Colours of sunrise - Angkor Wat

I am not the sunrise variety and neither is the husband..but we were told that the sunrises at Angkor Wat should not be missed. So we woke up at 4 am and drove through the forests in the dark on our tuk tuk ..The winds were nippy and the setting surreal. But then, came the mosquitoes followed by hordes and hordes of people ..I didnt know which was annoying ; but then the sun kept its date with us and we forgot the rest. We were there twice - the first time around, it was so difficult to get close to the moat and hence we could just take only the towers against the dawn.

The second one was a spectacular sunrise, but I wasnt able to handle the crowds. The husband however, took the camera and took this picture just for me..He hates crowds and is barely interested in photography, but then the pictures were rather good, I think..what do you guys say ?

Pic : Sharath Krishnamurthy

Pic : Sharath Krishnamurthy

Skywatch Friday - Manimuthar Dam

One of my childhood haunts, (although I must confess that I must have barely been here not more than a couple of times ) is the Manimuthar Dam on the river Manimuthar, a tributary of the Tambiraparani. Its located a stone's throw from my village, Kalladaikurichi  where the river ultimately joins the Tambiraparani . A journey uphill takes you into the Western  Ghats alond the KMTR- Kallakadu Mudanthurai Tiger Reserve.

To see lovely skies around the world, visit Skywatch .

The man who says he has Seen God

This post is my entry for Indiblogger's  Expedia - Around the World Contest

It almost sounded like a war cry. Velu threw his hands high up in the air, his head looking upwards at the sky, eyes firmly shut and his taut muscles getting tighter as he called out passionately to the heavens . And then he said in flawless English “ This is where I saw God, “and he went on to tell me the exact date and time , 37 years ago.

Nallamudi Poonjolai in Valparai was just another view point in the hills until Velu’s tryst with the divine . The destination now has a different name. A board at the entrance read “ Seen God “ with a footnote below it - ”Om Adi Muruga.” Velu ‘s shrine was just around the corner .

He claimed that God had arrived in a bolt of light and sound and he could see a human form. “Romba azhaga irunderma , “ he added in Tamil, describing that God looked indeed handsome. He had been coming here everyday at 11 am to see if he would be lucky a second  time. “Innum kelunga – I will tell you more , “ he said, sensing my curiosity. Little did he know that I was more interested in his life than in his sighting of God.

He said he was over 70 years old, but had been coming here ever since he was a young boy with his father, who was  a mason. “ I studied, I worked, I married like everyone, but then this is my calling, this is where I belong,” he said nonchalantly when I asked him about his family .For a matriculation  pass who was employed in a factory and tea plantation, Velu was not cut off from the outside world. He was aware that one of the photographers in our group had posted his photograph on the internet. And his memory was sharp. He even remembered the girl who had photographed him a year ago. But then he lived like a nomad – wandering around the hills, wearing just a dhoti around his waist, living on fruits and herbs. Once in a while, he mentioned that his wife visited him. And then he claimed that the wild animals do not harm him at all.

It had been raining in Valparai for the last couple of days and the view of the Annaimalai hills was shrouded with fog. The sun was teasing us. Only a while ago, we were treated to a glimpse of the verdant mountains, gushing with waterfalls. But then the mist curled up again, hiding even the tiniest branch in view.

For most of us, God that day was somewhere in the pristine valley, veiled by the fog in the canopy of forests spread over the Annaimalai range . We waited with bated breath ,hoping to see a great hornbill in flight. The mist unfurled and furling rising up from the depths of the valley and merging with the clouds.. It was a mystical moment. Velu went to the edge of the cliff and called out to his Muruga. We watched him for a while as he stood silently by himself,  looking out into the hills.

The tea plantations parted ways to lead us through a carpet of green , dripping with rain droplets . As I walked down the slippery slopes, I could hear Velu calling out to his God again. I knew he would be here tomorrow  and every other day at 11 am to look for Him.

