Ukyaykusun Peru !!

Peruvian people are proud of the INCA heritage. The local language during INCA times was Quechua. Most of the Peruvians speak Quechua and Spanish. It is amazing that the language is only a spoken dialect. There is no written form. It is even more amazing that it is passed along from generations to generations without any record keeping. “Ukyaykusun” means Cheers in Quechua language. “Pachamama” – Mother Earth is the Peruvian Goddess, literal translation Mother World. Pachamama is the provider. They worship and respect everything that comes out of the Earth. At the start of a drinking session, you spill some drink on the ground: “To the Pachamama” and then Ukyaykusun (Cheers)!!

Peru is an amazing country and the People are equally amazing. “Minimalistic” is my word to define the Culture. They believe in not using more than required, and in today’s day and age, with so many options around us, it is admirable that the Peruvians are living a minimalistic life. I wonder if it is lack of exposure or if it is a matter of choice. Either way, it is hard to believe. The locals all seemed to be satisfied with what they have. They figured out ways to be happy and smiling. Everyone I remember talking to on my trip was smiling and in a  good mood and of course very helpful. We didn’t feel like we were cheated or ripped by the locals. Given that it is a poor country, it is amazing that people are so Honest. The Cab Drivers, local Guides, souvenir sellers, none of them were overwhelming. Another great thing about the people was respect of being on time. Everything runs on time. Given the poor infrastructure, it is impressive that Peruvians have a strong sense of time.

Day 1:

We reached Lima late at night. We had decided to just camp on the Airport overnight before our early morning flight to Cusco the next day. We found a relatively quiet spot and camped for the night. The Flights all run on time unless there is a bad weather warning. So, please ignore the forums that claim the flights get cancelled for less booking. It happens but is uncommon. Lima Airport is clean and big. Several places to get food (American chain Restaurants like Starbucks, McDonalds, etc.)

We reached Cusco around 9ish in the morning. The Hotel staff came to pick us up at the Airport. We stayed at Hotel Terra Andina. I highly recommend the Hotel. The staff was very courteous and the service was excellent. The Breakfast was fresh and yummy. We stayed at Terra Andina for 2 nights and came back to spend another night after our Salkantay Trek.

Review of Hotel Terra Andina: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294314-d564791-r131491301-Terra_Andina_Hotel-Cusco_Cusco_Region.html

We met with our Guide and Driver at around 11AM and started our tour. The first day we went to: Chinchero – Maray – Maras (Salineras) – Ollantaytambo.

Chinchero:

It is a small town with INCA ruins, a church and vendors selling knitted handicrafts. Some families have their shops in the front porch of their houses. We went to the Ruins and then to a House where a little girl gave us a demonstration on how they prepare the wool for Knitting. Clean, Dye (natural plant dyes), thread and Knit. After the demo, they will try and sell you goods. In our experience the market at Chinchero was the most expensive. You will find everything you see in this place everywhere else as well. WE made a mistake of buying a cap in Chinchero, only to discover that the same stuff is sold for much cheaper rates everywhere else. Don’t shop in Chinchero at all. For that matter, if you are pressed on time and have to decide on which place to drop, DROP Chinchero. Out of all the places we went to, Chinchero was my least favorite and in my opinion, least beautiful. The guides will tell you otherwise, but don’t drop anything else. Chinchero is probably a repeat of the INCA ruins that you will see plenty of in all of the INCA region.

Maray:

Maray is the Corn field experimentation center of the INCA. It is beautiful. It is mind-blowing to see that centuries old culture was so calculated and scientific. Definitely go to Maray. If time permits, I would highly recommend trekking to the bottom.

Maras-Salineras:

Maras are the Salt Pans called Salineras. It is one of the oldest Salt fields from the INCA times. People from the village of Maras own sections of the salt fields which they use for mining salt from the natural spring water. It is a wonderful site. Highly recommend going to Maras Salineras. You will see farmers working on their tiny field all over the place. If is a little bit of a climb down to the salt mines.

On our way, we stopped at a Potato farm. Ate baked Potatoes. The farmers dig a hole and put wood and potatoes in it and lit the wood with fire and let it burn to coal before closing the hole with mud. They wait till the potatoes are baked. The earth baked potatoes taste earthy and smoked. They also make local Farm brewed Beer using corn. It was a great experience to talk to the Farmers and click pictures.

Ollantaytambo:

The INCA ruins at Ollantaytambo are a famous tourist attraction. We reached late so didn’t get a chance to explore the entire place. The ruins were the most crowed with tourist out of all the other places we had been to. Ollantaytambo is a great little town with good Restaurants and some street shopping. We ate at Hearts Café. Highly recommend.

Review of Hearts Café: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294319-d1059980-r131627112-Hearts_Cafe-Ollantaytambo_Sacred_Valley_Cusco_Region.html

The drive back from Ollantaytambo back to Cusco in the night is not as much fun. The roads are all dirt roads and there is barely any street lights. It is not unsafe, but if it is avoidable, don’t make this drive at night time.

Forum on the Guide: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294314-i3023-k5484392-Beware_Cusco_Guide_Mario_Tapis_Meza_Chino-Cusco_Cusco_Region.html#41424345

Day 2:

It was a Sunday and we wanted to hit the Pisac Ruins and Pisac Sunday market.

We hired a Taxi for a half day trip. We started around 10ish after Breakfast. One tip, make sure to eat a good breakfast. It is hard to time the rest of the day. Even if you have a list of Restaurants in different places you plan to visit, it is difficult to keep the planned times. We ended up spending more time in each place than originally planned. We went to Pisac ruins. We did not do the entire hike to the Intipinku (sun temple) due to time restrictions. We made it half way and back. I highly recommend going to the Pisac ruins.

The Pisac Sunday market is colorful and lively. It was a great to shop for local handicrafts. We roamed the market for a few hours and then ate at the Blue Llama Restaurant overlooking the Market.

Review of Blue Llama Restaurant: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294320-d1544656-r131626810-Blue_Llama-Pisac_Sacred_Valley_Cusco_Region.html

Back to Cusco around 6ish. We had our orientation scheduled for the Salkantay Trek starting the next day.

