FUN-travel: Last “Big Fat” Vacation – THE END!

December 20, 2016 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Last “Big Fat” Vacation – THE END! 

  • We ended our India trip… at the end of India… literally! in the city of Trivandrum.

Our Best Beach Bungalow

Saving the Maldives for last was brilliant…as it was so relaxing… and the environment was the polar opposite… of the prior crazy & chaotic 6 weeks.

Mamallapuram

  • Thank god the bucket list is all most done…it took us 50+ hours to get home!… And that was enough to convince us…

…it’s time to tour North America!

FUN-travel: Marvelous Mamallapuram

December 3, 2016 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Marvelous Mamallapuram 

  • 7th century…

…UNESCO World Heritage site…

…more monolithic…

…Indian rock-cut architecture…

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…and among the oldest…mama1

…existing examples of Dravidian (South Indian).

  • Includes caves…

…mostly carved…

…straight out of granite…

…in the central hillside area…

…and stone structures…

…spread throughout…

…this small seaside town.

  • The Shore Temple…

…the oldest structure…

…is a building…

…(no picture available…

…due to downpour…

…during arrival)

  • Pancha Rathas…

…contains five rathas…

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…literally chariots…

…each carved over a single…

…long stone of granite…

…with some enormous…

…stone animals…

…including a large elephant.

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FUN-fact – Lucky for us… Cyclone Nada went south… so we just got a lot of rain and strong winds… mostly after our morning tour.

Not so FF – More temples were spotted in the ocean during the 2004 tsunami.

FUN-travel: Magnificent Madurai Monument

December 3, 2016 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Magnificent Madurai Monument 

  • Meenakshi Amman Temple…

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…dedicated to Shiva…mad2

…is an enormous…

…17th-century temple complex…

…covering almost 15 acres…

…and containing an estimated…

…33,000 sculptures inside.

  • 12 soaring gopurams (gateway towers)…

…all over 150 ft tall…

…with the tallest tower…

…a whopping 170 ft high…

…rise from solid granite bases…

…and are encrusted…

…with a staggering array…

…of gods & goddesses…

…monsters & mythical animals…

…all painted in vivid colors.

  • The south tower alone…has 1511 of them!
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Ganesha – My Favorite Hindu God

FUN-fact – This temple was on the list of top 30 nominees for the “New Seven Wonders of the World”.

Not so FF – They built the city completely around the temple so you never get a panorama view from a distance which is really a shame.

FUN-travel: Picturesque Periyar National Park

December 2, 2016 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Picturesque Periyar National Park 

  • What could be more perfect…

…than to wake up…

…in a national reserve…

…in the middle of the mountains…

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  • Spending your day…

…surrounded by nature…

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…in a relaxing…

…tranquil setting …

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…communing with the animals…

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And of course… shopping!

FUN-travel: Kerala – Coconuts & Curry

December 2, 2016 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Kerala – Coconuts & Curry 

  • Dubbed the “Venice of the East” …Kerala State is filled with… interconnected canals…rivers… lakes & inlets…amid a thick…lush jungle of … teaks & tamarind … bananas & bamboo… palms & pampas grass.

Today’s Adventure…Backwater Cruise

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  • Our Heavenly Houseboat…gently glides from the dock… ever so slowly… inching its way… into the first canal…amid a maze and myriad of… more and more houseboats… each muscling for the lead.
  • Ever so smoothly… as if attached to an underground rail….we’re on the “Jungle Cruise”… like Disneyland…India style.
  • Our widescreen TV is filled with… fields of floating hyacinth….and flocks of birds.

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  • Until …it turns into… the Houseboat from Hell! (long story)

Not so FF – Such is life! Nothing is always perfect… and that goes for travel too. (Up until now you’ve only gotten bits and pieces of our somewhat perfect adventures)

 

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