Hiking through Andean hills

November 6, 2011 | 10 Comments

I remember my school days back in India. Rather than the individual desks that you find in North American schools, our classrooms were filled with large wooden desks that two (or sometimes three) students shared. Very collectivist and cooperative, I know, but often not as idealised as it sounds. You see, there were times when you had to share your desk with a total jerk, who was...
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October 18, 2011 | 11 Comments

Almost like travelling in a time machine, it is possible to experience sights and smells from two entirely different time periods in Quito by walking from the old historic centre to the modern Mariscal neighbourhood. Guidebooks warn that this stretch is unsafe, but I did it during the day, used common sense and it was perfectly safe.Quito's old town was built in the 16th century over a destroyed Inca capital. The area to the north of the historic centre, known as "La Mariscal", is a late 20th century construct...
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October 8, 2011 | 14 Comments

I am extremely curious about historical sites especially the ones like Quito that are recognised internationally. So, armed with a list of criteria that UNESCO uses to select heritage sites, I started on a journey to experience Quito in a UNESCO way. ...
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October 6, 2011 | 20 Comments

Ecuador is a fascinating country - socially, geographically and gastronomically. Geographically, the country can be divided into three vertical zones – the Pacific coastal strip to the west, the Amazon jungle to the east, and the Andes mountain ranges in the centre. I was backpacking mostly in the hilly terrain, because I was craving high altitudes and hiking.

So what did I do? Hiked a lot, saw volcanoes, lakes and lakes inside volcanoes, participated in a drunken fiesta, saw native markets, colonial towns, visited the equator...
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October 4, 2011 | 2 Comments

Established in 1971, the botanical garden of University of Guelph is spread over 165 hectares (1.65 sq.km) and boasts of over 38 species of mammals, 188 species of birds, 39 species of butterflies, 18 reptiles and amphibians as well as shrubs and trees....
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October 1, 2011 | 3 Comments

Autorickshaws, also known as tuk-tuks in the west, are quite ubiquitous on Indian streets. I saw lots of made-in-India Bajaj auto rickshaws in the villages in Yucatan. It was kinda funny...
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September 30, 2011 | 7 Comments

The Cloud Gate (nicknamed 'the bean') is a public sculpture in downtown Chicago's Millenium Park. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its highly polished exterior has no visible seams. I absolutely loved this piece of art, it's as good as a destination by itself!...
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September 27, 2011 | 3 Comments

We visited Fergus in August, when it was hosting the widely popular Sottish Festival and Highland Games. The games are claimed to be the largest conglomeration of clans and contests are held for music and dancing, in addition to typically Scottish events such as the Caber toss...
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