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I travelled to most exotic places on this earth in last 9 years since 2003. I was exploring India from east to west and north to south till mid 2007. Then i started my World tour to 6 continents in May 2007 & entering 2012, my World tour is still on & i am exploring more and more exotic places around all major countries. I believe "World is just amazing" and every place & face has a unique story to tell. I connect to my subjects as to my soul.

Do not forget to subscribe or login from toolbar at the base of any page on my official website sundeepkullu.com ™©® ( Includes connect with my facebook profile/facebook page/facebook group/facebook Like/twitter/twitter follow/Google Plus/Google Buzz/Google +1/LinkedIn/You Tube/Twitter/Facebook subscribe and not to forget TRANSLATE button to translate al tet to al major languages for subscribers followers & fans from all parts of the World.

Cheers!!!

These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.For full size images contact me.

Contacts:-

Primary :

wittysam@gmail.com ( E-mail/Skype/Whatsapp/Google+/LinkedIn/Fring/Yoono/Twitter/Gmail/Instagram/http://sundeepkullu.com & Photography & Videography and Quote for Assignments related)

World Roaming +974 55344547 (Facebook Mobile/Viber/Facetime/WhatsApp)

India New Delhi & Himachal Roaming +91 8527745789 (Google Plus)

sb@sundeepkullu.com ( Facebook & Personal Mail )

Secondary :

eurekasun@yahoo.com ( Flickr & Yahoo Messenger )

admin@phototube.co ( phototube.co related )

enquiries@himachalculturalvillage.com ( himachalculturalvillage.com related )

SunDeep™©® Bhardwaj Kullu

MBA-Sales & Mktg.(Symbiosis,Pune)

B.Pub.Admn.(H.P.University,Summer Hills, Shimla)

BHM (GCC-Bangalore)

***Publishing Photostories clicked in the most exotic places on earth in 15 countries that I visited in last 6 months. For all stories of 70+ Countries go to my oficial website sundeepkullu.com ™©®

My latest 15 explored destinations in my 6th year of World tour so far to 70+Countries & 300+Destinations across 6 Continents and 9 th year of Travel Photography & Videography of Places People Culture Landscapes.Recently explored these exotic places in JAPAN Horyuji Temple 1300 years old Japan's most sacred place & UNESCO site UAE-Al Ain-Abu Dhabi-Dubai-Burj Al Arab-Al Khaleefa Tallest building in the World, SWEDEN-Stocholm-National Parks, AUSTRALIA-Melbourne-Great Ocean Road-Twelve Apostles this week. BELGIUM Brussels, DENMARK-Copenhagen, VIETNAM Hanoi-Halong Bay MALAYSIA-Kuala Lumpur-Kanting Falls-Batu Caves-Petronas Twin Towers , CANADA-Quebec-Ontario-Montreal, ATLANTIC-GREENLAND-LABRADOR PENINSULA-Lebrador Sea, SOUTH AFRICA Johnnesburg-The Cradle of Mankind-Stolkfontien Caves and Lion & Rino Park with others INDIA-Kashmir-Gulmarg-Srinagar CHINA-Shanghai-Zhejiang-Hangzhou-The West Lake GERMANY-BAVERIA-Black Forest-Oberbayern-Garmich Patenkirchen-Eibsee Lake-Zugspitze HIMACHAL-Kullu-Manali-Shimla-Lahaul-Spiti -Dharamshala-Kinnaur-Udaipur-Leh-Laddakh UK-SCOTLAND Glencoe-Fort William-Castle around Scotland-Lochness INDIA Jog Falls Ooty Goa Athirappily & Vazhachal Falls Kerala UK-ENGLAND-London-Manchester-Glasgow & others ITALY-Rome-Vatican City and Other UNESCO Heritage Sites around Rome. Soon my first book on 111 MIRACULOUS WONDERS OF WORLD YOU MYST SEE WHEN U ALIVE will be out with "111 WOW" i Phone application by the end of this year. Updating my official website sundeepkullu.com

Add me as a friend on my facebook profile 2 as my facebook profile 1 is allmost full with 4000 plus friends here - www.facebook.com/sundeephimachal

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www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062762956/

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A Sadhu (111 views) by Sandeep Raghunath

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Gurdwara Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, also called Gurdwara Manikaran Sahib is situated in Manikaran, in Kullu District, 45 KM away from Kullu. The place was visited by Guru Nanak Dev during his travels. The serene location and the seemingly mysterious hot springs made Manikaran (Kullu) a place of pilgrimage in earlier times. Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhs, visited this place to spend time in meditation. A gurdwara that was built to commemorate his visit, is now a place of pilgrimage for the Sikhs.

Better Photography Magazine Review of Kullu-Beyond Horizons by Rahul Sud

1 3

Better Photography Magazine "Review of Kullu-Beyond Horizons."

Asia and Middle East's Largest circulated photography magazine reviewed my book recently in the april issue.

Life comes a full cirlce from reading the magazine to having my book featured in it.Cheers.

India (2012) by ::ErWin

5 1

IMG_6169

JOY Back from School and Photographed RWANDA KIGALI SCHOOL KIDS AWJ by SunDeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography™ 70+Countries 6 Continents 555+Places Travelled & Photographed in Last 2 Decades Worldwide UNESCO World Heritage Sites Himalayas Himachal 'Fine Art Wedding's by SDB' Fine Art Wonders of World gallery™''SDBFA:tm " The World is my Studio "'SDB Fine Art™' SDBFA™ SDBWP™ 2 Decades of Travel to Europe,Africa,North America,Central America,South America,Indian Sub-Continent,The Middle East,South Asia,South East Asia,Far East Asia & Australia.Contact for a quote

5 3

Permission alloted to share this Photostory (As i call it..) Publically with these URL Links below in text form only on the social netwrking sites like facebook orkut only ( No Embedding or blogging is Allowed, Thanks for your understanding ) :

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam

Text above is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Unported License (CC-BY-SA) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_... and the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from Wikipedia, a non-profit organization and the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer).Donate to Wikimedia. donate.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Fundraiser...

Contacts:-

Primary :

wittysam@gmail.com ( E-mail/Skype/Whatsapp/Google+/LinkedIn/Fring/Yoono/Twitter/Gmail/Insta gram/http://sundeepkullu.com & Photography & Videography and Quote for Assignments related)

World Roaming +974 55344547 (Facebook Mobile/Viber/Facetime/WhatsApp)

India New Delhi & Himachal Roaming +91 8527745789 (Google Plus)

sb@sundeepkullu.com ( Facebook & Personal Mail )

Secondary :

eurekasun@yahoo.com ( Flickr & Yahoo Messenger )

admin@phototube.co ( phototube.co related )

enquiries@himachalculturalvillage.com ( himachalculturalvillage.com related )

SunDeep Bhardwaj Kullu

MBA-Sales & Mktg.(Symbiosis,Pune)

B.Pub.Admn.(H.P.University,Summer Hills, Shimla)

BHM (GCC-Bangalore)

***Publishing Photostories clicked in the most exotic places on earth in 15 countries that I visited in last 6 months. For all stories of 70+ Countries go to my oficial website sundeepkullu.com ™©®

Slide Shows | Full Screen Mode | Adobe Flash or Mobile

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062762956/

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062638852/show/

Available on Skype / Facetime / Viber / WhatsApp / Facebook / Google Talk / Yahoo Messenger mostly.

Facebook/Facetime/Skype/WhatsApp/Viber/Twitter/ with wittysam@gmail.com , sb@sundeepkullu.com ,

+91 8527745789 India and World roaming

+974 55344547 World roaming

KINDLY NOTE***The Stock samples of SDBWP SunDeep Bhardwaj World Photography in flickr Photostream cannot be Copied,Distributed,Published or Used in any form,full or in part,or in any kind of media without prior permission from Sundeep Bhardwaj the owner of these images.Utilization in other websites,intenet media,pages,blogs etc without written consent is PROHIBITED.

The images are also available for licence through GETTY IMAGES or directly by contacting me.

Add me as a friend on my facebook profile 2 as my facebook profile 1 is allmost full with 4000 plus friends here - www.facebook.com/sundeephimachal

RAWANDA KIGALI TOUR

PHOTOSTORIES from SunDeepKullu.Com World Travel Fine Art Photography Sept 2012

Having Spent interesting day in Kigali in RAWANDA where I arrived today morning via Entebbe in UGANDA the city of Hills is really great to discover and very distinct from other Africa countries.

Know Kigali Rawanda the best of best -

Rwanda is a relatively stable East African country, and easily accessible from Kenya and Uganda. It is relatively easy, safe and simple to travel around. It is landlocked, surrounded by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west.

Rwanda is not only the land of a thousand hills, but also a country rich in flora and fauna and stunning natural beauty in its scenic rolling and breathtaking green savannah. The country hosts some rare species of animals like the silverback mountain Gorillas as well as unique birds and insects in the tropical forest of Nyungwe.

Understand

It's been over a decade since the civil war and genocide of 1994 that devastated this tiny country, and it's come a long way. Shake off your memories of war and expect a warm and friendly welcome to a beautiful country.

Rwanda has 3 national parks:

Akagera National Park

Volcanoes National Park – home to the mountain gorillas, this park spreads into Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Nyungwe National Park

If you are traveling overland, it is no longer possible to obtain a visa at the border. However, visa application can easily be made at www.migration.gov.rw/singleform.php. You will within a few days receive a entry visa acceptance by email. Bringing this acceptance letter, the visa will be issued at the border. The US$60 visa fee is paid at the border.

I'm not a plastic bag!

Thin plastic bags are prohibited in Rwanda. Luggage will be searched at the border and even at police checkpoints throughout the country to make sure you are not carrying plastic bags. Prior to the ban, one-time use plastic bags plagued city streets and threatened the delicate environment. Today, Rwandan cities are almost litter-free and some of the cleanest in Africa!

See

National Museum of Butare in Butare –

Lake Kivu in Western Rwanda – a large lake bordering the DRC, it's a nice place to relax for a week or so

The Genocide Memorial in Kigali – fantastic insight into one of the world's greatest tragedies

The Nyamata Genocide Memorial is a worthwhile complement to the Gisozi Memorial Centre in Kigali. Located in the town of Nyamata, 40 minutes south of Kigali on a newly paved road, the memorial is in a church where over 5000 people were killed during the 1994 genocide. Visitors take a short tour and see the evidence of the genocide that remains there today - victims' clothing piled on benches, the roof pockmarked with bullet holes, and the open crypts behind the church that hold the remains of over 40,000 people from the area. An extremely moving look into one of the places where the genocide was carried out.

The Ntarama Genocide Memorial, just 20 minutes away from the Nyamata memorial, is also worth visiting. Like the Nyamata memorial, this site was a church before the genocide, and was nationalized to serve as a memorial after thousands of people were killed within its walls. The church itself is similar to Nyamata, with victims' clothing and remains visible to offer proof of what happened there, but Ntarama also has a peaceful memorial garden and wall of names in the back of its compound. Ask the resident guide for a tour in English or French, and remember to give them a donation for the site afterwards; it gets almost no support from the government. To get there, take the highway from Kigali to Nyamata and follow the signs for the Ntarama memorial, before you reach Nyamata.

Do

Parc National des Volcans, home of the mountain gorillas, and the setting for Gorillas in the Mist author Dian Fossey's research. If you can afford it it's an excellent experience... even possible as a daytrip from Kigali. Enquire at the Rwandan Office for Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN), Boulevard de la Révolution n° 1, Kigali, +(250) 576514 or 573396, reservation@rwandatourism.com, [4]. It cost 500 US dollars per person. Besides that you will have to take an official taxi which costs you another 50 USD. Prices are rising constantly, and you should really consider if you want them to get away with these rip-off prices, because as long as there are people who pay them, they will continue to rise them.

Respect

Rwanda is a very conservative society; most people dress modestly, especially women. Wearing shorts or tight skirts and skimpy tops is likely to get you stared at twice as much as normal.

It is unusual for a couple to make public displays of affection, even though many men walk hand in hand with male friends. Also, Rwandans will generally never eat or drink in public, apart from at restaurants. Rwandan women are rarely seen smoking in public or out in bars unaccompanied.

Rwandans are very private, reserved people and loud public confrontations (shouting matches) or obvious displays of emotion (such as crying) are also frowned upon. If you feel you are being overcharged by a trader, quietly persisting with the negotiation (or your complaint!) is likely to produce results much faster than an angry outburst!

It is also impolite to make eye contact with an elder.

Please understand that Rwanda is still recovering from a civil war and genocide in which over 800,000 people, perhaps a million, were killed. Many Rwandese lost relatives and friends. Remember to be sensitive to this sad fact when dealing with Rwandese. Most people today are trying to forget the tribal divisions and would rather be referred to as Rwandese than Hutu or Tutsi. It is considered impolite to ask someone about their ethnic origin.

There is not much political discourse in Rwanda, unlike in many neighboring countries such as Uganda and Kenya where people talk freely about the government and political issues, people in Rwanda will be uncomfortable if asked their views or even if seated at a table where national politics is discussed.

Kigali in Rawanda houses several memorials, museums, and centers dedicated to the Rwandan Genocide, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. Other museums include the National Museum of Rwanda and Kandt House Museum of Natural History.

Urugwiro is the official residence of the President of Rwanda. It constitutes an entire village within the Kacyiru distrct of Kigali.

The city now has international class hotels, some played a role in history:

The Mille Collines in the Kiyovu area. This hotel became a refugee centre during the genocide, as famously depicted in the film Hotel Rwanda (although the hotel shown in the film is in fact in South Africa). It is also the setting for the famous novel Un dimanche à la piscine à Kigali, by Quebecer Gil Courtemanche, and its movie adaptation Un dimanche à Kigali.

The Kigali Serena Hotel, formerly known as the InterContinental Kigali. Formerly a Belgian-owned hotel known as the Diplomates, the hotel was briefly portrayed in the second half of Hotel Rwanda. It was later bought by the InterContinental Hotels group and remodeled in 2003.

Interesting places around Kigali

The Virunga National Park (French: Parc National des Virunga), formerly named Albert National Park, is a 7800 square km National Park that stretches from the Virunga Mountains in the South, to the Rwenzori Mountains in the North, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, bordering Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Queen Elisabeth National Park in Uganda. The park was established in 1925 as Africa's first national park. It was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. In recent years the park has become known for its mountain gorillas, although poaching and the Congo Civil War have seriously damaged its wildlife population.

The Lava Lake of the Nyiragongo Volcano, one of the spectacular sights of Virunga NP

Virunga NP Mountain Gorillas

Bukima Camp is situated in the foothills of the Mikeno Mountain, the home of the Congolese Mountain Gorillas

Rwenzori Mountains

Silverback of the Rugendo family at Bukima patrol Post

The cabanes are situated at the edge of the crater in sight of the lava lake, the sight of which has an astounding effect on visitors

Lake Kivu is one of three known exploding lakes

sundeepkullu2.see.me/onelife2012.

Thanks and regards sundeepkullu.com Sundeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography SDBWP™

WORLD IS MY STUDIO

Still on my World tour entering 6th year of World travel to 70+Countries 555+Destinations across 6 Continents and multiple years of Travel Photography I am busy designing my first Travel Photostories Book named "111 MIRACULOUS WONDERS OF WORLD YOU MUST SEE WHEN YOU ALIVE" and corresponding "111 WOW" iPhone Application soon by the end of this year 2012

SunDeep ™ Bhardwaj World Photography ™ | SDBWP™ | 7 years Amazing World Tour May 2007-till date-continued to 2014 if possible | 10 years Incredible India tour from year 1997-2007 May including Unforgettable Himachal Tour since Childhood |

Photostories on iPhone iPad iPod PC Blackberry Nokia Samsung or any Smart Phone here www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam

Mobile Blog : sundeepkullu.wordpress.com

Flickr Interesting Thumbnail View : www.flickr.com/search/?q=wittysam&s=int&ss=2&...;

Recently Explored 16 Destinations ( In first half of 2012)

*INDIA- Mayad Valley, Lahaul , Rohtang Pass, Manikaran, Jispa, Sissu, Gondla, Deepak Taal, Baralachha Pass, Zing Zing Bar, Deepak Taal , Suraj Taal, Kasol, Kullu-Manali, Bhunter, Keyong

*AUSTRALIA-Melbourne-Great Ocean Road-Twelve Apostles this week

*BELGIUM Brussels

*DENMARK-Copenhagen, VIETNAM Hanoi-Halong Bay

*MALAYSIA-Kuala Lumpur-Kanting Falls-Batu Caves-Petronas Twin Towers

*CANADA-Quebec-Ontario-Montreal

*SOUTH AFRICA Johnnesburg-The Cradle of Mankind-Stolkfontien Caves and Lion & Rino Park

*INDIA-Kashmir-Gulmarg-Srinagar-HIMACHAL-Kullu-Manali-Shimla-Lahaul-Spiti -Dharamshala-Kinnaur-Udaipur-Leh-Laddakh-*KERALA-Athirappily & Vazhachal Falls

*GERMANY-BAVERIA-Black Forest-Oberbayern-Garmich Patenkirchen-Eibsee Lake-Zugspitze

*UK-SCOTLAND Glencoe-Fort William-Castle around Scotland-Lochness-ENGLAND-London-Manchester-Glasgow

*ITALY-Rome-UNESCO Heritage Sites around Rome

*VATICAN CITY-Samallest Country in the World

*CHINA-Shanghai-Zhejiang-Hangzhou-The West Lake-Chongquing-Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area-Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries-Lushan-Buddha JAPAN Horyuji Temple 1300 years old Japan's most sacred place & UNESCO site

*UAE-Al Ain-Abu Dhabi-Dubai-Burj Al Arab-Al Khaleefa Tallest building in the World,

*SWEDEN-Stocholm-National Parks

*NORWAY-Oslo

*RAWANDA-Kigali

These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.For full size images contact me.