Forum on the Salkantay Trek: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294314-i3023-k5564251-Salkantay_Trek_w_www_Salkantay_org_Thumbs_Up_and_Down-Cusco_Cusco_Region.html

We went to Map Café for Dinner. I recommend making Reservations. It is not too packed, but they are kind of sticky about making reservations. Highly recommend the Desserts.

Review of Map Café:  http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294314-d1076634-r131510466-MAP_Cafe-Cusco_Cusco_Region.html

Day 3:

Day One of the Salkantay Trek !!

We booked our 4 Days / 3 Night Salkantay Trek with www.salkantay.org

First day of Hiking was the hardest. Given that we were not at all used to the elevation. There is a steady increase in the elevation throughout the hike.

First night, camped at the base of the Salkantay Mountain. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The mountain is a tower above all the surrounding mountains and stands out. It is snow covered and glows in the Moon and the star light. The sky had numerous stars glowing and the temperature was subzero. We were freezing in the night despite of the 4 layers of clothing and the mummy sleeping bag. It was hard to be outside of the tent and harder to not be outside and miss the beauty. It was a unforgettable view.

Day 4:

Day Two of the Salkantay Trek – Summit day – 4900 meters. YAY !!

The hike was the hardest of all the hikes I have been on so far. The physical fitness was one aspect and the lung capacity was another one. We chewed on the Cocoa leaves all through the hike up the elevation which worked like magic. Cocoa leaves juice apparently opens up your lungs (expands) and helps you get acclimatized and breath in the thin air. It was a wonderful feeling of achievement to summit the highest point of our Salkantay trek.

The way down was a killer. Definitely need stronger knees.  

We camped at a Camp site with a real Toilet. Double YAY !!

Day 5:

Day Three of the Salkantay trek.

Took a Bus to the Santa Teresa Hot water Springs. Water/Bath/Soak after 3 Days, Awesome feeling.

The dip in the Santa Teresa Hot Spring is highly recommended. It is located near the flowing/gushing river and beautiful mountain views. Try and go midday as it gets crowded during the morning and evening hours. It is a well maintained Hot Spring. Very clean rest area, bathrooms and showers.

Day 6

Day Four of the Salkantay trek – Machu Picchu – Wayna Picchu

We reached early in the morning before Sunrise and caught the Sunrise over the mountains surrounding MP. The first rays of sun illuminating the ruins was a scene to die for. It was amazingly beautiful. Serene and quite in the middle of the Tourist commotion. It takes your breath away. Feels like you want to itch the beauty in your memory and never forget the peace.

It takes about an entire day to look at the MP ruins and go up the Wayna Picchu. The panoramic views from the top of the Wayna Picchu are amazing. It is hard to not use the word “Amazing” in every other sentence to describe Machu Picchu.

We took a train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and bus from Ollantaytambo back to Cusco – 1 Night stay at Terra Andina – Fly to Puerto Maldonado next day morning after Breakfast.

Day 7

Wasai Eco Lodge

We were met with the Wasai lodge guide at the airport who took us to the Lodge in Puerto Maldonado. There is a boat ride of about 30 Mins. or so to get to the Wasai Eco Lodge in the Jungle. We were booked for a 4 Days / 3 Nights tour and stay with the Wasai Lodge.

Review of Wasai Lodge: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g298441-d317515-r131494918-Wasai_Maldonado_Eco_Lodge-Puerto_Maldonado_Madre_de_Dios_Region.html

Day 8

Day tours, relaxing, eating, night tours.

It was a fun adventure day with some relaxing.

Day 9

We got back to Puerto Maldonado in the morning. After lunch left for the Lake Sandoval boat tour.

The Lake has a lot of swamp areas surrounding it. The boat ride was fun thought he sun was very strong. We saw some beautiful Butterflies, tortoises, and Sea Otters.

We wanted to try the Ayuwascha. The Wasai lodge set up the session with a local Shaman. We were picked up from the lodge at late evening and we went to the Shaman’s house for the session. It was a very unusual experience. I am working on writing/describing it. J

Day 10

Next day morning we left Puerto Maldonado after Breakfast to get to Lima

Spend almost a Day in Lima. We deposited our luggage at the Airport holding service and took a cab to Miraflores. Ate lunch around there and then went to the Indian Market. This is the best place to shop in all of Peru.

Forum for Shopping in Peru: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294311-i818-k5565132-Cheapest_Shopping_in_Peru-Peru.html

Lima definitely needs more than a day to explore. It is a fun city with lots to do. Due to limitations of time, we were not able to go around Lima. Next time.

Took a flight to get back to Austin at night.

In summary:

Kudos to people (you know who you are) who document their Trips. It was great to get all the tips and the helpful info.

4640m --> 15223 feet climb, Machu Picchu, Wayna Picchu, Amazonia, Loads of Laundry and a Cockroach (jumping out of the Suitcase) LATER…I suffered from withdrawal symptoms…I miss you Peru…And Definitely Heart You !!

Rendez-Vous `a Paris !!

Paris is Beauty !!

It has beautiful streets ending in beautiful historic buildings. Everywhere you look, there is some History, some market, some café, something beautiful. All the historic monuments are over whelming in a very nice way. Makes you wonder about the life in old days. The glamour and the romance of being in a majestic Royal world. Gautam (my husband) was in love. He was like a kid lost in a Candy store, admiring with his eyes and wishing he owned it all and lived in the Candy store for the rest of his life. It was amazing to see him in love with a city, it takes a lot to impress him. J

We (Gautam and I) were in Paris for 4 days. I wish the trip was longer. Just one city for four days and you feel like you need more time, says a lot about the place. Paris trip can be done 2 ways: The Classic Tourist way and The Explore the City way. We ended up doing a mix of the two, which was perfect.

Paris was a break between our trip from India to Austin. It was perfect way for us to relax after the 2 awesome Indian Wedding and before getting back to the Real life.

Day 1:

We arrived in Paris early around 10am in the morning to our Hotel Cordelia. The Hotel didn’t take early check-ins. They were nice enough to store our Huge Bags in the smallest storage space I have ever seen. About the hotel, Hotel Cordelia is located centrally. Very close to a Metro station and multiple Bus stands. It is near the Opéra-Madeleine. It is walking distance from a few wonderful Cafes and also from the Shopping district. The Hotel is well maintained and kept clean and warm. The rooms are really small, but manageable. The streets are noisy at night (near a Theatre) and early in the morning (Garbage Pick-up around 6:30 am). English speaking staff is a plus, but they are not the most helpful people. Well, in general Parisians are not the most helpful. Most of them are not very happy to talk to you, some are borderline rude and some are outright rude. I would recommend Hotel Cordelia for the location and price.

