00

Plans for the next road trip are on!

A season for change, a season to say bye to the old and embrace the new, a season for celebrations, a season for color, and a place that offers all of it!

New England here we come!

Leaf-peeping, photos, off-the-beaten path and everything we want it to be....

More about the trip in a couple of weeks!

Day Four - Roadtrip 1

2007-09-09T19:55:00.000-05:00

The end of the trip! We woke up to a foggy and rainy last day. The famed Seattle weather! We really did not have time to linger around, a few photos of the foggy seas and sea birds we were off. It was a good 100 mile drive to Seattle along with the rush hour traffic, construction and the persistent drizzle. We made it in good time for our mid-day flight to Houston.

Houston's famed thunderstorms resulted in some flight delays but we were home in good time with amazing memories and great pictures. And that was our Seattle road trip!

Read all our trip here

The plan
Day Zero
Day One
Day Two
Day Three

Day Three - Roadtrip 1

2007-09-08T16:44:00.001-05:00

We rise with the birds and it was the same on day 3 of our trip. We headed out early to check out the island bathing in the morning light. The weather was chilly and air clear. Our first stop was at the Deception Pass State Park, probably the most photographed place in the island. It is a sight to take in, pristine waters, tall trees and the hanging bridge.

The famous Deception pass bridge that connects Fidalgo and Whidbey islands

As we drove around the island, we realized that most of the island is mountainous and the vegetation is far from the tropical beachy island types. The coniferous and ferns doted the area making it feel like those summer destinations of Ooty and Kodaikanal which we used to frequent as kids.

We were back at the Heron House for breakfast and the it was a view to take in. Its located along the western side of the island and is on the water. The foggy water with herons, gulls, ducks, loons and geese dotting the water, it was just awesome. A wonderful breakfast and we were off.

Early morning view from our Bed and Breakfast

Our plan for the day, was to head to the Olympic Peninsula and take in as much as we can. It was a big plan as the only way to reach the Olympic Peninsula was by means of the ferry. A good 60 minute drive along the Fidalogo and Whidbey Islands to Keystone for the ferry, 30 minutes on the ferry, another 1 1/2 hours drive to reach Port Angeles - the closest town to the Olympic National Park and back by nightfall to Heron House.

The drive along the islands to Keystone starts along the western coast of the Fidalgo island and then crosses over the Deception pass bridge into the Whidbey island as we head south on Hwy 20. Whidbey island in contrast to the Fidalgo island is considerably flatter, with a more rolling terrain and agrarian land. The main town on this island, Oak Harbor seems more like a regular suburban town than the touristy Anacortes. After an hour long drive, we finally arrived at the Ferry station. A short wait later, the ferry arrives and we are loaded in. Parking the car, we climbed up to the passenger deck to take in the views of the strait as ferry pulled away.

Climbing aboard the ferry to the Olympic peninsula

In about half an hour, we had reached Port Townsend on the Olympic peninsula and were quickly back on the road towards Port Angeles. The nearly 50 mile drive took about an hour and a half due to the twisting and turning road. The strait runs on one side of the road, and the lush hills adorn the other side all along. There are numerous lavender farms and wildlife viewing areas along the way, but we kept going as time was limited this trip. At Port Angeles, we turn towards the mountains and get on the road to Hurricane Ridge.

The Olympic National forest is known for it interesting mix of ecosystems, with rainforests, beaches and high mountains thrown in. Our first destination was the mountains. Climbing the road to hurricane ridge, we first pass through miles of lush forest and as we ascend, the vegetation changes to conifers and lush grassland with a lot of wildflowers.

Conifers and grassland on the climb to Hurrican Ridge

As we reach the top, at about 5500 ft above seal level, the fog was thick, visibility was really short and the brisk wind is chilly. Shortly, however the fog lifts ever so slightly to reveal a beautiful vista of meadows and peaks. On a clear day, we should be able to spot Mt. Rainier, but the fog is thick enough to deny us that sight.

The fog rises ever so slightly to reveal beautiful meadows and peaks

A few photographs and a hot cocoa at the Hurricane ridge visitor center later, we are back on our way down. Back at Port Angeles, we grab a quick lunch and decide that we need to head back to Port Townsend to catch a timely ferry back to Anacortes. We missed the rain forests and famed beaches of the Olympic Peninsula but there is always the next time. We make it in good time for the ferry and trace our way back to our B&B. This is when the realization strikes that the trip is coming to an end and we are to fly back to Houston the next day!

A relaxing dinner and packing of our suitcases we were all set for the next day.

Day 3 ends and H-town here we come!

Day Two - Roadtrip1

2007-09-07T19:21:00.000-05:00

Waking up on day 2, we were refreshed and raring to continue on our way around the Cascade Loop. But first, there was breakfast. After devouring the fresh breakfast served by our hostess, we spent some time photographing from the porch and then we were off.

