tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3701620751944067452024-03-14T19:47:51.812+05:30Seriously JokingA little bit of this, a little bit of that: mostly about life in general, about my family, and things worth sharing with others.Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.comBlogger643125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-4043647219264958492017-10-03T10:48:00.000+05:302017-10-03T10:48:15.280+05:30Family Vacation in the U.K., 11th October 2016, Day 12: Edinburgh to Loch Ness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We woke up early and reached the place from where we would board a bus to travel to Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. This trip, which I had booked through TripAdvisor, was conducted by the <a href="https://www.highlandexplorertours.com/1-day-tours/loch-ness-explorer/" target="_blank">Highland Explorer Tours</a> company. The office of this company is located on the Royal Mile road. Their bus arrived a little after eight a.m. In the meantime, we meandered into a nearby cafe to partake of some coffee and cakes. A small crowd collected as the time to start the tour neared. Inside the office, we exchanged our trip vouchers for actual tickets. Each ticket would cost around 45 pounds. For this price, we would ride the bus for over 12 hours, visiting many of the highlands areas including Stirling, Callender, Loch Lomond, Fort Augustus and, finally, Loch Ness, before returning in the evening via a route that would cover the Commando Memorial. En route, we would pass the famous Ben Nevis mountain. At Fort Augustus, we were served a dry lunch consisting of sandwiches and shortbread. </span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The entire trip was a memorable one indeed. The sights of Scotland were marvellous. We spent a lot of time at Loch Ness, also having our lunch here, and a bit of local shopping. We also took many photos, both along the way, at the Loch itself, and at the Commando memorial. Here are some memories: </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4kBeZaH9MxA/WdKPgp-uqBI/AAAAAAADlA8/NNIp1xWJ3ZsR5cdsG8RaqBTJE2BuS-gyQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4kBeZaH9MxA/WdKPgp-uqBI/AAAAAAADlA8/NNIp1xWJ3ZsR5cdsG8RaqBTJE2BuS-gyQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SP_8dQW5ftY/WdKPiH1b29I/AAAAAAADlBA/f0gIENsxnZQl38J3yfrXa_2D5C_GisHmwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SP_8dQW5ftY/WdKPiH1b29I/AAAAAAADlBA/f0gIENsxnZQl38J3yfrXa_2D5C_GisHmwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2svDXuE33eg/WdKPPM7ZMcI/AAAAAAADlA4/iLpbatoMNXMueenAuY01xLIf2kz4kZ-jgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2svDXuE33eg/WdKPPM7ZMcI/AAAAAAADlA4/iLpbatoMNXMueenAuY01xLIf2kz4kZ-jgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0041.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JDO7ipS2Vqk/WdKPqNag1RI/AAAAAAADlBE/bLhHhYHCtWk09lMheaUOCXdgXpb-clxkQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JDO7ipS2Vqk/WdKPqNag1RI/AAAAAAADlBE/bLhHhYHCtWk09lMheaUOCXdgXpb-clxkQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0042.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U6fl9hD1qHE/WdKP2MXbg0I/AAAAAAADlBI/un5XTtx2-yIdwQxenNnxTzqK-b1VokzkwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U6fl9hD1qHE/WdKP2MXbg0I/AAAAAAADlBI/un5XTtx2-yIdwQxenNnxTzqK-b1VokzkwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0045.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--I-AgxOoTgs/WdKP_x5Am5I/AAAAAAADlBQ/6y4yV66yJTQ2b3KA-NogDfesFduywHSAQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--I-AgxOoTgs/WdKP_x5Am5I/AAAAAAADlBQ/6y4yV66yJTQ2b3KA-NogDfesFduywHSAQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0065.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ur6BjVbUvok/WdKP-uteuqI/AAAAAAADlBM/-zVhhV49K_EIsrjiMhOMFWLg2NX_1To0wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ur6BjVbUvok/WdKP-uteuqI/AAAAAAADlBM/-zVhhV49K_EIsrjiMhOMFWLg2NX_1To0wCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0076.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TligPNYrNrM/WdKQPc58FVI/AAAAAAADlBU/HnHGEPryHv8FEGTzB5urE9s19nAhJP1YwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TligPNYrNrM/WdKQPc58FVI/AAAAAAADlBU/HnHGEPryHv8FEGTzB5urE9s19nAhJP1YwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0081.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4bFhLI5ic3I/WdKQXHPic-I/AAAAAAADlBc/Ghz7kOYfuv4PiuTXkds0BK2E21QEQDWSwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4bFhLI5ic3I/WdKQXHPic-I/AAAAAAADlBc/Ghz7kOYfuv4PiuTXkds0BK2E21QEQDWSwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0084.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ECn3Zt1IdtI/WdKQQN0qZeI/AAAAAAADlBY/1_fumVcNqBsZZoykcTRNn-Gp2KSiMr4sACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1004" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ECn3Zt1IdtI/WdKQQN0qZeI/AAAAAAADlBY/1_fumVcNqBsZZoykcTRNn-Gp2KSiMr4sACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0091.JPG" width="250" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4aiicRPTTo/WdKQeByrFsI/AAAAAAADlBg/XsFQYslCALwwvQRrqec1gsTND7DkCCufgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4aiicRPTTo/WdKQeByrFsI/AAAAAAADlBg/XsFQYslCALwwvQRrqec1gsTND7DkCCufgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0122.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJ9gq2SVQV0/WdKQt_t4PfI/AAAAAAADlBk/6lBloF9ZGjIbWhEdv45CntrMNK1yIirJgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJ9gq2SVQV0/WdKQt_t4PfI/AAAAAAADlBk/6lBloF9ZGjIbWhEdv45CntrMNK1yIirJgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0125.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9dObm7nT-d4/WdKQu5Z7SGI/AAAAAAADlBo/mepgWP4wlH0qjUr_tcaUSNlChh0uMoEEACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9dObm7nT-d4/WdKQu5Z7SGI/AAAAAAADlBo/mepgWP4wlH0qjUr_tcaUSNlChh0uMoEEACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0152.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GzLbT6E_MlQ/WdKQv6tNiBI/AAAAAAADlBs/i8SaYiTqrPY5zlCYyIucCvcfxXopX8N_gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GzLbT6E_MlQ/WdKQv6tNiBI/AAAAAAADlBs/i8SaYiTqrPY5zlCYyIucCvcfxXopX8N_gCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0162.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Loch Ness</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3C3KdLd_l8/WdKQ5OdydWI/AAAAAAADlB0/9D64CSYlep8Vh4tIJ4vLl2ntsR1jQgFXgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1165" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3C3KdLd_l8/WdKQ5OdydWI/AAAAAAADlB0/9D64CSYlep8Vh4tIJ4vLl2ntsR1jQgFXgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0174.JPG" width="290" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WX0iWC7xPeI/WdKRTl5tNAI/AAAAAAADlCA/oye4bmU9e4MBLlkISypd6unykma3JQJfQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WX0iWC7xPeI/WdKRTl5tNAI/AAAAAAADlCA/oye4bmU9e4MBLlkISypd6unykma3JQJfQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0183.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M4LTmoPNz7E/WdKRSytH9FI/AAAAAAADlB8/WO9W_96c1NIo42ivzZhKMAjn6rK1v4awQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M4LTmoPNz7E/WdKRSytH9FI/AAAAAAADlB8/WO9W_96c1NIo42ivzZhKMAjn6rK1v4awQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0185.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loch Ness replica made from steel wires</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-df-pH1zPpt0/WdKRLBfdXqI/AAAAAAADlB4/ulRQjR0kSNU9xHbBZSLPng9GWc3VsNlbwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-df-pH1zPpt0/WdKRLBfdXqI/AAAAAAADlB4/ulRQjR0kSNU9xHbBZSLPng9GWc3VsNlbwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0213.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Commandos' statue at the Commando Memorial</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lDTdSJ0p2G0/WdKRdGrgr3I/AAAAAAADlCE/3O5-PcZaFmU-E3qwOpEJdjzuU90-rdeXACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lDTdSJ0p2G0/WdKRdGrgr3I/AAAAAAADlCE/3O5-PcZaFmU-E3qwOpEJdjzuU90-rdeXACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0218.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tributes to deceased soldiers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-13371211927899107632017-10-02T02:10:00.003+05:302017-10-02T02:10:28.024+05:30Family Vacation in the U.K., 10th October 2016, Day 11: Durham to Edinburgh via Hadrian's wall and Vindolanda<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">I write this post after nearly a year of the events, so readers may please excuse if there are inconsistencies. Today, we checked out of the hotel in Durham and proceeded to drive to Edinburgh. A little after we had left, Hannah and I began to discuss what might happen if we veered a little off-course to explore </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadrian's%20Wall" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Hadrian's Wall</span></a><span style="color: #fff2cc;"> - a definite tourist attraction this side. We saw only portions of this wall as we drove parallel to it on the route that would start east of us near Newcastle and goes west to Carlisle. However, we did drive to the ancient Roman artifacts of </span><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindolanda" target="_blank">Vindolanda</a> </span><span style="color: #fff2cc;">- where we spent nearly two hours seeing the ruins of an ancient Roman settlement - houses, fort, and all. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These are some of the memories we stored in the camera. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2P-QCDQfPOY/WdE0uaQWyBI/AAAAAAADk-o/WlGTRBZH3Q46_O9LELjNPGfewMasO0tbQCLcBGAs/s1600/Copy%2Bof%2BIMG_0140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2P-QCDQfPOY/WdE0uaQWyBI/AAAAAAADk-o/WlGTRBZH3Q46_O9LELjNPGfewMasO0tbQCLcBGAs/s400/Copy%2Bof%2BIMG_0140.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pG4i6A9Zf6c/WdE0kbABu2I/AAAAAAADk-g/cPWMGdTevSAUqzVu0d3zV-PxMGa20oU3QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pG4i6A9Zf6c/WdE0kbABu2I/AAAAAAADk-g/cPWMGdTevSAUqzVu0d3zV-PxMGa20oU3QCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0122.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tLuRPNGiN08/WdE0p6OnhzI/AAAAAAADk-k/7U8_S3b0d_gF8URIPaDcA9o57CJ3PScMQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tLuRPNGiN08/WdE0p6OnhzI/AAAAAAADk-k/7U8_S3b0d_gF8URIPaDcA9o57CJ3PScMQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0126.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yP6oIge-UH8/WdE1MQzes4I/AAAAAAADk-s/RtvsXtt4lTQFOSucVIgKIHeM43clBPL2gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yP6oIge-UH8/WdE1MQzes4I/AAAAAAADk-s/RtvsXtt4lTQFOSucVIgKIHeM43clBPL2gCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0128.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JKNC6aI0Hdc/WdE1Zuh096I/AAAAAAADk-0/ItgjaMCKV684yr9lBivH7JwEamHsn5FxgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JKNC6aI0Hdc/WdE1Zuh096I/AAAAAAADk-0/ItgjaMCKV684yr9lBivH7JwEamHsn5FxgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0135.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nSAGxTJ41mw/WdE1d3VxxjI/AAAAAAADk-4/qZ9eelaNUD81m_hlgInL1Ad_R94i7mZiQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nSAGxTJ41mw/WdE1d3VxxjI/AAAAAAADk-4/qZ9eelaNUD81m_hlgInL1Ad_R94i7mZiQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0138.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PDjiaxazT2g/WdE11TeIyzI/AAAAAAADk-8/TQN12INKZ2QXlfm4E7lgtqLgCHPOmU6KACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PDjiaxazT2g/WdE11TeIyzI/AAAAAAADk-8/TQN12INKZ2QXlfm4E7lgtqLgCHPOmU6KACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0144.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iP9c33H3nBU/WdE2ElAeYOI/AAAAAAADk_E/6cEdj963AwUQIFX5eWowG3SB25s5ourCgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iP9c33H3nBU/WdE2ElAeYOI/AAAAAAADk_E/6cEdj963AwUQIFX5eWowG3SB25s5ourCgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0151.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ceK1m_slzYw/WdE2ENgSZhI/AAAAAAADk_A/LF7eQRvs9p4x-8Pg2ttU9YT7GWwLPggTACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ceK1m_slzYw/WdE2ENgSZhI/AAAAAAADk_A/LF7eQRvs9p4x-8Pg2ttU9YT7GWwLPggTACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0154.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8bZPe9XTnTM/WdE2iVg-PlI/AAAAAAADk_M/knqdD63UgHcXAhMZBMDcf3O2nQJS8IoGgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8bZPe9XTnTM/WdE2iVg-PlI/AAAAAAADk_M/knqdD63UgHcXAhMZBMDcf3O2nQJS8IoGgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0165.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YmxgEe3CnKU/WdE2y0jg1jI/AAAAAAADk_Q/V98AGlMle90w8bEMzOIj14wZafKiaezBgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YmxgEe3CnKU/WdE2y0jg1jI/AAAAAAADk_Q/V98AGlMle90w8bEMzOIj14wZafKiaezBgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0191.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A reconstruction of a reinforcement along the Hadrian's wall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7UKkmjXpKfc/WdE2hDA800I/AAAAAAADk_I/Iayu1PYyN1YbqmLfmCthZNmnXhJscZQtQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7UKkmjXpKfc/WdE2hDA800I/AAAAAAADk_I/Iayu1PYyN1YbqmLfmCthZNmnXhJscZQtQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0193.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-coG5267P-vs/WdE3KD2c2CI/AAAAAAADk_Y/IhS3omoB0hsnDgTKxg4gdC-uWC3MefQjwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-coG5267P-vs/WdE3KD2c2CI/AAAAAAADk_Y/IhS3omoB0hsnDgTKxg4gdC-uWC3MefQjwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0197.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8a06pl-5XBI/WdE2_pEzjbI/AAAAAAADk_U/vBQFAB6IblcLugE25ELCCTN4gGwkHg8kQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8a06pl-5XBI/WdE2_pEzjbI/AAAAAAADk_U/vBQFAB6IblcLugE25ELCCTN4gGwkHg8kQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0201.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R7jXmIvds60/WdE3Tsva7jI/AAAAAAADk_c/4q2uEXK7I-o3tk8HCTBL_R4tnpGYJrEeACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R7jXmIvds60/WdE3Tsva7jI/AAAAAAADk_c/4q2uEXK7I-o3tk8HCTBL_R4tnpGYJrEeACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0224.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZClLZ7L3iQQ/WdE3iNvAfnI/AAAAAAADk_g/z5mQ3obd5qQKdtqptIutQXk6JrDTV0jFgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZClLZ7L3iQQ/WdE3iNvAfnI/AAAAAAADk_g/z5mQ3obd5qQKdtqptIutQXk6JrDTV0jFgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0228.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q291xuYBgDQ/WdE3uDBAeKI/AAAAAAADk_k/uku1w5l1jvoGJobONQK0GGwr6yBEwtKHQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q291xuYBgDQ/WdE3uDBAeKI/AAAAAAADk_k/uku1w5l1jvoGJobONQK0GGwr6yBEwtKHQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0230.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iSR07ajyrVU/WdE31PEgDPI/AAAAAAADk_o/WFBq6rqyINUYTMaH1b9iOfY_wGLS4LSIACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iSR07ajyrVU/WdE31PEgDPI/AAAAAAADk_o/WFBq6rqyINUYTMaH1b9iOfY_wGLS4LSIACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0232.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZM7sNwan1w/WdE39ig7JlI/AAAAAAADk_w/bjqWogBCDokOcweDJXLWNqHrWGY1pXkqQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gZM7sNwan1w/WdE39ig7JlI/AAAAAAADk_w/bjqWogBCDokOcweDJXLWNqHrWGY1pXkqQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0247.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JoRuYALzx38/WdE38QxDq-I/AAAAAAADk_s/ZIqcNefF89QyjsNm8BJoveQD2coWuYg5QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JoRuYALzx38/WdE38QxDq-I/AAAAAAADk_s/ZIqcNefF89QyjsNm8BJoveQD2coWuYg5QCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0260.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hadrian wall in the distance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The most dramatic find at Vindolanda was the museum that had completely well-preserved Roman artifacts dating back to the dawn of the modern age around the 1st to the 3rd century AD. The Wikipedia article gives credit to the ANOXIC soil conditions here that have prevented oxidative damage in the form of decay and rusting. The above photographs will bear me out. The last photo shows a portion of the intact Hadrian's wall running parallel to the motorway.</span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From here, we then proceeded on the journey to Edinburgh. We arrived in Edinburgh around sunset. Here, we had booked a flat on AirBnB. It was a lavish 2 BHK flat in a quiet area of the metropolitan city. However, it was on a higher floor and it took us some effort to get our luggage up into the flat. There was a well-appointed kitchen and large, spacious rooms. The property was well-maintained. The only issue we had over the next few nights was that the bath-tub was too smooth and we slipped while standing and taking a shower. Other than that, the property was great. </span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For dinner, we went and picked up food from an Indian restaurant located less than a few roads away. We retired for the night. Tomorrow would be a busy day as we were all set to travel further north to Loch Ness. </span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-22338613198518546482017-10-01T13:43:00.003+05:302017-10-01T13:43:40.488+05:30Family Vacation in the U.K., 9th October 2016, Day 10: York to Durham<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We checked out of Bootham Crescent and drove to Durham today. The drive was unexciting, but we were aware we were now proceeding to visit a castle that was part of the shooting of Harry Potter movies. Hannah was excited as well. Imagine our disappointment when we reached Durham to see that the castle visits were not on for the day as the castle was hosting a college cultural event! </span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We had plenty of other things to do - so we made the best of the day with visits to the <a href="http://www.druhamcathedral.co.uk/" target="_blank">Durham Cathedral</a> and an outdoor visit to the <a href="http://tinyurl.com/angelOTnorth" target="_blank">Angel of the North</a>. Here are some pictures from the day. I would consider that this was among the most unexciting days we had on this otherwise glorious trip.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPIMEk2e76s/WdCY3lUysPI/AAAAAAADk88/R4tL0NTi7hoVZSepBQQm7H162uvLoFwzACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPIMEk2e76s/WdCY3lUysPI/AAAAAAADk88/R4tL0NTi7hoVZSepBQQm7H162uvLoFwzACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This photo was of a plant arrangement in the outer area of the cathedral. I think that the cathedral edifice here was really grand. They did not allow us to take photos inside, but we did manage a few of the structure from outside. </span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Within, there was a section of the cathedral devoted to ex-soldiers, policemen and other public servants that was quite interesting. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oitriUBMQ0A/WdCailbJzaI/AAAAAAADk9I/pa2vezn6U44KnRMoNpGriMcnaFIan1TOACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oitriUBMQ0A/WdCailbJzaI/AAAAAAADk9I/pa2vezn6U44KnRMoNpGriMcnaFIan1TOACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0023.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KyJhruhDmjA/WdCamW7u0SI/AAAAAAADk9M/pLXWK2r-QAEwGdWpnK0udlam2-bCXrligCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KyJhruhDmjA/WdCamW7u0SI/AAAAAAADk9M/pLXWK2r-QAEwGdWpnK0udlam2-bCXrligCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ovt43Zu_ge8/WdCatEDlOoI/AAAAAAADk9Q/_rxHfW2g9GQ_fmqiU_qihWfuTva0QII0ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ovt43Zu_ge8/WdCatEDlOoI/AAAAAAADk9Q/_rxHfW2g9GQ_fmqiU_qihWfuTva0QII0ACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0028.