Pisa on your Italy itinerary Pisa can be a quick stop when travelling from Rome to Venice. The leaning tower of Pisa is wonder of the world due to the unintentional tilt in the tower. The Leaning tower of Pisa The 56.70 m tall tower began leaning since its construction began in 1178. Its construction was halted twice and resumed with its construction spanning  344 years. The tower itself was constructed as a bell tower to the cathedral of Pisa. The complex includes a cathedral, bell tower and baptistry. Cathedral (Duomo di Pisa) houses artworks by several prominent artists. The bell chamber was added in 1372 in the building. The city of Pisa Pisa is the capital city of province of Pisa in the Tuscany region. Pisa was a powerful Maritime Republic in the 11th century. But its fate declined 1284 onwards after it suffered a major defeat at the hands of Genoese fleet. Pisa is a university town. It is said that of the 100,000 residents of Pisa, 60,000 are students. If you are stopping for a short day trip in Pisa, you are recommended to walk your way from the station to the tower. Drop your luggage at the station lockers and look for the very hel information center. We were provided by a map of the city and suggested routes to the tower from the information center. By walking through the city, we were able to discover Pisa, it beautiful river side, cafes, market stops, and buildings. Frescoes on the ceiling of the archway The visit to tower timed. The view for the top of tower is spectacular. View of Pisa from the Leaning Tower  If you have more time of hands you could explore Pisa’s other monuments, squares and museums. Sources: About Pisa: http://wikitravel.org/en/Pisa About getting to tower for Pisa Centrale: http://www.livornonow.com/how_to_get_from_pisa_centrale_train_station_to_the_leaning_tower_of_pisa Other …

Snowdon Mountain Railways was officially opened on 6th April 1896. Today, it is a major tourist pull attracting people keen for an experience of riding on a train to get to the highest peak in England and Wales. Here are some shots of the train against the spectacular views of the Snowdonia National park. For train timings and prices check the official Snowdon Mountain Railways website: http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/times_prices.php Snowdon Mountain Railway station is located in Llanberis on the A4086 T First train leaves Llanberis at 09.00 am with later trains running at frequent intervals subject to customer demand.  During peak time the train could run at half hourly frequency. The train travels 4.7 miles. A return ticket allows for an approximate 30 minute stop at the summit before returning on the same train. Hafod Eryri is the Visitor Centre at the Summit. The centre has a refreshment area offering a selection of snacks and drinks Adult return fare is ￡25 from Llanberis to Summit The trains run from May to October   The train is a single track line and brings back the old world feel

My next door Mosque which was built in 1562. This is the view from the terrace of the building I stayed in. The view from the bedroom window is magnificent. About the mosque: “Constructed on a steep slope in Sultanahmet, Sokollu Mosque is another fine remnant from master Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. The Mosque was dedicated to Esma Sultan, the daughter of Selim II and wife of Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, of whom the official name was granted to.”

Breakfast meal in Turkey is called Kahvalti which means ‘before coffee’ in Turkish. Our host at Sokullu Mehmet Pasha apartments offered us a lavish breakfast meal. We were served three types of cheeses, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, apples, oranges, simit, bread, orange juice, Turkish tea, olives, butter and honey.

How much food can you pack in a day? Here is all that I was able to get a taste of on my first day in Istanbul with two of my friends.  1. Islak Hamburger (Wet Burger) – It is wet burger with a small beef/lamb patty inside it. It is available in Taksim Square at many spots. Look for a case where you find steaming small burgers stacked in a small case. It can be bought for 2 Turkish Lira. Called Wet burger, Islak hamburger is a small, moist burger with beef and lamb patty Steaming case – Small case to put in Islak hamburgers to keep them hot and moist 2. Simit – It is a bagel covered with sesame seeds.  3. Salep – The drink was served during the Ottoman rein. It is made out of roots of orchids. Can be bought for 3 Lira. A poster on the Salep selling cart displaying key ingredients of the drink. Special metal dispenser with fire underneath to keep the drink hot. Cinnamon dusted cup of Sahlep/Salep 4. Iskender Kebabs – thinly cut lamb like doner kebab and some pita bread pieces soaked in tomato sauce with butter and yogurt. The dish is named after the person who invented it. Iskender Kebab, Chicken Seekh and Turkish bread 5. Chicken Pide – it is a variety of Turkish Pizza. Very delicious but different from Lahmacun, they say in terms of shape and thickness.  Bits of Chicken Pide 6. Baklava – yes, I managed to eat some Baklava but my friend who ordered the dish lapped it all up. May I daresay that whose baklava is it anyway is won by Turkey. Turkish Baklava is better than Greek.  Pistachio baklava and cappuccino at a cafe in Taksim Square 7. Mezze – Yummy cold mezze gave me …

I have arrived into Istanbul and settled in a comfortable one bed apartment in Sultanahmet House. I am planning the travel itinerary and alongside I have put together a list of 15 must eats in Istanbul that I will try out: Kebabs – this is the land of Kebabs – Doner, Kofte, Shawarma, lamb chops- the list is long and my appetite is huge Simit – a snack between doughnut and pretzel Wet burger – yes, a burger filled with meat and then wet in garlic tomato sauce…heading tomorrow night to Taksim square for a bite into this one Firin Sutlac – Oven baked rice pudding sounds like Indian kheer. Let’s see what they got. Hummus – this tahini chick pea delight is alchemy. I have spent days dipping my carrots into it for lunch. I feel fortunate to come to a land where it is a traditional and not exotic food.  Lahmacun – referred to as Turkish pizza, it is flat bread with minced meat Pilav rice – Pulao is a big part of Indian cuisine. I want to eat Pilav in Istanbul to compare it to the Indian variety I was brought up on Aubergine mezze- Aubergine is much disliked in India but egg plant seems to be to Middle East what potatoes are to British isles. I am waiting to dip my breads into smoked egg plant salads, egg plant with yogurt, fried egg plant!  Baklava – Come on, who am I kidding! That is one of the key reasons for going to Istanbul – to have some fresh Baklava. It is a pastry dessert.  Tea: They say, tea is inescapable in Istanbul and I am going to plunge right into its arms! Prices look affordable so between much walking small tea stops will be perfect! Tavuk Gogsu – milk pudding with chicken breast. (To …

