Neil Island, Andaman
Showing posts with label UNESCO World Heritage Site. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UNESCO World Heritage Site. Show all posts

Saturday 23 October 2010

Berlin


  • Berlin is more than the Berlin Wall. The city is big for an Indian on foot as I was so do take help of the tubes to cover the length and breadth.
  • Holocaust Memorial at the centre of the city is mostly around which things happen. The good thing is that it is walking distance from the station.
  • Reichstag Building and Brandenburg Gate are other major points near the station that I was able to cover by foot.


The entrance to capital of Germany was as grand as was expected - three floors of mall space was bustling with a cosmopolitan crowd - between two floors allocated to railway station.

Berlin

Monday 18 October 2010

Jelling

They pronounce 'J' as 'Y' here in Denmark. My plan for the day was to visit the famous Runic stones, a UNESCO world heritage site at Jelling (pronounced as Yelling). One of my first excursion to Danish countryside affirmed the general opinion that indeed Denmark has a dull weather. It compliments the peacefulness that the country offers.

Runes on the rock, Jelling

Referred as the birth certificate of Denmark, these runic stones were carved by King Gorm and his son Bluetooth. I was not expecting the carvings to be comprehensible.


As the weather turned from sunny to cloudy and from still to windy within minutes, I decided to take shelter in the nearby Fakta store. Buying some bananas and a coke, I came out with little relief. The wind had slowed down. I decided to climb one of the large mounds in the area for a somewhat ariel view.


Settling at the top I finished off my bananas and coke and took  a few pictures. The stones were spread in a small area around a church which evidently has also become a graveyard.



Taking a cue from the minimal crowd present and a direct train for Copenhagen scheduled for 2.18 PM, I took leave from the revered stones and settled in the first clas compartment of DBS Tog thanks to my eurorail pass.

Sunday 10 October 2010

Sognefjorden

Copenhagen Bergen - Voss - Flåm - Sognefjorden - Oslo - Stockholm
  • Ferrying from Flam to Godvangen is the quickest way to cover the famous fjords of Norway.
  • There are treks available on the route but one needs to stay overnight, Aurland being the biggest.
  • Countryside Norway almost shuts down after the second weekend of October so plan accordingly.
The famous fjords of Norway awaited me while I was sleeping in Flåm  The next day I checked out of the hostel at 10 and started walking towards Aurland. The 5 miles walk was pleasant with lots of breaks to admire the landscape. The ferry to Godvangen was not scheduled before 3.30 PM and hence I was at leisure.

View of Flam on way to Aurland

Monday 4 October 2010

Helsingor

Trip: Copenhagen > Helsingor > Copenhagen

We reached Helsingor at 4 PM. That may well be enough to tell what we were able to do there. What we managed was visit to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a couple of miles walk in the windiest of conditions.

Kronborg for upgradation@UNESCO World Heritage site


Saturday 25 September 2010

Salzburg

Salzburg - Munich

Salzburg is home to the world's largest ice caves and we were going there for that exact thing. It is very close to Munich and hence we decided to cover it on our Oktoberfest trip. Taking an overnight train to Munich and then another one to Salzburg we managed to reach at 12 noon. 

View from Wurfen

Monday 20 September 2010

Bruges

Trip: Luxembourg > Brussels > Amsterdam > Bruges > Fredrichshafen > Zermatt

I was alone and sleepy when I reached the sweet little town of Bruges when the clock was hitting noon. A small crowd of tourists was there to help me in direction and I moved with it. It was a Sunday after all.




Sunday 19 September 2010

Amsterdam

Trip: Luxembourg > Brussels > Amsterdam > Bruges > Fredrichshafen > Zermatt

The city of fantasies was beautiful as well. Canals criss-crossing a bustling landmass inspired long walks. The three of us were there for our own reasons. We were planning a night out and hence no hostel bookings were done.


We started with a good lunch at McDonalds. I was craving for beer but had to wait before the others would part on their search. We did that sooner than I was expecting and decided to meet at the internet cafe near the station at midnight.


