Page 52 - Hospitality Recreation
Two Vietnamese tourists killed by roadside bomb in Egypt: interior ministry
Two Vietnamese tourists were killed Friday and 10 others wounded when a roadside bomb exploded near their bus as it travelled close to the Giza pyramids in Cairo, Egypt's interior ministry said. A statement said there were 14 tourists from Vietnam on the bus when the homemade device exploded at 6:15 pm (1645 GMT) and that the bus driver and the tour guide, both Egyptian, were also wounded in the explosion. The improvised explosive device was placed near a wall along the Mariyutiya Street in the Haram district near the Giza Pyramids, the statement said. Security services were immediately dispatched to the area and have opened an investigation into the explosion, the ministry added without giving further details.
Prez to visit Rann of Kutch, Gir forest during Gujarat tour
President Ram Nath Kovind will visit the Rann of Kutch and go for a lion safari in the Gir forest during his tour of Gujarat starting Saturday, the state government said Friday. Kovind will visit the Tent City, established in the Rann of Kutch, Saturday and spend the night at the white desert, Tourism Minister Ganpat Vasava told reporters. The president will spend the night in the tent and also enjoy sunset and sunrise, he said. The next day, Kovind will visit the Gir forest and go for a lion safari, he said. The president is also likely to visit Somnath Temple during his tour, temple officials said.
Train 18 to undergo another trial run Saturday between Delhi and Allahabad
Train 18, which has already gained a maximum speed of 180kmph during trials, will leave for Allahabad at 00.55 am Saturday for yet another trial run to the holy city in preparation for its commercial run on the route from January, a senior official said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to flag off the train by mid-January, the official said. It is expected to reach the holy city by 7:20am, completing the 665-km journey in six hours and 20 minutes at a speed of around 110kmph. This is approximately two hours less that what Rajdhani takes to complete the journey. On its return journey, the train will depart at 14:00pm the same day and reach Delhi at 20:25pm. The official said the railways is keen to make sure that there are no issues with the train once it is operationalised and wants to try it on the route on which it will run to ensure that there are no anomalies. An official in the know of things stated that there are some electrical issues in the train that need to be ...
KTK minister warns of action against Golf Club for alleged
Karnataka Public Works Minister H D Revanna Friday warned of action against the Bangalore Golf Club over alleged violations, including running a bar. The government sent a notice in October for which there was no reply, he told reporters here. "We are issuing another notice and if the situation arises we will take over," he said. According to public works secretary Krishna Reddy, the Bangalore Golf Club got the land in 1882 during British rule, and the land's lease was being renewed once every ten years. "There is a lot of violations there (Golf club)....I have told our Secretary if action is not taken, I will take action against him. I have told the secretary today, to take up the issue seriously and issue notice to them," he said. The minister said the property was in the heart of the city. Constructing buildings, running hotel and bar inside was "serious violation," he said. "Whoever it is, if norms are violated, we will take action...rules have to be followed," he ...
50k rides per day by next year in Guwahati: Bike taxi service co-founder
It has only been over a week since Rapido launched its bike taxi service here but the Bangalore-based company is confident of completing about 50,000 rides per day by the next one year even as the company is looking forward to start its service in other northeastern towns in the days to come.
'Yellow vest' protesters target Macron's vacation hideaway
If Emmanuel Macron is hoping for some holiday respite from the anti-government protests which have rocked France, he might want to avoid the presidential retreat along the Mediterranean coast. Around 40 "yellow vest" demonstrators on Thursday tried to storm the medieval fort of Bregancon that serves as Macron's summer retreat before being turned back by police, the mayor of nearby Bormes-les-Mimosas, Francois Arizzi, told AFP on Friday. "It's madness. For people who want more democracy, they should start by respecting other people's property," Arizzi said, saying many of the protesters had tried to infiltrate the fort by crossing private land. He added that some of the protesters had indicated they would try again on Friday. The yellow vest movement has morphed from anger over fuel taxes to a broad rebuke of Macron, whom critics accuse of neglecting the rising costs of living for many in rural and small-town France. Bregancon generated some unwanted headlines last summer when it ...