Contacts:-

Primary :

wittysam@gmail.com ( E-mail/Skype/Whatsapp/Google+/LinkedIn/Fring/Yoono/Twitter/Gmail/Insta gram/http://sundeepkullu.com & Photography & Videography and Quote for Assignments related)

World Roaming +974 55344547 (Facebook Mobile/Viber/Facetime/WhatsApp)

India New Delhi & Himachal Roaming +91 8527745789 (Google Plus)

sb@sundeepkullu.com ( Facebook & Personal Mail )

Secondary :

eurekasun@yahoo.com ( Flickr & Yahoo Messenger )

admin@phototube.co ( phototube.co related )

enquiries@himachalculturalvillage.com ( himachalculturalvillage.com related )

SunDeep Bhardwaj Kullu

MBA-Sales & Mktg.(Symbiosis,Pune)

B.Pub.Admn.(H.P.University,Summer Hills, Shimla)

BHM (GCC-Bangalore)

***Publishing Photostories clicked in the most exotic places on earth in 15 countries that I visited in last 6 months. For all stories of 70+ Countries go to my oficial website sundeepkullu.com ™©®

Slide Shows | Full Screen Mode | Adobe Flash or Mobile

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062762956/

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062638852/show/

Available on Skype / Facetime / Viber / WhatsApp / Facebook / Google Talk / Yahoo Messenger mostly.

Facebook/Facetime/Skype/WhatsApp/Viber/Twitter/ with wittysam@gmail.com , sb@sundeepkullu.com ,

+91 8527745789 India and World roaming

+974 55344547 World roaming

KINDLY NOTE***The Stock samples of SDBWP SunDeep Bhardwaj World Photography in flickr Photostream cannot be Copied,Distributed,Published or Used in any form,full or in part,or in any kind of media without prior permission from Sundeep Bhardwaj the owner of these images.Utilization in other websites,intenet media,pages,blogs etc without written consent is PROHIBITED.

Add me as a friend on my facebook profile 2 as my facebook profile 1 is allmost full with 4000 plus friends here - www.facebook.com/sundeephimachal

Thanks and regards sundeepkullu.com Sundeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography SDBWP™

HAPPY NEW YEAR,FRIENDS.. by Rahul Sud

1 5

As the year draws to a close,cant help but look back....for a little introspection...A fruitful association with Flickr started....found and made friends...saw some amazing talent..it pushed me further to raise my own bar...

THKS A LOT FRIENDS FOR DROPPING BY AND APPRECIATING..YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT MEANS A LOT TO ME.....AS IN FLICKR I FOUND FRIENDS FOREVER....IT BECAME MY WINDOW TO THE WORLD...

HAVE BEEN BUSY LATELY WID THE PRODUCTION WORK OF MY COFFEE TABLE BOOK ON KULLU...SO HAD GONE OFF FLICKR FOR A WHILE..ITS SIMPLY NEVER ENDING.....BUT WILL BE BACK TO SHARE MORE IMAGES A.S.AP.

I WISH YOU ALL A GREAT 2010.MAY YOUR PICS ROCK THE WORLD..

HAPPY NEW YEAR...

Eastern blessing ! by rajat jamwal

4 20

Vashist temple , kullu valley

INNOCENCE MALANA TRIBE KULLU GIRL HIMACHAL CULTURAL VILLAGE _080815_0826_011 AWJ by SunDeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography™ 70+Countries 6 Continents 555+Places Travelled & Photographed in Last 2 Decades Worldwide UNESCO World Heritage Sites Himalayas Himachal 'Fine Art Wedding's by SDB' Fine Art Wonders of World gallery™''SDBFA:tm " The World is my Studio "'SDB Fine Art™' SDBFA™ SDBWP™ 2 Decades of Travel to Europe,Africa,North America,Central America,South America,Indian Sub-Continent,The Middle East,South Asia,South East Asia,Far East Asia & Australia.Contact for a quote

7 4

Malana is an ancient village to the north-east of Kullu Valley. This solitary village in the Malana Nala, a side valley of the Parvati Valley, is isolated from the rest of the world. The majestic peaks of Chandrakhani and Deotibba shadow the village. It is situated on a remote plateau by the side of torrential Malana river at a height of 3029 m above the sea level. Unaffected by the modern civilisation, Malana has its own lifestyle and social structure. People are strict in following their customs. Malana has been the subject of various documentaries including, Malana: Globalization of a Himalayan Village,[1] and Malana, A Lost Identity.[2] The existing speakers of the autochthonus language Kanashi, the traditional language of the inhabitants of Malana are approximately 1700. According to the 1961 census, language speakers were 563. Today the population of Malana is at least three times as large as 40 years ago.[3]

History

Malana has a history and it goes back to Jamlu rishi (sage) who inhabited this place and made rules and regulations. It is one of the oldest democracies of the world with a well organized parliamentary system. All of this is guided by the their devta (deity) Jamlu rishi.[4] Although Jamlu is currently identified with a sage from the Puranas, this is a relatively recent development. Jamlu is believed to have been worshipped in pre-Aryan times. Penelope Chetwood recounts a tale about an orthodox Brahmin priest, who visited Malana, and tried to educate the locals about the pedigree of their god, and what subsequently befell the hapless priest.[5]

Malana is considered to be one of the first democracies in the world. According to tradition, the residents of Malana are the descendant of Aryans, and they acquired their independence during the Mughal reign when the Emperor Akbar walked to the village in order to cure an ailment that he was afflicted with; after having been successfully cured he put out an edict stating that all the inhabitants of the valley would never be required to pay tax. An alternative tradition suggests that Malana was founded by remnants of Alexander the Great's Army.

A dam project, the Malana Hydro Power Station, has brought Malana much closer to the rest of the world and provides revenue for the region. A new road has shortened the walking time from several days to just 4 hours.

Culture and lifestyle

The village administration is democratic and is believed[by whom?] to be the oldest republic of the world.[9]

The social structure of Malana in fact rests on villagers' unshaked faith in their powerful deity, Jamblu Devta. The entire administration of the village is controlled by him through a village council. This council has eleven members and they are believed as delegates of Jamblu who govern the village in his name. His decision is ultimate in any dispute and any outsider authority is never required. It is although a real fact that Malanis through this council perform a political system of direct democracy very similar to that of ancient Greece. Thus Malana has been named the Athens of Himalayas[10]

Malanis (the inhabitants of Malana) admire their culture, customs and religious beliefs. They generally do not like to change though some traces of modernization are visible.

People in Malana consider all non-Malani to be inferior and consequently untouchable. Visitors to Malana town must pay particular attention to stick to the prescribed paths and not to touch any of the walls, houses or people there. If this does occur, visitors are expected to pay a forfeit sum, that will cover the sacrificial slaughter of a lamb in order purify the object that has been made impure. Malani people may touch impure people or houses as long as they follow the prescribed purification ritual before they enter their house or before they eat. Malanis may never accept food cooked by a non-Malani person, unless they are out of the valley (in which case their Devt can't see them). Malanis may offer visitors food but all utensils will have to undergo a strict purification ritual before they can be used again.

Despite of being a part of the Kullu valley, the Malanis have very distinct physical features, and a dialect which is different from the rest of the valley. There are various legends about their origin. According to one of them, it is believed that they are the descendants of Greek soldiers of Alexander's army. As the legend goes, some soldiers took refuge in this remote land after Alexander left the country and later settled there permanently. This myth is however disputed because there are those who claim that it is the valley of Kalash, in Pakistan that is actually the area in which Alexander the Great's soldiers took refuge. This legend is also inconsistent with the legendary descent of the local people from Indo-Aryans who would predate Alexander the Great's soldiers by approximately a thousand years. Recent genetic typing of the Malani population is more consistent with an Indo-Aryan origin with a large proportion of Y-DNA haplotypes J2 and R1a associated with Indo-Aryan influences in South Asia than with a Greek origin which would have a different characteristic mix of Y-DNA haplotypes.[11]

Malana was also once famous for producing some of the best quality hashish (Cannabis resin) in the world, known as "Malana Cream", which sells for 1,200-1,800 rupees per tola (= 10 grams).

The Stock samples of SDBWP SunDeep Bhardwaj World Photography in flickr Photostream cannot be Copied,Distributed,Published or Used in any form,full or in part,or in any kind of media without prior permission from Sundeep Bhardwaj the owner of these images.Utilization in other websites,intenet media,pages,blogs etc without written consent is PROHIBITED.

The images are also available for licence through GETTY IMAGES or directly by contacting Sundeep Bhardwaj Kullu Himachal Around the World to more than 50+Countries & 200+Major Destinations across 6 Continents.

Sundeep Bhardwaj Kullu

sb@sundeepkullu.com

+91 9816499629

+974 55344547

These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.

Developer - phototube.co

Affiliation - himachalculturalvillage.com

Slide Shows | Full Screen Mode | Adobe Flash -

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062638852/show/

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Source en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malana,_Himachal_Pradesh

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Eibsee

Eibsee is a lake in Bavaria, Germany, 9km southwest of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and roughly 100km southwest of Munich. At an elevation of 973.28 m, its surface area is 177.4 ha. Eibsee lies at the base of the Zugspitze (2950 meters above sea level), Germany's highest mountain.

As of May 2010, trains from Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen leave roughly once an hour and the trip takes about an hour and a half[1]. Buses travel regularly from the train station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Eibsee[2]. A valid train ticket can often be used to ride the bus

Source en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eibsee

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria. Nearby is Germany's highest mountain, Zugspitze, at 2961 m (9714 ft.).

Origin

Garmisch-Partinkirken was at first two separate cities (Garmisch and Partinkirken).Until the Olympics were held right in between the two cities and often faught over simple things. So, as a compromise, they merged together to create Garmisch-Partinkirken and make the process much easier.

[edit]History

Garmisch (in the west) and Partenkirchen (in the east) were separate towns for many centuries, and still maintain quite separate identities.

Partenkirchen originated as the Roman town of Partanum on the trade route from Venice to Augsburg and is first mentioned in the year A.D. 15. Its main street, Ludwigsstrasse, follows the original Roman road.

Garmisch is first mentioned some 800 years later as Germaneskau ("German District"), suggesting that at some point a Teutonic tribe took up settlement in the western end of the valley.

The valley came under the rule of the Bishop of Freising and was governed by a bishop's representative known as a Pfleger (caretaker or warden) from Werdenfels Castle on a cliff north of Garmisch.

The discovery of America at the turn of the 16th century led to a boom in shipping and a sharp decline in overland trade, which plunged the region into a centuries-long economic depression. The valley floor was swampy and difficult to farm. Bears, wolves and lynxes were a constant threat to livestock. The population suffered from periodic epidemics, including several serious outbreaks of bubonic plague. Adverse fortunes from disease and crop failure occasionally led to witch hysteria. Most notable of these were the notorious trials and executions of 1589-1596, in which 63 victims — more than 10 percent of the population at the time — were burned at the stake or garroted.

Werdenfels Castle, where the accused were held, tried and executed, became an object of superstitious horror and was abandoned in the 17th century. It was largely torn down in the 1750s and its stones used to build the baroque Neue Kirche (New Church) on Marienplatz, which was completed in 1752. It replaced the nearby Gothic Alte Kirche (Old Church), parts of which predated Christianity and may originally have been a pagan temple. Used as a storehouse, armory and haybarn for many years, it has since been re-consecrated. Some of its medieval frescoes are still visible.

Garmisch and Partenkirchen remained separate until their respective mayors were forced by Adolf Hitler to combine the two market towns in 1935 in anticipation of the 1936 Winter Olympic games. Today, the united town is casually (but incorrectly) referred to as Garmisch, much to the dismay of Partenkirchen's residents. Most visitors will notice the slightly more modern feel of Garmisch while the fresco-filled, cobblestoned streets of Partenkirchen offer a glimpse into times past. Early mornings and late afternoons in pleasant weather often find local traffic stopped while the dairy cows are herded to and from the nearby mountain meadows.

[edit]Transportation

Garmisch-Partenkirchen,

painting by Anton Doll

The town is served by Federal Highway 2 as a continuation of the A95 Autobahn (motorway), which ends at Eschenlohe 16 km north of the city.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is on the Munich–Garmisch-Partenkirchen line and the Mittenwald Railway (Garmisch–Mittenwald–Innsbruck). It is the terminus of the Außerfern Railway to Reutte in Tirol / Kempten im Allgäu and the Bavarian Zugspitze Railway (with sections of rack railway) to the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. Regional services run every hour to München Hauptbahnhof and Mittenwald and every two hours to Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof and Reutte. In addition there are special seasonal long-distance services, including ICEs, to Berlin, Hamburg, Dortmund, Bremen and Innsbruck.

Several accessible hiking trails from the town are especially spectacular and cover both the lower and higher elevations.

[edit]Sports

Aerial view of

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

In 1936 it was the site of the Winter Olympic Games, the first to feature alpine skiing. A variety of Nordic and alpine World Cup ski races are held here, usually on the Kandahar Track outside town. Traditionally, a ski jumping contest is held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on New Year's Day, as a part of the Four Hills Tournament (Vierschanzen-Tournee). The World Alpine Ski Championships were held in Garmisch in 1978 and 2011.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is also a favored holiday spot for skiing, snowboarding, and hiking, having some of the best skiing areas (Garmisch Classic and Zugspitze) in Germany.

It was announced on December 7, 2007, that Garmisch-Partenkirchen is part of a Bavarian bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, with partner candidates Munich and Schönau am Königsee (near Berchtesgaden). The Winter Olympics were last held in the German-speaking Alps in 1976 in nearby Innsbruck, Austria.

[edit]Public institutions

The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies[2] is also located in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Marshall Center is an internationally funded and mostly U.S.-staffed learning and conference center for governments from around the world, but primarily from the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. It was established in June 1993, replacing the U.S. Army Russian Institute. Near the Marshall Center is the American Armed Forces Recreation Centers (Edelweiss Lodge and Resort) in Garmisch that serves U.S. and NATO military and their families. A number of U.S. troops and civilians are stationed in the town to provide logistical support to the Marshall Center and Edelweiss Recreation Center.

Zugspitze

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zugspitze

The Zugspitze massif from the west (left: the summit)

Elevation2,962 m (9,718 ft) [1]

Prominence1,746 m (5,728 ft) [2]

↓ Fern Pass → Parseierspitze

Parent peakFinsteraarhorna / Mont Blancb

Isolation = 24.6 km → Acherkogel

ListingCountry high point (Germany)

Ultra

Location

Zugspitze

Germany

Location on Austria/Germany border

LocationTyrol, Austria

Bavaria, Germany

RangeWettersteingebirge, Eastern Alps

Coordinates47°25′16″N 10°59′07″ECoordinates: 47°25′16″N 10°59′07″E[2]

Geology

TypeWetterstein limestone[3]

Age of rockTriassic

Climbing

First ascent27 August 1820 by Josef Naus, Johann Georg Tauschl and survey assistant, Maier

Easiest routeReintal Route

Geography

Map showing the Zugspitze's location

The Zugspitze belongs to the Wetterstein range of the Northern Limestone Alps.

The border between Germany and Austria goes right over the mountain. There used to be a border checkpoint at the summit. But since Germany and Austria are now both part of the Schengen zone, the border crossing is no longer manned.

The exact height of the Zugspitze was a matter of debate for quite a while. Given figures ranged from 2,690–2,970 metres (8,830–9,740 ft), but it is now generally accepted that the peak is 2,962 m (9,718 ft) above sea level as a result of a survey carried out by the Bavarian State Survey Office. The lounge at the new café is named "2962" for this reason.

