The holy lake : Nako

It’s a bit of paradise ! The scenic lake and the twittering birds are for company. And the holy sky too ! Breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful, this holy lake in the upper reaches of Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh, India) is simply addictive. In winter, the frozen Nako lake becomes a skiing hot spot for tourists.
Nako is 117 kms from Kalpa and Shimla is 244 kms from Kalpa. It’s almost a day’s journey from Shimla by road and you can take breaks at Kalpa or Sarahan . The mainhot spots are the Nako lake and Buddhist temples. At Tabo the monastery is highly revered as one of the best in the Himalayas, after the Tholing Gompa in Tibet. Except for the main temple, most of the paintings belong to the Gelupa ascendancy. Thousands of years ago, Tabo was the meeting place of Indians and Tibetans .

Tips for women travellers

Stay Safe, But Don't Stay Home .
It's a fact that women need to travel with a little special care , just remember to follow the same basic street rules ,
1. Make smart choices and use your common sense. Don't be paranoid, but be aware that bad things do happen, and protect yourself.
2.Even when you’re all for spontaneity, pre-book your first night’s accommodation and how to get there to avoid glitches from jetlag and fatigue.
3.Trust your instincts. If you feel something is off, wrong, strange - get out, move on, flee, scream, whatever is appropriate. Do it quickly.
4.Consider avoiding deserted streets after dark; if you can't, then carry a small, heavy flashlight in your hand. Be careful on dark streets even if you have a companion
5.Muggers aren't interested in your bra. Sew pockets into it where you can keep some folded cash; if you do get mugged, you're not left helpless. A money belt works, too, but thieves know all about money belts.
6.If you have to wait somewhere, sit with other women or families to avoid being approached or harassed.Always bring a business card from your hotel when you step out to find your way back. 7.If you’re planning a trip to the wilderness, wear long sleeve blouses and pants to avoid bug bites. Bring toothpaste or cold cream to reduce severe itching when you do get bitten.
8.Dressing well can make a thief think you have mounds of moolah in your bag. And women's dress can be a major issue in some developing countries.
9.Be sure to know when the sun rises and sets. A bustling market can quickly empty out and be transformed into dark deserted streets. Plan to be back to your lodging or in a safe, busy neighborhood by dark.
10.When traveling alone, use public transport and stroll around places where the locals gather to get a feel of the culture and meet new friends.

The World’s Slowest Express Train

The Glacier Express runs from Zermatt to St. Moritz (or vice versa) in about 7 .5 hours, making it the slowest express train in the world. This breathtakingly scenic journey to the roof of the world includes 291 bridges and viaducts, 91 tunnels and the 6,669-foot Oberalp Pass, for a total of about 180 miles through rugged alpine landscapes. In this case, the journey truly is the destination.

The train traverses not only a diverse physical landscape but also cultural and linguistic ones. Traveling through the cantons of Valais, Uri and Graubunden, you’ll hear French, German, Romansh, Italian and numerous dialects and see distinctly changing architecture.

For sightseeing fans, the ever-changing countryside exceeds all expectations, in any season. There are green valleys with grazing cows, picturesque villages in the Goms valley, castles perched along the Domleschg ridge, the high alpine lake on the Oberalp Pass, the craggy rock bluffs of Switzerland’s “Grand Canyon,” and, of course, the Matterhorn, mountain symbol of Switzerland.

Bharatpur bird sanctuary falls off tourist map !

Gone are the days when the famous bird sanctuary here seasonally drew over 300 species of winged visitors, bringing in thousands of tourists from all over the world.

With barely 50-80 bird species arriving this year at the virtually dry sanctuary, located 175 km from New Delhi, tourists have either started skipping it or have been cutting short their stay here.

'I came here to watch birds and stay here for at least five to seven days. I am a bird lover, but there is nothing, almost nothing, to see here. So I am curtailing my number of nights and I plan to go back in a day or two,' Robert Bell, a tourist from England, told IANS.

Some bemoan that the government is doing nothing to save the bird sanctuary while others are critical of tour operators who are marketing Bharatpur as a bird haven despite knowing the true state of affairs.

'I am surprised. Why can't the government do something for it? I had come here around five to six years back at the same time around October and November, and there were lots of birds to see. But the place is now pathetic. Does the government want a famous place to die?' asked Diana, another tourist from Britain.

The bird sanctuary, known officially as the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, wears a deserted look with very few birds and tourists in sight .

Diwali in Goa !

Diwali which is the festival of lights, is a one-day festival in Goa. Bhaubija and the New year day are also celebrated as part of Diwali festival. In Goa, huge effigies of Narkasura the demon, are made and burnt at dawn. The night of Diwali is also be jeweled with millions of flickering candles and an explosion of fire works and fire crackers, so it is known as the Festival of Lights. The lamps signify enlightenment or upliftment of the mind and edification of the spirit.

Narak Chaturdasi is called Diwali in Goa. On this day, early morning, a paper made Narkasur (demon) filled with grass, wastepaper, crackers etc is taken out and to the accompaniment of taunts and insults, burnt and cremated. Early on Diwali day after burning the Narkasur the Hindu menfolk will return to their homes to be massaged by their wives / mothers with the same type oil and 'utnem'. The family then visits the local temple and returns to a similar feast of 'foav' sweets.