It's India calling for Marco Pierre White
Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White will be coming to India for the first time in January.
With or without natural snow, enthusiats can now ski down Manali's slopes
Now you don't have to depend on natural snow to ski in the Solang Valley of Himachal Pradesh.
How to be chic not flashy
With the need to impress, women are looking to try newer trends and style statements. In such situations, one easily becomes the victim of flashy dressing. However one can take care of few basic guidelines to avoid such fashion faux paus.
Give a colourful twist to your winter wardrobe
Winter has finally arrived and for most people, this means layering up in all blacks or greys and hibernating till the season is over. While there is nothing wrong with these colours, one can also experiment with different hues to add freshness to this gloomy winter.
YoParker Launches a Mobile App for Online Parking Spot Booking; Aims at Providing Economical Parking Places in India
/ -- YoParker, an online parking spot booking platform, launched their mobile app on 15th May 2018. Headquartered at New Delhi, the company focuses on providing easy parking services available digitally to all vehicle owners. It has gained a large number of loyal clientele in a short span of time since the date of its commencement. With over 200 million vehicles on the road all across India, the heavy traffic push and parking issues are now an everyday concern for all. Even if a parking slot available, the unregulated parking tariffs and security risks hamper ease of access to these parking places. YoParker has come up with a remarkable solution to this problem. It brings together all available parking spaces for the commuters at minimal rates and ease of online access. A continuous increase in the number of on-road vehicles and inadequate space to support them is a big challenge in India today. Since its inception, YoParker has made finding the nearest parking space for vehicles ...
Train 18 to begin operations in Jan 2019: Sources
Train 18, India's fastest train, will begin operations in January 2019 at a curtailed speed of 130 kmph, sources said Thursday. Train 18, which is set to replace the Shatabdi series, has the potential to run between 160 kmph to 200 kmph. At trials, it breached the 180-kmph mark. "Train 18 is likely to run in January after the report of the Chief Commissioner Railway Safety (CCRS) is approved by the board. The report has suggested several conditions which need to be met before we can run the train at 130 kmph," the source said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the train. The CCRS has given the go-ahead to run the train at a maximum speed of 160 kmph but 20 conditions have been imposed, including fencing along the tracks. For maximum speed of 130 kmph, the CCRS has suggested fencing at vulnerable points to avoid any accident. The gleaming, blue-nosed train comes fitted with amenities on a par with the best in the world -- on-board Wi-Fi, GPS-based passenger ...
Int'l camel festival in Bikaner from Jan 12
Activities such as fur cutting, camel decoration, designing among others would be organised at the twenty sixth international camel festival, which will be held on January 12 and 13 in Bikaner, organisers said Thursday. "Preparations for the festival are in full swing. Domestic and foreign tourists are expected to take part in the festival in large numbers," Additional Collector A H Gauri said on Thursday. He said competitions like Mr Bikana and Miss Marwan, cultural performances by folk artistes from different regions would also be held during the festival.
Tourism ministry to develop audio-video guide application for 5 iconic sites
The Tourism Ministry will develop a mobile application that will work as an audio-video guide for five iconic locations in the country and help people during their visits at the historic sites. A statement issued Thursday by the ministry here said the application will be developed in collaboration with a technology firm under the Centre's 'Adopt a Heritage' scheme. Minister of Tourism K J Alphons handed over a Memorandum of Understanding to M/s Resbird Technologies for developing the mobile Audio-Video Guide App. The five sites are: The Amer Fort (Rajasthan), the Kaziranga National Park (Assam), the Colva Beach (Goa), Kumarakom (Kerala) and the Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar), the statement said. During the function, the minister also handed over the Letters of Intent to seven agencies shortlisted to become 'Monument Mitras', it said. These agencies, if empanelled, will cover sites like the Aalampur Temple, Telangana; Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Madhya Pradesh; Buddhist Caves, Uparkot, Gujarat;
Assam tea one of the best: Vivian Richards
Cricket legend Vivian Richards Thursday said said he will take home Assam tea as he considers it to be one of the best. The former West Indies skipper also praised the weather of Assam and opined that there are many things common between Antigua and India. "It is a beautiful experience to come to Guwahati. When I arrived here from Kolkata, the air was very fresh. I liked the beauty of the place. "Your tea is special. Whenever I come here, I have it. It is world renowned. Whenever I go somewhere, I try to find out what's special there. Tea is special here," Richards said at a press conference here. He informed that he is going to get some tea back home as the "tea in Assam is one of the best in the world". Talking about the weather, Richards said: "The weather here is very special these days in this part of the world. Wednesday at night when I went out, the coolness of breeze was wonderful. We have something in common." He said that coming to India is always special for ...
