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Those who have seen Rome, either live or on media might be wondering how the historic city looked when it was in its peak of its power. Well, you no more have to imagine things; experts have revived the Roman city, virtually at least and have unveiled the largest and the most completed simulation of a historic city.

The concept is similar to that on online virtual world complete with avatars that explore the monuments and even the villa of Livia, wife of Rome’s first emperor, Augustus. Visitors can wander through these rebuilt monuments and interact with the characters virtually to get the feel of the historic place. The avatars can even fast forward to the 21st century and show you the monuments as they look today.

‘We knocked the bastard off’, the scaling voice of the great legend resonated over the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest in 1953 after his first ever conquest over the terrain. Alas! The voice has silenced forever with Edmund Hillary bidding his final adieu to the world. The conquest reeled off in 1953 was just the beginning of the gushing enthusiasm that erupted then and flowed like a perennial chasm throughout his life and went on lapping over new heights and reaches - be it the South Pole, the Himalayas, or the humanity. It won’t be wrong to say that heroic figure of Hillary knocked off not just Everest but also the limitations of determination, humility and generosity. There is none denying that hilarious Hillary was not only a legendary adventurer, but also a great philanthropist with benediction always finding a due place in his heart and mind. This is the reason why he lived a life of determination, humility, and generosity. It’s interesting to know that his Himalaya Trust solely raised about US$250,000 a year and he personally helped build schools, brides, hospitals, pipelines and even airfield.

Indeed, Edmund Hillary was a rare embodiment where adventure converged with humility, and determination with philanthropy. No doubt, physically he is not with us, but in hearts, he will ever remain!

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Foreign tourists visiting the most famous landmarks of India - the Taj Mahal, will no longer be able to pay the entrance fee in dollars. The Indian government has made this ruling following a depreciating dollar, which would cause a decline in tourism revenue.

Until now, foreign tourists had the option of paying the entrance fee to the Taj in either dollar or the Indian rupee. The ruling that will become effective from next week will require foreign tourists to pay either Rs 250 or Rs 100. This will be applicable not only in the Taj Mahal but also in the other 120 sites run by the Archaeological Survey of India, of which 27 are World Heritage sites.

International tourists have often complained of the hefty entrance fees extracted from them while the Indian tourists require paying only Rs 20 or Rs 10. The Indian government claims that there is nothing wrong with the apparent discrimination as an average foreigner earns more than an Indian common person. However, the government has decided that the nationals from the SAARC countries and the people with People of Indian Origin card will not be required to pay the high fee.

Source:bbc
Image:web cottage

This is a place for people who have money to burn. People who have made a fortune and shamelessly spend a fortune in partying and enjoying themselves. One of the most expensive places on earth, this ski resort in the Swiss Alps is a popular holiday destination for well-known faces and royalty thanks to its brilliant skiing and vibrant nightlife, and some have even made it their permanent home. To name a few, Hugh Grant, Posh Spice, Jemima Khan, Princes William and Harry are regulars. Coupled with the stars there are those City boys with huge bonuses, millionaires, grand old British families, and of course the Russian oligarchs who ensure the steady huge influx of money and maintain the high level of wealth here. One has to shell out at least £50 for cocktail, champagne ranges from more than £100 to £11,000 a bottle and renting a chalet would mean parting with £15,000 to £20,000 or more. Colin Barber who runs one of the resort’s best known bars says that the place has really developed and doubled in size in 19 years. The debut of three new venues – Coco Club, the first luxury VIP club in the Alps, Richard Branson’s expensive ski lodge named The Lodge and Gul Coksun’s art gallery would probably create an ineradicable change in Verbier.

The increasing popularity of low fare airlines have made railway authorities sit up and take action. In the jet-setting age, where time is money, it’s hard to find people opting for rail travel. If not for the price factor, most tracks would have been redundant by now. However, French railway authorities are on their way to make rail travel interesting and enticing by offering on board personalized services. If you are traveling in France on the new IDTGV trains, you might as well have a blast while you travel. Whether you are traveling alone or with your gang of friends and family, these new trains have something to offer for every passenger.

Want to watch a movie to kill time? No problems, you can order your favorite movie on the on-board DVD rentals. Forgot to bring a magazine? You can buy the magazines of your choice too. How about renting games console and enjoy some action? That’s not all; they even plan to have talent competitions on board and events like wine tasting, beauty treatments, and cabarets. The barista is at your service offering a gourmet menu to satisfy your taste buds.

