travel-pics-tips

We are an Indian couple living in Switzerland. We love travelling and have traveled extensively within Europe and North America. This is a blog to share our adventures, pictures with anyone interested. Having lived in Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland for quite some time, we can try to answer your travel queries related to these countries (esp. for 1st time travelers).

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Lake Bled - A Slovenian fairytale

We had an opportunity to visit Lake Bled in Slovenia in Mar, 2018.

The place is simply amazing. It is one of the most picturesque locations we have seen, so far. The church on the island in the middle of the lake truly gives it a fairy-tale like feel.

The walk around the lake takes around 1 hour, and is highly recommended. It is so relaxing to walk around the lake, and the experience of an early morning jog around the lake is not to be missed. There are hotels on all sides of the lake most of which have a nice view of the castle, e.g. the pics below show the views from Villa Istra, Grand Hotel Toplice and Vila Bled, respectively. Bled is like a 40 min drive form Ljubljana, so day trips to Lake Bled are also possible, however try to stay at least a day so you can truly appreciate the beauty of the place.

To reach Bled Island, you need take one of the beautifully decorated boats from the shore below. A ride to the island and back takes around 10 Euros per person.  

The way it works is that they take you by boat to the island, where you can stay for 2-3 hours, and then take the boat back to the shore. Below is where the boats are docked at the island.

Finally, walking around the lake, you will reach a point which is the starting point to hike up to to Bled Castle. Half of the hike consists of unpaved paths, so be careful if you are doing it in winter. There is a restaurant at the top, souvenir shops, and you will be rewarded with some nice panoramic views of the castle.

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Vevey - the Swiss Riviera

Here are some pics from a weekend trip to Vevey in Feb, 2018.

Vevey is often referred to as the Swiss Riviera, which should be evident from the stunning vista. The lake front location with a clear view of the Alps is a sight to behold.

In addition to the view, the culinary aspect of the town is highlighted by the sculpture of The Fork.

We stayed at the Grand Hotel du Lac, which is highly recommended for its location, service and ambience.

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Leukerbad - the natural Spa

Sharing a few beautiful pics of Leukerbad, which is the largest thermal spa resort in the Alps.

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Durga Puja 2017 in Brussels

We had the pleasure to attend the Durga Puja festivities in Brussels this year.

We try to attend Durga Puja in different parts of the world every year, and this year it was Brussels. The puja had a very homely feel to it - thanks to the organizers; and we had an absolutely enjoyable time. For more details of the Durga Puja in Brussels, please refer to the association website (link).

Brussels

  Grote Markt

  Focusing on the city itself, Brussels is a typical European capital with its fair share of museums and cathedrals. As a tourist, the place that you need to target is the Grand Place or Grote Markt, which is the main square in Brussels, and all touristic activities including shopping, restaurants / cafes and palaces / cathedrals are centered here.

The architecture is indeed impressive, and it looks even more spectacular at night with colorful lights.

Of course, when you are in Brussels, do not forget to sample two of Belgium unique culinary delights - chocolates and waffles. There are numerous shops selling both waffles and chocolates and we honestly did not find much difference among the fancy ones (like the one in the pic below) and the more traditional ones; so feel try to try the first one you see rather than trying to find the most elusive one based on Tripadvisor reviews.

Royal Palace

The 2nd place to visit in Brussels is the Royal Palace. As before, this one is also an architectural marvel. As you are not allowed to go inside, the visit should be pretty quick unless you want to visit the Palace museum.

   If you have time, there is a huge park/garden right in front of the Palace which is ideal for catching a breather.

Hotel Metropole

  We stayed at the Metropole hotel in Brussels.  It is one of the oldest luxury hotels in Belgium and the hotel is a landmark in itself. As you can see from the pictures below, the hotel interiors are quite grand! The rooms however are not that well maintained, and are in need of some serious renovation. Hence, do not expect 5* luxury based on the pictures on their website.

  Bruges

If you are in Brussels, a day trip to Bruges is definitely worth it.

  Bruges is a lovely fortress style city. There are no cars allowed inside the city, and the best way to explore the city is by foot or the beautifully decorated horse carriages. 

There is a labyrinth of canals and a boat ride of 30mins is also a great way to explore the city.

The whole city is quite beautiful, but one of the more famous attractions include the Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde (below), which is the only preserved beguinage in the Bruges. The place has a kind of mysterious aura around it and is definitely worth visiting.

  Once you get tired from all the exploring (read walking), head towards the City Centre (Grote Markt) - there are plenty of shops and restaurants/cafes around including a few impressive building such as the City Hall.

End of the tour, we realized that as a tourist it probably makes more sense to set-up base in Bruges and then visit Brussels for a day :)

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Exploring the Incan civilization in Peru

We visited Peru in July, 2017.

Machu Picchu 

  The primary (and of course the most famous) attraction in Peru is Machu Picchu.

The only way to reach the citadel, which you see in pictures everywhere, e.g. the one above; is to take a bus from the city of Machu Picchu. The city of Machu Picchu as such is very small, and there is nothing much to do other than the citadel. So the recommended alternative is to stay in the nearby city of Cusco.

Cusco

The best and fastest way to reach Cusco from Lima is to take a local flight. There are plenty of local airlines, most of which operate within Peru or Latin America only. Given the high altitude of Cusco, flights often get delayed or canceled due to weather conditions / heavy winds. So (if possible) always try to have some buffer in your travel itinerary to accommodate these delays. Finally, while booking local flights, pay special attentions to the fare conditions as some of the fare categories are reserved for locals only.

  Cusco is a lovely city nestled among the mountains. It gives the feel of one of those ancient cities with its cobbled streets and impressive architectural monuments e.g. castles / citadels. It is a very touristic city, so you won't have any problems finding English speaking locals here. It also implies that there are plenty of restaurants / cafes in Cusco - catering to wide variety of cuisines and price range - from the McDonald / KFC to the fine dining options in one of the city's 5 star hotels (JW Marriott El Conveto Cusco or Belmond Palacio Nazarenas). 

We stayed at the Monestario hotel in Cusco, which is another Belmond hotel right in front of the Palacio Nazarenas. As the name suggests, it is basically a monastery which has been transformed into a charming chic hotel. The monastery has been impeccably preserved, from the small church, to paintings, to antique furniture. Some of the rooms also have enriched oxygen, so be sure to ask for that if you feel the lack of oxygen at high altitudes. It is a 5 min walk to the Old Town Square - so you avoid all the crowd, but are always within walking distance of the hub. 

