Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate HillsOne of the major attractions in Bohol, Philippines is the Chocolate Hills. The Chocolate Hills is composed of 1,268 cone-shaped hills, covered by green grass which will then turn brown during dry season. Because of its uniqueness, these cone-shaped hills are famous in the tourism industry worldwide. These are not man made compared to the pyramids in Egypt. Chocolate Hills exists over thousands of years already. There are several debates, proposals or explanations regarding its origin which are (I think) just hypothesis. But nobody can accurately tell its origin!

Today, Chocolate Hills in Bohol has been proclaimed as Philippine’s 3rd National Geographic Monument. It is also being recommended to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Monastery of Transfiguration

Monastery of TransfigurationThe Monastery of Transfiguration is one of the reasons why tourism in Bukidnon is booming. As you enter the Monastery of Transfiguration in Malaybalay City Bukidnon, you will be welcome with this greeting; “Peace to all who enter”. The place is so quiet and calm with fresh air in every surroundings. The monastery is indeed an ideal place spiritual activity such as retreats and recollections.

The monastery was established by the monks, in which they vowed to follow St. Benedict’s Rule of living a thoughtful life in the mission for GOD. In the community, they observe traditional honorarium consists of spiritual reading, prayers and manual labor.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Join us on the Hoysala trail


Arun and I have been planning for ages to get into the travel space. And we finally did over coffee one afternoon when we realized that we both had the same interest. Both of us were fascinated by the Hoysalas and the Malenadu region and after days of pouring over history books and a century old ASI documents we launched our first tour - The Lesser Known Hoysala temples. We also added a coffee trail and a birding trip to the heritage tour and lo, we became tour guides as well.


We had a trial run last month with friends who gave us a lot of motivation and now we are back again. This time, we would like to invite you to join us. The trip would cover temples off the tourist track, go to the ancient town of Dwarasamudra and its ruins, the temple called Velapuri also called Belur on the banks of the River Yagachi. We promise that it will not be a history class, but will present you with some colourful details of the lives of the kings and queens as well..:)

We look forward to having you with us.Do join us and you can mail me at lakshmi.sharath@gmail.com or arun at arunchs@yahoo.com for any information. The details are in the brochure.(Pls click on it to see it in full)

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Square Watermelon in Japan


Citrullus lanatus, a scientific name for watermelon. Melons are refreshing and most delicious fruit I loved. It is rich with many nutrients which is good for the health. Normally a watermelon’s shape is circle, which becomes a common problem in storing inside the refrigerator because it rolls. But, have you seen a square watermelon here in the Philippines? In foreign countries, square watermelon exists. Square watermelons are developed at Zentsuji Southern Japan. It is sold for about 10,000 yen or $82 that only the rich can afford to buy. Japan’s regular watermelon costs only $15 - $25 each.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Island Garden City of Samal

Island Garden City of SamalPlanning for a perfect getaway? Then Samal Island is the ideal place to spend a vacation. IGaCoS or “Island Garden City of Samal” is a province of Davao del Norte, Philippines. One of the major attractions in Samal Island is its white sandy beaches which makes perfect for some swimming adventure with friends, love ones or family. Smell the breeze of fresh air while having some picnic near the beach. Among of the other activities you can do while at the Island are:
  • Island Hopping
  • Jetski Ride, Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
  • Visit the sanctuaries of Dugong and Pawikan
  • Hiking and Camping
  • Explore its waterfalls such as Tambang Falls, Hagimit Falls and Ligid Island

Friday, June 19, 2009

A speck in the horizon..


I was in Sindhudurg on the Konkan coastline last week when the dramatic skies above the Arabian Sea changed from a bright blue to gold to rosy pink to grey and black. We spent every day at a different beach, but this picture of the Tarkarli Beach stands out in my mind. It may not enter a picture post card contest, but it gave me a perspective of life..how insignificant and small we human beings are when compared to nature. It reminds of the last two lines of Keats'(my all time fav poet) sonnet, " When I have fears that I may cease to be " ..