Photo of the day - Bayon, Angkor Thom, Cambodia

Of all the many temples I visited in Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom and around in Siem Reap, Bayon took my breath away. 

Winter Activities Fun

Winter consider as great time for outdoor activities. The sports winter activities consider as quite extreme for various reasons featuring risks on thermal or physical that requires an extensive safety measure. Some other winter activities categorizes as extreme due to challenge on physiology and ability to exercise. An innovative winter activities solely feature upon participating extreme winter activities or sports. The country cross skiing allows of exploring mountain landscape and enjoying beautiful scenery but still offer an exciting venue of getting fit. During the winter season, it allows to have a peace and comforting atmosphere on the countryside.

Whether a person is in extreme sport winter activities or just wanted of enjoying the weather crisp; winter season activities are intended to fitness, interest, and age level. Upon enjoying the wintertime outdoor winter activities, be reminded of dressing out the layers and look the thinner ice condition along the avalanche signs. Take into frequent consideration the break-up of snack and hot beverages. Experiencing an adventurous winter activity, try the popular reindeer or dog sledging that consider as exciting holiday vacation for recreation. The dog sledging once serve as transportation tool but currently become well known sporting activity during the winter along the adventurous tours especially those who are interested of experiencing fun riding on sledge. Also, downhill skiing consider as most exciting holiday activities.

Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro

While in Eastern Europe the snow is high and the temperatures are low, some others, long distance friends, fly to Rio to enjoy the unique Carnival. Thank you Roberto C. for letting me uses your text on my blog. Because you have signed R&R I have to thank Ricardo as well, even though I did not know him.

Română: În timp ce la noi sunt munţi de zăpadă şi temperaturile sunt tot mai jos, alţii, prieteni la distanţă, zboară la Rio să se distreze la Carnaval. Mulţumesc Roberto C. că m-ai lăsat să folosesc textul pentru vederile mele. Trebuie să-i mulţumesc şi celuilalt R, deşi nu-l cunosc, e vorba de Ricardo, pentru că Robby a semnat R&R. Un text minunat din care se simte adrenalina emanată la Rio şi faptul că totul e aşa de diferiţi că nu şti de unde să începi, unde să mergi, unde să te opreşti, ce să mai încerci…

One of the highlights in the Portuguese news last week was the strike of Brazilian military police, right few days before the upcoming event of the Carnival. Everybody was questioning the safety degree of the days to come and for some strange reason the smile of the concierge guy in Lisbon while wishing me "Have a nice time in Rio at the Carnaval mister C" was full of double meaning :-) During the 10 hour flight, same kind of stories about rough times to come, but relief has come when we found out the strike was cancelled...apparently until Wednesday, which means the Carnival will still not be fully protected.
Our first good morning to Rio was done with a breakfast at Café Colombo, the one with panoramic view of the Copacabana beach. If you head to Rio you cannot stop getting back and forth, on a daily basis, on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Close one to another, but with a different history and decade of glory, the Copacabana dominating the 30’s while Ipanema getting all the attention in the 60’s, starting with the Bossa Nova years. The latest one seems nowadays to be the first choice when you speak about finding your place to get your “carioca” suntan. Carioca’s – the people of Rio – appear to be extremely happy of their origin and place on this earth, which makes you wonder about the sensitivity and specificity of the “happiness” tests, which indicate Scandinavic countries always on top. The dinner plans with our friends were modified by the late call for a Favella adventure, where we were supposed to see the last rehearsal of a Samba school. We grabbed fast something to eat, we got our first encounter with a guarana drink, which was meant to keep us awake and strong the whole night and after hard negotiations of a friend, we managed to get a taxi driver willing to drive into that favella. The show was impressive, the strength of the “batterias” (drums) touching our bodies made us vibrate to their Samba-Enredo (like an anthem of the school, every year a different one)… although next Monday we will be their opponents in the Carnival Contest of the main Samba schools. Despite all the warnings of a violent neighborhood and the fact that the rehearsal was right in the streets, it was nothing but joy and samba. We’re getting faster than we imagined in the preparation for the Carnival, having a start on Saturday with a parade in the bohemian area of Saint Tereza neighborhood on their Carnival block, while Sunday we’ll be watching our rivals on their parade in the specially designed Sambódrom. Monday is our turn, dancing for the Rio Grande Escola de Samba. Looking forward tonight to get our costumes.... R&R

I do not have many Rio cards and I don’t have cards with the carnival. If there is someone willing to swap with me please contact me.

