Chartwell

Name of the manor. ...Chartwell.

Purchased on...............1922.

Bought by...................Sir Winston Churchill.

Land area....................32 Hectares.

Price............................Rs.95,000.

Present status..............Owned and maintained by The National Trust. A charity organization with about three and a half million members.

“Five reception rooms, 19 bed and dressing rooms, eight baths, large studio and heated swimming pool” As per the agent’s prospectus. When the manor was proposed to sell (later Churchill changed his mind and an anonymous group of Churchill’s friends bought it and presented to Churchill, where he lived up to his death... Read this whole article

The Ashoka Pillar of Delhi

One thousand and six hundred years old, made of pure wrought iron, weighs six tons, 7.375 meters high, standing bare for all these years in the scorching climate of Delhi, no fungus, no rust, no corrosion, nothing could scar even the inscriptions made on it; this pillar literally stands tall as a wonder for the modern man to witness the greatness of his ancestors; who could do what the space-age scientists not. The Iron Pillar of Delhi (also known as Ashoka Iron Pillar) belongs to the ‘Chandragupta 11 –Vikramaditya’ (between 3rd and 4the century AD) period remains as a riddle even to the modern metallurgists who rack their brains to find out the secret behind the eternal youth of this wrought iron pillar... Read this whole article

Ajanta Caves

Believed to be built between 2nd century B.C. and 4th Century A.D., Ajanta caves are located about 100 kilometers from Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state in India. The rich carvings, murals and sculptures of these caves offer real surprise to the visitors who flock to these caves in large numbers. Primarily built as a Buddhist monastery Ajanta is the premium tourist location in India not only for the rare sculptures it offers but also for the unique preservations of a culture that once prevailed. In a sense Ajanta caves preserved India’s history by placing it in its lap and protected it from predators of all hues for sixteen long centuries... Read the whole article

Agra - India

Photo: The Taj from Agra town

Source: walkingloka.blogspot.com

Photo: The sandstone gateway at the southern end of the Taj Mahal

Source: britannica.com

Photo: Taj Mahal, Agra, India
Photographer: Kim Lau
Source: asia.cnet.com

Photo: Taj Mahal - Agra - India
Source: travel-all-the-world.blogspot.com

Photo: Arched walkway at Agra Fort
Source: rwapplewannabe.files.wordpress.com

Photo: Agra Fort - India

Source: searchindia.com

Photo: Taj Mahal Agra from Agra Fort
Source: shreekumar.in

Photo: Taj Mahal - Agra - India
Source: homepage.eircom.net

Introduction
A good place to visit in Agra City – India is Taj Mahal. It locates in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh It is an gorgeous place which was built for love. It is situated on the bank of the river Yamuna.

Love affair
Taj Mahal is a mausoleum. It is built up in memory of Mumtaz Mahal, a second wife of Emperor Shahjahan. She died after giving birth to their 14th child. Mumtaz Mahal is also a Muslim Persian princess.

In 1607 when Shahjahan was not yet a king, but a prince, he met her in Meena Bazaar. But then he got married. The first wife he married to was not her. In those days princes did not marry just for love.

In 1612, he married Mumtaz Mahal when he was 20 years old and she was at her age of 19. She stayed loyal by his side through good and even bad time. They sometimes live in the luxurious royal palaces sometimes in the transient tents of war camps. Her love to him completely won the heart of the prince.

In AD 1628, Khurram became king after a bloody battle of succession.

In 1631, Shahjahan went on an expedition to the south and, as always, Mumtaz Mahal accompanied him. She died when accompanying her husband in a campaign to crush a rebellion. When she died, she was just 39 years old. Shahjahan was inconsolable and contemporary chronicles tell of the royal court mourning for two years. there was no music, no feasting, and no celebration of any kind.

As she lay dying, she asked the emperor for four promises: first buiding the Taj Mahal, second that he should remarry, third being kind to their children, fourth visiting the tomb on her death anniversary. The first promise is why the Taj Mahal was constructed.


Construction
It is one of the most flawless architectural constructions of the world. The mausoleum began in 1633. 20,000 workers contributed in the building for 17 years. The most skilled architects, inlay craftsmen, calligraphers, stone-carvers and masons came from all across Indian and lands as distant as Persia and Turkey. The master mason was from Baghdab, an expert in building the double dome from Persia, and an inlay specialist from Delhi.

For centuries, the Taj Mahal has inspired poets, painters and musicians to try and capture its elusive magic in word, colour and song. It is one of the most flawless architectural creations of the world. Since the 17th century, travellers have crossed continents to come and see this ultimate memorial to love, and few have been unmoved by its incomparable beauty.

Beauty of Taj Mahal during Day

The Taj Mahal shows a different aspect of beauty at different times of the day. The sight of the Taj awash with the subtle pinks of dawn is an unforgettable sight. Sunsets stain the Taj an exotic shade of orange. But nothing beats the poignant beauty of the Taj seen when the cool white marble is bathed in the soft silver light of the moon. Even in the bright light of the day, this wonder of the world shines with an awe-inspiring loveliness.

