Bangaluru, formerly Bangalore, one of the fastest growing cities in Asia, is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka.

Also known as the Garden City of India, Bangaluru enjoys a pleasant climate for most part of the year.

Bangaluru, which is now India’s major IT hub, attracts a large number of visitors from all parts of the country as well as from foreign lands.

Some of the most popular and most visited places of interest in Bangaluru are:

Vidhana Soudha, Bangaluru, the State Legislative and Secretariat House, was constructed in the year 1956. Built in the Neo-Dravidian style, this beautiful structure is one of the most popular attractions in Bangaluru.

Attara Kacheri, Bangaluru

Attara Kacheri, Bangaluru, located opposite to the Vidhan Soudha, has a magnificent building. Constructed in the year 1867 in the Gothic style of architecture, it is one of the most imposing structures in Bangaluru.

Bangalore Palace, Bangaluru

Bangalore Palace, Bangaluru, built in 1887 by the Wodeyar dynasty, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Bangaluru.

Lalbagh Gardens, Bangaluru

Lalbagh Gardens, Bangaluru, located in the south of the city, is another popular place of interest in Bangaluru. Laid out by HyderAli in 1760, this beautiful garden covers an area of about 240 acres.

Tipu's Palace, Bangaluru

Tipu's Palace, Bangaluru, constructed first by Hyder Ali and later completed by his son Tipu Sultan in 1791, is one of the most popular places of interest in Bangaluru.

Cubbon Park, Bangaluru

Cubbon Park, Bangaluru, the green park spreading over 250 acres, is one of the most popular and most visited places of interest in Bangaluru.

It also hosts an amusement park for the little ones, a toy train for kids and a doll museum.

Gandhi Bhavan, Bangaluru

Gandhi Bhavan, Bangaluru, one of the most popular places of interest in Bangaluru, displays the life of Mahatma Gandhi—the father of the nation—with the help of pictures.

Jawahar Lal Nehru Planetarium, Bangaluru

Jawahar Lal Nehru Planetarium, Bangaluru, is one of the most popular places of interest in Bangaluru.

Shiva Statue, Bangaluru

Shiva Statue, Bangaluru, a 65 feet high depiction of Lord Shiva seated in Lotus position, is another popular attraction in Bangaluru.

Dodda Ganapathi Temple, Bangaluru

Dodda Ganapathi Temple, Bangaluru, which has a huge monolithic statue of Gapnapati, is one another popular place of interest in Bangaluru.

Bull Temple, Bangaluru

Bull Temple, Bangaluru, located at Basavangudi and one of the oldest temples is Bangaluru, is one of the most popular and most visited places of interest in Bangaluru.

ISKCON Temple, Bangaluru

ISKCON Temple, Bangaluru, with a magnificent main temple hall, is another popular place of interest in Bangaluru.

Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Bangaluru

Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Bangaluru, named after Sir M. Visveswaraya—a well-known engineer who constructed a number of famous dams in the state of Karnataka—is a Science museum with models of various machines. Remains closed on Mondays.

Venkatappa Art Gallery, Bangaluru

Venkatappa Art Gallery, Bangaluru, one of India’s oldest art museums, has a good collection of antiques and archaeological objects. Remains closed on Wednesdays.

Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, Bangaluru

Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, Bangaluru, housing the State Central Library, has a fine collection of reference books. Opens from 8.30 a.m. till 7 p.m. daily except on Mondays.

Aquarium, Bangaluru

Aquarium, Bangaluru, the country’s second largest Aquarium, has a vast varsity of aquatic life. Remains closed on Mondays.

Karnataka Folk Museum, Bangaluru

Karnataka Folk Museum, Bangaluru, managed by the Karnataka Janapada Trust, has a good collection of rare masks, costumes and artifacts. Located at Kumara Park West, Sheshadripuram, it is one of the most popular places of tourist interest in Bangaluru.

Fun World, Bangaluru

Fun World, Bangaluru, a 12 acre Disney Land like amusement park, is another popular place of tourist interest in Bangaluru.

Musical Fountain, Bangaluru

Musical Fountain, Bangaluru, another popular attraction in Bangaluru, is located opposite the planetarium.

Bangaluru (formerly Bangalore), one of the most visited cities in India, can be reached through air, rail or road.

Air: Bangaluru has an International airport connecting it with the rest of the world.

Rail: The railway station at Bangaluru city is an important destination on the network of Indian Railways. From here, regular train services are available to most parts of the country.

Road: National Highways NH-4, NH-7 and NH-48 connect Bangaluru with some of the major cities in the country.

Bangaluru is situated at a distance of about: 1033 km from Mumbai; 334 km from Chennai; 566 km from Hyderabad and 761 km from Trivandrum.

My journey started at 3am last Wednesday morning. After two long flights and a mini layover I was in LA at 11am. I got my car and called my friend Brian from highschool, but got no answer (likely sleeping). So I decided to go to the Griffith Observatory.

