ASIAN TRAVELLER - APRIL 2015 by Mediasteps

Vol. 8

No. 7

Pages 80

` 100

US $10 (Overseas)

April 2015

www.mediastepsindia.com

Discovery of

Germany

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Highlights Vol. 8 I No. 7 I APRIL 2015

Cover Story

Discovery of Germany

A nation of poets and philosophers, Germany's fondness for the printed word is celebrated and renowned worldwide.

44 The Secret Marari Beach 28 Eat, Drink & Fly 24

Home to the former rulers of Ladakh and the 14th century Buddhist monastery, Stok serves as the gateway to several high altitude trekking trails in Himalayas.

Exclusive Interview Jagdish Ram Bojwani

General Manager - India, SilkAir

Dariya Daulat Palace, the summer palace that the strong-willed Tipu Sultan built for himself, was the epicentre of all the activities that went on to become history.

Story of Stok

34 Where to stay in Delhi

The Tiger's Palace

40 Disneyland Park One day Walt Disney was sitting at an amusement park, watching his daughters play. He noticed how filthy the amusement park was. Also how the parents were anxious to go home, while the children were still having fun playing.

Great Wall of India The second-longest continuous wall on the planet is best known by its most sensational and fitting name: The Great Wall of India and is one of the best-kept secrets in India.

16 ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

TRAVEL AND EDUCATION

No education is complete without the experience of travel. A widely travelled person is far more educated in practical terms than an academic who has acquired a megalith of degrees, useful and not so useful. Often passions are kindled and life mission discovered while on a travel. Travel provides the why of education. Without a stint outside one’s own culture, education cannot be real. When you have a tryst with other cultures, you realize that there are many ways to live a life. And there are many sides to a story, historical or otherwise. Travel challenges your preconceived notion, and it teaches gratefulness in a way nothing else can. Finally, you understand your culture better by comparing and contrasting. The mission of Asian Traveller is to promote global happiness and harmony through travel. So in this issue, readers can discover Germany – not only the land of Mercedes Benz and BMWs, but also of wine festivals, magnificent palaces, and panoramic landscapes. A visit to Disneyland will open up your imagination. Nothing like preparing homemade wine for parties and celebrations, which is our menu in Eat, Drink & Fly section. Love and its many colours come in our film review; and you get a glimpse of the travel writer, V S Naipaul in our book review. For history freaks, the Palace of Tipu Sutan will foot the bill. Happy reading folks!

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COVER STORY

THE DISCOVERY OF

GERMANY

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Germany is a nation of poets and philosophers. Its fondness for the printed word is celebrated, with more than 94,000 books published or reprinted every year. And Germany is home to the Frankfurt Book Fair, the publishing industry's largest trade show worldwide.

erman culture is not relationship-driven but performance-orientated. Germans do not generally participate in small-talk about the weather, but prefer to get on with the job in hand. It is challenging to induce the German people to ‘open up’, but once you do, you will find them warm and generous. Once a friendship is made it is often for life. Germany has produced perhaps the largest number of famous people – Albert Einstein, Karl Marx, Martin Luther, Beethoven, Mozart, Ann Frank, Madam Mary Curie, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johannes Gutenberg, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Hegel, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Otto von Bismarck. The list could be much longer if you include Michael Schumacher, Boris Becker, Steffi Graff, Oskar Schindler (of the movie Schindler’s List fame), Sophie and Hans Scholl (students who distributed anti-Nazi tracts in Munich colleges and were executed), or Germany’s most famous Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. It is the country that produces Mercedez Benz and BMWs; and is also known for its beer festivals. Germans are masters of planning, and prize forward thinking, knowing what they will be doing at a specific time on a specific day. Planning in one’s business and personal life comes naturally because of the culture imbibed in them. Germans lead a structured and ordered life; work and personal lives are rigidly divided.

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Germans take great pride in their homes, which are kept neat and tidy at all times. The home is a place where one can relax and allow your individualism to shine. Only close friends and relatives are invited into the sanctity of the house, so it is the one place where more informal communication may occur. There are many unwritten rules surrounding the outward maintenance of one’s home. It is imperative that common areas such as sidewalks, pavements, corridors (in apartments), and steps be kept clean at all times

Why no kitchen? Anyone moving to Germany may be confused why rental

It is the country that produces Mercedez Benz and BMWs; and is also known for its beer festivals. Germans are masters of planning, and prize forward thinking, knowing what they will be doing at a specific time on a specific day. properties frequently do not have kitchens. This is normal as 70% of the market is longterm rental, so when moving into a new home the tenant would be expected to install a new kitchen and decorate for the long term. This part of the culture dates back to the postwar era where people needed

20 to 30% equity to obtain a mortgage, creating the trend of long-term rentals. You will find most landlords still rent long term today. In the US, time is money. But in Germany, people are expected to be on-time as this shows respect to others. If someone cannot deliver on time they are not seen as reliable. A sense of ‘responsibility’ is also a key aspect of German culture. Even children are often told to ‘take responsibility’. If something goes wrong or someone is late, there will be much analytical discussion about why this has happened. Germans often ask ‘why’, while many other western ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

cultures ask ‘how’. This is seen in the planning aspect of the culture which is particularly important.

Quality counts This may also give an insight into the importance placed on quality, which comes back to the long-term outlook of the German culture. If a German purchases a new coat or car, they will buy quality, expecting it to last for the next 10 years. For anyone moving to Germany, it is a clean and orderly country. Situations are viewed as right or wrong and any shades of grey are avoided. Great emphasis is placed on obeying the ‘rules’ and this can make Germany a comfortable place to live. However if unprepared, some may find APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

this a little restrictive, and so gaining some insight into the culture before moving is essential for a smooth and happy transition.

Food and beverages Pork, beef and poultry are the main varieties of meat consumed in Germany, pork being the most popular. Among poultry, chicken is most common, although duck, goose, and turkey are also enjoyed. Game meats, especially boar, rabbit, and venison are also widely available all year round. Lamb and goat are also available, but are not as popular. Beer is common throughout all parts of Germany. Wheat beer and lemonade, wheat beer and

cola, and wheat beer and banana juice are the favourite choice of many. Wine is popular throughout the country. German wine comes predominantly from the areas along the upper and middle Rhine and its tributaries. A wide variety of cakes and tarts are served throughout the country, most commonly made with fresh fruit. Apples, plums, strawberries, and cherries are used regularly in cakes. German doughnuts, which have no hole, are usually balls of yeast dough with jam or other fillings. Germany is the second largest exporter and third largest importer of goods in the world. Yet despite its close links and relationships with other nations around the globe, it retains its own very distinct culture.

10 Top Tourist Attractions In Germany

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Berlin is indeed one of the most fascinating capitals of Europe. But Germany has other charming cities and enchanting landscapes to offer. Neuschwanstein The most photographed building, Neuschwanstein is among the top popular tourist attractions in Germany. It is the ultimate fairytale castle, situated on a rugged hill near Füssen in southwest Bavaria. Sleeping Beauty castles in the Disneyland parks took inspiration from this castle, commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who was declared insane when the castle was almost completed in 1886 and found dead a few days later.

The Brandenburg Gate It is the only surviving city gate of Berlin and symbolizes the reunification of East and West Berlin. Built in the 18th century, the Brandenburg Gate is the entry to the prominent boulevard, Unter den Linden, which once led to the palace of the Prussian monarchs. It is regarded as one of the most famous landmarks in Europe.

Heidelberg Located in the Neckar river valley, Heidelberg is one Germany’s most popular tourist destinations. During World War II, the city was spared by allied bombings because even enemies loved the landscape. As a result, Heidelberg has retained its baroque charm of narrow streets, picturesque houses and the famous Heidelberg Castle.

The Holstentor The Holstentor is one of the two remaining city gates of Lubeck. Built in 1464, the APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

gate now serves as a museum. Because of its two captivating round towers and arched entrance it is regarded as a symbol of Lübeck. Together with the old city center (Altstadt) of Lübeck, it is one of the top tourist attractions in Germany.

Cologne Cathedral Easily the greatest Gothic cathedral in Germany, Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) has been Cologne’s most famous landmark for centuries. Construction of the Cathedral began in 1248 and took, with interruptions, more than 600 years to complete. It is dedicated to the saints Peter and Mary and is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne.

The Munich Beerfest Officially called the Oktoberfest, it is the largest beer festivals in the world, with over 6 million visitors annually. Despite the name, the Oktoberfest it starts at the end of September until the first weekend in October. An important part Bavarian culture, the festival has been held since 1810.

Lindau The historic city Lindau is located near the meeting point of the Austrian, German and Swiss borders in the eastern part of Lake Constance (Bodensee). The city is connected with the mainland by bridge and railway and has about 3,000 inhabitants. Full of medieval and half-timbered buildings,

Lindau is quite a popular tourist attraction.

Church of Our Lady Loated in Dresden, the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) is a Lutheran church that was destroyed during World War II. The church reconstructed using original plans from the 1720s and reopened in 2005. Since its reopening, the Frauenkirche has been a hugely popular tourist attraction in Dresden. In 2009 the church was visited by President Barack Obama.

The Romantic Rhine The Romantic Rhine is the most famous section of the Rhine, running between Koblenz to Bingen. The river Rhine carves its way here through steep vineyardcovered hills topped with countless castles and ruins. The river has been an important trade route into central Europe since ancient times and a string of small towns has grown up along the banks. Constrained in size, many of these old towns retain a historic feel today.

The Rugen Cliffs The Rügen Cliffs are located in the Jasmund National Park in the northeast of Rugen Island. Facing constant erosion, the chalk cliffs tower high above the Baltic Sea. The 118 metre (387 feet) high Königsstuhl (king’s chair) is the most majestic part of the cliffs. The undisturbed forests behind the cliffs are also part of the national park. 11

BERLIN 4 Ways To See The City Hop-on hop-off tour Berlin hop-on hop-off tour allows you to hop-on and off as many times as you like aboard open top double decker buses. There are 20 stops around Berlin, and buses departs every 10 minutes in Summer or 15 minutes in Winter. The continuous route without hopping-off is approx. 2.5 hours and a guided commentary in 13 languages is available. Tickets are valid for 48 hours from first use. Many must-see Berlin attractions are easily accessible enroute including Checkpoint Charlie, Berliner Dom (Cathedral), Pergamon Museum, Brandenburg Gate and the enchanting Charlottenburg Palace.

Historical Walking Tour Uncover Berlin’s past and present on this enlightening 4-hour walking tour through the city’s historic center. Walk along the Berlin Wall, stroll down Unter den Linden to Brandenburg Gate, see the Reichstag and Holocaust Memorial, hear the story behind Checkpoint Charlie and learn about the Topography of Terror museum. Listen as your guide ties important monuments, buildings and memorials to the city’s complex Prussian, Imperial, Nazi and Cold War past, weaving history into a detailed narrative. Compare these historical sights with modern marvels such as PotsdamerPlatz and Friedrichstrasse.

Segway Tour Cruise effortlessly through Berlin’s parks and sidewalks as you view the sites by Segway! A self-balancing, personal transportation device that’s designed to operate in any pedestrian environment, your Berlin Segway Tour is limited in size (a maximum of 8 participants per guide), so you can count on an extremely personal experience.

Private Guide Tour Discover Berlin’s tumultuous history on a private 4-hour historical walking tour. Your private guide will tailor the tour to meet your interests, so you can choose to focus on World War II, the Cold War or combine both elements for a full Berlin historical experience. Regardless of your focus, you’ll see the Berlin Wall, the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, espionage points of the CIA and KBG and Hitler’s bunker. 12

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

WORLD’S LARGEST FUNFAIR October Fest, the world's largest funfair, is held every year in Munich since 1810. The 16-day folk festival running from late September to the first weekend in October, is attended by more than 6 million people. In a country where beer is king - nearly 5 billion litres are produced annually - the popularity of beer festivals are hardly surprising.

n Germany, it is called Wiesn, after the name of the fairgrounds. It is an important part of Bavarian culture, which other cities have copied. Large quantities of beer are consumed – almost 7 million litres – during festival. A mixture of attractions awaits the visitors, like amusement rides, diverse games, and gourmand delights. Traditional food like roasted chicken (hendl), roasted pork (Schweinebraten), grilled ham (ham hock), grilled fish on a stick (steckerfisch), along with potato or bread dumplings and cheese noodles), potato pancakes, red cabbage, spiced cheese-butter spread, are served. The story behind how it all began is interesting. Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I married Princess Therese on October 12, 1810.