-22.969529,-43.181535 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.

Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.

Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Brazil For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.

Vulcanic Lake of Mývatn

After four thousand and something postcards that I got, finally I have arranged a swap and card from Iceland arrived in my PO Box. I have asked for something famous and Olof have sent me this beautiful view of a volcanic lake called Mývatn. The lake was formed 2300 years ago after volcanic eruption. The water from lake comes from the river Laxá. The River Laxá, Lake Mývatn and the surrounding wetlands are protected as a nature reserve very rich in flora and fauna, especially birds which comes here for nesting. The beautiful coincidence about that postcard is that I have sent to Olof a card with Danube Delta, even though it did not rich its destination and I have to send a new one (but I’m waiting a little bit because Romania and Eastern Europe is under snow), it seems to me that the two places: Danube Delta in Romania and Mývatn in Iceland are a little bit alike. I love such coincidences. The lake is fed by nutrient-rich springwater and has a high abundance of aquatic insects and that is why the place has its name: mý ("midge") and vatn ("lake"); the lake of midges = flies. The aquatic insects form an attractive food supply for ducks. Thirteen species of ducks nest here. The effluent river Laxá is known for its rich fishing for Brown Trout and Atlantic Salmon. The recent volcanic activity was characterized by periods of slow land rise, interspersed by shorter periods of rapid subsidence, underground magma bursts, rifting, earthquakes and. This is an excellent example of the process of continental drift in Iceland. Because of the volcanic origin, there are silica quarries in the lake. Thank you Olof and you will get my Danube Delta card even though I will carry it in Iceland.

65.6,-17 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.

Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.

Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Iceland For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.

Colecţia mea de vederi numără peste 4000 în acest moment dar abia acum am primit una din Islanda, o ţară pe care îmi doresc să o vizitez cât mai repede. Vederea este de la Olof şi reprezintă o imagine cu lacul Mývatn. Acesta s-a format acum 2300 de ani şi este un lac vulcanic alimentat cu apă proaspătă de râul Laxá. În fiecare vară numărul de insecte este imens şi de aceea lacul se numeşte aşa: mý = insecte şi vatn = lac. Aceste insecte sunt preferatele raţelor şi astfel 13 specii de raţe îşi fac cuiburile aici în fiecare vară. Fauna şi chiar flora zonei este impresionantă. Întreaga zonă este mlăştinoasă. Râul Laxá contribuie şi el la biodiversitate fiind o sursă importantă de păstrăvi şi somoni. Activitatea vulcanică din ultima perioadă a făcut ca anumite zone să se ridice, să apară insuliţe. Din descriere vă daţi seama că seamănă, oarecum, cu Delta Dunării. Coincidența face ca eu să-i fi trimit lui Olof o vedere cu Delta Dunării. Din păcate nu a ajuns la el şi acum aştept să ne deszăpezim un pic ca să nu se mai piardă şi alte vederi. Oricum, dacă nu reuşesc o să mă duc personal cu ea.

The Marble Church of Freferick

Frederick's Church, popularly known as The Marble Church (Danish: Marmorkirken) is a church in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located just north of Amalienborg Palace. The church was designed by the architect Nicolai Eigtved in 1740 and was along with the rest of Frederiksstaden, a district of Copenhagen, intended to commemorate the 300 years jubilee of the first coronation of a member of the House of Oldenburg. It has the largest church dome in Scandinavia with a span of 31m, though there are three larger domes elsewhere in Europe. The dome rests on 12 columns. The inspiration was probably St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The church was left incomplete and, in spite of several initiatives to complete it, stood as a ruin for nearly 150 years. The present version of the church was designed by Ferdinand Meldahl and it was opened in 1894. A series of statues of prominent theologians and ecclesiastical figures, including one of the Danish philosopher Kierkegaard (who incidentally was very critical of the established church by the end of his life), encircles the grounds of the building.