Read Tripadvisor Review hotel Cordelia: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187147-d228787-on6-Hotel_Cordelia-Paris_Ile_de_France.html#UR122682583

It is ironic that the feeling you get from the beauty of Paris, the place is exactly opposite to the feeling you get from the People of Paris. The people are in general not very happy. Getting a smile is extremely difficult if not almost impossible. I had read a lot about Parisians before the trip. Most of the reviews said, the people are not rude they are different. I don’t agree, the People are rude. If you don’t like to talk to Tourist, Restaurant business is not really for you. If you don’t like to be asked questions, being a Server is the last thing you should do. I understand, the economy is bad and the place is expensive, that’s why the bad attitude. BUT Tourism is the main attraction in Paris, if people are not going to be nice to tourist, they are just losing on another opportunity they have. Most of Parisians are not going to make you feel welcomed. That’s the way it is. BUT the city, streets, beauty will make you feel wonderful. I have developed this Love-Hate for Paris after being there. I will definitely go back any chance I get.

We stored our bags at the Hotel and went out to get some Breakfast and Shopping. My favorite European (Spanish) brand is Desigual (http://www.desigual.com/en_US ). As soon as I had enough energy from Breakfast, we found a Desigual store which is walking distance from Cordelia and shopped. J Another brand that I think is fun and colorful is Skunkfunk (http://www.skunkfunk.com/ ).

We went to Paris and didn’t go inside the Louvre, we didn’t see Mona Lisa. It was kind of a sin, but oh well. The Louvre is amazing, magnificent. It is beautiful from the outside, I can only imagine how awesome it is from the inside, but just too big to cover in a short time. I know Gautam would love to spend a few days in there, I am not too sure how much I will like it. I have had people gasp at the thought of going to Paris and not going inside Louvre. It is kind of how I like it. The next time I am in Paris I might just not go inside Louvre again, I know Gautam will take a day to see Louvre from inside. I rather roam the streets, go to Cafes and Shop.

We got ready and went to Champs Elysees. The street is lined with Designer Brand stores on both side. Champs Elysees has Arc of Triumph on one end and a street market on the other end. The Entire street was lit up with Lights. It is lively and beautiful. We walked to the Arc and then to the Ferris wheel. We didn’t go on the Ferris Wheel, but the next time I am in Paris I definitely want to check the View from the top of the Ferris wheel. The Ferris Wheel is between the Arc and Louvre. The Pyramid at Louvre in the night is magnificent. It is beautiful and amazing. We also got the first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower.

The first night we went for a Cabaret show. We went to Le Lido ( http://www.lido.fr/ ) , it is located on Champs Elysees. A more modern and newer show. I recommend buying the Tickets that include a bottle of Champagne and Macaroons. It got us coat check-in, Program Booklet and intimate round sofa with a great view. The show is symbolic of the old culture and life in Paris. It was extremely entertaining. Some acts were excellent. The singing and dancing is enticing. I would definitely recommend going for a Cabaret show in Paris. Local Music and Dance is the best way to experience the culture and the city. We went to Lido which is a modern twist to the old culture. If you want to experience the authentic Cabaret, I would recommend going to Moulin Rouge. Mostly for the location. It is located in the old Red-light district of Paris. The show in itself, from all the reviews I had checked, looks like are comparable. We decided based on the type of Tickets Lido offered. Nonetheless, whichever Cabaret you go to, make it a part of your Paris experience.

Read Tripadvisor Review of Le Lido: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187147-d245091-r122873502-Le_Lido-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

Day 2:

The second day in Paris started off with Breakfast of Croissant, fresh orange juice and Coffee. Fresh Orange Juice in Paris is awesome. Every Breakfast you have in Paris, make sure to drink Fresh Orange Juice and of course Croissant and Coffee. We took a half day Bike tour of the city. Starts at the Eiffel Tower and takes you around the city. We took the tour with Fat Tire Bike Tours. I have taken a city tour with Fat Tire in Barcelona as well. They are very professional and the equipment is always great. The Guides are usually expats and not locals. The guides are usually very knowledgeable about the city and are also helpful with recommendations. The pace of the tour was great for clicking come pictures and knowing the history. The half day tour takes a break for Lunch, that’s how I discovered the street market near Louvre and the Luxor Obelisk. And that’s when I FELL IN LOVE with Paris Street Market food. Crepes, oh Crepes, how I love you. Add Nutella and Banana to you and I am in heaven. J Eat tons and tons of Crepes with Nutella and Banana when you are in Paris. Another find was Vin Chaud (Hot Wine). YUM is the word. Hot wine is Red wine spiced with exotic spices and served steaming hot. I almost OD’ed on it. J Another Food love: Waffles served hot with Nutella.

Read Tripadvisor Review of Fat Tire Bike Tour: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187147-d577423-r122838859-Fat_Tire_Bike_Tours_Paris-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

After the Bike tour we went to the Notre Dame church. This is probably the most crowded tourist place in Paris after Eiffel tower. It is a beautiful location. The Church is overwhelming architecture. There was a line to get in. It is magnificent and serene from the inside. You feel like taking a break and sitting down and soaking all the quietness. It was packed with tourist and locals alike. A lot of them where sitting and praying and watching it all makes you feel good and at peace. I am glad we went it. Churches have the magic to sooth and calm. On the outside it has all the Gargoyles, the protectors. We were a bit late to go on the top, but make sure to check times and make it to the top. I am sure you will be able to get great shots of the Gorgoyles of Notre Dame with the City in the background.