The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates. The fields were named ‘Theresa’s meadow’ in honor of the Crown Princess. The celebrations ended on October 17 with a horse race, which was continued every year giving rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest. In 1811, an agricultural show was added to promote Bavarian agriculture. In 1813, the festival was cancelled because of the Napoleonic wars, but thereafter it grew from year to year. The horse

The founding citizens of Munich assumed responsibility for festival management in 1819, and it was decided that Oktoberfest be made an annual event.

races were accompanied by tree climbing, swings as other attractions. The founding citizens of Munich assumed responsibility for festival management in 1819, and it was decided that Oktoberfest be made an annual event. The horse race continued until 1960, and the agricultural show still exists and is held every four years in the southern part of the festival grounds. Cholera in 1854 and 1873 and Austro-Prussian War in 1866 interrupted the fair. In 1880, electric light illuminated more than 400 booths. Beers were served in glass mugs from 1892. In 1910, Oktoberfest celebrated its 100th anniversary. Some 120,000 litres of beer were poured. In 1913, the largest beer tent ever (Bräurosl) was founded, with room enough to accommodate ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

nearly 12,000 people. From 1914 to 1918, World War I prevented the celebration. In 1919 and 1920, the two years after the war, Munich celebrated only an “Autumn Fest.” In 1923 and 1924, the Oktoberfest was not held due to inflation. In 1933, Jews were forbidden to work at the Oktoberfest. During World War II, from 1939 to 1945, no Oktoberfest took place. Following the war, from 1946 to 1948, Munich celebrated only the “Autumn Fest.” Since 1950, there has been a traditional festival opening: A 12 gun salute and the tapping of the first keg of Oktoberfest beer at 12:00 by the incumbent Mayor of Munich with the cry, ‘’It is tapped’’ (O’zapft is!). Horse races ended in 1960. By 1960, the Oktoberfest had become a world-famous festival. The year 2010 marked the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest. In 2013, 6.4 million people visited Oktoberfest, and the festival served 6.7 million liters of beer. APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Stuttgart Cannstatter Volksfest This massive festival, known locally as ‘Wasan’ is Oktoberfest’s largest beer rival. Tracing its origins back to 1818, this festival is a major draw with four million beer enthusiasts visiting each year. Stuttgart, one of Germany’s largest cities and known internationally as the birthplace of Mercedes Benz, is located in the Baden Wurtemburg region of the country, just west of Bavaria.The Stuttgart CannstatterVolksfest runs

from September 26 to October 12, 2014.

International Berlin Beer Festival For a city globally recognized as being hip, electic, and international, it’s not a shocker that its annual beer fest follows suit. While more traditional German festivals showcase their own local brews, the Berliner Bierfest is substantially more diverse, offering 2,000 varieties.The International Berlin Beer Festival runs from August 1 to 3, 2014.

ENTERTAINMENT

The Happiest Place On Earth

One day Walt Disney was sitting at an amusement park, watching his daughters play. He noticed how filthy the amusement park was. Also how the parents were anxious to go home, while the children were still having fun playing.

alt wanted a new type of amusement park both for parents and children. The more Walt dreamed of a ‘magical park,’ the more imaginative it became. Finally in 1953, the Stanford Research Institute conducted a survey for a 100-acre site, outside of Los Angeles. Walt needed space to build rivers, waterfalls, and mountains; he would have flying elephants and giant tea cups; a fairy-tale castle, moon rockets, and a scenic railway; all inside a magic kingdom he called ‘Disneyland’. The search for the best spot finally ended in a 160-acre orange grove in California, near the Santa Ana Freeway and Harbor Boulevard.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Photo : deviantart.net

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

But Walt could never convince the financiers that Disneyland was feasible, because dreams are no collateral. So he started Disneyland television series that offered a glimpse of the project. This brought the idea of Disneyland into reality. Construction for Disneyland began on July 21, 1954, a meager 12 months before the park was scheduled to open. From that day forward Walt Disney’s life would never be the same. Some 160-acres of citrus trees had been cleared and 15 houses moved to make room for the park. The area was in semi-rural Orange County, near a freeway that would eventually stretch from San Diego to Vancouver. 18

Walt also had planned for an “exotic tropical place” in a far-off region of the world, called Adventureland. Walt said, “To create a land that would make this dream reality, we pictured ourselves far from civilization, in the remote jungles of Asia and Africa.” Designing was the real challenge. How do you make believable wild animals, that aren’t real? How do you make a Mississippi paddle ship? How do you go about building a huge castle in the middle of California? So, Walt Disney looked to his movie studio staff for the answers.

The design of Disneyland was something never done before. There would be five uniquely different lands. Main Street, USA, the very front of the park, was where Walt wanted to relive the typical turn-of-the-century city Main Street. For those who remember the carefree times, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it is an adventure in turning back the calendar to the days of grandfather’s youth. Walt also had planned for an “exotic tropical place” in a far-off region of the world, called Adventureland. Walt said, “To create a land that would make this dream reality, we pictured ourselves far from civilization, in the remote jungles of Asia and Africa.” ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

How much do you know about IMEX? As the countdown to IMEX 2015 begins, how much do you know about the meetings industry’s annual event? You may already know that every May, IMEX in Frankfurt attracts event planners from around the world who come to do business with destinations, venues and international suppliers. You may also know that IMEX provides great networking and education opportunities. But did you know that this huge event is run by a small company of just over 50 people? And being a small team, we’re very much in touch with the feedback from the show floor. When we hear from visitors that they’ve got a month ahead of schedule by doing business at IMEX, or that they’ve gathered some brilliant ideas from the show, it makes us want to dance in the aisles. And those who have been before will know that quite a lot of dancing goes on in the aisles at IMEX. IMEX. A small, friendly company hosting a big, friendly event. Come and join us 19-21 May 2015 in fabulous Frankfurt. Register now for IMEX 2015 imex-frankfurt.com/register

imex-frankfurt.com Call +44 (0)1273 227311 Email info@imexexhibitions.com @imex_group The worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Photo : vvng.com

Frontierland was made to relive the pioneer days of the American frontier. “All of us have a cause to be proud of our country’s history, shaped by the pioneering spirit of our forefathers… Our adventures are designed to give you the feeling of having lived, even for a short while, during our country’s pioneer days,” he says. Fantasyland was created with the goal to “make dreams come true” from the lyrics of ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’. “What youngster. . .has not dreamed of flying with Peter Pan over moonlit London, or tumbling into Alice’s nonsensical Wonderland? In Fantasyland, these classic stories of everyone’s youth have become realities for youngsters-of all ages-to 20

participate in,” says Walt. Fantasyland would feature a large Sleeping Beauty Castle, and a Fantasy Village. Tomorrowland was created as a look at the marvels of the future. “Tomorrow can be a wonderful age. Our scientists today are opening the doors of the Space Age to achievements that will benefit our children and generations to come… The Tomorrowland attractions have been designed to give you an opportunity to participate in adventures that are a living blueprint of our future.” Plants were planted throughout the park, emptying nurseries from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Detail was made; if Walt

Disney didn’t like what his studio designers came up with, he’d do it himself. An example of this is Tom Sawyers Island. He thought his designers had “misunderstood the idea” so Walt took home the plans and the next day had it designed the way it appears today. Disneyland calls itself the happiest place in the world, but to keep visitors happy in its five locations across the globe, each theme park is tweaked to cater to local cultures and tastes. Besides Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida, there are Disneylands in Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong offering subtly different selections of food, catering to local flavor. ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Photo : high-resolution-wallpapers.com

TOKYO DISNEYLAND Opened in 1983 and larger than the original Disneyland California, Tokyo Disneyland is the third most visited of any theme park in the world after the two Disney parks in the US. Like Walt Disney World in Florida, Cinderella’s Castle is located at the centre of the park, rumoured to have been chosen because the princess’s qualities of duty and a strong work ethic would resonate more deeply in Japanese culture than Sleeping Beauty, whose castle is featured in the centre of Disneyland California. But like karaoke, which originated in Japan and is a country-wide obsession, Disneyland gives the oftenreserved Japanese people a place to unleash their rowdy APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

side. In Tokyo Disneyland, even adult visitors will sing, clap and dance along to the internationally themed live shows, such as the LatinAmerican vibes of Minnie Oh! Minnie or the street show Jubilation!; it is a level of audience participation that would be a rare sight in the US. Similarly, the food offered at Tokyo Disneyland is noticeably different from the US, infusing both Chinese and American flavours with Japanese cuisine. To refuel between rides or while waiting in the lengthy queues, you can buy a steamed bun – originally a traditional Chinese delicacy with hot, sweet or savouryfillings -from Boiler Room Bites in Adventureland. The usually round bun is in the shape of Mickey Mouse’s head, with the

iconic mouse ears filled with teriyaki chicken. Thedonburi, a traditional Japanese dish that consists of rice and savoury toppings, can be ordered with US flavours like taco meat (spiced minced pork), creole chicken or shrimp patties instead of teriyaki meats. This is then topped with cabbage and an egg, just like you would find in any donburi eatery in Japan.

HONG KONG DISNEYLAND The small Hong Kong Disneyland, opened in 2005, incorporates fengshui and traditional Chinese elements into its design to attract tourists from mainland China. Fengshui balances the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water to create positive energy, and 21

these elements can be seen throughout the theme park. Rocks represent stability and prevent good luck from flowing away, so two gigantic boulders have been placed at the park’s entrance to stop energy from flowing out of the resort. Water stimulates fortune and wealth, and the park is full of lakes, ponds and streams -- not to mention the large fountain featuring Disney characters placed at the main entrance of the park. The main gate of the theme park has been positioned in a north–south direction for good fortune, and as you approach the entrance, look out for a sharp bend in the walkway. This was put in intentionally to stop good qi (energy) flowing into the nearby South China Sea. There is also ample opportunity to take a picture with Mulan, the animated character from Ancient China, whose actor can be found posing in Fantasy Gardens, the park’s dedicated area for taking photos with Disney characters.

DISNEYLAND PARIS After excitedly entering Disneyland Paris, which opened in 1992, visitors are greeted with an arcade that features a small replica of the Statue of Liberty – a gift from France to America in 1886, making it a fitting introduction to Europe’s only instance of this American theme park. The covered arcade is one of two on Main Street, replacing the open spaces of its counterpart in California, and offering essential cover from the cold and rain that typically hits Paris. 22

Photo : hongkongdisneyland.com

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

As you venture further into Disneyland Paris, you will see other changes. Gone is Tom Sawyer’s Island – a staple of the US theme parks – since the character is little-known in Europe. Instead there is Discoveryland dedicated to European visionaries, such as Leonardo da Vinci with the Orbitron attraction, a rocket ship ride in the style proposed by the Italian inventor; and Jules Verne with Les Mystères du Nautilus, an attraction that lets visitors walk through the rooms of Captain Nemo’s submarine, as featured 24

in Verne’s novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The great artists of cinema are revered in CineMagique, a theatre show unique to Paris, featuring French director and actress Julie Delpy on screen with synchronized live actors. And the character Remy, a French chef rat from the Disney cartoon Ratatouille, will be given his own ride in 2014, titled Ratatouille: Kitchen Calamity, complete with an attached restaurant to match the cartoon’s finedining kitchen.

SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND Set to open at the end of 2015, Disney said the Shanghai-based park will include “characteristics tailored to the Shanghai region and other amenities consistent with Disney’s destination resorts worldwide”. The ceremony followed this lead, featuring traditional Chinese drum music and Mickey Mouse dressed in a traditional, red Tang Chinese suit -- a collarless silk jacket with matching trousers, resplendent with gold accents ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

on the embroidered jacket, toggle buttoning and trouser cuffs. When Disneyland Paris opened, it was criticised by French intellectuals as ‘’a cultural Chernobyl’’ for not incorporating more local culture. This criticism led Disney to take extra care when adding culturally specific elements to their parks in both Hong Kong and Tokyo. If the opening ceremony in grand Chinese style is anything to go by, Shanghai Disneyland may become the most customised APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Disneyland yet, to make the most populous nation in the world the happiest place in the world. Good news for gourmands! Inside Disney Springs, the dining and entertainment complex in Orlando, Florida, you have a steakhouse and seafood restaurant, with the choices of gourmands’ delights. Called the Boathouse, it faces the waterfront, affording a royal waterfront dinner. The menu, which lists steaks, chops, seafood, and even a raw bar, is not cheap.

There are dishes like a bonein filet mignon for $49, a Berkshire pork chop for $27, and even a “tomahawk long bone rib chop for two” for $115. The seafood-heavy menu also includes options like a surf and turf deal for four, coriander seared tuna, and salmon served on a cedar plank. Other plates offered include coconut frog legs, a $24 crab cake, a $17 side of shrimp mac and cheese, and as’mores baked Alaska for four. When not dining, customers will have the chance to take tours of the Disney Springs area in amphicars. 25

HIMALAYAN TOURISM

Photo : mytravelpie.com

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

THE INTERESTING

STORY OF STOK

Located 14 km southwest of Leh in Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir, Stok was home to the former rulers of Ladakh. Also renowned for the 14th century Buddhist monastery, Stok attracts lots of trekkers too as it serves as the gateway to several high altitude trekking trails in Himalayas.

ituated in a beautiful locale surrounded by Stok Kangri range, Markha and Indus valleys, Stok first became the seat of the Ladakhi kingdom when a Basgo king, King Bhagan reunited and strengthened Ladakh and founded the Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh. He reunited Ladakh by overthrowing the King of Leh. Emerging victorious, he took the surname Namgyal which in fact meant victorious and laid foundation to a new dynasty that have managed to survive in the region till today. One of his successors, King TashiNamgyal who ruled between 1555 A.D. and 1575 A.D., managed to repel most of the Central Asian raiders who made concerted attempts to convert the region to Islam and destroy Buddhist artifacts. He built a royal fort on the top of the Namgyal Peak. During the period of TsewangNamgyal, the Kingdom of Ladakh extended as far as Nepal.