55.685,12.589444 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.

Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.

Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Denmark For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.

Biserica de Marmură (în mod oficial numită Biserica Frederick) este aliniată astfel încât să fie văzută din piaţa Amalienborg. A fost construită conform planurilor arhitectului Nicolai Eigved în 1740 şi s-a dorit să comemoreze 300 ani de domnie ai casei Oldenburg. Biserica are cel mai mare dom din Scandinavia şi al patrulea din Europa, fiind inspirat de cel al Basilicii Sf. Petru din Roma. A stat în paragină 150 de ani şi abia în 1894 a fost inaugurată, planurile fiind modificate de Ferdinand Meldahl. Înăuntru este o serie de statui a unor teologi şi nu numai, printre care celebrul Kierkegaard, care iniţial s-a opus construcţiei. 

Travel and travel

Loads and loads of journeys this year . Just returned from Cambodia towards the end of January and now am off to Chhattisgarh, a very young state in India, which was earlier a part of Madhya Pradesh. The invitation has come from the state tourism board and am looking forward to the tour.

Meanwhile there are so many tour reports to publish, stories and photographs to share , but I have hardly had any time in between trips. Besides I have been in a rather lethargic, sleepy and dreamy state of mind and in body to start focussing on work, writing and blogging..However for now, here is a photograph from my village Kallidaikurichi , in down south india , located in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.  The river Tambiraparani flowing at her own pace , bathed by the evening light . More photographs are on my Facebook page and you can join me there as well.

See you all soon..

The Four Palaces of Amalienborg

The number of castles and palaces of Denmark is big and some of them are in Copenhagen. One of them is Amalienborg, the winter home of the Danish royal family. It consists of four identical classicizing palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard (Amalienborg Slotsplads); in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's founder, King Frederick V. Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families; however, when Christiansborg Palace burnt down on 26 February 1794, the royal family bought the palaces and moved in.

Christian VII's Palace is also known as Moltke's Palace, and was originally built for Lord High Steward Adam Gottlob Moltke. Immediately after the Christiansborg Palace fire in March 1794 and two years after the death of the original owner, the palace was sold to the royal family, headed by the schizophrenic King Christian VII. It was the first of the four palaces to be sold to the royal family.

Christian VIII's Palace is also known as Levetzau's Palace, and was originally built for Privy Councillor Count Christian Frederik Levetzau in 1750-1760. The family set one condition when they sold the building— that the Count’s coat of arms should never be removed from the building. It can still be seen beside that of the monarch's. The King's half-brother Frederik bought the palace in 1794 and modernized the interiors in the new French Empire style. The palace was named Christian VIII’s Palace after his son, Christian Frederik, who grew up in the palace, took over the building in 1805 upon the death of his father, and would become king in 1839. In the 1980s the palace was restored as residence for the Crown Prince, storage facilities for the Queen’s Reference Library and a museum for the Royal House of Glücksborg. The museum features private royal apartments from 1863-1947 including original fittings and furnishings.

Frederick VIII's Palace is also known as Brockdorff's Palace. It was originally built for Count Joachim Brockdorff in the 1750s. Brockdorff died in 1763, and Lord High Steward Adam Gottlob Moltke acquired the palace. Moltke sold it two years later to Frederick V. From 1767 it housed the Military Academy. The following year the palace was prepared to house Christian VIII’s son, Frederick VII, who ascended the throne in 1848. In 1869 it became the home of Frederick VIII. In 1934 it became the home of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid.

Christian IX's Palace is also known as Schack's Palace. It was originally commissioned by Privy Councillor Severin Løvenskjold, but in 1754 he had to give up due to economic difficulties. The project was taken over by Countess Anne Sophie Schack. It was later the home of Christian IX until his death in 1906.

