Darius' Travel Blog: October 2006

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu is a former French Colony and even 50 years after relinquishing control French culture and architecture are very visible. A few kilometers north is Auroville, a project in "human unity" with roughly 1,700 mostly foreign visitors.

One of the remaining colonial buildings

French War Memorial

Not sure what his story is but intersting to look at :-)

Matrimandir - Meditation Hall at Auroville

Friday, October 27, 2006

Bangalore is one of India's most progressive cities with "high-end" malls and many younger people dressing like Westerners. It is the IT capital of India, being home to many Indian and multinational companies.

Skyline of Bangalore

Bull Temple

City Market....

...representing the traditional...

...vs. the new: shopping malls

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Kanyakumari, the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent, is where the Bay of Bengals meets the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. The town was hit hard by the Tsunami in December 2004 but today there are only few reminders of the tragic day.

Sunset over the Vivikananda Memorial and Thiruvalluvar's Statue

Another Ghandi Memorial

Mother India

Tsunami Memorial

Clint and I are once again a popular photo object for the locals :-)

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Over the weekend I stayed one night at the Ashram (spiritual community) of Matha Amrithanandayami (also called Amma). Amma is one of the few female spiritual gurus and is known as the "Hugging Mother" because of the blessing that she provides by hugging every single person who attends her session. Supposedly she has hugged over 25million people so far! Unfortunately I missed her because she was traveling (Germany of all places!) but it was still an interesting experience.

The Ashram

Temple in the Ashram

Amma (picture of a picture)

The three "Ashramites"

Friday, October 20, 2006

Kerala is most famous for its extensive (around 900kms) network of backwaters running along the coast and the inland. Along thechannels are many small villages or even just a few tiny settlements along the palm-fringed lakes or smaller channels.

The backwaters of Kerala

Chinese Fishing nets in the backwaters

Family traveling by boat

Doing laundry

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Getting to Kochi in Central Kerala was a little more challenging because all the trains are sold out this week because Diwali, one of India's biggest festivals, starts this weekend and a lot of Indians are traveling. I finally made it down here after taking a couple of night buses and as a reward I treated myself to a wonderful seafood lunch.

Chinese Fishing Nets used by local fishermen

Going shopping at the local fish market...

... and then cooked right away...

... and the delicious result!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Goa is famous for its beaches lined with palm trees which makes it a very popular spot for Indian and Western tourists. It is a former Portuguese enclave and catholicism is a major religion here which makes it quite distinct from the rest of India.

Vagator Beach (North Goa)

Bay at the North Coast of Goa

Beach by Arambol

Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa

Friday, October 13, 2006

Mumbai is a multicultural metropolis and one of the country's most important economic hubs. It is also home to Bollywood, India's answer to Hollywood.

Hazy Skyline of Mumbai

Gateway of India

Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel

Who says Soccer is not popular in India?

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Having left Rajasthan, I am working my way south. Aurangabad, 200km east of Mumbai, was my base for a couple of days while I explored the caves of Ellora and Ajanta and the hilltop fortress of Daulatabad.

Ellora Caves

Fortress at Daulatabad

Caves at Ajanta

Painting in cave

Reclining Buddha

Friday, October 06, 2006

Udaipur is my final stop in Rajasthan and probably the one place that I like best. The city is famous for its Lake Palace which was used in the James Bond movie Octopussy a few years back.

Lake Palace

City Palace

City Palace seen from the water

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Pushkar is a small (15,000 people) town which curls around a holy lake. It is mostly known for its annual camel fair when 200,000 people visit bringing 50,000 camels and cattle with them.