Baltimore

After our visit to Hershey’s chocolate world on 2^nd day of our long weekend we planned for Baltimore.

Baltimore is the largest city of Maryland State of US. Its harbor and inner harbor is main attraction for tourist. We reached to Baltimore around 1 PM and then we headed to National aquarium but the earliest slot we manage to get the tickets is of 5:00 PM. All earlier slots were full.

We were still having 3 and half hour in our hand to spend. First we decided to satisfy our stomach. We went to Chipotle (Mexican cuisine restaurant) and had our lunch. After that we just decided to take walk on harbor.

Harbor was crowded as most of the attractions are located nearby. Cruise ride, Pedal boats, Ripley’s believe it or not, Dinning, malls everything is there.

If you want to cover main attractions of Baltimore then you can take Baltimore Heritage walk which is heritage trail that links 20 historic sites and museums. This is round walk so you can start it from National aquarium and end it again there. When you are walking on this trail you will notice that ‘Heritage walk’ is printed on ground in number of languages. It also includes Hindi language which says ‘Virasat ki Padyatra’. We did not take the entire walk but covered the U.S.S Constellation Museum where you can visit historic ships, World Trade Center which is the tallest regular pentagonal building in the world. It has observation deck on 27^th floor, called as “Top of the World”, provides 360 degree view of city. These are the two attractions located in Inner Harbor then Heritage trail will lead you in the city for other sites but we skipped that.

We then visited the visitor information center of Baltimore and thought of taking rest. We could see lots of Indians wearing proper traditional dresses like Dhoti-Kurta, Ladies wearing rich sarees. We thought of some function must be there and then we saw the Rath Yatra of ISKON group in the busy street of Baltimore. Rathyatra was led by US and Indian flag. People were following those flags and enchanting ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’.

Inner Harbor also has small amphi theater where one small girl was entertaining people with her gymnastic skills. From Inner harbor, you will also see Federal Hill Park, which gives a fabulas panoramic view of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. You have to climb a bit for that but it’s worth of taking efforts.

It was almost 5 PM and it’s time to head towards aquarium. Aquarium has number of exhibits which will take your more than 2 hrs. I liked the most in aquarium is Shark Alley which were showcasing number of Shark’s species, Jellies Invasion and Dolphin Discovery. All can see the dolphins any time, for as long as they like, and enjoy interactions with the dolphin team, including dolphin training, feeding times, enrichment, and play activities.

Its good place to spend your day and I believe if we would have taken Heritage walk we might have explored about city lot. After our aquarium visit we headed towards Ocean City.

 

Hershey's Chocolate World

Hershey’s
This long week end we decided to head Cape Cod but weather flopped our plan. Weather forecast for all the weekend was rainy and Cape Cod is mostly famous for beach so we thought of no point going to Cape Cod and we planned for Hershey’s

Hershey is situated near Harrisburg in Dauphin County of Pennsylvania state of US. There are number of point of interest in Hershey like Hershey Chocolate world, Hershey Theme Park, Hershey Stadium. We decided to visit Hershey Chocolate world.

We started early morning from our house (Jersey City) and reached to Hershey Park at around 2 PM. Chocolate Park’s attraction mainly include Free Chocolate tour ride, Chocolate Tasting adventure, 4D show, Trolley Works and Factory work experience. You can choose any combo you want. I was more interested to go for 4D show. We all decided to take 4D show and Tasting adventure and of course free chocolate ride.

Chocolate 4D show:-

The 4D show is really awesome and nice. Plot of the show is Hershey’s Factory has intruder in night and three famous characters which are Kisses, Reese and Hershey of Hershey’s are trying to solve that mystery. The story is not that interesting but the effects are really great and you will enjoy it. Its must watch show.