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GbmHhBLxNcU/WdCa5i8KHBI/AAAAAAADk9U/14-cAWi-6okSLYdhNS2sKoX2jmFwHllsQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GbmHhBLxNcU/WdCa5i8KHBI/AAAAAAADk9U/14-cAWi-6okSLYdhNS2sKoX2jmFwHllsQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JSafg97CYMI/WdCa9m_tlQI/AAAAAAADk9Y/4xxdVPErVT8F78E4JFeHrbEVPulXR2pkACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JSafg97CYMI/WdCa9m_tlQI/AAAAAAADk9Y/4xxdVPErVT8F78E4JFeHrbEVPulXR2pkACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0038.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A model of the cathedral in the gift shop<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From the cathedral, we decided to first have lunch. We went to the <a href="https://www.bistroitaliano.co%2Cuk/" target="_blank">Bistro Italiano</a>, which we found accidentally while searching for an appropriate location to have our food. This place is located on Claypath road. This place is on the first floor of a building but is easy to find as they have posted a sufficient number of signposts. The restaurant was delightful. They found us a table near the glass front of the restaurant. A young man called ?Tony served us. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ArRKD60ydcE/WdCeGDSFmoI/AAAAAAADk9o/c2kJJxDsJK8aJemvlyimpIoz076NFbj7QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ArRKD60ydcE/WdCeGDSFmoI/AAAAAAADk9o/c2kJJxDsJK8aJemvlyimpIoz076NFbj7QCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0069.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-onapkSJ5vNA/WdCeFIbFTHI/AAAAAAADk9k/e6Bn9vIpbTIRuSLrnOHYUtT1S-k8lx5iQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-onapkSJ5vNA/WdCeFIbFTHI/AAAAAAADk9k/e6Bn9vIpbTIRuSLrnOHYUtT1S-k8lx5iQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0070.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After lunch, we decided to visit the <a href="https://www.visitengland.com/experience/visit-angel-north" target="_blank">Angel of the North</a>, which is a huge public edifice located outside Durham at Gateshead of the Newcastle upon Tyne area. One can read a lot about this place on either Wikipedia or on TripAdvisor as well, but the best thing to do is to actually go there and experience the sheer size and beauty of this structure. It has the wingspan of a large jumbo jet and is nearly seven to eight stories high. It is believed to be the largest sculpture of an angel in the world and it was planned under the supervision of <a href="http://www.antonygormley.com/" target="_blank">Antony Gormley</a>. It stands here since 1998 and welcomes over 150000 visitors each year. We spent over two hours here, taking photos and enjoying ourselves. Around the sculpture are gardens where people have traditionally created places of worship for their pets and children who have passed away. We saw a great many such memorials here. Some pictures follow:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HGc4cflPOig/WdChOdzxngI/AAAAAAADk90/QAUoKboSWMMAlXrS7CIHVf1Gp0-0i68wACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HGc4cflPOig/WdChOdzxngI/AAAAAAADk90/QAUoKboSWMMAlXrS7CIHVf1Gp0-0i68wACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0075.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xku5OAOMCmM/WdChucIQ2WI/AAAAAAADk98/Z_LXK2b2f_QXuaPMROkdwFfEaSakknuqgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xku5OAOMCmM/WdChucIQ2WI/AAAAAAADk98/Z_LXK2b2f_QXuaPMROkdwFfEaSakknuqgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0086.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B5TREHJrKCU/WdCh0f3NUTI/AAAAAAADk-A/GWDgoEq5D44ox2xhnqbwxWPC-EgbOxktQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B5TREHJrKCU/WdCh0f3NUTI/AAAAAAADk-A/GWDgoEq5D44ox2xhnqbwxWPC-EgbOxktQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0088.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OXsbXOLm3ok/WdChqoFxhZI/AAAAAAADk94/gsagngLHu4MxbF6B-DGb-rDiQhz5k8-yACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OXsbXOLm3ok/WdChqoFxhZI/AAAAAAADk94/gsagngLHu4MxbF6B-DGb-rDiQhz5k8-yACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0091.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJQbd66DFHk/WdCiDDIPA1I/AAAAAAADk-I/dL5HXRVkxx4kol-cMnvcdeCaoDhKcUscACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJQbd66DFHk/WdCiDDIPA1I/AAAAAAADk-I/dL5HXRVkxx4kol-cMnvcdeCaoDhKcUscACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0094.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yTm5CTMKsQ8/WdCiCPstA4I/AAAAAAADk-E/6yT6julZ3N0lmVuq13KCSjQCTZB0EnQtQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yTm5CTMKsQ8/WdCiCPstA4I/AAAAAAADk-E/6yT6julZ3N0lmVuq13KCSjQCTZB0EnQtQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0107.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Having visited this place, we went to the <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g190832-d10595514-Reviews-Gilesgate_Moor_Hotel-Durham_County_Durham_England.html" target="_blank">Gilesgate Moor Hotel</a>. where we spent the night. </span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-9653433899509183852017-06-13T02:58:00.002+05:302017-06-13T02:58:45.683+05:30Family Vacation in the U.K., 8th October 2016, Day 9: York<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: black; color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We reached York on the evening of the 7th, and proceeded to drive to where we had booked a flat through Booking.com, at Bootham Crescent. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jXDI2bgvGFc/WT54sp0Ri7I/AAAAAAADgok/cov_x9f_adwy9Q9vy1UYXnVXsaM2Be0twCLcB/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jXDI2bgvGFc/WT54sp0Ri7I/AAAAAAADgok/cov_x9f_adwy9Q9vy1UYXnVXsaM2Be0twCLcB/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YufvmDvjxzU/WT54smcW6JI/AAAAAAADgoo/9mHkCbK_-ToCGeZRsUdGv6moMKqQfXWWgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YufvmDvjxzU/WT54smcW6JI/AAAAAAADgoo/9mHkCbK_-ToCGeZRsUdGv6moMKqQfXWWgCLcB/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MitlFWDRhSs/WT54sjnKgUI/AAAAAAADgos/ze5OEsYXlB04BYEgx_0gKkRXhk6gcOBKQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MitlFWDRhSs/WT54sjnKgUI/AAAAAAADgos/ze5OEsYXlB04BYEgx_0gKkRXhk6gcOBKQCLcB/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yH5O9z7QZEc/WT543bpoYWI/AAAAAAADgow/N7pQppYiFXkUkoUU6l8xg7pj82ggDXBCACLcB/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yH5O9z7QZEc/WT543bpoYWI/AAAAAAADgow/N7pQppYiFXkUkoUU6l8xg7pj82ggDXBCACLcB/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The place was called Clearly Apartments, and we were at #62. This was a narrow lane, and after I had allowed the family to disembark and take the luggage with them, I had a tough time finding place to park my car. In the event, I nearly ran into parking trouble when I tried to reverse park the car into a very small space and accidentally touched the rear bumper to the front fender of the car that stood behind the small space. I triggered the Neighbourhood watch CCTV because a guy came out from nowhere and confronted me. I showed him that no damage had been done either to my car or the car behind and eventually, he was pacified. Parking anywhere on this street was at £12 per night, and I had to retrieve a parking pamphlet from the flat and put it in front of the dashboard so that the car would not get towed away!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We went a long way off to get food for ourselves from an Indian restaurant. It was across the railway line at the back of Bootham Crescent. Food was good. We slept overnight.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the morning, we set off to explore York. It is, in a way, a lovely place to see, but we really enjoyed it for its great people, friendly atmosphere, street activities, and the amazing attractions. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We went to see the York Minster, but it was open to visitors only after 2:00 p.m. Hence, we skipped this for the time being and proceeded to walk to the Shambles Market. This market is known for its narrow lanes, interesting shops, and the general ambiance. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrmbJ3V6vqc/WT59-KtMGaI/AAAAAAADgpI/7OKGd3Kcp8Q4nFvJv7-HIhdlfZjW8TKogCLcB/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrmbJ3V6vqc/WT59-KtMGaI/AAAAAAADgpI/7OKGd3Kcp8Q4nFvJv7-HIhdlfZjW8TKogCLcB/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ_io1E47oc/WT594KS30FI/AAAAAAADgpE/53BKTUYJtjw-XeBGJ45JUrgoJW-aBQdswCLcB/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ_io1E47oc/WT594KS30FI/AAAAAAADgpE/53BKTUYJtjw-XeBGJ45JUrgoJW-aBQdswCLcB/s320/IMG_0023.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jEOmceIbKnA/WT59zLW5lBI/AAAAAAADgpA/I7pieMYu5C4TkYDBjNZjct51SGnzQJrNQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jEOmceIbKnA/WT59zLW5lBI/AAAAAAADgpA/I7pieMYu5C4TkYDBjNZjct51SGnzQJrNQCLcB/s320/IMG_0026.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tZuf4KGkNiM/WT5-Qs4LgNI/AAAAAAADgpM/gGunQg7r_Y8phsDWd0FMensgixB2S_pCwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tZuf4KGkNiM/WT5-Qs4LgNI/AAAAAAADgpM/gGunQg7r_Y8phsDWd0FMensgixB2S_pCwCLcB/s320/IMG_0032.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sPhlzPad9Uc/WT5-aPaN0qI/AAAAAAADgpQ/aI0c-iwILSwAybQOfuVI1goiN6CqDKSjACLcB/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sPhlzPad9Uc/WT5-aPaN0qI/AAAAAAADgpQ/aI0c-iwILSwAybQOfuVI1goiN6CqDKSjACLcB/s320/IMG_0035.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T-G6V83PWVU/WT5-iSUvl8I/AAAAAAADgpU/fGQhI42u6g4_iPM7Wrlh3k0UHtGeIPOdQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T-G6V83PWVU/WT5-iSUvl8I/AAAAAAADgpU/fGQhI42u6g4_iPM7Wrlh3k0UHtGeIPOdQCLcB/s320/IMG_0038.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CTvyf4uBHrY/WT5_A5QqD0I/AAAAAAADgpc/tH7bX3XJdXwo1JScyKAJfE5tC1-tTzQJQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CTvyf4uBHrY/WT5_A5QqD0I/AAAAAAADgpc/tH7bX3XJdXwo1JScyKAJfE5tC1-tTzQJQCLcB/s320/IMG_0042.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We had lunch here. After this, we strolled around the town, </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dwmom7xp5v8/WT5-7yqbvHI/AAAAAAADgpo/kezkBJD2Ot022ebMp6TmVpLPwj4uwkwaACEw/s1600/IMG_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dwmom7xp5v8/WT5-7yqbvHI/AAAAAAADgpo/kezkBJD2Ot022ebMp6TmVpLPwj4uwkwaACEw/s320/IMG_0065.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mp_hihxGsY8/WT5_EK1XKAI/AAAAAAADgpo/hjNtlIaKFAEi1JjeKKUEwTArwX6rng6vgCEw/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mp_hihxGsY8/WT5_EK1XKAI/AAAAAAADgpo/hjNtlIaKFAEi1JjeKKUEwTArwX6rng6vgCEw/s320/IMG_0068.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IYYyZzq7Im4/WT5_jKhPV7I/AAAAAAADgpk/BKX8704qigsRM5en1eQLermtGRi8DXKjgCEw/s1600/IMG_0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IYYyZzq7Im4/WT5_jKhPV7I/AAAAAAADgpk/BKX8704qigsRM5en1eQLermtGRi8DXKjgCEw/s320/IMG_0071.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u9agkOsidGc/WT5_s5K2zlI/AAAAAAADgqw/PIfGI2XIfNIBC7YH9El3JObMhQ7iMc8fQCEw/s1600/IMG_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u9agkOsidGc/WT5_s5K2zlI/AAAAAAADgqw/PIfGI2XIfNIBC7YH9El3JObMhQ7iMc8fQCEw/s320/IMG_0079.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R5DcM4VsX3g/WT5_vNL0F2I/AAAAAAADgqw/bkSNaPHOKRQNO0l91qRYIY3sKjGcFJ5zQCEw/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R5DcM4VsX3g/WT5_vNL0F2I/AAAAAAADgqw/bkSNaPHOKRQNO0l91qRYIY3sKjGcFJ5zQCEw/s320/IMG_0080.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Presently, we arrived at the back of the shambles, where we witnessed a remarkable street performance by a young man who did acrobatics, swallowed a full-length straight sword, ate fire, and cycled on a tall-shaft unicycle with his eyes and face blindfolded. Here are a few photos of him:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yd6dVGlwusk/WT6CGykdPsI/AAAAAAADgqw/rScC6HpzL1Ij64311KsWaPT-8Cz1jBX9QCEw/s1600/IMG_0203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yd6dVGlwusk/WT6CGykdPsI/AAAAAAADgqw/rScC6HpzL1Ij64311KsWaPT-8Cz1jBX9QCEw/s320/IMG_0203.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dACS6j3OxCc/WT6CUgyES8I/AAAAAAADgqw/Pbp4KN-8NokWB1EH5zb_ov7tax_5WeKzQCEw/s1600/IMG_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dACS6j3OxCc/WT6CUgyES8I/AAAAAAADgqw/Pbp4KN-8NokWB1EH5zb_ov7tax_5WeKzQCEw/s320/IMG_0209.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-46sYv1B5Tws/WT6ooLHw-OI/AAAAAAADgq8/N2S4n9FWNvc3CV9kcz6HwvmgjJCKfyiTQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-46sYv1B5Tws/WT6ooLHw-OI/AAAAAAADgq8/N2S4n9FWNvc3CV9kcz6HwvmgjJCKfyiTQCLcB/s320/IMG_0204.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wpPrTWVTAyo/WT6ovNwDs7I/AAAAAAADgrE/Ufj3MoQ8CJsq2H6M_dOHIMALbHORPt5_QCLcB/s1600/IMG_0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wpPrTWVTAyo/WT6ovNwDs7I/AAAAAAADgrE/Ufj3MoQ8CJsq2H6M_dOHIMALbHORPt5_QCLcB/s320/IMG_0210.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hdMG3jMSGqI/WT6ou0p4SyI/AAAAAAADgrA/EI_8htTBl0A-GW-6LB_I9dAW3VgP73nXgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hdMG3jMSGqI/WT6ou0p4SyI/AAAAAAADgrA/EI_8htTBl0A-GW-6LB_I9dAW3VgP73nXgCLcB/s320/IMG_0214.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From here, we went to visit the National Rail Museum. This was a unique museum that showcases the entire history of British railways from its inception down the centuries to where it is today. A few photos:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uo-_7O2Ekew/WT6AFxIqa7I/AAAAAAADgqw/Hwx17NmSj8ABSFt5K89L9jv0nyE1xF6uACEw/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uo-_7O2Ekew/WT6AFxIqa7I/AAAAAAADgqw/Hwx17NmSj8ABSFt5K89L9jv0nyE1xF6uACEw/s320/IMG_0083.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Io_pjJJuI28/WT6AVS57QuI/AAAAAAADgqw/UhNGcDNR8L4eTvDep8EeWAtu6FNQDNQGACEw/s1600/IMG_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Io_pjJJuI28/WT6AVS57QuI/AAAAAAADgqw/UhNGcDNR8L4eTvDep8EeWAtu6FNQDNQGACEw/s320/IMG_0087.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eH8ltgkPjBI/WT6AL2Sfl6I/AAAAAAADgqw/o2sBIbwRiiU8JfOPocEYn7t4xT4vq9iEQCEw/s1600/IMG_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eH8ltgkPjBI/WT6AL2Sfl6I/AAAAAAADgqw/o2sBIbwRiiU8JfOPocEYn7t4xT4vq9iEQCEw/s320/IMG_0089.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MNbUm0fjJiA/WT6Aq2LqZiI/AAAAAAADgqw/b_IJjdj7uO8CB2TWap2grIrQ1G7qJOAXQCEw/s1600/IMG_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MNbUm0fjJiA/WT6Aq2LqZiI/AAAAAAADgqw/b_IJjdj7uO8CB2TWap2grIrQ1G7qJOAXQCEw/s320/IMG_0095.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rfkG_lVMr70/WT6A45fLzKI/AAAAAAADgqw/r8i_x_UoPDAmyvkhE-RNBC53SAUik-HcwCEw/s1600/IMG_0104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rfkG_lVMr70/WT6A45fLzKI/AAAAAAADgqw/r8i_x_UoPDAmyvkhE-RNBC53SAUik-HcwCEw/s320/IMG_0104.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AESyOCgbKOM/WT6A-aDlI8I/AAAAAAADgqw/BXDorleWihYosqOKzfPR13-a3rpQ6NRzACEw/s1600/IMG_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AESyOCgbKOM/WT6A-aDlI8I/AAAAAAADgqw/BXDorleWihYosqOKzfPR13-a3rpQ6NRzACEw/s320/IMG_0107.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-irOE_DcRpKE/WT6BQ3uw3WI/AAAAAAADgqw/Oa0DQLv_HPIFW9GPNbDoNDqw60Wpji3DwCEw/s1600/IMG_0115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-irOE_DcRpKE/WT6BQ3uw3WI/AAAAAAADgqw/Oa0DQLv_HPIFW9GPNbDoNDqw60Wpji3DwCEw/s320/IMG_0115.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gdfRMTGnFkY/WT6BksvRSUI/AAAAAAADgqw/6wxRjTlvPE4fIWrn_4hcICLs6iEe5r2bgCEw/s1600/IMG_0136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gdfRMTGnFkY/WT6BksvRSUI/AAAAAAADgqw/6wxRjTlvPE4fIWrn_4hcICLs6iEe5r2bgCEw/s320/IMG_0136.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l6H_vRNRg2o/WT6BrKFa3sI/AAAAAAADgqw/pYyIqMH0c4M1CTOGtOwivjLtQhSHO4UhACEw/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l6H_vRNRg2o/WT6BrKFa3sI/AAAAAAADgqw/pYyIqMH0c4M1CTOGtOwivjLtQhSHO4UhACEw/s320/IMG_0138.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wCN9emtu22Q/WT6B5p2mM1I/AAAAAAADgqw/dnT_LpLgDtMrH9l4hqajxEiIGEgG42OGQCEw/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wCN9emtu22Q/WT6B5p2mM1I/AAAAAAADgqw/dnT_LpLgDtMrH9l4hqajxEiIGEgG42OGQCEw/s320/IMG_0147.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Following this, we also visited Clifford's Tower. This is an imposing structure that commands a view of the entire area from the top. Which is what we did. We climbed up the long flight of stone stairs to go to the top and view the area below. The views were really very beautiful.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ia5iLouxxDE/WT6CeKs2bjI/AAAAAAADgqw/BhIPnhPhgJMjsGTLUDNcrHLo5I0QRmJFQCEw/s1600/IMG_0218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ia5iLouxxDE/WT6CeKs2bjI/AAAAAAADgqw/BhIPnhPhgJMjsGTLUDNcrHLo5I0QRmJFQCEw/s320/IMG_0218.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hdEMJY4EXbE/WT6CieZEmdI/AAAAAAADgqw/I_L8RVGDzOkqqG7k9CILJ07OOhN4DKHRwCEw/s1600/IMG_0221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hdEMJY4EXbE/WT6CieZEmdI/AAAAAAADgqw/I_L8RVGDzOkqqG7k9CILJ07OOhN4DKHRwCEw/s320/IMG_0221.JPG" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0kWHEN4mKU/WT6Ct5ON4xI/AAAAAAADgqw/grfp1yfrtYAED6CHcZYQew-xiIa8oqWqACEw/s1600/IMG_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0kWHEN4mKU/WT6Ct5ON4xI/AAAAAAADgqw/grfp1yfrtYAED6CHcZYQew-xiIa8oqWqACEw/s320/IMG_0224.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We returned to the hotel to spend the night. Tomorrow, we would go to Durham. However, before that, I had to call up the pilots for the Virgin Balloon Flights that I had arranged for all of us and kept as a surprise for everyone. According to this plan, we would start early morning to reach the Balloon flights centre near Durham and take the balloon rides. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Disappointingly, inclement weather cancelled this marvellous surprise. In any case, we would still be staying a night at Durham before proceeding further on our journey.</span></span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-29431292128165655672017-06-12T15:34:00.000+05:302017-06-12T15:34:08.819+05:30Family Vacation in the U.K., 7th October 2016, Day 8: Cambridge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SD_ZwFp0n9I/WT5iRX-uJvI/AAAAAAADgoY/ZvZil4oaoC4bWwcnvWi4drRnC4SAOJt4wCPcB/s1600/IMG_0344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SD_ZwFp0n9I/WT5iRX-uJvI/AAAAAAADgoY/ZvZil4oaoC4bWwcnvWi4drRnC4SAOJt4wCPcB/s320/IMG_0344.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The drive to Cambridge was accomplished without much fanfare yesterday itself. We stayed at a place called Worth House - an expensive place to stay, as most hotels in Cambridge are expensive. However, Worth House, for which we paid over £200 for one night, was quite well-kept and worth the amount we paid, because the family room we took was well-appointed and spacious. On the morning, we were served breakfast in a large dining room by Guido and his partner Maria. </span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They were a wonderful couple and they served food with a smile. Nishrin wasn't feeling too well, so we left her at the hotel, and we all went out to explore Cambridge. We decided to hire bicycles, since this is a student town that favours cyclists. We got the bikes for a sum of around £50 for the three of us for 2 hours. We went around to a lot of places. We explored the market area, and visited the famous Trinity College with its exquisitely trimmed central lawn, the giant cupola, and the petite but beautiful college hall and cathedral. Here are a few pictures we took of us and of the sights we saw</span>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u0XzicuOxSI/WT5i76G7bpI/AAAAAAADgoY/450SvSJJ_1sHJsXvdjojudozXWZxoEsTwCPcB/s1600/IMG_0356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u0XzicuOxSI/WT5i76G7bpI/AAAAAAADgoY/450SvSJJ_1sHJsXvdjojudozXWZxoEsTwCPcB/s320/IMG_0356.