Taronda Zoo ,Sydney

Taronga Zoo is just 12 minutes from the city by ferry, with breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour and free shows and keeper talks throughout the day.

There are plenty happening at Taronga Zoo. There are over 4000 animals.20 keeper talks and shows a day, tours,concerts & events.There is always a new reason to visit Taronda Zoo.

This is one of the Sydney's most famous attraction and is home for 4000 animals.These 4000 animals includes endangered species, as well as very rare animals.

This






A good day out, starting with a ferry ride past the bridge.Then a cable car with a wonderful panorama of the bay and all there is to see.
On the hot day it was bonus that it was all down hill seemed to be a lot larger than first appeared.We had traveled around west ,south and central Australia but had not seen a wombat.Taking photos of White Lion and Giraffes were  highlight of our day with a back drop of the bridge.







With 180 degree uninterrupted views of Sdyney Harbour , Taronga Zoo provides a pictureque backdrop and unique setting that is guaranteed to make any event truely memorable. Wether it be a weeding ,coporate event, society fundraiser, or without a doubt one of Sydney's top locatios to welcome in the New Year.
The Taronga Centre is a unique place venue that is guaranteed to please.








Divided into eight zoogeographical regions, the 21 hectare Taronga Zoo is home for over 4000 animals of 340 species.It has a zoo shop, a cafe and information centre.

Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is a masterpiece of human creative genius and a daring and visionary experiment that has an enduring influence on the emergent architecture of the late 20th century.

Designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon , the building was formally opened on 20 October 1973.




The two main halls are arranged side by side, with their long axes , sightly inclined from each other.
The glass walls are a special feature of the building, constructed according to the modified design by Utzon's successor architect.


The vaulted roof shells were designed by Ulzon in collaboration with internationally reowned engineers Ove Arup & Patners with the final shapes of the shells derived from the surface of the single imagined sphere.The glass walls are a special feature of the building, constructed according to the modified design by Utzon's successor architect.



                     
                                                  Sydney Opera House inside view

The history is as controversial as its design.In 1956 the New South Wales Government called an open-ended international design competition and oppointed an independent jury, rather than commissioning a local film.

The main requirement of the compition berif was a design fortwo performance halls, one for Opera and one for symphony concerts.



                                   
                                                  Studio inside the Sydney Opera House


The design solution and construction ofthe shells took over three years.The project was not helped by the changes to the brief.

The design and the construction of the shell structure took 8 years to complete and the development of the special ceramic tiles took 3 years.





Concert halls has 2679 seats , the home of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and used by a large number of other presenters.
It contains the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ, the largest mechenical traker action organ in the world . It has nearly 10000 pipes.

Joan Sutherland Theatre has 1507 seats.Until 16th October it was known as Opera Theatre.

Drama Theatre has 544 seats, used by Sydney Theatre Company and the other dance and theatrical presenters.

Playhouse has an end stage theatre with 398 seats.

Studio has a maximum capacity of 400.

Recording Studio

Outdoor Forecourt: A flexible open air venue with a wide range of confriguation options, including the possibilities of utilizing the Monumental Steps as audience seating , used for a range of community events and major outdoor performances.

Harbour Bridge ,Sydney

Opened in 1932 ,this majestic structure spans the harbour at the one of its narrowest points.The best way to exprience the bridge is on foot- don't expect much of a view of crossing by car or a train.Climb the stairs , stairs are from the both shores, leading to a footpath running the length of the eatern side.




The total weight of the steel works of the bridge , including the arch and approch spans , is 52,800 toones ,with arch itself weighing 39000 tones. About 79% steel was impoted from England. The contractors set up two works shops at Milsons point, at the site of the present day Luna Park, and fabricated the steel into the girders and other required parts.


If you are capable of walking in one direction , I suggest you start on the North Sydney and heads towards city.The way you will have the best views right in front of you(Opera House and circular Quay) as you walk forward.






Then grab a coffee on the Rocks of Circular Quay.

Either sunrise or sunsetis the most appropriate for photographs compared to the harshness of the middle of the day.

Sunrise would be the best time as you are not only looking at the sun rising in the sky.

Some facts that you rarely know about The bridge:


* The bridge was formally openedon Saturday , 19 March 1932.

* 85 year old Lloyd Poulton has done the climb 50 times.

* The arch submit is around 172 m high above the sea level.

Aga Khan Palace , Pune

If you visit Pune , you must visit the Aga Khan palace because its the only one of its kind.