The glory of the monument is strangely undiminished by the crowds of tourists who visit each day, as small and insignificant as ants in the face of this immense and captivating monument. That said, the Taj is at its most alluring in the relative quiet of early morning, shrouded in mists and bathed with a soft red glow. As its vast marble surfaces fall into shadow or reflect the sun, its colour changes, from soft grey and yellow to pearly cream and dazzling white; it's well worth visiting at different times. This play of light is an important decorative device, symbolically implying the presence of Allah, who is never represented in anthropomorphic form.

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Travel to Hong Kong

I visited Hong Kong for the first time in 1995 when the territory’s sovereignty hadn’t yet been transferred to the People’s Republic of China. At that time the Kai Tak airport was cramped and narrow, perched on the edge of the sea in Kowloon Peninsula. It resembled Nha Trang airport (VietNam) before it was moved to Cam Ranh. But Kai Tak airport was considerably more dangerous.

It was said that only experienced pilots could planes to Hong Kong, because Kai Tak airport was located in such dangerous terrain. To one side was sea and high buildings. On the other side the runway was very short. One story ran that a pilot, when landing at the Kai Tak airport, could see families sitting down at their tables for the eight o’clock dinner. Local people living around the airport could watch the pilot talking to a beautiful air hostess as he came in to land. Whether you believe this story or not is up to you, but it is one of the current urban legends relating to Hong Kong’s recent past.


The skyscrapers of The Two International Centre

The last time I came to Hong Kong was in mid-July 2007, after the 10th anniversary of the handover of the territory to the People’s Republic of China. The new Hong Kong airport is very modern with an attractive architectural style. This differs from the international airport in Malaysia, which is modern but architecturally unimpressive. When we arrived in Hong Kong, the weather was boiling hot. While still on the plane, tourists coming to Hong Kong for the first time were surprised by the skyscrapers leaning forward on the mountains, overlooking the sea on a hot July morning.


Tsing Ma Bridge

From the airport we went straight by car to the centre of the city, passing over Tsing Ma bridge, which is over 2 km long. This is the longest suspension bridge in the world and was the pride of Hong Kong in the past. We drove past the Container harbour, which has the reputation of being the busiest harbour in the world – busier than Rotterdam harbour in Holland, Singapore or Kobe harbour in Japan. Hong Kong is really noisy and heavily populated. It covers an area of more than 1,120 square km, consisting of 260 islands of all shapes and sizes, in which Hong Kong island is the largest. There are many European people living here.


Tsing Ma Bridge

Of the total area, 70% consists of hills and mountains and 30% is residential land housing nearly 7 million people amid a powerful and still fast-developing economy. Most people live in apartment blocks built over 30 years ago. These stand next to more modern newly-built buildings. In Hong Kong about 95% of the population are Cantonese Chinese. They are famous for the food specialties they have brought from the south of China. The rest of the population are foreigners from European countries, most of them British. There are also Vietnamese people here.

We stayed in Tsim Sha Tsui in the Kowloon peninsula, where there are many hotels and churches built in the British architectural style. The noisiest place is the trading and living area of the Chinese in Hong Kong. Shops, restaurants, Internet cafes and night markets stretch from Tsim Sha Tsui to Jordan, Yau Ma Tei and Mongkok. Hordes of tourists are attracted by the Ladies market and Temples market, where various kinds of goods are displayed on the pavements. After the British won the Opium war in the 1840s, Kowloon peninsula and the New Territories were ceded to Britain for 99 years.


Hong Kong Disneyland

For me, Hong Kong is no longer as noisy as it was in the past, though Disneyland was built 2 years ago and has attracted a great number of new international and regional tourists including Vietnamese. They take the entire family with them to the park. There are many amusement activities and performances on indoor and outdoor stages. Children especially like to come here because they can meet Donald Duck and Golden Mickey Mouse – famous cartoons characters.



Besides Disneyland, there’s also the ocean Park in Hong Kong. In my opinion, Hong Kong is the best place to locate an Ocean Park, because it is a suitable destination for both adults and children. Visitors coming here at weekends are mostly Hong Kong locals. In the Ocean Park, you will experience the exhilaration of sitting in a cable car being winched past the stunning sea and mountains. Sometimes the car has to stop and hangs stationary in mid air because of the strong winds. I like the Middle Kingdom most where you can take photos in the film studios. They remind me of the historic period dramas of TVB Hong Kong, which were so popular with the Vietnamese about 10 years ago.

In the underground or subway system I felt a little afraid in the cool depths, even though there are lights and many people about. Because of this, despite working as a tour guide, I rarely go down the Cu Chi tunnels with tourists. Sometimes when I take business trips overseas, I have to choose between the underground and the tram – whichever suits my pocket. Using the underground in Hong Kong is, for me, the easiest in the world. Not like using the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) subway system in Singapore! There are many underground routes in Hong Kong to serve the Hong Kong population. Most tourists know how to use the underground.

The bustle and energy of Hong Kong brings us exhilarating moments and leaves us with unforgettable experiences. I hope to return to Hong Kong one day.

Article: Pham Tan Duc (Travellive)

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