It overlooked LA land. It was TREMENDOUS. I'm from NYC where everything is condensed so this was a tad mind boggling to me. The driving to get there was slightly overwhelming too, 6 lanes of traffic!

I knew my friend Bekah (also from NYC approx. 10 blocks from me), was visiting the Observatory at the same time because she had just tweeted it. I ran into her on my way out and we made plans to hang the next day.

From there I went to scope out Downtown and it was a hellhole, and my friend Brian called me like 10 minutes of me being there so I met up with him and our other friend from NY, from highschool who happened to be visiting at the same time. So we all went out to lunch in Hollywood, then went back to his place to grab somethings and chill. Then we went to Santa Monica. Oh Santa Monica was so gorgeous.

...and we had In-N-Out for dinner. Perfect day!

The following day Brian, Sean and Brian's bro Tom(who I had met for the first time in his underwear when we were teenagers) went out to breakfast at the 101 Cafe and then headed to Hollywood so I could enjoy the walk of fame for all its glory, and all its freak jobs roaming around. I discovered that my hands were smaller than Frank Sinatra's however my feet were bigger. I also saw a very fat spiderman, and Tom took a million and one pix of me with the Hollywood sign.

From there we headed back to the Curley Brother's place (check out what they do at CurleySound.com, amazing) and Tom and I went to meet up with Bekah in Santa Monica. It was great! I bought a pink cowgirl hat, and we played Whack-a-Mole, and frisbee on the beach. I also discovered that Coffee Bean is WAY BETTER than Starbucks.

After sending Bekah to the airport in a cab, Tom and I met up with Brian, Sean, and Chad (their neighbor) at the HAHA Comedy Club in North Hollywood. Most the comedians were funny, and there was one annoying heckler but it was good.

The next day I met up with Michael Sean Becker and took a tour of the Disney Studios Lot where he works. It was pretty neat to see how it was designed as well as everyone rode a bike to get around the lot! I got an ewhore doll and rubik's cube there so I was happy.

After that I head back to Brian's and watched as him and Sean rocked out on the drums and guitar. They are amazing musicians.

I later met up with my friends Vu, Lan and Bonny and went for a night trip to Disney Land. It was wicked bad ass even though it took 1 hour and 40+ minutes to get to Lan's place from Brian's place which was only like 30ish miles away.

We got soaked on Splash Mountain

and they got me this rocking shirt

and then we went to In-N-Out and they told me about the secret menu! I wish I had known sooner because it was AWESOME. Animal Style EVERYTHING!

The next day I visited the Queen Mary alone. I don't like going to museumy type things with other people so that I can go at my own pace which is either extremely slow, if I am interested, or extremely fast if I am not. I took the Ghosts& Legends tour and some other tour and it was wicked neat. The Ghost & Legends was hokey but fun with flashy lights, spooky sounds, smoke and even a part where the bowels of the ship start leaking. I love hokey touristy crap. The other tour we went through the most haunted parts of the ship and the tour guide explained what had been claimed to happen where. That was cool.

This is the swimming pool, reported to be the most haunted on the ship where you can hear splashing, wet footsteps and children.

Art Deco Bar

 They say this rooms carpet would get ripped out and rolled up everytime it was redone, so they just stopped renting it out because it was too expensive.

After I spent almost 4 hours there I headed to Hollywood Blvd to hang out, watched a movie and then met up with friends Rudy, Casey, Zadi and Steve for dinner. It was great. The waiter tried to take my meal away before I was done (there was just a pickle on the plate) and I yelled "MY PICKLE!" in the restaurant.

After dinner, and my brain being fried I headed back to Brian & Tom's for some beers and sleeptime. Brian had to work the following day but Tom made killer omlets for breakfast and that concluded the world's best vacation evar.

Dalhousie is one of the most popular and most visited tourist destinations in India. People from all parts of the country as well as from foreign lands visit this beautiful town each year and return home with minds full of joy and bags full of items bought from here.

While shopping in Dalhousie, you must try out Chamba special items such as shawls, cane baskets, chappals, dolls and woolens.

Gandhi Chowk, situated at just 15 minute walk up from the main bus stand, is the central place for shopping in Dalhousie.

St. Jonh's Church, Dalhousie, which stands on the Gandhi Chowk about 2 km from Dalhousie’s main bus stand, was the first to be erected following the foundation of the town of Dalhousie.

St. Patrick's Church, Dalhousie

St. Patrick's Church, Dalhousie, which is situated in Baloon, about 2 km away from the main bus stand, is the largest church in Dalhousie: its main hall has a seating capacity of 300 persons. This Church was constructed in 1909.

St. Francis' Church, Dalhousie

St. Francis' Church, Dalhousie, a Catholic Church built in 1894, is most arresting erection on the Subhash Chowk.

St. Andrew's Church, Dalhousie

St. Andrew's Church, Dalhousie, popularly known as the Church of Scotland, is located at a distance of about one and a half kilometers from Dalhousie's bus stand. The church was constructed in 1903 by Protestant Christians.