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Sengge Namgyal (16161642), known as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; King made efforts to restore Ladakh to its old glory by an ambitious and energetic building program including the Leh palace and the rebuilding of several gompas, including Hemis and Hanle. He expanded the kingdom further into Zanskar and Spiti. But the Mughals, who had already occupied Kashmir and Baltistan, defeated him. In turn, his son DeldanNamgyal (1642-1694) had to placate the

By the beginning of the 19th century, the Mughal Empire had collapsed. Sikh rule had been established in Punjab and Kashmir. The Dogra region of Jammu, though, remained under its Rajput rulers.

Photo : 60kph.com

Mughal emperor Aurangzeb by building a mosque in Leh. He, however, defeated the Mughal army in Baltistan. Thus, in spite of the defeat of Ladakh by the Mughals it retained its independence.

valuable pashmina wool to go to Kashmir. The Treaty of Temisgam in 1684, settled the dispute between Tibet and Ladakh, however, its independence was seriously restricted.

DeldanNamgyal sided with Bhutan in a religious dispute between Tibet and Bhutan, which resulted in the 17th century invasion by the Tibetan Central Government led by the fifth Dalai Lama, which came to be known as the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal war of 1679-1684.

By the beginning of the 19th century, the Mughal Empire had collapsed. Sikh rule had been established in Punjab and Kashmir. The Dogra region of Jammu, though, remained under its Rajput rulers.

As a result Kingdom of Ladakh had to get the help from the Mughals in Kashmir to restore Ladakhi rule. But this came at a price - the building of a mosque in Leh and the conversion of the Ladakhi king to Islam in addition to an agreement that urged all of Ladakh’s 28

Zorawar Singh, the Dogra general, invaded Ladakh in 1842 and dethroned King TshespalNamgyal. By 1846, the royal family was completely stripped of their power and was given the ‘Jagir’ of Stokacross the Indus River, which it nominally retains to this day.

Stok Royal Palace The Stok Palace, built by

King TsespalTondupNamgyal in 1825, soon became the permanent residence of the Namgyal dynasty after the Royal family shifted back from Shey Palace. The descendants of the clan now live a comparatively modest life, dividing their time between a private mansion in Manali and the stately Stok Royal Palace. The palace, a four-storied structure, sporting a mix of ancient and modern architectural style, is now part of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir, and is open to the tourists. It now houses a fascinating museum that exhibits old and unique Ladakhi artifacts. It exhibits rich collections of royal jewels, ornaments, ceremonial dresses, crowns and centuriesold pieces of royal jewellery. Interesting collection of Buddhist art, weaponry, coins, seals and antique ritual ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Photo : greatincredibleindia.com

objects are also displayed here. Several rooms on two levels also display family treasures, including the queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ancient turquoise-and-gold yub-jhur (crown) and a picture of the young king in sneakers. Located at 14 km from Leh across the Choglamsar Bridge on river Indus, the palace is vaguely potala-like and has wobbly, colourful window frames. Paintings, which are more than 450 years old, are on display. The paints used in these paintings were prepared by crushed and powdered gems and stones. Among the other artifacts are the ancient head dresses, encrusted with slabs of flawless turquoise, polished coral, lapis lazuli and nuggets of pure gold. The best display is the knotted swords, legend is once someone questioned the credentials of the Royal Oracle APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

in the presence of the King, and to display his supernatural powers he pulled out the sword of the King and tied a knot with it.

Stok Monastery Stok is also home to the 14th century Stok monastery, situated above the palace, was founded by Lama Lhawang Lotus and the monasteries follow the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Buddhism. Monastery has assembly hall, courtyard, verandah, temples, chortens and library. Monastery has many reasons to attract the visitors including non-Buddhists. One is its ancient paintings on the wall that include images of Vajrapani, Avalokitesvara, Skayamuni (historical Buddha), Tara (the Saviouress), Nangyalma and Amchi (The Medicine Buddha).

The library in the monastery has 108 volumes of the Buddhaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teachings. Latest temple constructed in the monastery is dedicated to Avalokitesvara which is another major attraction for visitors. The image of the Avalokitesvara has 1,000 hands and 11 heads. The small chapel within the monastery is the oldest in whole Ladakh region.

How to reach there The palace is located around 15 kms away from the main city of Leh and can be accessed by road. 29

CUISINE

EAT, DRINK & FLY How to make Wine at home Making wine is an art, which even the housewife can perfect at home. She can make a steady income sitting at home, or form a co-operative with half-a-dozen housewives like her, and double her income.

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Steps to making wine Gather supplies. In addition to the wine ingredients, you’ll need a few basic supplies to ensure that your wine can age without being affected by bugs or bacteria. Home winemaking shouldn’t be expensive, so it’s not necessary to splurge on special equipment. You will need the following supplies : A 2 gallon (7.6 L) crock or glass jar (you can often find these at vintage or secondhand stores, however, be advised that many used crocks may have been used for sauerkraut or pickles and could contaminate your wine. A 1 gallon (3.8 L) carboy (a glass container with a small neck) An airlock A thin plastic tube to be used for siphoning Clean wine bottles with corks or screw caps Campden tablets (optional) Pick out your fruit. Wine can be made with any type of fruit, though grapes and berries are the most popular choices. Choose fruit at the peak of its flavor. It’s best to choose organic fruit that hasn’t been treated with chemicals, since you don’t want these to end up in your wine. If possible, use fruit you’ve picked yourself or buy some from a farmer’s market. Some retailers also specialize in providing wine grapes to home winemakers (for example, Wine Grapes Direct), which is great if you do not live near vineyards. Clean the fruit. Take off the stems and leaves, and make sure the fruit doesn’t have particles of dirt or grit. Rinse the fruit thoroughly and place it in your crock. You can peel the fruit before crushing, but much of the flavor of the wine will come from its skin. Peeling it will result in a much milder wine. Some winemakers choose not to wash the fruit before crushing. Since fruit has natural yeasts on its skin, it’s possible to make wine using only the yeast from the fruit’s skin and the air. However, washing the fruit and controlling the yeast you add allows you to ensure that the flavor of the wine will be to your liking; allowing wild yeast to grow can produce foul flavors. If you’re up for an experiment, you could make two batches of wine, one with controlled yeast and one with wild, to find out which you like best. Crush the fruit. Using a clean potato masher or your hands, crush and squeeze the fruit to release its juices. Keep doing so until the level of the fruit juice is within 1 1⁄2inches (3.8 cm) of the top of the crock. If you don’t have enough fruit and juice to fill the crock almost to the top, top it off with filtered water. Add a Campden tablet, which releases sulphur dioxide into the mixture, killing wild yeast and bacteria. If you’re making wild yeast wine, don’t take steps to kill the yeast.

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Photo : ucdavis.edu wine making

As an alternative to using a tablet, you can pour 2 cups of boiling water over the fruit. Using tap water can affect the taste of your wine, since it contains additives. Be sure to use filtered or spring water. Stir in the honey. Honey provides food for the yeast and sweetens your wine. The amount of honey you use will directly affect the sweetness of your wine. If you prefer 32

sweeter wine, add more honey. If you don’t like it as sweet, limit your honey to 2 cups. Take the type of fruit you’re using into account as well. Since grapes have a high sugar content, you don’t need to add a lot of honey to grape wine. Berries and other fruits with lower sugar content will need a little more honey. You can add sugar or brown sugar instead of honey if you’d like.

You can always add more honey later if your wine doesn’t come out as sweet as you like Add the yeast. If you’re using your own yeast, now is the time to add it. Pour it into the crock and stir it into the mixture with a long-handled spoon. This mixture is called a must. If you’re making wild yeast wine, you can skip this step. ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Cover the crock and store overnight. It’s important to use a cover that will keep bugs out but allow air to flow in and escape the crock. You can use a crock lid designed for this purpose or stretch a cloth or t-shirt over the opening and secure it in place with a large rubber band. Place the covered crock in a warm area with a temperature around 70 degrees overnight. APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Putting the crock in a cool place won’t facilitate the growth of the yeast. Storing it in a place that’s too warm will kill the yeast. Find a good inbetween place in your kitchen. Stir the must few times per day. The day after you make the mixture, uncover it and stir it thoroughly, and recover. Do this every 4 hours or so the first day, then keep stirring a few times per day for the next

3 days. The mixture should start bubbling as the yeast moves into action. This is the fermentation process that will lead to delicious wine. Strain and siphon the liquid. When the bubbling slows down, about 3 days after it begins, it’s time to strain out the solids and siphon the liquid into your carboy for longer-term storage. Once you’ve siphoned it into the 33

carboy, affix the airlock to the opening to allow for the release of gas while preventing oxygen from coming in and spoiling your wine. If you don’t have an airlock, you can use a small balloon placed over the opening. Every few days, pull off the balloon to let out the collected gas and replace it right away. Let the wine age for at least one month. It’s better if you can let it age for up to nine, during which time the wine will age and mellow, resulting in a much improved taste. If you used extra honey in your wine, it’s better to age it on the longer side, or else it will taste too sweet when you drink it. Bottle the wine. To prevent the wine from catching a bacteria that could cause it to turn to vinegar, add a Campden tablet to the mixture as soon as you remove the airlock. Siphon the wine into your clean bottles, filling them almost to the top, and cork them immediately. Allow the wine to further age in the bottles or enjoy it immediately. Use dark bottles to preserve the color of red wines Earn the tricks that lead to successful wine-making. People have been making wine for thousands of years, and they’ve learned a few tricks along the way. Keep the following in mind as you make your own wine for the first time : Use very clean equipment to prevent bacteria from spoiling your wine. Keep your first ferment covered but allow for 34

ventilation. Keep the secondary fermentation air-free. Keep all bottles full, to minimize oxygen in the bottle. Keep red wines in dark bottles so they don’t lose their appearance. Make wines too dry instead of too sweet: you can add sugar later. Taste the wine at intervals

to make sure the process is going well.

Tips Keep all utensils clean and sterile. Bacteria turn wine into vinegar. However, if your wine does turn to vinegar, don’t throw it away. It makes a great marinade for meat and poultry. For example, use it to marinate chicken with fresh herbs and spices. ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Siphoning the good liquids off the solids is a must. This is called racking and should be done at least two or three times before bottling. Give your wine a touch of wooden aged flavor. In the second fermentation, add a four inch piece of oak dowel in the glass jug; a 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) dowel is best. (To keep wine to the highest level in the neck of your fermenter, add sterilized APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

marbles to take up extra space.) Allow the wood to work its miracle in the glass bottle. Siphon the finished, clear wine, into sterilized bottles and cork. Store corked bottles on their sides with the neck elevated just enough to allow the wine is rest on the cork. If your fresh fruit is too acidic and the fermentation seems sluggish, you might have

a “Must” that is too acidic. Add a stick of chalk, (Yes, like you write with on a chalkboard.) to the must. It can work miracles. Keep the after fruit from when you filter the wine. This is called a starter, it can boost your next batch and you will need fewer ingredients. This process gets stronger each time you do it.

Courtesy : WikiHow 35

HOSPITALITY

Where To Stay In

DELHI Delhi has a surfeit of 5-star hotels. Nevertheless all 5-star hotels are not the same.

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Photo : circuit.havas-voyages.fr The Leela Palace, Chanakyapuri

ere is Asian Travellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pick of the best in the city, based on strategic location, quality of service, and Brand image:

The Leela Palace, Chanakyapuri

Photo : blog.bookyourtable.com

Located in the diplomatic enclave that houses all embassies and in close proximity to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the magnificent Leela Palace is an ideal place to stay in New Delhi. The longer you stay, the more you benefit by

way of discounts on a wide range of services. Business and leisure travellers find it one of their favourite destinations to stay. Bonanza Buffet breakfast Royal club and Suites, oneway Airport transfers 20% discount on food, beverages, internet and laundry For stays of 8 nights and above, two-way airport transfers

Located in the diplomatic enclave that houses all embassies and in close proximity to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the magnificent Leela Palace is an ideal place to stay in New Delhi.

Photo : indianrestaurantspy.blogspot.com

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Le Meridien New Delhi Le Meridien is world renowned for its attention to detail and dedication to exemplary customer service. A perfect blend of class and elegance, Le Meridien is a symbol of opulence and comfort. It is an ideal destination for business travellers and family vacationers, who wish to indulge in luxury. This grand hotel will undeniably make every guests Delhi trip a wonderful experience. Situated 2 km away from RashtrapatiBhavan, the hotel is amidst the most alluring shopping and entertainment district, Connaught Place. Guests can make their trip memorable by visiting nearby places of interest like JantarMantar (approx 2km), India Gate (approx 1km) and Red Fort. Patrons can also visit VigyanBhavan, PragatiMaidan and Old Fort.