The second night we went to a Standup comedy show. “How to become a Parisian in an Hour?”. It was rated number 1 things to do in Paris when we took our trip. It is the only comedy show in Paris that is in English. Comedy is a big part of Parisian culture. It feels like sarcasm comes naturally. I love sarcastic comedy and so I loved the show. Olivier Giraud (Comedian) has good sense of Comic timing. He was funny and kept the tempo up for the entire hour. The Theatre is located in a small alley and not very easy to find, make sure to give yourself enough time to get there for good seats. It is a small theatre with wooden benches and pillows for back support. Feels really authentic. The making fun of Americans is a little dragged, but in all the content of the show is hilarious and so very true. I wish we had gone to the show the first night in Paris, gives you a perspective on the Parisian attitude. After watching this show, the rude behavior of the Parisian people was borderline funny. It was tolerable. Definitely make time to check this out. For us, it was time and money well spent.

Read Tripadvisor Review of Stand Up Comedy show: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187147-d1853199-r122838058-How_to_become_Parisian_in_one_hour-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

Day 3:

Finally it was New Year’s Day. 31^st Dec 2011.

Mission: Eiffel tower !!

It is magnanimous. It towers over you and makes a firm statement. I didn’t think I will be so delighted to see it. It is amazing how you are reminded of Tall Mountains when you look at Tall man made Structures. One is a marvel of God and another is a marvel of Human. Clicking Pictures with the Eiffel Tower was a lot of fun. We did go up to the Viewing area in the back to get good shots and great views. Another delightful street market to pick up knick knacks and eat. Waffles and Crepes and Sandwiches and of course Vin Chaud (Hot Wine).

We looked up a few places to go party and lounge before Midnight. Unfortunately, we were unlucky and didn’t find any of the places open. Kind of weird that Party places were closed on 31^st Night. Paris was a bit disappointing in general for 31^st Night. I was expecting a lot more.

DON’T go to the Eiffel Tower for New Years. It was extremely disappointing. We were expecting fireworks and an awesome light show, based on the things we had heard. It was a huge disappointment. The only thing that happened in the name of a light show at Eiffel Tower was shimmering lights are midnight for 5 minutes or so. What a disappointment. We should have gone to Champs Elysees for New Years. The street parties are a lot of fun. Next time, if ever. Also, we made the mistake of taking the Metro from Eiffel tower after midnight on 31^st. It was a horrible experience. It was extremely crowded. It was free but not at all worth it. We should have walked instead or waited for a Taxi. There were about 10,000 people at Eiffel, most trying to get someplace else after midnight. It was a nightmare to get in the Metro. Overall, I was disappointed. New Years in Paris at Eiffel Tower was DULL.

Day4 :

Arc de Triomphe, Moulin Rogue and Sacre Coeur.

First stop: Arc de Triomphe. It is a beautiful monument built to honor the Soldiers of War. It has honors inscribed all over it and tombs of soldiers beneath it. Another great place to get great shots, with the Arc and on Champs Elysees.

The traditional Red Light District of Paris: District of Pigalle. It is lined with Sex Shops on both sides of the street. It is a famous tourist place to visit. Moulin Rogue Cabaret is located on this street. It was fun to walk along this street and explore the shops. From the outside it looks like any other street in Paris, till you start peeking in the Display windows. Take a stroll down this street and slick some pictures. It is  fun.

Sacre Coeur. We took the Metro to get there. It is a bit of a winding hike up the hill to get Sacre Coeur. Lined with yet another market. It has a open area with Painters Drinking and Painting. It is celebrations on weekends. It also has a great panoramic view of the City. Sacre Coeur is a beautiful Church in a  great location with the hustle bustle and excitement around it. Make sure to take a half day trip tp Sacre Coeur.

In the evening we went back to Eiffel Tower. Views of the Tower at night and the mandatory trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower. One of the Things to Do. It has great views from the top (of course). It can get cold, windy and even rainy at night in Dec. Make sure to carry a jacket and an umbrella or a raincoat. We had partial great views and partial cloudy views. There is a display at the top which marks the distance of the tower from each major metro city in the world. Which is fun to watch.

We roamed the streets, shopped on Champs Elysees. Ate at the Cafes.

The street food in Paris is amazing. I know Gautam doesn’t agree, but I loved it. Make sure to eat Crepes, Waffles, Con Churros and Hot Chestnuts sold by street vendors. Vegetarian Sandwich (crunchy bread and grilled veggies) are relatively easy to find. We ate different kinds of Pastas (Pesto, red chilli, etc) in the Cafes which were all great. In general it is relatively easy to find Vegetarian food in Paris. Each and everything I tried from the street markets was yummy. If you want to save time and have a quick delicious bite, street vendors are the best place to get lunch. Cafes are usually very slow. So, if you want to maximize your time, eat on the streets. Make sure to learn a few French words. It is easier to explain if you have special Diet Needs. For us, it was “Vegetarian(Vegetarien), No Meat (viande), No Fish (poisson), Egg (oeuf) and Cheese (fromage) is OK”.

We missed out on the popular Bakeries in Paris. Gautam is still upset about it, so we plan to go back and eat tons of French Pastries. I recommend reading wiki for the Food and Drinks specialties of the country while planning your trip.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cuisine

Salut Paris !!

A Turkey Day !!

During our annual trip to India, we flew Turkish Airlines this time around and decided to take a Day and explore Istanbul. Well, eventually what was supposed to be a Day turned to be 2 days, due to over booked flights. We had a simple agenda. We went in with a list of things we wanted to see and do. It turned out to be much more.

First off, Turkey is a beautiful country and Istanbul is great. The people are awesome, extremely nice and helpful. It is easy to get around as English is understood and spoken by most. Even if people (Taxi Drivers) who don’t speak English, make an effort to understand and communicate using sign language and local Maps. It is best to carry a Local Map of places you want to visit. It is easy to get a map. Make sure to know the names of the places you want to go to. Even if you don’t know the exact pronunciation, its fine, generally everyone knows the local name as well as the tourist name of all the places. People understand. The other amazing thing that I noticed in Istanbul, didn’t see a single fat person in the two days we were there. In general people look healthy. Women are beautiful, with big eyes and long hair. Generally it is said that the Taxi Drivers will always try to rip you off, make sure to bargain. In my experience, it is not as bad as it is made to sound online. Being an Indian helped, Turkish people love Indians, Indian food and Indian Songs. Internal roads and travel within the city is smooth. There are also options to take Trams or Buses.

