Lumbini Park, Hyderabad

Photo 1: Lumbini Park with visitors in day time

Photo 2: Lumbini Park Laser Show auditorium, showing the history of Hyderabad

Photo 3: Lumbini Park entrance gate

The Lumbini Park is a public urban park of 7.5 acres (0.03 squire km), adjacent to Hussain Sagar Lake, located in the center of Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh in India. It is in close proximity to other tourist attractions of Hyderabad such as the Birla Mandir and Necklace Road. The park attracts many thousands of Indian and international tourists, apart from local visitors throughout the year.

Constructed in 1994, at a cost of Indian Rupees 2.35 crores, the Lumbini Park is being maintained by the Buddha Purnima Project Authority that functions under the guidance of the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

The Lumbini Park is famous for its 2000-people-capacity laser show auditorium, boating facilities, beautiful gardens, musical fountains, along with other visually appealing features.

Dona Paula Suicide Point, Goa

13_DonaPaulaPoint, originally uploaded by LonelyInSpace.

The author of this very beautiful photograph describes Dona Paula Suicide Point as, "Folklore talks about a woman who loved a fisherman and committed suicide from this point, because they were not allowed to marry. Picturesque place, and you get a good breeze on the top."

Pope to investigate apparition of Virgin Mary in Bosnia

Our Lady of Međugorje, aka Queen of Peace, is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who appeared to six Croat children in Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 24, 1981. On that day young Mirjana Dragicevic and Ivanka Ivankovic saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary in a village in Bosnia-Hercegovina in Europe. The next day four more children, Marija Pavlovic, Jakov Colo, Vicka Ivankovic and Ivan Dragicevic had the vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, according to reports.

Reports say, since then she has purportedly been appearing to the six visionaries, and many miracles have been reported, such as, ‘the sun spinning, dancing in the sky, turning colors, or being surrounded by objects such as hearts or crosses.” Many people claim that they could look at the sun without any damage to their eyes, and the tall cement cross erected on Mount Podbrdo has disappeared and reappeared, or glowed as if lit with lights, although there is no electricity there. Miracle healing has also been reported.

It may be noted that Vatican has not endorsed these claims. However, the Roman Catholic Church has declared that it cannot be affirmed that the reported apparitions are supernatural in character.

On 4th June 2008 Pope Benedict XVI blessed the statue of Our Lady of Međugorje in Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City. On 28 July 2009, the Pope granted a request for laicisation from Father Tomislav Vlašić, who had been under investigation for ‘dubious doctrine, the manipulation of consciences, suspect mysticism and disobedience towards legitimately issued orders.’ He was also accused of sexual immorality with a nun which case he had covered up.

"We are now awaiting a new directive on this issue", Cardinal Vinko Puljic, who is the head of the Bosnian Bishops' conference told the press. "I don't think we must wait for a long time, I think it will be this year, but that is not clear… I am going to Rome in November and we must discuss this…It is not a sin to pray, it's not a sin to hear confessions, it is not a sin to give penance, this is a good climate. But this phenomenon, apparitions or visions, falls to the (Vatican) commission... It is a very delicate question."

Currently Međugorje has become one of the most popular pilgrimage sites, with over30 million pilgrims having visited since the first sighting of ‘Our Lady, as the local people call her. Many people have claimed to have witnessed strange phenomena including ‘the sun spinning in the sky or changing colors and figures such as hearts and crosses around the sun’.

On Wednesday, 17 March 2010, Vatican announced a commission to investigate the claims, and that Pope Benedict XVI had formed an investigative commission composed of cardinals, bishops, and other experts that will report to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the top doctrinal body.

A visit to the Space City Houston

One of the finest destinations to visit for those who like a kaleidoscopic panorama of tourist attractions in the United States is Houston in the State of Texas, home to NASA, and one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world. The two major attractions that most people would not like to miss are the Houston Museum District, home to many cultural institutions and exhibits, and the Theater District, known an active visual and performing arts scene offering year-round resident companies in all major performing arts.

Renowned as the most air-conditioned city in the world, Houston has some of the best hotels to suit every pocket and providing the best of hospitality for the celebrity traveler as well as the budget traveler. For instance, if you are to be around the Greenspoint Mall, a very popular place for visitors and home to some of the topmost brands in the world. It is a very convenient location to visit the most sought-after spots such as Splashtown, Old Town Spring, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, and the Sam Houston Racetrack.

