Sizzlers Special

Recently treated on these yummy sizzlers at Caesars Restaurant, Al Barsha Dubai.

Chicken Shashlik

Lamb Chops


Special Mix Grill

Slurpp...

Cheers!

Durian

Durian is a fruit unique to Southeast Asia. This is sort-of strange, as almost any fruit or vegetable with a somewhat appealing taste has long become a universally cultivated crop. And not that the durian would be lacking in taste appeal. Those who like durian typically regard it as the king of fruit. And even in countries where, during the harvest season, there is a real flood of durians, prices never drop to dirt-cheap levels, as they do for pineapples and bananas.



Well, durians have a strong smell and a unique taste. Could be that those who haven't seen others indulging in durians have doubts as to the fruit's fitness for human consumption. Judging by the fruit's smell, its flesh moves straight from unripe to rotten.





More Info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian
http://durian.net/
http://tropical-fruits.biz/

South-West Sri Lanka

Last week of Sep 2009 was an apt time for us to travel to Sri Lanka coz it was rainy season and the weather was amazing. Relief from the scorching heat of Dubai. Felt like we were in our hometown Mangalore.

The places we visited were hotspot tourist destinations. A must visit for everyone once in a lifetime. Sri Lanka's economy is very low and their major income is from tourism. Thus very convenient for a traveller to be there.

www.sunwayholidays.lk planned our vacation, it was a smooth ride.

Our itenerary for the trip was as below: (We couldn't visit Pinnawela orphanage)

TOUR – ATM 4 (5 Days / 4 Nights)
Day 1 : Arrival – Transfer to Kandy. City tour of Kandy.
Day 2 : Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage – Nuwara eliya
Day 3 : Waterfalls – South west Beach (Bentota / Beruwela)
Day 4 : Transfer to Colombo & City Tour of Colombo
Day 5 : Transfer to Airport

DETAILED TOUR ITINERARY – TOUR ATM 4

Day 1 : Arrival, Meeting at the airport, transfer to hotel in Kandy. In the afternoon information on the tour. Afterwards make a City Tour of Kandy, visits to Royal Botanical Gardens, Gem Museum, Upper Lake, Arts & Crafts Centre, and explore the Kandy bazaar. Later in the evening view a performance of Cultural Dances. Overnight at Hotel in Kandy.

Day 2 : Breakfast at hotel & proceed to Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawela. See the elephants in nature, being fed, working & bathing in the near by river. Ride on an elephant. Visit a spice garden to see different spices, and how some of these spices are grown and processed. Leave for Nuwara Eliya, known as “Little England”. See the mountains covered with tea bushes and cascading waterfalls. En route visit a tea factory and a plantation to see the tea manufacturing
process. Enjoy a freshly brewed cup of tea. Evening make the city tour of Nuwara Eliya. Overnight at hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 3 : After breakfast leave for the south-west coast of Sri Lanka. Travel through a beautiful landscape & see the widest waterfall of Sri Lanka, “St. Clair”. Enjoy the rich nature. Make a brief stop at the Tea Kiosk passing the “Devon” waterfall. Drive through Kithulgala where the Oscar winning movie “Bridge on the River Kwai” was filmed. Make a visit to a rubber plantation. See the rubber manufacturing process. For those who love adventure, (optional) white water rafting could be arranged at Kitulgala, down river Kelani, Sri Lanka’s second largest. Overnight stay at Hotel in South West Coast Beach.

Day 4 : Breakfast at hotel. Make a safari in the Madhu River to see village & bird life. Early afternoon leave for Colombo. Enroute visit a Turtle hatchery. In Colombo enjoy the sightseeing & shopping tour, which includes Fort, Pettah, Sea Street, the Gangarama Temple, a Museum and the Town Hall etc. Discover the city & explore the shopping malls, such as House of Fashion, Odel, Arena, etc. Night life lovers visit Casinos, Discos etc & enjoy Colombo’s entertainment and nightlife. Overnight stay at Hotel in Colombo.

Day 5 : Breakfast & departure transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

HOTELS FOR TOUR – ATM 4

Kandy - Amaya Hills Resort
Nuwara Eliya - Grand Hotel
South-West Beach - Riverina Hotel
Colombo - Galadari Hotel

Selected photos from 1200 odd ones:

Phuket

We'll be here at the end of this month for a week. Can't wait :)

Munnar trip

We had been to Munnar, Kerala in India in December 2008 during our annual trip to India. Our parents accompanied us and it was a pleasant experience, especially our stay there in Mahindra lakeview resort. We travelled in a train from Mangalore to Kochi and hired a car to Munnar. Went for sight seeing around Munnar in the first two days. Went to Amaravathinagar in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu on the third day. The journey from Munnar and Tamil Nadu was through dense forest. The view was amazing! The Amaravathi Dam and crocodile farm were the places to see.
On the way back from Munnar, we stopped in Kochi and went to the famous Jew synogouge and the fish market were they still use the years old chinese fishing nets.
Below is the info on places (ofcourse after googling ;) )

Munnar, India
http://wikitravel.org/en/Munnar
http://www.munnar.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munnar
http://www.munnar.org/
http://www.clubmahindra.com/resort.asp?id=2
http://www.eravikulam.org/http://www.keralatourism.org/destination/museums/tea-museum-at-munnar-191979895.php

Places in and around Munnar:
1. Tata Tea Museum
Located 2 Km from Munnar Centre on the Nallathany Road.
Collection of old bits and pieces from the colonial era can be seen here. Demonstration of tea production. Information on machinaries, tea processing and tea tasting. Photography and Videography prohibited here.
2. CSI Church
A church built with stone in 1910. It has fine stained glass and brass plaques. Above all, a calm place to pray and meditate.
3. Devikulam is 7 Km away. Tourists are attracted to this lake town
4. Mattupetty is 14 Km away from Munnar. Mattupetty dam has an agriculture garden on its banks. Speed boat ride through the dam is also available.
5. Rajamalai (Eravikulam National Park) is situated 13 Km away from Munnar on Udumalpet road (SH17). Trekking here can perhaps give you a glimpse of Nilgiri Thar, the rarely seen mountain goat.
6. Top Station is 40 Km away from Munnar. From here you can get a spectacular view of the plains of Tamilnadu. Kundalai Dam is on the Munnar-Top Station road
7. Marayoor is about 40 Km away, where Sandalwood forest, Muniyaras (ancient caves) and water falls (Thoovanam) are located
8. Chinnar Wild Sanctuary is 60 Km away from Munnar on Udumalpet road (SH17). Elephants, deers, samba etc can be seen from the watch tower. The tall tower is about 200 meters distance from the check-post.
9. Blossom International Park at Munnar has an adventure track, 1000-feet long fountain, roller skates, underground mediation centre and a beautiful garden.
10. Anamudi, the highest peak of South India is close to Munnar and is a great place for adventurous trekking.

Amaravathinagar, India
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaravathinagar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaravathi_Reservoir

Kochi, India
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kochi,_India
www.cochin.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradesi_Synagogue (No cameras allowed inside)

Pics :)