Shadows and Echoes

Do also visit
Shadow Shot Sunday
and
Scenic Sunday
and
One Single Impression
for more on its prompt: Echoes
~~~

Manali, Himachal Pradesh

Traversing long stretches
Along snake like roads
I discover Manali
And its imposing
Brown peaks
Glaciers tucked in
Pristine waters flowing
Peaceful and serene
Abundance of
Natural beauty
Spectrum of
Himalayan landscape
Clouds in motion
Bring change in scenery
Moving over
Mountain tops
Casting shadows
On the green valleys

Seated at Echo Point
Soaking in the beauty
Of the distant mountains
I bellow out a word
Then wait expectantly
For the echo
To reverberate
From the distance
Faithfully!

Blue Sky, White Clouds

I'm watching many more skies at Skywatch Friday.
Go have a look, and participate in the fun.
~~~

A small part of the 2,400 kms of our planet's highest mountain range, the Himalayas, as seen from two states in India.

Valley of Flowers
Uttarakhand

Manali
Himachal Pradesh

Down Home

Go visit My World.
It is a place where you show others the area around you and become a virtual tourist guide.

~~~

Manali, Himachal Pradesh

I hide...
I peek, and smile...
I pose...
I share a secret....
I listen...

Yellow Line

Go visit

because life could be better with a splash of Yellow.

~~~

Manali, Himachal Pradesh

~~~

I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow
~ Coldplay

Reminiscing on 2007 Travels - Part I

The Year 2007 has been a good year for me, particularly as far as my travels are concerned.

Since June 2007, I also started blogging about my travels within India.

So, in addition to my travels to Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia, during the latter part of December 2006 that lasted till January 2007, that I did not blog about here (as I've restricted this space for my India travels only), I also travelled to the following places:

Mumbai (Feb, Sept)

Juhu Beach, Mumbai

Matheran (Feb)

Horses of Matheran

Jaipur (July)

City Palace, Jaipur

Manali (July)

A street scene, Manali

I must mention here what I call has been "the best road journey" that I've experienced, i.e., the journey from Manali to Leh, which deserved a full separate posting for its awesome scenic beauty of the majestic Himalayan mountains as I wrote in Incredible India Indeed. To think that I've lost my pictures of this impressive journey, including the sleepover in the tents of Sarchu, makes me all the more determined to undertake such a trip again as soon as possible, and I shall do that, preferably with two stop-overs next time, most likely in Keylong valley and Sarchu in the Himalayas.


Leh (July)

View of Leh from a mountain top

Ladakh (July) including:
- Chang La

On the way to Pangong Lake at the border of China

- Thiksey

Thiksey Monastery

- Nubra Valley including:
* Khardung Village
* Panamik
* Hundar
* Khardung Pass

The Karakoram range in the far distance as seen from Khardung-La,

supposedly the highest motorable road in the world

Delhi (July, Dec)

Partial view of the Parliament

Bangalore (Jan, Sept, Dec)

Jamia Masjid on Commercial Street

Kerala (Sept)

Aboard the houseboat (called Kettuvellam, in Malayalam), North Kerala

Goa (Dec)

Picturesque Goa

Mangalore and the places around it (Jan, July, Sept, Dec)

A shot from Mangalore shores

That's Part I of my travels of 2007. I shall post a few pictures covering my travels last month to part of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in the post to follow as 2007 Travels - Part II.

To Himachal..again.

It is now time to throw in a few clothes and bare essentials in my backpack and take a flight to Delhi. Once there, I intend to head to HP and J&K as soon as possible.

I found some pictures taken about 8 years back using an ordinary camera around the misty outskirts of Shimla. The pictures here, of course, do not do justice to the actual beauty of the place. Not that my pictures turn out great today, but sometimes *sigh* I wish I were a good photographer; nevertheless, I am a happy person clicking away to glory.

The greenery I see looks refreshing. It's lovely to recollect the good times. This time, with a simple digicam, I am setting out to Manali and Leh, Ladakh and if possible, beyond.

I have a few things in my mind right now that I would have liked to write on this blog. However this much needed break I am taking will mean a 'netless' life which is sure to do me a whole load good. I shall return with a fresher body, mind and spirit and post more upon return. Till then, everyone, hold the floor. ;)