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hNTYuZt9i-w/WT5icXd_V6I/AAAAAAADgoY/ORv1dzI6-KwkVlcRhv60VfjW0fCp1df7ACPcB/s1600/IMG_0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hNTYuZt9i-w/WT5icXd_V6I/AAAAAAADgoY/ORv1dzI6-KwkVlcRhv60VfjW0fCp1df7ACPcB/s320/IMG_0352.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XlpmHG54cFU/WT5jB3aVvAI/AAAAAAADgoY/IGiE-CKZwx4wjr6RamM3om813juRmWagwCPcB/s1600/IMG_0380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XlpmHG54cFU/WT5jB3aVvAI/AAAAAAADgoY/IGiE-CKZwx4wjr6RamM3om813juRmWagwCPcB/s320/IMG_0380.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QaJ6nkzyxaE/WT5je7uV8XI/AAAAAAADgoY/cFy3xDX3urgZlORp8r8CdAd9x4d_GIvrQCPcB/s1600/IMG_0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QaJ6nkzyxaE/WT5je7uV8XI/AAAAAAADgoY/cFy3xDX3urgZlORp8r8CdAd9x4d_GIvrQCPcB/s320/IMG_0387.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PowxBsfo8xY/WT5jhBk_8pI/AAAAAAADgoY/HnQzGWS1svISoVOFrYUmhDjHCGAeU4FTACPcB/s1600/IMG_0391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PowxBsfo8xY/WT5jhBk_8pI/AAAAAAADgoY/HnQzGWS1svISoVOFrYUmhDjHCGAeU4FTACPcB/s320/IMG_0391.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7uX2i8Npf6o/WT5jm-FSP1I/AAAAAAADgoY/4ML7Vq_SdQIzZ-RThsTb4JQn8cpu9CWqgCPcB/s1600/IMG_0396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7uX2i8Npf6o/WT5jm-FSP1I/AAAAAAADgoY/4ML7Vq_SdQIzZ-RThsTb4JQn8cpu9CWqgCPcB/s320/IMG_0396.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DYr3POMw5E/WT5kEpwgjzI/AAAAAAADgoY/BApsGZ9W3o4nCfshoY4CQkyUjcgoQBJlACPcB/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DYr3POMw5E/WT5kEpwgjzI/AAAAAAADgoY/BApsGZ9W3o4nCfshoY4CQkyUjcgoQBJlACPcB/s320/IMG_0406.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3-9eU7bupQ/WT5kLJh2i4I/AAAAAAADgoY/ZSSgi6E5jMoJuAIZOEe1_Ux9zFNknTw3QCPcB/s1600/IMG_0408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3-9eU7bupQ/WT5kLJh2i4I/AAAAAAADgoY/ZSSgi6E5jMoJuAIZOEe1_Ux9zFNknTw3QCPcB/s320/IMG_0408.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3fTpVz_yxA/WT5kMInjgWI/AAAAAAADgoY/H7jLtp0FOBQ5hhWfqt7KPrSYadTpdGjTQCPcB/s1600/IMG_0417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3fTpVz_yxA/WT5kMInjgWI/AAAAAAADgoY/H7jLtp0FOBQ5hhWfqt7KPrSYadTpdGjTQCPcB/s320/IMG_0417.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F2WSJGBbtJ8/WT5klq0B18I/AAAAAAADgoY/pjOaaMHYvvczO30z66xTvwSJNbPu7pTagCPcB/s1600/IMG_0430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F2WSJGBbtJ8/WT5klq0B18I/AAAAAAADgoY/pjOaaMHYvvczO30z66xTvwSJNbPu7pTagCPcB/s320/IMG_0430.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zVLTOmp9OsQ/WT5kfvivkfI/AAAAAAADgoY/r7BHemsL3rAKKdtv0MX8-_G-0Wml-CoTACPcB/s1600/IMG_0426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zVLTOmp9OsQ/WT5kfvivkfI/AAAAAAADgoY/r7BHemsL3rAKKdtv0MX8-_G-0Wml-CoTACPcB/s320/IMG_0426.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We returned our bikes, and then walked back to the hotel. We set off for York in the afternoon, and arrived there in the late evening. We would spend the next two nights in York - and this would probably be the best part of our entire trip, as York is a lovely place to visit, as you will see in my next post. Thank you for reading this post. </span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-37936820784903971212017-01-23T00:25:00.001+05:302017-06-05T03:34:45.390+05:30Family Vacation in the U.K., 6th October 2016, Day 7: Sightseeing in London and onward to Cambridge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ffe699;">Today, we made grandiose plans to visit at least three attractions - viz. the Museum of Natural History, the Victoria and Albert Museum and perhaps one more --- before moving on the later part of the afternoon to drive to Cambridge, our next destination.</span><span style="color: #ffe699;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ffe699;"><br />In the event, we only managed to see the Museum of Natural History. It was vast beyond comprehension. The museum is laid out over 5<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>storeys, and the inanimate world occupies three of those. For example. there were many exhibits of early<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>civilisation, stories from the physical world, the world of scientific phenomena of nature, the stories of the mineral deposits within the earth's crust, and the story of evolution. In particular, the physical phenomena floor was really interesting. There were sections on earthquakes and volcanoes, waves and energy from the sea, wind energy, nuclear physics and what not. </span><span style="color: #ffe699;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ffe699;"><br />The displays on the minerals included hundreds of exhibits of semi-precious and precious stones and base minerals of the planet both. </span><span style="color: #ffe699;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ffe699;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ffe699;">Moving on, the clear<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>favourite<span class="apple-converted-space"></span> </span><span style="color: #ffe599;">was the huge exhibits in the natural history section. We literally waded through gallery after gallery of animal species. The one on dolphins and sharks took about 15 minutes to just pass through. The same was the case with the huge gallery on mammals. Finally, the piece de resistance - the vast gallery on dinosaurs, with moving models, skeletons,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>dinoramas, and so on. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #ffe699;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Take a look at some of the photos from this amazing visit: Click<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/REaxLPFw2x9E3VCT9" style="color: #20124d;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffe699; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #FFE699; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=40000 lumo=60000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themetint: 102;">HERE</span></a>.</span></span><span style="color: #ffe699; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #FFE699; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=40000 lumo=60000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent4; mso-themecolor: accent4; mso-themetint: 102;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8uSLCRNRgIQ/WIT-9lQsArI/AAAAAAADbmM/JLHZB8FSvIEBfZ0Ct-GYdbm8CzvszvQ7gCLcB/s1600/011%2BMNH%2BGallery%2Bwith%2Bhuge%2Bskeleton%2Bof%2Bdinosaur.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8uSLCRNRgIQ/WIT-9lQsArI/AAAAAAADbmM/JLHZB8FSvIEBfZ0Ct-GYdbm8CzvszvQ7gCLcB/s320/011%2BMNH%2BGallery%2Bwith%2Bhuge%2Bskeleton%2Bof%2Bdinosaur.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Central hall with skeleton of Diplodoccus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zARcioZnnZI/WIT-9rghNvI/AAAAAAADbmQ/PVsWqBii7MsVs13MnTXEjemz3-zQGchYwCLcB/s1600/015%2BBlaschka%2Bglass%2Bmodel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zARcioZnnZI/WIT-9rghNvI/AAAAAAADbmQ/PVsWqBii7MsVs13MnTXEjemz3-zQGchYwCLcB/s320/015%2BBlaschka%2Bglass%2Bmodel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Rare Blaschko model of a sea creature</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_jIpCdsUQcA/WIT-95DcWWI/AAAAAAADbmU/RSsbGjhIKTYhF8YkC2-HkeqtVG5b_zFzQCLcB/s1600/020%2BDino%2Bskeleton.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_jIpCdsUQcA/WIT-95DcWWI/AAAAAAADbmU/RSsbGjhIKTYhF8YkC2-HkeqtVG5b_zFzQCLcB/s320/020%2BDino%2Bskeleton.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the central hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YoZXHfceS6c/WIT-_WVSneI/AAAAAAADbmc/Kfv4zVtiHw8vUhenHjmSEt1cHzWJWq50gCLcB/s1600/035%2BHummingbirds%2Btree%2Bin%2Bfull.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YoZXHfceS6c/WIT-_WVSneI/AAAAAAADbmc/Kfv4zVtiHw8vUhenHjmSEt1cHzWJWq50gCLcB/s320/035%2BHummingbirds%2Btree%2Bin%2Bfull.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An exhibit of hummingbirds in a tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tfbzgDMtdeU/WIT-_K-3XKI/AAAAAAADbmY/0Cc9LXGp5eUCo5_m8T0-XFeZRY1Anj7aACLcB/s1600/038b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tfbzgDMtdeU/WIT-_K-3XKI/AAAAAAADbmY/0Cc9LXGp5eUCo5_m8T0-XFeZRY1Anj7aACLcB/s320/038b.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How water erosion smoothens a stone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IP-MMXgyxa8/WIT-_rY1rFI/AAAAAAADbmg/rgpAFbcaJys3K0HY0p-B57oAkFNpn1bZACLcB/s1600/043%2BPrecious%2Bstones%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IP-MMXgyxa8/WIT-_rY1rFI/AAAAAAADbmg/rgpAFbcaJys3K0HY0p-B57oAkFNpn1bZACLcB/s320/043%2BPrecious%2Bstones%2B1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Precious amethyst stones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tbYzWuunQV0/WIT_AbbHTNI/AAAAAAADbmk/pbp588Lw4HAkUr_e1al8sYF-KGh0EmTwQCLcB/s1600/048%2BCorals%2Bjewellery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tbYzWuunQV0/WIT_AbbHTNI/AAAAAAADbmk/pbp588Lw4HAkUr_e1al8sYF-KGh0EmTwQCLcB/s320/048%2BCorals%2Bjewellery.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semi-precious coral jewellery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4UrZduw9XVY/WIT_AjcIc9I/AAAAAAADbmo/jA-s_b96WU8TYC-tyRJljIEtMj9tdudgwCLcB/s1600/050%2BUnknown%2Bfish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4UrZduw9XVY/WIT_AjcIc9I/AAAAAAADbmo/jA-s_b96WU8TYC-tyRJljIEtMj9tdudgwCLcB/s320/050%2BUnknown%2Bfish.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Model of a dolphin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFpTI3ljXDA/WIT_JyIZzVI/AAAAAAADbm0/RS3g3FZeXdMwcAqmKkZHvTK2UtZN0iLxgCLcB/s1600/003%2BMuseum%2Bof%2BNat%2BHis%2Ba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jFpTI3ljXDA/WIT_JyIZzVI/AAAAAAADbm0/RS3g3FZeXdMwcAqmKkZHvTK2UtZN0iLxgCLcB/s320/003%2BMuseum%2Bof%2BNat%2BHis%2Ba.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Museum of Natural History</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BC3SxeU3zMk/WIT_Il74OWI/AAAAAAADbms/SOj1k9DiZK0NWPxaY1ZPUSrB-PufT-2kgCLcB/s1600/027%2BBald%2Beagle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BC3SxeU3zMk/WIT_Il74OWI/AAAAAAADbms/SOj1k9DiZK0NWPxaY1ZPUSrB-PufT-2kgCLcB/s320/027%2BBald%2Beagle.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stuffed bald eagle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QNGTtYGheI8/WIT_JC2I8LI/AAAAAAADbmw/hcvUYjYgTS4wi5f1b2xHhTqXN1uK7I_jQCLcB/s1600/037b%2BEarthquake%2Blines%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QNGTtYGheI8/WIT_JC2I8LI/AAAAAAADbmw/hcvUYjYgTS4wi5f1b2xHhTqXN1uK7I_jQCLcB/s320/037b%2BEarthquake%2Blines%2B2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tectonic lines along the planet as we know today</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time we finished our entire visit, we had run out of time to visit any other gallery. Hence, we simply went to the car rental agency and drove out of London to Cambridge, our next stop. </span><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232;"><br /></span>
</div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-32629039453795033482016-12-18T04:01:00.000+05:302016-12-18T04:01:01.407+05:30 Family Vacation in the U.K., 5th October 2016, Day 6: Sightseeing in London <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">As stated in my previous post, we had a London Pass that we had purchased from the Visit Britain counter at the UK Visa office in Mumbai. This pass is meant for free visits to more than 150 places of tourist interest in London. Each day's pass can make your pocket lighter by upto INR 4000/= Now there is an upper limit on how much one can see, and this is about INR 10000/= worth per day in entry tickets, etc. However, before one can reach that upper limit, the day usually gets over! On this, our second day, we had planned to cover 4 attractions. In the end, we managed only 2 1/2! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The first of these was a visit to the iconic Tower of London. To reach this, we took a tourist bus that took us free (as its cost was included with our London Pass). It was a rather long journey, but the continuous commentary in one's ears through an automated ear-phones inside the back of the seat in front of you - makes the trip interesting. We passed through the outskirts of London into the center of power - viz. Westminster, which has its own municipality. En route, we saw, again, some of the famous landmarks of London, as also, some not-so-famous places, such as the "Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese" pub that dates back more than 300 years, and where writers and playwrights of the time came to sip a cup of tea or have something stronger while they tried to tickle their muse. If I am not mistaken, this included stalwarts like Lord Byron.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Eventually, we arrived at the Tower of London. The square structure that contains, on one corner of it, the actual tower, is only a part of a complex that houses troops even today. In addition, the tower also has the Royal Armoury and the Crown Jewels - which makes this place unique. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The armoury was simply too interesting, but far more than it was the Crown Jewels exhibition that did not allow photography. We saw the Royal Jewels down the ages, as also various decorations worn by the previous monarchs on their epaulettes, chests and so on. Of course, we saw the Queen's crown with the Kohinoor diamond. It was a genuine pleasure to see these original jewels, golden kitchenwear and cutlery, and some were absolutely remarkable. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">From the TofL, we walked some distance to the London Tower Bridge. This is the structure we see on London postcards! There was an exhibition on Tier 2 of the tower bridge titled "Bridges of the World". But the most remarkable thing was on the highest level - the Tier 3, which has a glass-floor corridor that you walk through from one end to the other and from the other end via the second, parallel bridge to the end you began the walk on. From there, you descend to the first Tier - or the main road, and then out ...</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">What follows are a few of the best photos from today's visit to the TofL and the Tower Bridge.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jHMGT9Ay274/WFW2FRgQCBI/AAAAAAADaW4/I87tev_Qp-sjIlg3runLrJF0MziP3exFwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0031.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jHMGT9Ay274/WFW2FRgQCBI/AAAAAAADaW4/I87tev_Qp-sjIlg3runLrJF0MziP3exFwCLcB/s400/IMG_0031.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tower of London</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-347598PQg3E/WFW2Xns4YGI/AAAAAAADaW8/TvNuxkjq42Q8a6kYjJ3nlazJ0rVybT4FgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-347598PQg3E/WFW2Xns4YGI/AAAAAAADaW8/TvNuxkjq42Q8a6kYjJ3nlazJ0rVybT4FgCLcB/s400/IMG_0026.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our guide</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W8OiC6-5Es0/WFW1-6xIZxI/AAAAAAADaW0/nhq6itC_nqE9vVy3_ZkgMfVHREUuMPVlQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W8OiC6-5Es0/WFW1-6xIZxI/AAAAAAADaW0/nhq6itC_nqE9vVy3_ZkgMfVHREUuMPVlQCLcB/s400/IMG_0037.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the more decorative cannons on display</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_xvfJkHze0s/WFW2aw1P0wI/AAAAAAADaXA/0UX2oFyYLbQ310uE7FXvfcFEehhsvF39ACLcB/s1600/IMG_0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_xvfJkHze0s/WFW2aw1P0wI/AAAAAAADaXA/0UX2oFyYLbQ310uE7FXvfcFEehhsvF39ACLcB/s400/IMG_0046.JPG" title="" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A full armour worn by a previous king, James II</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BaVuGOF8kPg/WFW3HCqHaEI/AAAAAAADaXM/P3DLRXlEhqw5FFpJBreTnT_m1AMpe1HuwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BaVuGOF8kPg/WFW3HCqHaEI/AAAAAAADaXM/P3DLRXlEhqw5FFpJBreTnT_m1AMpe1HuwCLcB/s400/IMG_0051.JPG" title="" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tEtGmj5tkto/WFW24i-MHSI/AAAAAAADaXE/JN1rqWDMpwQXNMajkPcgSiLBfb4NCsvVwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tEtGmj5tkto/WFW24i-MHSI/AAAAAAADaXE/JN1rqWDMpwQXNMajkPcgSiLBfb4NCsvVwCLcB/s400/IMG_0073.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A golden revolver - usually a gift</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IGteIPNcU8Y/WFW4_li3kkI/AAAAAAADaXs/y67ex0wNMXk0W_GMnOcSwTlqx1-4PKXfACLcB/s1600/IMG_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IGteIPNcU8Y/WFW4_li3kkI/AAAAAAADaXs/y67ex0wNMXk0W_GMnOcSwTlqx1-4PKXfACLcB/s400/IMG_0075.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, a golden machine gun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C9dDpCbPUz4/WFW38zg2aWI/AAAAAAADaXU/Cmto2DbmpHkLO0akRzjB2ErrbC3_z-oYACLcB/s1600/IMG_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C9dDpCbPUz4/WFW38zg2aWI/AAAAAAADaXU/Cmto2DbmpHkLO0akRzjB2ErrbC3_z-oYACLcB/s400/IMG_0081.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the cannons and cannon balls on display</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gTGYb4ls9RA/WFW3yY_PklI/AAAAAAADaXQ/NKbkxeoE3loB-1jZRnIZBwiHS80sAdrIgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gTGYb4ls9RA/WFW3yY_PklI/AAAAAAADaXQ/NKbkxeoE3loB-1jZRnIZBwiHS80sAdrIgCLcB/s400/IMG_0097.JPG" title="" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A live performance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rx0QyAiNrUs/WFW4N2bpUjI/AAAAAAADaXc/lVXzPhoMrEMxTIfRHakKDsYsQ4Zb2Yj5gCLcB/s1600/IMG_0122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rx0QyAiNrUs/WFW4N2bpUjI/AAAAAAADaXc/lVXzPhoMrEMxTIfRHakKDsYsQ4Zb2Yj5gCLcB/s400/IMG_0122.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a breather before walking down the London Tower Bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kaO_fNpQN6k/WFW4bG_qOII/AAAAAAADaXg/l3lud1XXdMYIzITDeAbtUrTwXfdRwfyiwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kaO_fNpQN6k/WFW4bG_qOII/AAAAAAADaXg/l3lud1XXdMYIzITDeAbtUrTwXfdRwfyiwCLcB/s400/IMG_0132.JPG" title="" width="166" />a</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Bridge, Tier 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGa74v8FZT4/WFW4txZsTrI/AAAAAAADaXk/atfT2dhSLpolV9TcTBig3kWp6peTBG3jACLcB/s1600/IMG_0141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGa74v8FZT4/WFW4txZsTrI/AAAAAAADaXk/atfT2dhSLpolV9TcTBig3kWp6peTBG3jACLcB/s400/IMG_0141.JPG" title="" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bridges of the World exhibition, Tier 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pvsqeR2rH_U/WFW5DvVXNeI/AAAAAAADaXw/v2UwCg_DtxoUKY3u5dM9ffkzqQ_2Jj_XgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pvsqeR2rH_U/WFW5DvVXNeI/AAAAAAADaXw/v2UwCg_DtxoUKY3u5dM9ffkzqQ_2Jj_XgCLcB/s400/IMG_0152.JPG" title="" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reclining on the glass floor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YmsaGxr0Nq4/WFW4-SWLswI/AAAAAAADaXo/YvxsZrIpH9EzG6su4s9KeYmlJ5Toj3w0ACLcB/s1600/IMG_0168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YmsaGxr0Nq4/WFW4-SWLswI/AAAAAAADaXo/YvxsZrIpH9EzG6su4s9KeYmlJ5Toj3w0ACLcB/s400/IMG_0168.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then, everyone looks up for a group snap against mirrors on the ceiling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> The half that I referred to in the beginning was a visit to Oxford Street, where the family shopped till we dropped at the H & M stores. Indeed, this half was the one they most enjoyed. ;-)</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-34343691188556224822016-12-07T03:46:00.002+05:302016-12-18T02:17:41.697+05:30Family Vacation in the U.K., 4th October 2016, Day 5: Sightseeing in London<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">We had purchased a 2-day London Pass from India, which would enable us to visit many locations within London free of cost. However, in the end, over the next few days, we only managed to see 5-6 attractions, as each one took quite a bit of time. London is indeed one of the best cities from the point of view of tourism. We managed to see the following places today: Piccadilly Square, Trafalgar square and the Nelson Monument, The Elizabeth Tower housing the Big Ben, the Westminster Abbey, London Eye, and St. Paul's cathedral. We also managed to do the London River Cruise and London by Night. All in all, a great day was had by us all. </span><br />
