Imhotep: We all know him as the titular antagonist in The Mummy Returns (originally in the1932 film The Mummy) and its sequels. This character is loosely inspired by the historical figure Imhotep, a noted polymath, counselor & chancellor (possibly) to the Pharaoh Djoser, architect of the first Pyramid – the Step Pyramid in Saqqara and...
We spoke in length about the pros and cons of a Self-Drive vacation in the previous blog. The important factor that you have to keep in mind well before you start your self-drive vacation would be the licence requirements of the country you are going to! There are many countries, which allow you to drive...
The story of Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean) originates from Indian mythology and is described in the books like Bhagvata Purana, Vishnu Purana and Mahabharata . All these books are considered as directional in Hinduism. The books describe how the Devas (gods) and the Asuras (demons) churned the ocean under the aegis of Vishnu,...
A common quandary you would encounter when planning your trip to Egypt would be whether to take the extra time (and cost) to make the day long visit to Abu Simbel? Nearly 300 kms from Aswan (the starting or ending point of all Nile Cruises), the drive to Abu Simbel and back across the stark desert...
Angkor Archaeological Park is 20 minutes away from the Siem Reap city centre , and it is spread across an area of approximately some 400 square kilometres, including forested area. It contains the magnificent remains of several capitals of the Khmer Empire of the 9th to the 15th centuries, including the largest pre-industrial city in...
One of the must-see places of Nepal, Chitwan is a big draw with its luxury lodges and Jungle safaris! Chitwan – meaning ‘Heart of the jungle’, it is famous for its one-horned Rhinos and the Royal Bengal Tiger (though sightings are very quite rare). I was looking forward to the day long forest walks – one...
Skogafoss Waterfall Skogafoss waterfall is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, with a drop of 60 meters and a width of 25 meters. You can walk right up to it, but be prepared to be drenched! It is just overwhelming standing next to it. Steps lead up to an observation platform above the Skogafoss waterfall, some...
Oldest Parliament in the world? Its in Iceland. Did you know that? No? Icelanders adopted the parliamentary system of governance in 930 AD! Iceland is the country with the oldest parliament in the world! The History of the Parliament Iceland’s Viking settlers decided in 930 AD that Iceland was to be its own commonwealth. They chose Þingvellir as their...
Tomatoes of Iceland. Yes they do exist. Surprised? Understandable. For a country that is covered with ice and knows only 3 kinds of weather – cold, colder and coldest. You can be forgiven for assuming that much of the local produce is imported - especially the fruits and vegetables! However, this is a misconception. Farms of...
The world’s best lobster soup, rotten cod as a delicacy, succulent whale meat – tempted ? Iceland – home to the best seafood! A true legend and a trailblazer in Reykjavik harbour is the Sea Baron restaurant. Many years ago, a retired fisherman and Coast Guard chef, came up with the recipe for what has been called the...