[edit]Location and surrounding area

Aerial photograph

View from the Alpspitze of the Zugspitze summit and the Höllentalferner glacier in 2007

Annotated aerial photograph of the Zugspitze massif

At 2,962 metres (9,718 ft) (eastern peak) the Zugspitze is the highest mountain of the Zugspitze massif. This height is referenced to the Amsterdam Gauge and is given by the Bavarian State Office for Survey and Geoinformation.[4] The same height is recorded against the Trieste Gauge used in Austria, which is 27 cm lower. Originally the Zugspitze had three peaks: the east, middle and west summits (Ost-, Mittel- and Westgipfel). The only one that has remained in its original form is the east summit, which is also the only one that lies entirely on German territory. The middle summit fell victim to one of the cable car summit stations in 1930. In 1938 the west summit was blown up to create a building site for a planned flight control room for the Wehrmacht. This was never built however. Originally the height of the west summit was given as 2,964 m (9,724 ft).[5]

The Zugspitze rises eleven kilometres southwest of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and just under six kilometres east of Ehrwald. The border between Germany and Austria runs over the west summit; thus the Zugspitze massif belongs to the German state of Bavaria and the Austrian state of Tyrol. The municipalities responsible for it are Grainau and Ehrwald. To the west the Zugspitze massif drops into the valley of the River Loisach, which flows around the massif towards the northeast in a curve whilst, in the east, the streams of Hammersbach and Partnach have their source. To the south the Gaistal valley and its river, the Leutascher Ache, separate the Wetterstein Mountains from the Mieming Chain. To the north at the foot of the Zugspitze is the lake of Eibsee. The next highest mountain in the area is the Acherkogel (3,008 m or 9,869 ft) in the Stubai Alps, which gives the Zugspitze an topographic isolation value of 24.6 kilometres. The reference point for the prominence is the Parseierspitze (3,036 m or 9,961 ft). In order to climb it from the Zugspitze, a descent to the Fern Pass (1,216 m or 3,990 ft) is required, so that the prominence is 1,746 m (5,728 ft).[6]

[edit]Zugspitze Massif

The massif of the Zugspitze has several other peaks. To the south the Zugspitzplatt is surrounded in an arc by the Zugspitzeck (2,820 m or 9,250 ft) and Schneefernerkopf (2,874 m or 9,429 ft), the Wetterspitzen (2,747 m or 9,012 ft), the Wetterwandeck (2,698 m or 8,852 ft), the Plattspitzen (2,679 m or 8,789 ft) and the Gatterlköpfen (2,490 m or 8,170 ft). The massif ends int the Gatterl (2,024 m or 6,640 ft), a wind gap between it and the Hochwanner. Running eastwards away from the Zugspitze is the famous Jubilee Ridge or Jubiläumsgrat over the Höllentalspitzen towards the Alpspitze and Hochblassen. The short crest of the Riffelwandkamm runs northeast over the summits of the Riffelwandspitzen (2,626 m or 8,615 ft) and the Riffelköpfe (2,459 m or 8,068 ft), to the Riffel wind gap (Riffelscharte, 2,161 m or 7,090 ft). From here the ridge of the Waxensteinkamm stretches away over the Riffelspitzen to the Waxenstein.[7]

[edit]Zugspitzplatt

The Zugspitzplatt above the Reintal valley in 2006

The Platt or Zugspitzplatt is a plateau below the summit of the Zugspitze to the south and southeast which lies at a height of between 2,000 and 2,650 m (6,600 and 8,690 ft). It forms the head of the Reintal valley and has been shaped by a combination of weathering, karstification and glaciation. The area contains roches moutonnées, dolines and limestone pavements as a consequence of the ice ages. In addition moraines have been left behind by various glacial periods. The Platt was completely covered by a glacier for the last time at the beginning of the 19th century. Today 52% of it consists of scree, 32% of bedrock and 16% of vegetation-covered soils, especially in the middle and lower areas.[8]

[edit]Climate

Climatic diagram for the Zugspitze: normal periods 1961-1990

From a climatic perspective the Zugspitze lies in the temperate zone and its prevailing winds are Westerlies. As the first high orographic obstacle to these Westerlies in the Alps, the Zugspitze is particular exposed to the weather. It is effectively the north barrier of the Alps (Nordstau der Alpen), against which moist air masses pile up and release heavy precipitation. At the same time the Zugspitze acts as protective barrier for parts of the Alps to the south. By contrast, Föhn weather conditions push in the other direction against the massif, affecting the region for about 60 days per year. These warm, dry air masses stream from south to north and can result in unusually high temperatures in winter. Nevertheless frost dominates the picture on the Zugspitze with an average of 310 days per year. The nearest place with comparable values is the island of Spitsbergen in the Arctic Ocean.

For the decades from 1961 to 1990 - designated by the World Meteorological Organization as the "normal period" - the average annual precipitation on the Zugspitze was 2,003.1 mm; the wettest month being April with 199 mm, and the driest, October with 108.8 mm.[9] By comparison the values for 2009 were 2,070.8 mm, the wettest month being March with 326.2 mm and the driest, January, with 56.4 mm.[10] The average temperature in the normal period was -4.8 Celsius, with July and August being the warmest at 2.2 °C and February, the coldest, with -11.4 °C.[9] By comparison the average temperature in 2009 was -4.2 °C, the warmest month was August at 5.3 °C and the coldest was February at -13.5 °C.[10] The average sunshine during the normal period was 1,846.3 hours per year, the sunniest month being October with 188.8 hours and the darkest being December with 116.1 hours.[9] In 2009 there were 1,836.3 hours of sunshine, the least occurring in February with just 95.4 hours and the most in April with 219 hours.[10] In 2009, according to the weather survey by the German Met Office, the Zugspitze was the coldest place in Germany with a mean annual temperature of -4.2 °C.[11]

The lowest measured temperature on the Zugspitze was -35.6 °C in 14 February 1940. The highest temperature occurred on 5 July 1957 when the thermometer reached 17.9 °C. A squall on 12 June 1985 registered 335 km/h, the highest measured wind speed on the Zugspitze. In April 1944 meteorologists recorded a snow depth of 8.3 metres.[12][13]

[edit]Geology

The north face of the Zugspitze seen from the Eibsee lake

All mountain-building strata consists of sedimentary rocks of the Mesozoic era, that were originally laid down on the seabed. The base of the mountain comprises muschelkalk beds; its upper layers are made of Wetterstein limestone. With steep rock walls up to 800 metres high, it is this Wetterstein limestone from the Upper Triassic that is mainly responsible for the rock faces, arêtes, pinnacles and the summit rocks of the mountain. Due to the frequent occurrence of marine coralline algea in the Wetterstein limestone it can be deduced that this rock was at one time formed in a lagoon. The colour of the rock varies between grey-while and light grey to speckled. In several places it contains lead and zinc ore. These minerals were mined between 1827 and 1918 in the Höllental valley. The dark grey, almost horizontal and partly grass-covered layers of muschelkalk run from the foot of the Great Riffelwandspitze to the Ehrwalder Köpfe. From the appearance of the north face of the Zugspitze it can be seen that this massif originally consisted of two mountain ranges that were piled on top of one another.[14]

[edit]Flora

The Eibsee in front of the Zugspitze: woods on the northern shore

The flora on the Zugspitze is not particularly diverse due to the soil conditions, nevertheless the vegetation, especially in the meadows of Schachen, the Tieferen Wies near Ehrwald, and in the valleys of Höllental, Gaistal and Leutaschtal is especially colourful.

The shaded and moist northern slopes of the massif like, for example, the Wettersteinwald, are some of the most species-rich environments on the Zugspitze. The Mountain Pine grows at elevations of up to 1,800 metres. The woods lower down consist mainly of Spruce and Fir, but Honeysuckle, Woodruff, poisonous Herb Paris, Meadow-rue and Speedwell[disambiguation needed ] also occur here. Dark Columbine, Alpine Clematis, Blue and Yellow Monkshood, Stemless carline thistle, False aster, Golden cinquefoil, Round-leaved saxifrage, Wall hawkweed, Alpine calamint and Alpine Forget-me-not flower in the less densely wooded places, whilst Cinquefoil, Sticky Sage, Butterbur, Alpenrose, Turk's cap lily and Fly Orchid thrive on the rocky soils of the mountain forests. Lily of the Valley and Daphne also occur, especially in the Höllental, in Grainau and by the Eibsee.[15]

To the south the scene changes to Larch (mainly in the meadow of Ehrwalder Alm and the valleys of Gaistal and Leutaschtal) and pine forests and into mixed woods of Beech and Sycamore. Here too, Mountain Pine grows at the higher elevations of over 2,000 metres.

Relatively rare in the entire Zugspitze area are trees like the Lime, Birch, Rowan, Juniper and Yew. The most varied species of moss, that often completely cover limestone rocks in the open, occur in great numbers.

Bilberry, Cranberry and Cowberry are restricted to dry places and Lady's Slipper Orchid occurs in sheltered spots. Below the Waxenstein are fields with raspberries and occasionally wild strawberries too. The Alpine poppy and Purple mountain saxifrage both thrive up to a very great height. On the scree slops there are Penny-cress and Mouse-ear chickweed as well as Mountain avens, Alpine toadflax, Mint and Musky Saxifrage or Cloth of Gold. Following snowmelt Dark stonecrop and Snow gentian are the first to appear, their seeds beginning to germinate as early as August. And well-known Alpine flowers like the Edelweiss, Gentians and, more rarely, Cyclamen flower on the Zugspitze.

[edit]Fauna

Alpine choughs on the Zugspitzeck

The rocks around the Zugspitze are a habitat for Chamois and Marmots are widespread on the southern side of the massif. At the summit there are frequently Alpine Choughs, drawn there by people feeding them. Somewhat lower down the mountain there are Mountain Hare and the Hazel Dormouse. Alpine birds occurring on the Zugspitze include the Golden Eagle, Rock Ptarmigan, Snow Finch, Alpine Accentor and Brambling. The Crag Martin which has given its name to the Schwalbenwand ("Swallows' Wall") at Kreuzeck is frequently encountered. The basins of Mittenwald and Seefeld, as well as the Fern Pass are on bird migration routes.

The Viviparous lizard inhabits rocky terrain, as does the black Alpine Salamander known locally as the Bergmandl, which can be seen after rain showers as one is climbing. Butterflies like Apollo, Alpine Perlmutter, Gossamer-winged butterfly, Geometer moth, Ringlet and Skipper may be seen on the west and south sides of the Zugspitze massif, especially in July and August.[16] The woods around the Zugspitze are home to Red Deer, Red Squirrel, Weasel, Capercaillie, Hazel Grouse and Black Grouse. On the glaciers live glacier fleas (Desoria saltans) and water bears.[17]

[edit]Glaciers

Three of the five German glaciers are found on the Zugspitze massif: the Höllentalferner the Southern and Northern Schneeferner.

[edit]Höllentalferner

The Höllentalferner in 2009

The Höllentalferner lies northeast of the Zugspitze in a cirque below the Jubilee Ridge (Jubiläumsgrat) to the south and the Riffelwandspitzen peaks to the west and north. It has a northeast aspect. Its accumulation zone is formed by a depression, in which large quantities of avalanche snow collect. To the south the Jubiläumsgrat shields the glacier from direct sunshine. These conditions meant that the glacier only lost a relatively small area between 1981 and 2006.[18] In recent times the Höllentalferner reached its greatest around 1820 with an area of 47 hectares. Thereafter its area reduced continually until the period between 1950 and 1981 when it grew again, by 3.1 hectares to 30.2 hectares. Since then the glacier has lost (as at 2006) an area of 5.5 hectares and now has an area of 24.7 hectares. In 2006 the glacier head was at 2,569 m and its lowest point at 2,203 metres.[19]

[edit]Schneeferner

The Northern Schneeferner and winter sport infrastructure in 2009

[edit]Northern Schneeferner

Southwest of the Zugspitze, between the Zugspitzeck and Schneefernerkopf, is the Northern Schneeferner which has an eastern aspect. With an area of 30.7 hectares (2006) it is the largest German glacier. Around 1820 the entire Zugspitzplatt was glaciated, but of this Platt Glacier (Plattgletscher) only the Northern and Southern Schneeferner remain. The reason for the relatively constant area of the Northern Schneeferner in recent years, despite the lack of shade, is the favourable terrain that results in the glacier tending to grow or shrink in depth rather than area. In the recent past the glacier has also been artificially fed by the ski region operators, using piste tractors to heap large quantities of snow onto the glacier in order to extend the skiing season. At the beginning of the 1990s, ski slope operators began to cover the Northern Schneeferner in summer with artificial sheets in order to protect it from sunshine.[20][21] The Northern Schneeferner reached its last high point in 1979, when its area grew to 40.9 hectares. By 2006 it had shrunk to 30.7 hectares. The glacier head then lay at 2,789 m and the foot at 2,558 metres.[22]

[edit]Southern Schneeferner

The Southern Schneeferner is surrounded by the peaks of the Wetterspitzen and the Wetterwandeck. It is also a remnant of the once great Platt Glacier. Today, the Southern Schneeferner extends up as far as the arête and therefore has no protection from direct sunshine. It has also been divided into two basins by a ridge of rock that has appeared as the snow has receded. It is a matter of debate whether the Southern Schneeferner should still be classified as a glacier.[23] The Southern Schneeferner also reached its last high point in 1979, when it covered an area of 31.7 hectares. This had shrunk by 2006 to just 8.4 hectares however. The highest point of the glacier lies at an elevation of 2,665 metres and the lowest at 2,520 metres.[24]

[edit]Caves

Below the Zugspitzplatt chemical weathering processes have created a large number of caves and abîmes in the Wetterstein limestone. In the 1930s the number of caves was estimated at 300. By 1955 62 caves were known to exist and by 1960 another 47 had been discovered. The first cave explorations here took place in 1931. Other, largest exploratory expeditions took place in 1935 and 1936 as well as between 1955 and 1968. During one expedition, in 1958, the Finch Shaft (Finkenschacht) was discovered. It is 131 metres deep, 260 metres long and has a watercourse. There is a theory that this watercourse could be a link to the source of the River Partnach.[Note 1][25][26]

[edit]Name

From the early 14th century, geographic names from the Wetterstein Mountains began to be recorded in treaties and on maps, and this trend intensified in the 15th century. In 1536 a border treaty dating to 1500 was refined in that its course was specified as running over a Schartten ("wind gap" or "col").[27] In the 17th century the reference to this landmark in the treaty was further clarified as "now known as the Zugspüz" (jetzt Zugspüz genant).[27] The landmark referred to was a wind gap on the summit of the Zugspitze and is used time and again in other sources. During the Middle Ages Scharte was a common name for the Zugspitze.[27]

The Zugspitze was first mentioned by name in 1590. In a description of the border between the County of Werdenfels and Austria, it states that the same border runs "from the Zugspitz and over the Derle" (von dem Zugspitz und über den Derle")[28] and continues to a bridge over the River Loisach. Another border treaty in 1656 states: "The highest Wetterstein or Zugspitz" ("Der höchste Wetterstain oder Zugspitz").[28] There is also a map dating to the second half of the 18th century that shows "the Reintal in the County of Werdenfels". It covers the Reintal valley from the Reintaler Hof to the Zugspitzplatt and shows prominent points in the surrounding area, details of tracks and roads and the use pasture use. This includes a track over the then much larger Schneeferner glacier to the summit region of the Zugspitze. However the map does not show any obvious route to the summit itself.[29]

The name of the Zugspitze is probably derived from its Zugbahnen or avalanche paths. In winter avalanches sweep down from the upper slopes of the massif into the valley and leave behind characteristic avalanche remnants in the shape of rocks and scree. Near the Eibsee lake there are several plots of land with the same root: Zug, Zuggasse, Zugstick, Zugmösel or Zugwankel.[28] Until the 19th century the name der Zugspitz was commonplace. It was described as die Zugspitze for the first time on a map printed in 1836.[30]

[edit]Summit cross

Summit cross on the Zugspitze

Since 1851 there has been a summit cross on the top of Zugspitze. The driving force behind the erection of a cross on the summit was the priest, Christoph Ott. He was a keen meteorologist and whilst observing conditions from the Hoher Peißenberg mountain he saw the Zugspitze in the distance and was exercised by the fact that "the greatest prince of the Bavarian mountains raised its head into the blue air towards heaven, bare and unadorned, waiting for the moment when patriotic fervour and courageous determination would see that his head too was crowned with dignity."[31] As a result he organised an expedition from 11 to 13 August 1851 with the goal of erecting a summit cross on the Zugspitze. Twenty eight bearers were led through the gorge of the Partnachklamm and the Reintal valley under the direction of forester, Karl Kiendl, up to the Zugspitze. The undertaking, which cost 610 Gulden and 37 Kreuzer, was a success. As a result, a 28-piece, 14 foot high, gilded iron cross now stood on the West Summit. Ott himself did not climb the Zugspitze until 1854. After 37 years the cross had to be taken down after suffering numerous lightning strikes; its support brackets were also badly damaged. In the winter of 1881–1882 it was therefore brought down into the valley and repaired. On 25 August 1882 seven mountain guides and 15 bearers took the cross back to the top. Because an accommodation shed had been built on the West Summit, the team placed the cross on the East Summit. There is remained for about 111 years, until it was removed again on 18 August 1993. This time the damage was not only caused by the weather, but also by an ill-disciplined American soldier who had shot at the cross in 1945, at the end of the Second World War. Because the summit cross could no longer be repaired, a replica was made that was true to the original cross. After two months the rack railway carried the new cross on 12 October to the Zugspitzplatt, from where it was flown to the summit by helicopter. The new cross has a height of 4.88 metres.[32] It was renovated and regilded in 2009 for 15,000 euros and, since 22 April 2009, has stood once again on the East Summit.[33]

These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.