<span style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #ead1dc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">There is little to say, so I will simply add some photos of the places we visited.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oCXwVWs8W9c/WEciRccZ90I/AAAAAAADaEY/2B8N4hC7_WQmSLZlKfK61D37Ga0XdqoywCLcB/s1600/IMG_0175%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oCXwVWs8W9c/WEciRccZ90I/AAAAAAADaEY/2B8N4hC7_WQmSLZlKfK61D37Ga0XdqoywCLcB/s320/IMG_0175%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piccadilly Circus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nGsm6dLOTrc/WEcibSqq3lI/AAAAAAADaEc/j1zrDE2LaLAwRdrvdb6KHv7To8DbPu52ACLcB/s1600/IMG_0183%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nGsm6dLOTrc/WEcibSqq3lI/AAAAAAADaEc/j1zrDE2LaLAwRdrvdb6KHv7To8DbPu52ACLcB/s320/IMG_0183%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trafalgar Square with the Nelson column</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HPWKwm8xZMg/WEcicE0OhBI/AAAAAAADaEg/VMr6cki_oy4kIbagv7PesFmC_inBoB_gQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0190%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HPWKwm8xZMg/WEcicE0OhBI/AAAAAAADaEg/VMr6cki_oy4kIbagv7PesFmC_inBoB_gQCLcB/s320/IMG_0190%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun at the Trafalgar Square - I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AJ3VuODmb5c/WEci2FIcsqI/AAAAAAADaEk/A61Uy7yI1UYtoFKLkp3x12J665zSH2UKACLcB/s1600/IMG_0193%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AJ3VuODmb5c/WEci2FIcsqI/AAAAAAADaEk/A61Uy7yI1UYtoFKLkp3x12J665zSH2UKACLcB/s320/IMG_0193%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun - II</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oP-ARGj8URc/WEcjIMGcVRI/AAAAAAADaEo/RlPVWKruPYUGxql5hZ4gA9OPehZC6UuRwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0200%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oP-ARGj8URc/WEcjIMGcVRI/AAAAAAADaEo/RlPVWKruPYUGxql5hZ4gA9OPehZC6UuRwCLcB/s320/IMG_0200%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun - III</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3X9N6WO0qew/WEcjLHBnH1I/AAAAAAADaEs/8xQ1xqb7LGkLHMTFeDCj1vrNzxDl0SfRwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0203%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3X9N6WO0qew/WEcjLHBnH1I/AAAAAAADaEs/8xQ1xqb7LGkLHMTFeDCj1vrNzxDl0SfRwCLcB/s320/IMG_0203%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait - I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CF3wOQ6w1dk/WEcjuLafJXI/AAAAAAADaEw/TqwrGfuvDiI_XAUo4TDJsNh7Q9DawxhgwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0210%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CF3wOQ6w1dk/WEcjuLafJXI/AAAAAAADaEw/TqwrGfuvDiI_XAUo4TDJsNh7Q9DawxhgwCLcB/s320/IMG_0210%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait - II</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xs3rVgte1Uc/WEcj6XODdsI/AAAAAAADaE0/lu2vK2iydWYOPVad8Wfb9HvvTJAqOgQyQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0219%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xs3rVgte1Uc/WEcj6XODdsI/AAAAAAADaE0/lu2vK2iydWYOPVad8Wfb9HvvTJAqOgQyQCLcB/s320/IMG_0219%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside Buckingham Palace </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-so3OTQRm5Fc/WEcj-u88XLI/AAAAAAADaE4/rA50a6WbwPc78zHMNN0XaXnAgqb58h_LgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0220%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-so3OTQRm5Fc/WEcj-u88XLI/AAAAAAADaE4/rA50a6WbwPc78zHMNN0XaXnAgqb58h_LgCLcB/s320/IMG_0220%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1D2uom3zAw/WEckN4ZI7tI/AAAAAAADaE8/v7KDLoe7JEUU82garl1of2-442DmG2ZNACLcB/s1600/IMG_0223%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f1D2uom3zAw/WEckN4ZI7tI/AAAAAAADaE8/v7KDLoe7JEUU82garl1of2-442DmG2ZNACLcB/s320/IMG_0223%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Tower, more commonly known as the Big Ben</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZC5bXBit__w/WEckpTUArGI/AAAAAAADaFA/8hS_oSfv1VY7Z0wVPwJqbNUZrLTE81aWwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0227%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZC5bXBit__w/WEckpTUArGI/AAAAAAADaFA/8hS_oSfv1VY7Z0wVPwJqbNUZrLTE81aWwCLcB/s320/IMG_0227%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westminster House</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0jdVFA-1_s/WEckvJF7G4I/AAAAAAADaFE/totedfJPTuIueRD6MknwIEReimyKQYXuQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0236%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0jdVFA-1_s/WEckvJF7G4I/AAAAAAADaFE/totedfJPTuIueRD6MknwIEReimyKQYXuQCLcB/s320/IMG_0236%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside Westminster Abbey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X48zPQ8O1Hw/WEck6BV5coI/AAAAAAADaFI/TTaoFfAfNdY39giqdYQYme_gx5VMwwEvwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X48zPQ8O1Hw/WEck6BV5coI/AAAAAAADaFI/TTaoFfAfNdY39giqdYQYme_gx5VMwwEvwCLcB/s320/IMG_0248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A plaque inside the Abbey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bgjr112UxmQ/WEclr3dj59I/AAAAAAADaFU/osIwRXLi2tU2GPMi9xm7ouATgpVuUKd9ACLcB/s1600/IMG_0257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bgjr112UxmQ/WEclr3dj59I/AAAAAAADaFU/osIwRXLi2tU2GPMi9xm7ouATgpVuUKd9ACLcB/s320/IMG_0257.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sir Winston Churchill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8Ka6PBNSWI/WEclTasmI4I/AAAAAAADaFM/aRWrOC9uFCIQ3ssFcW-QCWsMsAflwxs9gCLcB/s1600/IMG_0261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8Ka6PBNSWI/WEclTasmI4I/AAAAAAADaFM/aRWrOC9uFCIQ3ssFcW-QCWsMsAflwxs9gCLcB/s320/IMG_0261.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London Millennium Eye</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M_9Sza6b9YA/WEclaereiVI/AAAAAAADaFQ/OsqA81rwZ-cNE0gSgiwLm-RvogOgJk2iQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M_9Sza6b9YA/WEclaereiVI/AAAAAAADaFQ/OsqA81rwZ-cNE0gSgiwLm-RvogOgJk2iQCLcB/s320/IMG_0264.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uz8kxIKAXRI/WEclzRdhJBI/AAAAAAADaFY/9N5riF5FVWkdR1Ik3dipo7PQZm0GwvBCwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uz8kxIKAXRI/WEclzRdhJBI/AAAAAAADaFY/9N5riF5FVWkdR1Ik3dipo7PQZm0GwvBCwCLcB/s320/IMG_0276.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Eye</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9JHmJ8hYTqM/WEcmL6Za2NI/AAAAAAADaFc/j0S-c4SMnPggjI3LtWq0ETzjIG8Bm473ACLcB/s1600/IMG_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9JHmJ8hYTqM/WEcmL6Za2NI/AAAAAAADaFc/j0S-c4SMnPggjI3LtWq0ETzjIG8Bm473ACLcB/s320/IMG_0280.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Eye of the River Thames</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R9aNSzTFxOc/WEcmRM40SuI/AAAAAAADaFg/jjbUWKzl9mo6W-SbNoOQVVuZIhXtGpgZACLcB/s1600/IMG_0302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R9aNSzTFxOc/WEcmRM40SuI/AAAAAAADaFg/jjbUWKzl9mo6W-SbNoOQVVuZIhXtGpgZACLcB/s320/IMG_0302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Paul's cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UScpntaNOv8/WEcmV9os0QI/AAAAAAADaFk/DEQtUjp7dpQL7WOAUjed_pnnjnI0PPz2wCLcB/s1600/IMG_0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UScpntaNOv8/WEcmV9os0QI/AAAAAAADaFk/DEQtUjp7dpQL7WOAUjed_pnnjnI0PPz2wCLcB/s320/IMG_0313.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shard - London's tallest building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eUp5jLgyd8k/WEcmzcpreyI/AAAAAAADaFo/HNbAKSxtRp8x492iK009WVBeYGOb0EJbQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eUp5jLgyd8k/WEcmzcpreyI/AAAAAAADaFo/HNbAKSxtRp8x492iK009WVBeYGOb0EJbQCLcB/s320/IMG_0324.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower Bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhfCfmilvME/WEcnD3AfVaI/AAAAAAADaFw/GAKEqVR9P4QI8chlUYwAqhgOVqon2RhtQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhfCfmilvME/WEcnD3AfVaI/AAAAAAADaFw/GAKEqVR9P4QI8chlUYwAqhgOVqon2RhtQCLcB/s320/IMG_0327.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London Tower</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M5mJlQrEubc/WEcm0Zt-caI/AAAAAAADaFs/SAGsy8VSuUs83bh5-thGzCNHiQpd2XHJACLcB/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M5mJlQrEubc/WEcm0Zt-caI/AAAAAAADaFs/SAGsy8VSuUs83bh5-thGzCNHiQpd2XHJACLcB/s320/IMG_0349.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harrod's by night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bf3TRpF3hKs/WEcnX7tQe8I/AAAAAAADaF4/_zC4IE7bGUgCpwYMoYQ7hYGG3CD4DinYQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bf3TRpF3hKs/WEcnX7tQe8I/AAAAAAADaF4/_zC4IE7bGUgCpwYMoYQ7hYGG3CD4DinYQCLcB/s320/IMG_0369.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enchanting London eye at night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OlsYyMZiN4g/WEcnXtwIoMI/AAAAAAADaF0/c8biKW11WqsneELXEjdHBRsF3yd6qn08gCLcB/s1600/IMG_0373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OlsYyMZiN4g/WEcnXtwIoMI/AAAAAAADaF0/c8biKW11WqsneELXEjdHBRsF3yd6qn08gCLcB/s320/IMG_0373.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shard by night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-7810348700341460362016-12-03T05:26:00.001+05:302016-12-05T00:02:38.817+05:30Family Vacation in the U.K., 3rd October 2016, Day 4: Oxford, and arrival in London<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our family had a memorable day today. We saw so much, and all this without actually staying overnight at any place. We arrived in our Insignia at the Enterprise office in Oxford around half past nine. I had already negotiated an arrangement to leave our luggage with the Enterprise office here and then explore Oxford on foot. The team gladly took possession of the car, which we had planned to deliver here. We left our luggage with them, which they very kindly agreed to. After this, we made our way on foot to explore this little but important educational centre on foot. Our sojourn took us to various college and university campuses in Oxford. The most interesting of the lot was the Trinity College and the Christ Church College. At the Trinity, we also visited the cathedral inside. We also visited the Bridge of Sighs, and did a full tour of the Oxford Castle Unlocked; we ended our trip with a bit of punting on the Oxford River just past the Magdalen College. </span><br />
<span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What we could not see were the famous Ashmolean museum and a few other museums that this city has. What we did observe, however, was that Oxford is a tight little city that is highly bicycle-friendly (we would learn later that Cambridge, another educational place in the U.K. is even MORE bicycle-friendly, but for that, wait for the installments to come). </span><br />
<span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Oxford covered market was where we had our lunch and browsed for different kinds of things. While the three of us had pasta, Nishrin had a sandwich to tide over hunger. </span><br />
<span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What follow are some interesting pictures we took in Oxford.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-loFRX2D4Q6A/WEIGgMLZO-I/AAAAAAADZ70/LQtw-wCfOjMUInfclEeGPqJ6sEWA9clJQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0001%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-loFRX2D4Q6A/WEIGgMLZO-I/AAAAAAADZ70/LQtw-wCfOjMUInfclEeGPqJ6sEWA9clJQCLcB/s400/IMG_0001%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The presenter at the Oxford Castle Unlocked</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lovOTEBw03k/WEIGgmONafI/AAAAAAADZ74/3UF_XcQEl0AlJjwthZSgYM9RmpULwKlYgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0030%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lovOTEBw03k/WEIGgmONafI/AAAAAAADZ74/3UF_XcQEl0AlJjwthZSgYM9RmpULwKlYgCLcB/s400/IMG_0030%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah on the detention board</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hcIT-eX6h2A/WEIGgFHxP0I/AAAAAAADZ7w/A7tX8EyXZKEyedUH4fLUvytQsjyko7iNgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0032%2B%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hcIT-eX6h2A/WEIGgFHxP0I/AAAAAAADZ7w/A7tX8EyXZKEyedUH4fLUvytQsjyko7iNgCLcB/s400/IMG_0032%2B%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inas, ditto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TpMuGq9Pvn8/WEIHMJuGkGI/AAAAAAADZ78/XspFx7DLsIM3zUM6x5NmPSBBHGj5yIKrwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0035%2B%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TpMuGq9Pvn8/WEIHMJuGkGI/AAAAAAADZ78/XspFx7DLsIM3zUM6x5NmPSBBHGj5yIKrwCLcB/s400/IMG_0035%2B%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A prison cell</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HP_4oVq5W2k/WEIHOtRp8QI/AAAAAAADZ8A/-YfoCh0LBkAFei5-nN9o3FR9pVfLHyXnQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0073%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HP_4oVq5W2k/WEIHOtRp8QI/AAAAAAADZ8A/-YfoCh0LBkAFei5-nN9o3FR9pVfLHyXnQCLcB/s400/IMG_0073%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trinity College</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-viGOoysx-mE/WEIHREwi57I/AAAAAAADZ8E/UK5TUfTseJQuFEpbvoZWJLa1J40ThwwJgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0086%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-viGOoysx-mE/WEIHREwi57I/AAAAAAADZ8E/UK5TUfTseJQuFEpbvoZWJLa1J40ThwwJgCLcB/s400/IMG_0086%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trinity College grounds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wHgSlVRHUfM/WEIH7stOSYI/AAAAAAADZ8Q/u9PkgcC0QeYpczMGxWAoC-zp3PHXnG9TgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0087%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wHgSlVRHUfM/WEIH7stOSYI/AAAAAAADZ8Q/u9PkgcC0QeYpczMGxWAoC-zp3PHXnG9TgCLcB/s400/IMG_0087%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The College cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7qiBPoo8uTg/WEIIADVwGmI/AAAAAAADZ8U/BihiypUAeUYZ8rZQYZwLMySQ6ex5YfY9QCLcB/s1600/IMG_0104%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7qiBPoo8uTg/WEIIADVwGmI/AAAAAAADZ8U/BihiypUAeUYZ8rZQYZwLMySQ6ex5YfY9QCLcB/s400/IMG_0104%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uidSAFppVvA/WEIH2bS5c-I/AAAAAAADZ8M/JdAYw7cUAZ0ekZ5hMEqtL6m-XuIP30JAwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0132%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uidSAFppVvA/WEIH2bS5c-I/AAAAAAADZ8M/JdAYw7cUAZ0ekZ5hMEqtL6m-XuIP30JAwCLcB/s400/IMG_0132%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the Oxford Covered market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0_g832RTOog/WEIIdl-NmDI/AAAAAAADZ8Y/UskWb3Wp9hIXrLeJi_P3Z3sLyOhhBI6PACLcB/s1600/IMG_0149%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0_g832RTOog/WEIIdl-NmDI/AAAAAAADZ8Y/UskWb3Wp9hIXrLeJi_P3Z3sLyOhhBI6PACLcB/s400/IMG_0149%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah under the Bridge of Sighs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T8_G4TsZ608/WEIItZBt6rI/AAAAAAADZ8g/07Yw7OuxFVA2e_IDWuib0llRCfM1CsNNQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0153%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T8_G4TsZ608/WEIItZBt6rI/AAAAAAADZ8g/07Yw7OuxFVA2e_IDWuib0llRCfM1CsNNQCLcB/s400/IMG_0153%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punting A</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RD9s41Cj_sw/WEIIqUdt_eI/AAAAAAADZ8c/gBBmarcz5L01nfqo0dkPR1GKNgT0b3HBwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0154%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RD9s41Cj_sw/WEIIqUdt_eI/AAAAAAADZ8c/gBBmarcz5L01nfqo0dkPR1GKNgT0b3HBwCLcB/s400/IMG_0154%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punting B</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mLTZaZuAuHA/WEII1PijBSI/AAAAAAADZ8k/MtgxONRU2moXSoZp7Qd4kTgG4_Q0TT4VACLcB/s1600/IMG_0156%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mLTZaZuAuHA/WEII1PijBSI/AAAAAAADZ8k/MtgxONRU2moXSoZp7Qd4kTgG4_Q0TT4VACLcB/s400/IMG_0156%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punting C</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">hunger. In the evening, we returned to where we had kept our luggage, and then we went to Oxford station to catch a train to London. We arrived at the Notting Hill station via a tube train ride that we took from - I can't remember for sure, but I think from the London Victoria station. </span><br />
<span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #d0e0e3; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">The Notting Hill Gate hotel was just a few minutes away from the tube station. We checked in into a very small, cramped family room with 2 double beds and hardly any floor space or storage space to keep our luggage. The reception staff was extremely unhelpful, and the room itself had nothing to recommend it to anyone coming to London for a trip. We went to a nearby Italian restaurant for dinner, the Zizzi's restaurant. Food here was really interesting, and perhaps, this was the only thing that went right for us after we entered London. We slept soon after, as there was nothing to do. Tomorrow, we would begin our sightseeing in London.</span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-36256491914071175572016-11-15T04:48:00.000+05:302016-11-15T04:48:01.832+05:30Family Vacation in the U.K., October 2016, Day 3: Roman Baths and Stonehenge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The day began with a hearty breakfast at the hotel where we were staying. Sanjoy was there to take our order and to chat with us, and his staff members served us very enthusiastically. We ordered some special stuff that he recommended, steering clear of pork - which none of us eats - and also partook of the food that was already served on the side table - such as cornflakes, fruit, etc.<br />
<br />
