One of India’s most iconic treasures and UNESCO heritage sites is found on the Eastern coast of South India, around 60 km south of Chennai. This is Mamallapuram (also known as Mahabalipuram), a very old place that is famous for its intricately carved temples and monuments constructed by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and … Continue reading Exploring Mamallapuram
Category: VPAblog
Puducherry
In February last year I decided to explore some of the highlights of Tamil Nadu I had never visited before. I went to Puducherry (formerly known as Pondicherry) on the northeast coast. The city had been a French colony until 1954 when it became ‘Union Territory’, and it has a distinctly different vibe to it … Continue reading Puducherry
SCAD in Tamil Nadu Revisited
Early last year I also revisited the NGO SCAD (Social Change and Development) in Tamil Nadu. This is a Christian NGO that was founded many years ago by Dr. Cletus Babu and his wife Amali and encompasses numerous projects to improve the quality of life of the poorest sectors in the region. I … Continue reading SCAD in Tamil Nadu Revisited
A Short Trip to Sri Lanka
In January I took a flight from Madurai in Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka. I had never been there before and was not at all sure what to expect. My plane with Sri Lankan Airlines landed in Colombo in the afternoon and from there I took a taxi to Colombo Fort, the central business district … Continue reading A Short Trip to Sri Lanka
Back in God’s Own Country
This winter I spent a few weeks in South India and Sri Lanka. First, I went to Kerala where I spent some time in the old pilgrimage town of Varkala, famous for its Janardhana Swami Temple and the Hindu Pujas performed on its glorious beach. I went for long walks breathing fresh sea air and … Continue reading Back in God’s Own Country
Help for Dara Khan Manganiyar
We would like to ask you for some help with the payment of the monthly medical bills for Dara Khan Manganiyar, one of Rajasthan’s most talented musicians today. Dara Khan was born in 1979 in the Thar desert of Hamira, a village near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, as the third son to the late Padma Shree … Continue reading Help for Dara Khan Manganiyar
Rajasthan Revisited
After dispatching my lovely tour party in Delhi in March 2023, I took a flight to Udaipur, the ‘white city’. I had arranged for lodgings in the guesthouse (Girnar Villa) of my friends Satyapal Singh Dodia and his wife Jhyotsna Jhala in Ambamata, and was very excited to see them again. They gave me their … Continue reading Rajasthan Revisited
Exploring India with my Math Teacher
During February this year we organized a special North India trip for a small private party from Germany (my former math teacher from school days and his family!), which was a phantastic experience. On this journey we visited many fabulous world heritage sites. We started our trip in South Delhi, enjoying an outing to the … Continue reading Exploring India with my Math Teacher
Vegan Travelers in Peru – Useful Tips
Bucket list Peru? And you are Vegan? Here are some recommendations 🌳 : Plan ahead as much as possible and make sure you get your vegan passport if you don’t speak Spanish. You might also join a local evening class or get a Spanish language application on your mobile . Start your web research, checking … Continue reading Vegan Travelers in Peru – Useful Tips
Not Just the Nazca Lines
In late December, we went to Nazca, a seven-hour drive south of Lima, situated on an inland desert plateau at an average altitude of 1,500 feet. It was a fabulous drive through rugged terrain, mountain passes, and lush oases. We stopped at the famous watchtower of the Nazca Lines once we reached the Nazca plateau, … Continue reading Not Just the Nazca Lines