10 places in and around Heidelberg to spend a Sunday afternoon

by Vihang Ghalsasi Posted on

Located at just one-hour driving distance from Frankfurt
international airport, Heidelberg is very popular among international tourists.
The town is also well-known for its university, which is ranked among top 10
universities in Germany. The university attracts a lot of international
students from all over the world. I was fortunate to get accepted for a
graduate program in Heidelberg university. During my residency of a few years
in Heidelberg, I had a chance to explore some places off the beaten track. This
blog post is about some known and some not-so-known places in and around
Heidelberg.

Cycling along the river Rhine – Part 1 – Introduction to the river Rhine

by Vihang Ghalsasi Posted on

The central Rhine valley is perhaps the most enchanting region along the entire river stream. Near the city of Bingen in Germany the Rhine enters a valley. Hereon, up to Koblenz (about 65 kilometers downstream), the river flows through the valley. Eons of erosion have created characteristic landscapes in the valley. At times sheer cliffs hewn in and at other times gentle slopes line the banks of the river. To keep an eye on the traffic along the river, many castles were built on the hilltops along the river banks. The central valley has 40 such castles. Due to the warm weather, the land in the valley is suitable for the cultivation of grapes. Hence, the slopes of the mountains along the route are dotted with vineyards. The wine from the valley too, is well-known. As a result of such natural and cultural features, the valley has been declared a World Heritage Site.

Wonderful Tenerife – Part 5 – The historic city of La Laguna

by Vihang Ghalsasi Posted on

Since time immemorial, the Canary Islands were inhabited by a group of people called
the Guanche. The region at the base of Anaga hills was called Aguere. The place
had a lake that was considered to be holy by the locals. In the 15th century after the Spanish inquisition, a city called La Laguna (the lake) was built around the lake. Eventually, it became the capital city of the Canary Islands. During the conquest of the north and south Americas, the Canary
Islands were an important port of call for Spanish seafarers.

Wonderful Tenerife – Part 4 – A mesmerizing journey through Anaga hills

by Vihang Ghalsasi Posted on

The north-eastern hilly region of Tenerife is known as Anaga. Of the triangular island this region forms one of the narrow vertices that tapers into the sea. It has a unique
terrain that harbors an indigenous flora. Its main feature is the Laurisilva or Laurel forest that is typically found in the warm and temperature stable subtropical zones.