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EIBSEE LAKE GARMICH PARTENKIRCHEN BAVARIA OBERBAYERN ZUGSPITZE SOUTHERN GERMANY MUNICH GERMANY's HIGHEST MOUNTAIN

CANADA MONTREAL QUEBEC OLD TOWN QUEBEC CITY QUEBEC 9 AJ20 by SunDeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography™ 70+Countries 6 Continents 555+Places Travelled & Photographed in Last 2 Decades Worldwide UNESCO World Heritage Sites Himalayas Himachal 'Fine Art Wedding's by SDB' Fine Art Wonders of World gallery™''SDBFA:tm " The World is my Studio "'SDB Fine Art™' SDBFA™ SDBWP™ 2 Decades of Travel to Europe,Africa,North America,Central America,South America,Indian Sub-Continent,The Middle East,South Asia,South East Asia,Far East Asia & Australia.Contact for a quote

6 2

Share this Photostory (As i call it..) Publically with these URL Links below (Embedding Not Allowed) :

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©SunDeep™©® Bhardwaj Kullu

SDBWP™©® SunDeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography™©®,

70+Countries 300+Destinations across 7 Continents™©®

"The World is my Studio"™©®

"I live with one vision to create things that would outlast me. I discovered photography as a means for me to connect with my innerself."

Travel Photographer-Entrepreneur-Business Development Manager-Himachal Cultural Village-Environmentalist

*Friends ***DO COMMENT*** on my flickr Photostream. Thanks for your valuable feedback, comments, likes, favourites and sharing my work within my website and flickr URL's.Your comments are like a fuel to my passion of this Art of Photography ( *I have made a group for the same on flickr & facebook too as listed below)

( *I have made a group for the same on flickr & facebook too as listed below)

Do join these groups no matter you are photo admirer amatuer serious or professional photographer and even compete for Monthly Amwards & Titles-

AOP WORLD FLICKR GROUP www.flickr.com/groups/prodigious/ or short link - bit.ly/ProdigiousAOP

AOP WORLD FACEBOOK GROUP www.facebook.com/groups/111942842150274/ or short link - htp://on.fb.me/AOPworld or bit.ly/AOPworld

FLICKR AOP PRODIGIOUS AWARDS www.flickr.com/groups/candid/ or short lnk - bit.ly/AOPawards

or visit

sundeepkullu.com

™©® or

flickr.com/photos/wittysam or flickr.com/photos/wittysam/show to access all the Photostories.

Quebec City

Quebec ( /kw?'b?k/ or /k?'b?k/; French: Québec [keb?k] ( listen)), also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City (French: Ville de Québec) is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of 2011, the city has a population of 516,622,[1] and the metropolitan area has a population of 765,706[2], making it the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about 233 kilometres (145 mi) to the southwest.

The narrowing of the Saint Lawrence River approximate to the city's promontory, Cap-Diamant (Cape Diamond), and Lévis, on the opposite bank, provided the name given to the city, Kébec, an Algonquin word meaning "where the river narrows". Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America. The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only remaining fortified city walls that still exist in the Americas north of Mexico, and were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 as the 'Historic District of Old Québec'.[3][4]

According to the federal and provincial governments, Québec is the city's official name in both French and English, although Quebec City is commonly used, particularly to distinguish the city from the province. The city's most famous landmark is the Château Frontenac, a hotel which dominates the skyline. The National Assembly of Quebec, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (National Gallery of Quebec), and the Musée de la civilisation (Museum of Civilization) are found within or near Vieux-Québec.

Quebec

Quebec /kw?'b?k/ or /k?'b?k/ (French: Québec [keb?k] ( listen))[7] is a province in east-central Canada.[8][9] It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level. Quebec is Canada's largest province by area and its second-largest administrative division; only the territory of Nunavut is larger. It is bordered to the west by the province of Ontario, James Bay and Hudson Bay, to the north by Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay, to the east by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick. It is bordered on the south by the US states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. It also shares maritime borders with Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia.

Quebec is Canada's second most populous province, after Ontario. Most inhabitants live in urban areas near the Saint Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City, the capital. English-speaking communities and English-language institutions are concentrated in the west of the island of Montreal but are also significantly present in the Outaouais, Eastern Townships, and Gaspé regions. The Nord-du-Québec region, occupying the northern half of the province, is sparsely populated and inhabited primarily by Aboriginal peoples.[10]

Sovereignty plays a large role in the politics of Quebec, and the official opposition social democratic Parti Québécois advocates national sovereignty for the province and secession from Canada. Sovereignist governments have held referendums on independence in 1980 and 1995; both were voted down by voters, the latter defeated by a very narrow margin.[11] In 2006, the Canadian House of Commons passed a symbolic motion, the Québécois nation motion, recognizing the "Québécois as a nation within a united Canada."[12][13]

While the province's substantial natural resources have long been the mainstay of its economy, sectors of the knowledge economy such as aerospace, information and communication technologies, biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry also play leading roles. These many industries have all contributed to helping Quebec become the second most economically influential province, second only to Ontario.[14]

Old Quebec

Historic District of Old Quebec *

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Old Quebec (French: Vieux-Québec) is a historic neighbourhood of Quebec City, the capital of the province of Quebec in Canada. Comprising the Upper Town (French: Haute-Ville) and Lower Town (French: Basse-Ville), the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Administratively, Old Quebec is part of the Vieux-Québec–Cap-Blanc–colline Parlementaire district in the borough of La Cité–Limoilou.

The area is sometimes referred to as the Latin Quarter (French: Quartier latin), but this title refers more to area around the Séminaire de Québec, the original site of Laval University.

History

Old Quebec is the oldest part of Quebec City, chosen in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain as the location for the Chateau Saint-Louis. Old Quebec maintained a strong military and administrative presence from its beginning, a use determined by the strategic heights of Cap Diamant. While the Lower Town was populated with merchants and craftsmen, the Upper Town was inhabited by military officials and members of the clergy.

This strong military presence long limited the city's expansion. At the end of the 19th century, many wanted to demolish the fortifications, judging them to be unnecessary and a hindrance to urban development. However, Governor Dufferin successfully managed to preserve the character of the walled city, while adapting the further expansion of the modern city.

Despite having undergone some degradation in the 1950s, the Old City has been subject to somewhat of a renaissance period since the 1970s.

The rich historic nature of Old Quebec is marked by the city's ramparts, fortifications, and many historic houses and buildings. The legacy of previous generations and the beauty of the district make it particularly unique.

The majority of buildings in the neighborhood date from 19th century, although the construction of some date back to 17th and 18th centuries. It also is home to several commercial streets, including Rue Saint-Jean, Rue Sainte-Anne and Rue De Buade. Many institutions are still housed in the heart of the city, such as the Quebec City Council, the Séminaire de Québec, the Ursulines Convent, and the Augustinian monastery. As a popular tourist destination, Old Quebec is also home to several hotels, including the famous Château Frontenac. Guided ghosts tours are also of interest to its residents and visitors.

Ramparts of Quebec City

World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1985

National Historic Site of Canada in 1948

Located in Canada, the Ramparts of Quebec City are the only remaining fortified city walls in the Americas, north of Mexico.[1] The English began fortifying the existing walls,[2] after they took Quebec City from the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759.

The wall surrounds most of Old Quebec, which was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1985.[3] The fortifications were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1948.

***Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

External Links:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:World_Heritage_Sites_in_Ca...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramparts_of_Quebec_City

sundeepkullu.com ™©®

*** My URL's:

phototube.co ™©® - Developer

Eureka Photography & Web Design™©® - Director

himachalculturalvillage.com ™©® Environmentalist, Exclusive Artist , Business Development Manager ( Offshore ) & NGO Founder

Getty Images - Contributer

sundeepkullu.com ™©® - Founder & CEO

I travelled to most exotic places on this earth in last 9 years since 2003. I was exploring India from east to west and north to south till mid 2007. Then i started my World tour to 6 continents in May 2007 & entering 2012, my World tour is still on & i am exploring more and more exotic places around all major countries. I believe "World is just amazing" and every place & face has a unique story to tell. I connect to my subjects as to my soul.

Do not forget to subscribe or login from toolbar at the base of any page on my official website sundeepkullu.com ™©® ( Includes connect with my facebook profile/facebook page/facebook group/facebook Like/twitter/twitter follow/Google Plus/Google Buzz/Google +1/LinkedIn/You Tube/Twitter/Facebook subscribe and not to forget TRANSLATE button to translate al tet to al major languages for subscribers followers & fans from all parts of the World.

Cheers!!!

These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.For full size images contact me.

Contacts:-

Primary :

wittysam@gmail.com ( E-mail/Skype/Whatsapp/Google+/LinkedIn/Fring/Yoono/Twitter/Gmail/Instagram/http://sundeepkullu.com & Photography & Videography and Quote for Assignments related)

World Roaming +974 55344547 (Facebook Mobile/Viber/Facetime/WhatsApp)

India New Delhi & Himachal Roaming +91 8527745789 (Google Plus)

sb@sundeepkullu.com ( Facebook & Personal Mail )

Secondary :

eurekasun@yahoo.com ( Flickr & Yahoo Messenger )

admin@phototube.co ( phototube.co related )

enquiries@himachalculturalvillage.com ( himachalculturalvillage.com related )

SunDeep™©® Bhardwaj Kullu

MBA-Sales & Mktg.(Symbiosis,Pune)

B.Pub.Admn.(H.P.University,Summer Hills, Shimla)

BHM (GCC-Bangalore)

***Publishing Photostories clicked in the most exotic places on earth in 15 countries that I visited in last 6 months. For all stories of 70+ Countries go to my oficial website sundeepkullu.com ™©®

My latest 15 explored destinations in my 6th year of World tour so far to 70+Countries & 300+Destinations across 6 Continents and 9 th year of Travel Photography & Videography of Places People Culture Landscapes.Recently explored these exotic places in JAPAN Horyuji Temple 1300 years old Japan's most sacred place & UNESCO site UAE-Al Ain-Abu Dhabi-Dubai-Burj Al Arab-Al Khaleefa Tallest building in the World, SWEDEN-Stocholm-National Parks, AUSTRALIA-Melbourne-Great Ocean Road-Twelve Apostles this week. BELGIUM Brussels, DENMARK-Copenhagen, VIETNAM Hanoi-Halong Bay MALAYSIA-Kuala Lumpur-Kanting Falls-Batu Caves-Petronas Twin Towers , CANADA-Quebec-Ontario-Montreal, ATLANTIC-GREENLAND-LABRADOR PENINSULA-Lebrador Sea, SOUTH AFRICA Johnnesburg-The Cradle of Mankind-Stolkfontien Caves and Lion & Rino Park with others INDIA-Kashmir-Gulmarg-Srinagar CHINA-Shanghai-Zhejiang-Hangzhou-The West Lake GERMANY-BAVERIA-Black Forest-Oberbayern-Garmich Patenkirchen-Eibsee Lake-Zugspitze HIMACHAL-Kullu-Manali-Shimla-Lahaul-Spiti -Dharamshala-Kinnaur-Udaipur-Leh-Laddakh UK-SCOTLAND Glencoe-Fort William-Castle around Scotland-Lochness INDIA Jog Falls Ooty Goa Athirappily & Vazhachal Falls Kerala UK-ENGLAND-London-Manchester-Glasgow & others ITALY-Rome-Vatican City and Other UNESCO Heritage Sites around Rome. Soon my first book on 111 MIRACULOUS WONDERS OF WORLD YOU MYST SEE WHEN U ALIVE will be out with "111 WOW" i Phone application by the end of this year. Updating my official website sundeepkullu.com

KINDLY NOTE***The Stock samples of SDBWP SunDeep Bhardwaj World Photography in flickr Photostream cannot be Copied,Distributed,Published or Used in any form,full or in part,or in any kind of media without prior permission from Sundeep Bhardwaj the owner of these images.Utilization in other websites,intenet media,pages,blogs etc without written consent is PROHIBITED.

The images are also available for licence through GETTY IMAGES or directly by contacting me.

Add me as a friend on my facebook profile 2 as my facebook profile 1 is allmost full with 4000 plus friends here - www.facebook.com/sundeephimachal

Slide Shows | Full Screen Mode | Adobe Flash or Mobile

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062762956/

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062638852/show/

Making friends by Candace Hope

6

Krishna Temple, Naggar, Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh | Olympus XA

CANADA MONTREAL QUEBEC OLD TOWN QUEBEC CITY QUEBEC 13 8284 AJ20 by SunDeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography™ 70+Countries 6 Continents 555+Places Travelled & Photographed in Last 2 Decades Worldwide UNESCO World Heritage Sites Himalayas Himachal 'Fine Art Wedding's by SDB' Fine Art Wonders of World gallery™''SDBFA:tm " The World is my Studio "'SDB Fine Art™' SDBFA™ SDBWP™ 2 Decades of Travel to Europe,Africa,North America,Central America,South America,Indian Sub-Continent,The Middle East,South Asia,South East Asia,Far East Asia & Australia.Contact for a quote

5 3

Share this Photostory (As i call it..) Publically with these URL Links below (Embedding Not Allowed) :

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/6940096297/in/photostream or

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/6940096297/in/photostream/...

©SunDeep™©® Bhardwaj Kullu

SDBWP™©® SunDeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography™©®,

70+Countries 300+Destinations across 7 Continents™©®

"The World is my Studio"™©®

"I live with one vision to create things that would outlast me. I discovered photography as a means for me to connect with my innerself."

Travel Photographer-Entrepreneur-Business Development Manager-Himachal Cultural Village-Environmentalist

*Friends ***DO COMMENT*** on my flickr Photostream. Thanks for your valuable feedback, comments, likes, favourites and sharing my work within my website and flickr URL's.Your comments are like a fuel to my passion of this Art of Photography ( *I have made a group for the same on flickr & facebook too as listed below)

( *I have made a group for the same on flickr & facebook too as listed below)

Do join these groups no matter you are photo admirer amatuer serious or professional photographer and even compete for Monthly Amwards & Titles-

AOP WORLD FLICKR GROUP www.flickr.com/groups/prodigious/ or short link - bit.ly/ProdigiousAOP

AOP WORLD FACEBOOK GROUP www.facebook.com/groups/111942842150274/ or short link - htp://on.fb.me/AOPworld or bit.ly/AOPworld

FLICKR AOP PRODIGIOUS AWARDS www.flickr.com/groups/candid/ or short lnk - bit.ly/AOPawards

or visit

sundeepkullu.com

™©® or

flickr.com/photos/wittysam or flickr.com/photos/wittysam/show to access all the Photostories.

Quebec City

Quebec ( /kw?'b?k/ or /k?'b?k/; French: Québec [keb?k] ( listen)), also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City (French: Ville de Québec) is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of 2011, the city has a population of 516,622,[1] and the metropolitan area has a population of 765,706[2], making it the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about 233 kilometres (145 mi) to the southwest.

The narrowing of the Saint Lawrence River approximate to the city's promontory, Cap-Diamant (Cape Diamond), and Lévis, on the opposite bank, provided the name given to the city, Kébec, an Algonquin word meaning "where the river narrows". Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America. The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only remaining fortified city walls that still exist in the Americas north of Mexico, and were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 as the 'Historic District of Old Québec'.[3][4]

According to the federal and provincial governments, Québec is the city's official name in both French and English, although Quebec City is commonly used, particularly to distinguish the city from the province. The city's most famous landmark is the Château Frontenac, a hotel which dominates the skyline. The National Assembly of Quebec, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (National Gallery of Quebec), and the Musée de la civilisation (Museum of Civilization) are found within or near Vieux-Québec.

Quebec

Quebec /kw?'b?k/ or /k?'b?k/ (French: Québec [keb?k] ( listen))[7] is a province in east-central Canada.[8][9] It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level. Quebec is Canada's largest province by area and its second-largest administrative division; only the territory of Nunavut is larger. It is bordered to the west by the province of Ontario, James Bay and Hudson Bay, to the north by Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay, to the east by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick. It is bordered on the south by the US states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. It also shares maritime borders with Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia.

Quebec is Canada's second most populous province, after Ontario. Most inhabitants live in urban areas near the Saint Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City, the capital. English-speaking communities and English-language institutions are concentrated in the west of the island of Montreal but are also significantly present in the Outaouais, Eastern Townships, and Gaspé regions. The Nord-du-Québec region, occupying the northern half of the province, is sparsely populated and inhabited primarily by Aboriginal peoples.[10]

Sovereignty plays a large role in the politics of Quebec, and the official opposition social democratic Parti Québécois advocates national sovereignty for the province and secession from Canada. Sovereignist governments have held referendums on independence in 1980 and 1995; both were voted down by voters, the latter defeated by a very narrow margin.[11] In 2006, the Canadian House of Commons passed a symbolic motion, the Québécois nation motion, recognizing the "Québécois as a nation within a united Canada."[12][13]

While the province's substantial natural resources have long been the mainstay of its economy, sectors of the knowledge economy such as aerospace, information and communication technologies, biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry also play leading roles. These many industries have all contributed to helping Quebec become the second most economically influential province, second only to Ontario.[14]

Old Quebec

Historic District of Old Quebec *

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Old Quebec (French: Vieux-Québec) is a historic neighbourhood of Quebec City, the capital of the province of Quebec in Canada. Comprising the Upper Town (French: Haute-Ville) and Lower Town (French: Basse-Ville), the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Administratively, Old Quebec is part of the Vieux-Québec–Cap-Blanc–colline Parlementaire district in the borough of La Cité–Limoilou.

