Page 178 - Hospitality Recreation
Gunmen attack Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul
At least four gunmen have launched an attack on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, Afghan officials say.
Mumbai set to experience its first intracity joyride on luxury cruise
Mumbai is all set to experience its first intracity joyride on a luxury cruise as a luxury ship has started its operations from Bandra Jetty.The ship will arrange cruise joyrides from Bandra Jetty to across the Bandra Worli sea link and back.This will be a one and half hours joyride costing around 1600 rupees per person for a single ride.Sanjeev Agrawal, MD of SSR Maritime Services Private Limited which is operating Maiden Mumbai Cruise said that they may reconsider their fare structure once the initiative gets a good number of tourists and visitors.This initiative has been taken by Maiden Mumbai with non-financial support from Maharashtra Tourism Development Ministry which believes that this will be a great attraction for tourists who visit Mumbai.This cruise will operate this joyride on the weekends while on the weekdays the ship will be anchored near Bandra Jetty and will operate like a floating hotel and party destination.
Top French chef Paul Bocuse dies
Celebrated chef Paul Bocuse, nicknamed the pope of French gastronomy, has died at the age of 91."Paul Bocuse is dead. Gastronomy is in mourning. Mister Paul was France. Simplicity and generosity. Excellence and the art of living. The Pope of gourmets is leaving us," France's Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, lettered on Twitter.According to the Guardian, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, branded Bocuse as "the incarnation of French cuisine.""His name alone sums up French gastronomy; his generosity, his respect for traditions but also his innovation," Macron said.The Michelin-starred chef and celebrated master of haute cuisine, Bocuse was born in Lyon where he has several restaurants and a cookery school.He was an early exponent of "nouvelle cuisine", which reinterpreted traditional French cooking using less butter and cream and focusing on fresh ingredients and stylish presentation.Bocuse began cooking at the age of 15. "I love butter, cream and wine," he used to say, and by 1958
Suicide attack under way at Kabul hotel: official
Four gunmen attacked Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel today and started shooting at guests, an Afghan official said, in the latest violence to strike the Afghan capital. "Four attackers are inside the building," an official at the Afghan spy agency told AFP. They are "shooting at guests", he said.
Kashmiri bookshop makes entry in Limca Book of Records
A Kashmiri bookshop, housing over 80,000 books, has found an entry in the Limca Book of Records, 2018. Gulshan Books, a leading publishing house in the valley which runs a bookshop-cum-cafe on Nehru Park in the middle of Dal Lake, has been featured in the new edition of the records book. Under the title, "Only bookshop-library on a lake", the Limca Book of Records writes "Gulshan Books, a bookshop set up in May 2016, has a reading room, a cafe, and over 80,000 books. "The bookshop can be reached by a shikara ride and the owner of the shop, Sheikh Ajaz Ahmad (46), offers free shikara rides to people keen to read books on Kashmir and its literature". Ajaz said he felt proud of the entry and "It has come as a surprise".
'Pope' of French cuisine Paul Bocuse dies age 91
Paul Bocuse, one of the greatest French chefs of all time, died today aged 91 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Dubbed the "pope" of French cuisine, Bocuse helped shake up the food world in the 1970s with the Nouvelle Cuisine revolution and create the idea of the celebrity chef. French President Emmanuel Macron led the tributes, calling him a "mythic figure who transformed French cuisine. Chefs are crying in their kitchens across France." "He was one of the greatest figures of French gastronomy, the General Charles de Gaulle of cuisine," said French food critic Francois Simon, comparing him to France's wartime saviour and dominant postwar leader. A giant in a nation that prides itself as the beating heart of gastronomy, Bocuse was France's only chef to keep the Michelin food bible's coveted three-star rating through more than four decades. The heart of his empire, L'Auberge de Collonges au Mont D'Or, his father's village inn near Lyon in food-obsessed ...
Must-have shoes for men this year
Besides the white sneakers and black casual shoes, monk straps and brogues are a part of the must-have list of footwear for men this year, say experts.
Ukhrul to celebrate Hampai Festival 2018
To promote, preserve and reinvigorate the culture of the Tangkhul Naga community in Manipur, a cultural festival named 'Loree Luita Phanit cum Hampai Festival', will be celebrated at Longpi Kajui village of the state's Ukhrul district between January 28 and 30.The theme of the festival is- 'Embracing our Heritage'. The festival is considered one of the biggest indigenous festivals of the Tangkhul community.The main attractions include- folk songs and folk dances, various traditional sports competitions like wrestling, tug of war, and spear throwing.Also, beautiful Longpi pots and decorative showpieces made from bamboo are exhibited during the festival. Locally brewed rice beer, with different flavours, are also prepared by the Tangkhul community.Each year, visitors from across the country throng the village and experience the most fun-filled activities of the indigenous event.Longpi Kajui remains one of the few villages in the state where the generations-old festival is still ...
