The upside of having a poor memory for books - often recalling no more than an aura, a characteristic glow - is that rereading can be as fresh a pleasure as a first reading. An instance: I know that 20 years ago or more, I read Eothen: Traces of Travel Brought Home from the East, by A.W. Kinglake, but, coming across it again recently, I realised how very little I remembered of it, so I'm reading it again(?) as a bedside book - and sure enough, it's coming up as good as new. It's an extraordinary piece of work, springy, youthful, vivid, disorganised, spontaneous - the very antithesis of everything you'd associate with the label 'Victorian travel book'. Here's the opening paragraph: 'At Semlin I still was encompassed by the scenes and the sounds of familiar life; the din of a busy world still vexed and cheered me; the unveiled faces of women still shone in the light of day. Yet, whenever I chose to look southward, I saw the Ottoman's fortress - austere, and darkly impending high over the vale of the Danube - historic Belgrade. I had come, as it were, to the end of this wheel-going Europe, and now my eyes would see the splendour and havoc of the East.' That could almost be Patrick Leigh Fermor (whom I hadn't read when I first read Eothen). Who could fail to read on after such an opening? It soon becomes apparent that Kinglake is going to write only about what catches his interest, and through all these changing scenes is to maintain the cool, amused detachment of the English gentleman, even (or especially) when in mortal danger. Contemporary readers looking for the kind of historical, topographical and ehtnographic baggage that weigh down so much travel writing of the period would have been disappointed - or pleased; the book was very popular and sold extremely well. Here's another chapter opening: 'Beyrout on its land-side is hemmed in by mountains. There dwell the Druses. Often enough I saw the ghostly images of the women with their exalted horns stalking through the streets; and I saw, too, in travelling, the affrighted groups of mountaineers as they fled before me, under the fear that my troop might be a company of Income-tax commissioners, or a press-gang enforcing the conscription for Mehemet Ali; but nearly all my knowledge of the people, except in regard to their mere costume and outward appearance, is drawn from books and despatches. To these last I have the hounour to refer you.' At which he takes off to make the acquaintance of the near-legendary Lady Hester Stanhope at the desert convent where she had set up her court. This is one of the most memorable (even to me) chapters of the book, and I am about to come to another, 'Cairo and The Plague', in which our hero lingers insouciantly in the city while the plague rages all around him. I'm looking forward to reading that - as if for the first time. |
Experience pleasure and serenity of India by taking the Golden Triangle Tour. A visit to the aces of vivacious capital India Delhi, a colorful city – Jaipur and beguiled and fascinating state of Taj Mahal is commonly known as Golden Triangle Tour. It will enhance the best moments of your life, a warm welcome to the exotic Golden Triangle Tour and experience the jaunty special moments of life.
If you want to make the best use of you leisure time, then plan your wonderful free time with us and get the most of your life. Take the opportunity to celebrate the splendid beauty of India by visiting the Golden Triangle Tour of north India with us.
The package of Golden Triangle Tour of northern India will provide the recreation, pleasure and repose and surely will give the best range of accommodation as well. Golden Triangle Tour will offer all the tourists visitors’ comfort and a great range of perks and packages to destination of Golden Triangle Tour of northern India.
The tour beings with its first trip to New Delhi – a city with history in its self-possessing enriched architectural beauty and monuments. It is a pleasant place to visit & the overall trip can be luxuriant & frolic experience in itself.
The glorious city of Jaipur is the next destination and a land of royal Rajputs known for their courage &dignity. The overall tour of Jaipur city involves visit to Hawa mahal, Jantar mantar, Amber Fort Palace & the gem factory. Almost all worth visiting places to just make you feel out of the world.
The final destination of golden triangle tour is Agra and a visit to Tajmahal the epitome and embodiment of true love. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, which was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Gulbadan known as Mumtaz Mahal. Its beauty is incomparable and is situated on a raised platform on the southern end of four quarter garden. The overall design is based on the grid pattern that lends a spectacular view to the whole place.
The first pattern is a high red stone gateway Chowk-I Iilo Khana which with beautiful minarets. The next 30m red stone gateway you can enter the main building with gardens and have a spectacular view of the Taj Mahal. The entry separates in to quadrangles separated by waterways, which eventually lead to a water tank located in the center. On the north end, you have the Taj while on the western side of the Taj is the Mosque done in red sand stone. It has a replica of it on the eastern side as well. The Taj Mahal is located in the center with four storied marble minarets in each corner.
The beautiful & great carving on marble will take away your breath & leave you spell bound. The beauty of the Taj Mahal enraptures and enchants the visitors. The overall design has been specially carved in a manner to bring out the whiteness of the marble surface rather than over-shadow it. The enchanting beauty invites the visitors for repeated visits.
It will be scintillating and dazzling experience to be a part of this journey of Golden Triangle Tour that covers the Rajasthan tour, the capital of India and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Yahoo is cutting more fat today by closing its travel bargains website FareChase, which it originally acquired back in July 2004 and re-launched two years later. The company will be announcing the shut-down later today, and will start redirecting visitors of the service to its main travel site soon.
For some, the idea of hitting the highways in a foreign country can be rather unsettling. However, if you choose to rent a car in France, a car can be a great way to see the beautiful French countryside. While I am always an advocate of traveling by train in France (the TGV is by far the fastest way to get around the country), a car allows you more freedom and the ability to leisurely meander through the French countryside, stopping at villages and small towns that you may miss otherwise. Especially in the less populated areas of the country, a car in these areas also allows a traveler to set his or her own agenda, stopping at interesting sights along the way and meandering through quaint villages.