Local transport is what most travelers overlook while planning their vacations, but like most of the best hotels in the world. These destinations are comparable in accommodation as Ontario in San Bernardino County, California, famous for the Ontario Mills, and Ontario Motor Speedway, and Ontario California hotel where can be a preferred place for most visitors. Here, being very near to Ontario International Airport (ONT), and attractions like Ontario Mills Mall and San Manuel Amphitheater, the airport shuttle service offered by Ontario Airport Hotel can solve the problem for local transport.

Houston, nicknamed as The Space City, has also one of the largest concentrations of well-maintained parks in the world, about 350 parks, such as Hermann Park that houses the famous Houston Zoo, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Lake Houston Park, Discovery Green, and Sam Houston Park. And a ‘must-visit’ destination is Space Center Houston, where many exhibits including moon rocks (brought back from the moon by space missions to the moon), a shuttle simulator, and many attractive presentations about history of NASA's manned space flights program are exhibited.

Tourism Industry and Hotels

Starting from the last decades of the 20th century, there has been a tremendous increase in tourism worldwide. The number of people traveling and staying in hotels is the highest now compared to any time in history. More and more people travel now, not only on vacations, but also for business and professional reasons.

With the increase in tourism, hospitality industry too grew tremendously, and, not only the number of hotel rooms but the levels of comfort and modern facilities available in hotels also have increased as never before. For instance, there has been an enormous growth in Los Angeles luxury hotels following the growth of the entertainment sectors like film production, television, and other technology and finance based industries. Similarly, there is also a rush for hotel deals New York that has become the global center of banking, finance, and many other industries.

There are over 700 quality hotels in London, and the number could be well over a thousand if hotels below three star ratings are also counted. Still, as industry sources report, there is felt the need for more budget hotels London. Whatever may be the growth in hotel services, the customers seem to be asking for more, as sometimes rooms are just not available in many cities, especially during certain occasions like major sports events like Olympics, Commonwealth Games, various world cup events, etc.

This problem can be easily solved with a little bit of planning by tourists or corporate travelers. The first thing is to book accommodation in hotels of the desired star ratings so that last minute disappointment can be avoided. Most hotels are online now, but a better option will be using comparison sites where the rates for rooms and other services such as transportation, food and beverages can be compared before booking. They help the customers to save considerably too.

A major advantage in using hotel accommodation comparison sites is that you can always be sure about the quality of accommodation at excellent rates in most preferred destinations throughout the world. They only list hotels that meet their strict criteria for all accommodation providers. They also help you with providing information on customer service, last minute bookings, cancellations, and above all ensure the best services at the most competitive rates.

My choice of top 10 cities to visit in USA

To top the list of my choice of top 10 cities to visit in the United States, here is my personal favorite city, Boston (a.k.a Boston MA). The city was the location of several major events during the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, according to Wikipedia. This historical connection has made Boston one of the ten most-popular tourist locations in the country. It is a major shipping port and manufacturing center, apart from evolving as an intellectual, technological, and political center. Being one of the oldest cities in the US, Boston is very compact, and prices of Boston apartments witnessed an increase since the 1990s. There are a number of ornate theatres here. It is home to many renowned performing arts organizations such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and a major center for contemporary classical music. There are also many events and festivals that make Boston a favorite destination for people interested in entertainment and performing arts.

New York City, the City That Never Sleeps, exerts a strong influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment, is located on a large natural harbor. The most adored landmark here, The Statue of Liberty, has been greeting millions of people from all over the world to this city of skyscrapers. New York City is also the birthplace of many cultural movements, including modern painting, music genres like hip hop, punk, salsa and disco; and is the home of Broadway Theater. It has the most visited city park in the United States, the Central Park, many public beaches, lakes, zoo, a wildlife sanctuary, natural woods, and many more attractions.

The Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas, famous for its casinos, hotels, resorts, fine living and dining, has become a popular setting for films and television programs. This is one such city that most people, including most famous celebrities of the world head to for unwinding themselves and relaxing.

Miami, a global city due to its importance in finance, commerce, culture, print media and entertainment, is an international center for popular entertainment in television, music, fashion, films and the performing arts. The Port of Miami is the number one cruise/passenger port in the world, has many nightclubs, bars, restaurants, bohemian shops, beaches, many parks and gardens to make a vacation to this city the most memorable.