We reached the Airport early in the morning. Let me warn you, getting a Visa is easy, just pay and get the sticker on your passport. But clearing Immigration is painful. Especially, if you are not an American citizen. So, the deal is, if you have a valid Visa for any European countries or a US Visa, Immigration is easy. But if you are a transit passenger with no valid Visa in your passport, it is hard to explain. My case was, I didn’t have a valid US Visa stamped, as I was travelling on Parole. I was carrying the Visa approval notice with me, but it took us a while to explain it to the Authorities. The problem is, they don’t want to talk to you. They are more interested in talking amongst themselves and figuring it out and stalling. Anyways, in the end it all worked out, but just be prepared for some waste of time if you are in my position.

Unfortunately, the weather was horrible. It was the start of winter. The day we reached, December 10^th was the first day of Rains. The cold combined with the rains and the occasional snow is not fun. We were not prepared, my advice, if travelling around the time we did, make sure to carry heavy coats, gloves, rain coats, thick socks, warm boots, and umbrella. We had most of it but not all. We did suffer a bit in the cold. So, Winter in Turkey as explained by the locals is weird, they have Rains pretty much all Winter with occasional Snow anytime during the day. The snow is flaky and doesn’t really stick or accumulate but sure makes it colder than usual. Winters are muggy, wet and windy. Bad combination. Just be prepared.

We were on our way to India, so we were travelling with a lot of luggage. About 10 Huge check in Bags and 6 Carry-on bags. The entire trip was planned for Gautam + I, My sister + her Husband + Kid. So, we were 4 Adults + 1 Kid. We made a mistake of not explaining the baggage properly to the Car Rental place IstanbulAirport24.com. The car that came to pick us form the Airport, was not big enough to accommodate all our bags. The car Rental company is good and is recommended, just make sure to explain to them very clearly what all you need. They were on time, helped us with everything and they were nice. The Driver gave us a lot of local information on our way to our Hotel. We stayed in the old city, Sultanahmet. I would highly recommend staying in the old city. It is a good location considering most of the touristy places are almost walking distance from each other in Sultanahmet.

We stayed at Taskonak Hotel. Highly recommend this place. It is old but really well kept. The people are amazing. They are polite and the most helpful bunch. They kept most of our luggage in the holding room. They are extremely helpful and nice. Our room was small but had everything we needed. A clean bed and bathroom. We got ready and started our city touring. The weather was uncooperative. We went to this local place for Lunch, Tamara Restaurant & Café. This place is located on one of the shopping strips of Sultanahmet. It is a nice little place with decent food. The Freshly squeezed Orange juice is awesome and so is the Pomegranate Juice (if you like the fruit, you will love the juice, it is strong flavored). We decided to walk despite of the bad weather, given that for small distances it is hard to find a Taxi and we did want to check out the city.

The first stop was the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque). It is the biggest Mosque in Istanbul which dominates the skyline. It is a beauty. It was a serene experience to be inside this Mosque. It is a gigantic presence, which echoes the soothing hymns during Prayer times. It was a nice experience. The architecture is beautiful with amazing carvings and lights all around. Glass Mural Windows being the highlight of the place from inside.

The next stop was a local Café called John’s, for some Turkish Coffee and Tea. John’s is a small establishment right across from the Blue Mosque. Turkish Tea is a huge presence anywhere you go. The small, slender glass cups on tiny saucers with brown hot tea are seen everywhere. We loved the taste and were hooked to it for all the time we were in Istanbul. Turkish Coffee on the other hand is not something which everyone would instantly like. Traditional coffee is served in a tiny cup. It is thick brown liquid which is bitter. You can get it with no sugar, some sugar or a lot of sugar. I tried the no sugar. It is bitter and very rich in taste. The coffee is always served with a glass of water, in case you need to gulp it down or rinse your throat afterwards. It is rich in taste and texture.

After some warming, we headed to our next destination, underground Besilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici). This was used as a water reservoir in the Ottoman Period. The water collected here is all rain water. It was used for watering the Topkapi Palace. The cistern has about 336 columns in 12 rows. Most of the columns are Corinthian or Doric in style. At the far end of the Cistern, there are two heads of the Medusa which are put either upside down or sideways. Medusa was one of the three Gorgons, the terrifying female creatures of Greek mythology. Legend has it that Medusa, with her hair of snakes could turn anyone who looked at her into stone. The origin of the heads is unknown, there is no written evidence. It is amazing to be down in this Cistern. It has a Gothic feel to it. It is again one of the very quite places. Even with so much happening around, it is still very quite. Water is dripping in all the passages. We did spend some time just exploring and taking pictures.

After all the activities, we were tired and still had some enthusiasm for Shopping. What better place to shop in Istanbul than one of the largest and oldest covered Market in the world, The Grand Bazaar (Kapalicarsi). IT has more than 58 covered streets and over 1200 shop. It is over whelming. There are shops for Jewelry, Pottery, Spice, Leather, and Carpet. It consists of 12 major buildings and has 22 doors. It is crowded, colorful and bright. Everything shines in here. My sister and I were in heaven. We loved it. We did pick a few things that we absolutely wanted to buy and decided to come back the next day. It will probably take more than a day’s time if one decides to go to every street in this market. I would love to go back some other time and roam the streets of the Grand Bazaar. It was mystic.

Super tired we returned to our Hotel. Everyone was sleepy and a bit jet lagged. It was like I derived energy from all our sightseeing. I started looking for things to do at night. My Bro-in-law found this place called Orient House, which is a Restaurant that features traditional Turkish show every night. The show includes: Belly Dances, Wedding Ceremony, Mystic whirling dervishes, Folk dances, Ottoman Janissary Band and a Entertainment show with a local singer. I cannot recommend this place enough. It was Brilliant. The show includes, dinner and 2 Drinks. Being vegetarians, we got a fair price of $80 per person, Kid free. There was a 3 course meal. The food was excellent and so was the show. We had a great time. The service was amazing. The entire show is amazingly coordinated. It was entertaining and relaxing. We all agreed that it was a good decision to go for this show despite being tired. We got a good dose of Turkish music, which is very lively and full of energy. They also served, Turkish Tea and Coffee. Trust me, this will be the best Money spend on a Turkish holiday. You will witness all forms of dances, songs and local traditions. It was a great end to an amazing day spend in Istanbul.

