As blue as Marseille

As with many a port cities, Marseille’s demography has been shaped by its port. Today, its populace is a healthy mixture of the neighbouring Corsicans, Italians, Armenians, the Algerians and many others. In short, it combines big-city swagger and fishing-village sociability.

What strikes immediately as you descend up on Marseille is how blue everything looks. The clearest skies are outlined by monochromatic land that instantly gives way to another shade of the deepest blue in the shape of the Mediterranean Sea. And then as you walk alongside the Old Port of Marseille, you realise that this was the setting that Ludlum chose to introduce his hero Jason Bourne who was found floating unconscious in the Mediterranean Sea near Marseille, located in southern France.

Life revolves around water

The present port city is nothing like that it used to be in the early 1900’s. Historically, the economy of Marseille was dominated by its role as a port of the French Empire. A major portion of the port and docks have now been redeveloped and house restaurants and bars. Having said that, the city’s economy is still linked to its commercial port. Cruise liners can be seen docking at the terminal with regular frequency to and from Algeria, Corsica, Sardinia, and Tunisia, making it even more busy in tourist season. And since Marseille is part of the French Riviera resort coastline area, the port is also a departure point for Rhone River cruises to Provence and Burgundy – France’s main wine regions.

Fishing obviously is an important part of Marseille life and the food economy of Marseille is fed by the local catch. At its heart is the Vieux-Port (Old Port), where fishmongers sell their catch along the boat-lined quay. It comes as no surprise then that Marseille’s most famous dish is a seafood dish called bouillabaisse!

Sites and sounds!

It will be blasphemy to not talk about the mother of all noteworthy sites in Marseille – the Notre-Dame de la Garde or Our Lady of the Guard. This Catholic basilica is the city’s best-known symbol and can be seen from anywhere in the city, built on the foundations of an ancient fort at the highest natural point in Marseille.

Chateau D'If

Another point on the axis which is worth exploring (and perhaps even reminiscing about) is Chateau D’If made so famous by Alexandre Dumas. It is the fortress (and later a prison) made famous by his novel ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ and is just about a 20-minute boat ride from the port. Though the Count was fictional, you can see the hole through which Dumas had him escape.

However, the weather in Marseille is unpredictable and the infamous mistral winds can overturn your plans within minutes. So it is good to have a plan B, which could be to discover the oldest district of France and a historical quarter called ‘Le Panier’, which literally translates to ‘the basket’. It’s narrow, hilly lanes can best be explored on foot, which can be done in about two hours.

  

Must buy!

All these activities can be done using the Marseille City Pass! It is dedicated to individual visitors who wish to discover Marseille with an all-in package. This pass is valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours and allows access to many attractions.

Did you know?

Marseilles has a history of soap-making and the Marseille soap or ‘Savon de Marseille’ is a traditional hard soap made from olive oil that has been produced around Marseille, for about 600 years.

 

Savon de Marseille

Don’t miss

The MuCem stands out as a great museum dedicated to the Mediterranean. This cutting-edge structure with breath-taking architecture opened its doors in June 2013 while Marseille was the European Capital of Culture. Its intricate building was designed by architect Rudy Riciotti and it was the first museum entirely dedicated to Mediterranean culture.

The MuCem

Is it remote enough?

Mainstream doesn’t cut it anymore. How much it costs doesn’t matter. They don’t care if everyone is doing it. All they ask is, ‘Is it unique and isolated?’

Mature travelers are not only seeking experiences, but they have already started to discriminate between experiences in favour of the ones that are off the beaten track, difficult to find, never-heard-of places and things to do. In short, something that doesn’t come in the top 10 Google search. This in turn is prompting operators to look hard for products and activities that not many in their market are offering, or even know of.

Taking a dive in El Nido, The Philippines 

An unfortunate turn this new wave is taking is that social media influencers are being trolled for showcasing ‘secret haunts’ online for fear that these dearly-loved spots of locals will see a stampede of such travelers looking for Instagram-worthy places. Fortunately, such incidents are rare and lie on one end of the spectrum. But they indicate the growing demand for places that are not crawling with tourists – a trend that is slowly being defined as luxury. 