Our first stop today was the <a href="http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Roman Baths</span></a>. What can I say about this wonderful place? Bath already had the hot water springs. Evidently, they were known to the Romans while England was part of their empire. Successive emperors and kings of that era came to visit the Baths, and over time, a complete township developed here. The Baths have their own story, their lore, and the attached museum, hundreds of artifacts, some regal, others, commonplace, that are witness to the Roman era of this region. We learned that the excavation of the Baths is an ongoing project, and more stuff keeps getting discovered.<br />
<br />
The most interesting places here were the topside balcony with statues of the different emperors that either visited the baths or were remembered and glorified, the actual baths on the lower level, the pump room where the water was pumped mechanically into the baths, the private bathing areas for the rich and royal. the museum with most artifacts backed by interactive stories, and the large wishing well, with thousand of coins people have thrown into it, hoping that their prayers would be answered.<br />
<br />
Here are some pictorial memories of our visit. You can see that the pictures depict the upper balcony, the baths themselves, and various artifacts from the museum.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oSgkmQZpVRw/WCoje2aQzhI/AAAAAAADZmo/rZJMipGQi_wmm1l-cy_gG1jgWmuv88nHgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0060.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oSgkmQZpVRw/WCoje2aQzhI/AAAAAAADZmo/rZJMipGQi_wmm1l-cy_gG1jgWmuv88nHgCLcB/s400/IMG_0060.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9DIIvKSN4FI/WCojedcgxXI/AAAAAAADZmk/Tx7l7Phz8B4xKMlPAH8H1fz_ThPcCrrEACLcB/s1600/IMG_0062.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9DIIvKSN4FI/WCojedcgxXI/AAAAAAADZmk/Tx7l7Phz8B4xKMlPAH8H1fz_ThPcCrrEACLcB/s400/IMG_0062.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oqJhxv3UiTg/WCojfRIU5-I/AAAAAAADZms/z_OKxfi7vbU4WmDwHemNciLP7secFWxbgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0064.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oqJhxv3UiTg/WCojfRIU5-I/AAAAAAADZms/z_OKxfi7vbU4WmDwHemNciLP7secFWxbgCLcB/s400/IMG_0064.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CpbaWdTMNwo/WCokft_d11I/AAAAAAADZm4/FtnjTdqNMAYSy2gA6flWdYUSsC3i6J1SACLcB/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CpbaWdTMNwo/WCokft_d11I/AAAAAAADZm4/FtnjTdqNMAYSy2gA6flWdYUSsC3i6J1SACLcB/s400/IMG_0066.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c--6RDExZj0/WCokde9KiMI/AAAAAAADZm0/DVmqbdcKsjsxPYnheEUZpO8agfHkHPJ7ACLcB/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c--6RDExZj0/WCokde9KiMI/AAAAAAADZm0/DVmqbdcKsjsxPYnheEUZpO8agfHkHPJ7ACLcB/s400/IMG_0078.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wzn95NQTMw/WCokX40atsI/AAAAAAADZmw/urRFnZwKT70oq2Z3vXfWo5ncIWzs-53WgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0084.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wzn95NQTMw/WCokX40atsI/AAAAAAADZmw/urRFnZwKT70oq2Z3vXfWo5ncIWzs-53WgCLcB/s400/IMG_0084.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HJzixrAPcO4/WColLSBvnvI/AAAAAAADZnA/ZA6epa__9nIg4OGv1xV-j3XT7xLqzLt7QCLcB/s1600/IMG_0098.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HJzixrAPcO4/WColLSBvnvI/AAAAAAADZnA/ZA6epa__9nIg4OGv1xV-j3XT7xLqzLt7QCLcB/s400/IMG_0098.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xASGDnficwA/WColPOhTpfI/AAAAAAADZnE/HMDkaTe06TQAWadYBUKttN6gbSZmVKPGwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0099.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xASGDnficwA/WColPOhTpfI/AAAAAAADZnE/HMDkaTe06TQAWadYBUKttN6gbSZmVKPGwCLcB/s400/IMG_0099.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ztlxuoKWWc/WColYqCPluI/AAAAAAADZnI/NhPKuIFCIYs7DD4Tsaeg8YMI-y0u437YwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ztlxuoKWWc/WColYqCPluI/AAAAAAADZnI/NhPKuIFCIYs7DD4Tsaeg8YMI-y0u437YwCLcB/s400/IMG_0103.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oqnlBGTBPlE/WCol37_oP7I/AAAAAAADZnM/HiLkhUNt4vANIs-ZveKF1wEE0zHbr0l9QCLcB/s1600/IMG_0105.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oqnlBGTBPlE/WCol37_oP7I/AAAAAAADZnM/HiLkhUNt4vANIs-ZveKF1wEE0zHbr0l9QCLcB/s400/IMG_0105.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U1z38YMKHt8/WComG4t2AkI/AAAAAAADZnU/x7FjPu6DheIbpbjbEHhnUYKbApYcaowOwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U1z38YMKHt8/WComG4t2AkI/AAAAAAADZnU/x7FjPu6DheIbpbjbEHhnUYKbApYcaowOwCLcB/s400/IMG_0147.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-creegD4mOw8/WComhqFxm0I/AAAAAAADZnc/4NBwCE_bozYK9v2U_H-vcgwHPK2HnlirwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-creegD4mOw8/WComhqFxm0I/AAAAAAADZnc/4NBwCE_bozYK9v2U_H-vcgwHPK2HnlirwCLcB/s400/IMG_0165.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
From the baths, we progressed to a unique village that has been called the "prettiest village in England". This is the Castle Combe village (click <a href="http://www.castle-combe.com/"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a> for their website). Located in Wiltshire, at the southern end of the Cotswolds area of England, this small heritage village is indeed very beautiful. <br />
<br />
The following lines sum up its beauty:<br />
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #565555; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center;">
And Castle Combe presents this charming scene,</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #565555; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center;">
of hill, woods and meadows cloth'd in green.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #565555; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center;">
Here grand terrestrial scenes, almost celestial nice,</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #565555; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center;">
makes Castle Combe, sweet vale, an earthy Paradise.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #565555; font-family: "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: center;">
Edward Dowling <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(19th Century)</span></div>
<br />
The village is known for its Parish church that dates back to the 13th Century, the remnants of an old Roman fort that was later converted into a castle (hence the first part of the name), its history of being a hub of the woollen clothes industry in the 19th century, its thick-walled houses with split-stone tiled roofs, and its association with many movies, the most important one of them being Doctor Doolittle, shot here in the early sixties. (I remember seeing this movie as a school child in the New Imperial cinema behind my school - the cinema was later replaced by the Sterling cinema, now multiplex, that stands at the very same spot.) A few memories from this place:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RTkq4HbfVCc/WCowEwjLEhI/AAAAAAADZn4/P9KE7QbxfrQTiMArrjuxh1OgRpfJBKPXgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0179.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RTkq4HbfVCc/WCowEwjLEhI/AAAAAAADZn4/P9KE7QbxfrQTiMArrjuxh1OgRpfJBKPXgCLcB/s400/IMG_0179.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The location of Dr Doolittle's house for the eponymic movie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T1WdMl528A8/WCovvTUO5CI/AAAAAAADZnw/WmHkrY_hV_8SQIyGN9mWs11-KXKymeckgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0180.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T1WdMl528A8/WCovvTUO5CI/AAAAAAADZnw/WmHkrY_hV_8SQIyGN9mWs11-KXKymeckgCLcB/s400/IMG_0180.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m6LjYN_f4O0/WCovwYPjb4I/AAAAAAADZn0/Au3ZJ2Gj3soH5ovC57Q3LnlGrfj-HtaHwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0181.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m6LjYN_f4O0/WCovwYPjb4I/AAAAAAADZn0/Au3ZJ2Gj3soH5ovC57Q3LnlGrfj-HtaHwCLcB/s400/IMG_0181.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LMtQpcJ65q0/WCow-6JDleI/AAAAAAADZoA/OK_fN8cZ4fssg_UkDtgatM2xG4qOPBSRgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0182.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LMtQpcJ65q0/WCow-6JDleI/AAAAAAADZoA/OK_fN8cZ4fssg_UkDtgatM2xG4qOPBSRgCLcB/s400/IMG_0182.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e2q4wAFla2Y/WCoxEuAgtAI/AAAAAAADZoE/x09Ra2HWpSAY8GWLDG9D3C1s_6UD-4cRgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0186.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e2q4wAFla2Y/WCoxEuAgtAI/AAAAAAADZoE/x09Ra2HWpSAY8GWLDG9D3C1s_6UD-4cRgCLcB/s400/IMG_0186.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Parish Church and graveyard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--KkbajcMs-k/WCoxLc-I00I/AAAAAAADZoI/srS0I9pvW3kln4tsLS9jpMjGtg9I8HwwwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0191.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--KkbajcMs-k/WCoxLc-I00I/AAAAAAADZoI/srS0I9pvW3kln4tsLS9jpMjGtg9I8HwwwCLcB/s400/IMG_0191.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I take advantage of the sexy car that has stopped here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We had home-made ice cream at a small shop here and acquainted ourselves with some locals as well as other visitors. Leaving this place around lunchtime, we then drove to Stonehenge. This would be our last visit for the day, as it would take over 3 hours to drive there and to visit it.<br />
<br />
Stonehenge (see <a href="http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/"><span style="color: red;">THIS LINK</span></a> for the official website) is a prehistoric Neolithic group of monoliths erected for an unknown purpose, and is the most visited historical structure in England outside of royal palaces and castles. In fact, as per my knowledge, it is the single most important structure of historical, architectural and scientific nature anywhere int he U.K. Here are a few pictures we took of this amazing site. We did take the full tickets that include the free bus ride to and from the site from and to the visitor centre and parking lot.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DoxY-xNtJb4/WCo-uZS2s2I/AAAAAAADZoc/kF-ZOrxBa1QXeP3ntbXmCZd8ApmMdjszACLcB/s1600/IMG_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DoxY-xNtJb4/WCo-uZS2s2I/AAAAAAADZoc/kF-ZOrxBa1QXeP3ntbXmCZd8ApmMdjszACLcB/s400/IMG_0194.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSlFsvlOftk/WCo-1t7vC7I/AAAAAAADZog/Mx4_ogaQPOAykLlB8ftLgyHxTFisHmjHwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSlFsvlOftk/WCo-1t7vC7I/AAAAAAADZog/Mx4_ogaQPOAykLlB8ftLgyHxTFisHmjHwCLcB/s400/IMG_0206.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vvE1neRqGH0/WCo-q7iIhhI/AAAAAAADZoY/gj40lxL64w8DuD-bc20c2ySrSlrXZMtGQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vvE1neRqGH0/WCo-q7iIhhI/AAAAAAADZoY/gj40lxL64w8DuD-bc20c2ySrSlrXZMtGQCLcB/s400/IMG_0210.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The Stonehenge comprises blue stones (sarsen stones, transported here from Wales) cut into large columns that are sunk deep into the ground and arranged in the shape of two, rather large, partly destroyed circles. The entire site is actually a burial ground over 5500 years before now. Researchers feel that the stones are arranged in a particular way - with some stones set atop a pair of stone columns like a support of some kind.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NMgx-sar1tI/WCo_aHHsOEI/AAAAAAADZok/pbwQPGHcV3oU_8zoFKbfuPIsHjijDZUZQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NMgx-sar1tI/WCo_aHHsOEI/AAAAAAADZok/pbwQPGHcV3oU_8zoFKbfuPIsHjijDZUZQCLcB/s400/IMG_0213.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-39HYgSf1A1w/WCo_zrjomiI/AAAAAAADZos/-ugsB81akvEbLYz4HidHV0kOqYAvNfmuQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-39HYgSf1A1w/WCo_zrjomiI/AAAAAAADZos/-ugsB81akvEbLYz4HidHV0kOqYAvNfmuQCLcB/s400/IMG_0232.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BcQW3Mzcf8U/WCo_7g3RTiI/AAAAAAADZo0/sfeks0DvwFMwyrF7LoIrv35DzXj0NhdYgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BcQW3Mzcf8U/WCo_7g3RTiI/AAAAAAADZo0/sfeks0DvwFMwyrF7LoIrv35DzXj0NhdYgCLcB/s400/IMG_0235.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vn5mPEbQP3w/WCpAO0QHgtI/AAAAAAADZo4/pjglJNmZAWw0Tx4Q5Lb6W0uF2TvnyUjSACLcB/s1600/IMG_0229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vn5mPEbQP3w/WCpAO0QHgtI/AAAAAAADZo4/pjglJNmZAWw0Tx4Q5Lb6W0uF2TvnyUjSACLcB/s400/IMG_0229.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nAPmeSciKOc/WCpAV4Ik7_I/AAAAAAADZo8/uHnYwIZOil4iWmnyscX4yCe1lhkGRvcjgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nAPmeSciKOc/WCpAV4Ik7_I/AAAAAAADZo8/uHnYwIZOil4iWmnyscX4yCe1lhkGRvcjgCLcB/s400/IMG_0230.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
We had originally planned to finish the Stonehenge visit by half past four in the evening and then drive to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurassic_Coast" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Jurassic Coast</span></a>, but we ran out of time. Hence we drove back to Bath to our hotel. For dinner, Hannah and I went out to get dinner to eat in our hotel room. We got back Indian food that wasn't too spicy and we had it in our room. We went to sleep a little after 11:00 p.m.</div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-63319479296407736252016-11-08T03:31:00.000+05:302016-11-08T03:31:29.294+05:30Family vacation in the UK, October 2016: Day 2: Drive to Bath, and overnight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We finally set off on the morning of the 1st of October 2016. The way we would go is to drive to Bath in my Insignia car. I had purchased a Garmin Satnav device, and had already tested this device a couple of weeks ago when I had test-rented and driven a car on a weekend. Also, I had used it on the previous evening when I brought my family in from Manchester airport. Well, to be honest, yesterday hadn't been very smooth. I had missed one particular turn just 4 miles short of the airport, and had then had to go through many diversions before reaching the airport. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In any case, now I had my daughter Hannah with me. She sat in the passenger seat today, and would do so for most of the next 17-odd days we drove to different locations inside the U.K. Being a driver, she had already made an international driving permit, and she would share the driving with me as well. It is a real help to have someone share your driving task; she did that, and also helped me with the navigation. We would, as we did today, first set our destination on the Satnav, then begin our drive. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's drive would take us via Preston, and then down south till we reached Bath. Now, Bath is a city in south-west England, and is located in Somerset. It is well-known for its Georgian architecture and its natural hot springs. The springs were used by the Romans over two millennia ago for their supposed recuperative and healing properties, and today, the Roman Baths are the no. 1 tourist attraction in Bath. This city is also known for its university and for its unique honey-coloured stone buildings. We will talk about them presently. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our journey of over 225 miles took all of 5 hours, as we stopped periodically for rest, food and filling petrol. The highway rest points are called by their location or by their sponsor. Most such points will have some or the other chain restaurants, toilets, some gaming kiosks and a few other facilities that vary from place to place. Above all, they all have petrol pumps where one may fill petrol and also get their vehicles quickly checked. The rest locations are all impeccably clean, and there is a general hubbub that tells you very clearly that they mean business. Rates of all items that are sold there are higher than what they are elsewhere, i.e. outside highway rest points. For example, while a Cappuccino at the usual Costa outlet may be £ 2.25, here, it will be above £ 2.75 for a Primo (the smallest size).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nishrin was struggling with the food choices, it was easy to see. On the other hand, Inas and Hannah were adjusting well as they have grown up in modern times with McDonalds and Domino's. It was easy to see that Nish wasn't really enjoying the coffee, but as she was enjoying the British tea even less, she kept having coffee today, as well as on the rest of the vacation. We would generally order just one cup of coffee between us. That kept the price down too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By early evening, we pulled into the hotel we would be staying at, the Aquae Sulis hotel. Its owner, Sanjoy Ghosh, gave us a warm welcome and took us to our room, located on the top floor. It was an attic room with two large double beds, and most of the necessities we would need to stay here in Bath. The hotel itself is a charming place, located a few miles away from the Roman Baths. We quickly checked our luggage in, and then proceeded to return to the reception desk to seek directions on the way to the baths. Pragmatically, it was suggested to us to take a cab, as the areas around the Roman Baths are no-parking zones. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We arrived at the baths around half past four, but entry had already been stopped for the day. We took a few photos, and then began our walk around the town. Eventually, we saw the Circus, and the Royal Crescent this evening. From there, we then went to a place across the railway tracks to get dinner from an Indian restaurant, and we had this back in our hotel. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, we were impressed with the way Bath is laid out. The two places we visited, the Circus (I was told that Delhi's Connaught Place had this place as an inspiration to design after) and the Royal Crescent, were remarkably beautiful. Here are some pictorial memories of our first evening in Bath.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ujvlrLrQZcQ/WCDv5YlFJGI/AAAAAAADZfE/y5BBgQ6HUf4kfUrL2G3Z_Mx4bYQHI6-BACLcB/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ujvlrLrQZcQ/WCDv5YlFJGI/AAAAAAADZfE/y5BBgQ6HUf4kfUrL2G3Z_Mx4bYQHI6-BACLcB/s400/IMG_0002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Roman Baths complex<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gSdiuVGR4SI/WCDv5krL1EI/AAAAAAADZfI/tLbbat8q2oUTgENwkfU7Hkj4g1m01dqlwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gSdiuVGR4SI/WCDv5krL1EI/AAAAAAADZfI/tLbbat8q2oUTgENwkfU7Hkj4g1m01dqlwCLcB/s400/IMG_0004.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bath Abbey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4HmIcdZIlG0/WCDv7FJXNUI/AAAAAAADZfM/6pg3hw1gN_MS5MvlJReZZiEXY3ZVgMtAgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4HmIcdZIlG0/WCDv7FJXNUI/AAAAAAADZfM/6pg3hw1gN_MS5MvlJReZZiEXY3ZVgMtAgCLcB/s400/IMG_0020.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An interesting sculpture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0UbDdqy2xHI/WCDwuHO_0wI/AAAAAAADZfQ/4GBBIAz7yMIDH71Y0YqWRUKWc5aQbOpoACLcB/s1600/IMG_0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0UbDdqy2xHI/WCDwuHO_0wI/AAAAAAADZfQ/4GBBIAz7yMIDH71Y0YqWRUKWc5aQbOpoACLcB/s400/IMG_0021.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lighting a candle </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GxSy9-d7370/WCDw09pgfyI/AAAAAAADZfU/WY61-xOkQjcR5-FS84c_T6FElULRjJfuQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GxSy9-d7370/WCDw09pgfyI/AAAAAAADZfU/WY61-xOkQjcR5-FS84c_T6FElULRjJfuQCLcB/s400/IMG_0026.