The Aga Khan Palace was built by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III in Pune, really a big name.But what to do in 1892 all the persons have this type of name.This palace is one of the biggest landmarks in the Indian History.






The Palace was an act of charity by the Sultan who wanted to help poor in the neighbouring areas of Pune.


The building comprises five halls.It covers an area of 19 acres.The palace captivates the eye of a spector with its magnificence and pictureque architecture.
It tooks 5years to built and an estimated budget was 1.2 million Indian Ruppees.

Aga Khan  donated this Palace to Ghandhi Smarak Samittee in 1972 and since then parks andgardens organisation are maintaining it.








The following functions have been celebrated throught the year at the Palace:

1. Martyr's Day : 30 January
2. Mahashivratri : Kasturba Ghandhi death celebrated as Mother's Day.
3. Independence Day : 15 August 

4. Republic Day : 26 January

5. Mahatma Ghandhi's Birth Aniversary : 2 October.

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Lakshmi Road,Pune

Busiest area in Pune for shopping. You will get variety of fashion accessories over here, let it be shop or small vendors road side. This road is divided virtually in sections like automobile accessories, machine tools, hardware, cloths & jewellery . 
Small eateries like  Paratha House, Kaware cold drinks, Adatya Veg restaurant, R bhagat Tarachand are famous.
It is adivasble to use auto/cab to reach here, parking is a major issue 
Famous Tulshibaugh area lies on this road.





One of the longest commercial streets in Pune, it snakes through the older and seedier parts of the city. It is famous for publishing houses like Nirali and Manali Prakashan. The road is famous for its variety of ready made shops which attract shoppers from all over the city. 

The road is the venue for Laxmi puja during the festival of Diwali. After the puja, shopkeepers of the road light fire works as a mark of celebration. This road is worth visiting during the Ganpati festival, Ganesh immersion processions pass through this road every year to the Mula Mutha river. There are many old and famous educational institutions in and around this road like Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya (NMV High School), HujurPaga (HHCP) Girls' School.

At the last best place for your shopping.

Mulshi Lake and Dam ,Lonavala

Mulshi is the name of a major dam on the Miula river.Its just an hour from Pune ,cool breeze, no pollution, great village food,ideal for families to destress & get together.



Water from the dam is used for irrigation as well as for producing electricity at the Bhira hydroelectric power plant ,operated by Tata Power.

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Wax Museum , Lonavala

An interesting attempt to mix celebs from India and around the world to keep their audience interested.

Some status are very realistic.

See the images downstairs.

Lonavala

Lonavala is a popular hill station at a height of 625 mt above the sea level in the western region of the state Maharashtra. The expanse of this exquisite hill station is about 38 sq km. Lonavala, located by Sir Elphinstone, the then Governor of Bombay Presidency in 1871, derived its name from a Sanskrit word Lonavli means caves. The plenty of caves like Bhaja Caves, Bedsa caves and Karla Caves brought the name Lonavala to the city. 

Lonavala is a romantic gateway from the hustle and bustle of the crowded metropolitan life in Mumbai and Pune. This hill station forms a part of breathtaking Sahyadri hills and is a perfect location for hiking and trekking. The place is bestowed with many historical forts, ancient caves and wonderful serene lakes. Lonavala offers panoramic views of Deccan plateau on one side and the Konkan coast on the other. 





Lonavala offer all luxurious facility to the tourists. Many ancient model resorts, most modern architectural luxurious holes and eye catching scenic attractions all make this place a grandeur spot for holiday vacations. Cool climate, serene ambience and all facilities for secluded stay are the great offers of this natural gift.

Budget:                 Rs. 5000  
                               Rs. 4000
                               Rs. 3000
                                  

Vellore Fort,Vellore

The fort is situated in the centre of the Vellore city.
It was built in year 1566 AD. The architecture of this fort is amazing as it cover over 133 acres of land and a river flowing through. The view from the upper side of the fort is awesome. f you are in Vellore it will be one o the best place to visit in Vellore.





The fort houses a Temple, a Mosque , a Church and a renowned Vellore Christian Hospital.
There is a museum inside the fort and opens daily a 9:00 a.m to 12:30 p.m. and in afternoon 2:00 p.m till evening 5:00.The fees for the museum is INR 5/-.












 For more: What to do and where to go if you have only 1 day in Vellore?

Panshet Dam, Pune

Panshet Dam is a dam on the Ambi river about 50 km southwest of the city of Pune.

1039 m about 1 km in length and 61 m in depth, this dam provides water in Pune throughout the year. The volumn of the dam is 4190 cu km.