55.684028, 12.593333 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.

Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.

Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Denmark For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.

Numărul castelelor şi palatelor ce pot fi vizitate în Danemarca este impresionant. Doar în capitală se pot vizita câteva şi unul dintre ele este Amalienborg, locaţia de iarnă a familiei regale, un ansamblu de patru palate cu faţade identice situate pe patru din cele opt laturi ale pieţei în formă de octogon. Chiar în centrul pieţei este statuia ecvestră a regelui Frederick al V-lea, fondatorul palatelor. Iniţial a fost construit pentru patru familii nobiliare dar a fost cumpărat de familia regală în 1794 când a ars palatul Christiansborg.

Palatul Cristian al VII-lea, numit şi Moltke, a fost construit pentru lordul Adam Gottlob Moltke. Familia regală s-a mutat aici în 1794, rege fiind Cristian al VII-lea, bolnav de schizofrenie.

Palatul Cristian al VIII-lea, numit şi Levetzau, a fost proprietatea contelui Christian Frederik Levetzau. A fost vândut dar s-a impus ca blazonul familiei să nu fie îndepărtat. Fratele vitreg al lui Cristian al VII-lea a cumpărat proprietatea în 1794 şi a fost modernizat în stilul Empire. Numele este dat în onoarea fiului, viitorul rege Cristian al VIII-lea care a copilărit în acest loc. Astăzi se pot vizita apartamentele regale.

Palatul Frederick al VIII-lea este cunoscut şi ca Brockdorff, după contele Joachim Brockdorff. A fost vândut în 1763 lordului Moltke şi apoi a ajuns în proprietatea familiei regale care a organizat acolo în 1767 Academia Militară. A devenit casa lui Frederick al VII-lea şi apoi a regelui Frederick al VIII-lea din 1869. Tot aici au locuit şi regele Frederick al IX-lea şi soţia lui regina Ingrid.

Palatul Cristian al IX-lea se numeşte şi Schack şi a fost construit în partea de sud-est a pieţei pentru contesa Anne Sophie Schack. A fost casa regelui Cristian al IX-lea până la moartea lui în 1906.

Skywatch Friday - From the tip of India

I was in the southernmost tip of India , at the confluence of three oceans  - Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean in a coastal town called Kanyakumari. And the view from one of its fishing hamlets - Chinna Muttom is here for you to soak in along with the hues of the sunset . If you are here on a full moon day, you may be lucky to see the sun set and the moon rise around the same time .

To see more exciting skies around the world , visit Skywatch.

My column on a cult worshipping a mirror aka soul was published in The Hindu. Here is the story for those who missed it

The salts of the sea lure me as I can smell it from a distance. Here, in the confluence of three oceans, lies buried several myths, legends and stories.  Kanyakumari   has always been a mystery to me. Maybe it has something to do with the sea or the tale of the virgin goddess by the sea shore, but the town has never stopped fascinating me. Looking out of the window, I am lost in the many rotating windmills, dancing to the tune of the sea breeze, when I am interrupted by the laughter in the bus. 

I join in the laughter as Sri Charanya , my travel companion shares her memories of Kanyakumari when she visited the coastal town as a twelve year old. “ You know I was told that I could see red , black and blue colours here , the red was the Indian Ocean, the blue being  the Bay of Bengal and the black , the Arabian sea  and I believed  every word of it then , “ she says as echoes of laughter drown her story. Memories come flooding back as I remember my first visit here as a wide eyed twelve year old . 

I am on a Naanjil Naadu tour organised by INTACH, travelling through small towns and villages around Nagercoil and Kanyakumari, visiting many temples, rock cut shrines, mosques, palaces and forts . While we alternate between facts and folk lore, we learn from a team of professors and historians accompanying us about the various dynasties that rule the region. I am of course fascinated by the many landscapes painted in front of me – natural, social , historical, political, spiritual , as I realize that what is today considered God’s own country has its origins right here in Naanjil Naadu, long before Kerala came into being.  