Subhash Baoli, Dalhousie

Subhash Baoli, Dalhousie, located at a distance of about 1 km from GPO, is a beautiful natural place. It is believed to be the place where Neta ji Subhash Chander Bose spent most of his time (during his 7 months stay in Dalhousie in the year 1937) by the side of this make-up.

Panchpula, Dalhousie

Panchpula, Dalhousie, a charming site, is located at a distance of just 3 km from GPO. And, on the way to this beautiful spot named Panchpula, you will find Satdhara springs: the water of these springs contain medicinal properties besides being refreshing.

Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Dalhousie

Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Dalhousie, which was constructed more than 150 years ago, is the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is situated in Sadar Bazar, at a distance of about 200 m from Subhash Chowk, Dalhousie.

Radha Swami Satsang Bhawan and Hospital, Dalhousie

Radha Swami Satsang Bhawan and Hospital, Dalhousie, is situated near Moti Tibba, about 300 m from Gandhi Chowk (GPO).

Dakshina Murti, Dalhousie

Dakshina Murti, Dalhousie, a yoga institution which was initiated by Dr. R. P. Kaushik during mid 70s, is situated approximately 200 m away from Subhash Chowk, Dalhousie.

Shivkul, Dalhousie

Shivkul, Dalhousie, which is situated on the Mall Road between Gandhi Chowk and Subhash Chowk, is an ashram of Vimala Thakur—a well-known religious thinker from the state of Gujarat.

Norwood Paramdham, Dalhousie

Norwood Paramdham, Dalhousie, or also known as Kainth Wali Kothi, is a well-formed house and is situated on the east of Dalhousie’s upper Bakrota Hill.

Khajjiar, Dalhousie

Khajjiar, Dalhousie, which is also known as the mini Switzerland of India, is situated about 23 km away from Dalhousie. Khajjiar is located at a height of about 6400 ft.

Kalatop, Dalhousie

Kalatop, Dalhousie, located at a distance of about 10 km from GPO, is at an altitude of about 8000 ft. To explore Kalatop and Khajiar, one has to plan a three days walk from Dalhousie to Kalatop, Khajjiar and back to Dalhousie.

Banikhet, Dalhousie

Banikhet, Dalhousie, the gateway to Dalhousie, is 7 km short of the town of Dalhousie.

Mani-Mahesh, Dalhousie

Mani-Mahesh, Dalhousie, one of the most popular pilgrim places in the region, is the sacred lake to which the ‘Chhari’ is taken: in the months of August/September, the famous ‘Yatra of Mani-Mahesh’ starts from Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Chamba. The sacred lake is situated at an altitude of about 13,500 ft.

Lakkarmandi, Dalhousie

Lakkarmandi, Dalhousie, is home for ‘dogri’ families: these families are engaged in the work of charcoal making.

Chhatrari, Dalhousie

Chhatrari, Dalhousie, situated at a distance of about 45 km from Chamba, is a famous village: the village is situated at an altitude of about 6000 ft, is well-known for its impressive hill-style temple of Shamti Devi.

Kynance, Dalhousie

Kynance, Dalhousie, which was constructed by Dr. N. R. Dharamvir of Lahore during the year 1933, is a Dharamvirs’ own residential building. The historical significance of this building lies in the fact that Neta Ji Subhash Chander Bose, who was a class fellow of the wife of Dr. Dharamvir, stayed here for seven months with them. Kynance is located at a distance of about 50 km from GPO.

Bharmaur, Dalhousie

Bharmaur, Dalhousie, the land of legendary Gaddies, Bharmaur, is situated about 65 km away from Chamba.

Air: The nearest airport to Dalhousie is at Amritsar, about 118 km from Dalhousie. Jammu is about 188 km from Dalhousie.

Rail: Pathankot, which is about 80 km from Dalhousie, is the nearest railhead connecting Dalhousie with the rest of the country.

Road: Well-maintained road network links Dalhousie with major cities in and around the state. One can choose to hire a taxi or board a bus to reach Dalhousie.

Dalhousie is situated at a distance of about: 563 km from Delhi, 118 km from Amritsar, 192 km from Jalandhar, 80 km from Pathankot, 56 km from Chamba, 402 km from Manali, 143 km from Dharamshala, 27 km from Khajjiar, 188 km from Jammu and 352 km from Chandigarh.

Dalhousie, situated at an altitude of about 2036 m, experiences a temperate climate.

During summer months, the temperature in Dalhousie ranges between a maximum of about 23 degree C and a minimum of about 15.3 deg C.

During winter months, the temperature in Dalhousie ranges between a maximum of about 10 degree C and a minimum of about 1 deg C.

Dalhousie receives an annual rainfall of about 250 cm.

The best time to visit Dalhousie is the period between the months of April and November.

Dalhousie, the dream destination of most travelers, is a adventure hill resort in the hilly Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Having something of its own, Dalhousie is an ideal choice for a summer retreat: the pines and the deodars, the cottages and the villas line up.