...then on the Shore
Of the wide world I stand alone and think
Till Love and Fame to Nothingness do sink.."

What does it remind you of ?

For more wonderful skies around the world, click here

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Sandugo Festival

Sandugo MonumentThe SANDUGO (blood compact) between Miguel López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna marked a significant historic event in the Philippines. They performed the Sandugo last March16, 1565 wherein they made a small cut in their left arm. Their blood was then mixed into wine and they drunk the mixture to seal the friendship between the natives and the Spaniards. The blood compact was believed to be as the “First International Treaty of Friendship” among two parties coming from different nationality, culture and religion. This historical event took place at Bool Coast, a district of Tagbiliran City Bohol.

Today Sandugo has been part of the tourism industry in Bohol. In fact, there is an annual festivity being celebrated in order to commemorate the historical blood compact which is called as “The Sandugo Festival

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Sindhudurg - a refreshing trip


I finally satisfied my wanderlust for a new destination. Sindhudurg it was last week on the Konkan coast on the Maharashtra-Goa border. Before I take you to the sights and sounds of Sindhudurg, I had my heart fill of sharbats , vada pavs , misal pavs, kandha(onion)bhajji..The sharbats (juices-refer to the first picture)are the most refreshing,especially the kokum .Im still salivating..

Top 10 Best Beach Parties in Europe!

The Summer Season just started! Don't miss the party vibes!

The best party places list (suggested by UK Times):

1. Turkbuku Turkey

It’s small, not too well known, not too busy, but boy, it’s glam. In other words, hurry to Turkbuku before it becomes too St Tropez for its own good.

The little fishing village on the north coast of the Bodrum peninsula is like a mini St Trop: yachts in the harbour, white-clad waiting staff in the bars and an abundance of beautiful people to pretend you’re not watching. (Uma Thurman is a fan.)

Head to Mio beach, where the Na Na beach club looks as if it’s been recently transplanted straight from Miami, and bag a day bed overlooking the rugged coastline and the Black Sea. If that’s getting busy, try Maki beach bar (makihotel.com.tr), which is a touch more sophisticated, with dining tables practically on the water and a snack bar that doesn’t open until midnight, ideal for those all-nighters.



2. Rimini Italy

If you’re the sort who struggles to be satisfied with just the one bar in your bar, you’ll appreciate the effort Turquoise (turquoisebeachclub.com) has taken to provide three. The main one is raised and circular, with the DJ booth in the middle, like the sweet strawberry jam in a Jammie Dodger.

It’s not all about posing here at the largest beach club in Italy, though — actually, it might be all about posing, as there’s also a designated pre-disco gym where you can hone the guns before the evening’s showdown. Elsewhere, you’ll find stacks of sun loungers, a restaurant with candle-lit private rooms and — get this — digital fingerprint payment systems, so you can make like James Bond and swipe your pawprint, rather than having to carry all that uncouth cash around.




3. Playa d’en Bossa Ibiza

Finding a beach party in Ibiza should be like looking for hay in a haystack, but the crackdown on music licences and opening hours means you have to work a bit harder for your fun these days. Playa d’en Bossa, the beach resort that is home to the world’s most famous nightclub, Space, is still the place to go. Further up the beach from Bora Bora beach club — which is still just as bonkers as ever — are a bunch of new bars that are a touch more refined. If you’ve had enough of the attitude of the staff at the Blue Marlin in Cala Jondal, try the brand-new but already popular Sands (sandsibiza.com), owned by Jason Bull, who runs Es Vive hotel and the Base bar, in Ibiza town, or Ushuaia (ushuaiaibiza.com), with its minimalist decor, decent food and smiley bartenders (gasp).