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Circus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I9TkQ4ZLtG4/WCDw8KF6CoI/AAAAAAADZfY/k33-H5QHlW0Frq7ODDbU9GwII5htzKbkACLcB/s1600/IMG_0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I9TkQ4ZLtG4/WCDw8KF6CoI/AAAAAAADZfY/k33-H5QHlW0Frq7ODDbU9GwII5htzKbkACLcB/s400/IMG_0029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ft9W44PdCZ4/WCDxq-TuGBI/AAAAAAADZfk/g4Ibae8EIpwczoQtoqXGHc4-bsIV09WXwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ft9W44PdCZ4/WCDxq-TuGBI/AAAAAAADZfk/g4Ibae8EIpwczoQtoqXGHc4-bsIV09WXwCLcB/s400/IMG_0034.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Royal Crescent</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aEYiga_evl0/WCDxylxEQWI/AAAAAAADZfs/3VrYOgSpmboLCrhiVG9bbhTznyBxc72JgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0051%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aEYiga_evl0/WCDxylxEQWI/AAAAAAADZfs/3VrYOgSpmboLCrhiVG9bbhTznyBxc72JgCLcB/s400/IMG_0051%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the Abbey interior</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yLLrDxvnRSU/WCDxlf76BRI/AAAAAAADZfg/DAa3zo6UZY888gOpZ_oh8pGoh0H5o7bVACLcB/s1600/IMG_0059%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yLLrDxvnRSU/WCDxlf76BRI/AAAAAAADZfg/DAa3zo6UZY888gOpZ_oh8pGoh0H5o7bVACLcB/s400/IMG_0059%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the Circus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aUukE_s-GXA/WCDxs3_Ai2I/AAAAAAADZfo/FaKit9-uMicE1dt6-R-Nc9i5BmTzGLU5QCLcB/s1600/IMG_20161001_122625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aUukE_s-GXA/WCDxs3_Ai2I/AAAAAAADZfo/FaKit9-uMicE1dt6-R-Nc9i5BmTzGLU5QCLcB/s400/IMG_20161001_122625.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As happy as we can get</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OvW3u5r0GmU/WCDx3u0lprI/AAAAAAADZf0/cLDJ4FFRPeIjYK_ZvX_Hua6kROBzo2MvwCLcB/s1600/IMG_20161001_173340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OvW3u5r0GmU/WCDx3u0lprI/AAAAAAADZf0/cLDJ4FFRPeIjYK_ZvX_Hua6kROBzo2MvwCLcB/s400/IMG_20161001_173340.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Bath Abbey - singular</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iYHhfGTR_8w/WCDx1OLOppI/AAAAAAADZfw/m8Ie1CgbDAEJnPN3H7a_LjkxHevLc6HgACLcB/s1600/IMG_20161001_173403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iYHhfGTR_8w/WCDx1OLOppI/AAAAAAADZfw/m8Ie1CgbDAEJnPN3H7a_LjkxHevLc6HgACLcB/s400/IMG_20161001_173403.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Bath Abbey - couple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EHmfV1K4vOg/WCDx8Bx-JSI/AAAAAAADZf4/-rTY0bMAnYMLdBh9sjx2iJMRQFEtAcQ4wCLcB/s1600/IMG_20161001_173839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EHmfV1K4vOg/WCDx8Bx-JSI/AAAAAAADZf4/-rTY0bMAnYMLdBh9sjx2iJMRQFEtAcQ4wCLcB/s400/IMG_20161001_173839.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One more coloured glass window inside the Bath Abbey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-86758782396159882732016-11-07T01:52:00.002+05:302016-11-07T10:52:10.105+05:30Merging my Arabia blog and my travel blog with this one<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I have merged all the posts and pages of my previously popular blogs "http://drtaherofarabia.blogspot.com" and "http://travelwithdrtaher.blogspot.com" with this blog. Now, you can read all the posts related to my stay in Saudi Arabia and my trips to wherever my family or/and I have been to right here on this blog. Thank you all. </span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-51374170740241183372016-11-07T01:38:00.000+05:302016-11-07T10:47:39.096+05:30Family vacation in the UK, October 2016: Day 1 - Arrival and overnight <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Nishrin, Inas and Hannah flew out of Mumbai on the early morning of the 30th of September via Turkish Airlines. After a few hours' stopover at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, the next TA flight brought them into Manchester the same evening at around five p.m.</span><br /><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I rented a car (a white Vauxhall Insignia 2000) from Enterprise Rent-a-car, Blackpool, the same afternoon and drove it to Manchester airport. I was waiting in the arrivals lounge of Terminal 2 when the family made their appearance. It was so delightful to see them all! They were equally pleased to meet me.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2GlBDeTXU-B-iBZyAwgYzrP_AVzXJx9GDG2Ubq_YK_sa4-kdoR6k8SD3IkuI7lhEBTWOgoNmdzujg0GJ7bVDMflXVKIEZKTCaRNCTN3cfffhv7_l08ZrZzKeglR5tRVQgjDxeppu79U/s1600/IMG_20160930_164102.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2GlBDeTXU-B-iBZyAwgYzrP_AVzXJx9GDG2Ubq_YK_sa4-kdoR6k8SD3IkuI7lhEBTWOgoNmdzujg0GJ7bVDMflXVKIEZKTCaRNCTN3cfffhv7_l08ZrZzKeglR5tRVQgjDxeppu79U/s400/IMG_20160930_164102.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">We drove uneventfully all the way back to my rooms at the hospital in Blackpool. It was a weekend, and we would be starting our country-wide drive the next morning, so I convinced them to stay overnight with me.</span><br /><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">After they had all freshened up and Nish had had her tea (boiled tea, not with tea bags), we all set off for an evening out. The reason was that Blackpool was having its last display of fireworks on the Promenade tonight.</span><br /><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">When we arrived at the promenade, the fireworks display was still an hour away. Hence, we first went to Nando's for dinner. This was my family's first dinner in the UK. There would be many more, but this, the first one, would be special. They had to like the food. And they did.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorW3HiXXFiCanZS-f899m7b9rEfCxsR90jI9jPakVwGUb2vegYiKRs2qhNf-uT3F17MeawHLDTN4vWgscznxX65KdXTWTzVydGrNCYbofxAWh1lUeVwBP5ENO9nRZhIFa88jQ_zf49yM/s1600/IMG_20160930_205950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorW3HiXXFiCanZS-f899m7b9rEfCxsR90jI9jPakVwGUb2vegYiKRs2qhNf-uT3F17MeawHLDTN4vWgscznxX65KdXTWTzVydGrNCYbofxAWh1lUeVwBP5ENO9nRZhIFa88jQ_zf49yM/s320/IMG_20160930_205950.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">As soon as we finished eating, we proceeded to the promenade, where the fireworks display was just starting. It was part of an inter-town competition that had been running since the past six weeks, today was the final performance, and the participating town today was the home town, Blackpool.</span><br /><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The display was fantastic. It lasted about 20 minutes, and everyone on the promenade was staring at the skies in wonder. Here are a few pictures we took:</span><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVJ_tx3wANBk4x6rTaNdaGpQOEbRdp21DpcSDbh7CPJPuy5Pjz6eVqN8E6SIVlZ98XTrx2W-vkxg0RIw9ECeSMxRncHgh1JaG3h_Vpk1opwdSBkspPFifyGpxkJqf8rwYlZZku8KSAk4/s1600/IMG_20160930_203056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVJ_tx3wANBk4x6rTaNdaGpQOEbRdp21DpcSDbh7CPJPuy5Pjz6eVqN8E6SIVlZ98XTrx2W-vkxg0RIw9ECeSMxRncHgh1JaG3h_Vpk1opwdSBkspPFifyGpxkJqf8rwYlZZku8KSAk4/s320/IMG_20160930_203056.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIAXl3eAd7eVzkPIzYnsS9vfqCatxZodqiustfIDJnUBIVJQG7TX9BsH7wSNtVG37h8D30luAORa8nVwAt68PDaGf6HQIXHQBwVBhyDxVzt9aM5gdBzX_BIEWcTCM-BR_f6hOVPyVUX0/s1600/IMG_20160930_203353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIAXl3eAd7eVzkPIzYnsS9vfqCatxZodqiustfIDJnUBIVJQG7TX9BsH7wSNtVG37h8D30luAORa8nVwAt68PDaGf6HQIXHQBwVBhyDxVzt9aM5gdBzX_BIEWcTCM-BR_f6hOVPyVUX0/s320/IMG_20160930_203353.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNgQWHf5bRe7eLbVgHYhWI2_UlKbTWE20nXOlK1vO_AppjZWaye65gbHskJ3_R7dJIpxXX6ATAddpt2ey2Dji-_1dpYccJWvLS3cKffglEaZCCR6QKDFoWfZ6XqzZkVYrjEDIvtp2Vng/s1600/IMG_20160930_203753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNgQWHf5bRe7eLbVgHYhWI2_UlKbTWE20nXOlK1vO_AppjZWaye65gbHskJ3_R7dJIpxXX6ATAddpt2ey2Dji-_1dpYccJWvLS3cKffglEaZCCR6QKDFoWfZ6XqzZkVYrjEDIvtp2Vng/s320/IMG_20160930_203753.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArrRN3SY2ZCzPiwrTbbIB995g-Wi-qmV11euePShiv_IuWHvMkSpNzyZ6u8mb4EBDz9BdyXC8G4rBV33kgLvA6y9YpFMWUbXlopce1asMun311bGeLI3z6neordN_U1CPSwFiMQhtVwY/s1600/IMG_20160930_203802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArrRN3SY2ZCzPiwrTbbIB995g-Wi-qmV11euePShiv_IuWHvMkSpNzyZ6u8mb4EBDz9BdyXC8G4rBV33kgLvA6y9YpFMWUbXlopce1asMun311bGeLI3z6neordN_U1CPSwFiMQhtVwY/s320/IMG_20160930_203802.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUJxGyezD9zlmgaf-PbKQ3qPPU3tpFyUxOzm6DGFqqlU-BfAXA6DMak0R1dV1uMGu5H9MHKMIOwAh7jitMnLHQI7e7kRPzMe20kaw2pYMp-jdJLx04T18U6xoIbe2s9sQkxIQioSd0zE/s1600/IMG_20160930_203807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUJxGyezD9zlmgaf-PbKQ3qPPU3tpFyUxOzm6DGFqqlU-BfAXA6DMak0R1dV1uMGu5H9MHKMIOwAh7jitMnLHQI7e7kRPzMe20kaw2pYMp-jdJLx04T18U6xoIbe2s9sQkxIQioSd0zE/s320/IMG_20160930_203807.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlKHlojMK-80CxaL6H5K59YxsSUXJWj73NMUC4CqAiIH5hS_G8NhzApAD4GsYLyXj32Z4nyzhjLBj7RZ2vvozc4vb0d4YDKsolweCwFqFR_xWUmzduh8qAKM0LBOJmxmR0hbM9552r45c/s1600/IMG_20160930_204024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlKHlojMK-80CxaL6H5K59YxsSUXJWj73NMUC4CqAiIH5hS_G8NhzApAD4GsYLyXj32Z4nyzhjLBj7RZ2vvozc4vb0d4YDKsolweCwFqFR_xWUmzduh8qAKM0LBOJmxmR0hbM9552r45c/s320/IMG_20160930_204024.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">And that's pretty much it. I will continue with the next day's journey in the next post. Thank you for reading. </span></div>Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-60547989236069702572016-10-31T03:03:00.000+05:302016-11-07T10:47:39.241+05:30Family Trip to UK, October 2016: I An overview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My family arrived in the UK through Manchester on the evening of the 30th of September 2016. Having flown on Turkish Airlines, they looked tired. I went to pick them up in a car I had hired from Enterprise - a US based company that works out of many locations in the UK. </span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I took my family straight home to my residential quarters in the hospital, where they settled in for the night. From the next morning, we were on the move. We first went to Bath, where we stayed for 2 nights, then Oxford and onward to London, where we spent three nights. Our next destination was York where we would stay for 2 nights, but before that, we stayed one night at Cambridge. After York, we stopped for a night at Durham, then proceeded to Edinburgh, where we stayed for 3 nights. From Edinburgh, we moved to the Lake District, where we stayed near Hawkshead for one night, and then, onward to Blackpool itself, where we stayed for 5 nights. On the 20th, my family took a return flight from Manchester to Mumbai, thus ending a memorable 21 day holiday that had everything in it.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This, then, was the itinerary (as planned and how it panned out):</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>30/09/2016:</b> Arrive in the UK via Manchester. Stay overnight in <b>Blackpool</b> at my place.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>01/10/2016:</b> Travel to <b>Bath</b>, and arrival to Aquae Sulis Hotel. Evening walk to local places. <b>02/10/2016:</b> Visit to The Roman Baths. Onward to Stonehenge. Return to hotel.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>03/10/2016:</b> Drive to <b>Oxford</b>. No stay. Explore the sights and buildings on foot. Punting on the local river. Drive to <i><u>Castle Comb village</u></i> for an unique rural experience. Evening train to <b>London</b>. Stay at the Notting Hill Gate Hotel.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>04/10/2016:</b> London sight-seeing. Hop-on, hop-off bus tour. London Eye. Thames river cruise. London bus tour by night.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>05/10/2016:</b> Museum of Natural History. St. Paul's Cathedral. More local sight-seeing.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>06/10/2016:</b> Leave London and drive to Cambridge. Overnight at <b>Cambridge</b>.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>07/10/2016:</b> Cambridge colleges sight-seeing. Drive onward to <b>York.</b> Overnight at Clearly Apartments in Bootham.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>08/10/2016:</b> Explore York. Visits to the Minster, to the Shambles and other local sights. Overnight.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>09/10/2016:</b> Leave York and travel to <b>Durham</b>. Visit to Durham Cathedral. Could not see the castle as it was closed that day. Stay overnight, </span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">10/10/2016: Planned hot-air ballooning with Virgin. This flight was aborted because of inclement weather. Proceed to <b>Edinburgh</b>. En route, unscheduled halt at the <i><u>Vindalonda Village</u></i> (old Roman archaeological site) and <u><i>Hadrian's Wall</i></u>. Reaching Edinburgh at night, overnight at Heather's Place (booked on AirBnB).</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">11/10/2016: Full day bus trip to <b>Scottish Highlands</b> and visit to<b> Loch Ness</b>. Return to accommodation overnight.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">12/10/2016: Full day Edinburgh sight-seeing. Visited the Edinburgh Castle and a few more places. Stay at the accommodation overnight.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">13/10/2016: Leave Edinburgh and arrive at <b>Hawkshead</b> at the High </span><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Grassings Hotel at Outgate in the </span><b style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lake District</b><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Stay overnight.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">14/10/2016: Check out, and drive to Blackpool Stop at <i><u>Tarn Hows</u></i> on the way for a few hours of brilliant sights of the Lake District. Drive by ferry to <b>Bowness-on-Windermere</b>. Take a boat trip from Bowness-on-Windermere to <i><u>Brockhole</u></i>, then Brockhole to <u><i>Ambleside</i></u>, and then return to Bowness on Windermere. Drive back to Blackpool in the evening. Arrive at Blackpool and stay overnight.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">15/10/2016: Drive to <b>Manchester</b>. Visit to Manchester United FC. Return to Blackpool.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">16/10/2016: Drive to the <b>Birds of Prey Centre at Trubary Woods</b>, Duxbury, Preston. Amazing experience with hawks, owls, kestrels and falcons. Then, drive onward to<b> Liverpool</b> where we spent the evening at the Waterfront. Overnight at Blackpool.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">17/10/2016: Local sightseeing at Blackpool, Visits to the Blackpool Tower, Dungeons, Sealife and Madame Tussaud's. Overnight at Blackpool</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">18/10/2016: I resumed work at the hospital while the family went to the <i><u>Pleasure Beach</u></i>.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">19/10/2016: Shopping and enjoying the last night with family.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">20/10/2016: Drive family to <b>Manchester airport</b>, from where they returned to Mumbai with Turkish Airlines.</span><br /><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">End. </span></div>Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-71415687709544682402016-08-01T13:22:00.000+05:302016-11-07T01:32:00.218+05:30Keeping in touch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;">It has been over nine months since I left KSA. In these nine odd months, a lot of changes have happened globally, and many in the Kingdom as well. Their strategy of undercutting international oil prices has backfired on them so badly that the country is reeling under losses and has moved on from a budget with profit to a budget with<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>deficit. Petroleum prices have been raised, a lot of expatriates are being sent back home or are languishing in the Kingdom without wages or without a job, and the monarchy is considering other ways of raising capital and doing business with the world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;">In such circumstances, many doctors are also reconsidering their options. Those from India and other upcoming nations are already contemplating return to their homeland. In the construction industry, people are in so much trouble that some are left to fend for themselves by resorting to begging. There is a sense that Saudi Arabia may be in more trouble in the years to come. The Nitaqat movement started by King Abdullah has urged companies to substitute expatriates with Saudi citizens. Many thousands of semi-skilled and unskilled workers have been issued exit visas and have been and are being deported. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b6d7a8;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Doctors' jobs are, for the time being, secure as Saudi doctors are few and far between, but it is estimated that their numbers will grow as more and more Saudis graduate from medical schools. The coming decade may see many Saudis displacing general practitioners and resident doctors in the hospitals. Over the ensuing few decades, there will be a run on posts of specialists as well. Saudi Arabian tertiary medical<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>centres<span class="apple-converted-space"></span> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will, however, need super-specialists for a long, long time to come. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="background-color: #444444; color: #b6d7a8;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">The writing is on the wall. Beware.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-10711765398903480042015-11-28T17:30:00.002+05:302016-05-31T00:00:03.927+05:30The Aamir Khan controversy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Normally, I do not respond to triival controversies on issues that do not even remotely touch my life. However, this issue clearly touched everyone's lives, and so, here I am, taking a stance on it. Before that, however, let me take you through the entire controversy. </span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Aamir Khan's initial statement was made </span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnZTcee5H7o" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></a><span style="color: #fff2cc;"> </span></span><span style="color: #fff2cc;">at the Indian Express' Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards recently.</span></span></span><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OwM7l_C7e6g/VlmP53tDmpI/AAAAAAAB0Ig/jJvmoLugUZA/s1600/Aamir%2BKhan%2BOn%2BIntolerance%2B%2526%2BDelinking%2BTerrorism%2BFrom%2BReligion%2B%2523RNGAwards%2B-%2BYouTube.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OwM7l_C7e6g/VlmP53tDmpI/AAAAAAAB0Ig/jJvmoLugUZA/s400/Aamir%2BKhan%2BOn%2BIntolerance%2B%2526%2BDelinking%2BTerrorism%2BFrom%2BReligion%2B%2523RNGAwards%2B-%2BYouTube.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Within hours, he was being attacked. Although he was
purportedly quoting his wife KIRAN, he was being accused of being a