Distance from Indira Gandhi International Airport: 20 km / about 40 minutes

Distance from New Delhi Railway Station: 3 km / about 15 minutes

ITC Maurya Chanakyapuri

ITC Maurya Chanakyapuri Close to the airport, to DhaulaKuan, to RashtrapatiBhavan, and Lodhi Garden, ITC Maurya is centrally located. A premier luxury hotel, it is named after the famous Maurya dynasty which gave India its golden age where art, culture and architecture flourished. Replete with historical allusions with refreshing vitality, ITC Maurya boasts of a priceless and exquisite collection of art. Its architecture has been inspired by Buddhist stupas, while its dome has been modelled on the ancient Buddhist Chaitya cave temples in Karla, Maharashtra. ITC Maurya’s restaurants promise an uncommon experience of authentic Indian and international cuisine. Its award-winning, globally acclaimed restaurants stimulate your delight. 38

The Oberoi New Delhi

The Claridges New Delhi Located in the heart of New Delhi’s Lutyen’s Delhi, The Claridges is a perfect blend of old world elegance and contemporary luxury, with the capital’s bustling commercial and cultural centres just a few steps away. A historical landmark, The Claridges offers an array of dining options and dedicated leisure and business facilities.

International airport 18.2 km (about 35 minutes) Domestic airport 14 km (about 25 minutes) City Centre 3 km (about 10 minutes)

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The Oberoi New Delhi

Taj Mahal Hotel

The Oberoi New Delhi is ideal for frequent travellers because of its location. Excellent service, comfortable rooms, and outdoor pool add to the delight. Located in DrZakirHussianMarg, This was the capital’s first luxury hotel. It is situated between the prestigious Delhi Golf Course and the world heritage site of Humayun’s Tomb.

An epitome of grandeur and sophistication, The TajMahal hotel is one of the most sought after luxury hotels in the country. Its lavish interiors and avant-garde hospitality make it ideal for business travellers as well as vacationers. The hotel lobby is attractively decorated with priceless artifacts and antique paintings that are reminiscent of the Mughal era. These lend a grand appeal to this royally designed hotel. It is known for its impeccable service and unmatched standard of luxury. The TajMahal Hotel is strategically located in the capital city of New Delhi at the Mansingh Road. Guests can make their trip memorable by visiting nearby places of interest like the India Gate (about 1.2km), RashtrapatiBhavan (about 3.6km), Red Fort and Jama Masjid. QutubMinar, Lotus Temple, DilliHaat(about 5km) and Old Fort (about 4km) are amongst other must-visit places of the city.

Hyatt Regency New Delhi Hyatt Regency Delhi is just 20 minutes’ drive from Indira Gandhi International airport and ten minutes from the Embassies and shopping hubs. This preferred five star hotel offers special discount rates and exclusive packages for both business and leisure travellers. Hyatt Regency Delhi has been a leading wedding venue and is also a suitable location for corporate and social events. Fine dining halls and awardwinning restaurants and bars render exquisite delight.

Hyatt Regency New Delhi

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Distance from Indira Gandhi International Airport: 14 km Distance from New Delhi Railway Station: 6 km

Taj Palace Hotel As part of the prestigious Taj Group of Hotels, the Taj Palace hotel, New Delhi, exudes the signature Tajsplendour and glamour. It is a perfect embodiment of world-class luxury and hospitality. It has a large variety of well-appointed rooms with royal comfort. Taj Palace Hotel is situated at Sardar Patel Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, in proximity to the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Parliament House, Rail Museum (about 2km), India Gate (about 7km), Connaught Place (about 7km), Lodhi’s Tomb, ChandniChowk, RashtrapatiBhavan, Mughal Gardens and other cultural places of the Heritage Capital of India.

Taj Hotel, New Delhi

Shangri La Eros Hotel New delhi

Distance from Indira Gandhi Airport: (about 7 km) Distance from New Delhi Railway Station: (about 10 km) Distance from Nizamuddin Railway Station: (about 14 km)

Shangri La Eros Hotel Nestled in the heart of the city, Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel, New Delhi, is a luxurious retreat for guests around the world. Sprawling lawns, imposing driveways and timeless architecture inspired by the work of Edward Lutyens can be seen here. Step out of the Rolls-Royce Phantom and step into the paradise of Shangri-La! The hotel is a 30-minute drive from the domestic and international airport and a few minutes away from the international exhibition grounds of PragatiMaidan and many embassies.

Sheraton New Delhi Sheraton Hotel, New Delhi, is a hotel of international repute as it showcases a blend of class and comfort. The hotel represents a friendly atmosphere with superlative decor, impeccable services The hotel is an easy 20 minute drive from the domestic/international airport, and 30 minutes from some of Delhi’s largest convention centers such as PragatiMaidan and India Expo Centre. Treat yourself at the award-winning food and beverage outlets. 40

The Lalit New Delhi Standing tall in the heart of the business and commercial district of Connaught Place, The Lalit New Delhi is one of the finest luxury hotels in the city. The hotel is located just minutes away from the government offices, cultural centres and international trade fair grounds. Seven distinctive dining and nightlife destinations, the award-winning RejuveThe Spa, and sophisticated event venues ensure that every expectation is surpassed. The Lalit New Delhi is the destination to relax, unwind and discover the city at your own pace.

The Imperial New Delhi The Imperil New Delhi was chosen as one of the Top city hotels in Asia and ranked as the Best Hotel in Delhi by Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2014. Also, it was listed amongst 15 Legendary Hotels around the world by Fodor’s Travel in 2014. Built in 1931 by Blomfield, one of Sir Edwin Lutyen’s associates and inaugurated by Lord Willingdon in 1936, it is New Delhi’s landmark Hotel, located on Janpath, the erstwhile Queensway. The Hotel is steps away from the renowned shopping district and city’s major attractions and just 30-minutes drive from the international airport. Shining marble floors, high ceilings and ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Burmese teak furniture make a fabulous first impression, while the historic art and antiques hint at what lies beyond.

The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Japanese restaurant, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa, is a 5-star hotel ideal for all who wish to indulge themselves in the lap of luxury. Located in the Connaught Place Business District, this Luxury hotel is liberally sprinkled with both business essentials and travel comforts. It is the perfect destination for finest living for an international business and upscale leisure traveller. An award-winning luxury hotel, it is a member of Great Hotels of The World, Luxury Collection, an international hotel marketing brand. It has been selected for its dedication to the highest standards of luxury, unique sophistication, attention to details and innovative corporate comforts. It is also the most favourable location for important corporate houses like FICCI, PFI, PunjLyod, and minutes away from Embassies, Diplomatic Enclave, important corporate houses like ASSOCHAM, British Petroleum (Castrol), Banks, Insurance companies.

facilities makes this hotel one of the most sought after luxury hotels. Situated in the very heart of the city, on Parliament Street near Connaught Place, The Park lies close to notable destinations like Red Fort, India Gate (about 4km), Old Fort (about 6km) and Delhi Haat.

Distance from Indira Gandhi International Airport: 20 km / about 40 minutes Distance from New Delhi Railway Station: 3 km / about 20 minutes

Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Positioned right off the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, the Radisson Blu Plaza has an enviable location that makes it easy for guests to do business in Gurgaon or travel into the city centre for shopping. While in Delhi, the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guests are also near the Indira Gandhi airport, so they are off the plane and in the hotel lobby in just 10 minutes. The hotel is less than 20 km from the India Gate and Red Fort. Indira Gandhi International Airport - Terminal 3 (T3) - 5 km Indira Gandhi International Airport - Terminal 1 (T1) - 7 km

The Park New Delhi One of the most renowned luxury 5-star hotels, The Park redefines avant-garde hospitality. Impeccable service along with exciting recreational and leisure APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi

PALACE

THE TIGER’S PALACE

The tiny island town of Srirangapatnam, near Mysore, has number reasons to be historically significant. The greatest of them is being the power centre of South India. As the capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore, it was from the place from where the strong-willed Tipu Sultan, the bold son of sultan Hyder Ali, held the reins of a mighty empire, revered and feared at the same time by even the British. Dariya Daulat Palace, the summer palace that he built for himself, was the epicentre of all the activities that went on to become history. 42

lbeit for a short while, the city of Srirangapatnam was the capital of the Mysore state, under the rule ofTipu Sultan.Popularly hailed as the “Tiger of Mysore”, Tipu Sultan shifted his capital from Mysore, to Srirangapatnam, after his father Hyder Ali wrested power from the Wodeyars in the middle of the 18th century. ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

At Srirangapatnam, he built abeautiful summer palace, named DariyaDaulat Palace in 1784 and ruled Mysore from here for a short time. Its construction was commenced by Hyder Ali within the walls of the Bangalore Fort, but was completed by Tipu Sultan during his regime. Located at about 14kms from Mysore city, the palace is set amidst the beautiful DariaDaulatBagh. APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

The palace, constructed in the Indo-Sarcenic style, has exotic variety of Teakwood used extensively all through its construction. Built on a raised platform, the palace has a broad rectangular plan. It is believed that Tipu Sultan used to conduct his durbar from the eastern and western balconies of the upper floor. There are four smaller rooms in the corners of first floor which

The palace, constructed in the Indo-Sarcenic style, has exotic variety of Teakwood used extensively all through its construction. Built on a raised platform, the palace has a broad rectangular plan.

were used to known as Zenana Quarters. The site also holds a painting of grand throne visualized by Tipu Sultan himself. Coated with gold sheets and stuck with precious emerald stones, Tipu had vowed never to use it until he completely defeated the English Army. The British dismantled the throne after Tipu Sultan’s death, and auctioned its parts. It was way too expensive for a single person to buy whole piece. There are open corridors along the four sides of the platform. The structure is further supported by wooden pillars at the edges of the plinth. While the western and eastern wings have walls, recessed bays with pillars support the roof along the other two wings. The four staircases are inconspicuous. 44

They have been deliberately accommodated besides the four partition walls that divide the audience hall. The eastern and western corridors are connected by a central hall, with four rooms at all four corners. Colorful frescoes that adorn the walls, pillars, canopies and arches are definitely the most stunning feature of the palace. All the available space have been utilised tastefully with beautiful depictions of the art. While the outer walls of the palace portray fearsome battle scenes and portraits, the inner walls are decorated with scrolls of thin foliage and floral patterns. Canvases painted with floral patterns have been pasted on the wooden ceilings of the palace. The rooms in the ground floor have been converted into a museum presently. There is a replica of Tipu’s Tiger, which

is in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Tipu Sultan’s clothes and his crown are present in silver and gold pedestals. The silver vessels given by a general to Hyder Ali is also displayed. The celebrated victory achieved by Haider Ali and Tippu Sultan over the English lead by Col. Bailee in the battle of Pollilur near Kanchipuram in 1780 is depicted in the painting that adorns the western wall. The panels on the left wing depict the armies led by Haider Ali and Tippu Sultan going to battle. On the right wing, atroubled Col. Bailee is shown besieged by the army of Tippu Sultan, seated in a palanquin, with the English army surrounding him. Another painting at the extreme top right, portray s French soldiers led by Lally. The top panels have a painting ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

of the Nizam of Hyderabad and his army of horsemen and elephants arriving a little too late to help his allies, the English. The eastern wall has paintings in five rows representing the scenes of Darbars of different contemporaries of Tipu Sultan including the Hindu Rani of Chitor, the Raja of Tanjore, the Raja Benares, BalajiRao II Peshwa, MagadiKepegowda and MadakariNayaka of Chitradurga and KrishnarajaWodeyar II. The Tipu Sultan Museum is located on the top floor of the DariaDaulat Palace. It has a collection of Tipu memorabilia, European paintings and Persian manuscripts. The museum has the famous painting “Storming of Srirangapattanam” an oil painting by Sir Robert Ker Porter made in 1800. This historical painting depicts the APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

final fall of Srirangapatana on 4th May 1799. Tipu’s men are seen giving stiff resistance to the British army and many British officers are clearly visible in the painting. In background behind the fort walls are seen parts of the Palace and the minarets of the mosque. Close by is the ruins of Tippu’s fort. It was in this fortTipu died fighting the British. The Jama Masjid and the Ranganathaswamy Temple are located within the fort. Tipu’s other palace, the LalMahal also lies in ruins very close by. Outside the fort is the Gumbaz that contains Tipu’s tomb, his father Haider Ali’s tomb and his mother’s tomb. In 1799, after the death of Tippu Sultan, the British shifted the capital back to Mysore and placed the child King KrishnarajaWodeyar III on the throne of Mysore. After Tipu Sultan’s death in the

Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, the British Administration used the palace for its Secretariat for a while before moving to AttaraKacheri in 1868. Today the government of Karnataka maintains the palace, as a tourist spot.

Visiting Hours The palace is open to public daily from 10 am to 6 pm and from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm on Sundays. There is an entry fee of Rs. 5 per person for Indians and Rs. 100 per person for foreigners. Photography is allowed and there is no special fee for use of a camera.

How to get there The palace is located at the center of Old Bangalore near the Kalasipalyam bus stand. The nearest Airport is at Bangalore.

BEACH

The Secret

Marari Beach

Until now Marari beach has been one of India's best kept secrets. But a visit will tell you that it won't stay a secret for long.The palm lined beach of Mararikulam, its pristine backwaters, the waterfront resorts that lay close by, the restaurants that provide a welcome change for the taste buds and an exciting array of water activities are just some of the reasons. There are more to this beach than meets the eye. Its better you try it now.And be one among the first to experience undiscovered Kerala!

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

erala is home to some of the most pristine and stunning beaches of India. Whilst the more popular beaches like Kovalam and Varkala are located in the South, there are several tremendously beautiful but relatively lesser known beach locations as you travel further North along the coast. The serene Marari beach located in a sleepy fishermen’s village in Alapuzha is one of them. The place that got its name from ‘Mararikulum’, a tiny local fishing hamlet, is slowly but surely getting known around the world as a peaceful, yet exciting silvery beach along the Arabian Sea. The sight of endless miles of silver sand backed by swaying palms and the virgin territory where you get to experience

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

This beach was one of those discovered by back-packers in the 1960s. Some of the popular Malayalam movies of the 80’s and 90’s, shot on its shores, also contributed to the transformation of this casual fishing village into a popular tourist destination attracting travelers from across the world.

the local charm and traditional hospitality is what Marari has one its platter for any discerning tourist. This beach was one of those discovered by back-packers in the 1960s. Some of the popular Malayalam movies of the 80â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, shot on its shores, also contributed to the transformation of this casual fishing village into a popular tourist destination attracting travelers from across the world. Life around here is quiet and blissfully slow. It still goes on much as laidback as it probably did ages ago. The place offers the perfect combination of golden sands at its beach line and peace and tranquility at its backwaters. Besides, with numerous options for the sea lovers, Marari is a heaven. Sea Surfing. Water Skiing. Deep Sea Fishing. Boat Cruises in Backwaters. And a lot more.Just a short distance from the beach are the tranquil backwaters. You

will be intrigued to watch the fishermen dressed in colourful cotton lungies, with a brownish white towel tied on their head, busy on the backwaters during the sunrise and sunset hours. Besides, the secluded atmosphere that almost gives a cut-off-from-all-civilization feeling and the complete absence of prying eyes, in fact, makes it an ideal place for honeymooning couples or young souls in love. Unlike other tourist hubs across Kerala, Marari beach is a peaceful destination. If you want to soak up some serenity, then Marari beach will not disappoint you. In short, you couldn't be in a better location for exploring the picturesque beaches and the marvelous backwaters that surrounds it, where the tranquility and the stunning scenery gives you the feeling of being transported back in time.

Weather & Climate The weather at Marari is warm and humid throughout the year. Late December to March is the best months to visit, when the weather is dry and sunny every day.

How to get there The beach is located at around 60 km from the Cochin Airport, and around 1 km from Marari village near NH 47. The nearest railway station to Marari is just 5 km from this beach. Taxis are available from the Cochin Airport and the railway station to visit this beach.

What to do A number of interesting day trips are possible around the area. These include the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, traditional coir-making units, and the Kerala backwater canals. In August, you can also check out the Snake Boat Races.

Where to stay Accommodations at Marari beach consist mainly of resorts and homestays. There are several resorts that are built inspired by local fishing villages, aiming at capturing the heart and soul of the beach. 48

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APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

FOCUS

he anonymity is mystifying, however. Since this is no crumbling line of bricks fascinating only by description. The wall is massive and breathtakingly majestic as it snakes through valleys and along mountaintops, again bearing a striking resemblance to its cousin in china. And for apparent reasons, it was never conquered!

RanaKumbha, the erstwhile ruler of the region, commissioned the wall in 1443 to protect his fort, situated on a hill above. Located in Rajasthan, the wall extends for 36km and has seven fortified gates. At its widest sections, the wall is 15 meters thick and is beautifully masoned with thousands of stone bricks and decorative flourishes along the

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Legend has it that despite several attempts, the wall could not be completed. Following which the king consulted his spiritual advisers, who advised him of a sacrifice to be made. A human volunteer offered his life so that others will be protected. The main gate stands where his body fell and a temple where his severed head came to rest.â&#x20AC;?

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Great Wall Of India Often referred to as Kumbhalgarh wall or simply as Kumbhalgarh fort as a whole, the second-longest continuous wall on the planet is perhaps best known by its most sensational and fitting name: The Great Wall of India. The wall that surrounds the ancient fort of Kumbhalgarh is one of the best-kept secrets in India, and perhaps the world.

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

top, making this just as attractive as a tourist destination as it once was effective as a deterrent.

configurations, stacked atop on another and giving the fort the appearance of a mountain.

The wall, constructed half a millennium ago in tandem with Kumbhalgarh fort itself, was enlarged in the 19th century and

The fort stretches across the Aravali Mountains and is 1100 m high from the sea level. The fort is just 80 kms away from Udaipur. Surrounded

RanaKumbha, the erstwhile ruler of the region, commissioned the wall in 1443 to protect his fort, situated on a hill above. Located in Rajasthan, the wall extends for 36km and has seven fortified gates. now protects more than 360 temples located within its walls. This gaudy defense is fitting for the perimeter wall of Kumbhalgarh fort â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itself a hulking, imposing construction, with its many pregnant ramparts bowing out into the desert in boulder-like 52

by thirteen mountain peaks, guarded by seven great gates and seven ramparts, strengthened by rounded bastions and immense watchtowers, this mountain fortress has witnessed many battles. The winding road leads through deep ravines and ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

thick forests to Arait Pol with its watch-tower, Hulla Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ram Pol, Bhairava Pol, Paghra Pol, Top-khana Pol and Nimboo Pol.On top of the fort is the BadalMahal Palace, it encloses beautiful rooms with pleasant colour schemes of green, turquoise and white, which provides a fascinating contrast to the raw, earthy and grim fortress. The palace was rebuilt by RanaFateh Singh in the late 19th century. The legendary MaharanaPratap was born here.

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary Sited in the flourishing green zone of Udaipur, Kumbalgarh is the only sanctuary of Rajasthan, where activities of the rarely found wolf can be seen. This is one of the few parks that allow people on horseback. The best time to visit the reserve is from October to June.

Visitors Beware This piece of history, while alluring and well-preserved, is not well-trafficked. That remoteness and the potential to have miles of ruins all to oneself is appealing to plenty of offthe-beaten-path travelers, but the walls are tall, the stone hard, and while many of the traps and defensive mechanisms along the wall and fort have been deactivated, that does not mean accidents cannot happen. APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

PROFILE

Climbing & Leadership Story of Jim Davidson

He was buried alive inside a glacier. He was trapped some 80 feet down, inside a dark crevasse, with no one coming to help. Jim Davidson barely survived after a snow-bridge suddenly collapsed beneath his feet. It dropped Jim and his partner deep inside a hidden glacial crevasse. 54

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His amazing tale of resilience is described in an adventure memoir co-authored with Pulitzer-finalist Kevin Vaughan: The Ledge: An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier (Random House).

e had to climb up; somehow, an overhanging ice wall before time ran out. How can you overcome such a great challenge? Today Jim’s story is an inspirational one, offering valuable insights. Jim has mesmerized international audience as a keynote speaker since 1990. His presentations carry gripping adventure stories, lessons for business and life, and unique photographs. His amazing tale of resilience is described in an adventure memoir coauthored with Pulitzer-finalist

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Kevin Vaughan: The Ledge: An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier (Random House). Jim’s compelling survival story was featured in a onehour episode of ‘I Shouldn’t Be Alive’ on Animal Planet. Jim lives in Colorado with his two adventurous children and his very tolerant wife! Every spring, Jim volunteers to teach hundreds of elementary school children to climb. He is an avid rock climber and ice climber. Jim enjoys skiing, backpacking, photography, racing numerous halfmarathons and one marathon (3:42), and even running up a 14,000-foot peak occasionally. 55

TAMILNADU TRAVELLER

THE INDIAN PEARL CITY

THOOTHUKUDI

Dr. S. Bakthavatchalam Additional Director, Tamil Nadu Tourism

As per folklore, Hanuman camped at Tuticorin or Thoothukudi during his journey to Lanka in search for Sita. Since he was the Thoothan (messenger) of Lord Rama, the place came to be known as 'Thoothuvankudi', later shortened to Thoothukudi. But over the centuries, the place had come to be known as one of the major sea ports of the subcontinent, besides being India's official 'Pearl City'or 'Muthu Nagar'.

lso known by the name ‘Thirumanthiranager’ in the ancient times, the port city of Tuticorin is famous for pearl diving, fishing and shipbuilding. Popularly referred to as ‘Pearl town’, the commercial port town of Tuticorin is wellknown as a centre for sea trading and pearl fishing for over a century and serves the whole of southern Tamil Nadu including inland cities such as Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli. The Tuticorin Port happens to be one of the oldest sea ports in the world dating back

to the 6th Century. Forming part of the Pandian kingdom between 7th and 9th Century A.D., Thoothukudi remained in the hands of the Cholas during the period between 9th and 12th century. Emergence of Thoothukudi as a maritime port attracted travelers, adventures, and eventually colonizers. The

Portuguese were the first to arrive in Thoothukudi in 1932 A.D., attracted by its strategic location and flourishing pearl trade, followed by the Dutch in 1658 A.D. The English Captured Thoothukudi from the Dutch in 1782 and the East India Company established their control over Thoothukudi in the same year.

The Tuticorin Port happens to be one of the oldest sea ports in the world dating back to the 6th Century. Forming part of the Pandian kingdom between 7th and 9th Century A.D., Thoothukudi remained in the hands of the Cholas during the period between 9th and 12th century.

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The word ‘Thoothukudi’ may also have come from two Tamil words – ‘Thoorthu’ (land reclaimed from sea) and ‘Kudi’ (settlement). Thoothukudi got the name ‘Tuticorin’ when it came under the rule of the Portuguese. Situated in the close proximity of the East -West International sea route, its unique location has helped this place to become a major sea port of India since the 6th Century AD. It was the principal sea port of the Pandya Kingdom in the 16th century when it was taken over by the Portuguese in 1548. In 1842, the British built a light house in Tuticorin, which resulted in bringing about the developmental changes in the harbour. Tuticorin rose to become a Municipality in the year 1866. Thoothukudi became the citadel of freedom struggle in the early of the 20th century with the port city becoming a prominent centre of activities for stalwarts like SubramanyaBharathy, Kattabomman and V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, who fought for Independence. Over the centuries the city has witnessed a flourishing trade handling a variety of cargoes meant for the neighbouring countries of Sri Lanka, Maldives etc. and the coastal regions of India. Today the port city is a major commericial hub of South India with its economy based on industries, port, salt pans, and agriculture. APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Things to do

How to reach there

Today, the port city of Tuticorin is well known for its Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). The Tiruchendur Temple is one of the prime attractions of Tuticorin. Other famous attractions at Tuticorin are Kalugumalai and Korkai. Kalugumalai is famous for its ancient rock cut Jain cave temple and VettuvanKovil, whereas Korkai is a popular picnic destination that has Korkai Tank and Vettrivelamman temple.

Tuticorin lies along the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu by the Gulf of Mannar. Tuticorin is well connected to Chennai and other cities in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states by road and rail. The best time to visit Tuticorin is from November to January.