4. Bloemendaal aan Zee Holland

If you feel the need to clear the head while in Amsterdam, there are two good-sized beach resorts less than half an hour outside the Dutch capital where you can get a lug of sea air. Zandvoort is the largest, but it’s Bloemendaal aan Zee that wins the style points, with its mix of beach bars, restaurants and clubs done out with palms, buddhas and sofas, where you can be as lively or laidback as you please. Bloomingdale (bloomingdaleaanzee.com) is a good place to start, with a wooden pavilion/lounge vibe, before heading to Republiek (republiekbloemendaal.nl) for a more boisterous atmosphere.



5. Hossegor France

Just up the road from snooty Biarritz lies Hossegor, a town created for tourism in 1900 that has become one of Europe’s premier surf spots. As a year-round magnet for surfers, it follows that Hossegor has a reputation for enjoying a party or two.

The action revolves around Dick’s Sand Bar (dicks-sand-bar.com), but not until gone 10. There are clubs in town, but those in the know take the shuttle bus to Le Safari, in Seignosse, five miles up the coast.



6. Portixol Mallorca

Over the past three years, this little port district, a few minutes from the centre of Palma, has had a hell of a makeover. A new promenade means that long-limbed, tanned specimens have a prime Rollerblading circuit, and bars have popped up to keep them lubricated. New this year is the Nassau beach club (nassaubeachclub.com) — which also has a branch in Playa d’en Bossa, on Ibiza. It has an excellent menu and a monster cocktail list, to be enjoyed on a beach bed overlooking the ocean and the cathedral. The partying kicks off in the afternoon, with blissful deep house keeping things suitably sexy.




7. Croyde, Devon

By day, Croyde is a chocolate box, with thatched cottages, swaying hollyhocks and a babbling brook flowing down St Mary’s Road. Then, as the sun goes down, the surfers come ashore and the party starts. Ground zero is The Thatch, the village pub joined, via its beer garden, to the even rowdier Billy Budds, rammed to the rafters with sunburnt revellers living the dream. The truth is that Croyde’s waves are rather lame in the summer, attracting enthusiastic beginners rather than serious watermen, but the party scene, spilling out of the pubs, pausing for the weekly reggae sessions in the Church Hall before drifting back down to the beach, makes up for it.



8. La Malvarrossa, Spain

How this fun-loving city of nocturnal party animals — its mascot is the bat — functions as a regional capital when nobody goes out before midnight or to bed before eight is a mystery, but it’s a lot of fun. The beach scene centres on La Malvarrosa, where there’s an outpost of Café del Mar for evening action and daytime recovery.

By the early hours you might check out Eugenia Viñes street, where at least half a dozen clubs — Monocle is our favourite — vie for your attention, but the best action is on the beach, where groups of locals bring beats and booze to establish their own little dance clubs.



9. Tylosand, Sweden

Tylosand, a village near Halmstad on Sweden’s west coast, has a growing beach party scene. Head to the Hotel Tylosand, on the beach, where you can spa yourself serene in the morning before livening up again in the afternoon. In fact, they take the livening pretty seriously here — the après-beach party starts just after lunch.

Speaking of which, if you’re feeling peckish, a few minutes’ stroll away is the barbecue buffet at Punch, where you can tuck into a vast collection of ribs, salmon, prawns and salads. If you think you’ve overdone it on the cocktails, and are suddenly seeing twin hunks everywhere, relax. Freddie Ljungberg, the former Arsenal and Sweden midfielder, and part-time pants model, is a regular: his brother, Filip, works there.



10. Llangennith, Wales

The three miles of golden sands, backed by a maze of dunes and framed by the intriguing Burry Holms Island to the north and the jutting outcrop of the Worm’s Head to the south, are all very well, but it’s the gentle, consistent beach break that brings the crowds to this magnificent beach at the business end of the Gower peninsula.

There’s a special vibe to Llangennith, where sessions in the Kings Head, the village’s only pub, are continued long into the summer nights around campfires in the dunes, where on a full moon naked surfers have been spotted.





