Monday, December 24, 2012
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
Azores – Tranquillity in the midst of the ocean!
Introduction
Azores is a picturesque Portuguese
archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean, situated about 1500
km from the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, and as many as 3900 km from the eastern
coast of North America. In fact, from
amongst these islands, the Flores Island, and more specifically, the Monchique
Islet on it is regarded as Europe’s westernmost point. Together with the
relative isolation that marks these islands, thanks to the distant location
from any of the major land masses, coupled with the scenic beauty of the area
as well as its development as an exotic yet vibrant tourist destination, Azores
has rapidly evolved into a premier and much sought after location for those
bitten by the wanderlust bug, from all around the world. If you are on the
lookout for a tranquil holiday, away from all the hustle and bustle of everyday
life in major cities or even in other tourist hotspots, there are few places in
the world that can even come anywhere close to Azores.
Getting to Azores
By Air
Thanks to the relative isolation of
the islands, coupled with the fact that there is enormous distance separating
them from virtually any other location, air travel to Azores is seen to be the
most viable. That said you will find flights coming in to Azores from virtually
any global destination. Needless to say, flying in from Lisbon would be the
most feasible as Lisbon in turn has flights coming in from all the major
destinations of the world. In case you are in North America or continental
Europe and fancy visiting Azores, then the most feasible and suitable option
for you would be to first fly to Lisbon and then take a connecting flight to
Azores. Getting to any of the Azores islands by flight from Lisbon or other
destinations should not be a problem since all the 9 islands have their own
individual airfields.
By Ship
Getting to Azores by ship is another
feasible option, provided time is not a constraint for you, not to forget the
cost factor! After all, most of the ships coming in to Azores with tourists are
cruise ships, in fact luxury cruise ships. Much of the traffic comes in from
Lisbon so you should actively check out the cruise liner options along with
dates and timings for these ships to set sail for Azores.
Travel within Azores
With the Portuguese administration
leaving no stone upturned in developing Azores as a primary tourist
destination, transport within Azores, once you are actually there, should be
the least of your concerns. There are varied options on offer, whereby whether
you are travelling on the same island or getting from one island to another,
you should not face any difficulty. In fact, if you are coming on a cruise
ship, most of the trips are scheduled in such a manner that they make spaced
out halts at each of the islands, whereby you can take in the exotic offerings
on every island and then move to the next one, on the same cruise ship that
brought you to Azores in the first place.
That said there are many other travel
options available as well. Remember that a lot of tourists prefer to come to
the Azores on an unscheduled vacation whereby they are not looking at things
planned out at every stage. In fact, a lot of such trips are more fun when you
discover things by yourself – perhaps with a guide book or an informed local
inhabitant there for guidance when really needed!
At the same time, if you are part of
a tour group visiting the Azores, you can choose from a wide range of jeep
safari tours, car tours, as well as regular coach tours. Additionally, when you
come as a tourist who is part of a package tour, it is quite likely that the
package would already include a veritable range of travel options such that you
would not have to be concerned about the same.
Things to see and do in Azores
Rest assured, thanks to the exotic
appeal of the overall setting, there are destinations galore that you would
like to see, once you are in Azores.
That said it would be useful to first
understand the islands themselves which will in turn allow you to plan your
trip suitably (in case you are not part of a package tour). Even if you are, it
would give you a better sense of where you are headed.
As we mentioned earlier, the Azores
are an archipelago of 9 different islands. These 9 islands are in turn divided
into three groups:
- The Western group
comprises of the islands of Corvo and Flores.
- The Central group
consists of the islands of Graciosa, Terceira, Sao Jorge, Pico and Faial.
- The Eastern group
comprises of the islands of Sao Miguel and Santa Maria.
Within these islands, it would be a
fallacy to state that there is one particular island that has more places to
see or has more picturesque locales than another. That is the reason we do not
recommend any one particular island over another. Instead, we vehemently
recommend that you plan your trip to Azores in such a manner that you are able
to suitably cover all the islands and see all that each one of them has to
offer.
That said another thing that you need
to keep in mind is that the tourist potential of Azores has been recognized
relatively recently and as a result the locales and types of places that would
be recommended to you would also be more contemporary in nature.
That is the reason if you are out for
a vacation to Azores; keep your mind open to the possibility of a modern
vacation that involves indulging in activities that are more contemporary in
nature than otherwise.