The plan for the day was to reach Anacortes by nightfall, stopping along the way at the many quaint towns and scenic viewpoints that dot the loop. The first thing we noticed was the landscape had changed dramatically from the first day. The mountains were as massive as behind us, but now apparently on the leeward side, the land was noticeably drier and pines had given way to shrubs. The stream still flowed by the roadside and it was contrasting to note the flowing water on one side and dry land on the other. Our first stop was barely 20 minutes from Leavenworth. The small town of Cashmere is apparently named after Kashmir, due to its beauty! The town is known for its special candy made from apples and apricots, called applets and cotlets. Driving around, the town felt like it was from a wild west movie.

Cashmere, WA - the apple town. Notice the dry mountains in the picture below. We were in the leeward side now. The River Wentachee flows along.
It joins the River Columbia at Wentachee, a few miles from Cashmere.

Our next stop was at the town of Wenatchee, specifically the famed Ohme gardens. This private garden has a beautiful landscaped and paved area with many small pools and awesome views all around. It is filled with conifers and it stood out in the dry scrub landscape all around it.

Ohme gardens, rugged landscape turned green

Leaving Wenatchee we took Hwy Alt-97 towards Lake Chelan. There are so many scenic vistas on the way, with the Columbia river flowing by the roadside. The Columbia is a massive river and it flows all the way into the Pacific Ocean near Portland, Or. We saw a couple of dams to harness the river and the large reservoirs they formed were the hub of water sports and activities.

Views along the road, dry mountains and dammed water.

We arrived at the town of Chelan, on the southern tip of Lake Chelan just in time for lunch. After a quick bite at a Thai/Italian(!!) restaurant, we took a walk by the waterside. Lake Chelan is a huge lake actually the third deepest one in the US and the town itself is similar to any typical American town on the lake. It thrives on touristy activities like water sports and rentals, waterfront shops and restaurants.

Lake Chelan

The drive from Chelan to the North Cascades National Forest is dotted with small cowboy towns like Pateros, Methow, Twisp, Winthrop and Mazama and along the way, we got on Hwy 20 West. Upon crossing Mazama, we entered the 70 mile stretch of the North Cascade national forest. This is a gorgeous stretch as the landscape changes to magnificent peaks with ice at the top and coniferous vegetation start to appear. Along the way are two glacial lakes, Ross Lake and Diablo Lake. The distinctive color of each lake (Ross is teal, Diablo is jade) is caused by finely ground rock dust suspended in the water and reflecting the green of the forest and the blue of the sky. Beyond the lakes, the road descends fast, and there are a couple of waterfalls as we head out of the national forest. There are numerous hiking trails and if you have sometime hit the trails.

The Cascades. Amazing views and a wonderful drive

The Diablo Lake with its amazing jade color.

The teal colored Ross Lake

Outside the national forest, it was more rural landscape that we sped through to reach our destination. The landscape had quickly changed to flat land and we crossed the bridge into Fidalgo island where Anacortes is situated. Islands always remind you flat lands with pretty beaches all around and palm trees swaying but Anacortes is not the flat beach side we expected. Ups and downs, narrow roads, mountains on one side, sea on the other, it was a sight! We quickly found our destination, Heron House Guest Suites and checked in. Too tired to do anything else, we hit the sack.

And that was day 2.

Day One - Roadtrip 1

2007-09-06T05:57:00.000-05:00

Day One of our trip was something unlike the typical rainy days Seattle is know for. It was bright, sunny and wonderful outside. It was a photographer's dream day with clear skies and bright light. Our hosts gave us a whirlwind tour of Seattle's best spots to enjoy times together and capture memories. We first headed out for a walk along the Olympic Sculpture Park. The ambiance and the art were an added bonus to the spectacular downtown and bay views.

A view of the Elliot's bay from the Olympic Sculptures Park

Kerry Park was our next destination. It is a photographer's spot, with views of the city and the bay and Mt.Rainier as a backdrop it is picture perfect. Mt.Rainier was not really clear but it still was a good place to sit, soak up the sun and enjoy those rare moments we get to spend with friends.

A view from Kerry's Park, can you make out Mt. Rainier at a distance?

Our final destination was Seattle's very own Pike Place Market.The energy of this place is amazing. The colors, the exotic scents, the blooms are a sight by itself. It was just a cleaner version of the Indian markets and you need to be there to experience it. Since we were on a trip we really could not shop there and a few pictures later we were off. A laid back lunch and it was time for us to get on the road.

Sights from Pike Market, fresh produce (above) and colorful chili strands (below)

Our plan was to reach Leavenworth by nightfall. And along the way stop at anything that catches our eye. We headed out of Seattle on WA-522 and hit the Stevens Pass Highway/US-2 at Monroe. Nothing spectacular to write about the drive and Monroe was just another town. We stocked up on good eats and water at the local Fred Meyers and headed on towards parts unknown.

Our drive lead us through the small towns of Sultan, Gold Bar, Index and Coles Corner, these towns are small and I mean really small. But the views are amazing. Green rolling fields, evergreens, winding roads, mountains in the horizon, in short picture perfect.