Philadelphia, also known as Philly, is the centerpiece of early American history. It was the social and geographical center of the original 13 American colonies and an important center of the American Revolution and American Independence. Now with its numerous glass and granite skyscrapers, the city is a commercial, educational and cultural center. It has a wide range of architectural styles, with Philadelphia's architectural history dating back to Colonial times.

San Francisco, the financial, cultural and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, is a center of liberal activism in the United States and a popular international tourist destination famous for the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, unique parks, cable cars, beaches and many more attractions. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is one of the most visited destinations in the United States. San Francisco city is famous for an eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture.

New Orleans, located in southeastern Louisiana, straddling the Mississippi River, is well known for its French architecture, its cross cultural and multilingual heritage. One of the most visited cities in the United States, New Orleans, is famous for its cuisine, live music, boutique stores, flea markets, antique shopping, nightlife, and many celebrations and festivals. /p>

Seattle, a major economic, cultural and educational center, is famous for many fairs and festivals such as film festivals, seafaring events, art and music festivals, and ethnic festivals, galleries and museums, etc., and centers for recreation. Having experienced significant growth in the cruise industry, especially as a departure point for Alaska cruises, Seattle attracts very large number of cruise passengers.

Los Angeles (L.A.), a major global center of international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, technology and education, is the home of Hollywood, which is leading the world in the production of motion pictures, television production, interactive games and recorded music. Important landmarks to visit in Los Angeles include Walt Disney Concert Hall, Kodak Theatre, Griffith Observatory, Getty Center, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Boulevard, Capitol Records Tower, City Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Watts Towers and Staples Center.

Honolulu, is the capital of Hawaii, is the best place to start when planning a visit to Hawaii. Its natural beauty, tropical climate, beaches and active volcanoes are a major attraction for tourists, surfers, biologists and researchers. Some of the tourist attractions are Ala Moana, Aloha Tower, Bishop Museum, Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, Honolulu Academy of Arts, `Iolani Palace, Lyon Arboretum, USS Arizona Memorial, Waikiki Aquarium and Waikiki Beach.

Narmada River flows through Marble Rocks

Photo: Narmada flows through Marble Rocks

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‘Marble Rocks’ is a gorge on the Narmada River in central India where the river narrows to a width of 10 meters and carves very deep through a large area of white marble, creating a beautiful gorge of about 3 km in length. The Marble Rocks is located near the city of Jabalpur in the Madhya Pradesh state of India. It is a very popular tourist destination.

The River Narmada originates from a small tank called Narmada Kund located on the Amarkantak hill at a height of 1,057 metres (3,467.8 ft) above sea level, in Anuppur District of Madhya Pradesh. The river descends from the Amarkantak hill range at the Kapildhara falls over a cliff and flows through rocks and islands up to the ruined palace of Ramnagar. Between Ramnagar and Mandla (25 km) the course is comparatively straight, and then it flows northeast in a narrow loop towards Jabalpur city.

Near Jabalpur, there is a fall of 9 metre (29.5 ft), called Dhuandhara (the fall of mist). From there it flows for 3 km (1.9 miles) through a deep narrow gorge in the magnesium limestone and basalt rocks called the Marble Rocks which has a width of about 90 metres (295.3 ft) at the top, narrowing down to 18 metres (59.1 ft) at the bottom of the gorge through which the river flows.

Considering its size, Marble Rocks is perhaps the only one place in the world where a river near its origin cuts through very hard marble and meanders around hills and gorges. At some places in the gorge, while you travel through the river in a boat, you can see interesting shapes and figures resembling artistic sculptures on the marble through which the river has cut and made the gorge in the course of centuries of flowing through the marble. Boats are available on hire for visitors at very reasonable rates.

While travelling from Jabalpur to Marble Rocks, visitors can also reach Dhuandhara and Chausath Yogini temple (temple of sixty four yoginis) which are on the way. The ancient temple situated on the top of a small hill houses the idols of sixty four yoginis, all of which are broken due to vandalism by invaders in the past. The broken pieces are kept by the side of the broken idols.

After Marble Rocks, Narmada river enters its first fertile basin and flows westwards over a length of 1,312 km (815.2 mi) before draining through the Gulf of Cambey (Khambat) into the Arabian Sea, 30 km (18.6 miles) west of Bharuch city of Gujarat. It is the largest west-flowing river and the only river in India that flows in a rift valley flowing west between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges, although the Tapti River and Mahi River also flow through rift valleys but between different ranges.

The Narmada River valley is extremely important for paleontological studies. Several dinosaur fossils have been found in the area including Titanosaurus indicus found in 1877 by Richard Lydekker and the recently discovered Rajasaurus narmadensis.