Thus your Azores vacation should
ideally comprise of numerous golf sessions, stay at some of the most beautiful
hotels in the world as well as indulge yourself on probably the finest, most
reclusive and yet completely picturesque beaches that you will find in
practically any part of the world.
As far as activities are concerned,
let us look at them island by island. This is one more reason why it makes
sense to have a good idea of the islands themselves that comprise the Azores.
If golf is what you are after, we
would actively recommend the Batalha Golf Course on Sao Miguel Island that
offers a pristine golf course amidst a simply breathtaking view of the ocean as
well as the surrounding hills. Other golf courses of immense significance on
the Azores would include the Furnas Golf Course, also on Sao Miguel Island as
well as the Terceira Golf Club on Terceira Island.
If birds of the feathered kind are
what you would like to watch, head straight to Sao Miguel Island which offers
views of some truly exotic birds, many of which you are unlikely to see in any
part of the world as they are endemic to this region. Pico Island also offers vibrant
bird watching avenues, thanks to the equally exotic species of birds that you
will find on the island.
Another activity that you simply must indulge yourself in, while
at the Azores, is fishing. Remember that when it comes to fishing for a wide
variety of game, there is simply no locale in the world as exciting as Azores.
Within the Azores Islands, you could particularly concentrate on fishing either
on Sao Miguel Island or on Faial Island. On Sao Miguel Island, you could easily
expect to catch game such as bluefish, bonito, mackerel, tuna, barracuda and
even shark! Imagine a day spent in catching this game and then the ensuing
evening amidst a barbecue of the same game that you caught, amidst your friends
and family – did anyone say Nirvana? This just has to be it! On Sao Miguel
Island, you could go on board the specialized Shanghai Hatteras boat which is
renowned for various deep sea fishing records that it has established in the
Azores. On the Faial Island, you could indulge yourself in coastline as well as
big game fishing, including trolling for coastal fish as well as the
traditional approach of hook and line fishing. Imagine the excitement when you
are able to get hold of a truly exotic fish on your hook!!
For a geographical tour of the
islands and its exotic composition, a tour of the Sao Miguel Island would
perhaps be the best bet. On the other hand, if you are game for some hiking,
then consider the Pico Island that offers both walking programs as well as
climbing the Pico Mountain which is in fact Portugal’s highest point. Of
course, being a volcano, you would not want to be anywhere near the peak when
it is in a state of eruption!
As for Jeep Safaris, again you would
probably like to go in for the same on Sao Miguel Island which offers jeep safaris
on both the eastern as well as the western side of the island.
With an abundant ocean surrounding
the Azores on all sides, it is no wonder that activities pertaining to the seas
take on centre stage on Azores. Thus, while you are there, you should
definitely indulge yourself in sailing which again takes place in a big way on
Sao Miguel Island. Other than sailing, you would definitely also like to take a
look at the whales that come by the Azores island seas; practically all the
islands, in particular Sao Miguel, Faial, and Pico islands offer tours of the
sea on fibreglass boats whereby you can easily steal furtive glances of whales
in the high seas. For a less threatening and in fact immensely thrilling
experience, you must also consider the option of swimming with dolphins on the
Sao Miguel Island.
Having described most of the diverse
things that you can do while at the Azores, it would probably be amply clear to
you that from amongst all the various islands, the Sao Miguel Island definitely
holds centre stage; therefore, if you are planning a trip to the Azores, you
must ensure that a trip to the Sao Miguel Island is definitely on the itinerary
else your trip will most definitely be rendered incomplete!
Food and Stay
With a variety of tourists coming in
to the Azores, the local administration has made sure that cuisine from around
the world is available here. At the same time, given the profile of tourists
which tends to be European in nature predominantly, coupled with the fact that
these are Portuguese islands, there is no surprise that Portuguese and
Mediterranean cuisine forms an integral part of the food on offer. Further,
given the relative isolation of the islands from other land masses, coupled
with the fact that these are islands surrounded by the seas, it is but natural
that sea food is a staple offering here. Thus you can easily expect a wide
variety of sea food here, be it different types of fish, crabs, lobsters of
unimaginably big dimensions and so on.
Talking about stay, you can be assured
that you will in fact be spoilt for choice, with a plethora of hotels on offer.
