Page 72 - Hospitality Recreation

Israeli hotel chain's global foray begins in India from Bengaluru

The exponential growth of Bengaluru as a major technology hub over the years has lured leading Israeli hospitality chain Dan Hotels to begin its global foray in India from this tech city, a top executive said.

Of Kimonos and Sumo wrestlers at Japan-India cultural fest

A two-day cultural fiesta -- Konnichiwa Japan -- that concluded here on Sunday, saw an Indo-Japanese cultural confluence.

71 tourists saved off Goa coast since Oct: Lifeguard agency

Seventy-one tourists have been rescued off the coast of Goa since the first week of October as the state witnesses rough seas and rains, an official of a lifeguard service commissioned by the state government said Sunday. A statement from Drishti Lifesaving further said that of the 71 tourists rescued, nine were foreign nationals including three Russians who were saved on October 25. "A total of 217 Indian tourists and 46 foreigners have been rescued while swimming off the state's beaches from January to Oct this year," Drishti Lifesaving's spokesperson informed. He said on October 25, three Russian tourists were rescued from drowning at North Goa's Morjim beach while two domestic tourists had to be brought to safety using a jet-ski. He said that Russians top the list of international visitors to Goa with nearly half a million arrivals between October and March.

Nine foreigners among 71 tourists rescued from drowning off Goa

Nine foreigners were among 71 tourists who were rescued from drowning by lifeguards off Goa's beaches since the tourism season in the coastal state began on October 4, officials said on Sunday.

PM Modi gifts stone bowls, dhurries to Japanese counterpart

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe two handcrafted stone bowls made from rose quartz and yellow quartz stone and hand-woven dhurries, which have been specially crafted on the occasion of the former's visit to Japan for the 13th India-Japan annual summit.Made from rose quartz and yellow quartz stone sourced from Rajasthan, the bowls were crafted by master artisan Shabbirhusen Ibrahimbhai Shaikh of Gujarat's Khambhat region, which has been known for its practice of stone craft since generations and is also a leading hub for exports of stone products from India, sources said.The uniqueness of the bowls lies in the fact that the form of the product is scooped out from a block of stone, and then shaped and refined using basic hand tools generally without any lathe machines.Hand-woven by the master weavers of Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur, the dhurrie designs show the diversity of possibilities available; from a symmetrical repeating geometric tessellation

Statue of Unity also a tribute to Indian engineering skills, says L&T

The Statue of Unity, built as a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel known as Iron Man of India, would be the tallest in the world and the quickest to be completed in just 33 months unlike China's Spring Temple Buddha which took 11 years to complete, infrastructure giant Larsen & Toubro claimed. At 182 metres from the road entry and 208.5 metres from the river entry, the iconic statue is taller than the 153m Spring Temple Buddha in China and almost twice the height of the world-famous Statue of Liberty in New York. The giant statue is set for inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31. Built at a cost of Rs 2,989 crore, the Statue of Unity project, barring bronze cladding which is a fragment of the mammoth work, has been done indigenously, L&T told PTI. The statue is located approximately 3.5 km downstream from the Sardar Sarovar Dam, on Sadhu Hill on the bed of the river Narmada. The raft construction of the structure actually begun on December 19, 2015, and ..

Air India to operate 'Red Eye' domestic flights

Air India is set to operate late night or red-eye flights with a daily operation on popular sectors like Delhi-Goa-Delhi, Delhi-Coimbatore-Delhi, and Bangalore-Ahmedabad-Bangalore routes, starting November 30. AI883 will leave Delhi at 2200 hrs and arrive in Goa at 0035 hrs. The return flight AI884 will take off from Goa at 0115 hrs and land in Delhi at 0340 hrs. the airline said in a statement."AI547 will depart Delhi at 2115 hrs and land Coimbatore at 0030 hrs. The return flight AI548 will leave Coimbatore at 0100 hrs and reach Delhi at 0400 hrs. AI589 will take off from Bangalore at 0030 hrs to reach Ahmedabad at 0235 hrs. The return flight AI590 will depart Ahmedabad at 0305 hrs to touch down Bangalore at 0525 hrs," it added.These late night flights, popularly called 'Red Eye' flights, will be offered at fares considerably lower than normal and will help travelers beat peak hour city traffic as well as skyrocketing hotel charges.

Southern Railway plans to improve catering facilities

Southern Railway has drawn up plans to set up cameras in the kitchen of food stalls in stations to win the confidence of travellers who can watch the dishes being prepared live on the IRCTC website. Besides, there are also plans to set up eight food plazas and 25 fast-food joints at the stations, according to a SR release Saturday. At present, there are 16 such plazas and nine fast food joints run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). A decision to this effect was taken during the recent meeting between the general manager of Southern Railway R K Kulshrestha and IRCTC director V Sriram,a release said. To make food available on trains without pantry cars, on-board licenced suppliers of food would be roped in, it said. A catering monitoring cell with the number 044-25332545 has been set up to receive complaints, if any, it added.

What's trending in the brunch scene

Whether celebrating a birthday, recovering from last nights festivities or simply enjoying the sunshine, millennials are driving brunch innovations.

