My visit to Delhi #gadventures #goldentriangle #salaambaalaktrust

When you tell people that you are going to India they often ask Why?    I think a lot of people are nervous of the crowds, the dirt, the smells, of something so different to what we are used to in North America and Europe that it scares them.     But to me that is part of the attraction, the charm, the fascination.

However, I was a little nervous flying in Delhi for the first time myself.    As I boarded the plane for the 14-hour flight I was saying in my head why, why can’t you just go and sit on a beach like other people?   Why do you get these ideas of going on an adventure?   But the answer is, I want to experience the culture and the people for myself.

Landing in Delhi airport was quite disappointing, it looked like any other international airport, nothing different at all, even leaving the airport to get the taxi to the hotel was less intense than I had anticipated.  I had expected hoards of people, kind of like in the movie ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, but it was quite normal really, except that the lines on the highway and the traffic lights are more for decoration than rules to be obeyed.

Touring Old Delhi with our amazing guide was fascinating, an assault on the senses, absolute chaos, from every sort of mode of transport, going in every direction, to the chaotic maze of electrical wiring above your head, to the smells of spices, incense and food.  

We were fortunate to visit the Salaam Baalak Trust, a non-profit organization which provides shelter to street kids.   We were shown around by a young 16 year old man who had been kidnapped as a 6 year old and taken to Delhi to beg on the streets.  Fortunately, he was able to get away from his captives, but then found him self alone, with no knowledge of where he came from and no way to get back.    He was helped and sheltered by the Trust and now gives back by giving tours and educating people about it.  It really gives you a different perspective on life.  

http://www.salaambaalaktrust.com/

Get your (Science) Geek on in Switzerland

If you, or someone in your family, has an inner science nerd, Switzerland is where you can feed your appetite for exploring the mysteries of the universe (as well as your appetite for chocolate and cheese  - but you already knew that!)

CERN

Professional scientists, enthusiasts, and even your favorite TV comedy physicists all have Switzerland's CERN (pronounced 'Surn') on their travel bucket lists.  CERN is the world's largest physics laboratory.   The site straddles Switzerland and France outside of Geneva. Thousands of scientists from member European countries work together at CERN on questions of matter, anti-matter, the particles that make up all things in the universe, and the forces that link them.

It's best known for the Large Hadron Collider, a ring 27 kilometres around and 100 metres under the earth's surface.  The LHC accelerates particles into extremely high energies, making them smash into each other.  Scientists use very precise instruments to collect information about what happens during those collisions. 

Visitors can discover the mysteries of the Universe and the work of the world's biggest physics laboratory as a group, with friends, individually, on foot, on your bike, or virtually. CERN's 2 permanent exhibitions are free to visit.

(Above photos courtesy CERN)

CERN's gigantic Globe of Science and Innovation is a symbol of the Earth, and, at 27 metres high and 40 metres in diameter, bigger than the dome of St. Peter's in Rome!  Inside, the 'Universe of Particles' exhibit takes you on a journey of the building blocks of the entire Universe, where those particles come from, how they behave, and the questions of modern physics that scientists are exploring at CERN.  The 'Microcosm' exhibit allows you to discover the wonders of CERN's monumental experiments using the Large Hadron Collider, and meet the people who built and operate it.

(photo credit)

The Sphinx Observatory

From underground to 'The Top of Europe'.  Jungfraujoch is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: a glacier 'saddle' at the top of Europe's largest glacier, connecting two four-thousand meter peaks.

Take the historic Jungfrau railway from Interlaken to Grindelwald, a scenic glacier village that is one of Switzerland's oldest and most popular resort areas at the base of snow-capped mountains.  The view gets even more breathtaking from there to Europe's highest train station at Jungfraujoch.

(Photo credit)

Don't settle for the  spectacular views here.  Do what scientists do and aim higher.  The Sphinx Observatory dates from the early 1900's and is named after the 'Sphinx' peak of a breathtakingly steep ridge where it's perched at a height of 3572 metres (11, 719 feet). The Sphinx Observatory is the highest construction on the continent.  Amazingly, there's an elevator tunneled into that rocky mountain peak connecting the Jungfraujoch railway station to the observatory.  The observatory serves researchers in fields as diverse as glaciology, medicine, cosmic physics and astronomy, with multiple laboratories, weather observation station, a enormous telescope and even electricity, water, phone and internet! 

