Friday, February 27, 2015

Our maiden Tulip crop taking roots


Tulips are one of the most awesome, colourful and unique flowers of the world. Netherlands is famous for its tulip field that stretch in miles and fascinate the onlookers and flower lovers from across the globe.

I was recently in Holland visiting a friend after 43 years and there my wife, whose hobbies besides balking and cooking also include gardening, asked my friend about tulips and their seasons. We were told that tulips bloom in Holland in April and May. This was some sad news for us as we were not to be there due to three months visit-visa restrictions.

But when we visited Amsterdam, we saw tulip bulbs on sale and we instantly bought half a dozen packets to plant these once we reach back home. And rightly so, the first thing that my wife did was to sow tulip bulbs in the beds and the pots.



And now that spring is already knocking at our doorstep, we are delighted to see our maiden crop of tulips straight from Holland taking roots and sprouting. Here in under are a few photos that I just shot and thought of sharing with my readers.




Hopefully, in a few weeks time, we shall have these tulips in full bloom and I shall then share the fully-bloomed maiden crop of tulips - straight from home of tulips.

Also read my post on the wonderful and colourful flower festival of Netherlands which takes place in September each year

[Photo Tulip fields courtesy: Pixabay]

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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

A visit to the once most dreaded Berlin Wall


The year 2014 celebrated the 25th year of the demolition of the once most dreaded Berlin Wall that divided the present day Germany into West and East Germanys for decades. Although I was a month in advance visiting Berlin and the Berlin Wall in October 2014, but I could feel the echoes of gunfire and cries of the fallen who tried to scale the war to jump over the other side for freedom.

Herein under are some of the photos that I took while visiting the remains fo the Berlin from both sides - something was not possible before the wall finally crumbled under the pressure of freedom seekers and came down in November 1989.












The photos below show some of the many who died seeking for freedom. These are placed in an open museum on the Easter side of the wall for they fell there and could not cross over. But it was because of their heroic efforts that the wall dividing one people finally came down and today Germany as one nations breathes in the fresh air of freedom.







 My son (above) and myself near the Glory Hole in the wall that still reminds the struggle for freedom

Read more about it at JahoJalal

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Monday, February 23, 2015

Most unsafe countries for Women Travelers


Travelling as a world's most liked hobby has always been fun. I love travelling too and have recently returned after travelling to a number of Schengen countries. But I am a ma.

Unfortunately, for women travelers, specially when travelling alone, the world out there is not really safe. A recent survey in the Daily Mail shows that women should be very careful when travelling alone to following destinations:

  1. India
  2. Brazil
  3. Turkey
  4. Thailand
  5. Egypt
  6. Colombia
  7. South Africa
  8. Morocco
  9. Mexico
  10. Kenya



Wonder why India tops the list? Well a recently, a number of female travelers to land of Taj Mahal have been raped. The report says that there is a sexual assault every twenty minute. According to India's National Crime Record Bureau crimes against women have increased by 7.1 per cent since 2010.

Watch the video below for tips for women travelling alone to these destinations:

So check it out with your tour operators where you are going and how can you be safe while travelling in unsafe countries by following the tips in the video above.

Read more at Daily Mail for caution about other countries

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Friday, February 6, 2015

Photo Travelogue - Schengen Countries


I recently went around some of the Schengen countries with my base at Kiel Germany. I had gone to Kiel where my son is studying at the Kiel University of Applied Sciences. Since in those days he was on vacation, we had time to travel to some of the neighbouring Schengen countries that included Netherlands, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy.

Photography and travelling being my main hobbies, I took a lot of photos while travelling and shall be sharing my photographic trove  in my up coming posts.

Herein under are some of the selected photos of all the countries I visited.













Here are some more:




These are just photos - you may read detailed account of my travel at my blog JahoJalal

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