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Kolkata: City of Joy

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Kolkata can be a shock to first-time visitors. The sheer size of the city (second only to Mumbai in population) can be viscerally overwhelming. With over fifteen million inhabitants and multitudes of visitors, the traffic, noise, and crowds take some getting used to. The only international airport in the region is in Kolkata, making it a starting point for visitors heading elsewhere and adding to the congestion in the streets. However, Kolkata has its own beauty and there are numerous reasons to explore the city’s many attractions.

Historic sites abound in this ancient city. Forts, monuments, palaces and temples offer insights into Kolkata’s rich culture and history. There are numerous galleries and museums for those seeking an artistic and cultural view of the city’s heritage. Kolkata is known as the capital of the arts in India and has produced countless poets, film makers, writers, and artists of all kinds.

The contrasts of the city are ever-present. Here you’ll find luxurious five star Kolkata hotels as well as the Mother Theresa of Calcutta Center. The city has modern shopping malls as well as traditional bazaars. Spirituals centers and places of worship as well as trendy clubs and boutiques. Traditional Bengali dishes can be found everywhere from street vendors to fine dining restaurants while the latter also offer contemporary fusion cusines.

During colonial times, Kolkata was the capital of India and known by the Anglicized spelling of Calcutta. The spelling was changed officially in 2001.

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Malaysia International Gourmet Festival

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Kuala Lumpur is home to the annual Malaysia International Gourmet Festival. The city is the fastest expanding metropolis in the area as well as the Malyasian capital. Tourism is an ever-growing industry in Kuala Lumpur and more and more visitors are coming to the city to attend the Gourmet Festival.

From its humble beginnings in 2001 when thirteen restaurants participated in the KL International Gourmet Festival, to the month-long event highlighting twenty-five of the best restaurants in the country. In 2006 the event was renamed the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival to reflect its larger scope. The MIGF is usually held in November.

In 2001 there were only a handful of fine dining restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. The city was famous for its hawker stands offering various street foods and the local restaurants serving traditional Malaysia and Asian cuisines. The Festival wanted to call attention to the fine dining that was available and increase interest in diners to explore gourmet cuisine. Restaurants work together during the festival, putting aside their usual competitiveness. In addition to special Festival menus at the chosen restaurants, the Festival hands out awards to encourage excellence in fine dining and to inspire culinary careers. The Festival also offers cooking classes and special appearances by celebrity chefs.

Of course, the restaurants that participate in the Festival are open year-round, so those who visit KL in other months can still sample some of the award-winning foods and visit participating restaurants. There are a number of 5 star hotels in Kuala Lumpur with restaurants that are part of the event as well as stand-alone establishments.

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Chennai Travel

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Founded by in the 17th century, Chennai was once known as Madras. Chennai serves as the capital city of Tamil Nadu and is the fourth most populus metropolitan area in India. While the legacy of British colonialism remains, Chennai has blossomed into a modern and energetic city and a cultural and industrial center for the sub-continent.

Chennai’s cultural heritage is built on many different ethnicities and nations, not just British and Tamil. The city is home to a variety of religions and visitors will find beautiful mosques, temples, and churches of most faiths throughout Chennai. However, the city is known as a center for Tamil arts and culture. Chennai is proud of its Tamil dance, music, literature, arts and history. It is also home to Kollywood, which produces over 150 Tamil language films every year and is the second largest film industry in India. The world’s largest cultural event, the Madras Music Season, is held every winter in Chennai and features Indian music, dance, and theater.

Here you’ll find beach resorts, 5 star hotels Chennai, and a variety of lodgings in both traditional and modern styles. Restaurants throughout the city feature amazing Tamil cuisines as well as foods from other regions of India. And the shopping ranges from traditiona bazaars and markets to designer shops and modern malls. In Chennai you can buy anything from traditional jewelery, crafts, and antiques to modern electonic devices and designer labels clothing.

Other attractions that are popular with visitors include the National Art Gallery, Guindy Naitonal park, the Vandalur Zoo, the Botanical Garden, a water park, theaters, and many beaches.

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The Museums of Bangkok

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Exotic Bangkok is the social and political center of Thailand and the economic capital of most of southeast Asia. This cosmopolitan city is home to great food, incredible shopping, world class restaurants and a number of five star Bangkok hotels. Visitors will find much to see and do in this global city with a strong and rich cultural heritage.

While more popularly known for its entertainment and food, Bangkok boasts a number of wonderful musuems and historic sites. The National Museum is housed in a former palace of the second king. It features artifacts and art from Thailand and the surrounding region and celebrates the country’s cultural heritage. The complex also includes several throne halls, the National Theatre and colleges of Fine Arts and Dramatic Arts. The National Gallery exhibits works from traditional Thai artists as well as contemporary works. It also houses oil paintings created by the King of Thailand.

The Children’s Discovery Museum can be found inside Queen Sirikit Park and is dedicated to providing a pleasurable learning experience for Thai children. Completed in 2001, the Museum encompasses three exhibition buildings and an open-air activity area. It features exhibits as wells as hands-on activities to expose children to science, culture, and nature.

To get an overview of the history of Thailand, its people, and its culture from prehistoric times to the present, the Thai Life Permanent Exhibition Hall is the place to go. Part of the Thailand Cultural Center, The Exhibition Hall covers five areas: Thai Language and Literature, the Evolution of the Thai Nation, Important Achievements and Events in Thai Society, Rice and the Thai Way of Life, and Thailand and the World. The House of Museums houses a collection of items used by villagers and townspeople in their daily lives. Artifacts include books, toys, household items, and kitchen utensils from both traditional households and modern life. The Jim Thompson museum offers a collection of traditional Thai-style houses combined into one building. It also houses a collection of priceless Asian art.

Other museums of note include the King Prajadhipok Museum, the Sunthorn Museum, the Museum of Buddhism Art, and the Science Centre for Education.
Some of the more specialized museums in Bangkok include the Bangkok Doll Museum, the Museum of Thai Pharmacy, the Rare Stone Museum, the Royal Barge National Museum, and the State Railway Hall of Fame. The Bank of Thailand Museum, the Philatelic Museum and Library, the Thai Labour Museum, and the The Press Museum are also worth investigating. The Siriraj Museum houses smaller museums of anatomy, medicine, and related fields while the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre pulls together anthropological research and artifacts from throughout the region.

Other historical sites of interest in Bangkok include the Ancient City, Anantasamakhom Throne Hall, the Vimanmek Mansion Museum, and the Suan Pakkad Palace.

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