Our Hotel had a view of the Blue Mosque from the terrace. We clicked some pictures of the night view. It is beautiful. We had a long day ahead of us, so decided to catch up on some sleep.

Turkish meal in general has Cheeses (goat cheese being part of every meal), Olives, Turkish Tea, Juices, Freshly baked Bread and Fruits. The local bread is called Simit, it is a circular bread with sesame seeds on it. Variation of this bread is commonplace in every meal. Simit is hard and dry but really tasty. We also tried Lahmacun (Meat with dough). There is a vegetarian version of it, a thin flatbread covered with layer of spiced tomato, pepper, onion and garlic. Very tasty. We ate vegetarian Kebap. Grilled Veggies served with Rice and Kisir. Yogurt is another integral part of Turkish food. Even plain yogurt tastes real good. Yogurt and Honey is a popular combination. We ate a lot of good food. Turkish wine is also good. Light and mild flavored. Desserts include Baklawa. We ate various kinds of Baklawa made from different Dry fruits. Lokum (Turkish Delights) is traditionally eaten for digestion is a sweet/candy with range of varieties. Mostly made with Dry fruit and honey or fresh fruit and honey. All very tasty.

The next day we started with Breakfast at our Hotel (included). We filled up on a heavy Breakfast. The next stop was Topkapi Palace.

Topkapi Palace is called Topkapi Sarayi in Turkish. It belongs to the Ottoman Empire. This was the primary residence of the Ottoman sultans for about 400 years. Everything there is old beautiful and historical. There are some huge trees in the yard that might be some centuries old. The place is a museum with collections of antics. There are beautiful Mural and glass work throughout. There are Swords, jewelry, clothes, Royal seats, etc on exhibit. It all is very well organized and you can opt for listening to the history by renting a multi-lingual head-phone. The admission fee is 20 Turkish Lira (15 USD). If you really want to look at each and everything in this palace in details, make sure to have at least 3-4 hours in hand. It requires a lot of walking within the Palace buildings. A lot of groups were roaming with Guides, probably a very good idea to hire a Guide if you are a History buff.

After the dose of History, we headed to Spice Bazaar (Misir Carsisi, or Egyptian Bazaar). It is one of the oldest bazaars in the city and second largest shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar. It is also known as the New Bazaar. It is a “L” shaped building consisting of 88 vaulted rooms, most of which are now divided into an upper and lower storey. There are Monumental Gateways at each entrance. The main entrance faces the Yeni Mosque. This is the first time I have seen so many colors at one place. It is beautiful. The place is super crowded with vendors calling you from all directions. As we entered the first emotion I felt was panic. It is very overwhelming. But then within minutes you see everything clearly and then it was all amazing. It sells Spices, Turkish delights, Teas, Coffees, souvenirs, etc. The place was buzzing with activity. Again I think to look at the entire Bazaar properly, you need a few hours in hand. Time being short, we tried to maximize as much as possible. We did our shopping for Turkish sweets, Teas and Coffee. We left from the Spice Market and were running short on time, so we split. Gautam and I headed back to the Grand Bazaar to pick up some things we had selected the previous day and my sister and family headed back to the Hotel to check out and get our luggage ready and Taxi to go to the Airport.

From the front of the Spice Bazaar you can get a partial view of the Bosphorus Bridge. Istanbul is 5^th largest city in the world and it is the only metropolis in the world that is situated in two continents (Europe and Asia). The Bosphorous Bridge connects the two continents. We didn’t get much time to take the ferry ride to Asia, we just stayed in the European continent. This is though highly recommended. If I ever go back to Turkey, this definitely makes my priority list of Things To Do.

We took the Tram to go to Grand Bazaar from Spice Bazaar. It is fairly simple to understand the routes. The people are extremely helpful. It is also very fast and convenient. As all the major touristy places have Tram stations around the corner. It is also a very good way to explore the city. This being the very first time in my life I was taking a Tram ride, I was super excited.

We reached the Airport on time to find that our flight is over booked and we will have to stay another day in Istanbul. After the excruciating 6 hours on the Airport, finally we were scheduled to leave the next day with Baggage checked in to Bombay. This was a very bad experience and I was majorly disappointed in Turkish Airlines. After this I am a little hesitant to recommend Turkish Airlines. The way they handled the situation was very disappointing.

Our one night hotel booked by the Airlines was in Taksim. We stayed at the Crystal Hotel. And that’s where we met our first set of rude people in Turkey. All the time we had spend in Istanbul, I was very glad that the people were really nice and humble. Not true for the people in Crystal Hotel. They are rude and not at all considerate. The Hotel is nice but the service needs a lot of improvement, given that in general Turkish people are nice. We settled in our room and decided to explore a bit. Maybe find a place to try some Raki. It is a traditional alcoholic beverage flavored with anise. We found a local bar nearby and tried some Raki. It is a strong drink with a real strong flavor.

The next day was slow for us. We ate breakfast at our Hotel and decided to take it easy and try the Massage and Turkish bath at our Hotel Spa. Turkish Bath (Hamam) is the Turkish variant of a steam bath. We had a 60 minute massage followed by the Turkish Bath and end with a soothing Face Mask and Turkish tea. This was easily the highlight of our trip. We all were glad to miss the flight and experience this. I highly recommend this. There are places all around Istanbul that specializes in Turkish Baths. It is an extremely relaxing experience. We had a great time.

We had a crazy busy and hectic trip that we ended with some relaxing. It was a great trip. There is a whole lot of Istanbul and Turkey that needs to be explored, till next time. Its very hard to pick a few out of the many many pictures we took during our awesome trip, here is a glimpse.

U Betcha? Alaska is Awesome !!

We (Gautam, the Husband and I) went to Alaska for about 9 days and it was heavenly. One of the best vacations so far.

We started our trip in Anchorage, reached Anchorage late at night and stayed at Motel 6 near the Airport. For a Motel 6, it was surprisingly clean and staff was relatively friendly. As this was just for one night, we didnt really have any complaints. The next day we went to a famous Breakfast place in Anchorage, "Snow City Cafe". I would definately recommend going to this place. It is a small joint with good food. Don't order the French Toast, though it sounds yummy on the menu, it was not that great and was cold. I read about it before going and didnt believe the review, trust me, dont make the same mistake. Oh well, I got to add, Gautam liked it, despite it being cold.