We visit an ancient Chola temple dedicated to Shiva or Guhanathaeswaran  temple as  Dr V Vedachalam, Retired Senior Epigraphist from Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department  explains the architecture and draws our attention to the inscriptions and various cults of Gods and Goddesses.  It is really Gods own country. The temples in this region are built by various kings across different eras and each one of them has left his stamp behind. From the Ay rules, to early Pandyas to the Venad kings, the land is steeped in cults. 

And I discover another 19^thcentury cult right on the shores of a small fishing hamlet called Chinna Muttom .

While most of my travel companions are lost in the beauty around, a few of us walk down to a small shrine located on the rocky shores. A man in a turban is officiating as a priest as we gaze inside the sanctum and look at our hazy reflection with the sea forming our backdrop. There is no deity or idol – just a mirror which reflects and represents the soul or the Vishnu inside you. A small board in Tamil explains the philosophy about worshipping your body as the temple, with your mind at peace and devotion and purity in your soul.  The belief rests in equality; hence the turban says the man where every devotee is a king. Even Vivekananda he claims was influenced by it.  The underlying thought is that you keep your mind and thoughts pure and worship the God or soul inside you. 

I later learn that the cult is referred to as Ayyavazhi founded by a revolutionary called Ayya Vaikundar , also believed by his followers as a reincarnation of Vishnu. However , speaking to Ahi Mohan, coordinator of the Nadar Family Welfare centre in Trivandrum, I learn that he was  a 19^th century social reformer , who was born in Kanyakumari district with a strong belief in equality of all people. He had built five main pathis, what we refer to as temples and the 200 year pathi at Chinna Muttom was called Muthapathi.  The followers believe that a dip in the sea will sanctify them.  

I stand and gaze at my hazy reflection in the mirror for a long time and realize that my mind is blank, bathed by the ocean and purged of all thoughts. Elsewhere in the haze of white foam and fury of the waves, I can see a distant form of Sri Charanya calling out my name, holding some wet sands in her hands. As she comes closer, we both laugh. In her hands are lumps of black and brownish soil in her hands and the colours seem to merge with the blue of the ocean.

The Magic Fountain of Barcelona

This is my first invitation to someone to write on my blog. Anca Ioana accepted and shared with us her point of view of some place. If you like to write I would love to have you on my blog :D Anca Ioana is from Romania and is my first Postcrossing friend and a perfect swapper. Thank you sooooo much.

We arrived in Costa Brava in August 2011 quite late at night. We were very tired because that day we have crossed three countries: Italy, France and Spain. Someone told our guide that we have to go the next day to see the Magic Fountains from Barcelona. He agreed for the next evening to be there but to be honest, I didn't know what it was about... So, at 7 PM the next day, me and my boyfriend entered the bus, curious to see those fountains. When we arrived I saw many people gathered around admiring the show. My first contact with those fountains was like: WOW amazing! I saw many tourists from all over the world. The music was singing and the water was “dancing” according to it showing many colors. A perfect show! I took many photos and filmed a part of the show. I was so happy! I called my mum at home in Romania to share with her my joy! I had tears in my eyes and imagined myself in a fairytale. I was absorbed by it and very impressed. At the end of the show, I realized I wasn't dreaming and all was real! We had to go back to our buses, sharing opinions with our trip companions. The next day we returned to Barcelona to admire some of its beauties and attractions! We returned there by day but the night has its own magic... Marvelous...

The Magic Fountain is located in the Montjuïc neighborhood of Barcelona. The fountain is situated below the Palau Nacional on the Montjuïc hill and near the Plaça d'Espanya. The fountain, like most of the surrounding developments, was constructed for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition. The Magic Fountain was designed by Carles Buigas and the first show took place only one day before the Expo. The fountain was badly damaged in the Spanish Civil War and did not operate until 1955. In the 1980s, music was incorporated with the light show and everything was restored prior to the 1992 Summer Olympic Games from Barcelona. The fountain had success after the Expo like the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Atomium of Brussels.