Dalhousie’s attractiveness runs into the hearts of visitors who come to this beautiful town. The lovely greens, the charming rhododendrons, and the unpolluted air make Dalhousie even more beautiful.

Named after Lord Dalhousie—the British Governor General (19th century)—Dalhousie has attractive colonial structures including some well-formed churches. What’s more, from this beautiful town, you will also be able to see the eye-catching snow-covered Dhauladhar Mountains.

Spreading over an area of about 13 sq. km. the town of Dalhousie is surrounded by diverse vegetation. The height of the town of Dalhousie varies between 1524 m and 2377 m.

The languages that are mainly used in Dalhousie include Pahari (local dialect), Hindi and English.

India is the second largest marketplace in terms of volume for the British flag carrier, after the United States, with the airline serving Indian cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai.

Sriram Narayan, British Airways’ Commercial Development and Deputy Commercial Manager (South Asia), said, “We constantly review different cost-cutting measures, including frequencies and routes rationalisation. We take appropriate measures on loss-making routes”.

The carrier operates 43 weekly flights from London Heathrow to five Indian cities. It has two direct flights linking both New Delhi and Mumbai, three flights to Kolkata, five flights to Chennai and a daily flight to the Indian IT hub, Bangalore.

From the 6th of December, the carrier will start five direct flights per week on the route from Hyderabad to London Heathrow.

British Airways is banking on more fuel-efficient flying machines in an attempt to cut expenses and has placed an order for 2 Boeing 777-300ER jetliners.

Mr. Narayan further said, “We have placed an order for 24 B787s and 12 Airbus A380s to replace older aircraft and expand our fleet. These new planes will bring down the operational costs due to their fuel efficiency”.

Amanda Amos, BA's Area Commercial Manager, said, “We plan to launch a direct flight from Hyderabad on December 7”.

The carrier will use a Boeing 777 plane to operate the new link. BA will serve the route five times per week.

At present, the UK-based airline operates a total of 43 flights per week from India.

BA has recently signed a deal with the Mumbai International Airport Ltd. for a lounge for its customers at the Mumbai Airport.

And, from the 17th of September, all the flights arriving from Mumbai will land at the new Terminal 5 (T5) at London Heathrow Airport.

1. You are wearing a fanny pack.
2. You are wearing socks with sandals.
3. You won't put your camera away, even when it's raining or you're in the bathroom.
4. You constantly walk around with every ticket you may eventually need in your hand (e.g., at Disneyland, you keep your ticket out the entire day instead of just getting it out when you actually need it).
5. You don't stop smiling.

-         Would you like anything to eat? Or just a drink for starters?

-         No, actually. I just wanted to sit here for a bit. Everywhere else is quite crowded.

-         Hmm. There's a sign outside. This area is reserved for customers.

-         I see. Well, you don't mind if I sit here, do you? It's completely empty and there are at least a dozen tables.

-         I'm sorry. I can't make an exception. This is our policy.

-         Are you serious?

-         Yes. Imagine if we let everyone sit here. Where would our customers sit if they wanted to sit outside?

-         But there is no one here. If it fills up I'll be more than happy to get up and find somewhere else.

-         Miss, I'm so sorry. I'm going to ask you once again to please order something or find somewhere else to sit. I'm not the one who made the rules.

-         All right, then. Let me see. I would like a small serving of fresh air, no sauce, no topping. About 15 minutes worth of it.

-         Sure.

-         What is this? Wait, what are you doing?

-         It's a counter. Here we don't serve in portions. You just breathe in as much as you like and we charge you at the end.

-         This is absurd.

-         Please don't remove the sticker. We have a flat fee of 20 pounds if we catch you without it on.

-         You're going to make me wear a sticker on my nose that will measure the amount of air I'm breathing so that you can charge me for it?

-         But isn't this what you ordered? I don't mean to be rude, but you are being rather difficult.

-         Difficult? I was joking. No one pays for air. It's public property. You can't charge someone for breathing. It's a prerequisite for survival.

-         Goddamned tourists.

-         What did you say?

-         Nothing. You must be new here. A law was recently passed that allows facilities to charge for air breathed on their properties. This is particularly useful for restaurants and pubs that have outdoor areas in busy locations where no one seems to respect signs posted outside in perfectly legible English stating that the area is reserved for customers only.

-         You've got to be joking.

-         No, I am not.

-         And will the government also start pasting counters on everyone's noses to charge for breathing on public property.

-         No, that would be silly. There's no way to police that. Everyone would simply pull off the counter stickers in unsupervised locations. There are flat rates for each person depending on size, weight, sex and lifestyle. It's included on all tax forms.

-         I see. This is the most outrageous thing I've ever heard. I will find somewhere else to sit.

-         Sure, let me just get your check.

-         What check?

-         You sat here using a significant amount of air arguing with me. Plus, there is the 20 pound fine for pulling the counter sticker off.

-         Yes, I understand. I'm sure you can make an exception for me since I am a goddamned tourist and was not aware of these policies.