We rented a RV from “ABC Motorhome Rentals”. What a great company. The lady (don’t have the name) who owns the place with her husband drove us from our Hotel to their company. She was this nice person who wanted to help in any way possible. Due to some misunderstanding we were not given the RV the night before. The staff made sure that we were not unsatisfied and gave us a bigger rental (24 Feet) for the price of (21 Feet). Everyone at ABC was charming and very very helpful. We were very pleased by the service. RV is a cute little mini home. We had a Bed (actually 2 in the 24 feet version), a small Kitchen, Closet, Sinks, Refrigerator, Dining Area (sofa and Table) and a big enough Bathroom. We used the spare bed for storage, it was perfect. It is surprising that in such small place there is so much Storage space. We could easily fit all our stuff and there was a lot of room for more.

The next stop was Fred Meyers (Local Super Target-type chain) and then En route Seward.

The Drive to Seward was full of amazing Views. (so, whenever I use words like Amazing, Fantastic, Awesome…they are to say the least, there is no word to describe the beauty) Mountains and Ocean anywhere and everywhere you look. Make sure to take along the Prints of all the routes you will take in Alaska (Try Alaska.org -> Magnificent / Day Drives, or pick-up a "Milepost" book). Every route has tons of good spots for scenic views and Hiking trails. We stopped at “Beluga Point” for a while. Took a small hike up a small hill and got some Cool fresh air and amazing Ocean Views. The trail and the Hill climb is actually off limits and not really meant for Hiking. There are signs that say Do not cross. Be careful crossing the Railway tracks. Rest is pretty safe if you are careful. Once in Seward, we went for some Night Sea Kayaking. We went out with “Miller’s Landing”. I DON'T recommend the company. They guide had no idea whatsoever. He was new to the area and couldn’t answer any questions except for the scripted ones. We gave up on asking him anything. Sea Kayaking itself was very good. The water was relatively calm and the whole atmosphere is really quite. It is a serene feeling. We saw a Bald Eagle and some cutie pie Sea Otters. These are amazing creatures. You would definitely want to take one home. I wanted to for sure. We stopped at a small island and took a small hike to the Bridal Veil Falls. Beautiful fall with lush green surroundings. Night Kayaking can be a little challenging. On the way back we were tired. Other company we looked at was “Kayak Adventure”. Heard great things about them later and also read good things. Next time I am going out with them for sure. Another thing to remember, Alaska has free parking state wide (pretty much). We were looking out for Pull outs, Parking lots with Views for camping over night in our RV. We did get lucky all 6 nights that we were in the RV. It is thrilling to just park and sleep in the middle of the wilderness. It is an adventure in itself.

The next morning was Homemade breakfast of Eggs and Coffee. We went on a Exit Glacier Hike with the “Exit Glacier Guides”. Highly recommend this company. Our guide, Trevor was knowledgeable and very enthusiastic. We had a great time. In about 4-5 miles distance, you cover about 2000 feet elevation. After some hiking you can easily get hot and want to shed a layer and in about 15-20 minutes you will get cold due to the wind and want to layer up again. The Hike on the Glacier was an out of the world experience. Looking at the White Glacier in the middle of the Lush green mountains was just breath-taking. I highly recommend this hike. Just be prepared with lots of water and Food. It is a long and strenuous Hike. But it’s all worth in the end. We weren't able to do the “Harding Ice Field” hike since we didn't have a day to spare, but we definitely want to go back for that. We talked to some people who took the hike and they said it was strenuous but the view of the never ending Ice is amazing. The next stop for the night was on the way to the Exit Glacier. Again, we just parked in a pull out and camped for the Night with the Resurrection river and the mountains providing a most beautiful back-drop.

Next day we were ready for another adventure, a more relaxing one this time. We took the Day cruise (7 hours) to tidewater glaciers. We went out with “Major Marine Tours” I would definitely recommend it. The Ship was clean and spacious. The Captain and the Ranger from the Kenai Fjords National Park had an awesome eye for spotting wildlife. We saw lots and lots of different Birds. The highlight being the Puffin. We saw about 3 different kinds of Whales, Sea Otters, a black bear chilling by the Glacier, Seals, and many more. We finally made it to the “Holgate Glacier” in the Aialik Bay. We saw Ice calving. The Ranger called it a Musical show put up by the Glacier. It was fantastic. Glacier views are over-whelming and extremely beautiful. I would definitely recommend the 6-7 hour day cruise. Anything more would be a little over the top. Make sure to take warm clothes and layer up. The wind makes it chilly on the Ship. For non-vegetarians the meal they include for about $20 is plentiful and well priced for Alaska standards, make sure to check the details. The views are full of Ice/Snow covered Mountains, Waterfalls and calm seas as far as you can see.

Next journey was to “Denali National Park”. On the way, we did stop at some Mile markers and saw tiny Jumping Salmon. Next Dinner stop was at the “Alyeska Resort” in Girdwood. The restaurant is on the top of the mountain and the resort is famous for Winter Skiing. The views of the Seven Glaciers were amazing. The restaurant is also called “Seven Glaciers”. It is an upscale restaurant with decent food. The appetizer was the highlight. Main course was ordinary (for the price we paid). I will recommend taking the trolley and going to the top for the views and some great pictures. Won’t necessarily recommend eating at Seven Glaciers Restaurant. It was our 5th Anniversary Dinner, so was worth it.

We were super tired by the end of it all. While driving to Denali we did hit some construction on the way that slowed us a little. We found a great spot with some awesome mountain and water views to camp over night. Early next morning the journey began to Denali. Make sure to look out for Mt. McKinley on the way. And whenever to get a view, just stop and click pictures cause mostly that’s the only view you will get of the gigantic mountain during your stay. We were fortunate to get some great views and pictures of Mt. McKinley. The views during the drive to Denali are very different from the drive to Kenai/Seward. The mountains have less and less ice and it is more green mountains and less water bodies. It is dense forest and narrower roads. We reached Denali National Park and went straight to the Visitor center. Got some information about the Bus Rides, Discovery Hike and the park in general. We rented Bikes from Denali and took the free shuttle to “Savage River”. Had a close encounter with Dall Sheep, which was fantastic. The hike is moderate and along the flowing River which is beautiful. You can add some mountain/small hill climbing at the end for some beautiful views. It's also wonderful that you can safely & easily go off-trail and enjoy good, nature hikes (just be armed with knowledge about how to deal with the animals that you may come across). Keep in mind that Biking in Denali can get tricky. There is a mix of Hills and slopes. So, make sure not to sign up for long distance Biking without knowing your route. Talk to one of the guys at the Visitor center and they will give you a fair idea. Make sure you do Bike some, cause it’s a lot of fun. The good part about going up to Savage River (22 Miles in the Park), you can hop on hop off any green bus anytime you see one. There are very few designated Bus stops. So, you just have to wave to stop the bus you want to get on to.

