Taj Mahal-The symbol of love. Uttar Pradesh is the heartland of Hinduism and Hindi, dominating the nation in culture, religion, language and politics. Its main city, Agra, once the Mughal capital, is home to the Taj Mahal – The symbol of love. Along with Delhi, 204 km northwest, and Jaipur in Rajasthan, Agra is the third top of the Golden Triangle, India’s most popular itinerary for Taj Mahal visit. Taj Mahal is the most famous and important in its huge monuments. Described by Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore as “a teardrop on the face of eternity”, the Taj Mahal is certainly the zenith of Mughal architecture. Volumes have been written on its perfection, and its image decorates countless glossy brochures and guidebooks; nonetheless, the reality never fails to overwhelm all who see it, and few words can do it justice.
During your Taj Mahal visit, you will see that through its layout follows a distinctly Islamic theme, representing Paradise, it is above all monuments to romantic love. Taj Mahal is regarded by most modern visitors on his/her tour to Taj Mahal as the symbol of eternal love. ShahJahan built the Taj to enshrine the body of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died shortly after giving birth to her fourteenth child in 1631. The emperor was devastated by her death, and set out to create an supreme monument to her memory- Its name, “Taj Mahal “is simply a shortened, informal version of Mumtaz Mahal’s palace title. Construction by a workforce of some 20,000 men from all over Asia commenced in 1632 and took over twenty years, not being completed until 1653. Marble was brought from Makrana , near Ajmer in Rajasthan, and semi-precious stones for decoration were carried to Agra from Persia, Russia, Afghanistan, Tibet, China and the Indian ocean. When the emperor ShahJahan died in January 1666, his body was carried across the river Yamuna to lie alongside his beloved wife in his peerless tomb.
The magic of the monument is strangely undiminished by the crowd of tourists who visit during their Taj Mahal package tour, as small and insignificant as ants in the face of the immense mausoleum. It is said that the Taj Mahal is at its most charming in the relative quiet of early morning, shrouded in the mist and bathed with a soft red glow. As its vast marble surfaces fall into a shadow or reflect the sun, its color changes, from soft grey and yellow to pearly cream and dazzling white. This play of light is an important decorative device, symbolically implying the presence of Allah, who is never represented in the physical form. The Taj is especially beautiful after dark, when the moonlight sparkles on the façade; it is open to visitors except its normal visiting time, in two half hour slots ( 8.30 – 9 pm and 9 – 9.30 pm, but not Fridays or during Ramjan ) on the night of the full moon, two days preceding and two days following it. Tickets have to be purchased a day in advance for it. Night visitors are not allowed to move freely around the site but are confined to a viewing platform.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Netherland, beautiful and friendly
A visit to the Netherlands is much more beautiful scenery and friendly people, but the world of small towns like the class of Amsterdam has many of its features can not be lost, known by travelers. Many visitors to book a trip to this city in northern Europe, between mid-spring and summer, when the city of festivals and special exhibitions are in full force. There are a variety of places in Amsterdam, and will appeal to a wide range of travelers. The article describes several can not miss the next stop on your visit to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Historical Museum is a great starting point because it will help to put all the other sites in perspective. It contains the relics of the city's history for centuries. On the streets of Amsterdam, is required to make sense after over their history.
The Van Gogh Museum houses the largest collection of works by Vincent Van Gogh, of which two hundred or five hundred pictures and drawings. The museum also contains many of the letters of Van Gogh and the elements of their collection. However, this is an impressive portrait of the work of one of the greatest artists in history. Art lovers, especially for the glory in this museum.
Where the nightlife is your cup of tea, the Leidseplein, a place full of local color and many cafes Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is a must. In the warmer months, this place is also a haven for artists who inspire the tricks put to fire and sword swallowing food. Make sure that the American Hotel a peak at her beautiful Art Nouveau-style stop.
Travel along the canal, known as the Herengracht and have four centuries of Dutch architecture in the buildings go to see. The channel contains the "Golden Bend" section, which contains some of the grandest houses in Amsterdam. A journey through the channel is not only historic, but the owners of today have their own label in the channel with their facades.
Heineken is the floating market in Amsterdam alone. In a moment of history, the city was more because of the mania of the "Tulip", which spread throughout Europe. Today, the joys, the posts of this unusual market, a flower garden with a rich Dutch generosity. Although the lamps are popular throughout the country, visitors will be with an interest in gardening, seasonal flowers, herbs, ornamental shrubs and more in this unique niche Dutch.
