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The highlight of our trip to Vadodara (formerly Baroda) was the tour of Lukshmi Vilas Palace (the old British spelling of Lukshmi is used by the management) and its adjacent Maharaja Fatesingh museum. It was enhanced by the superb audio narration, leading us step by step on a tour of the Palace.  Of course, it was restricted to the ground floor only, since the members of the erstwhile royal family are residing on the upper floors. Nevertheless, it was a delightful tour and we enjoyed it from start to finish and no way should you miss out on it on your trip to Vadodara. It is worth every rupee of the entrance fee. Know the details of timings and entry tickets .

Welcome Board In my earlier post, I had given a useful guide for first time visitors to Lukshmi Vilas Palace , Baroda. Now here's information on the timings when it is open to the public, the entry ticket fees and useful information on the audio device which guides you through the wonderful tour of the Palace.  You can either purchase an entry ticket only for the tour of the Palace or purchase a combo ticket of both, a tour of the Palace and of the nearby Fatesingh museum as well. 

Visiting Chandni Chowk, Delhi for the first time? Looking for tips for first-time shoppers to the Chandni Chowk market? This is a narrative experience, with all the sights of the area, of a first-time shopper. It is very easy to reach and access via the Chandni Chowk Metro. Just come out of the Metro entrance and you are bang in the middle of the buzzing shopping hub.  The metro is near a temple and the lane is also lined with stalls. This is the fabric area. I was interested in clothes shopping so I didn’t venture to the other areas like the lanes where books are sold even by weight or Chowri Bazaar, which now sells paper for all purposes.

It is difficult to describe in words the moment the Golden Temple comes into your view for the very first time. It is simply breath-taking, stunningly beautiful, more so with the reflections that are mirrored in the large tank (named Amrit Sarovar) which surrounds it.  While it is generally known as the Golden Temple due to the gold-gilded dome, the name of this holy complex is Harmandir Sahib.  Within the Golden Temple, there are various exits leading to other areas like the Akal Takht. Make enquiries beforehand as, once inside, it is such a vast complex that you may get a little confused.

At the outset, there are two important points to note about Fortune Park Hotel, Ahmedabad. Firstly, this hotel was earlier Park Plaza Ahmedabad and not everyone is aware that it is now under the new name of Fortune Park and is an ITC Group hotel.  Secondly, this hotel is entirely different from Fortune Landmark Hotel which is at Ashram Road , Ahmedabad.  So when you are hiring transport from the airport or boarding the Airport Shuttle bus or taking an auto to and fro to tourist spots around the city, make sure you state that it is the hotel opposite Gujarat Law College. That way, you will not end up at the wrong hotel!

As was mentioned in another post, there is an interesting history behind  Umaid Bhavan Palace , also known as the Chittar Hill Palace. Once you have gaped at the wonderful architectural aspects of its exterior, step into the museum section. Many visitors have griped at the fact that there is "nothing to see really". Well, ignore them! Yes, there are plenty of posters and photos of the royal family, but, why not?! After all this entire complex has come up because of their ancestors and the current generation stays in a private block in the same premises, ensuring, too, that maintenance is done so that we visitors can take a peek into a past glorious era. 

Umaid Bhavan Palace is located on Chittar Hill in the south-east part of the city of Jodhpur and its highest point. Hence the original name of the Palace was Chittar Palace.  The beautifully designed palace has an interesting history of how it came to be set up, details of which have been put within that section of the palace premises which is open to the general public. This section is the museum section of the palace , while the other two sections are closed to the public, one section being part of a hotel and another the residential quarters where the current generation of the royal family stay.  Let's take a peek into the history of the Palace first...

Planning a trip to Jodhpur, Rajasthan and looking for comfortable, inexpensive accommodation?  Check out this detailed review of  Chandra Imperial Hotel in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.  We stayed in this hotel in September last year and had a very satisfying experience. The room tariff is reasonable for the air-conditioned spacious room and the in-house restaurant serves good food.

I travelled miles, for many a year  I spent a lot in lands afar I’ve gone to see the mountains, The oceans, I’ve been to view But I haven’t seen with these eyes Just two steps from my home lies  On a sheaf of paddy grain A glistening drop of dew

Ahmedabad was a key city which was involved in Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent protests for independence against British rule. It was here that Gandhiji set up his first ashram in 1915 after returning from South Africa. It was named Kochrab Ashram. Two years later the ashram was shifted to what is now known as Old Vadaj.