The one thing to keep in mind, Denali is a little different from the other National Parks we have been to. All the Hiking and trekking is not defined. So, it’s pretty much no Trails. You define you own trails and just go exploring. We signed up for the strenuous Discovery hike with a Guide for the next day. There are 2 different Discovery Hikes, Strenuous which is half day and Moderate which is almost the entire day. Pick one based on your ability but I would highly recommend going on “Discovery Hike”, nick named Disco Hike. Make sure to carry lots of water and food. The Discovery Hike was brilliant. It was incredible that you don't exactly what liesThe Ranger, Michael was passionately in love with Denali and that made it very interesting. We had a great time. I cannot wait to go back to Denali and go on the Disco Hike again and again.

The next day we got on the early morning bus going to “Wonder Lake”. It is a long drive on the bus. Our Bus Driver liked to talk, a lot. It helped. He gave us good information about the park and the wildlife. We saw about 11 Bears, tons of Moose, 4 Wolves, and lots of white Dots on the Mountains which are Dall Sheep. It was a fun ride. I would recommend going upto the very end of the Bus route, “Kantishna”. It is just one extra hour, but my guess is, will be well worth it, if you get lucky and see Mt. Mckinley. The other option if you are short on time is to go only up to Eielson Visitors Center as most of the animals we saw were up to that point. One recommended place to eat in Denali is “Denali DogHouse”. Good junk food. There are not too many places to camp on the side of the road in Denali area. We had to drive a few (4-5 miles) around to find a spot. Though there are many campground that you can camp at for about 20-30$.

We left Denali with a promise to ourselves to return back someday and explore more. We started driving towards “Hatcher Pass”. We reached really late to Hatcher Pass. The drive is pitch dark with thick forest on both sides. We saw some tiny animals running around and a Moose. It was sort of exciting and scary. Overnight Camping at Hatcher Pass was a lot of fun. Early morning we drove up to the Old Gold Mines. Took a hike for some fresh air and more views. Being a weekday, We were the only people there. It was extremely quiet and beautiful.

We went back to Anchorage to return our RV with a heavy heart. It was an amazing experience to drive your home everywhere you go. We rented a car from “E-Z Car Rental”. Cheap, but extremely bad car. We had booked for 2 days and wanted to extend a day and had to pay extra for that, which was disappointing. It was a workable car. Our next stop was off of Hope highway, “Chugach Outdoor Center” for white water Rafting. Highly recommend going out with this company. Amazing Guides and awesome white water. It was one of the best things we did in Alaska. The water is freezing cold, so make sure to layer up and be warm. Also, be ready to swim in the water, these guys have a swim test before they take you out Rafting. It is fun. Dare and do it. It was a really good experience.

Started driving to “Homer”. We had booked a room at the “Halcyon Heights B&B” at Homer. I absolutely DON’T recommend staying there. The place was clean and comfortable, the views are nice. But the owners are pushy and sort of imposing. They don’t understand boundaries and that is annoying. There are tons of good places in Homer. It is a nice little town with nice people and cute little B&Bs.

We went to a local place for breakfast, “Duncan House”, met the first set of rude people in Alaska. People who run this place are not too friendly but the food is amazing. No Espresso, that was disappointing, given the fact that you get Espresso anywhere and everywhere in Alaska. Homer is beautiful. It has great views of the mountains and several Glaciers. The Homer spit is nice to take a stroll and walk on the Beach. We did some Sea Kayaking which was a lot of fun. Saw Otters, seals and birds. Homer has some amazing spots to go Hiking and a lot of Scenic views Drives. We drove around town, walked on the beach, and shopped. It is beautiful. People are great and extremely polite and helpful. The next day morning, we took a “Diamond Ridge” hike to the beach. It is about 3 miles roundtrip hike. Going down on the way to the beach and subtle incline on the way back. It is not too hard. The beach is beautiful. You can see and hear a stream flowing to the sea all along the trail.

After a great Breakfast at “Sourdough Express”, we started back to Anchorage. On the way we took a 5 mile detour to watch the Salmon laying eggs at the exact same place they were hatched. The stream was full of Red Salmon. Next stop was ”Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center” off of the Seward Highway near Girdwood. We saw lots of different animals (Elks, Moose, Bears, Bison, Musk Ox, etc). It is a non-profit organization which takes in orphaned Animals or injured animals for rehab. I think it is great stop for Kids. I liked it alright.

There were tons of other spots along the drive on Seward highway which we wished we had the time to stop & explore. But we ran out of time. Reached Anchorage and got on the plane back Home. This was a memorable trip and we (my husband and I) cannot wait to go back.

Oh, one of the things I highly recommend is buy the “Tour Saver Guide” coupon book. It is about a 100$ book which saved us about 1000$ on our tours and rentals in all. It is amazing. We hardly used about 4-5 coupons out of the book, but it was still worth it. Another book to check would be “Northern Lights” coupon book.

Must Have:
- Sweaters
- Gloves (water proof preferred)
- Woolen Socks
- Hats/Hoodies/Caps
- Thermals
- Rain Coats
- Water proof/resistant Hiking Boots (ankle support is added advantage)
- Boots
- Water bottles
- Cereal Bars (protein)
- Vitamins
- Nuts/Bananas

I highly recommend making a trip to Alaska. It is heavenly and extremely beautiful. The fun part is you can make your Alaska trip full of adventure or just go and relax. It offers everything.

It was extremely hard to narrow down and select some pictures to upload here. I somehow managed it. Here are a few of our Pics from Alaska: