Wednesday, September 30, 2009

GOLCONDA FORT

Golconda reminds one of the famed Kohinoor diamond which was not mined here as I had assumed, but sold in the Mina bazaar in the precincts of the town. Its one of the most glamorous forts I have seen. The Acoustics of this fort is just fantastic and the reception across the wall is so clear it beats any of the modern communication methods.


An interesting entrance to the fort, the main door is blocked by a huge bastion like structure to which rules out the possibility of the main door being rammed open.


The Sprawling fort, the building with the minars seen at the top, was the inspiration for the charminar


Repair work of any kind on monuments ruin the whole effect, I wish they let it be and instead maintain the same condition.



A sound and light show amidst these ruins make a great effect

The Barracks


Monday, September 7, 2009

Seine River Cruise

Every ancient civilization sprung up on the banks of a river. Be it the Egyptian on the banks of Nile, or the Mesopotamian on Tigris and Euphrates, the Indus valley on Indus. And every great city is built on a river, be it Agra and Delhi on Yamuna, Calcutta on Ganga, London on Thames, New York on Hudson , Budapest, Vienna and Belgrade on Danube.
A River adds a great dimension to the city. Imagine Taj Mahal without the Yamuna, Calcutta without the Hoogly Ghats, and Varanasi without the Ganga.
So is Seine to Paris. Dividing Paris into the left and the right bank, A must for any visitor to Paris is the Seine river cruise. Guaranteed to trill even a hard demeanor person , It showcases the history of the city. One can get to see beautiful bridges across Seine (called Pont in French), the Louvre Museum, The famed Notre Dame Cathedral, The Obliex at the place de la Concorde, the location where Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette was beheaded, the french revolution unfolds.....

This pier opposite the Eiffel tower from where the cruise start


Waiting for the service to start after buying tickets, it would be great to have pancakes with chocolate spread
One of the most beautiful and ornately decorated, the Alexander III rd bridges


Le Grand Palais_ an Exhibition Hall
A statute on the Pont de l’Alma

The Pont des Arts against the fiery evening sky

The Pont Royal with Lourve in the background


The Obelisk –A gift from Egypt at the Place de la Concorde



The Eiffel sparkling at the stroke of the hour from across the river