The truth is that by and large, travelers have become explorers and discoverers. They don’t want to merely travel. Whether it is just being part of a sustainable environment or wanting to race on an F1 track onboard a cruise liner in the middle of the ocean, it is the experience that matters – not so much the cost or the destination and definitely not its popularity.

The India market is slowly moving towards this trend but there is still a large percentage of Indians who continue to enjoy their annual holiday in Thailand or Dubai. These numbers are surprisingly high. But in a way it balances the scale and allows the others to pursue their dream holidays, except that this niche of travelers doesn’t want to ‘lose themselves’ or ‘escape life’. They want to experience everything and come alive to every new moment they witness. 

Guest post: Why we travel

I often wonder! Why do we travel? Why is it some have a tremendous urge to explore the unseen, while others are simply content living in the cozy comforts of a place they lovingly refer to as 'home.' It doesn't need hours of pondering to spell out the reasons. 

In the words of a great travel writer Pico Iyer, 'we travel firstly to lose ourselves; and we travel next, to find ourselves. We travel to widen our knowledge and to go beyond newspaper reports and television coverage. We travel to expose myths and to understand more about cultures. We travel to bring the 'child' back into our lives, something we may have left behind as teens and we travel to reverse time. We travel, to escape the humdrum of a non-existential existence we are at times exposed to, day in and day out. We travel to get rid of our prejudices, and when we travel, the greatest discovery and joy is in seeing new places with new eyes and an open mind.’ 

Travel brings many unexpected pleasant surprises, like the time we were in a village close to the Fagaras mountains not far from Sibui, Romania. After a long tiring trek we stopped at a village to catch our breath and admire the scenery. Moments later a middle aged woman came to us with cups of steaming coffee. Not understanding the language seemed to possess no hindrance; on this occasion it was the kindness of a person who understood our need for a warm drink. Then there was this memorable moment when a Yemeni national paid for our taxi fare in Sanaa because we did not possess the necessary change in Yemeni rials to compensate the taxi driver, while travelling from our hotel to the old quarter. He also refused to accept the dollars we offered him. We were touched by this momentous gesture. Talk about unpredictability, there’s plenty when on the road. 

During my short and limited stint in the amazing world of travel, I have been exposed to quizzical situations, and events, not all of which were my own making. Like I learnt, people stand in queues not only in front of bread shops in Moscow or in bus stands in Mumbai. I had to stand for over an hour to enter a casino in Kansas and have stood for roughly the same amount of time to enter the Beer Market in Toronto. 

I was warned not to enter a nightclub if I didn't have the money in Kowloon, Hongkong. I learnt rather sadly, that a miniscule percentage of the world’s population is mean, ignorant and probably racist. While standing at a rail platform in Western Europe, I was spat upon by a young teenager in a passing train. Poor lad, his aim wasn't too good! May he L.I.P (Live in Peace)! 

By the same measure, after a most fascinating day inside an Indian wildlife park, our Indian guide had the gumption to say, he would have received a bigger tip had we been foreigners. Little did he realize the panther was spotted thanks to the efforts of a friend and yours truly, while the tiger family, we spotted hiding in the meadows was first spotted by the village boy, whom we had agreed to give a ride in the first place? The tip if any should have been reserved for us and the village boy! 

Fleeting moments at destinations brings the child back into our lives. Long walks on lonely beaches along the western coast of India, spectacular sunsets in the company of mountains in Ladakh, India; the sight of a male tiger goring its prey in Kanha, central India; cycling across slopes on way to Lake Constanz in Germany, walking along the fort walls in Kumbalgarh Fort with monsoon clouds hovering above brings back many memories we were exposed to when we were children, besides enlivening the proceedings on a dog day afternoon in Mumbai. Thank my good stars, I have quite a number of unforgettable memories all coiled up at the back of my mind. 