Hiram Bingham Train

  There are a variety of way to reach Machu Picchu from Cusco. It basically takes 8 hours to drive from Cusco to Machu Picchu city, from where you still need to (queue and) take the state run buses to the Citadel which takes around 30 minutes. The faster way is to take a train from Poroy (the train station closest to Cusco - 20 minutes drive) to Machu Picchu city - takes approximately 3 hours. The other option is to take a train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu; Ollantaytambo is like a 1.30 hours drive from Cusco, and takes a similar amount of time to reach Machu Picchu from Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is one of the main sites for Incan ruins, so it makes to combine the train ride with a visit to Ollantaytambo. It is a small city with a few hotels as well, so staying there might also be an option. There are a range of trains available from Cusco to Machu Picchu - from the cheapest local ones to those where you can at least reserve a seat; and some where you also get lunch / dinner served during the journey. With the reserved ones, while you will be able to avoid the crowds at the railway stations; you will still need to queue for the buses to go (and return) from Machu Picchu city to the Citadel. Here, we are easily talking about an hour long queue just for the bus (2 hours - both ways) on the best of days - so be sure to factor that in while planning your journey as the Citadel is only open from 9am to 5pm.   The only way to avoid the bus waiting times is to take the most luxurious / expensive option  - the Hiram Bingham train. The train is run by Belmond, the same company which runs luxurious trains around the world, e.g. the Orient Express. Like the Orient Express, the train is beautifully decorated with an open bar and live music.

This is basically a day train, i.e. it only runs from Cusco to Machu Picchu in the morning (reaching Machu Pichu around 12.30 afternoon) and returns around 6pm from Machu Picchu to Cusco. Lunch (brunch) / dinner is served on the train during the respective journeys. The train also has an open observatory deck which comes in very handy to enjoy the scenic train ride to Machu Picchu.

Upon reaching Machu Picchu, they have a dedicated bus to take you to the Citadel - so no long queues. And, you have finally reached Machu Picchu :) No amount of internet pics will prepare you for the awe-inspiring feeling that you get on seeing this Wonder of the World for the first time! It is simply amazing how the Incans managed to build a city at this height, using only the primitive technologies available in those days. There is of course a lot of fascinating Incan history associated with the place. So it helps that there is a tour guide included in the train price. For the average tourist, unless you are interested in exploring each and every historical significance of this Wonder  - 2-3 hours are sufficient to explore the place.

Sacred Valley

  The other benefit of staying in Cusco is that it also acts as a base point to explore the nearby  Sacred Valley and Incan ruins. 

Sacred Valley, as the name suggests, is a valley nestled among the Andes mountains. Irrespective of its significance for the Incas, it is worth visiting the Sacred Valley just for its natural beauty :)

Pisac Incan Ruins

Significant Incan ruins nearby include Pisac, Moray and Ollantaytambo. Below are a few breathtaking shots of the Pisca and Moray Incan ruins. Unfortunately, there was a nationwide Teachers' strike ongoing on the day of our travel, and hence the roads to Ollantaytambo were blocked - so we unfortunately had to skip Ollantaytambo :(

Maras Salt Mines

The other site worth mentioning here, which can be included in the same day tour from Cusco - are the Maras Salt Mines. This is an active mine which is still used by the locals to produce Salt. The stream of salty water (full of minerals) obtained from the mountain rocks through which it passes is the source of the salt. Irrespective of its Salt mining capabilities - whether you are interested in the mining details or not :) - the Salt mines are a sight to behold at that height!

Lake Titicaca

  Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable body of water in the world. The lake is vast - stretching to both Peru and Bolivia. We stayed at the charming lakeside hotel  - Titilaka hotel. It is the perfect place to relax with amazing views of the sunrise/sunset - as you can see from the pictures :) Location wise, it is like a 30 min drive from the nearest (big) city of Puno.

  The hotel may not look very impressive from the outside, but once inside, it has all the amenities of a luxury boutique hotel. It is kind of self-sufficient in that all meals and touristic activities are included in the room price.

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Return to Roots in Scotland

We visited Scotland in May, 2017.

Scotland is the land of castles and lakes. Let's start with the lakes first.

Highlands and Lakes

  There are many lakes (lochs) in Scotland. The two most famous ones are the Loch Lomond and Loch Ness. If you have heard of the Loch Ness Monster, then the Loch Ness is already on your wish list I guess. Note that the two lakes are quite long, and there are multiple points along the lake where you can stop to enjoy the views. Some of them, e.g. Inverness, have been converted into tourist hot spots with their many restaurants, cafes and hotels.

  The 2 lakes are actually a bit far from each other - so difficult to cover in a day. If you e.g. look at all the day tours available from Edinburgh, the 2 lakes are covered in different tours. So the recommended way is to cover (Highlands and Loch Ness) in one day, and the (Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle) on a different day. This will of course assuming that you are staying at Edinburgh, and will vary if you are e.g. staying at Inverness. Even with a day tour, be prepared for many hours of driving as in a 9-hour day trip, you will mostly be driving 2/3rds of it.

Enjoy some pics below of the 2 lakes:

Highlands

If you are visiting Scotland, you of course cannot miss the Scottish Highlands. If you are a Bond fan, you will probably remember the amazing landscape from Skyfall where Bond stops with M on their way to his ancestral home. 

The highlands are easily accessible from Edinburgh - approx. 1.30 hours drive. The place to target is Glencoe. The drive to Glencoe is very scenic with glimpses of the impressive landscape all along the way. The roads are usually quite deserted, which coupled with the amazing landscape really gives you the "end of the world" feeling!

  Castles

  The city of Edinburgh looks straight out of a Medieval century film set - check out the pic below. No wonder it is the filming location of many such shows, e.g. Braveheart, Outlander, Game of Thrones, and the inspiration behind Harry Potter's Hogwarts.

There are 2 main castles in the vicinity - the Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, which is located slightly outside Edinburgh. Actually 3, if you count Doune castle (again, slightly outside Edinburgh), which you would remember if you are a Monty Python fan.

  The Stirling castle is quite impressive, to say the least. Standing on a hill, it offers impressive views of the city of Edinburgh. 2-3 hours should be sufficient to explore the castle. It was raining quite heavily the day we visited the castle, like most days it would seem; so don't forget your umbrella on any visit to the UK/Scotland. Enjoy a few rain washed pictures of the castle in the meantime :)

Both the castles (Edinburgh and Stirling) have a rich history and there is quite some debate among locals / tourists regarding which is better? Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we did not get time to explore the Edinburgh castle in detail - so we cannot really weigh in on the debate.  If and when you visit both, please do let us know your opinion :) As a teaser, enjoy a few pics of the Edinburgh castle from the outside.

Night in London

We had a brief stopover in London, on the way to Edinburgh. So enjoy a few pics of 'A Night in London', and a more thorough exploration of  London remains on the wish list for next time.

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Seaside in Algarve, Portugal

We visited Algarve during Easter, 2017.

Lisbon

As there are few direct flights to Algarve (Faro Airport), we decided to take the opportunity to make a short break in Lisbon. So we only had a day in Lisbon, and this will be a brief primer on Lisbon; clearly a city like Lisbon deserves a whole blog post on itself. The absolute essential thing to cover in Lisbon is the Jerónimos Monastery (below).