The area is sometimes referred to as the Latin Quarter (French: Quartier latin), but this title refers more to area around the Séminaire de Québec, the original site of Laval University.

History

Old Quebec is the oldest part of Quebec City, chosen in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain as the location for the Chateau Saint-Louis. Old Quebec maintained a strong military and administrative presence from its beginning, a use determined by the strategic heights of Cap Diamant. While the Lower Town was populated with merchants and craftsmen, the Upper Town was inhabited by military officials and members of the clergy.

This strong military presence long limited the city's expansion. At the end of the 19th century, many wanted to demolish the fortifications, judging them to be unnecessary and a hindrance to urban development. However, Governor Dufferin successfully managed to preserve the character of the walled city, while adapting the further expansion of the modern city.

Despite having undergone some degradation in the 1950s, the Old City has been subject to somewhat of a renaissance period since the 1970s.

The rich historic nature of Old Quebec is marked by the city's ramparts, fortifications, and many historic houses and buildings. The legacy of previous generations and the beauty of the district make it particularly unique.

The majority of buildings in the neighborhood date from 19th century, although the construction of some date back to 17th and 18th centuries. It also is home to several commercial streets, including Rue Saint-Jean, Rue Sainte-Anne and Rue De Buade. Many institutions are still housed in the heart of the city, such as the Quebec City Council, the Séminaire de Québec, the Ursulines Convent, and the Augustinian monastery. As a popular tourist destination, Old Quebec is also home to several hotels, including the famous Château Frontenac. Guided ghosts tours are also of interest to its residents and visitors.

Ramparts of Quebec City

World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1985

National Historic Site of Canada in 1948

Located in Canada, the Ramparts of Quebec City are the only remaining fortified city walls in the Americas, north of Mexico.[1] The English began fortifying the existing walls,[2] after they took Quebec City from the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759.

The wall surrounds most of Old Quebec, which was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1985.[3] The fortifications were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1948.

***Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

External Links:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:World_Heritage_Sites_in_Ca...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramparts_of_Quebec_City

sundeepkullu.com ™©®

*** My URL's:

phototube.co ™©® - Developer

Eureka Photography & Web Design™©® - Director

himachalculturalvillage.com ™©® Environmentalist, Exclusive Artist , Business Development Manager ( Offshore ) & NGO Founder

Getty Images - Contributer

sundeepkullu.com ™©® - Founder & CEO

I travelled to most exotic places on this earth in last 9 years since 2003. I was exploring India from east to west and north to south till mid 2007. Then i started my World tour to 6 continents in May 2007 & entering 2012, my World tour is still on & i am exploring more and more exotic places around all major countries. I believe "World is just amazing" and every place & face has a unique story to tell. I connect to my subjects as to my soul.

Do not forget to subscribe or login from toolbar at the base of any page on my official website sundeepkullu.com ™©® ( Includes connect with my facebook profile/facebook page/facebook group/facebook Like/twitter/twitter follow/Google Plus/Google Buzz/Google +1/LinkedIn/You Tube/Twitter/Facebook subscribe and not to forget TRANSLATE button to translate al tet to al major languages for subscribers followers & fans from all parts of the World.

Cheers!!!

These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.For full size images contact me.

Contacts:-

Primary :

wittysam@gmail.com ( E-mail/Skype/Whatsapp/Google+/LinkedIn/Fring/Yoono/Twitter/Gmail/Instagram/http://sundeepkullu.com & Photography & Videography and Quote for Assignments related)

World Roaming +974 55344547 (Facebook Mobile/Viber/Facetime/WhatsApp)

India New Delhi & Himachal Roaming +91 8527745789 (Google Plus)

sb@sundeepkullu.com ( Facebook & Personal Mail )

Secondary :

eurekasun@yahoo.com ( Flickr & Yahoo Messenger )

admin@phototube.co ( phototube.co related )

enquiries@himachalculturalvillage.com ( himachalculturalvillage.com related )

SunDeep™©® Bhardwaj Kullu

MBA-Sales & Mktg.(Symbiosis,Pune)

B.Pub.Admn.(H.P.University,Summer Hills, Shimla)

BHM (GCC-Bangalore)

***Publishing Photostories clicked in the most exotic places on earth in 15 countries that I visited in last 6 months. For all stories of 70+ Countries go to my oficial website sundeepkullu.com ™©®

My latest 15 explored destinations in my 6th year of World tour so far to 70+Countries & 300+Destinations across 6 Continents and 9 th year of Travel Photography & Videography of Places People Culture Landscapes.Recently explored these exotic places in JAPAN Horyuji Temple 1300 years old Japan's most sacred place & UNESCO site UAE-Al Ain-Abu Dhabi-Dubai-Burj Al Arab-Al Khaleefa Tallest building in the World, SWEDEN-Stocholm-National Parks, AUSTRALIA-Melbourne-Great Ocean Road-Twelve Apostles this week. BELGIUM Brussels, DENMARK-Copenhagen, VIETNAM Hanoi-Halong Bay MALAYSIA-Kuala Lumpur-Kanting Falls-Batu Caves-Petronas Twin Towers , CANADA-Quebec-Ontario-Montreal, ATLANTIC-GREENLAND-LABRADOR PENINSULA-Lebrador Sea, SOUTH AFRICA Johnnesburg-The Cradle of Mankind-Stolkfontien Caves and Lion & Rino Park with others INDIA-Kashmir-Gulmarg-Srinagar CHINA-Shanghai-Zhejiang-Hangzhou-The West Lake GERMANY-BAVERIA-Black Forest-Oberbayern-Garmich Patenkirchen-Eibsee Lake-Zugspitze HIMACHAL-Kullu-Manali-Shimla-Lahaul-Spiti -Dharamshala-Kinnaur-Udaipur-Leh-Laddakh UK-SCOTLAND Glencoe-Fort William-Castle around Scotland-Lochness INDIA Jog Falls Ooty Goa Athirappily & Vazhachal Falls Kerala UK-ENGLAND-London-Manchester-Glasgow & others ITALY-Rome-Vatican City and Other UNESCO Heritage Sites around Rome. Soon my first book on 111 MIRACULOUS WONDERS OF WORLD YOU MYST SEE WHEN U ALIVE will be out with "111 WOW" i Phone application by the end of this year. Updating my official website sundeepkullu.com

KINDLY NOTE***The Stock samples of SDBWP SunDeep Bhardwaj World Photography in flickr Photostream cannot be Copied,Distributed,Published or Used in any form,full or in part,or in any kind of media without prior permission from Sundeep Bhardwaj the owner of these images.Utilization in other websites,intenet media,pages,blogs etc without written consent is PROHIBITED.

The images are also available for licence through GETTY IMAGES or directly by contacting me.

Add me as a friend on my facebook profile 2 as my facebook profile 1 is allmost full with 4000 plus friends here - www.facebook.com/sundeephimachal

Slide Shows | Full Screen Mode | Adobe Flash or Mobile

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062762956/

www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam/sets/72157624062638852/show/

Manali Trip 2008 by DJ SINGH

7 5

Manali, (alt. 1,950 m or 6,398 ft) in the Beas River valley, is an important hill station in the Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India, near the northern end of the Kullu Valley. Manali is administratively a part of the Kullu district. The population is approx. 30,000. The small town was the beginning of an ancient trade route to Ladakh and, from there, over the Karakoram Pass on to Yarkand and Khotan in the Tarim Basin. Manali and its surrounding areas are of great significance to the Indian culture and heritage as it was the home and abode of the Saptarshi or seven sages. The ancient cave temple, Hidimba Devi Temple, is not far from town.

Contents

[hide]

* 1 Geography

* 2 Demographics

* 3 Etymology

* 4 History

* 5 Transport

* 6 Tourism in Manali

o 6.1 Tourist Attractions

o 6.2 Places around Manali

o 6.3 Adventure Sports

* 7 Notes

* 8 References

* 9 External links

[edit] Geography

Manali is located at [show location on an interactive map] 32°10′N 77°06′E / 32.16, 77.1[1]. It has an average elevation of 2625 metres (8612 feet).

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census[2], Manali had a population of 6265. Males constitute 64% of the population and females 36%. Manali has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 63%. In Manali, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.

[edit] Etymology

Manali is named after the Brahmin lawgiver Manu. The word Manali literally means “the abode of Manu”. Legend has it that sage Manu stepped off his ark in Manali to recreate human life after a great flood had deluged the world. Manali is known as the "Valley of the Gods". The Old Manali village has an ancient temple dedicated to sage Manu.

[edit] History

In ancient times, the valley was sparsely populated by nomadic hunters known as "rakshas". The next arrivals were the shepherds who arrived from the Kangra valley and settled to take up agriculture. Some of the earliest inhabitants of the region are the 'naur' or 'nar', which is a caste unique to the Kullu valley. Only a few naur families are known to exist now. A naur family in the village Soyal near Haripur on the west bank of Manali was famous for the vast land they owned and their practice of having 'rakshas' as their labourers.

The British were responsible for introducing apples and trout which were not native to Manali. It is said that when apple trees were first planted the fruits were so plentiful that often branches, unable to bear the weight would collapse. To this day apple along with plum and pear remains the best source of income for the majority of its inhabitants.

Tourism in Manali received a real boost after the rise of militancy in Kashmir in the late 1980s. This once quiet village was transformed into a bustling town with hundreds of hotels and restaurants.

[edit] Transport

Mall street, Manali

Manali is well connected by road to Delhi through NH-21 which goes on the Leh and is the world's highest motorable road.[citation needed] Leading up to Manali from New Delhi are the towns of Panipat and Ambala in Haryana, Chandigarh(Union Territory), Ropar in Punjab, and Bilaspur, Sundernagar, and Mandi in Himachal.

Manali is not easily approachable by rail. The nearest broad gauge railheads are at Chandigarh (315 km), Pathankot (325 km) and Kalka (310 km). The nearest narrow gauge railhead is at Joginder Nagar (135 km)

The nearest airport is at Bhuntar, which is about 50 km from Manali. The only private airline in the region is Jagson Airlines. Offlate services have been started by Air Deccan as well as Indian Airlines who fly daily to Bhuntar Airport.

[edit] Tourism in Manali

Traditional home, Manali, 2004

River Beas and mountains as seen from Van Vihar

A view of Rohtang Pass in Manali

Mountain ranges in Manali

Bridge in the middle of town with prayer flags

Buddha Statue at Buddhist monastery

Image:Snowfallinmanali.JPG

A view of Circuit House Road covered in snow

[edit] Tourist Attractions

Manali is a popular Himalayan tourist destination and accounts for nearly a quarter of all tourist arrivals in Himachal Pradesh. It is visited by many trekkers who follow the hashish trail. Manali's charas is considered to be the best in India. The valleys provide natural U.V lights as fields are high up the mountain and high grade grows directly from the sunlight.ala. Manali's cool atmosphere provides a perfect haven for the ones afflicted by the hot Indian summers. It is famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, para gliding, rafting, trekking, kayaking, and mountain biking. It also offers hot springs, spectacular religious shrines and temples, Tibetan Buddhist temples, and trekking in the surrounding mountains.

Naggar Fort south of Manali is a reminder of the 1500 year old Pal Dynasty. Made from rocks, stones, and elaborate wood carvings, it is an ensemble of the rich and elegant artworks of Himachal. The castle was later converted to a rest house and luxury hotel. Tourists often stop at the castle to see the small shrine located in the building's courtyard, a fine example of architecture and design from the Pal Dynasty.

The often visited site in Manali is the Dhungri or Hadimba Temple. Erected in 1533, this temple is dedicated to the local deity Hadimba, wife of the Pandava prince, Bhim. A major festival is held here in the month of May. The temple is noted for its four-storeyed pagoda and exquisite wooden carvings.

Manali is known for its shiny gompas or Buddhist monasteries. With the highest concentration of Tibetan refugees in the entire Kullu valley, it is famous for its Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa, built in 1969. The monastery is maintained by donations from the local community and through the sale of hand-woven carpets in the temple workshop

The smaller and more modern Himalayan Nyingamapa Gompa stands nearer the bazaar, in a garden blooming with sunflowers. Its main shrine, lit by dozens of electric bulbs and fragrant with Tibetan incense, houses a colossal gold-faced Buddha, best viewed from the small room on the first floor.

The Museum of Traditional Himachal Culture, near the Hadimba temple, is worth a visit, which houses artifacts of folk art of the entire Kullu valley.

[edit] Places around Manali

Rohtang Pass, at an altitude of 13,050 feet above sea level, is another adventure tourist site where it can be cold even on a summer day. It is the highest point on the Manali-Keylong road and provides a wide panoramic view of mountains rising far above clouds, which is truly breath taking. Close by is a small lake called Dassaur Lake. Beas Kund, the source of river Beas, is also nearby. In winter, the road of Rothang Pass is closed.

Rahala waterfalls: About 16 km from Manali at the start of the climb to the Rohtang Pass, are the beautiful Rahalla Falls at an altitude of 2,501 m.

Monasteries: Manali is known for its shiny gompas or Buddhist monasteries. It is maintained by donations from the local community and by sale of hand-woven carpets in the temple workshop.

Rani Nala - 46 km from Manali, it is the glacier point where snow is available throughout the year.

Vashist Hot Water Springs and Temple: Around 3 km from Manali, across the Beas river is Vashist, a small village with natural sulphur springs. Modern bathhouses,now closed, due to a conflict with the elders of the village and Manali council. Vasistha [3] a sage narrated Yoga Vasishtha an ancient scripture to Rama. A unique and an extremely profound discourse, that provides innumerable insights and secrets to the inner world of consciousness. This extremely huge scripture covers all the topics that relate to the spiritual study of a seeker. Vaishisht, also boasts a pair of old stone temples, opposite each other above the main square. Dedicated to the local patron saint Vashista, the smaller of the two opens on to a partially covered courtyard, and is adorned with elaborate woodcarvings those lining the interior of the shrine, blackened by years of oil-lamp and incense smoke, are particularly fine. In this ornate quadrangle is the resting place of the local and transient sadhus, drinking chai, and smoking chillums with whoever will join them in reverence to The Lord Shiva and Guru Vashshist. The temple baths are separated into male and female and the water is often unbearably hot.

Solang valley, popularly known as Snow Point, is 13 km northwest of Manali and famous for its 300-meter ski lift. It is a picturesque spot and offers splendid views of glaciers and the snow-capped mountains. Jagatsukh, the former capital of Manali, is also an important spot.

At a distance of 3 km northwest of Manali is Old Manali, famous for its orchards and old guesthouses. There is ruined fort here by the name of Manaligarh. There is also the Manu Maharishi Temple, dedicated to sage Manu.

Manikaran: 85 km from Manali and 45 km from Kullu, lies in the Parvati Valley. Here icy cold waters of the Parvati river co-exist with hot-water springs side-by-side. The springs are known for their healing properties.

[edit] Adventure Sports

Skiing is a major pastime in Manali. Facilities for skiing are available at Solang Nullah (January-March) and Rohtang La (during summer). The Mountaineering Institute at Solang Nullah is a good training institute. Heli skiing is possible at the deep snowfields.

Skiing at Solang

The Mountaineering Institute and Allied Sports is about 3 km from the Mall and offers mountaineering and kayaking courses. Kayaking is possible on the Beas River.

There are several good hikes from Manali. The 12 km hike up the western banks of the Beas to the Solang Valley is noteworthy. Lama Dugh meadow is a 6 km hike up to the Manalsu Nala, west of Manali town.

For the best trekking expedition, take a trek from Solang Valley, on to Dhundhi and from there to Dussar lake and then onwards to Manali. This stretch will take you to places you would have only dreamt of. Pure, unadulterated adventure and fun. Be sure to have a good guide at your disposal who knows this area otherwise you would be lost forever. The trek would typically last for 5 days.

In the summers, several travel agencies organize paragliding on the slopes of the Solang Nullah. The charges generally include accommodation, food, equipment, and a guide, but not transport.

From May to July and, depending on the monsoons, from mid-September to mid-October, some basic rafting is possible on the Beas. The trips generally begin at Pirdi and continue 16 km down to Jhiri.

The HPTDC provides day permits for fishing. Permits can be obtained also at Patlikhul. Angling in the Kullu valley is possible at Larji, Katrain and Kasol.

Beas Kund is the lake from which the River Beas originates. It is considered holy and sacred. Besides being a holy pilgrimage place, it is a popular destination for trekking.