I read about it in history books – Constantinople – the capital city of three empires – A gem that glitters on the body of world history. The name itself has kick in its sound – Is-tan-bul, the land where East and West, Europe and Asia visibly meet. But honestly, Turkey never figured in the top five on my must visit list. But with less than 24 hours to my flight to Istanbul. I am getting super excited! Here is why: The weather – From wet rainy, cold chilly London at 10 degrees, Istanbul will be a delightful 18 degrees, 10 degrees warmer for the last gasp of newness in.  The culture – Both European and Asian cultures come mix here. I am looking forward to be in the milieu and witness what it feels to be in midst of this confluence of this culture. Cheap Prices – I found a room at £13 per night per person. I am hoping all the awesome museum visits, travel, food -kebabs, tea, baklava will come in great quantities for cheap.  History – Istanbul is not just nestled in between two continents, by the sea of Marmara, but its history dates back to the 660 BC Orhan Pamuk – There is something about Orhan Pamuk’s works that make you feel that you are entering into the veins of Istanbul.  It makes the city, its streets, its landmarks, its people – real, something that makes I feel will help me go beyond the superficiality of a two day tourist. So unsuspectingly, Orhan Pamuk’s “Museum of innocence” made me want to travel to the grand, historical city of Istanbul.

The timeless city, the treasure trove history, the bridge between East and West, the ‘Nea Roma’ (“the new Rome”) of the Romans, the capital city of the Ottoman and the Byzantine empires and the end of the silk road – it is Istanbul! I have more than one reasons to be excited and here is my quick five pointer to do list for my short two day visit – Visit the must visits – It would be blasphemy in the religion of travel, wouldn’t it be to return from the timeless city of Istanbul without paying visits to the remarkable buildings of Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Topinaki Palace. Of course, I have scheduled 3 hours to walk around the Archaeological museum to dive into the history of the city!  Cruise in Bosphorus – also called Istanbul strait, it is a natural water body 32 km long which connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara marking the separation of the two continents – Asia and Europe. There seem to be many options for cruise on the strait –  cheap 2 hour government run ferries or half day tours or night cruise with food and entertainment. Again, I will see what it is worth after getting on ground but as of now all I want is glide in peace watching Istanbul glide away.  Food, Food &; Food – After long intense day of walking and exploring that I have planned, what one relishes is a hot cup of tea. I will dig in with my spoons and hands and explore the culinary tradition of the city. I have a list of  15 food items I want to eat in Istanbul. I may as well walk along in one of the many food tours in Istanbul that I have found in my research so far.  …

Here is what I did It was a surprise find as I went out on a drive with my family. However, this is one of those places which do not have a stark presence on a tourist map and is solely for the viewing pleasure of those residing in the nearby towns which makes the place special. I spent a couple of hours and took some great pictures of an evening well spent. Clad in green, the Sandstone cliff on the West Bay beach   West Bay is a sea side resort close to the ‘market town’ of Bridport located in West Dorset. It is situated at the Western end of the Chesil beach. I visited what is known as the ‘East Beach’ south of the Bridport harbour. The beach itself is a very fine shingle ridged beach.   The West bay beach is formed of fine shingle and sand. The beach is best locations to find fossils on the Jurassic coastline It seemed like a quiet place even in the month of July although it is said to be popular amongst tourists. There was a RV park close for those interested in camping holidays. There are a plenty of fast food places around the harbour and no dearth of hearty fish and chips. West Bay and surrounding  area offers great coastal walks The beach itself lies on what is called the Jurassic Coast which stretches between the Dorset and East Devon coast. And it is part of the area recognized as ‘area of outstanding natural beauty’. Here is what you could do Fossil hunting – “(West Bay) is considered to be possibly the most successful place to find fossils along Lyme Bay’s Jurassic Coastline.” Fishing– You could fish from the beaches Camping– Eype beach close by offers great options …

View of Seaford Head in the distance as you walk along the coast Here is what I did It is beautiful, well-connected, yet remote. It is shy, reserved yet friendly town of Seaford. Get on the train from London Victoria to Eastbourne. Change at Lewes for Seaford and you will be rolling down past the white cliffs, green pastures dotted with horses and sheep, passing through Newhaven harbour, caravan park of Bishopstones to arrive into Seaford. Looking back at Newhaven town hazy in twilight I was looking for a beach close to London for a quiet afternoon and the image of a serene white beauty wearing lustrous green scarf facing the frothy sea – Seaford head – glared at me. I could not resist the mysterious charm of the white cliff and I set out with my husband to find this gem. A lone seagull atop a street lamp in Seaford I got off at Bishopstone which is described as a hamlet with a population of 200 people. As we got out of the station we landed straight on the doorstep of the mighty, cold calming sea, peaking out of the sheets or rather heaps of little stones around it. Seaford head visible at a distance was about 2 miles and behind me was the gorgeous town of Newhaven. Row of plush houses by the coast (from Bishopstone to Seaford) With cold autumn winds and a mild sun shining, the beach was almost abandoned except for a few locals striding down for their walk. As I neared Seaford, there were more people some walking the dog, playing with their kids or just having a good time. But to most of these people Seaford and its towering beauty, views of ocean, the setting sun and villages and towns visible in the distance …