Unfortunately, the only day we had in Lisbon was also a public holiday in Lisbon. As such, the queue to visit the Monasteries was too long, and we had to skip it. Note that there there is a separate (sometime hidden) queue for the Cathedral, so it might be possible to at least visit the Cathedral if you are in a similar situation like ours.

The whole area is impressive, esp. the Discoveries Monument. The Discoveries Monument also has an elevator and it is possible to go to the top of the monument - and take panoramic pictures of the Monastery.

While exploring the city of Lisbon, do not forget to take a snap and (if time permits) ride on its iconic trams.

The best place to spend the evening in Lisbon, is to head straight to the Praça do Comércio. This is the commercial centre of Lisbon on the banks of Tagus river. In the evening, it transforms itself into a riverside paradise with its many cafes/bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops.  

Algarve

  Vila Vita Parc Resort

We stayed at the the Vila Vita Parc resort in Algarve. This is an upscale ocean side resort right on the Atlantic coast.

Location wise, it is located in Porches - Alporchinhos is the closest city/village. The closest airport is Faro, and it takes around an hour from the airport to the resort. So you will need to rent a car, or please arrange a transfer with the hotel before landing.

The resort is spread over 50 acres of landscaped gardens. So there are basically golf carts to take you from one place to another within the resort.

It looks equally stunning at night.

The resort is amazing. You really feel as if you are in the lap of nature, and the only thing that you want to do is to leave aside your mobile/laptop and relax; even though there is perfect WiFi connectivity. This is the best way to enjoy nature, but in a luxurious setting! The resort has 10+ restaurants including a 2 Michelin star restaurant. So you can rest assured that you won't have to compromise in the food category. If you do end up indulging the excellent food, the resort has plenty of options to loose some of that in terms its many swimming pools, yoga, gym and spa facilities. Finally, the staff are absolutely charming, friendly and helpful - so the resort is absolutely recommended. Many of the guests we met at the resort seemed to be return guests, so its quite safe to say that we are not the only ones looking forward to return :)

Benagil Caves

The Atlantic coast in Algarve is famous for its many rock formations, caves and grottos. They are indeed very impressive.

The best way to explore them is to take a boat cruise. From the hotel, it is basically a half an hour drive to the departure point of most boat tours. Most cruises last around 1 to 1.30 hours. While a longer duration implies that you will visit more caves and cruise farther; the caves do get a bit monotonous after you have seen the 10th one - so choose your duration wisely. The most impressive among the caves, and the one which you absolutely need to cover is Benagil. You can get an idea of the enormity of the cave from the pic below - if you look carefully, it is me standing at the bottom of the pic (in the spotlight) :)

There are many beaches, in and around the caves; so in some cases it is also possible to reach some of the caves by walking (through tunnels) from the beaches. I will leave you to explore these tunnels when you visit!

Somehow, international tourism still does not seem to have reached Algarve; as most of the tourists seemed to be either local or from nearby Spain. You can of course take this as a favorable sign, as the beaches were not overcrowded, and it was possible to find a boat tour of the caves at last minute. Having said this, there are sufficiently English speaking people, tour operators and taxi drivers - so its all good for now - better visit it before the rest of the world discovers this hidden gem :)

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A night in Prague

We visited Prague in Sep, 2016.

Transportation

Prague is the capital of Czech Republic. It is is reasonably well connected by International and European flights, so you shouldn't have any problems in getting a flight to Prague. Just so you know, Czech Republic is considered as part of Central Europe, and not Western (or Eastern) Europe. This implies that it is less developed than say Germany and Austria, but more developed than Romania. In practical terms, this means that while hotel and food will be cheaper, you still need to be cautious while taking a taxi so that you are not ripped off. Having said this, Prague is of course a major touristic hub, and you are more than safe if you stick to touristic parts. Like most European cities, it does have a very well connection public transportation system.

Old Town Square

Three days is usually a good duration to cover (and enjoy) Prague. The absolutely essential things that you need to cover are: Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and take a cruise on the Vltava river - this one is "if time permits", as you will already see some of views if you visit Charles Bridge. Let's start with the Old Town Square. As the name suggests, this is main town square. Almost every monument at the square has historic significance. Even if you don't care about history, the monuments are downright impressive. For instance, we were told that some of them served as the inspiration for castles that you find in Disney Movies may be you will recognize some of the ones from the pics below :)

and they looks equally stunning at night. 

This is is the place with a lot of shops and cafes/restaurants. So its easy to spend a whole day here. 

Charles Bridge

If you are wondering what is so special about a bridge, you have to see it to believe it. Below is a spectacular night shot of the bridge:

The area around the bridge is for pedestrians only. So it provides a leisurely means to walk around and explore the many shops and cafes/restaurants around the bridge. There are a couple of towers, one on each side of the bridge, which provide excellent vantage points to take panoramic shots of the city and the bridge. 

The best time to take pictures of the bridge is around dusk. So try to be a bit early and you can take pictures of the bridge and riverscapes as it progressively gets dark.

River Cruise

Since we are talking about the bridge, let's continue with the description of the river cruise. 

The river cruises usually start from a different point than the bridge. River cruises are usually included if you take a day pass with any of the Hop on-Hop off bus tours. It is usually an hour or so long and takes you from the pick-up point to Charles Bridge and return. 

It is a leisurely cruise and you get the see the Charles Bridge, and some other bridges/monuments from a different perspective. So its nice, but our recommendation would be to prioritize it after the other 3. 

   Prague Castle 

Finally, let's consider the Prague Castle. It is slightly outside the main city, so the best way to reach there is again the Hop On-Hop Off buses; it is of course also possible to reach there by public transportation. 

It is a wide scenic area with many impressive monuments, e.g. museums, castles and cathedrals. So plan for around 2-3 hours to cover the Castle. An alternative is to combine this with exploring the Charles Bridge on the same day. 

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Horse Carriage ride in the Alps

We visited Gstaad in Jan 2107.

Gstaad

  Gstaad is one of the most famous (and expensive) ski resorts in Switzerland. It is a hotspot for celebrities, so don't be surprised if you run into one during your visit :) The city itself is very small - so you can easily walk around the main street. The street is beautifully decorated and full of cafes, restaurants, and high end shops.

To accommodate the posh crowd,  there are 4 5+ Star hotels, with the Gstaad Palace being the most iconic and famous one. 

We stayed at the Le Grand Bellevue which recently re-opened after an extensive renovation. It is like a luxury home at the top of the mountains. It is a small hotel with around 60 rooms which gives it a cosy feeling. It was definitely one of the friendliest 5* hotels we have stayed in, as the staff were genuinely friendly and did not have the "air" sometimes associated with such high end hotels. The facilities and interior decorations are absolutely flawless - it also boasts of the longest sofa in Switzerland :)

The views in front of the hotel are absolutely stunning - check out the pics below!

 Horse Carriage ride in Lauenen

  As we don't ski, every year we try to find interesting (non-skiing) activities to pursue at ski resorts, e.g. snow shoe hiking, toboggan rides. This year, we tried the horse carriage ride in Lauenen. 

