Kanyakumari: the sea within
It was complete darkness but for a weak moon that had very thinly illumined the night sky. Far away across the sea channel like an apparition could be seen a giant frame of a statue on a rock. It is of Saint Thiruvalluvar, the author who penned 'Thirukkural', a treatise in Tamil on the Indian way of life. more » |
 |
A place for the lotus-eaters
Assam is lately waking up to the potential of plantation holidays making good use of the fabulous colonial bungalows that dot the emerald valley. On offer is an experience of old plantation days. Krishna Das reports. more » |
|
|
Alexandria, my El Dorado
The best way of seeing it, is to wander aimlessly about- E M Forster on Alexandria.
The lady at Cairo’s central railway station tourist office was helpful. “Run, or else you would miss the train,” she told me. Right she was and I ran for the ticket counter just about managing to pick up a brochure on Alexandria. The man at the ticket counter saw me in the queue and yelled, “Run and board the train first and get the ticket on board, else you miss this one.” So I ran like crazy and just about managed to catch the train. I intended to board second class and save some money but I ended up in a first class coach in a hurry by mistake and paid a little more, all along under the impression that it was a second class one and wondering how good Egypt’s second class train travel is. No regrets, for it costs only Egyptian pound 30 (one USD is about six Egyptian pound) which is not much anyway. I swear from the experience of my return journey that the second class travel (AC) is no less comfortable. Warm, helpful Egyptians make any journeys comfortable in that magical country. more » |