Check your vertigo at the door and inhale pure mountain air, as well as unmatched views of the Alps, the glacier, the scenery over 11,000 feet below, and sometimes, all the way to Italy and Germany.

Stay in a 'Space Suite' in Zurich

Zurich's Kameha Grand Zurich boutique hotel is in up and coming Glattpark.  The growing neighborhood is a new business center in Switzerland's global city of banking and finance, so business travelers who value lifestyle have a place near their meetings with solid design credentials.  And its proximity to the Zurich airport makes it perfect for a stay on leisure travelers' way into or out of a wider tour of the country.

The hotel's design creativity extends to themed suites.  If you were the little kid who wanted to grow up to be an astronaut, or you're traveling with that little kid, the Kameha Grand Zurich's space suite is the hotel equivalent of sleeping in your favorite space hero pajamas.   The little kid will love the treat.  The little kid inside you will grin at the tongue in cheek design.  It leans on 'space age' without being kitsch.  

Designed by artist Michael Najjar, the Space Suite transports you to the stars with silver, black and moonscape textures, a gravity-defying, sleek. floating bed, pictures of galaxies, hovering astronauts and models of rockets, together with curated selections of literature, music and films about space travel, as well as original works by the artist.   

Culinary School in Provence, France

Has it been your dream to go to a cooking school in Europe?  Immerse yourself in local produce, ingredients and culinary secrets shared by a chef in a scenic destination?

BestTrip.TV traveled to Provence in the South of France, a region famous for its sun, breathtaking vistas, vineyards, beaches and cuisine.  Our culinary school experience was learning to make aioli, which you sometimes see on menus called 'garlic mayonnaise'. But silky, mellow, aioli, made by your own hand - a glass of ice-chilled local rose wine in the other - as part of a Provencal meal on the terrace of an historic manor house?  Incomparable.


A memorable way to experience hands-on the cuisine of one of the legendary destinations in Europe for couples, a group of friends, even a girlfriend getaway.
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Amazing things to visit in Ecuador

1. Cotopaxi

Ecuador is famous for its volcanoes. Cotopaxi is the second-highest mountain peak in the country, and one of  Its unique features is its one of the few glaciers located along the equator. Cotopaxi is near Quito, which makes for a  great day trip for visitors who are staying in Quito but looking to get out of the city for the day. 

2. Quilotoa

800 years ago this beautiful lake was formed high in the Andes when a volcano blew up. The lake is more than 250 meters deep and holds stunningly beautiful water in its basin. Try and explore it on a sunny day to witness the waters shift from eye-catching blue to an earthy green. 

3. The Basilica of the National Vow

The Basilica is the largest neo-Gothic cathedral in the Western Hemisphere never completed. Local legend suggests the completion of the cathedral will bring about the end of the world.  

4. El Panecillo

 El Panecillo stands watch over the city of Quito. This 45-metre tall representation of the Virgin Mary is made up of 7,000 separate pieces of aluminum and is one of the only structures of the Virgin Mary to feature angel wings. 

5. Malecon 2000

Guayaquil is a city with a unique youthful vibe, and Malecon 2000 is the center of its activity. This vibrant Riverwalk offers the fine art, museums, food and a place where community convenes. Malecon 2000is  a great place to have a meal, a drink or partake in world-class shopping while in Ecuador.

Thinking of a dream trip to Ecuador? 
Contact us today and let one of our travel specialists send you packing!!!

Where to Eat in Aberdeen in Aberdeen, United Kingdom

The delicious eateries around Aberdeen.

By Anita Draycott

• Silver Darling

The Silver Darling Seafood Restaurant is renowned for its fine food, fine wines and a fine view of Aberdeen harbour and bay, offering fabulous local seafood exquisitely prepared by our French Chef. Highly recommended in the Good Food Guide, the dishes are excellent value and cover a wide range of prices. The rooftop conservatory restaurant in Aberdeen's former customs house offers terrific views of Aberdeen's beach, coastline and harbour. 