Lauenen is a small city / village around 30 minutes drive from Gstaad.  You can also take the Post Bus, which unfortunately is not very frequent. Taxis are available, but they need to be booked in advance (will cost around 40 Swiss Francs) - check with your hotel if you need one.

The horse carriage ride is like 1 - 1.30 hours, from Lauenen to Lake Lauenen (and back). It costs around 150 Swiss Francs. We went with low expectations, but ended up thoroughly enjoying the ride. It felt like a dream - traveling on a horse carriage through beautiful scenery and snow capped mountains.

 The real icing on the cake was when we finally reached Lake Lauenen - and the lake was completely frozen. Check out the amazing pic below!

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Short break in Krakow, Poland

We visited Krakow in Oct 2016.

Krakow is the 2nd largest city in Poland, after capital Warsaw. It has a small airport with limited flight connectivity - so you will most likely not get a direct flight and end up going via Warsaw, Vienna, Munich or Zurich. The city itself is very international, and you can easily survive with English. The taxi drivers seemed very professional and in most cases followed the meter rates - which was a very welcome change for an East-European country. Cost wise, of course it has a low cost of living; so you would not feel the pinch - neither in food nor transportation - if you are used to Western European Euro (esp. Swiss) prices.

Main Market Square

It was a coincidence that we visited Krakow soon after Prague. The two cities are quite comparable in that both provide an excellent mix of history, architecture and a vibrant culture (/ nightlife). Like in Prague, tourist hot spots in Krakow are concentrated around the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny in Polish). The centre of the Square is dominated by the Cloth Hall.

   The square looks equally stunning at night.

The Cloth Hall interiors have been transformed into a marketplace with small shops selling all kinds of local wares. Of course, this is a tourist hot-spot, so beware that prices in these shops are usually much higher than prices you will find in a shop 10 minutes away from the Market Square.

Apart from the central building, there is the magnificent St. Mary's Basilica adjacent to it (below). You can climb to the top of the Basilica towers to get a magnificent view of the Cloth Hall.

Apart from the impressive monuments and shopping venues, the place is filled with restaurants of all types. The glittering lights and lovely ambience make it ideal for a special evening out. The pic below also reminded us of another similarity between Prague and Krakow - the horse carriages :)

Castle

The castle is very impressive, and is within walking distance of the Main Market Square. Keep 2-3 hours in hand to explore the Castle fully. There are many impressive monuments, a park with cafes, shops, etc.; and museums to explore.

If you have time, and the weather is good; it is a beautiful walk around the Castle on the banks of river Wisla.

The last notable attraction that we would like to mention here before closing this blog - is the Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration Camp. There is no better reminder of the horrors of War. It can however be very depressing, so definitely take that into consideration! It is around 1.30 hours from the main city, so keep the whole day for visiting it. You can find a very detailed description of what to expect on its website (link). 

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Romanticism on board the luxurious Orient Express

Travel with us into the world of old school charm and romanticism on board the Orient Express.

We traveled on the Orient Express in Sep 2016. It was a childhood dream for us having grown up reading Agatha Christie novels, namely 'Murder on the Orient Express'.

Long distance train travel has an aura of mystery and romanticism attached to it - gazing out of the window as the train winds through beautiful landscapes, meeting interesting people (and strangers) on the train - all add to the experience. And, doing all this in style and luxury is like the icing on the cake. The Orient Express is able to blend all this in one ride. Watch the James Bond movie "From Russia with Love" or Chanel's "Train de Nuit" advertisement if you need further reasons to get inspired to undertake a journey on board the Orient Express :)

The Train

The original Orient Express ran from Istanbul to Paris in the 1880s. It has a rich history of connecting Europe, and used to be preferred mode of transport for royals, dignitaries, in general the privileged people in those days. The modern Orient Express retains much of this old world charm and sophistication. The interior decorations have been carefully restored, so that you immediately feel like entering a bygone era as soon as you step on the train.

Routes

The (current) Orient Express covers multiple destinations on journeys ranging from 1 to 5 nights. You can get the full list of journeys here: (link). Note that these journeys are very expensive to say the least - a 1 night train ride can easily cost you 1500 Euros per person. So the 1-2 night journeys get booked fast, and advance booking of around 3-4 months is definitely recommended! In our opinion, a 24 hour (1 night) journey is more than enough to get a feel of the train. So 2 days are more than sufficient to fully explore and experience the train - anything above that purely depends on the time and budget you have at your disposal. We took the Venice to Prague part, which is basically a 20 hour journey. Within this period, we had sufficient time to explore the train, even the souvenir shop :), have 3 meals on board, relax in our cabin, and even visit the bar; so we had pretty much covered everything (worth exploring) by the time the train entered Prague.

Cabins

The cabins are small, meant for a couple (2 people); however the two of you will definitely have trouble moving around or getting dressed for dinner, at the same time. The price may make it seem that you will be getting half the compartment, but that is clearly not the case :) In fact, all cabins are the same; the suites are basically two cabins combined together! The cabins are small, but of course very elegantly decorated - refer to the pic below:

Basically, the upper part of the seat gets converted into another bed at night. So space is usually not a problem while sitting or sleeping, but moving around needs a bit of adjustment. Regarding luggage, we also had some confusion initially regarding the amount of luggage that will be permitted with us in the cabin. As a thumb rule, let's say one suitcase of the usual airline limit (23 kgs / 50 lbs) will be allowed with you in the cabin. The rest will be stored in their luggage cabin, and only returned to you at your destination - so pack accordingly! Regarding other amenities, there is a wash basin and mirror in the room. However there is NO attached bathroom in the room. There is one per compartment, and of course you can cross over to the one in the adjoining compartment if your need is urgent :) However, there are still no showers in any of the bathrooms. This is one of the main reasons why a journey of more than 2 days is difficult on the Orient Express. (This is also why the 5 night journeys on the Orient Express usually have a layover of 1-2 nights in between at a city hotel, in one of the intermediate cities en route.) The other reason why a multi-day journey is difficult on this train - is the amount of sleep you will get at night! The train usually travels at quite a fast speed at night, and the disadvantage of maintaining the train as it used to be in the old days; is that you will feel the jerks and bends of the train as it travels at night. Most other such luxury trains now stop at a station during night to allow you a peaceful sleep.  For us, however, sleeping on a moving train is very much part of the experience; and we prefer it to stopping at a station at night. However, it would of course be difficult to sustain this 'lack of sleep' over multiple nights.

Bar and Dining

Of course, you will not be spending all the time in your cabin. There are 3 dining cars on the train, where you will be having your lunch and dinner - breakfast is usually served in your cabin. There is not much to choose among the 3 restaurant cars, all 3 are equally stunning and uniquely decorated.