A roadside park pullout point near Goldbar

We made a few interesting stops in this area, one at a state salmon hatchery and another at the Wallace Falls Park. We did trek for an hour but as we had to reach Leavenworth before dark, we cut short our hike and were back on the road.

Sights as we trekked in Wallace Falls State Park

The golden rule about roadtrips is to pullout as often as possible and this highway has amazing view points and pull out points all through. Just off the highway is the amazing deception falls and it is worth stopping there.

The deception falls, right off the highway. Amazing

Highway 2 to Leavenworth passes along the regions that offer some of the best outdoor activities. The slopes are famed ski areas and the ofcourse you can do anything from rock climbing to rafting rapids in the area.

Somewhere along the drive, River Wentachee flowing along the highway

And our final destination for the day, Leavenworth, a slice of Germany in the US. It is a reproduction of a small Bavarian town. It is quaint, cute and pretty. But as we have already visited Bavaria and enjoyed the Bavarian hospitality, this kind of felt flaky and over-the-top. But ofcourse it is one of the most romantic towns and is real nice place. It sits 8000feet above sea level and is surrounded by orchards of pears and apples. It is a fruit lovers haven.

We spent the night at the amazing Cottonwood Shores B&B, just a few miles out of Leavenworth and on the banks of the River Wenatachee. If you are ever in the area you should stay there. Absolutely stunning views, wonderful rooms and exceptionally friendly hosts. The hot tub is just another bonus.

And that was day 1!

Day Zero - roadtrip 1

2007-09-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

Traveling from Houston to our base Seattle, WA is a journey in itself. A four hour flight on the Friday before Labor Day means, long lines and confusion all around. We were lucky, we really did not have any major hitches and as we approached Seattle, the views were spectacular. There was light for us to make out Mt.Rainer and enjoy its majestic glory before we got off the clouds.

Once in Seattle-Tacoma airport, confusion prevailed. There were delays with the baggage, long lines at the Hertz rental, all attributed to the long weekend. It was dark by the time we hit the roads on our rental Chevy Cobalt. In the darkness, the sights of Seattle was similar to any city in US, construction all around on the freeways, a few cranes doting the downtown skyline, the usual. But Seattle had a lot more ups and downs than flat Houston, making the drive a good one.

We spent the night with friends and it was a fun time. Good food, better company, late night talks and that in short is life.

This was Day Zero of our trip!

We are back!

2007-09-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

We are back from our road trip!
500 odd photos, wonderful memories, good food, better company! It is a pity vacations have to end.
The details of the trip will be up soon..

Checking in from Anacortes

2007-09-03T10:58:00.000-05:00

We have not been able to update regularly from the road because of the lack of wi-fi and general laziness and tiredness. The updates will soon follow!

Road trip -1a

2007-08-29T19:31:00.001-05:00

We are off-the beaten path people and we love nature and anything worth a click! And we are heading out to the Pacific Northwestern part of the USA this weekend. Pacific Northwestern part of the US includes the states of Oregon and Washington. This area is one of the most diverse regions you can set foot on, towering mountain ranges, amazing rain forests, beaches, swamps, skiing, farming, spas, wineries, coffee shops, Boeing factory and software industries.. water and mountains an amazing combination! A treat for our eyes and our lenses and am sure we'll bring back memories and pictures to last forever.

Duration : 4 nights and 4 days

Location : Pacific Northwest - Washington State, US

Travelers: V and R

Mode of transport : Continental Airlines flight to Seattle and then a Hertz compact car rental

The plan:

Fly into Seattle, visit friends and then head out for our road trip. We plan to drive the 440-mile cascade loop covering some of the best scenic places Washington State has to offer. A road trip offers us the opportunity to takes things at our own pace and spend time doing what we enjoy the most clicking photos and admiring views. We do have some timings planned out but we are just going to take things as it comes.

The major places we plan to visit include the parts of the North Cascade National Park, parts of the San Juan Islands, parts of the Olympic National Park.

The best part is that this region is filled with spectacular waterfalls, diverse climates, and quaint towns with homely bed and breakfasts, spectacular wildlife. We are planning to have fun and we hope we to update this blog as we are on road. Ha! There you go, our scary-on now includes a laptop and all the assorted accessories it comes with.

Look for your updates from the road starting September 1st.

Welcome

2007-08-29T19:04:00.001-05:00

Welcome to scary-on! The travel tales of V and R. Our travels always include good food, nature, wildlife and amazing architecture! We are both nature lovers and our list of places to see is long and never ending! And the worst part of travel? the luggage! fitting in the necessary stuff within the baggage limits and managing the huge carry-on backpack which is our scary-on containing R's camera stuff. Armed with a tripod, assorted lens and camera stuff, filter, polarizers, maps, print-out, guidebooks, reservations, binoculars, handbags, good eats and anything you can dream of we are ready to explore the world. Jump in to check our travel tales through the world. See the world through our eyes and our lenses!

Bon Voyage!