Best Tea I have ever had : @ Mackwood Tea Estate

In my maiden visit to Srilanka, on the way to Nuwara Eliya, I dropped in Mackwood Tea Estate. In the face of it, I didnot expect anything special - after all it was a tea estate.



After a brief tour factory, we were taken to tea lounge. It was a dream place, as the photos below decipher.













We were offered The Estate made Tea. Awesome Tea. Oh my God. I have never had a Tea of this quality till date.

If I happen to visit srilanka, Mackwood would definitely be on the itenary.

 

Virtual Tour of Tourist Spots:

Following are a few virutual tours. By clicking the link below, you would be taken straight to the spot. This may kindle your interest to visit the spot in person soon.


Magnificient Mysore Palace : Amba Villas:
This virtual tour takes you through the mysore palace in great details along with running commentary. Infact the picturization is so real, you would feel as if you are in the palace already. Some of the shots in the chitra mahal, durbar hall and palace by night are REALLY AWESOME treat to eyes.


Lalith Mahal Palace : Virtual Tour

This is the only palace which offers affortable stay @ a so called palace. A cool pool side delux room would cost you as low as Rs.6400. This is very cheap when compared to Hotel Leela's Udaipur palace @ 22000 per night. Do visit their official website @ www.lalithamahalpalace.in/

Let's Travel to Paris
Paris is one of the great cities to visit in the world. Click on the link to enjoy the virtual tour.

St.Peters Bassilica in Vatican

Vatican is a seperate state with in Rome. Vatican has got its own police, its own coffers and administration. Pope is the supreme authority in Vatican.

St.Peters Basillica is the power centre in Vatican. Pope delivers his sermon standing in this church. I was stunned to note the following:
(1) Earlier Popes tombs are in the semi basement of the basillica. I could see Pope's tomb as early as 1500.
(2) Michaelangelo's Pieta is located in this bassilica
(3) The cealing of Sistines chapel is adjacent to this basilica. The cealing of sistine was painted by Michaelangelo himself.
(4) Impressed by the beauty of Pieta, I did buy a print (2.5 feet by 4 feet size) and it is magestically hanging in my office. If you want to appreciate what this pieta means, you need to have a closer look.

Perfect time to visit Paris

I didnot understand when friends told that during summer ( which is June-Sept belt ), sun sets late and rises up early in european region. But on the very first day in Paris, I was taken aback. The attached photo shots were taken close to 9PM in the night. But you could see the yellow sunlight on the city. Adding beauty to the evening colour was the French Kings Military complex : Ecole Millitaire. Also you could see people sitting outside ( like our rottu kadai ) and sipping a cup of cofee or wine.
By visiting Paris during June to September period ( which is summer ), you get ideal weather - adequate sunlight, no snow and above all longer day time. Practically, you can roam around till late in evening - as late as Midnight - that too with sunlight. It becomes dark by 12.45PM and you get Sunrise again by 5.00AM. That is wonderful.

On the otherhand if you landup on winter, sunsets by 4PM. Probably we need to battle with less day time and unpleasant chill weather.

Apollo Fountain in Versailles

This is a famous fountain in the garden of Versailes. You could see a bronze statue of Greek God Apollo riding his chariot. It is a life size statue. Click the picture, zoom it and see the finner details.

If you want to enjoy such places, plz plz donot take tour programs from THOMAS COOK or for that matter any other tour operator. They just rush you thro and you miss many such places.

To enjoy whatever I have said about versailles, you need to spend a day there. Reach Versailles by 10AM. There would be a long Queue to gain entry into the palace. Take you tickets and walk around the palace - it would ideally take about an hour and half. Then come to the Versailles Garden, catch hold of a ham-burger ( I removed the ham slice before eating the burger) and sit in the garden. By 3.00PM if I am right, the Fountains are switched on. Walk around and enjoy all the fountains. It would be 5PM. Come back to the Train Station - reach your hotel. It takes about an hour to reach Paris from Versailles. I Gurantee - you would carry memories of Versailles, just like the way I do.

