Cut Out Of A Mountain: The Ancient Theater In Myra, Turkey
March 22, 2011 by Anil P.
Filed under Pictures and Video, Travel Journal
The ancient Lycian city of Myra and this theater (later converted by the Romans into a stadium for gladiator fights), is a short 20 minute walk from Santa Claus’s church. I visited both on Christmas Day (December 25th) expecting to see large crowds at either site, only to find one or two tour groups meandering around. Many will be drawn to see Santa, but ancient Myra is really what makes the trip to the Turkish town of Demre worth a visit (and 10 Turkish lira entrance).
You’ll notice this area was clearly Lycian, an ancient group of peoples with a knack for carving rock tombs (like those in Fethiye). Depending on your fondness of ancient ruins however, it can be a relatively short trip, unless you’re the sort like me who likes climbing in and through ancient ruins. Ancient Myra had more of an impact on me than St. Nicholas’ (very hyped) church in Demre though. Perhaps following in his footsteps is simply more interesting than looking at where he rested his legs.
You can see a bit more of Myra’s ruins that are cut right into the rock in my gallery here.
The Address Downtown Building In Dubai At An Angle
March 15, 2011 by Anil P.
Filed under Pictures and Video, Travel Journal
I arrived in the United Arab Emirates and Dubai after visiting Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman to find a city where everything is jumbo-sized. They don’t do anything small in Dubai, making even ‘The Address Downtown Dubai’ hotel and apartment complex look rather tiny. That’s because The Address Downtown Dubai is situated across the from Burj Khalifa, which happens to be the world’s tallest building (828 meters or 2,717 feet).
The Address Downtown Dubai is currently the city’s 11th tallest structure and is elegantly lit up in the evenings. The area around it is home to the Dubai Mall where in the evenings (particularly Friday night) it’s cafes are teeming with people lounging, laughing, and drinking coffee past midnight. I also encountered a small Arab rock band giving a concert on a nearby stage that had been set up.
If you’re headed to Dubai, there’s an overwhelming chance you’ll also end up in this area during your stay. Keep in mind that the line for taxis is absolutely insane with a minimum 45 minute wait on a crowded night. Best to leave early (before 9pm) or stay until the crowds dissipate closer to 1am – don’t worry though, there’s probably enough coffee to hold you over.
You can see more of my pictures from Dubai in the gallery here.
A Taste Of Morocco In Qatar: Lentil Soup At Tagine In Souk Waqif, Doha
March 1, 2011 by Anil P.
Filed under Food, Pictures and Video, Travel Journal
Tajine is a very popular restaurant in the modern Souk Waqif – one of the beating hearts of Doha, Qatar. It seems like all roads lead to the souk (luckily for me since I got lost quite a few times) and has an obvious Arab market flair. That is, despite most of the buildings set up like a decorated strip mall. Souk Waqif has a variety of shops selling clothes and jewelry but what you really want to do here is eat.
The spread of select international cuisine is impressive. Aside from Qatari food, there are restaurants from places like Iraq, Yemen, and Nepal – many of which are open 24 hours. You’ll find many people simply lounging into the late night hours, drinking coffee and puffing on shisha, with the occasional sounds of Qatari folk music in the background.
You can see more of Souk Waqif and the rest of Doha, Qatar in my album here.
Photos From Boras, Sweden
September 28, 2010 by Anil P.
Filed under Pictures and Video, Site News, Travel Journal
According to the website ranking authority Alexa, foXnoMad is most popular (relatively speaking) in the Swedish city of Boras. For this fact alone I decided to stop in the city last August while traveling between Gothenburg east to Boxholm, Sweden. I was expecting a tiny, quiet town but discovered Boras to be very cosmopolitan and delightfully active. These are a few pictures from around Boras, a city of 64,000, located 60 kilometers east of Gothenburg.
Boras Tingsratt (District Court)
Perhaps appropriately, there was a political demonstration in the square right in front of the Boras Tingsratt.
Knallen Statue By Arvid Knoppel
This statue, whose name means “bang”, stands at the entrance to one of the busier cafe streets in Boras; although a dog shortly before this picture didn’t think so. (Either that or he liked it so much he decided to mark it as his own.)
Caroli Church
As seen from a distance, the Caroli Church – the oldest building in Boras.
Svenska Handelsbanken
There is nothing exceptional about this branch of Handelsbanken, one of Scandinavia’s largest banks, except for the lovely exterior. You’ll find 460 other branches in Sweden alone.
“Declination” By Tony Cragg
One of the many pieces of artwork you’ll find throughout Boras.
Boras was legally brought into existence by the Swedish King Gustav II Adolf who also happened to found Gothenburg back in the early 1600s. Perhaps it’s the fact that Boras is Sweden’s version of Silicon Valley (among others Ericsson is headquartered there) or the diverse population that made me connect so much with this Swedish city. They obviously have good taste in travel blogs (if I do say so myself) and Boras is a city I could see myself living out at some point, despite the dreadful exchange rate.
You can see a bit more from Boras in my gallery here.
Earl (49)
Deniz (12)
Maureen (12)
Audrey (11)
Dan (11)
Someday I'll Be T... (11)