Notes and random thoughts from my travels …
Croatia is one of my favorite tourist destinations. It is just outside my current Top-5 (USA (Duh!), Russia, Norway, Greece and Jordan). Beautiful seas/beaches, historical and pretty towns ... Just a very pretty country. Though not as popular as Dubrovnik, Split is worth a visit. One of the prime sights in Split is Diocletian Palace. …
Truly historical ... That was the over-riding thought while I explored Istanbul and its suburbs. As we all know, lately, there has been some security issues. I hope it does not prevent tourists from enjoying this magnificent city. Most of the prime sights are in the Old Town and can be traversed by foot. Cuisine-wise …
Continue reading Istanbul – The modern day Byzantine/Ottoman’s Constantinople … [Turkey]
I am a huge fan of tall buildings and structures ... Am in awe of the engineers and experts who create these marvels, which can withstand winds, earthquakes Etc. So far, I have covered World Trade Center (In 2001, just 2 months before the sad 09/11, USA), Petronas Towers (Malaysia), IFC (Hong Kong), Empire State …
Continue reading Burj Khalifa – World’s tallest building … [UAE]
With one of the World's best airlines (Singapore Airlines) based here, it is no surprise that I have been to Singapore many times. I just love cities with tropical climate, good public transit and above all, safety. As with other Asian mega-cities, Singapore is also a mix of various cultures. One of the first things …
Though United Kingdom is very scenic, I just wish the weather was a bit better 🙂 Most of the days are overcast and a sunny day is to be highly cherished. The tour through the Scottish Highlands was highly enjoyable, except maybe for the food 🙂 I just wish it was a bit more sunny. …
The Belgrade Railway Station gives the hint that railways may not be the top priority for the Serbian Government. I am making this judgement based on how "Old-School" the station looks and how it is much less crowded than what I had expected. I got myself a beer and roamed around the premises and did …
Continue reading Train ride from Belgrade to Novi Sad … [Serbia]
As a veteran of the great Trans-Mongolian/Trans-Siberian train adventure, I have pretty high standards for scenic train rides 🙂 Definitely, the train ride from Split to Zagreb is one of the best! The train itself, run by Croatian Raiways (HZPP), is tiny, with just two coaches. Overall, it is a 6.5hr train ride, through coastal …
Continue reading One of the best train rides I have done … Split to Zagreb. [Croatia]
After the excellent train from Split to Zagreb (run by Croatian Railways, HZPP), I was a bit shocked when I saw the train which I had to take to Ljubljana. Since it was an International train, I was expecting a modern and posh train. I was waiting at platform #1 for the train to arrive …
Continue reading Train ride from Zagreb to Ljubljana … [Croatia/Slovenia]
When you visit England, you can get an in-person feel for the "fickle weather" we hear so much during the 2 weeks of Wimbledon 🙂 There is an old-World charm to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Not sure if there is an easier way, but in my case, there was a 15-20min walk …
When I was in Manila, it rained non-stop during the evenings ... So, all my exploring was only during the day-time. Wherever I looked, there were the unique Jeepneys. Each Jeepney has its own "personality", in terms of colors and the extra fittings. One could see the Colonial architecture all around. And souvenirs ... Wow! …
Continue reading Manila, the Pearl of the Orient … [Philippines]