-         Kindly take a quick look around. How many languages and races do you see passing you by on the sidewalk? Yes, lots. Lots of tourists, all innocent and well-meaning, all equally clueless. Imagine if we let everyone off based on their tourist status.

-         How much do I owe you?

-         One minute. 32.50.

-         Here you go. I'm off. I'm going to take some very deep breaths on public property and find some lovely and very public corner to sit, where I can breathe all the air I like for free. Like a normal person. In a regular country.

-         Free? What do you mean, free? Are you stealing the country's air?

-         Stealing? No! I'm breathing.

-         And you're not paying for it?

-         Why would I pay for it? I don't live here and have no obligation to pay taxes here. So yes, I am breathing your country's precious air and not paying a dime.

-         One moment, I'll be right back.

-         Goddamned country.

-         Did you say something?

-         No. Just remarking on how lovely it is here.

Sirens.

-         We are tired of being kind to tourists who don't bother familiarizing themselves with the laws of the country they are visiting, much less respect them.

-         Ha! And will they arrest me? For breathing?

-         Yes, there are severe fines and often prison sentences to serve for visitors who don't fill out the appropriate paperwork to document their intention of breathing and paying for their air.

-         They can't take me to prison. My visa will expire, and then I will illegally be in prison. I'll just apologize.

Sirens.

Newsletter - B6 Sun.Star Cebu | Wednesday, August 27, 2008

MARKETING BILLBOARD
-COMPANY EVENTS
-NEW PRODUCTS
-BUSINESS PROMOS

Sky Experience Adventure at Crown Regency

www.cebucondoreview.co.cc

An exciting adventure begins as Crown Regency Hotel and Towers kicks off its Sky Experience Adventure (S.E.A.) into action this October.

Crown Regency Hotel and Towers has commissioned Utah-based amusement industry leader Interactive Rides, Inc. to design and build rides that will be installed on top of the hotel. Company chairman and chief executive officer Richard L. King himself visited their corporate office in the U.S. to personally check and try out the equipment.

Interactive Rides, Inc. is an active member of the International Association of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions and has put up several rides in different states in America.

Soon to wheel around the edge of the tallest hotel tower in the country will be the world’s very first Edge Coaster. Riders are strapped onto a rail seat that goes around the building. Halfway through the ride, they can pull a lever that will tilt their seats to their heart’s thrill at up to 55 degrees. But for the others who prefer a leisurely walk more than thirty stories above the din of traffic, the Sky Walk Xtreme will make them feel like walking on the clouds while being tied to a safety harness. Another ride, the Insanity Orbit, patterned after Las Vegas’ popular Stratospher will be completed in 2010.

Sky Experience Adventure will also feature Sky Observatory, where guests can enjoy a panoramic view of the city; Sky Restaurant, where they can dine with beautiful night lights; and Sky Bar, where they can sit back, chill and simply take the night off.

Please visit www.cebucondoreview.co.cc for more details about this high yield investment in Boracay Island.

Also talk to me through Yahoo! Messenger & Skype: daisy_guo_onlinemarketing

For more information please Contact:
Daisy Guo
International Marketing Assitant
E-mail: ftrdcmarketing@gmail.com or info@cebucondoreview.co.cc
Cell: (+63917) 462-1174

Nalanda, one of the most ancient places in India, is situated in the Indian state of Bihar. Nalanda, the place where ruins of the great ancient university have been excavated, is located about 90 km south east of the state capital city, Patna.

Some of the most popular and most visited places of interest in Nalanda are:

The Nalanda University Archaeological Complex, Nalanda

The Nalanda University Archaeological Complex, Nalanda, one of the most popular places of interest in Nalanda, has a total area of about 14 hectares.

A central walkway, from south to north, divides the buildings: the monasteries or Viharas are east of this divider and the Temples of Chaiyas to the West.

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda, a new institute devoted to study and research in Pali Literature and Buddhism, is another popular place of interest in Nalanda.

The Nalanda Archaeological Museum, Nalanda

The Nalanda Archaeological Museum, Nalanda, located opposite the entrance to the ruins of the university and houses, boasts of beautiful collection of Hindu and Buddhist bronze statues.

Opens from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. Remains closed on Fridays.

Hieun Tsang Memorial Hall, Nalanda

Hieun Tsang Memorial Hall, Nalanda, constructed in memory of Hieun Tsang, the great Chinese traveler, is another popular place of tourist interest in Nalanda.

Surajpur Baragaon, Nalanda

Surajpur Baragaon, Nalanda, the lake with a temple dedicated to the Sun God, is a famous pilgrim center in Nalanda.

Silao, Nalanda

Silao, Nalanda, a village situated in between Nalanda and Rajgir, is one of the most popular and most visited places of interest near Nalanda. The village is famous for a sweet called ‘Khaja’.

Gulmarg, one of India’s most beautiful hill resorts, does not offer ample opportunities for shopping. However, one can sample a shopping experience in Srinagar, located just 56 km from Gulmarg.

