segunda-feira, 29 de outubro de 2012

My India, my way


India, incredible India!

Well, after a bit more than two weeks on the road already learned some tricks and India becomes easier and more enjoyable. Better and better!! Thus will tell about what I’ve been doing, my paths, experiences, costs, transportation and maybe it can be useful for someone in the future.

I arrived in Delhi and stayed there for two nights, what was enough for me once it was my first step in the country and it’s a very intense city. From there took a train to Amritsar (250Rs/ 11hrs) to visit the Golden Temple, what’s more than worth! Spent only one night there – what was enough, but two nights would also be ok.

From Amritsar took a train to Pathankot (60 Rs/ around 3 hrs) and connect it with a bus to Dharamsala (100 Rs/ 3 hrs) – worth to comment that meet some people who made the same itinerary by bus and it seems to be better. From Dharamsala you have to take a public transport or taxi to go to upper Dharamsala, which is called Mcleod Ganj – where the headquarters of the exiled Tibetan government are based. This is where Dalai Lama lives and teaches.

Mcleod Ganj is amazing and peaceful and it’s like a little part of Tibet in India. The faces, culture, everything will make you think you are in Tibet. I felt so comfortable there, meet so many good people that ended up staying for 10 nights when expected it to be only for few days. Do not regret at all! The town is at 2000 meters and surrounded by mountains; on the background you can see the picks with snow, there’s a waterfall and the water is amazingly freezing; it’s also possible to access some other villages from Mcleod and many tracking paths to spend one or few days. Really recharged the batteries there and it was really hard to decide moving away.

Decision made I headed south, to Jaipur – for that I needed to combine two buses, one to Delhi (600 Rs/ 11 hrs) and another one to Jaipur (211 Rs/ around 7 hrs). In Jaipur spent another two nights and once again could taste the real, crazy and busy India J. Again it was worth and two days were enough for me.

After that the next destination was Pushkar – for that took a train to Ajmer (50 Rs/ around 2 hrs) and a bus to finally arrive in Pushkar (12 Rs/ 30 min).
As I have just arrived cannot tell much about the place, nevertheless the first impression was very good and I’m pretty sure I’ll love this town!



Few tips about places to stay and costs:

Delhi:
ASHOKA OCEAN GUEST HOUSE (4589, main bazar – phone 23588575): 250Rs/ night for double room.
Amritsar:
Golden temple guest house: they offer free accommodation and even free food and chai tea!!
Mcleod Ganj (Dharamsala):
Freedom Palace (everyone knows this place): 150Rs/ night for single room.
Pushkar:
Lake View guest house (located on the main road, easy to find): 100Rs/ night for single room.

Cannot forget to thank all the people I meet on the way so far. All of you were amazing and helped me somehow :) specially the three “chicas” from Chile, las dos morras (Bea and Anita), Juan (known as Dieguito or peron) and the german couple Rafa and Mona (hope I spelled it correctly!).

Ciao!

quarta-feira, 24 de outubro de 2012

Different faces of India

 Buddhist Temple - Mcleod Ganj
 Buddhist Temple - Mcleod Ganj
 Buddhist Temple - Mcleod Ganj
 Little pretty girl - Mcleod Ganj
 Tibetan kids - Mcleod Ganj
Tibetan kids - Mcleod Ganj
 Golden Temple - Amritsar
Kids playing at a mosque - Delhi

segunda-feira, 1 de outubro de 2012

Little taste of Croatia – Korcula island

Around one and a half hours away from the popular Hvar island, Korcula lies just off the Dalmatian coast and is the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk.
Old Town surrounded by the walls 

The island is very quiet - at least during Sep - and sympathetic. For the ones like me, who appreciate sea food it’s a little paradise, offering a large range of restaurants which will prepare some amazing dishes for a reasonable price.
juuust before the sun said bye bye!

If it’s true or not I don’t know, but the legend says that Marco Polo, the Venetian merchant, was born here and the town still preserves the place where his mum supposedly gave birth. 
Afternoon chat!

It's worth to hop on a boat and go for a short cruise around so you can see some other islands which surround the main one or even get off the boat and spend part of your day in another town. Lumbarda is quite nice and it takes only 25 minutes by boat (also possible to get there by bus).