Yala national park safari

Yala NP is the most popular national park in Sri Lanka. No wonder why, we were there for about three hours and yet we saw amazing number of wildlife.  I have been to several African countries for Safaris so I did not expect much from Yala. But I was pleasantly surprised by both the landscapes and wildlife we encountered. Here are just some photos of the animals I took during this wonderful safari.
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Dickwella - a hidden Buddhist haven

Dickwella is just a small town to the South of Sri Lanka. It is not on a tourist map although there is quite interesting temple to visit. My local guide told me it is nothing special and that we should skip it to save time, but I insisted to stop there. A friend of mine told me it is a must to see it.
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Kinari Bazaar

Agra is one of the most visited cities in India with foreign and local tourists. Its glorious Taj Mahal is a must see for every tourist visiting this diverse country. Most of the people visit just Taj and Red fort, maybe Fatehpur Sikri on the way to Rajasthan. But there is a lot more to see in this touristy city. Read more

Buddhism in Kathmandu

Praying wheels at Swayambhunath stupa.
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…of the bears and tigers…

Last summer I was visiting Guilin, China. Since my flight was early in the morning I had some spare time and decided to visit Bear and Tiger Mountain Village (Guilin Xiongsen Bear and Tiger Mountain Villa). It is located on the way from the airport to the city. It is not difficult to find it because of its megalomaniac entrance. I was told that this is some kind of a conservation project where they rehabilitate tigers and Asiatic bears. The place is supposed to have more than 80 tigers, 200 bears, lions, snakes and other interesting animals as well. As a nature lover I was quite enthused to visit this place.

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The greatest monument to love

This photo doesn’t tell you much? Ha ha, read on…
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Koi fish soup?

Koi is Japanese word for Carp, a kind of freshwater fish. Koi fish are found in virtually every Chinese and Japanese garden where there is a pond. The gardens themselves are usually quite lifeless; paths, ponds, stones, stones, bridges, pavilions, stones… There are also some plants of course, but not as many as in Western gardens. You will find Bamboos, Magnolias, Gingkos, Lotuses, Pine trees,… To understand the philosophy of the gardens you must know the symbolism in almost every object placed within the garden. My personal opinion - very different, quite interesting, a bit dull. Fortunately there are throngs of Koi fish swimming around and they offer some great photo opportunities. Some of them grow very big, they look like lazy orange submarines. Read more

Pudong area, Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the most amazing cities I’ve ever been to. One of the things that fascinates me the most is definitely its modern architecture. Especially Pudong is futuristic and in the evening it is even more attractive. The Bund offers good opportunity for photography and there are always numerous photographers trying to capture these magnificent views. But usually the air is so humid and polluted, that it is impossible to see bright sky. This year I was there four times and only once I got lucky with weather conditions. It was a windy evening so it was difficult to get sharp photo, even with a tripod. Here is the photo from that night (it was in mid August): Read more

Istanbul - Charming city of the Orient

I visited Istanbul in the middle of October. It is a great time to experience this bustling city as it is the end of the peak tourist season. The weather is also pleasant with temperatures around 20-22 degrees Celsius. I thought five nights will be more than enough, but Istanbul has so much to offer, that a man could easily stay for two weeks.

Here are the photos and some useful tips what to do in Istanbul. Read more