Understanding local cultures and behavior enriches travel and makes the whole experience more rewarding. In a village up in the hills, not so far from the city of Muscat, I was treated to cups of 'kawa' or 'chai' or tea, but, not before I had accepted the cup with my right hand and hid the left hand from the host's view (the left hand is considered unclean). For my good behavior, I was once rewarded with the exclusive use of a private washroom (normally reserved only for the innkeeper) at a guesthouse in Phobjika, Bhutan. I was overwhelmed by the gesture and felt like the Prince of Mumbai, while accepting the keys! Incidentally, the room where I slept in had no lock! 

Little do we realize, travel isn't a one-way journey, how we behave and react is carefully noted by locals, not accustomed to uncalled and wild behavior? When we travel we are ambassadors of the lands we come from. Strangely, we are as much a sight for the locals, as they (probably) are for us. At our worst behavior, we can only be termed as 'intruders.’ 

As travelers we are at times like monks, carrying bare provisions and belongings, moving from one place to the next. While visiting the Tongsa Monastery in Central Bhutan, my driver-cum-guide, the ever smiling and amiable Mindro Dorjee, said that he wouldn't be able to enter the monastery since he was not fully clothed, while 'me’ the traveler was excused, even though I had worn a half-sleeved shirt. As wayfarers, we enjoy concessions, while pretending to live a frugal life. 

It goes without saying, when we travel, we fulfill the role of 'courier personnel’, transporting back and forth souvenirs that every culture needs. I made it a point to carry handicrafts; handmade paper, decorative items and leather articles from the Cottage Industries Emporium while in Mumbai, and returned back from my escapades with a bagful of memories, film, perfumes and chocolates. There were no Cottage Industries shops in Toronto, I found exquisite key chains and maple syrup at the duty free shop in Toronto. I used to often wonder, whether it would suffice. It's the thought that counts, which brought me comfort. 

A travel philosopher Santayana once wrote, 'There is wisdom in turning as far as possible from the familiar to the unfamiliar; it keeps the mind nimble; it kills prejudice and it fosters humor.' Pico Iyer has the last word on this inspiring subject- 'the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end.' 

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Hector Dsouza owns a travel agency in Mumbai called L'orient Travels and he is also the India representative for SouthWest German Tourism. Needless to say, he is an avid traveller and photographer. He is also very passionate about yoga and is a certified Ashtanga yoga instructor from the Yoga Sanctuary in Toronto.

Gypsy Travel Festival in January 2017

Mumbai will play host to a new travel festival this January called 'The Gypsy Travel Festival'. Scheduled to take place in January 2017 at High Street Phoenix, this new exhibition will bring travel companies, brands and organizations on one platform to reach out to travellers.

Founded by two enthusiastic individuals - Sumit Lulla and Nelson Noronha are avid travellers themselves. According to them, there is a clear disconnect between the traveler and the destination due to the convoluted flow of information that gets lost between different intermediaries. This disconnect affects the perception of the potential traveler in terms of accessibility, desirability and the notability value of a destination.

Gypsy Travel Media will work with the industry to generate good quality leads and trigger impulse purchases which will be available at the festival. Travel companies across various sectors can network, engage and position their products and services to the customers directly creating a value proposition for restless, young and eager to travel demographics (25-50 years).

This Section A+ and A urban demographic not just has the inclination but also the resources to spend on rich travel experiences. To lure this exact clientele in, GTF will have on offer Virtual Reality Tours, global gourmet cuisines, introduction to new travel experiences and inspirations.

About the Founders

Sumit has been a trade fair consultant for 7 years. He has worked on some of the most noteworthy trade shows across various industries. His affair with travel started 3 years ago and till date he has visited the length and breadth of India and 7 other countries.

A former events manager for the Sydney Olympic park, Australia. Presently the resident food expert for a Sydney based restaurant chain Coco Cubano. Nelson brings in 12+ years of Australian travel and hospitality experience to Gypsy.