Not only that, there is a wide range, from 4 star to 2 star hotels across each
of the 9 islands such that you will not find anything too bothersome on the
pocket, while not compromising in any way in terms of the service quality as
well as the amenities offered. On Sao Miguel Island, Antillia Apart-hotel, Hotel
Bahia Palace, as well as Hotel Avenida are just some of the more renowned 4
star properties. You will find similar hotels of varying costs across all the 9
islands, with no compromise on the service and amenities.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a truly exotic
holiday, virtually in the midst of nowhere else but the high seas, then do
consider the Azores for your vacation. Remember that everyday life in urban
hotspots does take a toll on our overall wellbeing, even if we do not always
realize the same; a holiday to places such as the Azores, ensures that we have
ample opportunity to retune our mental and physical frequencies!
Amsterdam – Venice of the North!
Introduction
Located in the western part of the country of Netherlands,
Amsterdam is renowned the world over for its historic canals, the Van Gogh
museum, the (in)famous red light district as well as hundreds of cannabis coffee
shops dotting the city which together draw as many as 3.66 million visitors to
it, each year. Besides having a long history spanning well over six hundred
years, Amsterdam has a vibrant existence in the present, not only from a
cultural perspective but also from a business one, with seven of the Top 500
companies as listed on the Forbes Global 2000, being based in the city.
Overall, if you are looking to have a truly exhilarating time, whether all by
yourself or in the company of your friends and family, you can be assured you
won’t be disappointed!
Getting to Amsterdam
I amsterdam! |
By Air
Amsterdam is served by Schiphol airport, one of the
busiest airports in the world. Flights connect Amsterdam to nearly all the
major cities of the world, so getting to Amsterdam by air should not be a
problem for anyone.
By Train
Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport |
If you are traveling from destinations from within Europe,
you may very well consider the option of traveling by train. In this regard,
you might want to keep the city’s main train station, Amsterdam Centraal in
mind, as that station functions as an international one, with connections to
all major European destinations including faraway Poland or even Russia.
By Bus
Amsterdam Centraal Train Station |
Companies such as Eurolines connect Amsterdam to virtually
all the major European cities so getting to Amsterdam from there, by bus,
should not be a problem either. Most coaches run from the Amsterdam Amstel
railway station, to destinations across Europe.
Driving into Amsterdam
A Eurolines bus to Sarajevo at Amsterdam Amstel railway station |
Amsterdam is very well connected by road, with all major European
destinations, especially neighboring Germany and Belgium. Driving into the city
from any other European destination would ideally not be a problem at all,
though you would perhaps be advised to forego your private vehicle once inside
the city and use its plethora of public transport options. Further, with
bicycles being the preferred mode of travel within Amsterdam, you would in fact
be best advised to use them to the maxim.
Transport within Amsterdam
Plush highways make driving into Amsterdam an absolute breeze |
Once inside Amsterdam, there is a whole host of public
transport options to choose from, which virtually negate the need for private
transport vehicles, especially cars which the city administration seems to
particularly disdain. Taking a car to the city center is something that would
be particularly taxing for you, with parking being a major issue, besides the
heavy fee that you will have to pay for the same.
It is in the light of these factors that other transport options such as trams and buses come across as much more feasible options for transport within Amsterdam. That said bicycles are perhaps the best way of traveling around the city. In fact, bicycle culture, as witnessed around the world, is best exemplified in Amsterdam which had as many as 465,000 bicycles back in 2006.
Where else but in Amsterdam would you see so many bicycles together in one place? |
Amsterdam Metro |
A "Flying Ferry" in Amsterdam |
While in some other cities, you might face the problem of
deciding what to do while you are there, since the options at hand would be
relatively few, you will face the same situation in Amsterdam as well, but for
completely different reasons – Amsterdam offers simply too many options in
terms of things to do, that it becomes a difficult choice as to what activities
to pursue and what to forego!!
That said there are a few things that Amsterdam is particularly known for; one of these certainly is museums. In fact, Amsterdam is well known as the museum capital of the world, with numerous museums dotting the landscape of the city. Some museums in particular, which you would certainly not want to miss, are mentioned below.
Van Gogh Museum
Located in the Museumplein part of the city, Van Gogh Museum
houses the world’s largest collection of paintings and drawings made by Vincent
Van Gogh. Apart from the obvious draw of the museum, viz. Van Gogh’s creations,
you are quite likely to be enamored by the attractive design of the museum
building itself, which was conceived by renowned Dutch designer, Gerrit
Rietveld.