6th edition of North East festival begins with food walk

The sixth edition of popular North East festival kick-started here on Friday revealing "a never-before-seen side of the eight states". The three-day cultural extravaganza, which offers a mix of fashion, music, dance and culture, started with a Food Walk during the day, which celebrated the varied culinary choices with over 40 food stalls. The food walk, which made its debut in the annual festival, basically busted the myth that the food habit eight North East states comprised of only meats especially pork and beef. The journey rather highlighted the various herbs, which not only accentuate the taste of their cuisines but also put them in a different league altogether, the organisers said. Popular chef Sneha Lata Saikia, the brainchild behind the food walk, said the idea struck her last year when Delhiites called for vegetarian dishes too at the food fest. She said the region's food is a lot more than "just meat like pork and beef". "I won't deny that non-vegetarian dishes are our ...

Five-day festival to showcase North East handlooms, food, culture to begin Saturday

A five-day festival depicting the uniqueness of North Eastern culture will begin Saturday in the national capital to showcase its art, handicraft, handlooms, food and culture, the DoNER Ministry said. The 'Experiencing North East', to be held at the India International Centre (IIC) here, will have special performances by eminent cultural troupes, bands and artistes from the North East. The festival will showcase the vibrant strengths of North East India and display its art, handicraft, handlooms, tourism, food and culture, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) S N Pradhan told reporters here. The festival, a part of destination North East series, is being organised by North Eastern Council (NEC), DoNER in collaboration with the IIC. The event aims at showcasing the diverse culture and heritage of North East all under one roof and it will highlight the strengths of the region, he said. The festival will be inaugurated by former Jammu and Kashmir

Wearable tech top fitness trend for 2019: Survey

Wearable technology such as fitness trackers, smart watches, are the number one fitness trend for 2019, according to an annual survey of health and fitness professionals.

Domestic travel 'on the cards' for Indians in festive season

Travel has emerged as an important element during the festive season, with a spiritual destination such as Amritsar witnessing a year-on-year increase in flight searches by 114 per cent, according to a trend search.

Philippine island officially reopens after clean-up

The Philippine resort island of Boracay officials reopened its doors to international tourists on Friday, after six months of intensive rehabilitation to recover from the excesses of mass tourism.

'French Spiderman' arrested after tower stunt snarls London's financial hub

French urban freeclimber Alain Robert was arrested Thursday after bringing parts of London's financial district to a standstill by scaling the 46-storey Heron Tower -- the area's tallest building. The 56-year-old so-called "French Spiderman" took around an hour to climb the 230-metre high tower without ropes or safety equipment, while traffic came to a halt as bemused crowds packed the streets below. Police in the City of London, the capital's square-mile financial centre, confirmed he was then arrested "for causing a public nuisance" and remained in custody Thursday afternoon. "This is what I love to do," Robert had told a handful of reporters at a nearby hotel shortly before beginning his ascent. "I have pretty much dedicated my whole life to climb mountains, to climb cliffs, and now to climb buildings -- but always 'free soloing', meaning I'm not using safety devices." The maverick climber has scaled more than 100 structures globally -- including several in London previously -- ...

Delectable Sri Lankan food on offer in Gurugram (Foodie Trail - Gurugram)

With influences from the Dutch, Portugal, English and South Indian cuisines, food from the beautiful Island country of Sri Lanka is hard to resist with its liberal use of spices.

Manali-Rohtang helicopter joyride inaugurated

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated Manali-Rohtang helicopter joyride Thursday. Started by the state Tourism Department with the help of Aryan Aviation, this helicopter joyride will fly between Manali-Rohtang-Manali and the tourists may also watch Solang, Hamta and other attractive places besides Rohtang pass, an official spokesman said. Tourists from the country and abroad will be benefited with the start of the service, the CM said, adding it would provide boost to tourism.

Sculptures on society's 'last persons' displayed in Delhi

Those usually neglected in urban life -- society's 'last persons' -- find visual expression at a sculptural exhibition here by sculptor Suraj Kumar, whose striking red resin sculptures on florists, book sellers, traditional artists, fruit vendors, and roadside peddlers, are on view from Thursday.

Govt sets up Yoga Certification Board to certify professionals, institutes

In the wake of the rising number of centres offering yoga courses and yoga instructors, the government has set up a Yoga Certification Board(YCB) to develop standards and parameters to certify such professionals and provide accreditation to such institutes. Yoga guru Ramdev, who is the chairman of Steering Committee of the YCB, said the main objectives of the board would be to promote yoga as a career skill, develop standards and parameters, assess competencies and to certify yoga professionals and accredit yoga institutes and centres. Till now there was no authentic body to provide yoga certification around the globe, he said, adding that the Yoga Alliance which works at international level is a private body. "The aim is also to bring uniformity and standards in yoga courses conducted across India and abroad, and dispel the illusions and misinterpretations surrounding yoga. "Today, someone is offering nude yoga or wild yoga, which brings bad name to the concept of yoga. These are ...

Special offer for fasting couples in Himachal hotels

State-run Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) on Thursday announced that it was offering a special package for the tourists visiting the state during the Karva Chauth festival on Saturday.