All meals are freshly prepared on the train. The quality of food and presentation can easily rival that of a Michelin star restaurant. So you also need to be dress accordingly for the occasion - don't forget your suits, tuxedos and gowns! The train is pretty long, so be prepared for some walking to reach the dining cars, of course depending on the location of your compartment. There is also a bar with a live pianist where you can relax before and after your dinner.

Overall, we had an amazing journey on the train, leaving us with memories which we will cherish for the rest of our lives. The (super) friendly and helpful staff make it even more special. If you love classics, our absolute recommendation would be to experience this train journey at least once in your lifetime. Bon voyage!!

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Mystical Santorini, Greece

We visited Santorini in Aug 2016. This was our second visit to Greece - we had previously visited Athens and Crete in 2012 (blog link)

Santorini

Santorini is one of the most touristic islands in Greece. By some counts, 6 million tourists visited Santorini in 2015. The main touristic months are April-Sep; it gets the most crowded in Aug, and it also gets pretty hot then with temperatures reaching 40 degrees celsius. So July is probably the best month to visit Santorini.

Santorini is actually pretty close to Crete, and there are regular ferries running between the two islands. So it is quite possible to stay in one and visit the other for a day trip. Of course, a day trip is never nearly enough to explore the true beauty of the place. As this is Greece, there is of course plenty of Greek mythology associated with Santorini. According to one such legend, Santorini was the 'Lost city of Atlantis' before the volcanic eruption (link). So feel free to look for it while you are there :) Santorini is a big island and there are primarily two cities where you can stay: Oia and Fira. From the airport, Fira is like a 20 minutes drive, while Oia is another 20 minutes further from Fira.

Oia

Comparing Oia (pronounced 'Ia') and Fira, Oia is the more laid-back, picturesque, and "expensive" destination; while Fira is the bigger city with a bigger market and nightlife. So choosing between the 2 really depends on your tastes and budget. Yes, there are (ultra) luxury accommodations in both Oia and Fira, so it is a bit difficult to compare between the two as a "luxury" destination; however in general there are more luxurious hotels in Oia, and the prices of restaurants and souvenirs are also higher in Oia. Also, if you are interested in photography, and want to capture the signature "blue domes" or stunning sunsets in Santorini; then Oia is the place that you should stay.

Hotels

Most of the hotels, at least the good ones; have rooms facing the Caldera. Without going into a lot of scientific details regarding how the whole region was formed, suffice it to say that there was a huge volcanic eruption hundreds of years ago - which led to the creation of a huge crater (the Caldera). So for hotels facing the Caldera, you get amazing views of the water filled crater with volcanic mountains in the background; whichever way you look!

We stayed at Mystique, which is a luxury hotel by the Starwood group. If you collect loyalty points, this is one of the very few hotels in Oia which is associated with any of the major hotel chains. Location wise, the hotel is perfect: (i) All the rooms offer stunning views of the Caldera. (ii) It is very close to main walking / shopping part of Oia. The hotel has all the usual luxury suspects like the infinity pool, spa, and great restaurants.

Below is a stunning night shot of the hotel:

The only disadvantage, and in fact the main complaint of people in e.g. Tripadvisor reviews; is the number of stairs that you have to climb to reach your room, or even the reception, from the main road. In a way, you can also think of the stairs as one of the most distinguishing features of the hotel, as many local people we talked to knew about the (in)famous "stairs" :) From our point of view, the stairs can indeed be a bit daunting if you are not in the best shape. The best is to plan so that you only have to climb them once a day. Basically, you have to climb less if you stay at one of their entry level rooms, as they are more towards the top. However, then you would have to descend (climb) more to reach "food", as the hotel's main restaurant, spa and infinity pool are all towards the bottom. OK, in all fairness, they do have an alternate pool and restaurant towards the top as well, so you surely won't go hungry if you are feeling a bit lazy :) Other than that, the staff are super friendly, the rooms are modern and well decorated, and the views stunning - so definitely recommended !!

Exploring Oia

Oia as a city itself is quite small, so you shouldn't have any problems in locating the main (and only) shopping street in Oia. If you are staying at Mystique, exit the entrance on the main road and start walking left - you will be there in 5 minutes.

The street itself is quite long, and it is good that there are no cars allowed on the road. So its great for long leisurely walks in the evening. There are many cafes, bakeries, restaurants, shops, etc. on the street, so it is not that you will get bored!! While we are on the topic of Oia streets, let us also touch upon the best vantage points to get the classic 'Santorini shot with blue domes' and the perfect sunset. As mentioned earlier, between Fira and Oia; Oia is the place to be if you are a photography enthusiast. The are many churches / buildings with blue domes in Santorini.

However, the characteristic shot is the one with at least 3 domes (below).

To get this shot, keep looking at the alleys on the left (on the sea side) as you walk along the main street. There are 2 or 3 alleys which you will find more crowded than the others - this is usually a good sign that it is one of those vantage points :) Note that the alleys are narrow, and some of them can get very crowded during sunset - so pick your time wisely!

While the alleys provide a vantage point for sunsets as well, the best place are the cafes / restaurants almost at the end of the street (if you keep walking straight - following the main street); most such places have the name 'sunset' in them :) We were recommended the 'Golden Sunset Cafe' by our hotel and it definitely provided perfect sunset views with the windmill in the background (below). But again, book in advance as it gets very crowded during sunset. It is amazing to see the very crowded cafe suddenly becoming empty as soon as the sun sets :)

Sailing

From Oia, let us move on to areas (and activities) worth exploring around Oia. Sailing in the Aegean Sea is a very popular tourist attraction here. As soon as you land in Santorini, you will see brochures advertising cruises all around. There are of course all types of cruises, varying in duration, covering different parts of the island, including lunch / dinner, available as a private, semi-private, or (public) group tour. This might seem like a lot of variable parameters - so if you need a quick one line reply - YES, a cruise (esp. a sunset cruise) is definitely worth it!!

Advantages of taking a cruise include a fast and convenient way of exploring the main beaches in Santorini, e.g. the famous Red and Black beaches, some of which cannot be reached by car.  The boats either leave from Oia or a port in the South of Santorini (Vlyhada Marina). Hotel pickup / drop-off is usually provided if you are staying at a hotel in Oia. There are usually 2 cruises in a day: 'Day' and 'Sunset'. Our recommendation would be to absolutely take the 'Sunset' one if you have time, as the sunsets here are simply awesome (below).