41.371153,2.151736 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.

Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.

Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Spain For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.

Am decis să invit persoane care să ne povestească despre trăirile turistice personale. Prima care a acceptat a fost Anca Ioana. Ea este primul prieten pe care-l am prin Postcrossing şi mi-a plăcut că a acceptat propunerea mea şi a scris ceva personal şi interesant.

Am ajuns în Costa Brava intr-o noapte din august 2011. Eram foarte obosiţi căci traversasem în acea zi trei ţări: Italia, Franţa şi Spania. Cineva din autocar i-a propus ghidului să mergem a doua zi seara la Fântânile Magice de la Barcelona şi toţi au fost de acord, deşi eu habar nu aveam despre ce e vorba. Oricum, a doua zi la şapte seara, împreună cu prietenul meu am urcat în autobuz şi am pornit curioşi să vedem fântânile. Când am ajuns am fost miraţi de mulţimea care admira spectacolul. Prima mea senzaţie a fost de uimire. Am văzut o groază de turişti din întreaga lume. Apa „dansa” în ritmul muzicii şi totul era foarte colorat. Un spectacol perfect! Am făcut multe poze şi am şi filmat puţin. Am fost foarte fericită, aşa că am sunat acasă în România să-i povestesc şi mamei. Aveam lacrimi în ochi. Credeam că visez. A fost impresionant. Ne-am întors în autobuz şi am povestit despre cele văzute. Am revenit şi a doua zi pe lumină dar nu se compară cu magia din timpul nopţi. Minunat!

Fântânile magice din cartierul Montjuïc al Barcelonei au fost construite cu ocazia Expoziţiei Mondiale din 1929 din Barcelona. În apropierea lor se află şi Palau Nacional şi Plaça d'Espanya. Ele au fost concepute de Carles Buigas şi inaugurate în ultimul moment, cu o zi înainte de Expo. Au fost avariate în timpul Războiului Civil Spaniol şi nu au funcţionat până în 1955. În anii ’80 s-a adăugat muzică spectacolului şi au fost renovate pentru Jocurile Olimpice de la Barcelona 1992. Ele au avut succes după Expo la fel cum Turnul Eiffel a avut pentru Paris şi Atomium pentru Bruxelles. 

Oak Forest Castle

Egeskov's history dates to the 14th century. The castle structure was erected by Frands Brockenhuus in 1554. Due to the troubles caused by the civil war known as the Count's Feud (Danish: Grevens fejde), general civil unrest, and a civil war introducing the Protestant Reformation, most Danish noblemen built their homes as fortifications. The castle is constructed on oaken piles and located in a small lake with a maximum depth of 5 metres. According to legend, it took an entire forest of oak trees to build the foundation, hence the name Egeskov (“oak forest”). In 1986, a full-sized replica of the castle was built in Hokkaidō, Japan, to hold an aquarium. This was constructed with the permission of the Egeskov's owners at the time, Count Claus and Countess Louisa Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille.

55.176389,10.489444 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.

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Castelul Egeskov localizat pe insula Funen în Danemarca este considerat cel mai bine prezervat castel renascentist pe apă. Construcţia lui a început în 1554 la ordinul lui Frands Brockenhuus şi a fost construit ca fortificaţie pentru că era o perioadă foarte neliniştită în istoria ţării: război civil şi introducerea reformei protestante. Castelul a fost construit pe piloni de stejar în mijlocul lacului şi de aceea se numeşte Egeskov pentru că numele se traduce din daneză ca pădure de stejar. Aici se află şi o impresionantă colecţie de autoturisme, motociclete, autoturisme de salvare. Castelul este înconjurat de un uriaş parc ce include şi grădini construite în diverse stiluri. În 1986 s-a construit o replică exactă în Japonia, pe insula Hokkaidō, pentru un acvariu. Proprietarii danezi şi-au dat în prealabil acordul.