River Crossing over Beas is a popular sport in Manali

Manali is among the most popular adventure sports destinations in India. Manali offers opportunities for mountaineering, skiing, trekking, paragliding, white water rafting, river crossing and mountain biking. Yak skiing is a sport unique to this area.[4]. Manali also featured in Time magazine's "Best of Asia" for its "Extreme Yak Sports".[4]

JOY BACK TO HOME RWANDA KIGALI SCHOOL KIDS AWJ20 by SunDeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography™ 70+Countries 6 Continents 555+Places Travelled & Photographed in Last 2 Decades Worldwide UNESCO World Heritage Sites Himalayas Himachal 'Fine Art Wedding's by SDB' Fine Art Wonders of World gallery™''SDBFA:tm " The World is my Studio "'SDB Fine Art™' SDBFA™ SDBWP™ 2 Decades of Travel to Europe,Africa,North America,Central America,South America,Indian Sub-Continent,The Middle East,South Asia,South East Asia,Far East Asia & Australia.Contact for a quote

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RAWANDA KIGALI TOUR

PHOTOSTORIES from SunDeepKullu.Com World Travel Fine Art Photography Sept 2012

Having Spent interesting day in Kigali in RAWANDA where I arrived today morning via Entebbe in UGANDA the city of Hills is really great to discover and very distinct from other Africa countries.

Know Kigali Rawanda the best of best -

Rwanda is a relatively stable East African country, and easily accessible from Kenya and Uganda. It is relatively easy, safe and simple to travel around. It is landlocked, surrounded by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west.

Rwanda is not only the land of a thousand hills, but also a country rich in flora and fauna and stunning natural beauty in its scenic rolling and breathtaking green savannah. The country hosts some rare species of animals like the silverback mountain Gorillas as well as unique birds and insects in the tropical forest of Nyungwe.

Understand

It's been over a decade since the civil war and genocide of 1994 that devastated this tiny country, and it's come a long way. Shake off your memories of war and expect a warm and friendly welcome to a beautiful country.

Rwanda has 3 national parks:

Akagera National Park

Volcanoes National Park – home to the mountain gorillas, this park spreads into Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Nyungwe National Park

If you are traveling overland, it is no longer possible to obtain a visa at the border. However, visa application can easily be made at www.migration.gov.rw/singleform.php. You will within a few days receive a entry visa acceptance by email. Bringing this acceptance letter, the visa will be issued at the border. The US$60 visa fee is paid at the border.

I'm not a plastic bag!

Thin plastic bags are prohibited in Rwanda. Luggage will be searched at the border and even at police checkpoints throughout the country to make sure you are not carrying plastic bags. Prior to the ban, one-time use plastic bags plagued city streets and threatened the delicate environment. Today, Rwandan cities are almost litter-free and some of the cleanest in Africa!

See

National Museum of Butare in Butare –

Lake Kivu in Western Rwanda – a large lake bordering the DRC, it's a nice place to relax for a week or so

The Genocide Memorial in Kigali – fantastic insight into one of the world's greatest tragedies

The Nyamata Genocide Memorial is a worthwhile complement to the Gisozi Memorial Centre in Kigali. Located in the town of Nyamata, 40 minutes south of Kigali on a newly paved road, the memorial is in a church where over 5000 people were killed during the 1994 genocide. Visitors take a short tour and see the evidence of the genocide that remains there today - victims' clothing piled on benches, the roof pockmarked with bullet holes, and the open crypts behind the church that hold the remains of over 40,000 people from the area. An extremely moving look into one of the places where the genocide was carried out.

The Ntarama Genocide Memorial, just 20 minutes away from the Nyamata memorial, is also worth visiting. Like the Nyamata memorial, this site was a church before the genocide, and was nationalized to serve as a memorial after thousands of people were killed within its walls. The church itself is similar to Nyamata, with victims' clothing and remains visible to offer proof of what happened there, but Ntarama also has a peaceful memorial garden and wall of names in the back of its compound. Ask the resident guide for a tour in English or French, and remember to give them a donation for the site afterwards; it gets almost no support from the government. To get there, take the highway from Kigali to Nyamata and follow the signs for the Ntarama memorial, before you reach Nyamata.

Do

Parc National des Volcans, home of the mountain gorillas, and the setting for Gorillas in the Mist author Dian Fossey's research. If you can afford it it's an excellent experience... even possible as a daytrip from Kigali. Enquire at the Rwandan Office for Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN), Boulevard de la Révolution n° 1, Kigali, +(250) 576514 or 573396, reservation@rwandatourism.com, [4]. It cost 500 US dollars per person. Besides that you will have to take an official taxi which costs you another 50 USD. Prices are rising constantly, and you should really consider if you want them to get away with these rip-off prices, because as long as there are people who pay them, they will continue to rise them.

Respect

Rwanda is a very conservative society; most people dress modestly, especially women. Wearing shorts or tight skirts and skimpy tops is likely to get you stared at twice as much as normal.

It is unusual for a couple to make public displays of affection, even though many men walk hand in hand with male friends. Also, Rwandans will generally never eat or drink in public, apart from at restaurants. Rwandan women are rarely seen smoking in public or out in bars unaccompanied.

Rwandans are very private, reserved people and loud public confrontations (shouting matches) or obvious displays of emotion (such as crying) are also frowned upon. If you feel you are being overcharged by a trader, quietly persisting with the negotiation (or your complaint!) is likely to produce results much faster than an angry outburst!

It is also impolite to make eye contact with an elder.

Please understand that Rwanda is still recovering from a civil war and genocide in which over 800,000 people, perhaps a million, were killed. Many Rwandese lost relatives and friends. Remember to be sensitive to this sad fact when dealing with Rwandese. Most people today are trying to forget the tribal divisions and would rather be referred to as Rwandese than Hutu or Tutsi. It is considered impolite to ask someone about their ethnic origin.

There is not much political discourse in Rwanda, unlike in many neighboring countries such as Uganda and Kenya where people talk freely about the government and political issues, people in Rwanda will be uncomfortable if asked their views or even if seated at a table where national politics is discussed.

Kigali in Rawanda houses several memorials, museums, and centers dedicated to the Rwandan Genocide, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. Other museums include the National Museum of Rwanda and Kandt House Museum of Natural History.

Urugwiro is the official residence of the President of Rwanda. It constitutes an entire village within the Kacyiru distrct of Kigali.

The city now has international class hotels, some played a role in history:

The Mille Collines in the Kiyovu area. This hotel became a refugee centre during the genocide, as famously depicted in the film Hotel Rwanda (although the hotel shown in the film is in fact in South Africa). It is also the setting for the famous novel Un dimanche à la piscine à Kigali, by Quebecer Gil Courtemanche, and its movie adaptation Un dimanche à Kigali.

The Kigali Serena Hotel, formerly known as the InterContinental Kigali. Formerly a Belgian-owned hotel known as the Diplomates, the hotel was briefly portrayed in the second half of Hotel Rwanda. It was later bought by the InterContinental Hotels group and remodeled in 2003.

Interesting places around Kigali

The Virunga National Park (French: Parc National des Virunga), formerly named Albert National Park, is a 7800 square km National Park that stretches from the Virunga Mountains in the South, to the Rwenzori Mountains in the North, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, bordering Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Queen Elisabeth National Park in Uganda. The park was established in 1925 as Africa's first national park. It was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. In recent years the park has become known for its mountain gorillas, although poaching and the Congo Civil War have seriously damaged its wildlife population.

The Lava Lake of the Nyiragongo Volcano, one of the spectacular sights of Virunga NP

Virunga NP Mountain Gorillas

Bukima Camp is situated in the foothills of the Mikeno Mountain, the home of the Congolese Mountain Gorillas

Rwenzori Mountains

Silverback of the Rugendo family at Bukima patrol Post

The cabanes are situated at the edge of the crater in sight of the lava lake, the sight of which has an astounding effect on visitors

Lake Kivu is one of three known exploding lakes

sundeepkullu2.see.me/onelife2012.

Thanks and regards sundeepkullu.com Sundeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography SDBWP™

WORLD IS MY STUDIO

Still on my World tour entering 6th year of World travel to 70+Countries 555+Destinations across 6 Continents and multiple years of Travel Photography I am busy designing my first Travel Photostories Book named "111 MIRACULOUS WONDERS OF WORLD YOU MUST SEE WHEN YOU ALIVE" and corresponding "111 WOW" iPhone Application soon by the end of this year 2012

SunDeep ™ Bhardwaj World Photography ™ | SDBWP™ | 7 years Amazing World Tour May 2007-till date-continued to 2014 if possible | 10 years Incredible India tour from year 1997-2007 May including Unforgettable Himachal Tour since Childhood |

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Recently Explored 16 Destinations ( In first half of 2012)

*INDIA- Mayad Valley, Lahaul , Rohtang Pass, Manikaran, Jispa, Sissu, Gondla, Deepak Taal, Baralachha Pass, Zing Zing Bar, Deepak Taal , Suraj Taal, Kasol, Kullu-Manali, Bhunter, Keyong

*AUSTRALIA-Melbourne-Great Ocean Road-Twelve Apostles this week

*BELGIUM Brussels

*DENMARK-Copenhagen, VIETNAM Hanoi-Halong Bay

*MALAYSIA-Kuala Lumpur-Kanting Falls-Batu Caves-Petronas Twin Towers

*CANADA-Quebec-Ontario-Montreal

*SOUTH AFRICA Johnnesburg-The Cradle of Mankind-Stolkfontien Caves and Lion & Rino Park

*INDIA-Kashmir-Gulmarg-Srinagar-HIMACHAL-Kullu-Manali-Shimla-Lahaul-Spiti -Dharamshala-Kinnaur-Udaipur-Leh-Laddakh-*KERALA-Athirappily & Vazhachal Falls

*GERMANY-BAVERIA-Black Forest-Oberbayern-Garmich Patenkirchen-Eibsee Lake-Zugspitze

*UK-SCOTLAND Glencoe-Fort William-Castle around Scotland-Lochness-ENGLAND-London-Manchester-Glasgow

*ITALY-Rome-UNESCO Heritage Sites around Rome

*VATICAN CITY-Samallest Country in the World

*CHINA-Shanghai-Zhejiang-Hangzhou-The West Lake-Chongquing-Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area-Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries-Lushan-Buddha JAPAN Horyuji Temple 1300 years old Japan's most sacred place & UNESCO site

*UAE-Al Ain-Abu Dhabi-Dubai-Burj Al Arab-Al Khaleefa Tallest building in the World,

*SWEDEN-Stocholm-National Parks

*NORWAY-Oslo

*RAWANDA-Kigali

These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.For full size images contact me.

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admin@phototube.co ( phototube.co related )

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SunDeep Bhardwaj Kullu

MBA-Sales & Mktg.(Symbiosis,Pune)

B.Pub.Admn.(H.P.University,Summer Hills, Shimla)

BHM (GCC-Bangalore)

***Publishing Photostories clicked in the most exotic places on earth in 15 countries that I visited in last 6 months. For all stories of 70+ Countries go to my oficial website sundeepkullu.com ™©®

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TRANQUILITY IN EVENING TAKEN FROM A MOVING CAR ON WAY TO MONTREAL FROM QUEBEC CITY AT CANADA MONTREAL QUEBEC OLD TOWN QUEBEC CITY QUEBEC 11 AJ20 by SunDeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography™ 70+Countries 6 Continents 555+Places Travelled & Photographed in Last 2 Decades Worldwide UNESCO World Heritage Sites Himalayas Himachal 'Fine Art Wedding's by SDB' Fine Art Wonders of World gallery™''SDBFA:tm " The World is my Studio "'SDB Fine Art™' SDBFA™ SDBWP™ 2 Decades of Travel to Europe,Africa,North America,Central America,South America,Indian Sub-Continent,The Middle East,South Asia,South East Asia,Far East Asia & Australia.Contact for a quote

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Quebec City

Quebec ( /kw?'b?k/ or /k?'b?k/; French: Québec [keb?k] ( listen)), also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City (French: Ville de Québec) is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of 2011, the city has a population of 516,622,[1] and the metropolitan area has a population of 765,706[2], making it the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about 233 kilometres (145 mi) to the southwest.

The narrowing of the Saint Lawrence River approximate to the city's promontory, Cap-Diamant (Cape Diamond), and Lévis, on the opposite bank, provided the name given to the city, Kébec, an Algonquin word meaning "where the river narrows". Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America. The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only remaining fortified city walls that still exist in the Americas north of Mexico, and were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 as the 'Historic District of Old Québec'.[3][4]

According to the federal and provincial governments, Québec is the city's official name in both French and English, although Quebec City is commonly used, particularly to distinguish the city from the province. The city's most famous landmark is the Château Frontenac, a hotel which dominates the skyline. The National Assembly of Quebec, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (National Gallery of Quebec), and the Musée de la civilisation (Museum of Civilization) are found within or near Vieux-Québec.

Quebec

Quebec /kw?'b?k/ or /k?'b?k/ (French: Québec [keb?k] ( listen))[7] is a province in east-central Canada.[8][9] It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level. Quebec is Canada's largest province by area and its second-largest administrative division; only the territory of Nunavut is larger. It is bordered to the west by the province of Ontario, James Bay and Hudson Bay, to the north by Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay, to the east by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick. It is bordered on the south by the US states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. It also shares maritime borders with Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia.

Quebec is Canada's second most populous province, after Ontario. Most inhabitants live in urban areas near the Saint Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City, the capital. English-speaking communities and English-language institutions are concentrated in the west of the island of Montreal but are also significantly present in the Outaouais, Eastern Townships, and Gaspé regions. The Nord-du-Québec region, occupying the northern half of the province, is sparsely populated and inhabited primarily by Aboriginal peoples.[10]

Sovereignty plays a large role in the politics of Quebec, and the official opposition social democratic Parti Québécois advocates national sovereignty for the province and secession from Canada. Sovereignist governments have held referendums on independence in 1980 and 1995; both were voted down by voters, the latter defeated by a very narrow margin.[11] In 2006, the Canadian House of Commons passed a symbolic motion, the Québécois nation motion, recognizing the "Québécois as a nation within a united Canada."[12][13]

While the province's substantial natural resources have long been the mainstay of its economy, sectors of the knowledge economy such as aerospace, information and communication technologies, biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry also play leading roles. These many industries have all contributed to helping Quebec become the second most economically influential province, second only to Ontario.[14]

Old Quebec

Historic District of Old Quebec *

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Old Quebec (French: Vieux-Québec) is a historic neighbourhood of Quebec City, the capital of the province of Quebec in Canada. Comprising the Upper Town (French: Haute-Ville) and Lower Town (French: Basse-Ville), the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Administratively, Old Quebec is part of the Vieux-Québec–Cap-Blanc–colline Parlementaire district in the borough of La Cité–Limoilou.

The area is sometimes referred to as the Latin Quarter (French: Quartier latin), but this title refers more to area around the Séminaire de Québec, the original site of Laval University.

History

Old Quebec is the oldest part of Quebec City, chosen in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain as the location for the Chateau Saint-Louis. Old Quebec maintained a strong military and administrative presence from its beginning, a use determined by the strategic heights of Cap Diamant. While the Lower Town was populated with merchants and craftsmen, the Upper Town was inhabited by military officials and members of the clergy.

This strong military presence long limited the city's expansion. At the end of the 19th century, many wanted to demolish the fortifications, judging them to be unnecessary and a hindrance to urban development. However, Governor Dufferin successfully managed to preserve the character of the walled city, while adapting the further expansion of the modern city.

Despite having undergone some degradation in the 1950s, the Old City has been subject to somewhat of a renaissance period since the 1970s.

The rich historic nature of Old Quebec is marked by the city's ramparts, fortifications, and many historic houses and buildings. The legacy of previous generations and the beauty of the district make it particularly unique.

The majority of buildings in the neighborhood date from 19th century, although the construction of some date back to 17th and 18th centuries. It also is home to several commercial streets, including Rue Saint-Jean, Rue Sainte-Anne and Rue De Buade. Many institutions are still housed in the heart of the city, such as the Quebec City Council, the Séminaire de Québec, the Ursulines Convent, and the Augustinian monastery. As a popular tourist destination, Old Quebec is also home to several hotels, including the famous Château Frontenac. Guided ghosts tours are also of interest to its residents and visitors.

Ramparts of Quebec City

World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1985

National Historic Site of Canada in 1948

Located in Canada, the Ramparts of Quebec City are the only remaining fortified city walls in the Americas, north of Mexico.[1] The English began fortifying the existing walls,[2] after they took Quebec City from the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759.

The wall surrounds most of Old Quebec, which was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1985.[3] The fortifications were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1948.