• Cafe 52

Buried in a cave-like arch below Union Street, Café 52 feels more like Amsterdam than the Granite City with an authentic air of easy cool that style bars would die for. The atmosphere is laid back but the menu is ambitious. This includes chilli tzatziki sandwiches for lunch and satisfying Cullen skink, venison, and duck dishes for dinner. A golden cavern of cuisine, Café 52 is hip but probably beyond the purse of most hippies 

• The Albyn

A Scottish bar and restaurant with a twist. The Albyn not only serves delicious food but also hosts a great night out. The Albyn is stylish and contemporary, with a modern dining menu. Relax in the bar area, dine with friends or dance the night away to the live bands and resident DJs. 

• La Cafe Boheme

Tucked away down a lane in Aberdeen city centre, Le Café Boheme is a small intimate restaurant, with an authentic French décor: buzzing at lunch, candlelit and warm at night, with jazz in the background. A small and selective menu, serving the very best of modern and traditional French cuisine with a twist of individuality and passion. 

• Books and Beans

Situated in the heart of Aberdeen, Scotland on Belmont Street just off the main thoroughfare of Union Street, Books and Beans has been going since 2003. They sell fantastic homemade soups, sandwiches, salads and panini as well as a range of excellent Fair Trade Coffee, Teas and Hot Chocolate. The atmosphere’s friendly and relaxed and you can choose to either stay in the main coffee area downstairs for your lunch or head upstairs to the main Bookstore, where you can browse 15000 titles, or indeed munch your soup and sandwich!

Visit Kirriemuir - birthplace of JM Barrie, creator of Peter Pan

Kirriemuir the birthplace of the creator of Peter Pan, which contains an imaginative exhibition dedicated to his work.

Kirriemuir, known as the “Gateway to the Glens” makes a captivating base for exploring the beautiful braes of Angus. The town’s most famous son was the author JM Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan. His birthplace, now owned by the National Trust for Scotland, contains an imaginative exhibition featuring life-size figures, theatre posters and stage costumes. There is also a statue of Peter Pan in the middle of the town. 2010 sees the 150th anniversary of JM Barrie’s birth and a series of celebrations will take place throughout Scotland, from new stage adaptions of the famous Peter Pan stories to smaller events focusing on the author’s life in Scotland.

By Anita Draycott

Become Lords and Ladies of the Manor at Mar Hall in Glasgow, United Kingdom

Mar Hall Golf and Spa Resort is the ideal spot to start and/or end your Scottland Vacation.
Just ten minutes from Glasgow airport, Mar Hall Golf and Spa Resort is the ideal spot to start and/or end your Scottish romp. The baronial mansion overlooking the River Clyde, originally completed in 1845, has received a £15 million restoration to bring it back to its former Gothic grandeur.

Mar Hall boasts the Decléor Spa offering a huge list of therapies and afternoon tea. Gosia, my Polish masseuse began my treatment with a warm sudsy footbath. I’d like to describe the massage in more detail but I conked out after about ten minutes on the table. I wanted relaxation, so thanks, Gosia, mission accomplished.
In case you need to squeeze in a last round of Scottish golf, book a tee time at the resort’s Earl of Mar championship course designed by Dave Thomas Jr.

At the Cristal dining room, Mar Hall prides itself on its impressive selection of Champagne. Chef Sam Carswell puts imaginative and delicious twists on Scottish classics. Loch Fyne smoked salmon, for example, comes with an avocado emulsion, apple caviar. Beef, aged for 28 days, gets kicked up a notch with braised cheek, escargots and an onion/parsley risotto. Fancy some frog leg bonbons?

Mar, I discovered, was one of the seven Kingdoms in ancient Scotland and the “Earl of Mar” is the oldest title in Britain. The place has quite a pedigree. In fact, a couple of past visitors have included Mary Queen of Scots and Robert the Bruce.

By Anita Draycott