Versailles Garden - Fountain

This is one of the majestic shots of the Garden of Versailles which spawns 800 acres. Do note the fountains - here and there. Also note the long streatch. This is a how the Garden looks from Versailles palace level platform. Lovely sight indeed.

Note: Have patience to click the photo and enjoy the finner details.

Poor Shelly ...

Percy Bysshe Shelley (4 August 1792 – 8 July 1822) was one of the major English Romantic poets and is critically regarded among the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron.

Shelley never lived to see the extent of his success and influence in generations to come. Some of his works were published, but they were often suppressed upon publication. Up until his death, with approximately 50 readers as his audience, it is said that he made no more than 40 pounds from his writings.

In 1820, hearing of John Keats' illness from a friend, Shelley wrote him a letter inviting him to join him at his residence at Pisa. Keats replied with hopes of seeing him, but instead, arrangements were made for Keats to travel to Rome with the artist Joseph Severn. Inspired by the death of Keats, in 1821 Shelley wrote the elegy Adonais.

I read in this museum that Shelly loves to write his poems by sailing in a boat. On one such similar trip on 8 July 1822, less than a month before his 30th birthday, Shelley drowned in a sudden storm while sailing back from Livorno to Lerici in his schooner, Don Juan. POOR SHELLY DID NOT KNOW SWIMMING. He was drowned to death.
But Shelley claimed to have met his Doppelgänger, foreboding his own death.

The day after Shelley's death, the Tory newspaper 'The Courier' gloated: "Shelley, the writer of some infidel poetry, has been drowned, now he knows whether there is a God or not."

Like to read more: click the following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Bysshe_Shelley

Keats Museum Entrance

This is the entrance of Keats-Shelly Museum in Rome, adjacent to Spanish steps. If you are keen to know more about this place, click the following link. You also get an opportunity to read some of his poems.

As you can read from the plaque above the entrance (see attachment), this memorial house was acquired and dedicated by the admirers of the two poets in England and America - The American president Theoder Roosevelt being one. I did see a letter written by the American President, If I am right in 1904, favouring the creation of this memorial.

http://www.keats-shelley-house.org/

Keats Museum

While roaming in ROME, I reached the Spanish Steps. It has been quoted as a popular tourist spot. There was huge crowd walking up and down the 80 odd steps leading to a church on the top. On the side of the Spanish steps, I accidentally saw a small cloth banner which read "Keats-Shelly Museum". No visitor seems to be interested in it. But I insisted my DAD who was with me that we need to visit this place.

The museum was on the 2nd or 3rd floor - I donot remember. It was quiet expensive : something like 6 Euro per head as entry fee. I spent close to 90 minutes in this place. This was the mansion where Mr.John keats, lived during his last days. He died of Tuberclusosis.

To brief John Keats : was born on 1791 in London. His poems are still today read and appreciated for the Romantic flavour. He died as a bachelor in 1922, at an early age of 31. His friends Shelly and Lord Byron continued to live in this mansion after Keats.

In this museum, I saw his personal room, his living room with fire place, and a few more notes. Though not an english literature student, I did enjoy my visit to Keats-Shelly museum.

Fountain Fountain everywhere

Again back to Versailles. I did enjoy and still cherish my day at Versailles - in particular in the Garden. I was luckey enough to reach the garden before the fountain could be turned on. Hence I got a few shots before the show ... and a few shots after the show.

This Photograph is infront of the fountain with Versailles palace in the backdrop. Click the picture and enjoy the beauty.

Napoleon III : Lounge in Louver Museum

Napoleon III is credited with adding more of art collections to Louver. A portion of his living area : like Lounge and Dining hall displays the richness of that period.

Ceasar : Birth - 13 July 100 BC : Death- 15 March 44 BC.