The 'Sunset' cruises usually start at afternoon, cruising leisurely to the Red and Black beaches. Whether they stop at the beaches really depends on the type of cruise you have taken, and here the difference between private and group tours becomes important. If you have taken a private tour, it is of course like you have rented the boat (with crew) for that period; so you can customize the cruise according to your preferences. The opposite is true for group cruises, which have a very fixed itinerary. As expected, private cruises are of course quite expensive. So, a compromise is to take a 'semi-private' cruise where you will be sharing the cruise with max. 5-6 others; and the cruise can be tailored to a reasonable extent to your wishes. FYI, we took this 'semi-private' cruise offered by Santorini Sailing Center (link) - and we can absolutely recommend it! We shared the cruise with two other couples and the crew were super friendly and accommodating. We stopped (and swam) close to both beaches, and in the hot springs as well. The water at the hot springs is very rich in iron and manganese -  so be sure to wear a swimsuit which you do not mind getting stained :)

After exploring the beaches, the boat moves to a quieter and more stable (less rocking) place where dinner is served. The crew usually cooks it fresh during the cruise. After the sumptuous dinner, the boat starts cruising again, as the sun starts setting. Take a glass of champagne and enjoy the sun going down in all its glory. Soon after the sunset, the boat docks at its destination port: and you are driven back to your hotel with memories of a wonderful day.

Fira and Imerovigli 

Fira, as mentioned earlier, is the capital of Santorini and only a 20 min drive from Oia - so it definitely makes sense to visit it if you have some time. It is a big city with a much bigger (read longer) pedestrian shopping area with plenty of shops and cafes / restaurants. You can easily spend a day walking (and getting lost!) in the narrow alleys.

Imerovigli is a picturesque village very close to Fira. So if you are anyway planning to visit Fira, do not miss this hidden gem. It really is a village, so there is not much to do other than relaxing and enjoying the views. It does have a few hotels (mostly mid-range) if you are interested in staying here. In our opinion, it is not worth staying here! It is best for a day visit - having a coffee and enjoying the absolutely stunning panorama. 

Finally, it is worth mentioning the Akrotiri ruins in Santorini - between Oia and Fira - which is also a very popular tourist attraction. The ruins belong to a bronze age settlement which was recently discovered and excavated. They are now preserved in a huge indoor structure (below).  

In our opinion, the ruins are sort of OK, and should not be your highest priority unless you are a history / archaeology student or have a lot of time in your hands :) - you are way better off  sampling the excellent Greek food, sailing, staring at the sunset, or simply lying down in the sun :)

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Grindelwald - postcard perfect Switzerland

Grindelwald is a popular resort town in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. It is a nature lovers paradise - check out the pics below for a glimpse of why Switzerland is called "postcard perfect". There is not much to write here except - do not miss the Tissot Cliff walk (link). You can get most other relevant details from the official tourist website (link). Some other parts of the Bernese Oberland have been covered in a previous blog post (link). Enjoy the heavenly pics for now, and plan your trip asap!!

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Exploring an active volcano in Etna, Sicily

We visited Sicily in May 2016.

Taormina and Palermo are the main touristic cities in Sicily. As our primary target this time was to explore Mount Etna - the largest active volcano in Europe, we decided to stay in Taormina from where you can easily make a day trip to Mount Etna.

Taormina

Taormina is a beautiful city on the Mediterranean cost in Sicily. It has all the "old world" of Italian cities. The city itself is quite small, and you can easily walk around most of the attractions. The primary attraction has to be the Ancient Theatre ruins (bellow):

While the ruins are by no means as impressive as say the Colosseum, the Mediterranean coast and mountains in the background make for the perfect panorama shot. From Taormina downtown, just follow the 'Theatre' signs; and you will be there in no time.

Taormina downtown is basically a very long street, with shops, cafes, on both sides of the street; and cobbled stairs leading to even more shops and restaurants in the vicinity. Do not forget to try the 'Tomato Bruschetta' and / or pistachio ice-cream (both of which seem to be very much the local favorites) in any of the cafes here. For the shopping enthusiasts, do not be fooled by size of the city - you can easily find many local and global luxury brands in the alleyways.

At night, the city transforms itself into the idyllic seaside resort with live music and the delicious aroma of seafood wafting in the air.

Isola Bella,  Castelmola and Giardini Naxos

There are many interesting places to explore in the vicinity of Taormina. And, the best way to explore them is to take one of the Hop-on / Hop-Off buses which cover all the 3 attractions mentioned below, namely Isola Bella,  Castelmola and Giardini Naxos.

Isola Bella

Isola Bella (aka The Pearl of the Ionian Sea) is a beautiful island located slightly outside Taormina. As you can see from the pic below, it is unique in that there is a walkway (slightly below water) connecting the beach to the island. There is a small natural reserve on the island - which you easily explore in 30 mins or so. It is still a very nice experience to wade through water to the island, and definitely recommended!!

There are resorts / hotels on the beach and you can also stay on the beach if you so wish; but it is clearly not the most happening place during evening :) - and you will most likely end up in Taormina centre anyway. There is also a cable car connecting Taormina centre to Isola Bella, however you are better off taking the Hop-on / Hop-off bus as the cable car is nothing spectacular and the bus will allow you to cover more at less price.

Castelmola

Castelmola is a charming village on the outskirts of Taormina. The village is about 1800 ft. above sea level, so be ready for a 30 mins bus ride over winding roads. However, once you reach the top, the panoramic views are absolutely spectacular  - check out the pics below. There are also quite a few cafes and souvenir shops nearby where you can relax and enjoy the view at your leisure.

Giardini Naxos

Giardini Naxos is a coastal town neighboring Taormina where most cruise ships dock in Sicily. It is a good place to take a break, have lunch at one of the many amazing restaurants on the coast, and enjoy the sea view.

Mount Etna

Mount Etna is famous as the largest active volcano in Europe. And, we would definitely recommend this place / activity as one of those "things to do before you die". A day trip is sufficient in our opinion. We booked the following trip "Mount Etna Day Trip from Taormina" (link). As we were staying in Taormina, this was ideal for us. The trip can be divided into 3 stages: First is the bus trip from Taormina to the Mount Etna cable car station. The cable car station (shown below) has car parking, cafes, souvenir shops, and rest rooms.

The second phase consists of a cable car ride to a stop high up in the mountains. Below, is a shot from the cable car terminal (at the top).

The third phase consists of a bus ride to the absolute top of the mountains. Below, you can see the bus going through the "fuming" mountain path,

Note that the buses are not tour company specific, and they are the same irrespective of whichever tour you have booked. The buses are included if you have paid for the cable car. Otherwise, it is possible to book the bus and / or cable car separately; for people who might be interested in hiking parts of the trip - yes, it is possible to cover most of it by hiking if you feel sufficiently motivated and energetic :) It is an extraordinary experience once you reach the top of the mountain. The pervasive black volcanic ash (you can still see fumes at many places) gives the landscape an almost extra-terrestrial feeling!! At the top (after getting off the bus), it is safe and easy to walk around yourself. In fact, we were promised a guide as part of our tour. However, we could not find anyone at the top, so we started exploring ourselves. There are huge craters and black ash everywhere you look, so just start walking in the direction you like - you cannot get lost. There are also some guided paths to a few craters.

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Spring Colors in Amsterdam

We visited Amsterdam in April 2016.

Since this was our 2nd visit to Amsterdam, our targets this time were mainly the sights and sounds outside Amsterdam - namely the Windmills and the Keukenhof flower gardens.