One of the recommended tourist places to visit on the travel itinerary to Ahmedabad is the Rani Sipri Masjid. The Rani Sipri Masjid (mosque) was built in 1514 A.D. by Rani Sabrai, widow of Sultan Mahmud Shah I Begada, during the reign of Sultan Muzzafar Shah II. The designs with a lot of floral motifs reflect feminine grace and the beautiful, intricate sculptural work has given the mosque the title of 'Masjid-e-Nagina'.&nbsp

Better known as the "Jaali" mosque due to its famous stone latticed carvings in the semi-circular window arches, the Sidi Saeed mosque is located in the heart of the city of Ahmedabad. It is well worth a visit, ideally in the late evening, to see the beautiful play of light as the setting sun's rays hit the windows' latticed carvings. 

Sarkhej Roza, built at the advent of the Sultanate era, is a place of peace and serenity, with people of all faiths visiting it either to simply spend quiet time with their families (when we visited, there were a lot of families with their kids) or to offer prayers for the well-being of their loved ones. Sarkhej Roza is a unique   complex encompassing 34 acres, combining the Persian, Hindu and Jain architectural features to form what is known as "Indo-Saracenic" architectural style.

What's mentioned in the title of this post are three of the items on the menu which you should not miss out on, when dining at Café Trofima restaurant in Mumbai city. When it opened a year ago, the restaurant had a menu which was limited for vegetarians and was predominantly non-vegetarian food. On our second visit today, we were happy to see a much improved menu, both in terms of the menu layout itself (previously it was just a large sheet of thick paper, much like a large pamphlet, frayed at the edges. Now it is a cheery orange and blue one on the inside, albeit a dull brown outside though. There are more options for vegetarians as well. It goes without saying that, a year on, the prices have shot up too!!

Khandela Haveli is a beautiful place to stay in when visiting Jaipur, its beauty inherent in its architectural style which accurately replicates that of the traditional style of Rajasthan's havelis (mansions.) There are more than 20 rooms, including a few suites, each with its own distinctive décor and furnishings. 

One of the most highly rated dining places in Jaipur, Rajasthan is the Lakshmi Misthan Bhandar restaurant, known by its acronym LMB. It is on the ground floor of the hotel of the same name, but it is the restaurant and not the hotel itself which is well known and popular. In case you are trying to locate it, all you need to do is ask for LMB restaurant or LMB sweet shop and the locals will promptly know which place you are referring to. LMB restaurant, Jaipur serves only vegetarian food. Whether you want to feast on local street food such as chaats and tikkis or have an elaborate traditional Rajasthani thali , come hungry to this place and leave with a satisfied burp! Don't forget, though, to keep some tummy space for the mouth watering sweet stuff from their mithai shop.

When visiting Mumbai, Maharastra, India instead of dining out at restaurants serving Italian, Chinese or Mexican food, you would be well advised to try out the varied cuisines of India.  Head to Restaurant 29 in a group to savour the delectable vegetarian delights of the 29 States of India. You will also be delighted with the service - quick, non-intrusive, helpful. Hands-down, one of the best services we've had in a restaurant! You can also get a complimentary sweet dish - won't tell you how, as that would be spoiling the fun!

For those looking for budget service apartments in Margao, Goa, look no further than the ones managed by Jovito Fernandes of Vilanova Holidays.  Spacious, clean, quiet, not too far from the central market place of Margao - the service apartments are value for money. It really makes far better sense to stay together in one service apartmen t especially when travelling in a group, rather than booking multiple rooms in a hotel , so as to con t rol the costs. First off, let me tell you about its location.

We had a wonderful two nights stay at Vilanova Service Apartments, located in Shirvodem, Margao Goa. It is managed by Jovito Fernandes.  We found it very economical and conveniently located, as mentioned here . We booked a 2BHK service apartment to accommodate three of us comfortably. The apartment is clean and hygienic  and ha s all the basic essentials. This post is a personal review of our stay there and we would highly recommend it to families with children and groups of friends.

The ice festival hosted by Harbin,  the capital city of Heilongjiang province, China is one of the most popular ice festivals in the world. This annual event is an ice-and-snow festival. Four expansive parks display the creative artistry of people. Gigantic ice sculptures are everywhere, some models of well-know global monuments, others of animal and human figures and yet others of lanterns and varied objects. A beautiful lighting system makes for a  stunning sight at night. A competition is also held for the sculpting artists.