 Free Chocolate Ride:-

This ride is also nice and anyways it’s free so why to miss it. This ride will take you through all the chocolate making process which begins in some jungle from where you get coco and it concludes with free sample of Hershey chocolate bar in your hand. Just seat in one small toy car and in 15 minutes you will be taken through all the chocolate making process. When you are in ride it also captures your picture which you can purchase at the end of ride if you want.

Chocolate tasting adventure:

This goes for a half hour. You will get 5 pieces of chocolates and small bottle of water. Here you will learn the art of chocolate tasting. You will not bite it or chew it, you will let it melt in your mouth and enjoy the real taste of chocolates. It concludes with graduation certificate which certified that you are graduated from Hershey’s chocolate university. At the end you will also get big Hershey’s chocolate bar

You also have, Make you own candy attraction and Hershey trolley works, which we skipped. For kids, small 2 minute attraction where they pack on their own some Hershey’s kisses which again can be purchased at the end.
The rest of the chocolate world contains the various shops selling souvenirs, chocolates. You also have food court, ice cream shop in here.
Its nice experience and great enjoyment.

 

Amboli

Amboli is one of the Hill station in Sahyadri ranges situated near Sawantwadi in Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra. I had read a lot about this hill station in newspapers that it’s beautiful, charming and pleasant during monsoon, so this monsoon we school mate planned for Amboli a two days trip.

We started our journey from Panvel by train on Friday night around 1 AM. It was around 10 hrs journey. For us it was first time that we were travelling through train for such long journey with friends. We all decided to enjoy this journey and did not go to sleep. We all took our seat in upper births letting other people relax in lower births, took out cards and started our game, almost played for couple of hours then finally decided to lets sleep because we should save our energy for next 2 days. Around 3 AM everyone went to bed but one friend still doing prank by messaging and giving miss call to others but eventually all went asleep. I used to get up whenever train was taking halt at any station.  Around 5:30 AM our train reach to Chiplun. Slowly sky also started to become bright, first from black to twilight then reddish. Our train crossing mountain after mountains through tunnels, it was good scenic through train. Greenery, waterfalls, rice farms with full of water. When our train reached to Rajapur station we all get down on platform to stretch our legs little bit. Station was not quite big, just one platform beside one mountain and also small waterfall flowing through that mountain. Still we had couple of hours in our hand till we reach destination so we again started our Mendhicoat game, this time all people were awake by the time also taking interest in our game.

Around 9:45 AM train reached to our destination that is Kudal Staion. We bid adieu to the fellow neighbour passengers and boarded ourselves on Kudal Platform. We had already booked a private vehicle to pick us from station, we dialled our cab driver and he was alredy there waiting outside to receive us. We all quickly settled in cab and our next phase of journey which is Kudal to Amboli started. It hardly took us 3-4 minutes to come out of Kudal city and our cab took Mumbai-Goa raod. Konkan roads are awesome during rainy seasons due to greenery, roadside farms and rivers with full of water. We stopped our cab beside one river to enjoy the nature.

Amboli ghat was not too dangerous to drive. Ghat was quite enjoyable as small water stream flowing through mountains. When we reach on enough height the view was too good, one side Mountain and other side deep valley, we all were capturing this monsoon beauty through our eyes and saving in our memory. After few more distance, road was completely covered by fog, visibility was also too low.

When we reach to almost Amboli, we welcomed by Amboli’s main waterfall. It was awesome, People were enjoying in that fall, I wanted to go in that fall right there but we all were tired due to overnight journey and though of getting freshened first and come back. Few meters ahead Sunset point was their but we all know that due to so much of foggy weather we will not be able to see it.  After 1 and half hour journey from Kudal we reached to our resort. We then checked in to the resort and relaxed and getting freshens up for sightseeing.

Amboli waterfall

waterfall in Rajapur Staion

Panhala

After Jyotiba we headed towards the Panhala fort. It was one of the important forts which were under rule of Maratha Empire’s King Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji captured this fort in 1959 but In May 1660, to win back the fort from Shivaji, Adil Shah of Bijapur sent his army under the command of Siddi Johar to lay siege to Panhala. Shivaji fought back and they could not take the fort. The siege continued for 4 months, at the end of which all provisions in the fort were exhausted and Shivaji was on the verge of being captured.