The other key positions in your Amsterdam: Begijnhof (Hospice) capabilities, Nieuwe Kirk (Church), Skinny Bridge (historical), Vondelpark (park near the center), Woonbootmuseum (Houseboat Museum), Anne Frank (where Anne Frank and his family lived in hiding before his arrest) and the Rijksmuseum, "De meesterwerken" (collection of paintings by masters of the Golden Age of the Netherlands).
Amsterdam Historical Museum is a great starting point because it will help to put all the other sites in perspective. It contains the relics of the city's history for centuries. On the streets of Amsterdam, is required to make sense after over their history.
The Van Gogh Museum houses the largest collection of works by Vincent Van Gogh, of which two hundred or five hundred pictures and drawings. The museum also contains many of the letters of Van Gogh and the elements of their collection. However, this is an impressive portrait of the work of one of the greatest artists in history. Art lovers, especially for the glory in this museum.
Where the nightlife is your cup of tea, the Leidseplein, a place full of local color and many cafes Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is a must. In the warmer months, this place is also a haven for artists who inspire the tricks put to fire and sword swallowing food. Make sure that the American Hotel a peak at her beautiful Art Nouveau-style stop.
Travel along the canal, known as the Herengracht and have four centuries of Dutch architecture in the buildings go to see. The channel contains the "Golden Bend" section, which contains some of the grandest houses in Amsterdam. A journey through the channel is not only historic, but the owners of today have their own label in the channel with their facades.
Heineken is the floating market in Amsterdam alone. In a moment of history, the city was more because of the mania of the "Tulip", which spread throughout Europe. Today, the joys, the posts of this unusual market, a flower garden with a rich Dutch generosity. Although the lamps are popular throughout the country, visitors will be with an interest in gardening, seasonal flowers, herbs, ornamental shrubs and more in this unique niche Dutch.
The other key positions in your Amsterdam: Begijnhof (Hospice) capabilities, Nieuwe Kirk (Church), Skinny Bridge (historical), Vondelpark (park near the center), Woonbootmuseum (Houseboat Museum), Anne Frank (where Anne Frank and his family lived in hiding before his arrest) and the Rijksmuseum, "De meesterwerken" (collection of paintings by masters of the Golden Age of the Netherlands).
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Singapore Food
Singapore is well cherished for its variety of ethnic food available. There is Chinese, Indian to French, Italian to Malay food. It may be a small country but the varieties of food available are always an enlightening experience for everybody come to Singapore.
One of the best things about being in Singapore is certainly the food. It is no secret that Singaporeans eat and drink with a passion. For the newcomer, deciding where and what to eat can be an awesome and exciting experience.
Singapore’s multi-cultural diversity is considered in the diversity of local cuisine it has to offer, from Chinese to Malay, Indian to Peranakan. Singapore's cuisine has impacted one another for decades. Visitors who visit Singapore have to try out some of the local choice foods.
Some of Singapore local choice foods include Satay, Roti Prata, Char Kway Tiao, Hokkien Noodles, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and some of our local desserts like Ice Kachang, Chendol, Grass Jelly and Tao Suan.
Here is some recommended food in Singapore.
Bak Kut Teh
Bak Kut Teh is a Chinese pork ribs soup cooked in herbs like five spices, star anise, cinnamon, clove, fennel seeds, dang gui, pepper and garlic.
It is served with rice and other complements including fried bread (they usually called it cakwe) and salted vegetables. It is also sometimes served with Chinese's tea, as many believe that Chinese's tea evaporates the rich amount of fat consumed in this pork-laden dish.
Char Kway Teow
Char Kway Teow is a savory sweet noodle dish.
It consists of yellow noodles and wide noodles cooked together with pork lard, sweet sauce, dark sauce, bean sprouts, eggs, Chinese sausages, fish cakes and optional cockles.
Chilli crabs
Crabs that are being cooked in thick tomato and chili based gravy. The crab is covered with abundant of gravy and the crab meat is best eaten with the gravy. A pleasant complement is the fried “mantou” (fried buns) which is best eaten with the thick gravy.
Many seafood restaurants offer this delightful dish.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
This dish is created by the people in China, Hainan Island and has since then been Singaporeans typical dish consumed usually for lunch or dinner. It is mostly cooked with garlic, scallion and ginger and the rice is cooked until fragrant.
It is usually found in hawker centres, coffee shops and restaurants.
Hokkien Mee (= Noodles)
Hokkien Mee dish is cooked with the yellow noodles and white noodles cooked with prawn stock, bean sprouts, prawns, squids, eggs and spring onions.
It is eaten with lime squeezed on the noodle dish giving it a slight sharp taste to the noodles and best eaten with sambal (= chilli).