Some of the most prominent shopping areas in Srinagar include the Lal Chowk, the Bad Shah Chowk and the Polo View. The items that one can expect while shopping in Srinagar include metal-crafts, cane and bamboo work, baskets, brass and silver ware, and willow and woolen garments.

Gulmarg, one of the most beautiful and most popular tourist destinations in India, offers ample opportunities for recreational activities for those who come here to see and enjoy the beauty of Nature. Some of the most popular recreational activities or things to do in Gulmarg are:

Horse Riding in Gulmarg

Horse riding in Gulmarg is considered as the best activity that everyone can enjoy during a trip to Gulmarg. One can hire a horse directly or one can also hire a horse through the Tourist Office, Gulmarg.

Golfing in Gulmarg

Golfing is one of the most popular things to do in Gulmarg: Gulmarg is known for golfing activities for a long time. The Gulmarg Golf Club was established more than a hundred years ago. One can enjoy golfing here on a temporary membership basis.

Skiing and Winter Sports in Gulmarg

Gulmarg offers the best opportunities for beginners and intermediate skiers: Gulmarg has some of the best available slopes in India for starters and intermediate skiers. Ski equipments are easily available in Gulmarg.

Sledging in Gulmarg

Sledging is another interesting and breathtaking activity that one will really enjoy during a trip to Gulmarg. One can easily think of the excitement of sliding downhill on the snow-covered slopes on a flat wooden. Sledging equipments (sledges and sledge-pullers are available) are available.

Tobogganing in Gulmarg

Tobogganing is one of the most popular and interesting activity in Gulmarg. To enjoy Tobogganing in Gulmarg, no skill is required.

Gulmarg, located in the Baramulla district of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), is one of the most beautiful hill resorts in the country. Gulmarg is located about 2730 m above sea level. The beautiful valley is a large meadow spreading over an area of about 3 sq km.

Gulmarg attracts tourists from all parts of the country as well as from outside India, as it is home to a number of places of tourist interest.

Some of the most popular places of tourist interest in Gulmarg are:

Khilanmarg, Gulmarg

Khilanmarg, Gulmarg, the place for skiing during the winter months, offers an opportunity to see the beauty of Kashmir valley and the great Himalayas. Skiing enthusiasts can look forward for the month of December, as the season starts during this month.

Alpather Lake, Gulmarg

Alpather Lake, Gulmarg, a superb alpine lake, lies across the Apharwat hill. This lake is located at a distance of about 13 km from Gulmarg.

The Green Golf Courses and the Gondola Lift, Gulmarg

The Green Golf Courses and the Gondola Lift, Gulmarg, are popular among tourists. With a temporary membership, tourists can enjoy an 18-hole golf course. While the Gondola Lift offers a unique experience of a high ride over the hills and pine-clad inclines.

Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve, Gulmarg

Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve, Gulmarg, offering one of the most delightful wildlife tours, is home to many endangered species such as musk deer, as well as superb fauna.

Air: Srinagar, located at a distance of about 56 km from Gulmarg, is the nearest airport linking Gulmarg with the rest of the country through air. A number of domestic airlines serve the airport at Srinagar. From Srinagar, one can hire a taxi to reach Gulmarg.

Rail: The nearest railhead connecting Gulmarg with the rest of the country through rail is at Jammu. Regular trains are available from/to Jammu to/from almost all parts of the country.

Road: Gulmarg is situated in the mountainous region and to lay and maintain roads in such a region is very difficult. However, one can reach Gulmarg from Srinagar through road.

Regular bus services—deluxe and ordinary—are operated by J&K SRTC between Srinagar and Gulmarg. During winter months, the bus services are available only up to Tangmarg, located at a distance of about 11 km from Gulmarg. From here, one can reach Gulmarg by a smaller vehicle. One can also reach Gulmarg by hiring a taxi from Srinagar.

During the summer months, between the months of June and August, ranges between a maximum of about 35 degree C and a minimum of about 25 degree C.

During winter season, between the months of December and February, the temperature drops to as low as -10 degree C. Gulmarg starts receiving tourists with the start of winter season.

You can visit Gulmarg anytime during the year: the best time to visit Gulmarg is the time when you finds time to visit this beautiful place.

Gulmarg, one of the most beautiful hill resorts in India, is a town in the Baramula district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India. Gulmarg, which means ‘Meadow of Flowers’, attracts tourists from all over the country as well as from outside India.

During the beginning of the twentieth century, Sir Marc Aurel Stein (1862-1943)—the well-known Central Asian explorer made his home in Gulmarg in a tent. Also, Gulmarg was one of the most popular summer holiday destinations for British officers during their rule in India.

During the winter season, Gulmarg receives heavy snowfall. Having some of the Asia’s best slopes (ski lift ranges up to five kilometers) and snow-clad peaks (at an altitude of about 3,747 m), Gulmarg is one of the most popular destination among ski enthusiasts.