Under these circumstances, Shivaji decided that escape was the only option. He gathered a small number of soldiers along with his trusted commander Baji Prabhu Deshpande andthey escaped in the dead of night to flee to Vishalgad. Baji Prabhu and a barber, Shiva Kashid, who looked like Shivaji, kept the enemy engaged, giving them an impression that Shiva Kashid was actually Shivaji. In the ensuing battle at ghodkhind which later on named as Pavwankhind, almost three quarters of the one thousand strong force died, including Baji Prabhu himself. The fort went to Adil Shah. It was not until 1673 that Shivaji could occupy it permanently.

Panhala is also famous for the hill station in Maharashtra. It is again situated around 19 Kms from Kolhapur. When you enter in Panhala you can see the statue of greate Baji Prabhu Deshpande. Statue has been given a aggressive look with bajiprabhu is in middle of war and swords in his both hands. Panhala fort also has statue of Shiva Kashid.

The other things to visit on Panhala fort are Andhar bawadi, Kalwanticha Mahal, Ambarkhana, Dharma Kothi, Teen Darwaja and Sajja Kothi. Sajja Kothi has good view of surrounding as it is the top most point on fort. We spent our evening nearby Sajja Kothi and end our day.

Jyotiba

Jyotiba also known as Kedareshwar which is holy site for Hinduism. It is situated 17 km from Kolhapur on one of the Sahyadri hills. From Kolhapur it took around half an hour to reach there and as we have been told already, queue for temple was quite long. The temple was fully covered by Pink colour Gulal. We stand in queue but it was not long wait as queue was moving forward very fast. One of the devotees used to chant loudly for Jyotiba by saying Jyotibachya navan changbhala and others also used to join in chanting. Within a half hour we took the darshan of Jyotiba. The idol of jyotiba is very nice, built in blak stone and when you see it all the attraction goes into Jyotiba’s Eyes. They are having kind of angry but caring look. Head of Jyotiba is covered with traditional pheta and body is covered with traditional cloths. I saved that image in eyes and left the temple.

Karvirnagaricha Ferfatka

Kolhapur (Karvir) is the one of the important city of Maharashtra state which has hisotirc and traditional touch. Seat of Goddess Mahalakshmi and situated on the bank of Panchganga River. Maharani Tarabai formed her Maratha court in this city and the Rajashri Shahu Maharaj also ruled this city, mainly known for his social initiative.  Kolhapur is mostly famous for Misal (Maharashtrian dish), Tambda & Pandhara matnacha rassa (Saffron & white meat gravy), Kusti (folkstyle wrestling), leather foot wears (Kolhapuri Chappal), tikhat lal mirchi (Red chilly).

We planned to visit this city for second time in this summer. We started our journey early morning around at 4:30 AM to skip traffic and hot weather. On our entire journey we just took couple of halts. The NH 4 (Mumbai – Bangalore Highway) is very good and all main cities like Pune, Satara have bypasses, so no break to your speed. We entered in Kolhapur at 11:00 AM. When you enter in the city you can see the statue of Maharani Tarabai sitting on horse and sword in hands (Daughter in Law of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj & wife Chatrapati Rajaram).