Fish Head Curry
Fish Head Curry is a dish where the head of a fish, particularly red snapper is semi-stewed in thick curry gravy and lady’s’ fingers, eaten with white rice.
There are various versions to this dish, particularly the Indian, Chinese and Peranakan versions, which may differ in terms of the curry gravy.
Fried Carrot Cake
Fried carrot cake is a preferred dish among many Singaporeans. It is flour mixed with radish and fried with dark sauce, turnip and sweet sauce and topped off with spring onions, or fried without the sweet sauce.
Rojak
A tasty local salad consisting of fruits, fried dough fritters, turnips, bean sprouts, cucumbers topped off with prawn paste and crushed peanuts. The gravy has a unique flavor that will attract one’s appetite for more.
Rojak can sometimes be found at hawker centers and coffee shops.
Roti Prata
Roti Prata begins from Southern India and is a type of Indian pancake made of flour. It comes with a difference of fillings including egg, cheese, banana, onions, meat or even topped off with a scoop of ice cream. It is served with hot curry gravy. Some people choose to eat it with sugar.
Satay
Satay is a dish consisting of bite-sized pieces of meat grilled on skewers. They come in chicken, mutton, pork and beef. It is served with a flavorous spicy peanut sauce, slices of cucumbers and onions.
One of the best things about being in Singapore is certainly the food. It is no secret that Singaporeans eat and drink with a passion. For the newcomer, deciding where and what to eat can be an awesome and exciting experience.
Singapore’s multi-cultural diversity is considered in the diversity of local cuisine it has to offer, from Chinese to Malay, Indian to Peranakan. Singapore's cuisine has impacted one another for decades. Visitors who visit Singapore have to try out some of the local choice foods.
Some of Singapore local choice foods include Satay, Roti Prata, Char Kway Tiao, Hokkien Noodles, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and some of our local desserts like Ice Kachang, Chendol, Grass Jelly and Tao Suan.
Here is some recommended food in Singapore.
Bak Kut Teh
Bak Kut Teh is a Chinese pork ribs soup cooked in herbs like five spices, star anise, cinnamon, clove, fennel seeds, dang gui, pepper and garlic.
It is served with rice and other complements including fried bread (they usually called it cakwe) and salted vegetables. It is also sometimes served with Chinese's tea, as many believe that Chinese's tea evaporates the rich amount of fat consumed in this pork-laden dish.
Char Kway Teow
Char Kway Teow is a savory sweet noodle dish.
It consists of yellow noodles and wide noodles cooked together with pork lard, sweet sauce, dark sauce, bean sprouts, eggs, Chinese sausages, fish cakes and optional cockles.
Chilli crabs
Crabs that are being cooked in thick tomato and chili based gravy. The crab is covered with abundant of gravy and the crab meat is best eaten with the gravy. A pleasant complement is the fried “mantou” (fried buns) which is best eaten with the thick gravy.
Many seafood restaurants offer this delightful dish.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
This dish is created by the people in China, Hainan Island and has since then been Singaporeans typical dish consumed usually for lunch or dinner. It is mostly cooked with garlic, scallion and ginger and the rice is cooked until fragrant.
It is usually found in hawker centres, coffee shops and restaurants.
Hokkien Mee (= Noodles)
Hokkien Mee dish is cooked with the yellow noodles and white noodles cooked with prawn stock, bean sprouts, prawns, squids, eggs and spring onions.
It is eaten with lime squeezed on the noodle dish giving it a slight sharp taste to the noodles and best eaten with sambal (= chilli).
Fish Head Curry
Fish Head Curry is a dish where the head of a fish, particularly red snapper is semi-stewed in thick curry gravy and lady’s’ fingers, eaten with white rice.
There are various versions to this dish, particularly the Indian, Chinese and Peranakan versions, which may differ in terms of the curry gravy.
Fried Carrot Cake
Fried carrot cake is a preferred dish among many Singaporeans. It is flour mixed with radish and fried with dark sauce, turnip and sweet sauce and topped off with spring onions, or fried without the sweet sauce.
Rojak
A tasty local salad consisting of fruits, fried dough fritters, turnips, bean sprouts, cucumbers topped off with prawn paste and crushed peanuts. The gravy has a unique flavor that will attract one’s appetite for more.
Rojak can sometimes be found at hawker centers and coffee shops.
Roti Prata
Roti Prata begins from Southern India and is a type of Indian pancake made of flour. It comes with a difference of fillings including egg, cheese, banana, onions, meat or even topped off with a scoop of ice cream. It is served with hot curry gravy. Some people choose to eat it with sugar.