The history of this dam is scaring. On the date 12 July 1961, this dam was burst while storing water for the first time.This was because of the mandatory reinforced cement concrete strengthening, causing massive flooding in Pune.
An estimate of 1000 people died.



But now Panshet Dam is calm, a place to relax with the long beauty of the water.A huge lake is near the dam with good boating facilites.
There are many hotels and resorts at the waking distance from the dam if you plan to stay and is very affordable.
Local Pune food + all types of food, restaurant are all at the walking distance.  

There is Panshet water sports or Panshet Water Park center also.



Parshet Lake is one of the famous picnic spot of Pune. Visitors come from Mumbai tosee the lake.The lake is made because of the backwater from the Panshet Dam; form the dam, tourists can see the Sahyadri mountains.

Bhuleshwar Temple,Pune

Bhuleshwar is a Hindu Temple or Shiva ,situated around 45 km from Pune. The temple is situated on the hill and was built in the 13 century.




There are classical carvings on the wall.It has been declared as a protected monument.



Many birds migrate here to Narayanbet , which is 15 km from here, during summer.
The spot is hence visited by many bird-watchers.
There are many places to visit around Bhuleshwar temple, like Theur Ganapati Mandir,Jejuri Temple, Ramdara Temple.





Really very interesting place to visit, looks like Moria from 'Lord of the Rings'.Its a pity so many statues there are destroyed.

Sinhagad Fort, Pune

Sinhagad is a fortless located roughly 30 km southwest of the city of Pune.The fort has been the site of many important battles, most notably the Battle of Sinhagad in 1671.









It is situated on a hill rising 700meters above sea level.Giving natural protection by its steep slopes, the walls and bastions were constructed at only key places; it has two gates - the Kalyan Darwaza in the south east and the Pune Darwaza in the north east.



There is a steep and narrow two lane road from the base of the fort to the top. Also we have to pay vechile toll at the base of the fort to continue your journey to the top.




The route from either side of the fort can be covered in around anhour, however it gets slippery in the rainy season.Shared taxi services to the base as well as the topof the mountains are also available.

This fort has an awesome history , you can read that on wiki.




The fort also houses a television tower for broadcasting local TV signals.Currently some not much well constructed rooms and bungalows are available for staying at the top.
Non veg food, alcohol ,and smoking prohibited at the fort.

You must visit once to see the deep history of India.

Malshej Ghats, Pune

Malshej ghat is situated in Pune district near the borders of Thane and Ahmednagar districts. It is at a distance of 154 km from south Mumbai towards northeast and 130 km north of Pune. The nearest railhead is Kalyan near Mumbai. To go to Malshej ghat by road from Mumbai, take NH3 to Bhiwandi and turn towards Murbad or take state highway via Kalyan, Murbad, Saralgaon and Vaishakhare to reach the ghat. To go to Malshej ghat from Pune, take NH50 (Pune-Nasik highway), turn left at Narayangaon and pass through Junar. State Transport buses are cheaper and available from Kalyan, Karjat and Pune at regular intervals.









Carry your own food and water not much is available and option are limited to sweet corn on weekdays. You can also visit Naneghat by car its a awesome drive though the roads are bad about 30 kms before Naneghat so hired transport guys don't come you would need your own car or bike to reach there. You can also trek till Naneghat an sign board is easily visible before Malshej starts.




Malshej is a must visit place in rains specially on heavy rainfall days the water cascading of the high hills is a sight. Waterfalls spring up everywhere it is windy and cold so carry a rain jacket if you are shivery types. 



MTDC Resort is good cheap place to stay book well in advance other options are there after Malshej Ghat ends which are also ok.
I have always chosen weekday to visit and found it completely empty nowadays cops are patrolling and have setup check nakas at various exits and points to check for liquor carrying tourist etc though they are ineffective and looking for an quick bribe.






Please avoid visiting on weekends many drunk groups come in hired car and create a scene you cant really enjoy the waterfalls if you have women companion you will have to be extra careful.




Malshej ghat, with average height of 700 mts is situated in Pune district near the borders of Thane and Ahmednagar districts. It is at a distance of 130 km north of Pune and 154 km from Mumbai towards northeast.This is good spot for the visiting in the rainy seasons. Very nice water falls post 2-3 rains in the season. Very nice greenery at all the nearby places. Nature has that beautiful, you will come to know when you visit this place, it seems to be near to cloudy. Over all a really awesome experience.