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam |
Also located in Museumplein, the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam is the
Netherlands’ national museum, housing a whole host of arts and crafts from
around the world. Amongst its formidable collection, paintings from the Dutch
Golden Age sure occupy center stage. Dutch artists whose works you will find
displayed in the museum include Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Frans Hals as well as
Johannes Vermeer. Further, the museum also contains the Rijksmuseum Research
Library, which is in fact the Netherlands’ largest art history research
library, for the common public.
Anne Frank House
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam |
Anne Frank House is a building first built in 1635 and
subsequently restored as a museum in 1960, which housed Anne Frank, a Jewish
wartime diarist, who escaped Nazi persecution by hiding in the rear of the
building. The museum is worth a visit, not only because it served as a hiding
place for Anne Frank, but also because, today it symbolizes and is
representative of apathy towards any kind of discrimination or persecution,
especially along racial or religious lines.
Besides the above mentioned museums, there are many others
which should also form a part of your itinerary, depending on the time and
opportunity that you have. Take for instance, the Nemo museum, right next to
the Amsterdam central station. Besides being the country’s largest science
center, which makes it an attractive destination by itself, it is the shape of
the building, in the form of a sinking ship, which in turn draws tourists to
it, by the droves.
Similarly, the Joods Historisch Museum or Jewish Historical
Museum is certainly worth a visit, to gain a firsthand perspective on Judaism
in the Netherlands, which had been prevalent since the sixteenth century till
the Second World War, wherein Nazi persecution led to a virtual annihilation of
the majority of the Jewish population of the country. Today, the museum has
over 11,000 varied objects in its collection, each of which is representative
of Jewish culture and tradition.
Apart from museums, Amsterdam has a lot of other draws for
tourists as well. Religious monuments and buildings certainly are foremost
among them. For instance, one of the most significant churches in the country –
the Oude Kerk or the old church is
located in Amsterdam, in the De Wallen part of the city, which also happens to
house its infamous red light district. The roof of the Oude Kerk is said to be
the largest medieval wooden vault, across the whole of Europe. Today, the Oude
Kerk is also a venue for various religious and cultural activities of national
and international significance, including the World Press Photo awards.
Considering the Netherlands’ relatively large Islamic population,
estimated at about 5 percent of the total population of the country, mosques
dot the landscape with as many as 400 of them, across Netherlands. Among them,
the El Tawheed Mosque in Amsterdam is one of the most significant.
From a Jewish perspective, the expansive Portuguese Synagogue
in Amsterdam is one of the most significant Jewish buildings in the country.
Built more than 300 years ago, in 1675, the building maintains its opulent
façade from the exterior, even today.
Other structures and buildings you wouldn’t want to miss
seeing, while in Amsterdam:
The Royal Palace, built in 1648;
The
Concertgebouw which is in fact home to the Concertgebouworkest, a world
renowned symphony orchestra;
The Magere Brug, which is Amsterdam’s best known
draw bridge;
The Rembrandt Tower;
The Millennium Tower;
The Olympisch Stadion
which was the main stadium of the 1928 Summer Olympics, as well as,
The
Homomonument which is a memorial located right in the centre of the city,
dedicated towards all homosexuals who have been subject to persecution, simply
because of their differential sexual orientation and preference.
De Wallen – Amsterdam’s largest and most well-known Red Light
District
Anne Frank House in Amsterdam |
Nemo Museum in Amsterdam |
Joods Historisch Museum |
Oude Kerk in Amsterdam |
El Tawheed Mosque in Amsterdam |
Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam |
The Royal Palace, built in 1648;
The Royal Palace in Amsterdam |
Concertgebouw in Amsterdam |
Magere Brug in Amsterdam |
The iconic Rembrandt Tower in Amsterdam |
The Millenium Tower in Amsterdam - this is the North West side view of the building |
The Olympisch Stadion, as it looked back in 1928 |
The Homomonument |
No mention of Amsterdam as a tourist destination can be truly
complete without mentioning the infamous red light districts of the city. Among
them, De Wallen holds center stage as not only the largest but also the most
frequently visited of all red light districts in the city. Located in the
centre of the oldest part of Amsterdam, De Wallen is located just south of the
Oude Kerk church and comprises of hundreds of small cabins that prostitutes
rent out to offer their sexual services. Typically, the prostitutes solicit
customers from behind glass doors or windows, which are in turn lit up with red
light, quite literally reminiscent of a red light district!
