Kali : first time experience

Showing posts with label first time experience. Show all posts

Our First & LAST Elephant Ride

The supposed to be number one must do in Thailand, our first & LAST elephant ride experience...

Despite the disappointments from the tour operator and taxi driver, we couldn't hide our excitement on this new experience...

at the tree top

It was on our bucket list, of course, to sit atop the world's largest terrestrial mamal...

until we were finally seated.

Cruise Along Chao Phraya River

I had a 5-days short visit to Thailand. It was my first time and admittedly, I didn't have much expectations since they always compare it to Manila.

That is one good thing that I learned from travelling; the places is not exactly what it was on Google, so its better to expect less and be surprised rather than get frustrated. And yes, BKK surprised me... being a Filipino, somehow its painful to admit that it is way better than Manila...

Travel time from Dubai to Bangkok is about 6.5 hours. We arrived in the afternoon.

Ludwigsburg Palace and The Fairy Tale Garden

Europe Journal 03

It was our last day at Stuttgart when we visited Ludwigsburg Palace. It is a historical building in the city of Ludwigsburg which is just 12 km north of Stuttgart center.

Ludwigsburg Residential Palace is one of the largest Baroque buildings in Europe to survive in its original condition.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Germany's Fairy Tale Dream Town

Europe Journal 02.

I first heard Rothenburg ob der Tauber from my brother after his visit and he mentioned that Rothenburg appeared on several fantasy films including Pinocchio. Since I grew up watching Pinocchio and other Disney movies (80's), it seemed like another Disneyland to me.I want to see those places where my childhood days were mostly spent...

* Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a town on the Romantic Road in Bavaria, Germany, about halfway in between Frankfurt and Munich. It is known for its medieval center (Altstadt), seemingly untouched by the passage of time, encircled by the undamaged 14th century town wall. It means, in German, "Red fortress above the Tauber". This is so because the town is located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River.

I visited Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber almost a year ago as part of my 3 weeks Europe tour, which I will also share with you on my next posts...

This is actually 2nd to the last city that I visited from that journey, I initially posted my teaser when I fell for Eiffel; but since Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber is my first choice, let me begin my Europe Photo Journal from this wonderful adventure...

From Stuttgart, where we stayed with my loving grand mother, we travel via train to Rothenburg; it was about 3-4 hours if I remember it right...

Maldives Journal: Exploring Indian Ocean

I know my post on The Maafushi Adventure was not enough...
Well, that was just a glimpse of what the paradise on earth looks like.

2 out of our 4 days stay, we were literally floating the middle of Indian Ocean.

Maldives Journal: The Maafushi Adventure

Maldives is 'A dream destination'. I have always put that on my wish list... & for years, it just remained there, until this April.

Tourist don't know where they've been; travelers don't know where they're going. - Paul Theroux

This Maldives adventure wasn't planned at all. A friend jokingly asked for it and I said yes immediately. After a week of checking promotions, browsing some reviews and "computing" for budget, we sat one afternoon for 3 hours to search for flights and accommodation and finally do the bookings.It was spontaneous. We are group of four, with different interest. Initially, as everyone else would imagine, we wanted to go to an exclusive island resort...

(Image from Google)

A paradise in the middle of Indian Ocean, just how we all imagined. The same way that it remains an imagination if we look at it this way.

Eiffel Tower

EUROPE JOURNAL 1

First glance...

Jordan Journal | The Citadel and Roman Theater

The final day of our Jordan adventure is the city tour.
Just to recap: we visited Ruins of Jerash on the first day; Jerusalem on the second day (which I haven't posted yet); third was the Fascinating Petra on the Wadi Musa, and finally, these significant places which is at the heart of the city.

This was an overdue post; the travel was last October 2012... but the joy that this adventure gave are still fresh and the memories will never fade...

So come on... months may passed but I hope the photographs will still bring you a fresh new adventure, in The Amman City Tour...

The first destination on the "squeezy day" as our tour guide calls it, is the AMMAN CITADEL, known in Arabic as Jabal al-Qal'a:

Jordan Journal | The Fascinating PETRA

Magnificent, wonderful, amazing, awesome, incredible, astounding, bewildering, breathtaking, impressive, marvelous, miraculous,spectacular, staggering, startling, striking,stunning, stupefying, stupendous, wonderful, wondrous...
Can't think of the best word that would describe Petra when you see it live!
The pictures in the internet are awesome, but being there, walking along the Siq and standing in front of the Treasury is another experience.

Few days before we leave for the Jordan, I have checked all the possible Jordan / Petra blogs that I can review so I would know what to do and what to expect... but its far from reality.

You can imagine the most amazing things but when your feet stepped upon the entrance, it was a totally an indescribable feeling... (more than Aladdin and Princess Jasmin's carpet ride, I guess!)

Are you ready for the fascinating Petra experience? Come and travel with me...

It's about 2 hours from Amman Jordan to reach Wadi Musa, where Petra Archeological Park is located.

Town of Wadi Musa. Petra is located between those mountain rocks - Mount Hor.

The Map

This bench will welcome you as you enter the Petra Archeological Park.

Jabal Haroun
Horse back riding along the plains of Petra

Jabal Haroun

Jabal Haroun
It is advisable to ride a horse to reach the Siq

Obelisk Tomb and the Triclinium

Jabal Haroun

The Dam
The area is visited by flash floods and archaeological evidence demonstrates the Nabataeans controlled these floods by the use of dams,cisterns and water conduits.

@ the entrance - The SIQ ("the shaft")

The SIQ ("the shaft")

The SIQ ("the shaft")
A natural geological feature formed from a deep split in the sandstone rocks and serving
as a waterway flowing into Wadi Musa.

The SIQ ("the shaft")

The canal for the water supply.

The SIQ ("the shaft")
The walk along the Siq is one, if not the best walking experience you'll have in your life.

Tomb

There are many altars that you can see along the Siq

Altar carved on the sandstone rocks

Tired of walking? There is also a carriage ready to tour you around...

Nabataean Limestone RockCarvings of Human and Camel Figures

Statues of gods and goddess carved on the sandstone rocks along the Siq

More altars along walls of Siq

More altars along walls of Siq - this the altar for wedding ceremony

More altars along walls of Siq

The narrow gorge - (in places only 3–4 m (9.8–13 ft) wide)

At the end of the narrow gorge stands Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (popularly known as "the Treasury"), hewn into the sandstone cliff.

Al Khazneh | The Treasury

A-W-E-S-O-M-E

You will be speechless while standing in front of The Treasury...

The Treasury guard...

If you think you've seen enough... think again!

The Treasury is only the opening to the Lost City...

Yes. Behind these rocks is the discovered - "Lost City"

Tomb

Street of Facades

High place for sacrificial offerings

Inside the tomb

Colorful sand-stone rock

The Monastery

The Urn Tomb

Petra View from Urn Tomb

Behind these rocks were hidden untold stories of Nabataeans...
Whole day isn't enough to explore the Archaeological Park, but just merely walking along that Siq is more than enough experience to treasure for a lifetime.

And you can always consider having a NEXT TIME...

Jordan Journal | Day 3: The Fascinating Petra

Travel date: 06 October 2012