Satay
Satay is a dish consisting of bite-sized pieces of meat grilled on skewers. They come in chicken, mutton, pork and beef. It is served with a flavorous spicy peanut sauce, slices of cucumbers and onions.
The Merlion Singapore
Merlion
There are five Merlions recognized in Singapore.
1. The first carving at Merlion Park
2. The two-metre high novice statue position rear end the original statue
3. The 37-meter high big model with Mouth Gallery Viewing Deck on the 9th level, another seeing gallery on its head and The Merlion Shop at Sentosa Island
4. The three-meter high covered poly marble at Tourism Court completed in 1995.
5. The three-meter high poly marble statue sat on Mount Faber's Faber Point.
The First Statue
On 15 September 1972, the Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew announced officially the installation formality of the Merlion statue. The original Merlion statue used to endure at the mouth of the Singapore River, at the spot of the present The Fullerton Waterboat House Garden with Anderson Bridge as its background.
It was imagined by the vice-chancellor of the University of Singapore Kwan Sai Kheong. Constructed from November 1971 to August 1972 by the late Singapore master, Mr. Lim Nang Seng, it measures 8.6 meters high and weighs 40 tonnes. Its body is made of cement, skin from porcelain plates and eyes from small red teacups. The project cost about S$165,000.
The statue spray's water out of its mouth into the river in a steady arch until its water pump breakdown in 1998.
Relocation of the first statue
The Merlion and the Esplanade at a night-time.
The finalization of the Esplanade Bridge, in 1997, obstructed the views of the Merlion from the Marina Bay waterfront. After that, the first Merlion location was also no longer the doorway of Singapore River. So, in 2002, the statue and its apprentice were resettled 120 meters to the present Merlion Park that faces Marina Bay where it endures on a newly-spot headland in front of The Fullerton Hotel.
Another way out contemplated, to bring up the Merlion on a platform at its first location was considered inappropriate as the view would still be obstructed by the bridge. Other possible resettlement sites considered included Nicoll Highway Extension Bridge, Esplanade Park, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, a headland at Marina Centre, a headland site at Bayfront and Kim Seng Park. Notwithstanding, all were either inappropriate or not technically workable.
The first action of relocation began on 23 April 2002 and finished on April 25. The whole statue was lifted onto the flatboat, which then sailed to the new installation site at the current Merlion Park, near the mouth of Singapore River. During the journey, the statue had to be lifted from the flatboat, over the Esplanade Bridge and then back onto the flatboat, as it was too high to pass underneath.
Thirty years after it was formally set afloat, the Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew came back on 15 September 2002 to ceremonially welcome the Merlion once again, this time in its new property. A seeing deck now spreads over the Singapore River, permitting visitors to place for a photo with a face or side view of the Merlion, including a new city horizon background in the picture. The statue was associated to face East, a direction advised to be most suitable. It resettled, the statue once more sprayed water from its mouth, having stopped in its old location since 1998 due to a water pump breakdown. The Merlion now has a new two unit water pump system with items working alternately, so a partner is always on standby. The relocation and new site cost S$7.5 million.
Conservation of the original statue
From 5 June until 10 July 2006, the Merlion at Merlion Park submitted to conservation. The last one was right after its relocation. Dirt and spots were removed using high-pressure water streams, and various wears and tears of the statue were renovated.
Throughout that time, visitors were greeted with the demonstrated billboard and canvasses layers the safety snares and scaffolding. The pictures were designed by Miel, an award-winning senior artist at The Straits Times. The picture on the canvasses made them look like brief rainfall curtains, with the Merlion fastening its head out with the shadow of its tail behind the curtain. The picture on the billboard showed the Merlion scrub himself with a brush and showering using a Merlion shower head spraying water.
The Merlion on Sentosa was designed and carved by an Australian Artist named James Martin. It is made of Glass Reinforced Cement (GRC) over a steel armature that is attached to the central lift centre.
Other Merlion statues
Due to the effect of abroad Singaporeans, Singapore investors and mates of the country, diversities of the Merlion statue can be found in Japan and China.
Merlion harm by lightning
On Saturday, February 28, 2009 at about 4.26 pm the Merlion in the Merlion Park was hit by lightning. A breaking news from 938LIVE local radio showed an image with pieces from the Merlion's head on the ground. Inspection of the damage was done quickly with wooden scaffolding set up on Sunday, March 1, 2009 for workers to get a closer look at the hole. The event happened pursuant to the lack of lightning protection on the Merlion itself.
Merlion souvenirs
A wide kind of Merlion souvenirs is sold at tourist areas in Singapore. Some type of Merlion souvenirs included:
- Display model, with smaller ones doubling up as paperweights
- Soft toys
- Mini soft toy keychains or mobile phone magnetisms
- Refrigerator magnets
- Picture frames
There are five Merlions recognized in Singapore.