The whole idea is to attract young travelers who don’t mind traveling all night as long as they ‘passer un bon moment’ (have fun) and the tickets are of course relatively cheaper than other trains. But if you are someone who doesn’t enjoy loud music and the chatter of fellow travelers, you can check in at the iDZen zone where mobile phones are switched off and no noisy equipment around to ensure your sleep time is peaceful.

It’s party time on the train folks!

Image Credits: Journaldunet,
Tourmag

Source:News.com.au

Religious places like temples have been tourist attractions for ages. The fabulous architecture that they display is simply breathtaking to see. Tikal located in the northern Guatemala is one such city where the temple architecture is the main tourist attraction. Temples are categorized here from I to IV for the ease of identification. The ever-creeping vegetation and wildlife that surrounds Tikal creates a unique ambiance for the visitors. The temples here are the last remains of the Mayan civilization . Popularly known as Tikal ruins, this part of the world is like a tourist magnet. The downside of this trip is that the visitor will have to spend a night in the very humid Tikal National Park along with the mosquitoes that dwell in the area.

The pyramids, the Colosseum as well as the Great Tikal Plaza, add to the grandeur of the environment. The plaza is about the size of a baseball diamond. During the Mayan days, the plaza was probably the most happening place in Tikal. This historical tourist spot was open to public back in the year 1955. Besides the pyramidal temples, there are limestone structures in the area that also attract plenty of attention.

Egypt holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest civilization and it’s natural that the place offers a glimpse into the past; takes you through the life in ancient times and enrich you with the history of civilization.

If you thought that Egypt was all about pyramids, deserts and ancient temples, you must check out the priceless rock-art in the mountains of Gilf Kabir and Jebel Ouenat. You can see 6,000 year old pictures carved on rocks and these images of people, animals, and hunting scenes tell you interesting stories of those times.

The tragedy however is that there has been no effort from the government to preserve its rich cultural heritage. The place that could have been tapped as an excellent tourist destination is marred with filth, portraits of nude women etched over the art and damaging the rocks by pouring water and oil over them.

Tourists pay up to $10,000 for a two-week expedition and are disappointed to see the marred landscape. Efforts are on to get this place recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site and should this happen, tourists may savor the rock-art in cleaner environment.

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Unique structures designed to perfection are a visual pleasure;the Regatta Hotel in Jakarta is one such architectural marvel. The aerodynamically shaped 5-star hotel follows a nautical theme representing a ‘lighthouse’ and ten apartment towers representing tall ships dot its surroundings overlooking the Java Sea. The aw-inspiring property is built on an area totaling 16,991 square meter featuring 320 units, luxury boutique, Health and fitness spa, Ball room and Business center. The hotel assures world class hospitality and ultimate comfort of seaside living to its clients. The Regatta is all set to be an iconic building giving a new face to the urban development in the Indonesian capital.

Source: Architecturelist

Making hotels and resorts energy efficient, encouraging travelers to walk or use hybrids, public transport to explore the sightseeing locations and serving them with local cuisines could be small but important steps that make a huge impact on the environment.

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Salar de Uyini in Southwest Bolivia, is one of the favorite destinations of adventure seekers. The endless white stretches of salty plains on the word’s largest salt desert leaves you with breath taking visuals. Dramatic sunsets, giant cactuses, hot springs and sulphur pools are something you should not be missing on your trip there.

Oh yes, do not forget the multi-colored lakes! You have a white lake due to borax, a red lake infested with red algae, a yellow lake due to sulphur concentrations, and blue one from the manganese.

You must be ‘Roman in Rome’ to soak into the real culture of the place you are traveling to. So, if you can put up in the ‘Ice hotel’ in Norway to see how the life an eskimo is, what do you do when you go to a salt desert? Stay in a ‘Salt hotel’, of course!

Every thing (well, almost) in the ‘Salt hotel’ is made up of salt blocks offering a unique experience to the travelers. So you sit on the salt chairs, eat on salt tables, enjoy your wine in the salt bar and sleep on salt beds. In short, you sit, eat and sleep on salt. You are even given instructions to be careful enough not to lick the walls but do give it a try to check if it’s genuine!

If you are off to Bolivia this time, check in at the Salt Hotel and experience a unique stay and you just know what to do if you need some salt for your soup!

Source: NationalGeographic

Image credit: UltimateJourney