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My latest 15 explored destinations in my 6th year of World tour so far to 70+Countries & 300+Destinations across 6 Continents and 9 th year of Travel Photography & Videography of Places People Culture Landscapes.Recently explored these exotic places in JAPAN Horyuji Temple 1300 years old Japan's most sacred place & UNESCO site UAE-Al Ain-Abu Dhabi-Dubai-Burj Al Arab-Al Khaleefa Tallest building in the World, SWEDEN-Stocholm-National Parks, AUSTRALIA-Melbourne-Great Ocean Road-Twelve Apostles this week. BELGIUM Brussels, DENMARK-Copenhagen, VIETNAM Hanoi-Halong Bay MALAYSIA-Kuala Lumpur-Kanting Falls-Batu Caves-Petronas Twin Towers , CANADA-Quebec-Ontario-Montreal, ATLANTIC-GREENLAND-LABRADOR PENINSULA-Lebrador Sea, SOUTH AFRICA Johnnesburg-The Cradle of Mankind-Stolkfontien Caves and Lion & Rino Park with others INDIA-Kashmir-Gulmarg-Srinagar CHINA-Shanghai-Zhejiang-Hangzhou-The West Lake GERMANY-BAVERIA-Black Forest-Oberbayern-Garmich Patenkirchen-Eibsee Lake-Zugspitze HIMACHAL-Kullu-Manali-Shimla-Lahaul-Spiti -Dharamshala-Kinnaur-Udaipur-Leh-Laddakh UK-SCOTLAND Glencoe-Fort William-Castle around Scotland-Lochness INDIA Jog Falls Ooty Goa Athirappily & Vazhachal Falls Kerala UK-ENGLAND-London-Manchester-Glasgow & others ITALY-Rome-Vatican City and Other UNESCO Heritage Sites around Rome. Soon my first book on 111 MIRACULOUS WONDERS OF WORLD YOU MYST SEE WHEN U ALIVE will be out with "111 WOW" i Phone application by the end of this year. Updating my official website sundeepkullu.com

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Kulu to Naggar, Himachal Pradesh, India, 1971 by east med wanderer

11 2

Looking down on the Kullu Valley from the track to Naggar village

Photo scanned from a half frame Kodachrome slide (transparency)

FROM THE DIARY - 13th November 1971

At 11 o'clock we catch a local bus from Kullu for Raison, about 12 kms on the road to Manali. When we get off at Raison we cross the bridge over the Beas river and start walking to Naggar, 8 kms away. The road is dusty and the sun is hot and we are fairly tired by the time we reach Naggar, a large village of sturdily built stone and timber houses. It is sited at the base of the pine forest and an alluvial fan of rich farmland drops down below the village to the river, two or three miles away. This rich land probably was the reason for it being an ancient capital of the region and, as at Brahmaur, there are several temples. We have reservations for once for the PWD Rest House, Naggar Castle, a sturdy wood and stone building dating from the 16th century and the chowkidar gives us a comfortable room and cooks us a tasty evening meal"

Butterfly, Apple Valley Resort, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India - 15.06.08 by Candle Tree

20 90

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14th October, 2008 on EXPLORE at # 303

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Malana is an ancient village to the north-east of Kullu Valley. This solitary village in the Malana Nala, a side valley of the Parvati Valley, is isolated from the rest of the world. The majestic peaks of Chandrakhani and Deotibba shadow the village. It is situated on a remote plateau by the side of torrential Malana river at a height of 3029 m above the sea level. Unaffected by the modern civilisation, Malana has its own lifestyle and social structure. People are strict in following their customs. Malana has been the subject of various documentaries including, Malana: Globalization of a Himalayan Village,[1] and Malana, A Lost Identity.[2] The existing speakers of the autochthonus language Kanashi, the traditional language of the inhabitants of Malana are approximately 1700. According to the 1961 census, language speakers were 563. Today the population of Malana is at least three times as large as 40 years ago.[3]

Geography

Malana is located at 32°0'19"N 77°14'43"E . It has an average elevation of 3029 metres (9940 feet).

History

Malana has a history and it goes back to Jamlu rishi (sage) who inhabited this place and made rules and regulations. It is one of the oldest democracies of the world with a well organized parliamentary system. All of this is guided by the their devta (deity) Jamlu rishi.[4] Although Jamlu is currently identified with a sage from the Puranas, this is a relatively recent development. Jamlu is believed to have been worshipped in pre-Aryan times. Penelope Chetwood recounts a tale about an orthodox Brahmin priest, who visited Malana, and tried to educate the locals about the pedigree of their god, and what subsequently befell the hapless priest.[5]

Malana is considered to be one of the first democracies in the world. According to tradition, the residents of Malana are the descendant of Aryans, and they acquired their independence during the Mughal reign when the Emperor Akbar walked to the village in order to cure an ailment that he was afflicted with; after having been successfully cured he put out an edict stating that all the inhabitants of the valley would never be required to pay tax. An alternative tradition suggests that Malana was founded by remnants of Alexander the Great's Army.

A dam project, the Malana Hydro Power Station, has brought Malana much closer to the rest of the world and provides revenue for the region. A new road has shortened the walking time from several days to just 4 hours.

[edit]Language

The residents of Malana speak Kanashi/Raksh (supposedly the dialect of devils residing there long ago),[6] which is understood only by the villagers. "Kanashi, the language of Malana, does not resemble any of the dialects spoken in its neighbourhood but seems to be a mixture of Sanskrit and several Tibetan dialects."[7] Ethnologue, citing a reference from 2002, classifies Malana as a Tibetan-Burmese language, rather than as a member of the Indo-European languages that includes Sanskrit,[8] and notes that Kanashi has "no intelligibility with any Tibeto-Burman languages of Lahul-Spiti and Kinnaur" and that Malana is surrounded by Indo-Aryan language speaking populations. The Hydro Malana Project has also ruined the beauty of the valley

[edit]Culture and lifestyle

The village administration is democratic and is believed[by whom?] to be the oldest republic of the world.[9]

The social structure of Malana in fact rests on villagers' unshaked faith in their powerful deity, Jamblu Devta. The entire administration of the village is controlled by him through a village council. This council has eleven members and they are believed as delegates of Jamblu who govern the village in his name. His decision is ultimate in any dispute and any outsider authority is never required. It is although a real fact that Malanis through this council perform a political system of direct democracy very similar to that of ancient Greece. Thus Malana has been named the Athens of Himalayas[10]

Malanis (the inhabitants of Malana) admire their culture, customs and religious beliefs. They generally do not like to change though some traces of modernization are visible.

People in Malana consider all non-Malani to be inferior and consequently untouchable. Visitors to Malana town must pay particular attention to stick to the prescribed paths and not to touch any of the walls, houses or people there. If this does occur, visitors are expected to pay a forfeit sum, that will cover the sacrificial slaughter of a lamb in order purify the object that has been made impure. Malani people may touch impure people or houses as long as they follow the prescribed purification ritual before they enter their house or before they eat. Malanis may never accept food cooked by a non-Malani person, unless they are out of the valley (in which case their Devt can't see them). Malanis may offer visitors food but all utensils will have to undergo a strict purification ritual before they can be used again.

Despite of being a part of the Kullu valley, the Malanis have very distinct physical features, and a dialect which is different from the rest of the valley. There are various legends about their origin. According to one of them, it is believed that they are the descendants of Greek soldiers of Alexander's army. As the legend goes, some soldiers took refuge in this remote land after Alexander left the country and later settled there permanently. This myth is however disputed because there are those who claim that it is the valley of Kalash, in Pakistan that is actually the area in which Alexander the Great's soldiers took refuge. This legend is also inconsistent with the legendary descent of the local people from Indo-Aryans who would predate Alexander the Great's soldiers by approximately a thousand years. Recent genetic typing of the Malani population is more consistent with an Indo-Aryan origin with a large proportion of Y-DNA haplotypes J2 and R1a associated with Indo-Aryan influences in South Asia than with a Greek origin which would have a different characteristic mix of Y-DNA haplotypes.[11]

Malana was also once famous for producing some of the best quality hashish (Cannabis resin) in the world, known as "Malana Cream", which sells for 1,200-1,800 rupees per tola (= 10 grams).

Source en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malana,_Himachal_Pradesh

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India - Himachal Pradesh - Kullu Valley - Manali - Bridge Over Beas River by Manfred Sommer

3

Kullu or Kulu is the capital town of the Kullu district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Beas River in the Kullu Valley about 10 kilometres north of the airport at Bhuntar.

Kullu is a broad open valley formed by the Beas River between Manali and Largi. This valley is famous for its temples, beauty and its majestic hills covered with pine and deodar forest and sprawling apple orchards. The course of the Beas river presents a succession of magnificent, clad with forests of deodar, towering above trees of pine on the lower rocky ridges. Kullu valley is sandwiched between the Pir Panjal, Lower Himalayan and Great Himalayan Ranges.

HISTORY

Historical references about the Kullu valley dates back to ancient Hindu literary works of Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas. During Vedic period several small republics known as "Janapada" existed which were later conquered by the Nanda Empire, Mauryan Empire, Gupta Empire, Pala Dynasty and Karkoṭa Empire. After a brief period of supremacy by King Harshavardhana, the region was once again divided into several local powers headed by chieftains, including some Rajput principalities, these principalities were later conquered by Maratha Empire and Sikh Empire.

The name Kullu derives from the word "Kulant Peeth", meaning "end of the habitable world". As per legends, during the Great Flood, Manu visited this valley, but was unable to cross the Rohtang pass. He named the last settlement he found as Kulant Peeth, and chose to settle and meditate in what has now become the town of Manali (Manu's Place). The name further devolved into "Kulut", as the kingdom was known for a long time; before finally being known by the current name of Kullu or Kulu.

The Buddhist pilgrim monk Xuanzang visited the Kullu Valley in 634 or 635 CE. He described it as a fertile region completely surrounded by mountains, about 3,000 li in circuit, with a capital 14 or 15 li in circumference. It contained a Stupa built by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, which is said to mark the place where the Buddha preached to the local people and made conversions, Stupa was taken away by a Mughal ruler and put in feroz shah kotla maidan in Delhi. There were some twenty Buddhist monasteries, with about 1,000 monks, most of whom were Mahayanist. There were also some fifteen Hindu temples, and people of both faiths lived mixed together. There were meditation caves near the mountain passes inhabited by both Buddhist and Hindu practitioners. The country is said to have produced gold, silver, red copper, crystal lenses and bell-metal.

Kullu got its first motorable access only after Indian Independence. The long centuries of seclusion have, however, allowed the area to retain a considerable measure of its traditional charm. The road through the Kullu Valley and Lahaul is now paved all the way, to connect and provide the major access route between the northern Indian plains to Leh in Ladakh.

GEOGRAPHY

Kullu town has an average elevation of 1,278 m. It lies on the bank of Beas River. A major tributary, Sarvari, (derived from "Shiv-Baardi") leads to the less explored and steeper Lug-valley on the west. On the east of Kullu lies a broad mountainous ridge having the village-temples of Bijli Mahadev, Mounty Nag and Pueed. Beyond the ridge lies Manikaran valley, along the Paarvati river which joins Beas at Sangam in Bhuntar. On the south of Kullu lie the town of Bhuntar, Out (leading to Anni, Banjar and Siraj Valley) and Mandi (in Mandi district). Historically Kullu was accessible from Shimla via Siraj valley or through passes on the west leading to Jogindernagar and onto Kangra. To the north lies the famous town of Manali, which through the Rohtang pass leads onto the Lahaul and Spiti Valley. One can see an enormous change in the climate as one climbs up the windward side of the ranges to proceed to the leeward and much drier plateaus to the north of Manali.

The valley has varied biodiversity, It has some of the rarest of animals like Himalayan tahr, western tragopan, monal and Himalayan brown bear. The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) is also located here. The park was built in 1984. It spreads over an area of 1,171 km2 which lies between an altitude of 1,500 to 6,000 m. In order to protect the flora and fauna of this Himalayan area, many places are declared as wildlife sanctuaries, such as: Khokhan Sanctuary, Kais Sanctuary, Tirthan Sanctuary, Kanawar Sanctuary, Rupi Baba Sanctuary, Great Himalayan National Park and Van Vihar Manali.

DEMOGRAPHICS

As of 2011 India census, Kullu had a population of 18,306. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Kullu has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 77%. In Kullu town, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Kullu town, as the administrative headquarters of Kullu district, has the offices of Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police and the District courts. It is also the largest and the most varied constituency of Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament of India.

CLIMATE

December and January during winter observe lowest temperatures ranging from −4 to 20 °C, with some snowfall.Evenings and mornings are very cold during winters. Annual highest temperature in summer ranges from 24 to 34 °C during May to August. Months of July and August are rainy because of monsoon, having around 150 mm rainfall monthly. Climate is pleasant in October and November.

AIR

The nearest airport (IATA code KUU) is at Bhuntar town, situated on NH21 at the confluence of the Parvati and Beas rivers (latitude 31.8763 N and longitude 77.1541 E), about 10 km south of Kullu town. The airport is also known as Kullu-Manali airport and has a runway more than a kilometre long. Indian Airlines and some private airlines have regular flights to the airport. Himalayan Bulls in collaboration with Deccan Charters started flights on Kullu-Chandigarh-Kullu sector beginning 2 April 2014 with 2 to 3 unscheduled flights each day in eight-seater planes.

Chandigarh airport is the nearest large airport.

ROAD

Kullu can be reached from Delhi by national highway NH 1 up to Chandigarh and from there by national highway NH21 that passes through Bilaspur, Sundernagar and Mandi towns. The road distance from Delhi to Chandigarh by bus is 260 km and from Chandigarh to Kullu is 252 km; the total distance from Delhi to Kullu thus is about 512 km .

RAIL

Kullu is not easily approachable by rail. The nearest broad gauge railheads are at Una and Kiratpur Sahib (Both 200 kilometres away), Kalka 240 kilometres away, Pathankot 275 kilometres away, and Chandigarh 280 kilometres. The nearest narrow gauge railhead is at Joginder Nagar 100 km away.

ATTRACTIONS

The Kullu valley is known as the "Valley of the Gods" or "Dev Bhumi" due to many pilgrimage sites for Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs alike. Kullu is known for its open valley meadows and scenic views of the Himalayan mountain range. Kullu area is known for Kullu shawl, made of many natural fibers including pashmina, sheep-wool and angora. The seven-day festival of Kullu Dussehra, a celebration of Avatar Lord Rama's victory over the evil king Ravana. The festival takes place in the months of October or November, depending upon the Hindu calendar.

SIGHTSEEING

Raghunath Temple - In the 17th century, Raja Jagat Singh of Kullu committed a great mistake. To atone for the sin, he sent a senior courtier to Ayodhya for a statue of Lord Raghunath - Lord Rama. This temple was built by Raja Jagat Singh to house the image and even today, is greatly revered. Every year international fair Dussehra is celebrated with local deities in honour of lord Raghunath.

Shringi Rishi Temple - Banjar - About 60 km. from Kullu is Banjar valley wherein Shringi Rishi Temple is located. Shringi Rishi is the ruling deity of Banjar valley. In fact, before the Lord Rama's advent into Kullu valley from Ayodhya Puri,Lord Shringi was the ruling deity of Kullu. Shringi rishi is one among the "atthara kardoo" (eighteen chief deities) of the Kullu valley.

Maha Devi Tirth Temple - Shri Mahadevi Tirth, popularly known as Vaishno Devi Mandir (by localities), situated about two kilometers North from the Kullu valley on Kullu Manali road, though a newly founded temple, yet it is acknowledged like any old famous temple. The foundation of this temple was laid by Swami Sewak Das Ji.

Bijli Mahadev Temple - It is located at 2,435 meters from sea level and is about 10 km from Kullu. The staff of the temple is 60 feet high and can be seen from the Kullu valley too. It is the highest point around Kullu from where the beautiful view of the whole town, and more can be experienced.

Devta Narsingh - A famous temple of deity 'Narsingh', situated in Sultanpur block of Kullu.

Raison - By the banks of the Beas -and on the Kullu-Manali highway - Himachal Tourism runs a camping site here. Ideal for a taste of adventure.

Shoja - At 2692 m, this is a vantage point for a complete panorama of the Kullu area - snow peaks and valleys, meadows and forests, rivers and streams. From Shoja, Jalori pass is 5 km far from where you can take an extreme view of Shoja and its vicinity. From some distance from Jalori you can visit a lake named Sareuolsar. It is an extraordinary place to visit but there is no means of transportation so you have to go on foot.

Basheshwar Mahadev Temple, Bajaura - One of the most charming temples in the Kullu valley, this is renowned for its intricate stone carvings. It is said to be built by pandavas.

Kasol - An open glade by the banks of the river Parvati. Clean white sand separates the lush green grass from the water. A good spot for trout. Himachal Tourism has a Tourist Hut here.

Naggar - For 1400 years this was the capital of Kullu. Its 16th century stone and wood castle is now a hotel run by Himachal Tourism. Here, a gallery houses the paintings of the Russian artist, Nicholas Roerich. Naggar also has three other old shrines.There are many old pagoda shali temple also there.

Hidimba temple - dungri,Manali.

Kais Dhar - An immensely beautiful place, with grass meadows and densely forested mountains. It is a part of trekking route and is not connected through road, hence the natural beauty is still preserved. It is easily one of the most beautiful places in Himachal. This place has a forest rest house which was built by Britishers, who liked this place. It not far away from Kullu town, approximately 10 km from the town. But it is not connected through road.