1. The first carving at Merlion Park
2. The two-metre high novice statue position rear end the original statue
3. The 37-meter high big model with Mouth Gallery Viewing Deck on the 9th level, another seeing gallery on its head and The Merlion Shop at Sentosa Island
4. The three-meter high covered poly marble at Tourism Court completed in 1995.
5. The three-meter high poly marble statue sat on Mount Faber's Faber Point.
The First Statue
On 15 September 1972, the Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew announced officially the installation formality of the Merlion statue. The original Merlion statue used to endure at the mouth of the Singapore River, at the spot of the present The Fullerton Waterboat House Garden with Anderson Bridge as its background.
It was imagined by the vice-chancellor of the University of Singapore Kwan Sai Kheong. Constructed from November 1971 to August 1972 by the late Singapore master, Mr. Lim Nang Seng, it measures 8.6 meters high and weighs 40 tonnes. Its body is made of cement, skin from porcelain plates and eyes from small red teacups. The project cost about S$165,000.
The statue spray's water out of its mouth into the river in a steady arch until its water pump breakdown in 1998.
Relocation of the first statue
The Merlion and the Esplanade at a night-time.
The finalization of the Esplanade Bridge, in 1997, obstructed the views of the Merlion from the Marina Bay waterfront. After that, the first Merlion location was also no longer the doorway of Singapore River. So, in 2002, the statue and its apprentice were resettled 120 meters to the present Merlion Park that faces Marina Bay where it endures on a newly-spot headland in front of The Fullerton Hotel.
Another way out contemplated, to bring up the Merlion on a platform at its first location was considered inappropriate as the view would still be obstructed by the bridge. Other possible resettlement sites considered included Nicoll Highway Extension Bridge, Esplanade Park, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, a headland at Marina Centre, a headland site at Bayfront and Kim Seng Park. Notwithstanding, all were either inappropriate or not technically workable.
The first action of relocation began on 23 April 2002 and finished on April 25. The whole statue was lifted onto the flatboat, which then sailed to the new installation site at the current Merlion Park, near the mouth of Singapore River. During the journey, the statue had to be lifted from the flatboat, over the Esplanade Bridge and then back onto the flatboat, as it was too high to pass underneath.
Thirty years after it was formally set afloat, the Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew came back on 15 September 2002 to ceremonially welcome the Merlion once again, this time in its new property. A seeing deck now spreads over the Singapore River, permitting visitors to place for a photo with a face or side view of the Merlion, including a new city horizon background in the picture. The statue was associated to face East, a direction advised to be most suitable. It resettled, the statue once more sprayed water from its mouth, having stopped in its old location since 1998 due to a water pump breakdown. The Merlion now has a new two unit water pump system with items working alternately, so a partner is always on standby. The relocation and new site cost S$7.5 million.
Conservation of the original statue
From 5 June until 10 July 2006, the Merlion at Merlion Park submitted to conservation. The last one was right after its relocation. Dirt and spots were removed using high-pressure water streams, and various wears and tears of the statue were renovated.
Throughout that time, visitors were greeted with the demonstrated billboard and canvasses layers the safety snares and scaffolding. The pictures were designed by Miel, an award-winning senior artist at The Straits Times. The picture on the canvasses made them look like brief rainfall curtains, with the Merlion fastening its head out with the shadow of its tail behind the curtain. The picture on the billboard showed the Merlion scrub himself with a brush and showering using a Merlion shower head spraying water.
The Merlion on Sentosa was designed and carved by an Australian Artist named James Martin. It is made of Glass Reinforced Cement (GRC) over a steel armature that is attached to the central lift centre.
Other Merlion statues
Due to the effect of abroad Singaporeans, Singapore investors and mates of the country, diversities of the Merlion statue can be found in Japan and China.
Merlion harm by lightning
On Saturday, February 28, 2009 at about 4.26 pm the Merlion in the Merlion Park was hit by lightning. A breaking news from 938LIVE local radio showed an image with pieces from the Merlion's head on the ground. Inspection of the damage was done quickly with wooden scaffolding set up on Sunday, March 1, 2009 for workers to get a closer look at the hole. The event happened pursuant to the lack of lightning protection on the Merlion itself.
Merlion souvenirs
A wide kind of Merlion souvenirs is sold at tourist areas in Singapore. Some type of Merlion souvenirs included:
- Display model, with smaller ones doubling up as paperweights
- Soft toys
- Mini soft toy keychains or mobile phone magnetisms
- Refrigerator magnets
- Picture frames
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