This is the 2nd part of 3 post-series on our experiences in Bhutan. The other two posts cover our time in Thimpu and Paro! Highlights: Dochula Pass, The Temple of Fertility, The Punakha Dzong, The Wangdiphodrang Dzong and Namgay Monastery At Dochula Pass Heading to Dochula Pass We managed to head out of Thimpu late afternoon and were on the road by 3.00 PM for the next leg of our trip. The terrain from Punakha…
Destinations
This post is the last part of 3 post-series on our experiences in Bhutan. The first two posts talks about our experiences in Thimpu and Punakha valley respectively Planned Highlights : National Museum – Taktsang Monastery – Paro Dzong – Cheri Lang Monastery Reality Check We had grand plans for Paro, but we barely made through any of them. Travel exhaustion finally hit us on this leg of our journey. I don’t know if it…
Exploring Thimpu in 2 days! This is the first post in a 3-post series chronicling our itinerary and experiences in Bhutan. Click to read about Paro and Punakha Valley Royal Palace Highlights: National Memorial Chorten – Changangkha Monastery – Weekend Handicraft Market – Sangay View Point Getting There Armed with a guidebook, printouts from various blog entries and a properly planned itinerary, we waited for our Druk Air flight at the lounge in the Calcutta…
Afternoon (2 to 6 PM) Drive into Death Valley National Park from I-190 and stop at the Stovepipe Visitor Center to pick a map and get the latest info on trails first easy hike on the Mosaic Canyon trail that takes you through narrow canyon lined with polished rocks and marbles Attempt the easy hike on Mosaic Canyon trail that takes you through narrow canyon lined with polished rocks and marbles. After the hike, make the 90 minute drive to Ubehebe…
Istanbul is one of the most visually stunning cities that we have ever visited. A mix of the ancient and the new, every corner is bustling with life, color, and unexpected experiences. It’s one of those places in the world that should be experienced at a slow pace with lots of aimless meandering thrown in. Day 1: Leisurely visit to the Hagia Sophia Take an easy first day and try to get over your jet…
Starting the day with Turkish Breakfast Hotel breakfasts in Istanbul are a fry cry from the dry toast, boiled egg and stale Danish pastries affairs that I have often had in the US. The morning buffet had bread, croissants, cookies, salads, marmalades of orange, lemons, and cherries, fresh strawberries, cranberries, figs, olives, dates, prunes, sweetened yogurt with muesli, egg and sausage rolls, omelets, cold cuts, cheese, cakes and a glorious view of the Bosporus. I…
First Impressions The plane circled the skies waiting for its turn in the queue for the landing strip. I craned my eyes to get a glimpse of this ancient city over the winter rain clouds. Istanbul was a mosaic of red rooftops, mosque domes, and minarets. Smoke escaped from the chimneys of the houses in the early morning, and the grey sky promised a cold and cheerless day. After exiting immigration we searched the exit…
He came out of nowhere. K and I were standing against the railings of the Galata Bridge in Istanbul, watching the sea gulls dance over the murky waters of Bosporus when a balding man materialized next to us. He was wearing a blue wind cheater and bobbing up and down excitedly. “You hungry? You come inside my restaurant,” he said and pointed to one of the restaurants on the bridge. “I will make fifteen percent…