Nepal to rebuild Kathmandu's historic Dharahara tower
Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli Thursday laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of the historic Dharahara tower situated in the heart of Kathmandu which was destroyed during the devastating earthquake of 2015. A joint venture of Chinese company GIETC and a local firm has won the contract to rebuild the new 22-storeyed structure at a cost of NRs 3.48 billion. The nine-storeyed 62-metre-tall white tower built by Nepal's first prime minister Bhemsen Thapa in 1825, had collapsed twice before during earthquakes in 1934 and 2015. Speaking on the occasion Oli said his government accords top priority to rebuild structures damaged and destroyed by the earthquake over three years ago. He said the government is committed to making the capital Kathmandu beautiful, safe and healthy to attract more tourists to the country. He called upon all stakeholders and the general public to join hands and cooperate for rebuilding national pride projects such as the Dharahara tower. The tower ...
The Karma Group: redefining luxury travel in India and abroad
With an impeccable range of comprehensive, multifaceted, and luxurious offerings, the Karma Group has cemented its position as an internationally renowned hotel and resort brand, beloved by travellers all over the world.During its 25 years of journey in India, the brand has been driven by an unconventional philosophy that redefines great holidays to not simply revolve around clean linen and comfortable accommodation, but rather, the experience that is offered.As a result, it has created a unique reputation for its specially curated offerings, consisting of innovative entertainment facilities, exciting activities, and nothing short of the finest amenities, at some of the most exotic locations. This has helped the brand to completely revolutionise the standards of services and offerings prevalent in the hospitality industry, and deliver customer experiences which transcend one's imagination and expectations.The brand began its journey in 1993 in Goa, India, when its founder, John ...
Sakura re-emerges in a heightened pan-Asian avatar (Foodie Trail-Delhi)
Some years ago, at a South Delhi eatery that grandly announced it served "Chinese, Japanese, Mughlai" cuisine, I came upon a young Oriental couple and their two small children with the man muttering and gesticulating at the order-taker, who too was doing the same. Sensing help was needed, I walked up to him and asked if I could be of assistance.
No chicken or pork, Kumarikata village in Assam sells rat meat
A weekly rural market in Assam's Baksa district exclusively sells rat meat as the finished rat, cooked as a spicy gravy dish or nicely browned, is considered a Sunday delicacy. A traditional food item among some ethnic communities in the northeastern region, rat meat is sold at the same price as broiler chicken at Rs 200 per kg, the sellers said. Buyers throng the Sunday market at Kumarikata village, along the Indo-Bhutan border, about 90 km from Guwahati, to buy their favourite meat of freshly trapped rat. Rat is more popular than chicken and pork with the customers at the Sunday market. A rat vendor said that the meat is mainly sourced from neighbouring Nalbari and Barpeta districts of Assam. Local farmers hunt the rats, weighing more than a kg each, at night during the harvesting season with traps made of bamboo, to prevent their fields from being damaged by the rodents that eat paddy and other crops. The farmers claimed that the trapping of the rats was helping them ..
Goa taxi war: State's sole app-based taxi service concerned about safety of drivers
Amid ongoing conflict with the state's private taxi operators, Goa's first app-based taxi service GOAMILES on Wednesday said that the company is "deeply concerned" about the safety of its 1,000 odd taxi drivers and has sought action against those involved in the numerous assaults on its drivers.