You Too Brutus : That was the last words of Caesar in Rome. You would be surprised, Rome was a Republic and Caesar was only an elected minister (like our Prime Minister). Caesar began a civil war in 49 BC from which he emerged as the unrivaled leader of the Roman world.
After assuming control of government, he began extensive reforms of Roman society and government. He heavily centralised the bureaucracy of the Republic and was eventually proclaimed "dictator in perpetuity" (dictator perpetuo). A group of senators, led by Marcus Junius Brutus, assassinated the dictator on the Ides of March (15 March) 44 BC, hoping to restore the normal running of the Republic. However, the result was another Roman civil war, which ultimately led to the establishment of a permanent autocracy by Caesar's adopted heir, Gaius Octavianus. In 42 BC, two years after his assassination, the Senate officially sanctified Caesar as one of the Roman deities.


Roman Forum is like our Parliment today. Dated back in BC, it stands tall in the exacavation site in Rome ( verymuch with in the city ). I was surprised and thrilled when I saw a small shed ( like our cow shed) with description board : Tome of Caesar. I learnt that Caesar was assacinated at that point and was later burried there. Many visitors laid boques, wreaths and roses on Ceasars tomb. And inside the sistine chappel, which I visited the next day, I saw a tapistry (drawing on cloth with fruit natural juices) depicting Caesar's assacination.

Click these pictures : they are rare.

Visual Treat

Picture like these - I have seen as wall paper downloads only. At Versaille Palace, spots like there are many. With trees on either side of the mud road, it is a visual treat.
Note: Standing in the picture is my Dad.

Louver Museum

Louver Museum was once the Palace of French Kings. Now this majestic palace hosts thousands of sculptures, paintings (including Monolisa) and other displays.

Tourists visiting Louver keeps increasing day by day. There has been long queue to enter the Louver. After much brain stroming sessions, a design by an American Architecht was adopted. As a result, a semi basement in the front Courtyard of Louver was created. The entry to semi basement is covered by PYRAMID. The glass Pyramid built by I.M.Pei was inaugurated on March 30, 1989. Rising from the center of the Cour Napoléon, it is the focal point of the museum's main axes of circulation and also serves as an entrance to the large reception hall beneath. There as as much as 30 ticketing countes in the semi-basement. From here, visitors can also reach the temporary exhibition areas, displays on the history of the palace and museum, Charles V's original moat, an auditorium, and public amenities (coat check, bookshop, cafeteria, restaurant).

Garden in Versailles - I

Versailles Palace was originally a royal hunting lodge. It was turned into a Royal Palace during the reign of King Louis XIV. From 1664-1697, the lodge was converted into a Place.

If the palace is known for its Grandeaur, the Palace garden is known for its elegance. Believe me, the Garden is Spread over 800 hectares. Total of 2,00,000 trees have been planted. Adding beauty to the garden are the Fountains : There are 50 Fountains in the Garden.

Being August ( Summer in France ), the Garden was in full bloom. Infact, there were more visitors in the garden than in the palace. The Sprawling Lawn with palace in the backdrop. It is a litereal tread for eyes.

To read more about the garden, click : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_of_Versailles

Versailles Palace

In French, it is known as the Château de Versailles.

When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a suburb of Paris, some twenty kilometers southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the center of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family under Louis XVI was forced to return to the capital in 6-Oct-1789 after the beginning of French Revolution.

This photograph is not the frontage of the Palace. Rather it is the rear end. I had to walk some 600 steps to cover this entire palace in Panorama. I am uploading this photo with original clarity. You can right click on the photo and save it in your machine. Then you can zoom and see the picture in greater details.

The first picture was shot at about 600 steps from the Palace. And the second one was shot after the first lawn - it should have been about 1200 steps.

For People planning to visit Versailles : Many of us visit Versailles for a day and come back. But it is worthwhile and cheaper to stay in Versailles. It costs as low as Euro 45 in Versailles when compared to 90 to 110 in Paris Downtown. Hence you can packup for a day, stay in Versailles and go for a Morning walk around the Palace. That is luxury.