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People Watching in Seminyak
Balinese people including the expats who are staying there are warm and friendly and most of them go out of their way to make you feel comfortable. The Balinese love children…it is rare to hear a Balinese adult shout or scream at the kids. I realize the Balinese don’t focus on negativities and so very positive.
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Temples and Shrines Everywhere
Bali is also known as the Island of Thousand temples! You get to see a temple or a small shrine everywhere you turn with regular prayers and rituals spanning life from birth to death. The temples are unique in architecture and design. The temples are clean and well maintained and very popular with tourists from all over the world. Do not wear shorts or a sleeveless blouse or shirt to the temples.
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Sambals and Warungs
Bali’s staple food is rice and it is served with mild to spicy dishes. Though Balinese are mostly Hindus, they do eat beef and some of the Muslim Balinese eat pork too. Spicy condiments like sambal are always served as accompaniment to the dishes. If you are not cooking at home, there are the street food stalls called “warungs” and you can get about everything you need to fill up your stomach. Bali also has several nasi padang stalls from Sumatra
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Life in a Houseboat
Never leave Kerala without experiencing a stay in a houseboat. Trust me, you can stay in the houseboat, just chatting, reading, eating, drinking, lazing and just observing nature. You can see people bathing, washing their clothes or doing work along the banks of the river; you can watch the small boats or the bigger boats passing you; you can see boats used as a transport carrying heavy metal, bricks or wood. You will be able to see birds, chicken, hens, goats and cows as you pass the back of the houses. You can see another boat load of tourists and locals passing you………one of my most relaxing and peaceful times…
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The Elephant Fort at Thirssur
The Punnathoor Kotta is located about 3 km away from the famous Guruvayoor temple in Thirssur district of Kerala, and lots of tourists visit this place. This place is also known as Anakkotta – meaning Elephant Fort in Malayalam (language of Kerala). The elephant farm is said to be the largest in India and is owned by the temple. The elephants in this place were given to the temple by devotees and are looked after and trained here by the paid mahouts. The Hindus look upon an elephant as a sacred animal as it is considered to be a living symbol of Lord Ganesh, the deity who removes all obstacles…
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Rest and Relax at Marari Beach Resort
We headed for Mararikulam from Munnar. Mararikulam is an active fishing village. The Marari Resort is within almost 36 acres of land separated from the Arabian Sea by swaying palm trees. We walked through winding paths, passed a nice lotus pond and fruit trees and lo behold I saw palm thatched villas with concrete walls. I was awestricken by the Kerala styled open-air courtyard concept modern bathroom complete with two little banana trees growing there! There is a total of 62 villas all built in harmony with nature in the style of local fishermen’s hut. The Marari Resort owners follow the philosophy of using local products to the maximum and…
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Look and See
Explore Kerala by foot. See exotic spice plantations, hills with colonial bungalows, waterfalls, protected forests and animals. Walk through the numerous streets and watch people working hard at the mills, farms, workshops and homes. Maybe even see elephants and cows at work. Kerala is all about the outdoors. Either you take long leisurely walks or short breaks, don’t forget to stop at a tea shop and enjoy a cup of hot chai!
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Winter in Pljevlja
Winter in Montenegro is generally welcomed in the North of the country, where the winter sports centers in Durmitor and Bjelasica begin to provide tourists and Olympic athletes alike an enjoyable winter in Montenegro. I came up to the North to teach at the Culinary school here.
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Sleepy Old Village in Milocer
I stayed at the Hotel Residence Milocer Hotel that had a great view of part of a beach and so I decided that I will take a walk there. It was less than 25 minutes of peaceful walk to the beautiful beach. Hardly saw anyone along the way………well it explains, Montenegro’s population is less than 650,000 people!! Along with ancient style stone houses, you can also see modern buildings like this below. There are also lots of new developments in Milocer. Many seafood restaurants dotted the place. Some had very unique fascinating fascade. Some restaurants called seafood “sea fruits”.
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Laid Back Budva
Budva is a popular coastal town in Montenegro. This place is well known for all the Mediterranean architecture, the beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife. Budva is the oldest settlements on the Adriatic Sea coast – more than 3500 years old!! Over the years this area was reigned by Roman Empire, the Serbian empire, by the Venetians, the French, Austria-Hungary, Italians and Russians!! Therefore, the people here seemed to have a bit of influence from these various countries. At one time, it was even part of Yugoslavia but today, Montenegro is independent and building itself to be recognised worldwide. Budva’s most famous beach is Mogren and it is nestled between high…
