Final Transit » Landmarks

Photo Friday 01.19: Gateway of India

Priyank — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 05:38:58 +0000

Mumbai, India

Gateway of India (भारताचे प्रवेशद्वार) is one of the most prominent landmarks of Mumbai. It was built by the British to welcome King George V and Queen Mary to the Jewel of the empire in 1911.

Gateway of India and small boats for tourists

The Gateway was the monument that visitors arriving to India by boat would have first seen.

The gateway and Hotel Taj Mahal, the site of Nobember 26, 2008 attack by Pakistani terrorists.

I grew up in a suburb of Mumbai, but isn’t it funny that I visited this popular tourist destination of the city only a handful of times in my life?

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Peter and Paul Fortress

Priyank — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 23:52:32 +0000

This post is part of a series of travelogues narrating my trip to Russia. Here are the other posts and pictures!
« Previous post: Nevsky Prospekt | Next post: Aurora »

St. Petersburg, Russia

Peter and Paul Fortress is located on the north side of river Neva, occupying a tiny island. I went here on a rainy Sunday, and the place was full of tourist groups and other visitors.

Entrance gate

History

The fortress is the original citadel of St. Petersburg, Russia and was founded by Peter the Great in 1703. The fort was built during the Northern War in order to protect the city from Sweedish attacks, but this never materialised. The fort was then used as a prison for high-profile prisoners including famous writers Dostoevsky and Gorky. After the Russian Revolution, the fortress was converted to a museum. Damage done by the Germans during WW2 was repaired and old glory of the fortress was restored.

Fortress walls and the sandy beach

Cathedral
Peter and Paul Cathedral

I did not go inside the cathedral because it was getting late and by then I had seen enough of Orthodox churches. The distinguishing 122m tall golden spire of this cathedral is a landmark that can be seen from most places of the city. Most of the Tsars were buried here.

Ticket office

Entry to the premises is free but if you want to enter any buildings, the ticket costs RUR 60 (in 2008) for students.

I distinctly remember sitting on a bench outside the Peter and Paul Monastery and listening to the orthodox church bell music. It went on for few minutes and the tune was wonderful.

This post is part of a series of travelogues narrating my trip to Russia. Here are the other posts and pictures!
« Previous post: Nevsky Prospekt | Next post: Aurora »

Toronto Tuesday 02.16: Gooderham Building

Priyank — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 16:30:39 +0000

The very first flatiron building in North America

One of the more popular sights in Toronto, the Gooderham building at the intersection of Front, Wellington and Church streets, is quite fascinating – both aesthetically and architecturally.

The Gooderham Flatiron building with downtown as the backdrop

This five-story red brick building is a mix of Gothic and Romanesque styles and was constructed atleast 10 years prior to the famous flatiron building in New York City. Today it is a historic site and the office space is among the most expensive ones in the city.

View of Toronto from a downtown high rise. (See: Toronto from 51st floor)

The mural at the back of the triangular building appears quite realistic when viewed for the first time – its an optical illusion giving the picture a three dimensional feel.

There it sits, bordering the financial district and the St. Lawrence market district, strongly looking over the city while everything around it has been flattened for redevelopment.

Photo Friday 01.04: Statue of Liberty

Priyank — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:31:59 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘: Pictures from faraway lands.

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty

A woman wearing a crown, trampling a broken chain, holding a torch and an eternal symbol of liberty and freedom. The statue of Liberty, gifted to US by France in 1886, stands on the Liberty Island minutes away from New York City. In an expensive city like that, its incredible that the best views of this iconic monument, from the Staten Island Ferry, are in fact, free!

Toronto Tuesday 02.04: Ontario Legislature

Priyank — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 05:05:32 +0000

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The Legislature of Ontario is located at Queens Park, Toronto. This unicameral house has 107 MPPs (Members of Provincial Parliament) and is currently governed by the Liberal Party with The Progressive Conservative Party being the opposition.

The ruling party sits on the right side of the speaker while the opposition is to its left

The house has some beautiful decorations and carvings

Mace, the symbol of Queen’s authority, on the clerk’s desk

From the viewer’s gallery

Entrance

One can take free building tours to explore different aspects of the Legislative building. I was there last week during a lunch hour tour.

Toronto Tuesday: 01.11

Priyank — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:44:58 +0000

Volume 1, Edition 11

‘Toronto Tuesday‘ is a weekly photo feature about random stuff (landmarks, people, culture, seasons, etc.) in the city.

The long weekend was beautiful!

Queen Street West
This is from my neighborhood which I love a lot.

Dundas and Bathurst: A streetcar against an incinerator chimney
Toronto Western Hospital is located at the intersection of Dundas Street West and Bathurst Street.

What did you do on the weekend? I dealt with my annoying website host who had suspended my website for a strange reason. I also went plant shopping, took a very long walk across the town, had vegan Chinese food and some Chilean wine.

Toronto Tuesday: 01.09

Priyank — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:54:09 +0000

Volume 1, Edition 9

‘Toronto Tuesday‘ is a weekly photo feature about random stuff (landmarks, people, culture, seasons, etc.) in the city.

Streetcar siding

Toronto streetcar (tram) system is among the largest systems in North America. This streetcar siding (parking) station is located at north west corner of Queen Street West and Roncesvalles Avenue, few blocks from where I live.

I am getting increasingly attracted towards desaturated images – b&w, sepia, etc. So I’ve posted the same image in a different way.

So, which picture did you like more?

Toronto Tuesday: 01.08

Priyank — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:00:36 +0000

Volume 1, Edition 8

‘Toronto Tuesday‘ is a weekly photo feature about random stuff (landmarks, people, culture, seasons, etc.) in my city.

Remembering our past… building a safe future

Spring

Winter

This guy sits here 24/7 all year long, in his proper safety equipment, dutifully chiseling the message on this granite wall. A monument on Front Street, downtown Toronto, dedicated to the labour movement, reminds us of the commitment to the prevention of workplace injury and illness.

Toronto Tuesday: 01.01

Priyank — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:02:07 +0000

Volume 1, Edition 1

Starting this week, ‘Toronto Tuesday’ will be a weekly photo feature about random stuff (landmarks, people, culture, seasons, etc.) in my city.

It’s snowing today. Here are some pictures from the heart of the city:

University Ave. as seen when one exits Osgoode subway station.

Nathan Phillips Square and Old City hall

The reflecting pool in the middle of the square is converted to an ice rink during winter. This is where I crashed on ice everyday, until one day I could ice skate.

Toronto city hall

The ‘new’ Toronto City Hall (old city hall is in the picture above) is an imposing structure and its modernist design is a distinctive landmark of the city.