We directly headed toward the Mahalakshmi temple (Ambabai Temple). Local guys helped out for directions. We parked our car in parking area and then took walk to Temple. We entered in Bhavani Mandap through big old time door. As you enter in Bhavani Mandap you will be greeted by statue Kolhapur Pehlwan (A wrester’s statue). After few steps you can see the temple. May be due to weekend or school vacations, Temple was having long queue. It took around an hour for the darshan to us, we were fortunate that when we entered in temple for darshan it was just Arati time and we attended the Arati. After Darshan we hanged out little bit in Bhavani mandap

Bhavani Mandap has Juna Rajwada (Old Palace) where we can find the statue of Shahu Maharaj. Few stuffed animals kept on dispaly beside statue of Maharaj which are actually hunted by him including a giant bison (who has achieved some spiritual importance considering the amount of saffron spread over it), Panthers, a pair of deer and few others.  After that we took walk in Bhavani mandap’s market.  Had Peru, Karvandas and lassi and then headed back to our car. Next we headed to Khasbag Kusti ground which is a very famous kusti ground. Ground is very big and can accommodate more than 25,000 spectators. Visit to this maidan during the Kusti will be an unforgettable experience.

Then we headed to Chandrakan Mandhare’s Kala Sangrahalay (Art Gallery) which got skipped from us during our earlier visit to this city. Chandrakant Mandhare is well known actor in Marathi film industry and worked in many superhits films like Sangtey Aika, Shivaji maharaj, Manache Pan. He has got many awards for his work. Besides acting he was also a good in Painting and powder shading. He has kept all his paintings in this art gallery which he donated to Government of Maharashtra.

We skipped New Palace and Rankala Lake this time as we had already visited this last time. It was already 3:00 PM and we still have to go Jyotiba (we heard in Mahalakshmi temple that Jyotiba also has long queue) and then for stay Panhala. We left the Kolhapur and headed towards Jyotiba

Skydiving (Final)

Our plane took off and reached at certain height and then one guy opened door of plane, My friend thought from here only we have to jump and it’s not much height but our instructor told it’s not for you, we are just 6000ft above one small jumper in us and he going to jump from here, and within a second one guy disappear from the plane, we both got more nervous. Plane door got closed and plane started taking more and more height. My instructor was showing me wrist watch which was displaying height we took. 10000, 11000, 11500 and then finally 13000 where our plane took steady state and started flying on similar height, Plane door got opened, solo jumpers geared up for jumps. They all wished us and one by one they all got disappear in the sky. My Instructor tied me well to himself and we both slide to the edge of the plane door, I saw first time out from the plane, I am seating with my both legs hanging outside the plane and arms crossed to my chest. Just imagine sitting on terrace of 4 story building with legs hanging to ground also scares a lot sometime and I was sitting on 13000ft height like that. It feels like I am in heaven where below me everywhere white cloud.
My instructor started counting one, two and Oh My god, I was flying, YIEPIEEEEEEEEEEEE, I was flying for the first time, It was really great, my speed was gradually increasing, I was enjoying each and every moment of it, I did not realise but my fear, nervousness ran off and it’s just happy and enjoyment, after 10 seconds my instructor started tapping me to shoulder, he tapped me one time more and I suddenly realise, it’s his first sign to change my body position in air, All instruction flushed out from my mind totally for a moment after jump. I made my position as instructed. I was going down so fast to the white floor, I saw my cameraman flying on little distance from me and he was taking my snaps, I gave some good pose to him in the air for snaps. My instructor then made this jump more enjoyable by taking 360 degree turn clockwise and then anticlockwise. Meantime we reached to the 6000ft height where instructor launched the parachute and it was break to our speed, after few settlement in that position instructor handed over the parachute control to me and gave some lessons how to navigate it. View of the earth was really amazing, we were cutting the distance gradually between ours and ground.
Instructor gave me final instructions of landing, my photographer was already there to shoot my landing, and we landed safely. It was great achievement to me, I landed in one piece. Before 10 minutes I was all nervous what going to happen and now all excited that yes I did it. My friend also landed safely back to me with her instructor. We both were happy and excited. Our instructor appreciated both of us. Next task was to call back home in India and tell them I jumped and I am safe :P
We were wishing we both could do it again and this time solo not tandem. I and my friend thank all the staff for their support and encouragement. We both received our jump certificate and we left the camp in happy mood. Three cheers for my friend because of her it all had happened.

Mayuresh