I was looking forward to cycling in the Rhine valley. I chose a Sunday in […]
Cycling along the river Rhine – Part 1 – Introduction to the river Rhine
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.
ऱ्हाईन नदीकाठाने सायकल सफर – भाग ३ – लोरेली भेट आणि ऱ्हाईन खोऱ्याचे विहंगम दृष्य
हे गाव प्रसिद्ध आहे ‘लोरेली’ च्या दंतकथेसाठी. या गावाजवळ एक खडा पहाड आहे. या कथेनुसार लोरेली नामक सुंदर मुलीने तिच्या प्रियकराने केलेल्या विश्वासघातामुळे या पहाडावरून नदीत उडी मारून जीव दिला. तेव्हापासून लोकांना ती पहाडावर बसून गाणे गुणगुणताना दिसते. तिच्या रुपामुळे आणि गाण्यामुळे लक्ष विचलित होऊन अनेक खलाशांना अपघातग्रस्त व्हावे लागले आहे. त्यामुळे हा पहाड लोरेली पहाड अशा नावाने ओळखला जातो.
ऱ्हाईन नदीकाठाने सायकल सफर – भाग २ – चुकलेली ट्रेन आणि सफरीचा श्रीगणेशा
अशा या मध्य ऱ्हाईन खोऱ्यात सायकलवरून भटकंती करण्यास मी फारच उत्सुक होतो. ऑगस्ट महिन्यातला सूर्यनारायणाची […]
ऱ्हाईन नदीकाठाने सायकल सफर – भाग १ – ऱ्हाईन नदीची तोंडओळख
जर्मनीतल्या माझ्या साडेचार वर्षांच्या मुक्कामात युरोपातील अनेक देश-प्रदेश बघायचा योग आला. एकीकडे ही भटकंती सुरु […]
Wonderful Tenerife – Part 5 – The historic city of La Laguna
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
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.
Wonderful Tenerife – Part 3 – A journey to the summit of Teide
This road from the southern coast presents an ever-changing exciting collage of scenic geological vistas. At times the street was lined with multi-colored rocks and shrubs,
while at other times it was lined with dense pine forests immersed in fog. Suddenly the bus entered a mountain pass. On emerging out of the pass, the main peak of Teide could be seen rising directly in the front.
Wonderful Tenerife – Part 2 – An adventurous trek in Mesca gorge
This is the Mesca spring. At times the brook ran along innocently and playfully along the trail while at other times it surged and thundered down the rocks like a waterfall. The brook criss-crossed the path a number of times. Hence, many a times we, the trekkers, had to walk through puddles of
water. The rocks, made smooth and slippery by the flowing water, tested our skill in maintaining our balance. As the path winded down the slopes, the surrounding peaks appeared to loom taller and taller. At one point, the path led down into a deep gorge.
Wonderful Tenerife – Part 1 – Introduction to Tenerife
Initially, I wrote this travelogue on Tenerife in Marathi. A friend generously offered to translate […]