Eating out in Amsterdam
De Wallen, the Red Light District of Amsterdam |
When it comes to foodie options in the city, you sure will be
spoilt for choice, as there are just too many pickings, including more than a
thousand restaurants! Further, you would be surprised in case you are expecting
only Dutch cuisine, as food from around the world is very easily available in
Amsterdam. From Spanish to Italian to French to Indonesian to Indian and even
to Japanese, no cuisine should be hard for you to find. Additionally, even as a
vegetarian, you really should not have a problem in the city, as there are
numerous restaurants that serve only vegetarian fare, besides the fact that all
the other restaurants also happen to have ample vegetarian dishes on offer.
Most places commonly serve alcohol, so finding the same
should not be a problem for you, irrespective of where you go. One interesting
aspect with regard to eating out in Amsterdam is that you pay the same, whether
you eat on the terrace or outside or anywhere else within the confines of the
restaurant.
Inside 'Memories of India' Indian restaurant in Amsterdam, often considered one of the finest Indian restaurants in Europe |
Nightlife
Amsterdam has a vibrant nightlife which again will leave you spoilt for choice. Areas like the Rembrandtplein as well as the Leidseplein are rampant with discotheques of varying shapes and sizes, playing a varied assortment of dance music.
Have the time of your life in areas of Amsterdam such as Leidseplein, showcased above |
A Musical Event at Reguliersdwarsstraat |
Amsterdam offers a wide array of shopping options, from those
akin to street bazaars as well as departmental stores, housing some of the
world’s finest brands. The main shopping areas that you would definitely not
want to miss, while in the city, include Leidsestraat and Kalverstraat.
You
will also find major departmental stores near the Munt Tower as well as at the
Dam. For knickknack and curio shopping, you would be advised to look around the
Jordaan while for more chic shopping of hi-profile items or brands, you would
perhaps be better off looking at the PC Hooftstraat.
Events
Leidsestraat |
High Street Shopping comes alive on PC Hoofstraat |
Considering the large number of events that take place in the
city, you might want to consider the option of timing your trip in such a manner
as to attend any of these diverse events. For instance, a trip in June would
assure you an opportunity to attend the Holland Festival, which entails a full
four weeks of diverse cultural activities.
Similarly, Amsterdam’s Gay Pride
parade takes place early August, each year. Queen’s Day which takes place on
the 30th of April each year is a day you would definitely not want
to miss, while in Amsterdam. In fact, if you already happen to be in the city
at this time, it is impossible you will miss it as the whole city gets into a
mood of complete revelry.
Conclusion
Signage for the Holland Festival in Amsterdam |
Gay Pride Parade in Amsterdam |
Amsterdam has a lot to offer to people from all walks of
life. Irrespective of where you come from, just leave your inhibitions behind
and go ahead and make the most of your time in the Venice of the North; life
could never have seemed any better!
Friday, June 22, 2012
Welcome to World of Vikram!
Hello and Welcome to World of Vikram!
My name is Vikram Malik and it gives me great pleasure in welcoming you to my own little corner in cyberspace!
Here you can gain reasonable insights into the professional side of my personality, in terms of the work that I do as a freelance custom content developer.
I have tried to make this web-log as comprehensive as possible whereby you obtain all the necessary information pertinent to my credentials, which can in turn help you make an informed decision towards hiring me for your next content creation and development project.
Please feel free to explore the links above which will give you a very good idea of the kind of work that I offer, the charges for the same, and indeed the various ways in which we can together add value to our lives...mutually!
Cheerio,
Vikram!
My name is Vikram Malik and it gives me great pleasure in welcoming you to my own little corner in cyberspace!
Yes, that's me! |
Here you can gain reasonable insights into the professional side of my personality, in terms of the work that I do as a freelance custom content developer.
I have tried to make this web-log as comprehensive as possible whereby you obtain all the necessary information pertinent to my credentials, which can in turn help you make an informed decision towards hiring me for your next content creation and development project.
Please feel free to explore the links above which will give you a very good idea of the kind of work that I offer, the charges for the same, and indeed the various ways in which we can together add value to our lives...mutually!
Cheerio,
Vikram!
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