Kanha National Park located in the upper reaches of Narmada, about 18 km (11.2 miles) from Mandla, has several species of wild animals including tigers. Two tributaries of Narmada, Hallon and Banjar, flow through this park. It is one of the best National Parks of Asia which has been described vividly by Rudyard Kipling in his famous ‘Jungle Book’.

Jabalpur is well connected by road, rail and air. Jabalpur Airport, known as Dumna Airport, is about 20 km from the city. Jabalpur is connected by road to most of the Indian cities. Jabalpur is the headquarters of West Central Railways and is connected by trains from Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Kolkata, Vadodara, Patna, Lucknow, Chennai, Bangalore, Nagpur, Pune, Jaipur, Jammu, Hyderabad, Varanasi and Goa.

The best things to do and see in Toronto

Toronto, often described as a global city, is the largest city and the economic capital of Canada and one of the top financial centres in the world. If you plan a visit, a search in specialized search sites such as Canada 411 on the various attractions will help you to plan your visit, as Toronto has often been compared to New York City as the city that never sleeps north of the border. A few places that one must visit are below.

The 1,815 feet high CN Tower, a prominent landmark of Toronto, held the record of the tallest free-standing land structure in the world for over 30 years. Visitors can reach the top of the tower in an elevator with glass walls to view the panorama of the city and areas beyond.

Another unforgettable experience will be a visit to the Harbourfront & Toronto Islands. Yet another attraction is the Niagara Falls on the Niagara River on the border between the United States and Canada. With more than 6 million cubic feet of water falling every minute it is the most powerful and massive waterfall in North America and the best-known in the world.

Toronto is famous for its events and festivals. At the Exhibition Place on the Toronto lakeshore, every August the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), the largest and most successful fair of its kind in the entire North America, is considered an important part of the culture of Toronto and Canada itself. The other attractions are the City Hall & Nathan Phillips Square, Casa Loma, Rogers Centre/Skydome, Chinatown, Hockey Hall of Fame, and the St. Lawrence Market.

Also you will not like to miss The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), the Toronto Zoo, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, the Ontario Science Centre, the Textile Museum, and many more such venues.

The Yorkville neighbourhood, one of the most elegant shopping and dining areas, is visited by tourists and even celebrities from all over North America, and the whole world, especially during the Toronto International Film Festival.

For your comfortable stay in Toronto there are some of the finest hotels such as Delta Chelsea Hotel, The Fairmont Royal York, Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, The Westin Harbour Castle, Hotel Victoria, and many more to suit every budget. Also there are many nightclubs and restaurants for those who like a memorable nightlife experience. For transport, taxis are aplenty, or one can rely upon the efficient Toronto Public Transportation system.

Planning for the best all inclusive holidays

Having a memorable holiday is the best way to unwind and re-energize our body and mind, apart from spending quality time with family and friends, or whoever are our companions on such a trip. In fact , most people meticulously plan their holidays, be it to the Himalayan hill resorts, Guatemalan highlands, Maldives, or some of the most popular and romantic destinations in Spain, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, or some other long haul holidays.

While on holidays, we need the services of tour and travel operators, hotels, car rentals, travel insurance and many more holiday-related services. We can’t afford to get trapped anywhere because of any problems with these services. So, we use the services of experienced professionals in travel and holidays. Even those having too much of money and preferring the best in hospitality services look for bargain holidays as no one wants to waste money and get poor services. So, one of the best that I came across to help you plan and book your holidays is Global Holidays.

Their website features over 20 million discount holidays and flights to hundreds of various destinations around the world. You can check availability of immediate cheap holidays or holiday packages after many months, compare prices, and book your requirements online, on phone, or by visiting their office. Most of their offered packages are either low-priced or discounted as they have tie-ups with the all the major tour operators and airline networks, etc.

A visit to their site and their travel blog is one of the best ways to educate you on the options available and facilities in your dream holiday destination. They have highly experienced professionals to answer your questions on your holiday options.

Global Holidays holiday search and booking engine offers the best in technology and services offering the widest choice of cheap holidays and holiday bargains, with over 110 million holiday combinations for you to choose from.

The Taj Mahal photo 16

The Taj Mahal _ 16, originally uploaded by KaushiK™.

Vrindavan Garden, the only fully illuminated garden in India

Vrindavan Garden, Mysore, Karnataka, India, originally uploaded by karkadanelson.