seditionist! Thousands of messages across social media were painting him in
black, asking for his head, asking him to leave India with his family, accusing
him of being anti-national, of being a traitor and of false description of the
state of India. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU-UeWUZSUs" target="_blank">video</a> gave a more balanced view-point and gave an
opportunity to Aamir to explain what he had said in the Goenka awards. However,
the so-called Indian patriots continued to hoot and bray and shout against him.
Then, someone had a "bright" idea to punish SNAPDEAL whose brand
ambassador Aamir is. They uninstalled the app from their phones and exhorted
others to do so as well. Within a few days, as per one <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/appwapsi-snapdeal-gets-blowback-from-aamir-khan-controversy/story-N3HwOObJ0WMe9vz7GjXFBO.html" target="_blank">news report</a> this was
being done with the hashtag "Appwapasi" and
"SayNoToSnapdeal". In some reports, I gathered that more than 6.5
lakh people (650000) uninstalled this app and sent a message to Snapdeal via
social media that they would not buy anything from them unless they removed
Aamir Khan as their ambassador. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The controversy raged on. On the one hand, there were open
<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/An-open-letter-to-Aamir-Khan/articleshow/49942943.cms" target="_blank">letter</a>s to him that ridiculed him and all the other "Khans", others
that added a religious touch to it (equating the whole thing to Muslims feeling
intolerant), and still others who created and circulated jokes on his supposed
desire to leave India (there was even this image of Salman Khan escorting him
on his back to Pakistan in a sort of Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2 - replacing the head
of the girl with a photo of Aamir in an intelligently done Photoshop). One of
those who joined the rabble rousers was Anupam Kher, whose saffron chaddi is
always visible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Soon after, support for him surfaced - Rahul Gandhi, A R
Rahman, and some others started the ball rolling, Soon, the intellectual class
joined in and cleared the air, slowly but surely. He had never said anything
anti-national. People who claimed they "tolerated" him because they
went to his movies were exposed with the statement that they saw his movies not
because he was a Muslim but because they liked his work. In the same way, their
sails were knocked out when it was pointed out to them that they were, in fact,
displaying the very same intolerance that Aamir had accused them of. If you
analyse those criticising him you will find that none of those criticising him
were Muslims, but many who started supporting him had Hindu names!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The controversy is slowly moving from the front pages to the
back-pages. When I searched for him on the Times of India website, I couldn't
find anything for the last few days. I do hope that better sense prevails. It
was sad that Aamir had to give out follow-up statements, but I am proud to
report that he stood by what he had said and found no reason to change the
statement. Also, he firmly said that he was an Indian citizen and was always
going to stay so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This, then, was the way the controversy developed,. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My own take: Ignore the rabble rousers. Aamir Khan's
original video shows that he never meant to mix religion into the statement. He
was merely talking about insecurities. Much like how parents feel insecure when
their daughter returns late from a party. Or a wife, when her husband isn't
home at the right time. Perhaps the last 7-8 months have seen some degree of
individual remarks by people within the Saffron Parivar. Those statements
should have been nipped in the bud by their mentors or organisations, or at
least criticised by the PM. They weren't, but the anti-Muslim dialogue has
taken wing and is growing more and more as the days pass. Hence, the kind of
insecurity Aamri spoke about is quite natural to understand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What do you think? Join me in the comments section.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-37099880959337729382015-11-22T11:35:00.001+05:302016-03-12T03:43:30.118+05:30A week past in the UK: Interesting tid-bits of the UK Life and Living<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Several amazing aspects of life in a developed country have assaulted my senses and my mouth has often dropped in surprise at seeing some of the things which I do not think will happen too soon in India. I am just going to recount some of these and see if it evokes a response from you.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Every public place can be accessed by a ramp - making life easy for those who are on wheel-chairs, kids in prams and those with walking and climbing difficulties. This includes bus entrances which can be tilted to allow chairs to be rolled on/off, all foot-paths, buildings, stations, etc.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pedestrians are respected by all sensible motorists, so that they will stop or slow down when they see a pedestrian crossing ahead of them; likewise, pedestrians will generally avoid walking on the road, and will go the extra "mile" to reach a proper pedestrian crossing.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Individual privacy is very important, and Britons do not generally encourage idle conversation between strangers. You might have to wait before someone approaches you and offers to help, to, for example, tell you the time, or show you the way to a certain destination.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They like to be addressed by their first names, and this is not frowned upon. OTOH, they may feel slighted or insulted if you did not call them by their name, as it implies that you did not know their name.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Are you okay" is the ubiquitous phrase they employ when they see someone in trouble; however, this is not just when they see you fall or when you are in real trouble, as we imply for the phrase in India, but also when they find you"lost" and looking for someone or for some place that you want to go to. We often thought British were very, very private, but when it comes to this aspect of their thinking, I find them very open and very helpful.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still on the privacy issue. My colleague tells me that all people in the UK have poor social communication. I beg to only partially agree, because I have found that although they do suffer from a "No-first-greet" policy, they are extremely warm once you take the initiative and break the "ice", so to say. Not just that, it seemed to me that they were actually "waiting" for you to start it off, so eager are they to want to communicate, even if it is as inane as asking how you are,</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sales people in stores and malls, on the other hand, are very, very cordial and effusive when you reach your turn at the check-out counter (known here as the "till"). They are, however, quick in their work, just like the guys and girls back in our country. Vegetables and fruit are not weighed before, near the veg and fruit counters, as is the case in India, but by the check-out person himself/herself. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Loose change is never a problem, unless companies have a policy not to return change. I have heard that some bus services in other cities like Preston/Manchester routinely pocket the balance if you don't have the exact change as per their established and publicly declared policy.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Supermarkets do not routinely store Indian or other world cuisine. You need to go to bigger stores to fetch those. For example, I could not get any pulses from my friendly, neighbourhood store; even at a bigger one, Sainsbury, I got only some, but not all the pulses. Yesterday, I was at the biggest store in Blackpool, viz. Tesco Extra, and even here, tur dal was not available, though a lot of other Indian and Asian stuff was. I wonder whether this is because of the shortage of the dal back in India!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And, finally, in this post, I am going to write about the way bus and train services are organised, A little here, but I guess I might devote an entire post later ... either here, or on my <a href="http://knackeredandfkyinghigh.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">UK Blog</a>. At bus-stops, there are three basic displays: one tells you where you are and what stops each bus will do; the second tells you the same in a map with colours coded for the various bus routes; and the third will display timings for each of the buses in a chronological sequence over the night and the day. </span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> At railway stations, there are well-lit and displayed electronic boards not unlike the ones we </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> have in India; however, they are smaller, much more compact, and simply in a portrait style</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> with a display of the route and the time and the platform number on the first line, and the var-</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> ious stations it will halt at in the subsequent ones. This should be enough for a new traveller </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> to find his train. Inside trains, the comfort is amazing, even when the train fills up. Standing</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> customers never invade the seating space. Inside, in the seating area, some trains have seats </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> facing both ways, and there are many four-seats with a large table in between, especially on </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> long-distance trains. Many also have full-fledged toilets which are spotless and well-mainta-</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> ined.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And that's about it for this post. Do comment about the various things I have written on here. Thanks very much!</span></div>
</div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-14626056369086698802015-11-08T09:52:00.001+05:302016-05-31T00:02:00.880+05:30Announcing a new blog and some other news<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #f2dbdb;">Just a few days ago, I created my new blog which, like the</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #f2dbdb;"> </span><a href="http://drtaherofarabia.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Arabian life</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #f2dbdb;"> </span><span style="color: #f2dbdb;">blog, will take forward my experiences in the United Kingdom. Check out the blog</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #f2dbdb;"> </span><span style="background-color: #d5a6bd; color: #f2dbdb;"><a href="http://knackeredandenjoyinglife.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">HERE</a></span><span style="color: #f2dbdb;">. While I cannot promise that this blog will reach the top ratings on any scale, I do promise that you will see much more colour and fun in this blog as compared to my arabian blog, as life is likely to be more colourful and enjoyable there. However, my prediction is that while I posted fairly frequently from Saudi Arabia, I may not be able to do the same with my UK blog as my work schedules are likely to be much more tight. Be that as it may, do check out the new blog and read my first post ...</span></span><span style="color: #f2dbdb; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #f2dbdb; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />In other news, I have just completed sleep studies on my own self as I have had obstructive sleep apnea since 25+ years. The study showed that I was getting OSA almost once every minute. This means that my airways would collapse so much that oxygen supply to my lungs would stop to the point where my body would suffer from a lack of oxygen almost every minute. It might explain why I have had numerous other side-effects of it such as forgetfulness, tiredness, day-time sleep, an increased obesity and so on. The technicians then attached a small device which will blow air into my lungs through a nose-piece that I would have to wear every night for some years to come. He repeated the night study with this device in place, and it showed, not surprisingly, that my apneas virtually disappeared and I had markedly improved oxygenation of my blood through the night. I have therefore decided to purchase the device and use it for the required period to resolve my snoring and OSA problem.</span><span style="color: #f2dbdb; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #f2dbdb; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />Yesterday night, I met with a small accident when I braked my two-wheeler suddenly to avert banging into a car that swerved left ahead of me without a show of turn lights or hand signals at one of the densest roads in my area - Mohamedali Road. As a result, I sprained my right hip and right shoulder, in addition to a scrape on my left knee. </span><span style="color: #f2dbdb; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #f2dbdb; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />And that, basically, is the news for now. Thanks for reading. </span><span style="color: #f2dbdb; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-66495287154353072732015-11-01T10:00:00.002+05:302015-11-01T10:00:37.037+05:30The last ten days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The last ten days since I last wrote on this blog have been eventful indeed. In a nutshell, here is what happened:</span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">a) I went with Nishrin, my better half, to Nanded on last Thursday and Friday, to visit all the important intra-city gurudwaras.</span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">b) From my return hour to Mumbai on Saturday morning, I straightaway boarded the car of my friend Dr. Vijay Chile, and joined him and three other class-mates (Suryakant Pol, Arun Sali and Mohan Kembhavi) on a 4-day trip to the Konkan strip south of Mumbai. Our destination was Ratnagiri, from where we travelled to Kudal and Devbagh, and did many interesting activities that made my weekend and the next few days memorable and enjoyable.</span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">c) Upon return from this unexpectedly enjoyable holiday, I visited the Visa Application Center of the UK Visas at Nariman Point and learned that my UK visa application had been successful, and that I could now plan my travel to the UK to join Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as a ST4 Paediatric Registrar.</span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">d) I began planning on what things I should buy and take with me, and what I shouldn't. In addition, I started planning how to call my close friends and home members for a small get-together to celebrate my success and to give them a great good-bye.</span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One by one, the various plans are coming to fruition. On the other side, I am facing some health issues - nothing serious, though, and I am planning to tackle these as soon as possible, so that I have the fewest possible issues when I am in the UK.</span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-77546207448241157942015-10-20T17:11:00.003+05:302015-10-20T17:11:39.112+05:30A party at The Little Owl on 17th October 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #f4cccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As late as in June 2015, I came across an international community of people working outside their own home country as expats in other countries. This community of people are included under the "<a href="http://www.internations.org/" target="_blank">Internations</a>" website. They have thousands of members, and over 213 different cities where their chapters are active. I signed up on their Mumbai chapter even while I was working in Saudi Arabia. There are no activities in KSA, but on return to India, I browsed their site again and discovered that their Mumbai chapter is managed by some Russian women. They had organised their annual anniversary party where one could go on payment of a cover charge.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GZHhwDuEiqo/ViYimzMCmsI/AAAAAAABvfI/vBZpFVEPZ5w/s1600/IMG_20151017_191904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GZHhwDuEiqo/ViYimzMCmsI/AAAAAAABvfI/vBZpFVEPZ5w/s320/IMG_20151017_191904.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The uniquely shaped glasses with the logo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #f4cccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The theme for this party was fun, and it was titled "Oktoberfest". It was held at a brewery-cum-bistro that goes by the name "The White Owl". Located in the B2 tower of the One Indiabulls property at Lower Parel (just outside the Elphinstone Rd. bridge on Senapati Bapat Marg), this is a lovely place to party at. For Oktoberfest, they had discounts, freebies and lots more. They brew their own beer, and their serving glasses look more like small glass jars with their owl logo on it. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #f4cccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The time was half past six ... a little beyond, perhaps, and I was only the second person to reach there, the first one being one Mr. Sumit Shitole. He and I began an interesting conversation, acquainting ourselves with one another and taking some photos of ourselves and of each other. The other guests began to arrive after half past seven. The hosts were there only after eight o'clock. And the chief host, Natalia, came after nine! </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #f4cccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #f4cccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The cover charge that they took from us came with privileges of free starters (chicken and potato based), unlimited pretzel bread and fellowship with expats of different countries, plus two drinks. I had great fun, making new friends and taking photos like crazy. Some of these pictures will probably tell their own story:</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uuRrXRH3C9Q/ViYkXzHjv7I/AAAAAAABvfk/gi7ZaFgdrgE/s1600/IMG_20151017_191911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uuRrXRH3C9Q/ViYkXzHjv7I/AAAAAAABvfk/gi7ZaFgdrgE/s400/IMG_20151017_191911.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brewery with one of the servers, Mr. Andy, in the foreground</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xx0YKu3w18M/ViYkTA40ldI/AAAAAAABvfU/tie4MHu8bng/s1600/IMG_20151017_191957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xx0YKu3w18M/ViYkTA40ldI/AAAAAAABvfU/tie4MHu8bng/s400/IMG_20151017_191957.