According to the India census 2001, the total population of Gulmarg was around 673 individuals: males constitute about 99 percent of the total population while females constitute 1 per cent.

The United States is a country that I love a lot. I respect the American citizens for how they have turned their country into. The history of America is always interesting for me. As in the History, even now some people act and behave against what America stands for. This I guess is one such incident.

At first I thought of posting an excerpt from the original post and add the link to the original post as is my usual habit. But, the sheer nature of this post prompted me to have the entire post on my blog itself. Just in case the original post vanishes....

At JFK Airport, Denying Basic Rights Is Just Another Day at the Office

I was recently stopped by Homeland Security as I was returning from a trip to Syria. What I saw in the hours that followed shocked and disturbed me.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="176" caption="Homeland Security"][/caption]

I arrived at JFK Airport two weeks ago after a short vacation to Syria and presented my American passport for re-entry to the United States. After 28 hours of traveling, I had settled into a hazy awareness that this was the last, most familiar leg of a long journey. I exchanged friendly words with the Homeland Security official who was recording my name in his computer. He scrolled through my passport, and when his thumb rested on my Syrian visa, he paused. Jerking toward the door of his glass-enclosed booth, he slid my passport into a dingy green plastic folder and walked down the hallway, motioning for me to follow with a flick of his wrist. Where was he taking me, I asked him. "You'll find out," he said.

We got to an enclosed holding area in the arrivals section of the airport. He shoved the folder into my hand and gestured toward four sets of Homeland Security guards sitting at large desks. Attached to each desk were metal poles capped with red, white and blue siren lights. I approached two guards carrying weapons and wearing uniforms similar to New York City police officers, but they shook their heads, laughed and said, "Over there," pointing in the direction of four overflowing holding pens. I approached different desks until I found an official who nodded and shoved my green folder in a crowded metal file holder. When I asked him why I was there, he glared at me, took a sip from his water bottle, bit into a sandwich, and began to dig between his molars with his forefinger. I found a seat next to a man who looked about my age -- in his late 20s -- and waited.

Omar (not his real name) finished his fifth year in biomedical engineering at City College in June. He had just arrived from Beirut, where he visited his family and was waiting to go home to the apartment he shared with his brother in Harlem. Despite his near-perfect English and designer jeans, Omar looked scared. He rubbed his hands and rocked softly in his seat. He had been waiting for hours already, and, as he pointed out, a number of people -- some sick, elderly, pregnant or holding sobbing babies -- had too. There were approximately 70 people detained in our cordoned-off section: All were Arab (with the exception of me and the friend I traveled with), and almost all had arrived from Dubai, Amman or Damascus. Many were U.S. citizens.

We were in the front row, sitting a few feet from two guards' desks. They sneered at each bewildered arrival, told jokes in whispers, swiveled in their office chairs and greeted passing guards who stopped to talk -- guards who had a habit of looping their fingers into their holsters. One asked his friend how many nationalities were represented in the room. "About 20. Some of everything today."

No one who had been detained knew precisely why they were there. A few people were led into private rooms; others were questioned out in the open at desks a few feet from the crowd and then allowed to pass through customs. Some were sent to another section of the holding area with large computer screens and cameras, and then brought back. The uninformed consensus among the detainees was that some people would be fingerprinted, have their irises scanned and be sent back to the countries from which they had disembarked, regardless of citizenship status; others would be fingerprinted and allowed to stay; and the unlucky ones would be detained indefinitely and moved to a more permanent facility.

There was one British tourist in the group. Paul (also not his real name) was traveling with three friends who had passed through customs soon after their plane landed and were waiting for him on the other side of the metal barrier; he suspected he had been detained because of his dark skin. When he asked if he could go to the bathroom, one of the guards said, "I wouldn't." "What if someone has to?" I asked. "They will just have to hold it," the guard responded with a smile. Paul began to cry. I watched as he, over the course of four hours, went from feeling exuberant about his trip to New York to despising the entire country. "I speak the Queen's English," he said to me. "I'm third-generation British. I came to America because I've always wanted to come here, and now they've got me so scared that all I want to do is go home. We're paying for your stupid war anyway."

To be powerless and mocked at the same time makes one feel ashamed, which leads quickly to rage. Within a few hours of my arrival, I saw at least 10 people denied the right to use the bathroom or buy food and water. I watched my traveling companion duck under a barrier, run to the bathroom and slip back into the holding section -- which, of course, someone of another ethnicity in a state of panic would be very reluctant to do. The United States is good at naming enemies, but apparently we are even better at making them, especially of individuals. I don't know if it's worse for national security -- and more embarrassing for Americans -- that this is the first experience tourists have of our country, or that some U.S. citizens get treated this way upon entering their own country.

The guard who had been picking his molars for hours quietly mispronounced the names of people whose turn it was to be questioned, muttering each surname three times and then moving on. When he called Omar from City College to his desk, I moved closer to hear the interview. "Where did you go?" the officer asked. "What is your address in the United States? Is your brother here illegally? Do you support Hezbollah? What do you think of Hezbollah in general? How do you pay for your life here? How many people live with you? Are you sure it's just you and your brother? Who are your friends?" Omar answered respectfully and emphatically; he was then asked to wait by the side of the desk, from which he was ushered toward one of the rooms.

