Saturday, 17 May 2014


Wisteria Tunnel at Kawachi Fuji Garden, Kitakyushu, Japan

Wisteria Tunnel is located at the Kawachi Fuji Gardens in Fukuoka Kitakyusyu, Japan (a 12-hour drive from Tokyo).
 


 The flowering Japanese wisteria hang overhead and the different colored rows create a spectacular place to walk through.
 

Wisteria, or wisteria - one of the most beautiful climbing plants, is a large deciduous climber with a hard woody stem.


 
Wisteria flowers with delicate sweet flavor, are collected in large hanging brushes of different colors: white, blue, purple, violet-blue, purple, pink or purple. 
  
The best time of the year to go from late April to mid May
 (depends on the weather each year). 


 
 The peak is normally at end of April to the Golden Week. 
Not every year wisteria bloom so magnificently. 



 To get to the garden from JR Yahata station, 
take Nishitetsu bus #56 and get off at Kawachi Elementary School. 
Then walk 10-15 min to the garden.

 

 


 

 


 

 wow!! it looks stunning there..like a dream!

 

 Taj Mahal Agra India

 Looking at the magnificent structure, one realizes why The Taj Mahal is The Seventh Wonder of the World. There is so much around Taj Mahal that tourists often miss out on its must-visit aspects. Here presenting a tour Planner to Taj Mahal Agra…

 

The Taj Mahaloften  from and "crown of palaces", pronounced  also "the Taj") is a  mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage"

 

 Taj Mahal in Agra is one of the most visited landmarks in the world 

Taj Mahal in Agra is one of the most visited landmarks in the world

 Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, in early 17th century, in the fond memory of his late wife, The Taj Mahal Agra is proclaimed as the symbol of love for billions all around the world. Voted as the Seventh Wonder of the World, The Taj Mahal is an elegant architectural delight that showcases the depths of Indo-Islamic and pre-Islamic India styles of architecture.

 

Tourists from any part of the world, when visiting India, never forget to include a tour to Taj Mahal in their itinerary.

 

 

How to Reach Taj Mahal?
The Taj Mahal Agra is about 220 km from Delhi, India and is well connected by air, rail and road. The nearest airport to Taj Mahal is Kheria Airport (9 km). The city is well connected to almost whole of India through railway. The nearest railway station to Taj Mahal is Agra Cantt Railway Station (7 km).

 

 What is the best time to go on Taj Mahal tour?
The summer months are not suitable for Taj Mahal tours as the temperature in Agra is very hot and humid. Therefore, plan your Taj Mahal Agra tour in the comparatively pleasant months of October to March.

 

 

What to do during Taj Mahal Agra trip?
 
Only when you witness the magnificent building from your own eyes, then you realize the reason for its immense popularity. There is so much to watch in and around Taj Mahal:
• The entrance gate is built with red stone and is very beautiful.
• The Taj Mahal’s beauty is enhanced by its spectacular dome, which is made up of white marble.
• The most famous sight around Taj Mahal is of the four stunning gardens, modeled after Persia’s Char Bagh, with a pool at centre and waterways all around it. Gorgeous!
• The grave of Emperor’s late wife, Mumtaz Mahal is kept inside mausoleum and Allah’s 99 names are written on it. The walls plastered with floral motifs and beautiful Jali work are simply stunning.
• The tour to Taj Mahal is not completed if you did not view the glorious mosques on both sides of Taj Mahal along with the surrounding four minarets, rising up to 40 meters in height.
• The sight of Taj Mahal in the dark moonlight is spectacular. You must buy tickets for night time Taj Mahal Tour. It is a sight that will be entrenched in your memory for a long time… may be till eternity.
 

 Grave of Wife Mumtaz Mahal



Once you walk up to the top of the steps, you are afforded a nice view of the Yamuna River, with Agra Fort partially visible on the left.  Don't even think about swimming in here, though.

 


A close-up of the intricate marble work of the Taj Mahal, at the entrance to the tomb itself.  Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside the tomb, so no photos to share.


Once you tour the inside of the tomb, you are afforded a view of the mosque (as I recall, you can't go inside).


Here is a close-up of the artwork in the marble of the main building.


And finally, a view of the garden from the top of the steps in front of the tomb building.

 

Where to Stay

Two hotels in Agra tend to be considered theplaces to stay if you want to overnight in Agra.  The Taj Group offers The Gateway Hotel, located approximately 3 km from the Taj Mahal.  Prices currently range from $70-150 per night, with prices generally lower during monsoon season (June-September).  If you REALLY want to treat yourself, the famous Oberoi Amarvilas offers stunning views of the Taj Mahal right from your room - but you will pay for the experience, with prices ranging from $265-625 a night, depending on the season.  If neither place strikes your fancy, there are a multitude of 3-4 star, Western-quality hotels that you can get for less money; contact a travel agent that specializes in India for more details.
 

 

 

 

Perfect proportions,lovely geometrical patterns, magnificent gardens and splendorous fountains, love story... Taj Mahal is the beauty personified! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting Jordan: Exploring Petra


A little history: Petra is  a unique city, carved into the sheer 
rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious 
Arab people who settled here more than 2000 years ago, 
turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other 
trade routes that linked China, India and southern 
Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.



Petra is sometimes called the ‘Lost City’. In spite of its being such an 
important city in the ancient times, after the 14th century AD, 
Petra was completely lost to the western world. 
It was rediscovered in 1812 by the a Swiss traveler.



The ancient city of Petra was originally founded in the 6th Century BC, when it was founded as part of an effort by a tribe of Bedouins known as the Nabataeans. Over the centuries they built up a trade empire and used the city as their capital. Later it was conquered by the Romans and eventually abandoned altogether. As the centuries passed it was all but forgotten, until it was rediscovered by explorer Johann Ludwig in 1812.

Passing Aqaba, Jordan on the way to Petra
Goats on the road….
Wade Rum in the distance…
Images from Jordan…
The corridor to Petra from the distance…
Petra lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.
This is how we enter Petra…
At the entrance…
Walking into Petra…
Entrance to the city is through the Siq, a narrow corridor, over 1 kilometer in length, which is surrounded on either side by amazing 80 m high cliffs. Just walking through the Siq is breathtaking. The colors and formations of the rocks are incredible. As I reached the end of the Siq I caught the first glimpse of Al-Khazneh (Treasury).
Water system in Petra (right below)
First glimpse of the Great Temple of Petra – The Treasury or ‘Al-Khazneh
Al-Khazneh is a massive façade, 30m wide and 43m high, carved out of the pink rock-face. It was carved in the early 1st century as the tomb of an important Nabataean king.
Below is my photo gallery from Petra.
Caves in Petra…
More caves…
a ancient monastery, Petra…
Climbing to the top…

Cave in Petra…
Image from the top…
From the top…
Obviously there are many more things 
to do and see in the country, but Petra is,
 without a doubt, the one destination 
you shouldn't miss.