Fungani Mata Temple - lies on the top of the lugvalley. This is really a beautiful place and still hidden from tourist hence still the area around this us preserved. Temple is near about 30 km away from kullu town. while road is Only up to base of the point from where there is little walk to the temple.

FESTIVALS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES

Kullu Dussehra - When Dussehra celebrations come to an end in the rest of the country, they begin at Kullu. The State government has accorded the status of International festival to the Kullu Dussehra, which attracts tourists in large numbers. About 200 local deities come to pay homage to Lord Raghunath. This is a time when the valley is at its colourful best.

Kullu Holi - Holi is the festival of colors celebrated for two days in Kullu.Its unique feature is that people of the town collect in temple and then they proceed to houses of town people singing sacred holi songs and in return they are given sweets,pakoras and hard drinks etc. Women also take part in the festival with same enthusiasm and happiness as Men.

Fishing and adventure - The Kullu valley has numerous places for trout fishing. These include Katrain, Raison, Kasol and Naggar, then along the river Tirthan near Larji, in the Sainj Valley and in the Hurla khud. The valley is the nucleus of several trek routes. Some major ones are over the Chanderkhani Pass to Malana, over the Jalori Pass or Bashleo Pass to Shimla, and over the Pin Parvati Pass to Sarahan. White water rafting is popular on the Beas river. Rapid Riders is one of the oldest service providers in kullu offering commercial white water rafting on the 16 km river course.

It connects with the Lahul and Spiti valleys via Rohtang Pass, situated at 3,978 m, 51 km from Manali city.

VICINITY

Other places of interest in the area include Manikaran which is famous for its hot springs, and hot water springs at Vashisht village near Manali, 40 km north of Kullu, a hub for tourists and rock climbers. Malana, Kaish-Dhaar in Lug Valley, Bijli Mahadev, Bhekhli and Bajaura house the famous temples of the region and places like Kasol and Gohar. Manali is perhaps the most famous town and center of all tourist attractions in the state. Manali also has a well-known temple dedicated to the mythical princess Hidimba. which is known as Hidimba Devi Temple.

The economy of the town largely depends on tourism, horticulture (apples, plums, pears, and almonds) and handicrafts (shawls, caps, etc.). A majority of the youth depend on tourism for their well being, which has led to construction of a large number of hotels by locals such as the Himalayan Hamlet, Shivalik, Tree House, Apple Valley and Raju Bharti.

WIKIPEDIA

#trout #fish #kullu by Shubh Singh

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Kullu (Himachal Pradesh) - anmarsch by RuckSackKruemel

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Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India, 1971 by east med wanderer

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Beas river with Kullu town on the other side. Scanned from a half frame Kodachrome slide (transparency)

FROM THE DIARY - Dharamsala to Kullu, 9th November 1971

"We crawl out of the sleeping bags feeling miserable and half asleep at 4.15am this morning as we have to make one of those long, tiring journeys which are often a neccessity in India. The bus leaves at 5.15am and we are lucky to find a tea stall open where we have a reviving cup of tea and some biscuits.

The journey is on twisty hill roads for most of the way and it takes us 10 hours to cover 125 miles. The road surface is uneven, the bus suspension is almost non-existent and we both have sore bums when we arrive in Kullu town. On the way though, the scenery is beautiful and varied - the cultivated terraces and rushing streams of the Kangra Valley, tea plantations at Palampur, Indian temples by the riverside at Mandi, the gorges of the Beas river in the Kullu Valley and always the pine covered, snow capped higher Himalayan ranges around us. People are very helpful at the Tourist Office in Kullu town and send us along to the Government Tourist Bungalow down the road, where we have a very comfortable room for 9 rupees"

kullu aswad by valentina perniciaro

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Damasco, luglio 2004..passeggiando per 'ammara

quando ho scattato questa foto conoscevo gia bene damasco...

ma mai avrei immaginato che su quella via piena di pullman di sciiti, pellegrini, donne completamente nere ci avrei abitato tutto quel tempo.

'ammara...l'universo della moschea di Roqaya, luogo di pellegrinaggio per migliaia di sciiti è stata per un po' la mia casa.

e a casa mi sono sentita...

damascus....'ammara is a big street, important for iranian and sciite people because is next to Roqayya Mosque.I lived more than 2 month in this little universe next to old city of damascus...

I lived inside a big emotion, step by step with great people.

a kiss to Roqayya, to the little black women, to all the million of things that are living inside my soul.

Bhuntar by Partha Chowdhury

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Beautiful Bhuntar in Kullu Valley with amazing spring blossoms all around.

Banjar Valley, Kullu by Himalayan Panoramic Studio

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I believe one should always keep knocking on the doors; just as Heraclitus said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” Something that has always brought us back to the blessed lands, pulled us over again in March last year (2011). It was the same sanctuary, but wilder still and we had planned to enter Kullu Valley via this sanctuary (Shikari Devi Wildlife Sanctuary). Two is an awesome company whenever passing through the terrain we'd opted for.

Started off from Rohanda in Mandi, we had a major haulage issue as we couldn't find any locals to carry our stuff. Who'd go there, it was still snowing, that's what everybody said. Wasted one day, but not our spirits and with the helping hand of two indomitable spirits that day, we camped in the territory of Kamru Nag --the most venerated deity of the region besides the Goddess Shikari. In two days time we did reach the top of SDWLS which elegantly houses the temple of Shikari Devi and were welcomed by snowfall. On the third day when we embarked further, our voyage was blessed by heavy snowfall at top of SDWLS, hail in the midway and torrential rains in the valley below. We walked for 9 straight hours in that weather and that's where i nearly rolled myself into the valley while descending to Janjehli. Luckily the load of my backpack steered into a thick pile of fresh snow and i managed to gathered myself. It just finished us, the load and the inclement weather.

Having done with further trek, we stayed at a guest house at Banjar in Kullu Valley, where we cooked for ourselves, explored the environs, made new friends, learnt about more new routes through the valley and sought blessings of Shringa Rishi-the chief deity of Banjar Valley.

This image is NOT available for use on websites, blogs or any other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

Aerial View of Kullu-Manali Valley by Anwer Reyaz

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SunDeep Bhardwaj Kullu

MBA-Sales & Mktg.(Symbiosis,Pune)

B.Pub.Admn.(H.P.University,Summer Hills, Shimla)

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RAWANDA KIGALI TOUR

PHOTOSTORIES from SunDeepKullu.Com World Travel Fine Art Photography Sept 2012

Having Spent interesting day in Kigali in RAWANDA where I arrived today morning via Entebbe in UGANDA the city of Hills is really great to discover and very distinct from other Africa countries.

Know Kigali Rawanda the best of best -

Rwanda is a relatively stable East African country, and easily accessible from Kenya and Uganda. It is relatively easy, safe and simple to travel around. It is landlocked, surrounded by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west.

Rwanda is not only the land of a thousand hills, but also a country rich in flora and fauna and stunning natural beauty in its scenic rolling and breathtaking green savannah. The country hosts some rare species of animals like the silverback mountain Gorillas as well as unique birds and insects in the tropical forest of Nyungwe.

Understand

It's been over a decade since the civil war and genocide of 1994 that devastated this tiny country, and it's come a long way. Shake off your memories of war and expect a warm and friendly welcome to a beautiful country.

Rwanda has 3 national parks:

Akagera National Park

Volcanoes National Park – home to the mountain gorillas, this park spreads into Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Nyungwe National Park

If you are traveling overland, it is no longer possible to obtain a visa at the border. However, visa application can easily be made at www.migration.gov.rw/singleform.php. You will within a few days receive a entry visa acceptance by email. Bringing this acceptance letter, the visa will be issued at the border. The US$60 visa fee is paid at the border.

I'm not a plastic bag!

Thin plastic bags are prohibited in Rwanda. Luggage will be searched at the border and even at police checkpoints throughout the country to make sure you are not carrying plastic bags. Prior to the ban, one-time use plastic bags plagued city streets and threatened the delicate environment. Today, Rwandan cities are almost litter-free and some of the cleanest in Africa!

See

National Museum of Butare in Butare –

Lake Kivu in Western Rwanda – a large lake bordering the DRC, it's a nice place to relax for a week or so

The Genocide Memorial in Kigali – fantastic insight into one of the world's greatest tragedies

The Nyamata Genocide Memorial is a worthwhile complement to the Gisozi Memorial Centre in Kigali. Located in the town of Nyamata, 40 minutes south of Kigali on a newly paved road, the memorial is in a church where over 5000 people were killed during the 1994 genocide. Visitors take a short tour and see the evidence of the genocide that remains there today - victims' clothing piled on benches, the roof pockmarked with bullet holes, and the open crypts behind the church that hold the remains of over 40,000 people from the area. An extremely moving look into one of the places where the genocide was carried out.

The Ntarama Genocide Memorial, just 20 minutes away from the Nyamata memorial, is also worth visiting. Like the Nyamata memorial, this site was a church before the genocide, and was nationalized to serve as a memorial after thousands of people were killed within its walls. The church itself is similar to Nyamata, with victims' clothing and remains visible to offer proof of what happened there, but Ntarama also has a peaceful memorial garden and wall of names in the back of its compound. Ask the resident guide for a tour in English or French, and remember to give them a donation for the site afterwards; it gets almost no support from the government. To get there, take the highway from Kigali to Nyamata and follow the signs for the Ntarama memorial, before you reach Nyamata.

Do

Parc National des Volcans, home of the mountain gorillas, and the setting for Gorillas in the Mist author Dian Fossey's research. If you can afford it it's an excellent experience... even possible as a daytrip from Kigali. Enquire at the Rwandan Office for Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN), Boulevard de la Révolution n° 1, Kigali, +(250) 576514 or 573396, reservation@rwandatourism.com, [4]. It cost 500 US dollars per person. Besides that you will have to take an official taxi which costs you another 50 USD. Prices are rising constantly, and you should really consider if you want them to get away with these rip-off prices, because as long as there are people who pay them, they will continue to rise them.

Respect

Rwanda is a very conservative society; most people dress modestly, especially women. Wearing shorts or tight skirts and skimpy tops is likely to get you stared at twice as much as normal.

It is unusual for a couple to make public displays of affection, even though many men walk hand in hand with male friends. Also, Rwandans will generally never eat or drink in public, apart from at restaurants. Rwandan women are rarely seen smoking in public or out in bars unaccompanied.

Rwandans are very private, reserved people and loud public confrontations (shouting matches) or obvious displays of emotion (such as crying) are also frowned upon. If you feel you are being overcharged by a trader, quietly persisting with the negotiation (or your complaint!) is likely to produce results much faster than an angry outburst!

It is also impolite to make eye contact with an elder.

Please understand that Rwanda is still recovering from a civil war and genocide in which over 800,000 people, perhaps a million, were killed. Many Rwandese lost relatives and friends. Remember to be sensitive to this sad fact when dealing with Rwandese. Most people today are trying to forget the tribal divisions and would rather be referred to as Rwandese than Hutu or Tutsi. It is considered impolite to ask someone about their ethnic origin.

There is not much political discourse in Rwanda, unlike in many neighboring countries such as Uganda and Kenya where people talk freely about the government and political issues, people in Rwanda will be uncomfortable if asked their views or even if seated at a table where national politics is discussed.

Kigali in Rawanda houses several memorials, museums, and centers dedicated to the Rwandan Genocide, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre. Other museums include the National Museum of Rwanda and Kandt House Museum of Natural History.

Urugwiro is the official residence of the President of Rwanda. It constitutes an entire village within the Kacyiru distrct of Kigali.

The city now has international class hotels, some played a role in history:

The Mille Collines in the Kiyovu area. This hotel became a refugee centre during the genocide, as famously depicted in the film Hotel Rwanda (although the hotel shown in the film is in fact in South Africa). It is also the setting for the famous novel Un dimanche à la piscine à Kigali, by Quebecer Gil Courtemanche, and its movie adaptation Un dimanche à Kigali.

The Kigali Serena Hotel, formerly known as the InterContinental Kigali. Formerly a Belgian-owned hotel known as the Diplomates, the hotel was briefly portrayed in the second half of Hotel Rwanda. It was later bought by the InterContinental Hotels group and remodeled in 2003.

Interesting places around Kigali

The Virunga National Park (French: Parc National des Virunga), formerly named Albert National Park, is a 7800 square km National Park that stretches from the Virunga Mountains in the South, to the Rwenzori Mountains in the North, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, bordering Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Queen Elisabeth National Park in Uganda. The park was established in 1925 as Africa's first national park. It was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. In recent years the park has become known for its mountain gorillas, although poaching and the Congo Civil War have seriously damaged its wildlife population.

The Lava Lake of the Nyiragongo Volcano, one of the spectacular sights of Virunga NP

Virunga NP Mountain Gorillas

Bukima Camp is situated in the foothills of the Mikeno Mountain, the home of the Congolese Mountain Gorillas

Rwenzori Mountains

Silverback of the Rugendo family at Bukima patrol Post

The cabanes are situated at the edge of the crater in sight of the lava lake, the sight of which has an astounding effect on visitors

Lake Kivu is one of three known exploding lakes

sundeepkullu2.see.me/onelife2012.

Thanks and regards sundeepkullu.com Sundeep™ Bhardwaj World Photography SDBWP™

WORLD IS MY STUDIO

Still on my World tour entering 6th year of World travel to 70+Countries 555+Destinations across 6 Continents and multiple years of Travel Photography I am busy designing my first Travel Photostories Book named "111 MIRACULOUS WONDERS OF WORLD YOU MUST SEE WHEN YOU ALIVE" and corresponding "111 WOW" iPhone Application soon by the end of this year 2012

SunDeep ™ Bhardwaj World Photography ™ | SDBWP™ | 7 years Amazing World Tour May 2007-till date-continued to 2014 if possible | 10 years Incredible India tour from year 1997-2007 May including Unforgettable Himachal Tour since Childhood |

Photostories on iPhone iPad iPod PC Blackberry Nokia Samsung or any Smart Phone here www.flickr.com/photos/wittysam

Mobile Blog : sundeepkullu.wordpress.com

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Recently Explored 16 Destinations ( In first half of 2012)

*INDIA- Mayad Valley, Lahaul , Rohtang Pass, Manikaran, Jispa, Sissu, Gondla, Deepak Taal, Baralachha Pass, Zing Zing Bar, Deepak Taal , Suraj Taal, Kasol, Kullu-Manali, Bhunter, Keyong

*AUSTRALIA-Melbourne-Great Ocean Road-Twelve Apostles this week

*BELGIUM Brussels

*DENMARK-Copenhagen, VIETNAM Hanoi-Halong Bay

*MALAYSIA-Kuala Lumpur-Kanting Falls-Batu Caves-Petronas Twin Towers

*CANADA-Quebec-Ontario-Montreal

*SOUTH AFRICA Johnnesburg-The Cradle of Mankind-Stolkfontien Caves and Lion & Rino Park

*INDIA-Kashmir-Gulmarg-Srinagar-HIMACHAL-Kullu-Manali-Shimla-Lahaul-Spiti -Dharamshala-Kinnaur-Udaipur-Leh-Laddakh-*KERALA-Athirappily & Vazhachal Falls

*GERMANY-BAVERIA-Black Forest-Oberbayern-Garmich Patenkirchen-Eibsee Lake-Zugspitze

*UK-SCOTLAND Glencoe-Fort William-Castle around Scotland-Lochness-ENGLAND-London-Manchester-Glasgow

*ITALY-Rome-UNESCO Heritage Sites around Rome

*VATICAN CITY-Samallest Country in the World

*CHINA-Shanghai-Zhejiang-Hangzhou-The West Lake-Chongquing-Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area-Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries-Lushan-Buddha JAPAN Horyuji Temple 1300 years old Japan's most sacred place & UNESCO site

*UAE-Al Ain-Abu Dhabi-Dubai-Burj Al Arab-Al Khaleefa Tallest building in the World,

*SWEDEN-Stocholm-National Parks

*NORWAY-Oslo

*RAWANDA-Kigali

These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.For full size images contact me.

Contacts:-

Primary :

wittysam@gmail.com ( E-mail/Skype/Whatsapp/Google+/LinkedIn/Fring/Yoono/Twitter/Gmail/Insta gram/http://sundeepkullu.com & Photography & Videography and Quote for Assignments related)

World Roaming +974 55344547 (Facebook Mobile/Viber/Facetime/WhatsApp)

India New Delhi & Himachal Roaming +91 8527745789 (Google Plus)

sb@sundeepkullu.com ( Facebook & Personal Mail )

Secondary :

eurekasun@yahoo.com ( Flickr & Yahoo Messenger )

admin@phototube.co ( phototube.co related )

enquiries@himachalculturalvillage.com ( himachalculturalvillage.com related )

SunDeep Bhardwaj Kullu

MBA-Sales & Mktg.(Symbiosis,Pune)

B.Pub.Admn.(H.P.University,Summer Hills, Shimla)

BHM (GCC-Bangalore)

***Publishing Photostories clicked in the most exotic places on earth in 15 countries that I visited in last 6 months. For all stories of 70+ Countries go to my oficial website sundeepkullu.com ™©®

Slide Shows | Full Screen Mode | Adobe Flash or Mobile