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Sumit Shitole</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VWvnfS3nslk/ViYkU9ttzuI/AAAAAAABvfc/jLuMElLtZ_E/s1600/IMG_20151017_192305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VWvnfS3nslk/ViYkU9ttzuI/AAAAAAABvfc/jLuMElLtZ_E/s400/IMG_20151017_192305.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The logo with me in front of it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tme6Lwb86Ok/ViYkwpuYeSI/AAAAAAABvf0/-FTqdT7ibgQ/s1600/IMG_20151017_194841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tme6Lwb86Ok/ViYkwpuYeSI/AAAAAAABvf0/-FTqdT7ibgQ/s400/IMG_20151017_194841.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris, South African, and his wife, Kristina, Armenian with Sumit and me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M2-IBfsJIZI/ViYknwy60LI/AAAAAAABvfs/KhDercLPeQQ/s1600/IMG_20151017_210957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M2-IBfsJIZI/ViYknwy60LI/AAAAAAABvfs/KhDercLPeQQ/s400/IMG_20151017_210957.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretzel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xXBxGozT0-8/ViYk9rm4BiI/AAAAAAABvgE/oZSUhSkODuc/s1600/IMG_20151017_211453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xXBxGozT0-8/ViYk9rm4BiI/AAAAAAABvgE/oZSUhSkODuc/s400/IMG_20151017_211453.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natalia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B3GTN2S1h3U/ViYlCtcowcI/AAAAAAABvgM/zaQPTWj2a2A/s1600/IMG_20151017_221849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B3GTN2S1h3U/ViYlCtcowcI/AAAAAAABvgM/zaQPTWj2a2A/s320/IMG_20151017_221849.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olga</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nnSu3lYnHQU/ViYk4KAbP0I/AAAAAAABvf8/lIHjgH_9u6Y/s1600/Me%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bdrink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nnSu3lYnHQU/ViYk4KAbP0I/AAAAAAABvf8/lIHjgH_9u6Y/s400/Me%2Bwith%2Bmy%2Bdrink.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught by the cam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #f4cccc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">By ten p.m., the party was in full flow. More than 60-70 people had collected, many of them Indians, but also Europeans, more Russians, South Africans, and some others were in evidence. Surprisingly, there were no Blacks. I stayed only until half past ten, and then left, but I am sure the party went on until much later. All in all, a very enjoyable evening indeed! </span></span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-23441660665159518812015-10-11T23:00:00.000+05:302015-10-12T00:11:52.776+05:30A mini-outing to Panshet MTDC resort with family<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My family and I desired to take a break since I came back from KSA, but were unable to do so owing to many reasons. The two main reasons were the uncertainty of where I would be going to work next, and a knee injury my younger daughter Hannah sustained within days of my arrival to India. This grounded her for over a month. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Once she recovered, the clamour to have a small holiday grew louder. I narrowed down on a place called Panshet. This is a small town about 185 km from Mumbai and about 50 km from Pune. It is part of the Sahyadri belt of the biodiversity hotspot, and boasts of two dams near each other. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has a resort here, and until recently, also conducted water-sports activities on the reservoir that stood behind the main Panshet dam. We decided to hire a car, and to book rooms at the resort there. Accordingly, we left on the early morning of the 8th of October 2015 in a Suzuki Ertiga car driven by a young driver by the name of Mahesh.</span> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dclxd3ikfts/Vhqo7ybsPBI/AAAAAAABu0k/2v7s4jacJuI/s1600/IMG_20151008_122640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dclxd3ikfts/Vhqo7ybsPBI/AAAAAAABu0k/2v7s4jacJuI/s400/IMG_20151008_122640.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food at a mall on the way</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uz7RBpmXHNA/VhqpM3Fm3uI/AAAAAAABu0s/y-BlvVCiDQM/s1600/IMG_20151008_123025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uz7RBpmXHNA/VhqpM3Fm3uI/AAAAAAABu0s/y-BlvVCiDQM/s400/IMG_20151008_123025.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Mr. Fakira Walunj at the gate of the resort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPGUwuTZbJg/VhqpYFwVoJI/AAAAAAABu00/fUslJ1n3Lwk/s1600/IMG_20151008_123051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPGUwuTZbJg/VhqpYFwVoJI/AAAAAAABu00/fUslJ1n3Lwk/s400/IMG_20151008_123051.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n_6q1vrRAEA/Vhqpe-SiR9I/AAAAAAABu08/NsMAsYz4apc/s1600/IMG_20151008_134621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n_6q1vrRAEA/Vhqpe-SiR9I/AAAAAAABu08/NsMAsYz4apc/s400/IMG_20151008_134621.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">En route to the Sinhagadh Fort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dPfHePqXW0s/VhqplA9xFWI/AAAAAAABu1I/22V10XnTZnM/s1600/IMG_20151008_140013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dPfHePqXW0s/VhqplA9xFWI/AAAAAAABu1I/22V10XnTZnM/s400/IMG_20151008_140013.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah and Inas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We left on Thursday, 8th October, at about half past five in the morning, and reached the resort at about half past ten. The last 50 km took up a lot of time, as the roads were poorly maintained, and our driver, a green in experience, did not know the way. The resort itself was nicely tucked away inside Panshet. It has been renovated recently, and is a small but well-maintained property with just 39 rooms in three categories. We had booked two A/C suites, which is the middle level of the available properties (with non-A/C rooms below us, and luxury A/C suites above. This is also seen in the design of the building that houses the rooms. There are three floors with the luxury suites on the top floor. There is a restaurant, a games room (with table tennis and carrom), a swimming pool (unfortunately under maintenance) and large walking areas throughout the property. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The resort manager, one Mr. Fakira Walunj, was a very decent man who looked after us through both the days. He served us a complimentary breakfast on day 1, and also helped select the best rooms, helped get the pool refilled as fast as was possible (the pool was almost ready to use on day 2, but it wasn't clean as yet, thereby closing the option to swim inside it) and also took us beyond the police check point on to the <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varasgaon_Dam" target="_blank">Varasgaon dam</a></span> over the Mose river, which joins the Mutha river later on (over which the main Panshet dam or the Tanajisagar dam is built) to show us the beautiful district and the sluice gates on the dam itself. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The kitchen staff was extremely friendly, and was ever willing to make special dishes and adjustments for us. There was this middle-aged worker who was a Man Friday for us. He helped us wherever we needed him - his name, Tirupathi. He took food and tea orders, answered the reception, attended to our minor needs and troubles, and kept smiling through it all. The food was rather limited, as we were the only guests on the entire Thursday and up until 11 a.m. on Friday, after which guests started coming, mostly from the nearby city Pune, to spend the weekend. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We left the resort at around half past four, reaching Mumbai via the Expressway, at about 11 p.m. On the way, we did stop at an eating point where we all had a great eating experience. In particular, Hannah had a filling "thaali". Nishrin and Inas shared a dish of dhansaak and rice; I had a chicken chilly+noodles+rice combo that was real value for money. (Just Rs. 120/-). I also parcelled an extra plate of dhansaak and rice, a few packets of Maganlal's chikki, a box of strawberry fudge and a few other things. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">All in all, a good holiday, albeit, very short! </span></span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-66479141450640044232015-10-07T12:15:00.001+05:302015-10-07T12:15:11.666+05:30Looking back, looking forward<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It is now over a month since I returned to India. Although there is some clarity on where I am going next, it is time to introspect at this juncture. I completed 4 year-long contracts in Saudi Arabia. It has been a journey of discovery. I have not only discovered this country and its people, I have also discovered many new facets of myself, many hidden strengths and a few weaknesses. On the balance, I guess the strengths won out, and I am a better person than the one I was when I left India on the 16th of November 2011.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have already written about this in many previous posts, so I am not going to repeat those things again. Back in India, things are happening so fast. My family is in their present continuous mode, of course, but Hannah had a knee injury within days of my arrival, and is off work since then. Inas goes on as does her mom. I have been meeting my friends and contacts periodically. I try to renew my relationships with as many people as possible, but I have come to realise that some friendships and relationships have been missing that something extra - that something that differentiates between a true friendship and a mere acquaintance. And, so, it is once again a journey of discovery as I separate the wheat from the chaff, the cream from the milk and my true friends from thousands of acquaintances.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The next thing I would like to mention is that my wife and daughters are now completely independent in most things, but, when I am around, they take the maximum benefit possible! In a way, that is quite cool, because it gives me immense satisfaction to do things for them that I am otherwise unable to do when I am thousands of miles away. I would illustrate this with a few examples: giving me a slew of repair tasks to do - mobile phones, electrical appliances, etc., governmental work such as submissions for privileges, shopping for essentials from a supermarket, and for luxuries and other stuff from malls, taking them to dinners at new and exotic restaurants, planning short holidays, medical appointments and consultations, etc. It makes me feel good, because I find that when I am active, and particularly when I am on a job for my family, I feel a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, yesterday, I met up with my favourite classmates Rakesh Ghildiyal and Sudhir B Rao. We dined at a popular Chembur restaurant called the Grand Central. It has two storeys. The ground floor is the usual, but on the first floor, they have a live music and song performance. Hence, while the ground floor has a normal restaurant look, the upper floor is full with guests enjoying themselves. The performers included a tabla player and a singer who crooned soft Hindi songs from the past. We had a table farthest from the performers, but could appreciate his singing. We ordered a couple of starters and three main-course dishes, and all the items were superb. They had a dim-sum festival, so our starters were basically a lamb dimsum and a vegetable one (Rakesh was going totally vegetarian). For the main course we had a Veg kofta curry, a Rogan-Josh and a Butter Chicken with rotis as per our preferences. Finally, we ordered one caramel custard for dessert, but both my friends did not eat the dessert at all, claiming that they were both "full to the head" with food. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Any other items? Not really, not for now, but I will return to entertain you all within a day or two ... with more interesting stuff from the city of Dreams, Mumbai. </span></span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-21750627386968878312015-10-06T00:40:00.001+05:302015-10-07T10:44:22.743+05:30Food hopping again. Reviewing two more: Umame and Faaso's<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, yesterday night, we ordered food using the Faaso's App. This app allows you very easy ordering of food from one of the fastest growing chains in Mumbai, the Faaso's chain. The best thing about the food is that it is hygienically wrapped and boxed and sent to you hot and attractively displayed. The next best thing is that the food is really affordable. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I can't say that they delivered the food from which outlet, or whether they have a central kitchen or/and a food parcel depot, as I ordered their
food using their app. Seriously, friends, they are super good when it
comes to hygienic packing and small addons. For example, every covered
plate has a neat label stating which dish is inside. They delivered in
an hour and 15 minutes from wherever they packed it and sent it to us in
south central Mumbai. We had ordered a mutton biryani, a chinese noodle
dish with what looked like Manchurian chicken, and a chicken
kolhapuri+dal+rice+ ... etc, full meal.<br /><br />The entire thing cost us only INR 650 ... that IS cool.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">At the other end of the cost spectrum is a fine-dining restaurant that we discovered because we could not get bookings at some OTHER restaurant. So, we decided to go to UMAME restaurant, located inside the Eros Theatre building (Khambatta Chambers). This restaurant is owned by the famous Farookh Khambatta of the Joss restaurant at Kala Ghoda (now that one closed about 3 years ago, and Umame lived up to its reputation very much! We ordered three items, one for each one of us (my daughters and I), and then followed it up with an awesome dessert.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We've eaten at Joss before, but this time, to be
frank, the food blew us away. We were first-timers, and the steward
there, one Mr. Russell, who has been with Mr. Khambatta for the past ten
years (earlier at Joss at Kala Ghoda) became our guide. He suggested the perfect dishes according to our requirements. We wanted to try
everything, but opted for one starter, two main dishes, a rice item and a
dessert. Everything was perfect, and we came back pleased as punch.
Well, we did not take any drinks, so maybe the word "punch" is
inappropriate here, ha ha.<br />
<br />
The starter was a Prickly ash-peppered snapper cut into pieces. It was
really good. For the main course, we had sea-bass cooked in banana
leaves and beef in the form of Prime tenderloin steak. To complement
these two, Mr. Russell insisted on ordering Vietnamese fried rice, and
to tell you the truth, that was just perfect.<br />
<br />
For dessert we had something astonishingly beautiful ... and it was NOT
the Big Bang stuff, but a more humble but exotic filo mille feuille with
assorted berries!</span></span> </div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-41269349580741423822015-10-01T00:49:00.000+05:302016-11-07T01:15:59.275+05:30My World, My blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As this blog fades into the cyberspace, I have begun to write energetically in my other blog - <a href="http://drtahersworld.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Taher's World</a>. Each entry is substantial. I write about my life, about Mumbai, and about various experiences that I am having. If you wish to read it, just click on the link that is highlighted above. My last several entries relate to the following topics: reviews of some restaurants and products that I have used/purchased; my family and I; outings for food; and back linking to this blog, for example. </span></span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Back in Al Muwayh, it seems that my absence has been covered up with the arrival of another paediatrician, one Dr. Hamza. He was earlier in Zalm, then transferred to Taif, and now, he has come back to the periphery, with new duties in Al Muwayh. Life goes on as routinely as it has been going on for the past several years! </span></span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Saudi Government is certainly tying itself up in knots with one bad news after another. First, there was this crane incident, where a construction crane in the Haram area of Makkah collapsed, killing up to 100 people. Then, a few weeks later, a stampede in Mina at the time of the Hajj led to the death of more than a 1000 people, with over 50 Indians among them. </span></span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Saudi Arabia has been trying to help the official government of Yemen to fight the Houthi freedom fighters. I think there was a misadventure yesterday, with Saudi planes bombing a civilian area where a wedding was taking place. There are unconfirmed reports of many deaths in this one incident which will undoubtedly tarnish the Saudi government's official image. </span></span></div>Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370162075194406745.post-39383381218354519832015-09-30T22:59:00.002+05:302015-09-30T22:59:42.516+05:30Dinner at Trattoria, Vivanta by Taj President, 28/09/2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My family and I went to Taj President hotel for dinner a few days ago. This is a review of the Trattoria restaurant that we visited. We were celebrating in a way, since it looks as if my future path is becoming a little clearer compared to where I was a month ago when I returned from Saudi Arabia, having finished my fourth year contract there. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qsgoNrVVh6Q/Vgv49I9GRxI/AAAAAAABtko/agVi5Ei7Ths/s1600/20150928_201149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qsgoNrVVh6Q/Vgv49I9GRxI/AAAAAAABtko/agVi5Ei7Ths/s320/20150928_201149.jpg" title="" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the lobby</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QcRQdGZ3Bt4/Vgv5NfRI2yI/AAAAAAABtkw/ME_v4NArlFg/s1600/20150928_204234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QcRQdGZ3Bt4/Vgv5NfRI2yI/AAAAAAABtkw/ME_v4NArlFg/s320/20150928_204234.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lovelies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YsTOa4pXV18/Vgv5nAMciJI/AAAAAAABtlA/4ULKfY_qHHg/s1600/20150928_204313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YsTOa4pXV18/Vgv5nAMciJI/AAAAAAABtlA/4ULKfY_qHHg/s320/20150928_204313.jpg" title="" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with my new Chinese collar shirt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-09KJrdTb83Y/Vgv5xCl1lyI/AAAAAAABtlI/k8QsFQNWuB4/s1600/20150928_214725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-09KJrdTb83Y/Vgv5xCl1lyI/AAAAAAABtlI/k8QsFQNWuB4/s320/20150928_214725.jpg" title="" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love, actually</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The food was delicious, and even better was the eminently helpful service. We had insider help, so we got some specially crafted dishes with extra portions, and a discount to boot! All in all, a wonderful evening was had by us. </span></span></div>
Taher Kagalwalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11488784262720510047noreply@blogger.com2