After four hours, I finally demanded to speak to the guards' supervisor, and he was called down. I asked if the detainees could file a formal complaint. He said there were complaint forms (which, in English and Spanish, direct one to the Department of Homeland Security's Web site, where one must enter extensive personal information in order to file a "Trip Summary") but initially refused to hand them out or to give me his telephone number. "The Department of Homeland Security is understaffed, underfunded, and I have men here who are doing 14-hour days." He tried to intimidate me when I wrote down his name -- "So, you're writing down our names. Well, we have more on you" -- and asked me questions about my address and my profession in front of the rest of the people detained. I pointed out a few of the families who had missed their flights and had been waiting seven hours. His voice barely controlled, his lip curled into a smirk, he explained slowly, condescendingly, that they need only go to the ticket counter at Jet Blue and reschedule so they could fly out in an hour. One mother responded with what he must have already known: Jet Blue goes to most destinations only once or twice a day and her whole family would have to sleep in the airport.

A large crowd began to gather. Everyone wanted to voice complaints. I explained to the supervisor that his guards had been making people afraid. He flipped through the green files, tossing the American passports to the front of the pile. "You should have gone first, before these people. American citizens first -- that's how it should be." In the face of dozens of requests and questions, he turned and left.

The guards processed me then, ignoring the order of arrivals, if there ever had been one. They refused to distribute more complaint forms or call the supervisor back down at the request of Arab families. One officer threatened, "I'm talking politely to you now. If you don't sit down, I won't be talking politely to you anymore." One announced that because "the American girl" had gotten angry, the families would have to wait a few more hours. "The supervisor is not coming back."

I reassured my Homeland Security interrogator that I did not make any connections with Hezbollah or with anyone I knew to be associated with such an organization. I am not a member of any terrorist group. In fact, my visit to Syria had been so apolitical and touristy that I felt an embarrassing affinity with the pastel-shirted families waiting by the Air France baggage carousels in the distance, whom I knew I would eventually join.

As I walked out of the enclosure, some people thanked me, squeezing my arm and putting their hands on my shoulders. It was shocking that briefly standing up to someone overseeing an abuse of civil rights -- in JFK airport, in the United States, where we supposedly have laws and a democratic judicial system -- could be perceived as heroic. I had nothing to lose, but the other people being detained had everything to lose.

In the past five years I have worked for human rights and refugee advocacy organizations in Serbia, Russia and Croatia, including the International Rescue Committee and USAID. I have traveled to many different places, some supposedly repressive, and have never seen people treated with the kind of animosity that Homeland Security showed that night. In Syria, border control officers were stern but polite. At other borders there have been bureaucracies to contend with -- excruciating for both Americans and other foreign nationals. I've met Russian officials with dead, suspicious looks in their eyes and arms tired from stamping so many visas, but in America, the Homeland Security officials I encountered were very much alive -- like vultures waiting to eat.

[ Original story ]

So to keep myself occupied I agreed to run in the Mrs. KFAANT, which stands for the Katherine Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory. It is a quest run every second year to raise funds for the KFAANT. I was approached by the President, Mrs. Rose Hewitt, Marichu Rawson and probably my best friend Mrs. Judy Payne and asked if I would enter the quest.

The winner of the quest is determined purely on the amount of funds raised by each contestant. This is the major fundraising venture by the Association, therefore a successful quest is most important to the Association, it needs the funds to pay for the rates, electricity, maintenance and if there is any money left in the bank, some capital works programs.

Some people have told me that I am crazy for entering the quest when I have so much on my plate. They tell me that I should concentrate on developing the Tourist Park, but if you can’t contribute to your community and try to improve the lives of the people around you, why were we put on this earth?

The final counting of the funds raised is to be held on Wednesday 27/08/08 and the crowning of the Mrs. KFAANT is to be conducted at the Annual Bario Fiesta on Saturday 30/08/08. Some of the Stalwarts of the Association are providing the entertainment for the evening by way of a number of traditional Filipino dances, and each contestant is going to showcase their talent as well as joining in with the local Filipino dancers for one number.

The other 2 contestants will be performing dances from the provinces that they come from and I will be singing, I hope. My voice hasn’t been up to scratch lately, due to a mild attack of the flu. Hopefully everyone will enjoy the evening of Filipino entertainment and food.

Meanwhile I am waiting for our first shipment of Cabins, Gazebos and Household and Garden furniture to arrive. It is scheduled to arrive in Australia by the end of September now, due to the cutback of ships coming to Darwin from Asia.

The hunt for one or more Investors continues as well. There is somebody out there in this big wonderful world of ours who can see the financial advantages of an Investment in Elvira’s Paradise, we just have to be patient and they will come. As it says in the Kevin Costner movie, “If you build it they will come”.