Amsterdam is of course a very charming and tourist friendly city, and there are n-number of things to explore within Amsterdam itself. And, we are quite sure that there are (n+1) guidebooks providing details of the same :) If you do not have the time or energy to read even one of those (n+1) guides, the best thing you can do is to head directly to the train station (Amsterdam Centraal station). There area around the Centraal station is full of shops, restaurants, cafes; and the station also serves as the starting point of most of the canal cruises.

Keukenhof Flower Festival

Tulips characterize spring in Amsterdam, and the best place to experience them is in the Keukenhof flower gardens.

The Keukenhof flower festival is held every year in the Keukenhof flower gardens (aka "Garden of Europe") situated in Lisse. Note that the gardens are only open to the public for 6 weeks every year. If you are interested in seeing the tulips in full bloom, then try to visit during the last 2 weeks. However, note that it is also incredibly crowded during that time, so decide accordingly. A good compromise might be the middle 2 weeks when you can still see some tulips, and the crowds are tolerable. We actually visited the gardens during this period, hence the pics below should be a good representation of what you can expect to see - if you visit during the middle 2 weeks,

As you can see from the above pics, there are many many other types of flowers in the garden as well: so your decision need not be dependent on the blooming of tulips only. The garden is huge, so be prepared for some serious walking :) Of course, given the beautiful surroundings, you will start feeling tired only after you have exited the gardens.

In addition to the outdoor gardens, there are 4 indoor exhibition places as well where you can explore even more varieties of flowers. These are also the places where you will find cafes and restrooms - they are clearly marked on the map. You can also buy seeds for many of the exhibited flowers here. 

The gardens are located in the city of Lisse, which is like a 45 min drive from Amsterdam. There are many tours available from Amsterdam to the Keukenhof gardens. Note that most of the tours basically take you to the gardens, and after a very basic introduction to the gardens; leave you to wander in the gardens at your leisure. So, there are not many advantages in taking a (group) tour vs. say using the public transportation / bus. However, a private tour might still be worth it, as a local taxi driver we were talking to, told us that while Keukenhof was the most famous, there are many equally impressive gardens in the vicinity. So consider this while making your travel arrangements!

Zaanse Schans Windmills and Volendam

After tulips, the second thing which comes to mind whenever you think of Amsterdam is 'Windmills'. [OK, the ordering w.r.t. the defining characteristics of Amsterdam might be slightly skewed towards "drugs" and the "red-light district" depending on your interests :), but let's stick to the kids friendly version for now!!] The best place to experience windmills in Netherlands is Zaanse Schans. It is basically an open air museum with 8 magnificently preserved windmills. Some of the windmills also provide demonstrations of how they were used as "industrial mills" in the past, e.g. to ground spices.

 Zaanse Schans is like a 30 min drive from Amsterdam, so very close and easy to reach from Amsterdam. And, reserving half a day for this activity is usually sufficient. An alternative, which many tour companies offer is to combine a visit to Zaanse Schans, with a vist to the fishing village of Volendam and a short ferry ride to Marken. We actually took this trip, and can recommend it as a great option for a day trip: (link)

Most of the trip details are in the tour link itself. One last things to add here is that if you decide to take this tour, do not miss the visit to the wooden shoe factory at the end of the tour - it might remind you of some very fond childhood memories :)

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Snowed under in the Finnish Laplands

We visited the Finnish Laplands during Easter 2016.

Lapland is a paradise for nature lovers. It is a remote Arctic region which technically spreads across Finland, Sweden, Norway, and even some parts of Russia. In this blog, we will be covering the Finnish part only.

Finnish Lapland

Once we decided that we want to explore the Finnish Lapland, it was a bit of challenge to fully understand what the region comprises and how best to cover it in a short time. In a way, there is almost too much information with every small village in the region promoting itself to be the best place to experience Lapland. To start with, Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland. As such, it is the city with maximum flight connections, though most flights will transit via Helsinki. So you will need to fly international to Helsinki, and then local to Rovaniemi. From Rovaniemi, how far you want to travel and where you want to stay will most likely depend on how much time you have? If winter activities are your primary goal, there are many tours and travel companies based in Rovaniemi itself; which offer everything from snowmobile rides, to reindeer sleighs, to frozen lake walks, etc. So the only real reason you might want to venture further is if you want a totally relaxing holiday in the lap of nature - in some remote Arctic village with very few people around. Having said that, even though Rovaniemi is the capital, it is not a very big city by any standards. The city centre (Bus stop: Aallonkatu) primarily consists of the lake bridge and shopping area which you can easily walk around. Aallonkatu is also the stop from which most tours depart from Rovaniemi.

The only other reason why you might want to stay outside Rovaniemi is to be in a better position to experience the Northern Lights. Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis) is an amazing natural phenomenon to be experienced at least once in your lifetime. Although many Rovaniemi hotels advertise themselves as "Northern Lights" hotels, the chances of seeing Northern Lights are clearly optimized the farther away you are from city lights. In this context, we can recommend the perfect gateway: the Arctic SnowHotel and Glass Igloos (more on that below).

Arctic SnowHotel and Glass Igloos

The Arctic SnowHotel and Glass Igloos is a unique hotel / resort complex - 40 mins drive from Rovaniemi. 

The hotel is located on the shores of lake Lehtojärvi, which is fully frozen in winter. Check out some of the amazing pics of the frozen lake below:

The hotels offers 2 types of accommodation- the Snow Hotel and Glass Igloos.

Snow Hotel

The Snow Hotel is an architectural marvel, which is created fresh out of snow every year. It consists of sleeping rooms, a bar, and church (pics below).

As you can guess from the pics above, sleeping in one of the rooms above is definitely more of an adventure; and you are likely not to get the best sleep of your life. You are basically sleeping on hard ice with just a layer of fur in between. The hotel does provide warm clothing, in case you failed to fully comprehend the "coolness" of the situation. The atmosphere also feels very damp because of the all encompassing water / ice. Having said this, it is still definitely an adventure of a lifetime. So our recommendation would be spend may be one night here, and the rest in the more comfortable glass igloos.

Glass Igloos

As the pic suggests, these are basically wooden cabins which are modeled in the style of igloos. The "glass" part comes from the transparent / translucent roof made of glass. The transparent roofs provide the perfect medium to experience 'Northern Lights' from the comfort of your bed. All the cabins have an attached bathroom and are centrally heated. So they provide the perfect compromise between luxury and ruggedness - you can basically "rough it up" in perfect luxury.

Arctic Ice-breaking Exploration

For those interested in taking the trip, here is the (link). As mentioned on the website, Sampo used to be icebreaker for the Finnish government. When it was decommissioned, it was refurbished to be used for tourism. You can find most of the essential tour details on the website, so here let us focus here on our observations. - Yes, we saw the ship breaking Arctic Ice. The experience (and the sound of ice breaking) was pretty amazing to say the least. However, many people on TripAdvisor have complained that they did not get to experience this on their respective tours. Please note that a lot of tours in such remote places are heavily dependent on weather conditions, not just on that day, but the days before - so yes, there is a high probability that you might not get to experience the actual "ice breaking" part - but then that is life!!

