Travel & Tourism
RAJASTHAN
February 1, 2008 | 
Author Rajasthan was inhabited long before 2500 BC and the Indus Valley Civilization had its foundation here in north Rajasthan itself. The Bhil and the Mina tribes were the earliest dwellers of this area. Around 1400 BC the Aryans paid a visit and settled forever in the area. Later Afghans, Turks, Persians and Mughals ruled over Rajasthan. This blending gave the martial lineage to the Rajputs.During the British rule this part of the land was known as Rajputana i.e. the land of the Rajputs. Read the rest of this entry »
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Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh, state in the Himalayas, bordered by the Tibet region of China on the east. Shimla is the capital. The state is covered with forested mountains, and the valleys are extensively cultivated. The forests have supplied large quantities of timber and wood products, but severe deforestation has led to a tree-planting program and the cessation of live tree-cutting. The emphasis in recent years is toward the protection of watersheds for future hydroelectric development. Potatoes, wheat, and corn are grown, as are most of India’s apples, peaches, and apricots. Salt is mined and handicrafts are made. Pahari-speaking Hindus inhabit the lower hill area; peoples of Tibetan origin live in the high mountain regions. Read the rest of this entry »
Bali
Island, Indonesia. Located in the Lesser Sunda Islands, off the eastern coast of Java, it constitutes, with minor adjacent islands, a province of Indonesia. The main towns are Singaraja and Denpasar, the provincial capital. The island is mountainous; its highest peak is Mount Agung (10,308 ft [3,142 m]). Colonized by India in early times and supplemented by émigrés from Java in the 16th century, Bali is the remaining stronghold of Hinduism in the Indonesian archipelago. Visited by the Dutch in the late 16th century, it came under Dutch rule only in the late 19th century. It was occupied by the Japanese in World War II and became part of Indonesia in 1950. Tourism is now one of the mainstays of its economy.
Montreal city
A city of southern Quebec, Canada, on Montreal Island in the St. Lawrence River. Named after Mount Royal, a hill at its center, it was founded by the French as Ville Marie de Montréal in 1642 and grew rapidly as a fur-trading center and starting point for western exploration. The English captured the city in 1760. Today Montreal is a major port and a cultural, commercial, and industrial hub. Population: 1,039,534.
World’s top 6 train trips
India’s Circuit of Maharashtra, a luxury seven-night trip from Mumbai that includes the coast, Goa and ancient caves; www.iyp.com.
Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer trains, including two new services being introduced in 2006 – a three-hour Vancouver-to-Whistler run and a two-day Whistler-to-Jasper; www.rockymountaineer.com.
Australia’s south-to-north cross-country Ghan train, from Adelaide to Darwin; www.gsr.com.au. Read the rest of this entry »