BMC razes illegal constructions at 14 hotels
The local civic body today said it has demolished illegally-built portions at 14 hotels and restaurants and sealed a snack outlet in the last two days. "Carrying forward our crackdown against erring eateries, our squads conducted a survey on 548 restaurants/ hotels. "During the survey, our teams carried out demolition (of illegal portions/extensions) in 14 hotels/restaurants and sealed one over the past two days," said a senior official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). He said owners of 322 hotels/restaurants were served inspection reports and asked to rectify irregularities at their establishments. Most of these eateries are located in the suburbs of Andheri and Jogeshwari, the official said. An illegally-built snack mart was sealed in Kurla (W), he added. The civic administration has launched a drive against allegedly illegal constructions at restaurants after the December 29 fire at a pub in Kamala Mills Compound killed 14 people.
Tourist taxi drivers' strike in Goa to continue tomorrow
The strike of tourist taxi operators in Goa, which left tourists stranded at the airport and railway stations in the coastal state since today morning, would continue tomorrow, their leaders said. All 18,000-odd taxi operators remained off the roads today, demanding withdrawal of state government's notification making it mandatory to install speed governors -- which would restrict the speed to a certain limit -- in taxis. Agitating taxi drivers camped at the Azad Maidan in Panaji through the day, holding a series of meetings. Leaders from opposition Congress and NCP's Churchill Alemao and legislators from the ruling ally Goa Forward Party (GFP) visited the spot to express their support for the agitating taxi operators. GFP president Vijai Sardesai, party MLAs Jayesh Salgaoncar and Vinod Palyekar spent some time with agitators. BJP MLA Michael Lobo, who also dropped in, was booed by the crowd. "With the news that the strike will continue, tourists have already started ...
Bollywood actors to give boost to Nepal tourism
Kathmandu [Nepal], Jan.19 (ANI): Nepal, creeping forward in its reconstruction drive after the devastating earthquake of 2015, has invited some of India's famous actors to spread the message of safety and to promote Nepali tourism globally.Salman Khan and over 60 actors will be performing in Kathmandu on March 10. The event is expected to attract around 50, 000 viewers, including 10,000 foreigners."DA-BANGG the tour Nepal" will feature live performances by Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Prabhu Deva, Meet Bros, Daisy Shah, Kriti Sanon and Maniesh Paul at Tundikhel, near the Army Headquarters.Sohail Khan, Head of Sohail Khan Entertainment, said, "There should be more of these cultural shows and vice-versa, where your (Nepali) artists and our (Indian) artists get together; the officials should get together and make ties between our cultures into a very beautiful world."Sohail is the brother of Salman Khan, one of India's popular actors.Hindi films are one genre that reflect the warm social
President inaugurates dynamic facade lighting at Rashtrapati Bhavan
President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the dynamic façade lighting of Rashtrapati Bhavan this evening in the presence of Union Minister of State of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and other dignitaries.The dynamic façade lighting of Rashtrapati Bhavan has been introduced to highlight its elegance.A total of 628 light fittings have been installed for illumination of the building. Lenses of narrow to wide range are used on these fittings to spread light.A narrow beam lens has been used to highlight specific objects such as the lotus on the Jaipur Column and a wider beam lens to spread light on a larger area.Features that have been highlighted prominently in the lighting are the Jaipur Column, dome of the main building, chattris, fountains at terrace and ground level, as well as loggia columns.
Prez inaugurates dynamic facade lighting of Rashtrapati Bhavan
President Ram Nath Kovind today inaugurated the dynamic facade lighting of Rashtrapati Bhavan to highlight its elegance. A total of 628 light fittings have been installed for illumination of the building, an official said. Lenses of narrow to wide range are used on these fittings to spread light, he said. A narrow beam lens has been used to highlight specific objects such as the lotus on the Jaipur Column and a wider beam lens to spread light on a larger area, he said. Features that have been highlighted prominently in the lighting are the Jaipur Column, dome of the main building, chattris, fountains at terrace and ground level, as well as loggia columns, the official added. Union Minister of State of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri was also present during the inauguration.
Goa should be marketed as gateway to India: US consul general
Edgard Kagan, the United States consul-general in Mumbai, today said that marketing Goa to Americans as a stand-alone tourism hot-spot may not work, as many other beach destinations are closer for them. Kagan was speaking to reporters after meeting Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar here. "Because of the distance and travel time, marketing Goa as a stand-alone tourism destination is not possible. "If you want a beach vacation, there are many destinations which are closer to the US," Kagan said, responding to a question on promoting Goa as a tourism destination for the US citizens. "Goa is a world-class tourist destination with incredible beaches, incredible culture but that is also a place that gives an access to so many incredible destinations in India," he said. "In my view...Goa should project that coming here will give you an opportunity to travel to other incredible destinations of India," he said. Over five lakh foreign tourists visit Goa's beaches every year, with ...
Kenya eyes 12-15% growth in footfalls from India in 2018
Kenya is eyeing 12-15 per cent growth in tourist arrivals from India this year. It also plans to promote meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) and adventure segments to increase its traveller base. Well known for its safaris, Kenya now wants to expand beyond this to cater to different tastes and age groups, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) CEO Betty Addero Radier told PTI here. She said, Kenya is mainly considered as a leisure destination among Indian travellers, however, KTB is working on changing its positioning and expanding it to include MICE, adventure, weddings and honeymoon. Adventure tourism is one of the segments, which is rapidly picking up in India and for Kenya, it is going to be a major growth driver, she added. "Kenya is among the best adventure destinations in the world and offers an array of activities to travellers. For the adventure lover, Kenya offers a wide variety of outdoor experiences, from climbing the iconic mount Kenya, to para-gliding in
AIFF U-16 team departs for exposure trip to Dubai
After a successful qualifying campaign for the AFC U-16 Championship, India U-16 head coach Bibiano Fernandes firmly believes the exposure trip to Dubai "will be the perfect way to kick off preparation" for the tournament proper. "The AIFF has planned some exposure trips for the boys, starting with Dubai. I think this will be the perfect way to kick off preparation for the AFC U-16 Championship," said the coach. The exposure trip to Dubai is just the beginning of a series of trips that has been planned by the AIFF for the U-16 team. Elaborating on the topic Bibiano revealed: "After Dubai, we travel to Qatar to play some friendlies. There are also plans to travel to various other countries between January to August." Former Indian national team striker Abhishek Yadav and now director of AIFF's scouting network said the "real test begins now". "Now that we have qualified for the final phase of the AFC U-16 Championship, the real test begins now. The AIFF along with help .
Baby killed as car hits crowd at Rio beach
A baby was killed and 15 persons were injured after a car ploughed into crowds on a promenade near Rio de Janeiro's famous Copacabana beach in Brazil.
UK encourages travelling Indians to apply for visitor visa
The United Kingdom has launched their annual #BEATthepeak campaign - to encourage Indian visitors to make the most of UKVI's post-dated visa offer, which allows travellers to apply three months in advance and date their visa for when they travel.Visa applicants can benefit from quieter Visa Application Centres and more available appointment slots outside of the peak period.The post-dated service allows Indian visitors to the UK to start their visa on their intended travel date. For example, those planning to travel in April can apply for their visas in January, whilst keeping the full six month validity for when they intend to travel.The 2018 BEAT the peak campaign was launched by the British High Commissioner to India, Sir Dominic Asquith KCMG, and will kick-start a range of activities led by the UK High Commission that aim to engage with the Indian tourist market and encourage them to visit Britain and apply early for their visa to do so.British High Commissioner Sir Dominic ...
Railway heritage theme park on the anvil at Rewari
Indian Railways is firming up a proposal to develop a railway heritage theme park, a first-of-its-kind in the country, at Rewari, in cooperation with the Union Tourism Ministry and the Haryana government.
99-year-old from Jharkhand can't survive without eating mud
Karu Paswan, a resident of Jharkhand's Sahebganj district has developed a weird craving for mud and gobble around one kilogram of it every day.99-year-old Karu, who claims to be born in 1919, said that his addicting to eat mud started when he was just 11-year old.But less did he know that what he started due to poverty, will eventually become a habit."I was really frustrated with my financial condition, as I had to feed ten children. I wanted to die and hence started eating mud. But later I developed an addiction to it and now could not refrain myself from having it," he told ANI.The elder son of Karu, Siya Ram Paswan said the family member tried to stop him a couple of times, but he would not listen to them."We tried to stop him a number of times, but he doesn't listen to us. He picks up pieces of mud from here and there and eats it," Siya Ram Paswan continues.Surprisingly, even after having this strange habit, Karu is fit and healthy.He was also awarded by Bihar's Sabour Krishi ...