Showing posts with label Tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tourism. Show all posts

Sunday, 17 May 2015

New York - with the crowd in central park

Introduction

I can never contain my sense of excitement when thinking about going to New York City. I was fortunate enough to go there recently and the number meetings meant that it made sense for me to have a weekend there. While the day is conducive to anything more than work the evening prove invaluable in seeing the city. Now I've been to New York City before and know my way round it. But this time the trip was different. Here are some of thing I got up to.

Central Park Circuit.

I had warm evening when the office emptied at 6pm and I went back to the hotel with nothing much to do. So I put on my shorts and thought it would be worth while running around the Central Park circuit. Being the middle of spring the day was warm and the number of cherry blossom trees and the evening light were magical. But I think every man and woman on the west and east side must have had the same ideas and me as there was a bevy of different New Yorker running along side me.




Cherry Blossoms in Central Park (April)

Looking out over to the west side
A little fitness while taking pictures

Chrysler Building

Here's a photo looking up at the Chrysler building from just behind Grand Central station. Magnificent building but sadly you cannot go up to the observatory of this phenomenal building



Chrysler Building - Day time shot of the Art Deco façade

Empire State Building

The Empire state is still a building that takes your breadth away to build something so tall nearly a hundred years ago and still a functional building to this day is something. This does have an observatory but next time baby!




Grand Central Station

A beautiful ambient train station the home to many a movie and handy location for a Apple store too. No I didnt buy anything from this one.




Times Square

Times Square is always happening and you cant beat the buzz around this place. I've noticed that most places in the world have a Times Square, even out local shopping centre has a times square but nothing compares to this place.

Eye Catching H&M lady

Times Square - Circular Panorama

St. Patricks Cathedral

Here's a view of St. Patrick's cathedral sandwiched between commercial mid tow and the shops of Fifth and Madison.


Top of the Roc

This is the view from Bar65 at the top of the Rockefeller Centre. I would say this is the best way to spend your money if you're going to the top of the Roc. Yes the drink prices are extortionate but there are every where else in the world where you have a view like this.


Other places to visit

For a few evening drinks and watching the sun go down over Jersey head to down town and the Standard Hotel roof top bar.

Just across from the Standard Bar is Hog and Heifers bar - if you've seen Coyote Ugly this is the place in NYC. Sadly the place was dead on the day I went but interesting for the visitor. It looks like a biker crowd hopefully they are not territorial

Conclusion

Hopefully will be back in the Big Apple soon enough with the family in tow to properly visit the sights again and get some better pictures with proper focus and more light! Until then adieu.

Sunday, 2 November 2014

Ahmedabad - The hidden gems in your back yard

Introduction

As a Gujarati native, Ahmedabad is a family hub for us its the primary link from Mumbai and the hub for us to go to all the spokes of family across Gujarat. On my recent trip to India I took some time to take the family around some of the key places across Ahmedabad. For most families of Gujarati (Indian) origin we never think about seeing the places in our back yard. So below I've described some of the things you can do in Ahmedabad besides shopping malls and give your family something of interest to do and see.

The step wells of Gujarat

Hidden in the old part of Ahmedabad in the midst is the Dada Harir Vav. The word "Vav" describes a set well where you would step down through the ground to gather water for daily use. Whilst these step well have been supersede in daily life. A visit will render you in awe of the function of these large holes in the ground but more so the intricate care and design of these unique pieces of architecture.


A look across the top of the step well

A look down into the main well

As you step down you appreciate the layers of the well

Intricate carving in both Sanskrit and Arabic (Mughal era)

Looking up the step well towards the light

Intricate carvings of the step well - perfection in all things
Huthee Singh Vadi

Tucked away again in the old part of town is the Jain temple Huthee Singh Vadi. The temple we visited was under restoration and photos weren't allowed inside. But here are a few shot taken from my phone from the outside of the temple.


Huthee Singh Vadi-intricate decorations on the outside

Siddhi Sayed Jali

Around the old Ahmedabad town the streets are riddles with gates (darwaza) and fortifications in the area. One of the interesting carvings in Ahmedabad are the jali's in the centre of town. These are fine carvings in a slab of stone forming windows to religious buildings.





How to to get around town

We took the approach to rent a rickshaw for 3 hours taking us everywhere. Interestingly even the rickshaw owner did not know all the placed but these are easily found on Google Maps and by asking around as we did.

And there is more to see in Ahmedabad, take a look at the tourism website and it has a wealth of options to keep a day occupied.

Note if your are going to cover a substantial amount of distance or have a large group the best option is to rent a car to drive you around.