Indian cruise tourists can get entry permit in Taiwan free

If you're booked to take the Star Cruises trip to the beautiful Taiwanese port cities of Kaohsiung and Taichung, you can enter Taiwan on a 'Temporary Entry Permit' at no cost whatsoever!

The ship will be at port in both the cities so you can enter the city and explore the local culture, sightseeing, food and shopping.

Also known as the harbor capital of Taiwan, Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s second largest city and the biggest commercial port. Travellers can also enjoy the city aboard the Love River Cruise and admire the city's night view with colorfully illuminated bridges over the river and lights from the surrounding skyscrapers. There are plenty of open-air cafes along the river.

Kaohsiung harbour

Taichung, on the other hand, is a city of culture and relaxation. Nature has generously endowed Taichung with scenic mountains, coastal views and attractions that are complemented by the city’s cultural pulse. Taichung is the birthplace of many of Taiwan’s specialty foods and beverages and has popularized teahouses in Taiwan. Pearl milk tea, for instance, traces back to the city’s teahouses. The traditionally decorated teahouses serve an array of exciting tea beverages.

Taichung Park

How to get to Taiwan 

A number of airlines such as China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Southern and Thai Airways fly directly or with a stopover to Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport from Delhi and Mumbai. The average flight time between India and Taiwan is about 6.5 hours. Taiwan is 2.30 hours ahead of India.

Do you love Kenya?

Even though you need Yellow Fever shots to go there and sometimes its just not that safe to travel, and the fact that you haven't really been there, you will still love Kenya! The world’s leading safari destination is beautiful!

And to recover from the declining arrivals because of the political instability, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), aka Magical Kenya, has launched a global online media campaign under the hashtag #WhyILoveKenya to garner support from travellers worldwide. 

See what's happening here on Twitter now.

Fact is, unlike India, Kenya has largely been safe for visitors. KTB will be engaging audiences to send goodwill messages accompanied with images of tourist sites through the social media platform.

The tourism board expects tourism to improve during the annual wildebeest migration in Masai Mara Game Reserve. 

Let's hope it does. Meanwhile, show your solidarity with Kenya! Follow @magicalkenya 

An all-inclusive package at this Maldives resort is perfect for honeymooners!

Maldives is one of world's most romantic destinations for honeymooners and couples who want some alone time. And if you have a great all-inclusive package to boot, it can make a holiday even better!

Centara Grand Island Resorts & Spas in Maldives is located on its own island in the South Ari Atol! So you have the option of taking a seaplane from Malé airport and landing just off the resort's white beach! Oooh!

The all-inclusive program really does include everything, from champagne breakfasts through to sunset cocktails, and lazy times in the spa to exciting off-island excursions. I like the concept of all-inclusive because you don't have to worry about budgets and carrying wallets around.

Their water villa accommodation offers plenty of privacy and each villa has a balcony with steps that lead down to the lagoon from where you can snorkel together. 

If you are a honeymooning couple then you will get a bottle of sparkling wine on check-in along with a personal gift from the resort!  

You can do a lot here - like snorkeling and diving excursions, island trips, feeding the sting rays and swimming with whale sharks, banana boat rides and a host of water sports, fishing trips, and a sundowner cocktail party on the beach every evening.

Eat it!
The resort has a great choice of restaurants and lounges, with breakfast, lunch and dinner all included in the program. Azzuri Mare serves Italian cuisine, with an emphasis on seafood, Lotus serves Thai food and conducts Thai cooking classes, while Reef is an all-day diner serving international and Asian favorites.

All the restaurants serve wine, which again is included, as are the drinks available at the Coral Bar and the overwater Aqua Bar. The best part is that the minibars in all the accommodations are free and replenished daily!

If you want to surprise your partner, you can ask the resort to arrange for a private romantic dinner on a completely deserted beach, with oil lamps and candles laid out on the sand, a table for two, and butlers serving from a beach-side mobile kitchen. 

Contact: For more information and reservations, see their website here. For updates, check out their Facebook page and Twitter handle.  

Another travel planning site, this time by SpiceJet

It's still in its pre-launch phase, but Spicejet's new travel planning is another one in the growing line of online travel sites. Looks like we are in for another dotcom bust. Only this time it will be in the .travel bubble.

MySpiceTrip.com is powered by TripFactory.com and offers travelers content, itineraries, hotel rates and packages. It is offering an 80% off on more than 1,00,000 holiday packages as part of its introductory offer! For example, it claims to offer a 3-day holiday to destinations like Goa and Shimla for as low as Rs 4,000 per person, inclusive of return flights, hotels and other services.

The novelty here is that this platform enables hotel and holiday suppliers to add their own inventory directly, making this site their cheapest distribution channel. 

You can search this site like you use Google, using simple sentences like: Things to do in Kochi. MySpiceTrip also offers live chat with travel experts.

Moscow worst city for visitors, Mumbai for overall experience: TripAdvisor

It may have a rich history but Moscow has received the unwelcome honor of being voted the worst city in the world for visitors. Travelers planning a break to the Russian capital should expect locals to be unfriendly, hotels to be awful, a scarcity of shops and everything wildly overpriced, says TripAdvisor.

According to its annual 'Cities Survey', which collates the opinions of more than 54,000 travelers on the top 37 urban tourist destinations around the world, Moscow came in last.

Though on the topic of “best overall experience” it only came third-last, the city was second-last for family-friendliness, restaurants and shopping, and rock bottom for helpful locals, taxi services and drivers, value for money and hotels.

Mumbai was voted the worst city for overall experience and came in last on clean streets and ease of getting around.

The survey also ranked the cities that came out top in each category, with Tokyo as the best destination for tourists overall and New York being number two.

London missed out overall, coming 11th, but achieved second place for nightlife and third for shopping, coming behind New York, and Dubai and New York, respectively. London’s worst performance was in value for money – visitors voted it 34th in terms of how far a pound will stretch.

Other high ranking cities included:
Singapore: Number one for comfort traveling alone and second for taxi service, cleanliness of streets, ease of getting around and family-friendliness
Rome: Topped the list of things to do and culture
Dubai: First for shopping and hotels

Spice up your holiday with MasterChef Travel

Are you one of those who are often torn between going on a food trail and exploring a new destination for a holiday? Then this one's for you!

Coz & Kings has tied up with MasterChef Travel (of MasterChef Australia fame) to create a tour specially for foodies who love to travel. 

MasterChef Travel is Cox & Kings' brand new range of culinary holidays, focusing on the world’s most inspiring cuisines. All the tours feature local culinary experts and are accompanied by some of the most popular former contestants who have appeared on MasterChef Australia. 

These tours will offer the opportunity to discover local cuisine, explore the countries’ most interesting sights and even get hands-on experience participating in exclusive cooking opportunities! Whoa! 

The first one will involve taking an amazing tour through India this October in the company of Courtney Roulston, MasterChef Australia finalist 2010. This will include visiting the magnificent Taj Mahal, the fabulous Amber Fort, the stunning beaches of Goa and the colourful (and very crowded) bazaars of Mumbai.

Food will involve visiting the street food capital, Chandi Chowk and experiencing dinner at a local family’s home to learn some traditional home-cooked secrets.

Starting in Delhi from 8 October 2014, the 13-day tour also includes a stop at the Agra Fort then at Udaipur for a traditional cooking demonstration. 

India: A spice odyssey with Courtney Roulston is valid for sale until  30 Jul 14 or until sold out. For more details, check out the MasterChef Travel here.

Other MasterChef Travel tours for 2014
England: A rural food discovery with Alice Zaslavsky. 18-28 September 2014. 

Italy: A Culinary Journey with Kate Bracks. 2-11 September 2014. 

Mexico: A Food Fiesta with Ben Milbourne. 1-14 November 2014. 

Vietnam with Angkor Wat: Flavours & Highlights with Mindy Woods. 15- 29 November 2014.

Lakshadweep to open 3 new islands by next year

Soon, there will be more to see of Lakshadweep!

The Union Territory will make three uninhabited islands - Thinnakkara, Suheli Par and Cherium - tourist-ready by next year with beach resorts and water sports facilities.
  

These tiny islands occupy an area of about 40-50 hectares of land and have managed to remain untouched by humans, which means that it still has silver sand beaches, clear waters, abundant marine life and coral reefs. 

They will be ready to welcome tourists by next year with resorts and water sports facilities like scuba diving, jet ski watercraft, snorkelling, rafting, windsurfing, deep-sea fishing and yachting.

Lakshadweep is located in the Arabian Sea around 220-440 kms away from Kerala's coast. It has a total of 36 islands of which only six have resorts. It's popularity lies in the fact that it is such a superb destination for adventure sports and nature lovers; it has beautiful dive spots, loads of marine life, coral reefs, silver beaches and clear waters. 

It is a clearly a niche destination; last year saw only 17,000 tourists visiting the Lakshadweep islands! So if you're looking for some genuine peace and quiet, for some time away from humanity, this is the place to go to.

The islands are connected by sea and air from Kochi and Calicut. The tourism department is also looking to start sea planes, which are capable of taking off and landing on water. Take a look at the Lakshadweep tourism department website for packages and info on its different islands. 

Hong Kong impressions

Like any world-class international city, Hong Kong is an amalgamation of nationalities, cultures and people that is constantly coalescing with everything that touches it.

In my mind, the city reflects the vivacious personality of our own city – Mumbai – albeit a little more well-groomed, a tad more savvy, and with a lot more skyscrapers!

I was taken aback by the sheer volume of towering building in the city. It’s impressive. It is also necessary since land is at a premium. Unfortunately, air pollution in Hong Kong is a serious problem and the towers don’t help. They trap the polluted air that floats towards it from China, compounding the problem.

Towering inferno

Nevertheless, it’s an exciting city to visit and even to live in. It’s always buzzing; it is high on culture, night life is thrilling and the food is to indulge in. But mostly for non-vegetarians. As a vegetarian, I had a difficult time trying to savor the local cuisine. And the language hurdle doesn't make it easier.    

Vegetarian food isn't very easy to find. But there are a lot of Indian (read Punjabi) cuisine restaurants around.

Do the locomotive

Getting around is easy. MTR (underground trains) and double-decker buses are available everywhere – even from the airport going directly into the city. And tickets can be purchased from kiosks at the airport itself.

Ticket kiosk at the Hong Kong airport

If you’re travelling in a group of more than three, then taking a taxi is better and more economical.

Where to shack up

Kowloon, more specifically the Tsim Sha Tsui area, is the place where you want to be. It is fun, it’s exciting and it’s cheap(er). Park Hotel has a great location and is pretty decently priced. Alternately, one of the youth hostels is good too and it is where your Hong Kong dollar (currently at Rs 8) will go further. Check the Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association website for more.

A look back at Kowloon reminds me of our own city from the Bandra-Worli sealink

Things to see

It’s a bit clichéd but you can’t miss Hong Kong Disneyland, even if you're not traveling with kids! Keep an entire day for this. 

The Peak Tram is also a must-do; it has the best view and will give you a little perspective on the city. You can give the floating restaurants a miss but do visit Victoria Harbour to witness the Symphony of Lights show. It’s breathtaking!

View from the top

You can also make a day trip to Macau, which will take you around 60-75 minutes by ferry. Check this helpful About.com link for detailed information on the ferries. 

Macau has tons of casinos and has earned the moniker of ‘Las Vegas of the East’ for a reason! But it’s an expensive destination to stay so you might want to return to Hong Kong the same day if you're on a budget. Read my article on Macau here.

For more information on the city, visit the Hong Kong tourism board website. It’s very user-friendly.

Bollywood, thou art the best travel influencer!

It's become a pattern now. A big banner movie with good star cast shot in a beautiful destination is always followed by high tourist footfalls to that place.

Tourism boards, especially the international ones, have caught on to that and are looking at it as the basket where they can put all their eggs. Or at least most of them. Spain did that with 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' and once they saw tourist arrivals shoot up, they cut their budgets elsewhere.

But given that over 60 percent of Indians tend to get influenced by Bollywood, aspiring to travel to specific locations shown in the movies, it could translate to really huge numbers for destinations.

Tourism Australia did that in a small way with 'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' but i don't think they have been successful. An unnecessary song in an okay-type movie isn't enough. Still, it doesn't belie the fact that Bollywood is really the ultimate road to tourist footfalls. 

Lonely Planet's travel guide titled 'Filmi Escapes - Travel With The Movies' that was released some months ago sees India through the eyes of Indian filmmakers who have presented beautiful locations through their craft. 

The 344-page guide, priced at Rs 595, lists some must-see sights and experiences of over 20 domestic destinations like Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, Shimla, Kasauli, Nainital, Amritsar, Kashmir, Ladakh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Mumbai, the Western Ghats, Goa, Gujarat, Kolkata, Darjeeling and Ooty.

It also includes interviews of film personalities such as Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt, Dibakar Banerjee, Nargis Fakhri, Muzaffar Ali and Raima Sen who share their favourite destinations and films. 

The guide co-incided with Bollywood celebrating 100 years. It also includes information on hotels, transport, food and sightseeing accompanied by interesting trivia, anecdotes and photographs. Movie buffs who like to travel may find it interesting.  

Guest post: Bienvenue à Paris!

Words are never enough to describe the beauty of Paris and I found myself speechless when attempting to do so. A photographic recital seemed apt then. 

My recent rendezvous with the city after a gap of few years led me down its cobbled streets with this story to tell...

Attention to detail on the door of Notre Dame

Balance and poise

Gargoylesssss

Ridges and roofs

Side profile please

So thats what the Eiffel tower looks like from here

The Church on the hill

The horseman on the Sacre Coeur

The Louvre by night

The Sacre Coeur

The streets i used to roam

To the left of the Notre Dame

Ze Chocolate Notre Dame

Ze Tower

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The contributor of this guest post continues to insist on remaining anonymous despite repeated appeals to do otherwise. 'He' is an avid hockey and football player and a budding photographer. He is currently in the midst of getting his quaint little bungalow in Bandra restored to good health. If you are a lover of heritage and want to send financial assistance to the writer, you can buy his beautiful photographs by messaging me. Read other posts by him here.

Fancy a 'jhappi' time in New South Wales?

It's no secret that Tourism Australia has been working really hard to attract Indian tourists to its shores for some time now. The government agency has just taken its efforts to woo the Indian traveller a notch higher.

Destination New South Wales (NSW) will reportedly be launching the country's largest-ever campaign targeted at the Indian market and hopes to increase the number of visitors from the subcontinent by at least 10 per cent in the coming 18 months.

This ‘Jhappi Time’ campaign shows four Sikh and Hindu families from India enjoying time with family and friends in Sydney and NSW. The TVC has been filmed by Australian-Indian Bollywood director Anupam Sharma and shows aspects of Australia that would appeal to the Indian consumer. In his own words: "The fun, frolic but most importantly the diversity - be it of people, location and the diversity of families from India."

The campaign has been filmed at popular New South Wales locations such as the Blue Mountains, Manly, Taronga Zoo and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

And just so we Indians feel right at home watching the ad campaign, it also has a bit of Bollywood-style dancing.

And, in the wake of the upcoming  2015 ICC World Cup that will be hosted in Australia in March 2015, the island continent along with its sidekick New Zealand has agreed to offer joint tourist visas for the duration. Seems like more happy days for the Indian cricket fan!  

You can read the full story that was published by Herald Sun here.

For those unaware of another related development, Australia has now become one of 180 countries whose citizens will be allowed to get a visa-on-arrival once they land in India.