Where to stay Hotel options in Tuticorin range from budget hotels to resorts, bed & breakfast motels, guest houses and lodges. 57

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Silking Its Way In India SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines is planning to expand its India operations to more cities after recently adding Pune to its list. The airline already flies to eight other destinations in the country namely, Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram and Visakhapatnam. In an exclusive chat with Asian Traveller, Jagdish Ram Bhojwani, General Manager- India, SilkAir, speaks about the airlines's future plans in india. With an impressive fleet having 350 weekly flights across 12 countries, what is SilkAir’s success mantra? What makes your airlines a favourite to the customers, making them choose your carrier on a second visit? Over the past 25 years, SilkAir has grown steadily, while remaining true to our commitment to connecting travellers to

Asia’s newest frontiers. We have consistently expanded our network, providing convenient connections to exciting destinations of the world. In the near future we will commence operations to Cairns on 30 May 2015. SilkAir’s positioning as a full-service, short-to-medium haul regional carrier gives us a unique appeal amongst leisure and business travellers

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

in Asia. We operate one of the youngest fleets in the world averaging 4.5 years which ensures that travelers experience a modern and efficient aircraft. SilkAir offers carefully selected meals, a full bar service and elements of inflight entertainment, placing great emphasis on providing attentive, friendly and relaxing service. Our regional flair is expressed through both our cabin crew and cuisine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ensuring that travellers begin to experience the destination they are heading to, from the moment they step on board our plane. SilkAir won a distinguished place in Top Airlines for Best Cabin service for six years in a row apart from other notable awards. What sets this regional airline apart from its competitors? Our biggest strength remains that we have grown along with our competition. SilkAir has always had the first-mover advantage in some cities like Trivandrum and Vizag; continuing to be the only foreign carrier in these and some other similar points. Are Indian government regulations friendly to an international aviation company like SilkAir? What are the pros and cons you see? The Indian Government has undertaken initiatives such as improving airport infrastructure, attracting foreign investment, development of a progressive

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

civil aviation policy, reviewing bilateral agreements with countries to augment capacities and marketing India as a favorable tourist destination overseas which adds to increased flow of traffic. As one of the fastest growing aviation markets, the Indian Government has set the right direction to accelerate development and growth through such positive steps. We welcome any decision of the government that will promote the long-term development of the aviation industry, improve overall infrastructure and importantly allow consumers to benefit from enhanced services and experiences SilkAir is currently an active carrier in 8 cities in India, with plans to expand to North and West. What are the expansion plans of the company in the next five years with respect to Tier II and Tier III cities? Yes, we currently fly to eight destinations in India namely; Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram and Visakhapatnam. With the existing range of our fleet, we can connect to South India. We will soon get our Boeing Max, which will allow us to fly further to destinations within a radius of six to six and a half hours from Singapore.. We continue to seek opportunities to enhance our network and are constantly reviewing potential new

destinations to fly to, including cities in India which is one of our key markets. How successful was SilkAir Studio, the wireless inflight entertainment system tried on the Airbus A 320 aircraft? Is it a regular feature now? SilkAir Studio is our latest wireless in-flight entertainment (IFE) system that was launched in May 2014. Complementing the existing overhead system, this wireless service provides customers with diverse options for a more customized in-flight entertainment experience. The service has enhanced the overall flying experience and been well received by fliers. Passengers on SilkAir flights are able to stream blockbuster hits, short features, as well as chart-topping music to their personal laptops and handheld devices throughout their flights. With SilkAir Studio, customers do not need to download a separate mobile app prior to boarding. Once the inflight entertainment system is switched on, customers can enjoy the new programmes on their personal mobile devices, such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets. All these are provided on a complimentary basis. For flights above two hours, tablets are offered to Business Class passengers. This effort to improve the in-flight entertainment experience for customers is the latest example of SilkAirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to quality, full-service air travel.

PERSONALITY

V S NAIPAUL THE TRAVEL WRITER

V S Naipaul travels extensively to write his books. But he deals with people more than landscapes, and he delves into the inner realm. There is a sense of discovery in all his books, coming out of the explorations of a travel writer. The author visits and revisits a place and unveils the richness of its people, culture and oddities.

idiadharSurajprasad Naipaul first visited India in 1962, and the result was ‘An Area of Darkness’ – as he understood the sub-Continent then. But 27 years later, the author returned to India and his perceptions changed. In ‘India: A Million Mutinies Now, he deals with a country that has "a central will, a central intellect, and a

national idea." In this book, the author lets people define themselves. So the picture of a country emerges as it is at a particular moment in history. On his return to India, he found extraordinary differences in education, economics and society. What he had not seen as a young man, he said, were the seeds of these revolutions and of what he regards as mutinies that ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

are sectarian, religious and regional. In between, he wrote another book on India – ‘India: A Wounded Civilization’ (1977) – which is a product of his reflection and analysis. In 1989, he travelled from Calcutta to Kashmir, talking to pundits, politicians, gangsters and poets, as well as others. The writer controls the narrative, says Naipaul. "He makes the man do the talking. I spent hours with the Brahmin who was the master of religious ceremonies for the last Maharaja of Mysore. That was immensely tiring because he never thought about his life as a connected whole in that way." As Naipaul puts it brides were being burned to death by their husband's families when their dowries were not ample. This barbarism is provoked by a wish of the in-laws to buy electronic goods and cameras. One of his discoveries was the chawl, a matchbox type space in which entire Indian families live. People who move to larger apartments sometimes return to the chawl, where they thrive on the intimacy. Naipaul sees living conditions as a sign of the "pressure cooker atmosphere". Referring to his three India books, he says, "They all are books about myself as much as India." His grandfather had left India in 1880 and gone to Trinidad as an indentured worker. The author was born in Trinidad; he left for England at the age of 18 to begin his Oxford University education and, later, his literary career. His first novel, ‘The Mystic APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

In ‘India: A Million Mutinies Now, he deals with a country that has "a central will, a central intellect, and a national idea." In this book, the author lets people define themselves. So the picture of a country emerges as it is at a particular moment in history. Masseur,’ was published when he was 25 and his early masterwork, ‘A House for Mr. Biswas,’ before he was 30. Many of his books have been categorized as travel writing. But in no sense are they books for travellers; it is a book by a traveller. "One is not looking at the sights," he explained. "One is exploring the people. I love landscape, but a place is its people." He feels that as much about where he lives (Wiltshire, England) as about the places he visits. Mellowing down with age but still a man of the most passionate convictions, he says, "I work with very strong emotions," and one's writing is a refining of those emotions." Asked what angers him today, he answered without hesitation: "Parasitism, intellectual dishonesty, exaggerated chauvinism. People who don't pay tribute to freedoms which they enjoy; they take them for granted. And there's the calamity of Africa. There's the attitude that you must never say unkind things about Africa. The result

is that it is sinking into famine and civil wars." He remains devoted to his literary calling, one reason why he remembers with "torment" the period early in his career when he reviewed contemporary books for The New Statesman. "I was so scared by that experience; I hated those books," he said. "But I liked the reviews," he added with a smile.

Back to Flaubert He remains an enthusiastic reader, rather a re-reader. Recently he started reading ‘Madame Bovary’ again. He found it "an almost unbearable pleasure, a sensual delight," but felt he could not wait for the set pieces nor endure the humiliation of the heroine, so he put the book down after 200 pages. "Flaubert began to write 'Madame Bovary' 140 years ago," he said, "and it is accessible to all of us. But we cannot write the Flaubertian novel. It's done. We have to do our own work. It would be nonsensical for me to write the same kind of novel I wrote 34 years ago. My theory is that Dickens was driven to an early grave by the Dickensian novel. I think he carried it like a burden. When you think he began 'Oliver Twist' at the time Balzac was doing 'Pere Goriot' and 'Eugenie Grandet,' those lovely books. Then the French novel developed and de Maupassant came along, all the excitement. And there was Dickens still writing this Dickensian thing. No wonder he died at the age of 58; it was too much for him. 61

REVIEW - BOOK

THE LIVING GODDESS By Isabella Tree (Eland)

he goddess is a girl, sometimes as young as three, with an unblemished body. She is believed to be an incarnation of Durga, the female goddess. While the spirit is with her, the girl is known as a Kumari, lives apart from her family, is worshipped as she holds the wellbeing of Nepal in her hands. It’s a matter of faith, but a prevalent one. The tradition goes back centuries and provides an unusual and fascinating window through which 62

to look at Kathmandu culture. Isabella Tree first encountered a Kumari in 1983, and was struck by the idea of a human being inhabited by a goddess. But it wasn’t until after the massacre of the Nepalese royal family in 2001 that she began work on this book. The result is a fascinating work of obsessive energy that both amazes and frustrates. The structure flips unevenly from history to first-hand observation to the retelling of many myths. The myth-telling seems flat and

overly long, in contrast to the encounters with former Kumaris and their families. But there is amazement in the way Tree traces Kumari worship through many aspects of Nepalese life and recent history, in the passion and splendour of the place. At puberty Kumaris are “stepped down” and they return to their families, usually under-educated and physically underdeveloped. Most difficult of all, like the rest of us they have to face the reality of being a mere mortal. ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

READING THE WORLD By Ann Morgan (Harvill Secker)

he read a book from every country in the world in the course of a year. It is a personal survey of contemporary literature and how it relates to national identity. Setting herself a weekly target of reading and blogging about four books, she had to fit the work around a fulltime job, and her passion for the task sings from every page. “The richness of human variety,” she writes at journey’s end, “had never been as real to me as it was that year.”

Reading the World is structured thematically around topics such as censorship, propaganda and translation. On the latter, Morgan writes of the difficulties created by “the presence of a third party 64

in the text, crashing the cozy little author-reader tête-à-tête that can make the reading experience so delicious”. Nicely put. I would have liked more on the nature of translation. Her blog and book also cover distortion in the dissemination and availability of literature. In Brazil in 1987, 1,500 books by Anglophone authors appeared in translation, yet over the same period, only 14 books by Brazilian authors were published in English. “A literary world designed by the writers and thinkers of a few nations,” writes Morgan, “is inevitably a space in which the work and influence of many important authors is diminished comparatively.” She shows how hard it is to get

published if you live in Palau, and the only “book” she can find to read from San Marino is a 1976 tourist pamphlet. The crucial list of the author’s book choices comes at the end, as a kind of appendix. The world consists of 195 or 196 countries at present, depending on whether you count Taiwan (Morgan does). The function of lists such as these is to invite debate. The book is an ongoing, open-ended discussion about literature that benefits from input from others, which develops its own threads and arguments organically. But those interested in the interface between nationality and writing will enjoy Reading the World. ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

Learning Business By Travel By John Swarbrooke and Susan Horner (Routledge)

usiness Travel and Tourism provides a comprehensive, international overview of business tourism from both a theoretical and practical perspective. With a wide spectrum of case studies from around the world, the book explores a broad range of issues. Of special relevance is the social, economic, and environmental impacts of business tourism, the marketing of business tourism products, and the impact of new technologies on the business tourism market. The case studies include Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong, Amsterdam RAI International Exhibition and Congress Centre, Hilton, Page and Moy Marketing, Lufthansa, Air France, and Legoland UK. This book is the first of its kind to offer a comprehensive overview of the growing but neglected area of business tourism. It will certainly be a good guide to students to deepen their understanding of tourism.

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

REVIEW - MOVIE

hat is love actually? Sex, infatuation, writing poems, pornography? A British comedy titled Love Actually, scripted and directed by Richard Curtis, delves into different aspects of love, through the experiences of ten couples. Set primarily in London, the story begins five weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by an epilogue that takes place one month later. The film then tells the 'love stories' of many people:

Billy Mack and Joe The ageing rock and roll legend Billy Mack, with his long-time manager Joe, records a Christmas variation of the classic hit Love is All Around. The record is terrible, but Mack promotes it in the hope it will become the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number one single. The song does, and after briefly celebrating his victory at a party hosted by Sir Elton John, Billy recognises that Joe needs affection and suggests that he and Joe celebrate Christmas by getting drunk and watching porn.

Juliet, Peter, and Mark

Director : Richard Curtis

In a lovely ceremony,

Language : English

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Juliet and Peter are wed, orchestrated and videotaped by Peter's best friend Mark. One day Juliet arrives unexpectedly at Mark's apartment. Watching his video, she discovers that the footage is entirely of her. Mark never talked to her, avoided her, and was uncomfortable around her. Juliet thought Mark hated her. Then he blurts out that he's been head over heels for her, but kept discreet out of respect for her and Peter. At Christmas, Mark takes a moment to truly confess his unrequited love for Juliet. Juliet acknowledges his confession by giving him a kiss. Afterwards, Mark decides to set aside his infatuation and move on.

Jamie and Aurélia As writer Jamie is preparing to attend the wedding of Juliet and Peter, his girlfriend gives it a miss to have sex with his brother. Jamie withdraws to his French cottage where he meets Portuguese housekeeper Aurélia who speaks only her native tongue. Despite their inability to communicate, they have similar passions and become attached to each other. When Jamie returns to England, he realises he is in love with Aurélia and begins learning Portuguese. He returns to France to find

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

her, and proposes to her in imperfect Portuguese. She responds, "Yes," as she has been learning English.

Harry, Karen, and Mia Mia is the new secretary to Harry, the managing director of a design agency. Harry is happily married to Karen, who stays home to raise their children. When Mia becomes more aggressive in expressing her romantic interest in him, Harry buys her an expensive necklace from jewellery salesman Rufus, who elaborately wraps it while Harry nervously anticipates discovery by Karen. Karen discovers the necklace in Harry's coat pocket and assumes it is a gift for her; when he gives her a music CD instead, she intuits that the more glamorous gift was for Mia, and confronts Harry. He admits his foolishness, but she confides that his actions have made a mockery of their marriage.

David and Natalie Karen's brother, David, is the recently elected Prime Minister. Natalie is a new junior member of the household staff at 10 Downing Street and serves his tea and biscuits. Something seems to click between them.