CREDITS - UK TIMES

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Sunset

Sunset is also referred to as ‘sundown’. Usually sunset’s color is more vibrant compared to the sunrise. The shades of its orange and red colors would really catch everyone’s attention. This is mainly the reason why people love to take photos during sunset. Sunset is best experience near the beach; you’ll truly see and admire its beauty surrounded with various shapes of the clouds.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Statue of the Divine Mercy

The Divine Mercy statueThe Divine Mercy statue

September 8, 2008 ,the blessing of The Divine Mercy statue at El Salvador City Misamis Oriental was conducted. The statue is about 50-foot and it is the tallest statue of Divine Mercy in the world. Miracles of healing are consistently being experience at The Divine Mercy Hills as HIS presence is mysteriously felt by many. The Divine Mercy Hills was discovered and developed last 2003. Since then, a lot of visitors coming from different provinces in the Philippines including foreigners are keep on going back to the place especially those who are having some problems dealing with health. Along with the event was the celebration of Mama Mary’s birthday and the statue’s formal turnover to the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro City.

If we just believe in HIM and our faith remains so firm, then everything is possible!

Monday, June 8, 2009

On the road again

I am travelling again and this time I am exploring a new destination in India. They say this district has forts, beaches, forests , mango orchards, old temples and also promotes rustic tourism.Whats more , its very close to a destination which is almost everybody's favorite..any guesses ?

While you are at it, this is one of my favourite pictures from the Hoysala trip . A Kalyani called Hulekere which is in Dwarasamudra, the capital of the Hoysala Dynasty , what we today call Halebeedu. Most of us know of one temple in Halebeedu, but in our weekend tour, Arun and I took the group to almost 8 of them including ruins.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

MGM Mountain Resort

Relaxation plus RecreationSmell the fragrance of fresh air at the province of Bukidnon in Northern Mindanao Philippines. The place is so ideal for spending quality time with family or friends.
MGM Mountain Resort is one of Bukidnon’s pride. Perfect for complete relaxation plus recreation! Boating, fishing, horse back riding and camping are few of the activities you can do while having a vacation at the resort. Your swimming experience will definitely relax your mind and body since their spring water pools are being surrounded by trees and plants. Physical fitness sports are also present in the place such as basketball, volleyball and tennis.
MGM Mountain Resort is so accessible since the resort is situated along the National Highway of Dologon, Maramag Bukidnon.

Friday, June 5, 2009

The Malenadu skies

I donned a new role last weekend - From a travel writer to a tour guide . Arun and I are planning to launch weekend tours and we did a trial run last weekend . We took a group of friends to the ruins of an ertswhile dynasty called the Hoysala Dynasty which ruled the Malenadu region of Karnataka. Malenadu means Land of the hills and the kings were called Male chiefs or lords of the hills. This dynasty which ruled for over 400 years during the 10th-14th century was known for the temples they built, a staggering 1500 of which hardly 100 remains. Our trip was to some of the lesser known temples which are not in the tourist circuit . We were standing at the portals of one of the temples when the evening sky changed colours as the moon emerged






Watch this blog for more on our trip to the Hoysala Dynasty .

For more wonderful skies around the world, click here

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Wonders of Siargao Island

Siargao IslandWant some fantastic island adventure? Siargao Island is the place to be! The island of Siargao is shaped into tear-drop located in the province of Surigao del Norte, Mindanao Philippines. Tourists from the Philippines and even foreigners coming from England, Japan, Germany, Australia, France and U.S. are keep on coming back to the place. No doubt that tourism industry at Siargao Island is increasing rapidly. The island is truly ideal for a relaxing vacation.

The Island of Siargao has been recognized internationally being “The Surfing Capital of the Philippines”. Aside from surfing, there are a lot of adventures you can do while staying at the island such as: Diving & Snorkeling, Swimming, Sailing, Fishing, Caving, and many other recreational activities. Enjoy it's white sandy beaches and explore the many wonders of Siargao Island.