There is never a paucity of things to do in Iceland, whatever be the weather or the time of day. There are many waterfalls, hikes, beaches, lighthouses, glaciers, and volcanoes once you step out of the city, but the beautiful city of Reykjavik also houses some amazing wonders and experiences. It is a large city with a high energy downtown that pretty much comprises of … Continue reading Reykjavik: So much to do, surrounded by so much to see
The first morning in Iceland and with car keys in my hand I felt like a kid in a candy store. There were so many places to go and so many things to do – so little time! The most popular of the circuits came first – known as the Golden Circle tour, it comprises a National Park, an amazing Geysir, one of the most … Continue reading Golden Circle – A perfect day
There is no place in the world like Iceland, period. Nothing more needs be said and nothing less would do it justice. While I had combined my trip to Iceland with Sweden, I think they deserve separate posts (and even trips) – so here goes. Planning for Iceland wasn’t easy because there isn’t much information to go by and outside of Reykjavik, the hotels get … Continue reading Iceland – never felt like Earth!
It was almost sad to leave Petra, that 2000-year-old city had mesmerized me and I knew I leaving behind unexplored corners. Exploring those could take weeks, the time I did not have. Our driver was going to give us a day tour of the Wadi before dropping us off at the Marriott by the shores of Dead Sea. We had gotten some early glimpses of … Continue reading Wadi Rum and Dead Sea: A desert drive…
Just to clarify – there is no clear rank order among the 7 wonders of the world. Petra was the third of the wonders that I saw and it remains the last. Though I have been to the Taj Mahal a few times since I have not added a new man-made wonder to my photo collection in the last decade. Petra though was so mind-blowing … Continue reading Petra: The third wonder
Let me start with a disclaimer – this blog covers a trip from about 10 years ago. I do have the full collection of pictures from the trip and a generally good memory, so the details on the trip will be accurate but I am sure a lot has changed since then and a lot of new infrastructures have come up. Global tourism has been … Continue reading Jordan – Before the tourist avalanche…(2010)
The famous town of Sintra sits between pretty hills and the Atlantic Ocean about 40 minutes outside of Lisbon. As much as it checks all the flags on the tourist town checklist, most of the city is quite pretty with some nice stores and restaurants. The view of the ocean over a series of green mountains lined with some historic structures is quite a sight. … Continue reading Sintra – Castles, palaces, a lighthouse and more…
A long summer day could mean lemonade and an air conditioner if you are close to the equator or a day (or even a week) full of celebrations and frolic if you are closer to the Arctic Circle. Traditions, celebrations, names, and even the dates vary a bit across countries, but if you do end up in the right city at the right time, it … Continue reading Porto – Bon São João
The train ride into Lisbon was comfortable and almost refreshing and the station was a mere 5-minute cab ride from downtown and our hotel. The check-in process took longer than expected and it was nearly lunchtime when we were done. We were soon ready to hit the town and get some chow. A quick look at Zomato was enough to figure out that we were … Continue reading Lisboa – a city to get lost in…
Most people visit Europe for the architecture, some natural beauty, the museums or fashion. Porto has a bit of everything, but most importantly a unique culture that is its biggest attraction. It of course is the only place in the world than can legally call its wine Port. It boasts of a city center that is a UNESCO world heritage site with the world’s largest … Continue reading Porto – Six bridges, a festival and many glasses of wine