David walks in to find the US President sexually harassing Natalie, which inspires him to take a stand against the bullying President's policies. Finding that his relationship with Natalie has become strained, David has her moved to another job, but later comes across a Christmas card from Natalie ending with a declaration of her love for him. After a door-to-door search of her street, Mia tells him Natalie lives next door, he discovers she is going with family to the local school for the nativity play (the same one in which his niece and nephew are appearing). He drives her family to the play, and the two watch the show from backstage, their budding relationship exposed when a curtain is raised on them kissing at the end of the pageant's big finale.

Daniel, Sam, Joanna, and Carol Sam has fallen for an American classmate, named Joanna, who was his mother’s namesake. Encouraged by his stepfather Daniel, he decides to learn the drums so that he can accompany her in the big finale of their school's pageant. After Sam feels that he missed his chance to make an impression on her, Daniel

convinces Sam that he must go catch Joanna, who is returning to the US, at the airport that night and show her how he feels, lest he regret it for his whole life. Sam runs away from the airport security and says ‘Hi’ to Joanna, who then kisses him on the cheek. Meanwhile, Daniel, who previously mentioned admiring supermodel Claudia Schiffer, meets Carol, the parent of another of Sam's school mates.

Sarah, Karl, and Michael Sarah first appears at Juliet and Peter's wedding, sitting next to her friend Jamie. She works at Harry's graphic design company and has been in love for years with the company's creative director, Karl. A tryst between Karl and Sarah is interrupted by phone calls from her brother, Michael, from the mental care facility where he lives. This effectively ends their relationship. On Christmas Eve, she visits her brother at the institution, wrapping a scarf around him as he hugs her.

Colin, Tony, and the American girls After several blunders attempting to woo various English women, including Mia and Nancy, the caterer at Juliet and Peter's wedding, Colin

Frissell informs his friend Tony he plans to go to America and find love there, convinced that his Britishness will be an asset to him in a foreign country. Landing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Colin meets Stacey, Jeannie, and Carol-Anne), three stunningly attractive women who fall for his accent and invite him to stay at their home, where they are joined by roommate Harriet.

his distraction of staff at the airport which allows Sam to sneak through to see Joanna. In the director and cast commentary, it is revealed that Rufus was originally supposed to be a Christmas angel; however, this was dropped from the final script.

Epilogue

Rufus

The epilogue is set one month later. The relationships continue to evolve. Rock star Joe has made a comeback. Juliet, Peter, and Mark arrive together to meet Jamie and his new bride Aurélia. Sam greets Joanna, who has returned with her mother from America, and Daniel is joined by his new girlfriend Carol and her son. Newlyweds John and Judy, heading off to their honeymoon, run into Tony who is awaiting Colin as he returns from America. Colin returns with the gorgeous Harriet and her sister Carla who greets Tony with a hug and a kiss. Natalie aggressively welcomes David back from his flight in view of the press, indicating that their relationship is now public.

Rufus is the jewellery salesman, whose obsessive attention to gift-wrapping nearly results in Harry being caught buying a necklace for Mia by Karen. Also, it is

The title, Love Actually, was intended as an abridged version of "Love Actually Is All Around", a reference to the mega-hit pop song ‘Love Is All Around’.

John and Judy John and Judy are professional body doubles for films. They meet for the sex scene in a film for which Tony is a production assistant. John tells Judy that "It is nice to have someone [he] can just chat to." While the two are perfectly comfortable being naked and simulating sex onset, they are shy and tentative off-set. Carefully pursuing a relationship, they attend the Christmas pageant (involving David and Natalie, Harry and Karen's children, Daniel and Sam, et al.) at the local school with John's brother.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

LITTLE BOY

Director : Alejandro Gómez Monteverde Language : English

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

ittle Boy is a fable about the power of faith to change the course of history. What makes it intermittently palatable even to non-believers is that it acknowledges some of the darker truths of the era. The film is set in a fictional small town called Ohaire, California. Although it is a close-knit community, not everything is idyllic in Ohaire. Our young hero, Pepper Flint Busbee, is ruthlessly mocked by his classmates because of his diminutive stature. The film is a pretty harsh depiction of the bullying he suffers. The story gets under way when Pepper’s father and chief protector goes off to war and then is reported missing in action. Pepper, who is nicknamed “Little Boy,” is desperate to have his father return, and the local priest encourages him to believe that if he has enough faith, he may have the capacity to alter the course of the war. There are a few amusing touches that seem to corroborate the boy’s supernatural powers without falling over into religious drivel. When Pepper sets out to demonstrate to the skeptical townspeople that he does have the strength to uproot the terrain, an earthquake appears to validate his claims. Later the war comes to an end as a result of an atomic bomb given the name Little Boy, and the townspeople genuflect before our pint-sized hero. In addition to these touches of humor, the film benefits from an unexpected bit of social commentary. One of the town residents is a Japanese man released from an internment camp. He is ostracized by the community, but the priest convinces Pepper that as part of his spiritual journey, he must befriend the hated Hashimoto. Although Pepper resists the assignment at first, he does develop a tentative friendship with Hashimoto, which is threatened by the bigoted townspeople. These lessons in tolerance may not be earth-shattering, but they give the film some moments of power and bite. Although the film’s uplifting conclusion is predictable, there are some poignant moments before the glowing finale. 69

INTERNATIONAL NEWSLINE

TAAI CONVENTION AT BALI, A MAJOR HIT

ORLANDO SETS NEW RECORD Visit Orlando, the destination’s official tourism association, revealed that more than 62 million people visited Orlando in 2014. The announcement marks a new all-time record for the U.S. travel industry, solidifying Orlando’s position as the most visited destination in the nation. Visitation grew five percent from 2013 as visitors from around the world came to experience all that is new across the everexpanding destination. To meet the needs of a growing number of visitors, Orange County has made investments in infrastructure, including investing in an important expansion and renovation of the nationally recognized Orange County Convention Center

TAAI Convention 2015 that was held at Bali, Indonesia from the 26th to 28th March 2015 was packed with plenty of gusto and thrilled the delegates with fervor like never before. A huge variety of presentations on Bali as a destination in addition to richly rewarding the delegates with plenty of freebies turned out to be a great investment to have joined the Convention at Bali. “I am delighted that our Convention Organizing TAAI TEAM scored big and proved loudly their commitment as we delivered this superb event”, Sunil Kumar, Chairman of the 2015 TAAI Convention & Acting President of TAAI.

QUEEN RANIA MEETS GLOBAL MEDIA

SPAIN TO HOST 19TH MITM EUROMED The 19th edition of MITM Euromed(known as the oldest international MICE fair in all Europe)Meetings and Incentive Travel Market is all set to take place by the Mediterrenean in Calpe, Spain from May 6th to 8th, hosted by Calpe's City Hall and the AR Diamante Beach Spa & Convention Centre. The fair would consist of two days of work between exhibitors and hosted buyers, from 28 countries including: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, Ukraine and USA. 70

Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah recently met with a group of global journalists and social media representative who were visiting Jordan on a mega press trip hosted by the Ministry of Tourism in coordination with the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) at the Royal Automobile Museum to promote history, culture, nature, adventure, health and wellness, and religious tourism in Amman on the 25th March 2015. The event was attended by the H.E. Nayef Al Fayez, minister of Tourism and Antiquities, H.E. Dr. Abdul RazzaqArabiyat, director general of JTB, Raja the Royal Automobile Museum. ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

INTERNATIONAL NEWSLINE

CENTARA WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP

HuaHin’s greens are sprucing up, readying for the resort town’s appointment with the golfers from all over the world at the Centara World Masters Golf Championship. From 14 June to 20 June, participants will compete in four rounds at four of HuaHin’s finest golf courses: Banyan Golf Club, Black Mountain Golf Club, Imperial Lake View Golf Club and Majestic Creek Golf Club. The event is pegged to be Thailand’s richest amateur tournament with US $30,000 in prizes to be won. “This is the first year that HuaHin is playing host to the tournament, which had previously spent 18 years drawing the world’s golfers to Australia’s turf and is testimony to Thailand’s rising role as a golfing destination. We are witnessing a growing number of golfers from India”, said Peter McCarthy, Tournament Director.

PERU TRAVEL MART 2015 The 19th edition of MITM Euromed(known as the oldest international MICE fair in all Europe) Meetings and Incentive Travel Market is all set to take place by the Mediterrenean in Calpe, Spain from May 6th to 8th, hosted by Calpe's City Hall and the AR Diamante Beach Spa & Convention Centre. The fair would consist of two days of work between exhibitors and hosted buyers, from 28 countries including: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, Ukraine and USA.

SPECIAL STAR WARS WEEKEND BENEFITS SIXT DIVIDEND PAYOUT The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel is offering guests the chance to enjoy the month-long Star Wars Weekends celebration at Disney's Hollywood Studios with special rates starting at $185, May 15-June 15. The weekends will feature Star Wars characters roaming the theme park for meet-and-greet opportunities, star conversations with Star Wars celebrities, a Star Wars motorcade through the park, interactive activities, exclusive merchandise and more. The guests are to receive theme park benefits, such as complimentary transportation, Disney FastPass+ service, extended park hour’s benefit and enjoying select attractions in one of the four Walt Disney World Theme Parks each day. APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

The Sixt Group records 2014 as the most successful fiscal year in its corporate history. Revenues and earnings exceeded the original expectations of the Managing Board and reached best-ever figures. The international mobility service provider's consolidated earnings before taxes (EBT) rose 14.1% to EUR 157.0 million. The Group's operating revenue climbed 9.3% to EUR 1.65 billion. The growth driver was once again the dynamic development of the Vehicle Rental Unit's foreign operations. Total consolidated revenue increased 8.6% to EUR 1.80 billion. Against the background of such an encouraging business performance the Managing Board plans to increase the dividend payout for fiscal year 2014 by around 20 %. 71

INTERNATIONAL NEWSLINE

BELMOND PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCES Belmond has launched a series of photography experiences at its hotels in Venice, Portofino, Florence, Ravello, Sicily and Mallorca as they reopen for the summer season. From night-time shots to underwater photography, these innovative experiences allow guests to capture some of Europe’s most inspiring destinations from a different perspective, filling holiday albums with unique shots that will be treasured forever.

MORE INDIAN TOURISTS FOR SEYCHELLES ISLANDS

MAURITIUS TO ADOPT CUSTOMERFRIENDLY APPROACH The Ministry of Tourism & External Communications, Republic of Mauritius is all set to adopt a customer-centric approach with a view to rejuvenating the industry and repositioning Mauritius as the leading island destination. The industry is looking forward to respond to the highest expectations of a wide range of segments: families, couples, weddings, sports, culture, heritage-focused and adventure holidays as well as cater for the tastes of the tourists. The tourism ministry is planning to be directly involved with the state of cleanliness of the island in general,and more particularly,the beaches and tourist sites, in addition to regulating the appropriate taxi and bus services, safety and security including food safety.

LEBANON BANKING ON REGIONAL DEMAND

Seychelles islands saw an increase of 120% increase in tourist arrivals from India in the first quarter of 2015 compared to first quarter of 2014. The surge in tourist arrivals from India can be attributed to the India office’s continuous intelligent and innovative marketing tactics, educating and handholding the travel trade and significant proactive PR activities. Ms. SherinNaiken, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board said, “Huge credit this achievement goes to the private sector of both the countries and we are grateful for their support and hard work.” Ms. LubainaSheerazi, COO, Blue Square Consultants, Seychelles Tourist Office, India said, “Seychelles offers a lot more to the modern traveller beyond just sun, sand and sea. It is perfect for honeymooning couples, families, small groups, nature lovers, adventure lovers, bird watchers and wellness enthusiasts.” 72

Lebanon’s tourism industry is showing early signs of improvement in 2015, with the Middle Eastern travellers returning to Lebanon. Tourism receipts are all set to rise by 7.9% to reach US$6.4 billion in 2015. Colliers International has forecasted a hotel occupancy figure of up to 49% for Beirut hotels. Tourist arrivals increased for the ninth month in a row in February 2015, up year-on-year by 20.5% (175, 859 visitors) in the first two months of the year. Visitors from the Gulf countries registered a strong increase with double-digit growth from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE as well as Egypt and Iran.

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

INTERNATIONAL NEWSLINE

OBEROI’S ‘UNFORGETTABLE DUBAI’ OFFER

INDIAN DELICACIES AT HANNOVER FAIR Experience India Society, an initiative of the leading hotel chains and tour operators through a public- private partnership with the Ministry of Tourism offers unique experiences of India through incredible cuisine at the upcoming Hannover Messe 2015 in Germany – the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology. The event inaugurated earlier this month witnessed leading Indian hospitality brands coming together under the aegis of Experience India Society to promote and market India as a preferred tourist destination through rich culinary experiences.

DIRECTOR OF COX & KINGS, WINS HALL OF FAME AWARD

The Oberoi, Dubai, the contemporary luxury hotel that embodies height, light and space and overlooks the iconic BurjKhalifa, presents a unique ‘Unforgettable Dubai’ offer valid till the 15th May, 2015. The offer package includes Accommodation in a Deluxe City View Room, Upgrade to a Luxury Pool View Room, Complimentary high speed Internet access, Daily breakfast, Savings of 20% on Spa therapies, Savings of 20% on dining, Late checkout up to 6 pm and Complimentary transfers to Dubai Mall.