- It is a day trip (8 hours) from Rovaniemi.  So yes, you can take it while staying at a hotel in Rovaniemi - you do not need to stay at a hotel in Kemi. Of the 8 hours, you will spend about half the time on the ship - the rest is travel time. If you take the tour from Rovaniemi, then there is first a brief stop at Kemi, where you will have about 30 minutes to explore the Snow Palace (pics below). And, then you will be driven to the port of Ajos, where the ship is docked.

While returning, the bus drops you directly at Rovaniemi (from Ajos) without any stops in between. It will usually be late evening by the time you reach Rovaniemi, so make sure that you have pre-arranged transportation to reach your hotel from the bus stop. While Rovaniemi is "perfectly safe" at night, public transportation including taxis are not very frequent or easy to find. Hence, the advise to pre-arrange your return transportation to the hotel. The bus has 2 stops in Rovaniemi; if you are not sure which is the closest to your hotel? - opt for 'Aallonkatu' - which as explained above is smack in the middle of the city centre - so it should be easier to find some sort of transportation there (even if you haven't pre-arranged anything). - During the cruise, the ship stops on a frozen lake; where you are allowed to disembark. The feeling is surreal with nothing but ice all around - check out the pic at the top of the blog. It is completely "white", whichever way you look.

This is also where the famed "swimming in arctic waters" takes place. Now, it is very difficult to predict whether you will like it or not. You are basically given a floating suit which allows you to swim / float on the water. The activity seemed perfectly safe. The tricky part seemed to be in getting in and out of water, where you have to follow a very specific procedure to account for the inflated suit.

Santa Claus Village

The final (and probably the most important reason if you have kids) reason to visit Rovaniemi - is to visit the Santa Claus village. Yes, you heard it right; Santa Claus lives here. Every year during Christmas, he starts from here to deliver gifts to kids all over the world. The rest of the year he works in his office here arranging those gifts. So yes, if you visit the village, you can meet Santa Claus!! We had to stand in a queue for about 15 minutes to meet Santa; but you can easily expect that to stretch to hours if you are planning to meet Santa during the Christmas / New Year period. They also have an internet TV station where your meeting with Santa will be streamed live - so you can ask your family members to be prepared beforehand - you are going to be a celebrity :) The village is a 40 minute drive from Rovaniemi, and can be easily reached by public transport. The village is a full resort with hotels and facilities for all different types of activities including theaters, shops, reindeer sledges, etc. So you can also choose to stay here instead of Rovaniemi centre. The village is actually very close to the airport.

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Jodhpur - the Blue city

Continuing on our Rajasthan tour, we next cover Jodhpur - the 'Blue city'.

Since we spent only a day or so in Jodhpur, this post is going to be short. Let me use this opportunity to may be describe a bit how we planned the trip.

MakeMyTrip Itinerary

We booked the trip via MakeMyTrip. We wanted to cover multiple cities, so it was best to have a driver for the whole trip. Otherwise, you will end up doing a lot of bargaining with taxi drivers, each time you reach a new city, and want to go to the next. So to avoid all this hassle, our goal was to book a 'Car with driver' for the whole trip. This is by no means an endorsement of MakeMyTrip, but in general our experience has been positive with MakeMyTrip - esp. when you want to custom design your own trips.  So if you start by searching MakeMyTrip for Rajasthan packages, it will show you around 10 options. As you will notice, most tours either cover Jaisalmer or Udaipur, but not both. We wanted to cover both - so we basically went for a customized version of the 'Jewels of Rajasthan Explored'  (link) tour. In the end, after customization, our itinerary looked something like this:

Jaipur (2 nights) - drive to Jodhpur via Pushkar (6-7 hours) - Jodhpur (1 night) - drive to Jaisalmer (5 hours) - Jaisalmer (2 nights, 1 night in a desert camp - Don't miss this!!) - long drive to Udaipur (9 hours) via Ranakpur Jain temple - Udaipur (2 nights)

MakeMyTrip packages also include flight and hotel bookings. Here, we would very much advice that at least for the hotels, do your own homework!! The hotels MakeMyTrip advertises as 4 stars are often very basic hotels. So do your research - refer to TripAdvisor, Booking.com, etc. - but make your own selection. Also, be careful about additional charges that you will need to pay directly at the hotel. We usually travel in India during Christmas / New Year holidays, and during this time it seems that most hotels charge for MANDATORY Christmas and New Year Gala Dinners, which can easily run up to Rs. 5000 per person - so beware of these "additional" charges!! Having said all this, we were very happy with the services provided by the local tour company, esp. our driver / guide. He was always punctual, smiling, friendly - we couldn't have asked for a better person. Finally, note that most such bookings come with the standard tagline "that the car / driver is available only for the advertised itinerary". In practice however (at least in our experience), once you rent such a car for a multi-day trip, they are usually available throughout the day; and will not hesitate to drive you around the city to places not explicitly advertised in the itinerary.

Mehrangarh Fort

If there is one thing that you MUST absolutely see in Jodhpur, it is the Mehrangarh fort. Having seen so many forts in different cities, the Mehrangarh fort does standout as one of the most impressive ones.

As you can judge from the picture above, it is an imposing sight to behold. The sheer size and grandeur, and also the fact that it is constructed at such a high altitude; only increases its appeal. A few more pics of majestic fort follow:

Umaid Bhavan (below) is the other palace located in Jodhpur. You might have heard of it because part of it has now been converted to a Taj Luxury hotel. However, purely from a touristic perspective, if you have time to visit only one of them - choose the Mehrangarh Fort. Umaid Bhavan only has a small museum which you can visit - and it is not that impressive to say the least.

Jaswant Thada

Very close to the fort is a cenotaph called Jaswant Thada (below). While it is interesting in itself, it is also a good place to take panoramic pictures of the fort (e.g. the one at the top of the blog).

City

Jodhpur is one of the bigger cities in Rajasthan, so might be a good place to do your souvenir shopping (esp. if you missed out on it in Jaipur). The main market is close to the clock tower (below), which you can easily make out from a distance. And, while you are it it, do not forget to taste the local delicacy 'Makhan (Butter) Lassi' - it is absolutely delicious :)

Pushkar Lake

Pushkar lake is a good stopover if you are driving from Jaipur to Jodhpur (or vice versa). This place has religious significance for Hindus as it is home to the only 'Brahma' temple in the world. Even if you are not religious, or not Hindu; the lake by itself is really beautiful and worth a visit - it emanates a very nice, peaceful, and serene feeling. However, note that there are no proper signs, and it might not be so easy to reach the lake on your own. If you are a foreigner, especially, try to have a local guide with you.