Thursday 9 September 2010

Bergen

Copenhagen - Bergen - Voss - Flåm - Sognefjorden - Oslo - Stockholm

The overnight train from Oslo to Bergen was half empty. We were able to stretch our legs as night approached. However the first couple of morning hours were crucial and so we set our mobile alarm for 5 AM. The morning was unforgettable. We were passing through fjords. Sky high mountains rose from nowhere and the train would have to tunnel through or meander as per the wishes of nature. We reached Bergen at around 7.


We refreshed ourselves at the station and went straight for the Information Office for a trip to fjords. The two famous fjords were more than 200 miles away and would take atleast two nights to visit. We were disappointed. Seeking instant redemption we went for Mount Floen through a elevator train. 



The view from top was worth more than other days because it was sunny with pleasant breeze at the top. I realized that I am at the edge of Europe.


We decided to walk down to the town as it was much more fun given the warm weather and multiple viewpoints.


Later we settled at Brygge which is a world heritage site thanks to its old port history. The fish market nearby was also enticing with fresh offerings.



At 3, I parted from my friend as I had plans for Stockholm the next evening with Sumeet and Rohit. But before that I had to travel to Voss which would serve two purposes. One I would be able to see the famous Oslo-Bergen rail link in daylight. Secondly Voss is simply beautiful from what I have heard.

Monday 30 August 2010

Copenhagen

Copenhagen Bergen - Voss - Flåm - Sognefjorden - Oslo - Stockholm

  • Book a hotel near the main station. You will need both the trains and metro to traverse not only within Copenhagen but also to nearby attractions like Christianshaven.
  • There is not much in Copenhagen - Tivoli Gardens, Carlsberg Breweries and the statue of the mermaid were all that we could figure out.
  • Jelling and Helsingor are one day trips from here. So is Malmo in Sweden. We loved the crossover to Malmo which is sea on both sides of the railway track.

Although I am here to stay for a good four months, I couldn't suppress my wanderer self from expressing my first impression of Copenhagen. The first noticeable point is elegance. From the wooden flooring at the airport to helpfulness of a railway employee in directing us everything is presentable and beautiful here.

Damhussoen Lake @ Copenhagen

Sunday 1 February 2009

Humayun's Tomb

Bhaiya was in Delhi. We had to go somewhere. We thought why not Humayun's Tomb. Its close. Its a popular heritage site. Most importantly, in our more than 10 years of stay in Delhi we never visited the place before. So I called upon my cousin Animesh and the three of us ventured on a short exploration.

Isa Khan's tomb


Saturday 18 August 2007

Taj Mahal

    • Given the walk around and marbles that reflect heat, it is best adviced to visit Taj Mahal in Winters. The access roads are blocked for half mile where you need to park.
    • Foreigners are charged 20X more than Indian nationals for entry fee. The amenities are almost non-existent and if you go on a weekend, be ready to go through a crawling crowd.
    • Book a hotel nearby for a glance at night. People plan their visit on a full moon to see the white marbles glow in the dark.
    Taj Mahal is magnificent - a structure unmatched in grandeur across the globe. A rich history and an exquisite location at the banks of Yamuna makes The Taj Mahal a wonder among wonders. My friends who had come from UK were insisting for The Taj. Hence we started early morning in August at 5.30 AM for Agra. Shaun and Nicola were the ones I was giving company. The highway is pretty smooth but the key to trip to Taj Mahal is starting early. We reached Mathura by 8 AM. There is a McD on the highway where we had our breakfast. 

    Taj Mahal, Agra 

    Monday 1 January 2001

    Delhi

    Delhi is the heart and capital of India. The royal facades of Lal Quila and ruins of Tughlakabad Fort are enough evidences of the legacy of this ancient city which has now tranformed into a modern cosmopolitan megacity. Humayun's tomb and Qutab Minar are the kind of landmarks on the busy roadside that very few cities can boast of.

    Qutab Minar@6 AM

    Delhi is, most importantly, the gateway to north India. There are five exits from Delhi for a traveler as numbered from 1 to 5 in the map below.