ONYX APPOINTS SLC ITS SALES AND MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group has appointed SLC Representation to manage its UK Sales & Marketing. With an industry presence of 50 years, ONYX Hospitality Group is one of Asia-Pacific’s leading hospitality management companies, with 38 operational properties across Asia and an additional 16 properties in the pipeline. The group operates four diverse yet complementary brands – Saffron, Amari, Shama and OZO - each catering to the distinctive requirements of today’s business and leisure travellers. ONYX reaches beyond its Thai roots to offer innovative management solutions across the Indian Ocean, Arabian Gulf and Asia-Pacific regions. APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

Mr. Peter Kerkar, Director- Cox & Kings Ltd, the leading holidays and education travel group with operations in 23 countries across continents, has been honoured by The British Travel and Hospitality Hall of Fame as one of the seven inductees into the Hall of Fame this year. The British Travel & Hospitality Hall of Fame, honors outstanding business achievement in the Travel, Hospitality, Leisure & Tourism sectors. The award ceremony took place on April 13, 2015 at The Dorchester Hotel in London. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Peter Kerkar, Director, Cox & Kings Ltd said, “It is a great honor to receive this coveted award that has been a beacon of professional excellence for many of us.” 73

INTERNATIONAL NEWSLINE

AMITABH BACHCHAN INAUGURATES ‘INDIA BY THE NILE’ FESTIVAL

On a three-day visit to Egypt’s capital Cairo city Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan inaugurated the third edition of the ‘India by the Nile’ festival. The 18-day India by the Nile festival is considered to be the biggest foreign fair in Egypt. The festival is organized by The Embassy of India, Cairo (through the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture) in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Cairo Opera House and managed by Teamworks Arts. Egypt Tourism is hoping that Mr Bachchan’s visit will boost Indian tourist arrivals to the country in the coming years.

PERUVIAN TOURISM MINISTRY INVITES NEGOTIATIONS Peruvian Foreign Trade and Tourism Ministry announce further negotiations to India-Peru FTA this year. Trade negotiations with Peru will begin in the third quarter of this year, while Rajeev Kher, Secretary in Department of Commerce, would visit the South-American country in May. Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Magali Silva, said "Secretary Kher would visit our country by early May to continue encouraging the opening of negotiations for a FTA between both countries and begin with the face-to-face works, which are part of the Joint Feasibility Study," she specified. According to Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, during 2014 bilateral trade between India and Peru surpassed US$1.158 billion. Of the amount, US$321 million represented exports, and US$837 million imports. India-Peru FTA will allow the arrival of Indian firms to Peru and the establishment of joint ventures in different sectors, both for the local market and to boost Peru’s exports of services.

ASTER DM HEALTHCARE BAGS DUBAI BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS

VIETNAMESE TRAVEL AGENTS PARTICIPATES IN GLOBAL EXHIBITION A delegation of 15 leading Vietnamese Travel Agents headed by the Vice-chairman of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism will participate in the Vietnam Tourism Pavilion at the Global Exhibition on Services in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 23-25 April 2015 as announced by H.E. Mr. Ton Sinh Thanh, Ambassador of Viet Nam at the Press Conference on Viet Nam – India Tourism Cooperation. After the participation in the Vietnam Tourism Pavilion, the delegation will travel southward to conduct roadshows in Hyderabad and Chennai from 26-29 April 2015. The pavilion with the theme “Viet Nam – Land of Heritage” is the biggest ever Viet Nam Tourism Pavilion in India and will showcase first-hand information on how to travel to Vietnam. 74

Aster DM Healthcare scales new heights of quality and excellence by having two of its ventures recognised with the coveted Business Excellence Awards (2014 cycle) by the Department of Economic Development (DED), under the Government of Dubai. Medcare Hospital honoured with the Dubai Quality Award (DQA); and Aster Pharmacy Division won the award in the Best Performance Brand in Pharmacy Retail category. ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

NATIONAL NEWSLINE

DUSIT DEVARANA NEW DELHI BAGS ‘BEST AIR FRANCE-KLM’S IRRESISTABLE NEW HOTEL (INDIA) 2014 AWARD PROMOTIONAL FARES

Air France-KLM, a member of the Sky Team alliance is offering to all its customers in India a special discount of up to 50 % in Economy class to destinations in South and Central America this summer. This offer is valid for tickets issued in India and travel outbound from India until July 31, 2015. In order to avail the offer, customers can choose to book online at www. airfrance.in and www.klm.com, call Air France – KLM Sales & Service Centre at 1800 1800 044 / 1800 1800 033 or contact travel agent. Dusit Devarana New Delhi, the ideal city resort of Delhi has been recognized with the esteemed ‘Best New Hotel (India) 2014’ at the India’s Best Awards 2014 by Travel + Leisure India and South Asia magazine. Birgit Holm, Hotel Manager, DusitDevarana New Delhi commented, “At DusitDevarana New Delhi, we strive to make each guest feel at home and to ensure that they enjoy their time with us, whether it’s for work, a relaxing weekend getaway or a fun‐filled family vacation. Knowing that our efforts have resulted in guests consistently praising our property and their time with us, makes this award all the more gratifying.”

KLM CORPORATE GOLF TOURNAMENT KLM India witnessed one of the most successful and enjoyable golf events during the month of March this year. Over 100 avid golfers contributed to the success of the event which was held at the Golden Greens Golf Course, Gurgaon. The game was played in a double Peoria format and took off with a shotgun start on a beautiful Sunday morning and concluded with a delicious lunch organized by the event hospitality partner -The Leela Ambience, Gurgaon. The majority of the players were the Elite members of the Flying Blue program apart from the invitees of the hotel partner. APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

THE ZANZIBAR TOURISM PROMOTION CENTRE INDIA INAUGURATED

The Zanzibar Tourism Promotion Centre, India was formally inaugurated on 2nd April 2015 by Hon’ble Said Ali Mbarouk - Minister for Information, Culture, Tourism& Sports. It is entrusted with the task of assisting the M.I.C.T.S & the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism (Z.C.T) in promoting Zanzibar as a Tourism & Investment Destination in India and strengthening Zanzibar’s relationship with India by associating and closely working with representative bodies in the various spheres. It will also assist the M.I.C.T.S and Z.C.T in critical investment issues and providing consultation for capacity building, education, technology transfer, etc Zanzibar offers tremendous tourism opportunities for Family & FIT tours; Destination Weddings & Honeymooners; Sports Enthusiasts (Water Sports, Golfing & Football); Corporate Incentives & M.I.C.E tours; Events and a destination for Film Shootings. 75

NATIONAL NEWSLINE

SONGKRAN FOOD FESTIVAL HOSTED AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL

The Tourism of Authority of Thailand in Mumbai has once again teamed up with the Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai to lay out a culinary fiesta to celebrate Thailand’s New Year, Songkran from 09 April to 16 April. The Songkran Food Festival at the hotel's Pan-Asian restaurant, will feature a Thai New Year Menu offering traditional celebratory dishes by Thai Master Chef SeefahKetchaiyo. Songkran is a week-long, country-wide celebration. Locals and tourists alike participate in the festivities. The menu this year will include specialties such as Deep-Fried ChilliWith Minced Chicken and Prawn And Seared Prawn Avocado Spicy Lemongrass Salad. Chef Seefah's concept this time round is to introduce the Indian palette to more traditional and rustic flavors.

DR. (PROF) ARVIND KUMAR SPEAKS AT BRONOCON 2015 Dr. (Prof) Arvind Kumar, Pioneer of Thoracoscopy (VATS) in India educated the delegates on Tharacoscopy/VATS (KeyHole Surgery) at the 20th Annual National Conference of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology, organised by Department of Respiratory Medicine, RNT Medical College, Udaipur under the auspices of Indian Association for Bronchology, India. Apart from sharing his 20 years’ experience with 400 odd fellow pulmonologists, he also extensively answered queries on ‘The history of VATS (keyHole) Surgery’. 76

LEELA PALACE ESPA UDAIPUR WINS AWARD FOR BEST DESTINATION SPA

The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is delighted to announce that the luxurious ESPA at The Leela Palace Udaipur, located on the tranquil banks of Lake Pichola, has been named Best Destination Spa at the fourth edition of Travel + Leisure ‘India’s Best Awards’ 2014. Award marks sixth accolade in four years, making it one of the most celebrated destination spas of the country. Offering the perfect setting for indulgent relaxation and rejuvenation over 10,000 sq. ft., the award marks the sixth accolade in four years, making ESPA at The Leela Palace Udaipur one of the most celebrated destination spas in India.

THAILAND WINS THE BEST WEDDING DESTINATION AWARD 4TH TIME

Thailand bagged The Best Wedding Destination as Travel + Leisure India & South Asia announced the results of its fourth edition of the India’s Best Awards 2014 at The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel. This is the fourth year in a row where Thailand has received the best wedding destination award from Travel + Leisure. Thailand’s blissful and spectacular beaches, tropical climate, misty mountains, diverse & fascinating culture, hospitable people, exotic cuisine and world class luxury hotels & resorts attract the visitors and keep bringing them back, so much that it features among the most popular tourist destinations in South East Asia. ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

NATIONAL NEWSLINE

BARBEQUE NATION PRESENTS ‘AFRICA MAGICA Take an African Safari through the wild jungles, as Africa comes alive at Barbeque Nation with ‘Africa Magica’ – the African food festival. Visit any of Barbeque Nation’s 9 outlets in Delhi/NCR - Connaught Place, Jangpura, Saket, Vasant Kunj Pitampura, Janakpuri, Vivek Vihar, Noida and, Gurgaon between April 22 and May 10, 2015 to explore the most delectable choice of cuisines all the way from Africa. With this African food festival, Barbeque Nation is all revved up to let diners take a walk on the wild side.

ARGENTINA CELEBRATES MALBEC WORLD DAY 2015 IN MUMBAI The Consulate General of Argentina, in Mumbai, celebrated the fifth edition of World Malbec Day along with 64 cities and 50 countries around the world, together paying tribute to Argentina’s flagship grape variety-MALBEC on 17th of April. While the world commemorated the day when President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento of Argentina transformed Argentina's wine industry, in Mumbai, the Consul General, Tomas Ferrari hosted an evening extravaganza of sparkling red swigs and a high-energy Argentine Tango performance at the Taj Mahal Palace.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL VOTED ‘FAVOURITE CRUISE’

Global cruise line Royal Caribbean International has been named the ‘Favourite Cruise’ for 2014 by Outlook Traveller, India’s leading travel magazine. Royal Caribbean was voted the winner by the magazine’s readers as part of its annual Outlook Traveller Survey for the second consecutive year. The award was presented to Mrs. RatnaChadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN Travel Marketing, the exclusive India representative of Royal Caribbean International at the DusitDevrana, New Delhi on March 27, 2015.

EXPLORE THE RARE IN LADAKH

THE SIXTH ADVENTURE STORIES HOSTED BY TAJ MAHAL HOTEL, NEW DELHI In a constant endeavor to provide unique and memorable experiences treasured for life, The TajMahal Hotel, New Delhi and Taj Safaris hosted the sixth edition of Adventure Stories. Taj Safaris, India’s first luxury wildlife travel circuit that offers four exquisite lodges in the national parks of Madhya Pradesh, in association with The Outdoor Journal and Ibex Expeditions presented an evening of incredible tales of courage, travel and adventures from across the globe. Presented by Charu Sharma, well known sportscaster, the sixth edition featured IshitaMalaviya, India's first female pro surfer; DhillanChandramowli, Bangalore based rock climber & Padma Shri awardee Hari Dang as the speakers. APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

RARE as a travel representation platform brings out three exclusive experiences this summer that would define the Land Of Lama’s - Ladakh in all its numerous dimensions. A heritage house located in a village around the confluence of the Indus and the Zanskar rivers, resting in the beautiful valley of Leh, Ladakh, a world class under canvas camp catering to the high standing expectations of any discerning experiential traveller and a palace of the royal family that symbolizes the heritage of this Hermit Land in its deserving capacity. For more information on all the other properties that RARE has to offer, please log on rareindia. com 77

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE CONTEST - 87 1) Who said this “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life” ? 2) Who described the ‘1857 Uprising’ as the first Indian war of Independence ? 3) Largest forest in the world ? 4) World’s largest mall by area ? 5) Largest wine producing country in the world ? 6) Which country hosted the 2014 Elephant Polo World Championship ? 7) Which German Nobel winner in Literature died recently ? 8) Longest and highest jumper among animals compared to body size ? 9) Smallest Cat breeds in the world ? 10) Name the two contestants battled recently for the world welter weight boxing title ?

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ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015

APRIL 2015 | ASIAN TRAVELLER

ASIAN TRAVELLER | APRIL 2015