VIBRANT VIETNAM

 VIBRANT VIETNAM !!!

I was a bit curious and apprehensive about visiting Vietnam during the third week of September, 2024, as Vietnam had just experienced a massive Yagi Typhoon, on 7th September; one of its kind, in many years! It had brought huge damages to the land, infrastructure as well as life! Going there was a no no at that time because of recent exposure to Corona pandemic in 2020, spanning over almost two years, spreading fear amongst masses. Besides, media and social media played a great role in raising the fear and apprehension. We were a big group and majority doctors, so finally we decided to go ahead with the plan! And lo behold, it was a great decision!

The destination turned out to be vibrant and welcoming! In spite of all the wars and destruction, Vietnam is standing tall today as a world acclaimed tourist hub. We visited southernmost Ho Chin Minh, Central Da Nang and northernmost Hanoi. The country is laced with South China Sea on one side. The culture and tradition were apparent, right from the flight travel. All ladies and men were in their traditional attire of silk pants with a long tunic called ao dai! 

I was fascinated by the small towns that have been developed as tourist places and the places of worship – Pagodas! Huge Buddha and Lady Buddha statues, Ba Na hills, Halong Bay Cruise in the South China Sea waters; boating in Han river to view the stalactites and stalagmites all added to the mesmeric charm! 

Han river boating

One of the outstanding destinations in Vietnam is the Halong Bay meaning ‘Descending Dragon Bay’. We took the famous one day Cruise tour to see the World Natural Heritage Site.

The bay covers a big area with thousands of islands. Halong Bay is the core of the bay with many wonderful tourist points like Thien Cung Cave, Luon Cave, Ti Top Island, Sung Sot Cave and Fighting Cock Rock.

Thien Cung Cave or the Heaven Palace Cave needs 45 minutes of hiking.  Stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes can be seen inside the cave. Natural formations in the rocks, formed by the force of water are truly magnificent. Your memories can be locked inside photographs, which are instantly made available for you. One can't help but wonder about the maintenance of such places, away from land.

Tuan Chau Harbour or Sun Group Harbour is one of the places where you can enjoy the beach. Sung Sot Cave or Amazing Cave is a beautiful cave, with differently shaped stalactites and stalagmites. Ti Top Island is another stop where you can loiter around and relax.

First thing people ask, when you come back from Vietnam tour, is whether you visited Ba Na Hills? Sun World Ba Na Hills is a theme park, off Da Nang.  A very long enjoyable cable car ride takes you to this spot. The best part of the ride is the scenic natural beauty around you. Greenery, gurgling streams, flowers, light rain showers or drizzles, because of the height add to the pleasure. Golden Bridge is a popular bridge held by a giant pair of hands. Gardens with bountiful of flowers and landscaping, beautifully structured bushes and trees is a specialty! This is a must visit site.

 

Linh Ung Pagoda and the giant Buddha statue are popular sites.  We visited one Pagoda, where rituals for the dead relatives were being performed and favourite dishes were being offered to the departed souls. Sentiments and traditions remain same world over!  

In Da Nang, a 67 meters tall statue of Lady Buddha of Compassion is situated on a hill over the East Vietnam Sea.  It is the tallest Buddhist statue in SE Asia, symbolizing feminine qualities like love, compassion, peace; she is a messenger of beauty, hope, freedom and inspiration for women.  

Another attractive place to visit for the art lovers is Bat Trang, a historic Viatnamese village, known for making of traditional pottery. Every household boasts of this art in the family. It is said that this area is rich in white clay, hence posing an advantage to the residents. Pottery wheels and kilns are visible everywhere. Their products are popular worldwide. They include religious items, household items and decorative pieces, a visual delight! 

Hoi An has more tourist attractions like Cau Pagoda or covered Japanese Bridge, Hoi An market and Kim Bong Carpentry village. It is considered as the origin of generations of Viatnamese wood craftsmen. Sculpting techniques are the unique specialty of the place. 

Pearl and oyster farms are a big attraction here for tourists. The best part is that, they exhibit the techniques of growing pearls, biologically and have huge showrooms for those interested in buying.

 

Another place of wonder is Hoi An Silk Village; we were taken to an outlet selling silk articles, in beautiful, bright colors; bedspreads, attires, and what not, a buyer’s delight! The beauty of Vietnamese culture was visible here.

Another wonderful art preserved here is making Bamboo products, made from high quality raw materials using the latest technologies.

Smiling ladies exhibited the products and explained the process of manufacturing. Besides, the process is sustainable and environment – friendly.  

100% natural bamboo is turned out into kitchenware, clothing, furniture, construction materials, tableware and bathroom as well as attire accessories!

Vietnam is famous for its fantastic spectacular bridges. Dragon Bridge is a proof of Da Nang’s prosperity. Han River Bridge is significant for connectivity; lit beautifully at night, with blinking and changing colours. Japanese Bridge in Hoi An  is also  known as Cau Pagoda connects  Tran Phu Street, which is the Chinese part on the eastern side and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, which is the Japanese part, on the western side. It crosses the Thu Bon River, bringing a serene and nostalgic atmosphere. Top of the bridge is made of red lacquered wood, while the base of stone. Its architecture is a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese cultures. At the entrance and at the exit of the bridge, a dog and a monkey, symbolizing protection and safety in Japanese culture, stand as guardians.

                     

                        Japanese bridge                                Dragon bridge

Hoi An or Faifo, is located in the centre of Vietnam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also called as the City of Lanterns or Yellow City owing to yellow coloured buildings and souvenir selling shops. River Thu Bon flows through the city.  On full moon days and festivals, all lights are turned off and all lanterns in Hoi An are lit up. There are thousands of lanterns, vibrantly coloured and shaped. All types of Vietnamese souvenirs are sold here.

Vietnam is a shopping paradise for shoppers world over; providing beautiful goods at reasonable prices!  No wonder that it is and is becoming a very popular travel destination!

Green Blogger

Prof. Dr. Jaya Kurhekar

CYCLING - AN ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY EXERCISE!

CYCLING - AN ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY EXERCISE!

Hi friends, communicating after a long time!  That too on a topic, which is very close to my heart!

Cycling or biking is something I start my day with! In fact, when I open my eyes in the morning, it is the first thing, I look forward to! One may think that I have been cycling for years now! That’s not true at all! I started cycling exactly 41 months back!

Basically I started it as an exercise, but as days passed, I realised that it is much more than an exercise.

Cycling helps in exercising, no doubt! If you are well versed with it, you know how to exert your body and then how to relax it, too! Climbing small mounds or slopes can be very exerting for the body, but it tones the body.  Riding a bike is fun and it keeps you healthy! What advantages I could judge while cycling were that;

If not done vigorously, it may not help in reducing weight but it enhances stamina, strengthens leg and calf muscles, hamstrings, quads, glutes, along with increasing healthy breathing or pranayama.  

Habitual cycling at a high speed and intensity, can lower body fat levels, promoting weight management. Regular cycling can increase metabolism, build muscles, stimulates burning of calories, even while resting.

It is being stated that long period cycling can help in protecting from obesity, arthritis, heart attack, diabetes, paralytic stroke. It is said that cycling boosts HDL or good cholesterol levels while lowering LDL or bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Exercise releases happy hormones, or endorphins which lower stress. Indirectly, it boosts confidence.

Beginning your day with a healthy activity like cycling boosts blood circulation and allows you to start your day with a sense of accomplishment. You may feel more inclined to make healthy, positive choices as the day progresses.

As you stabilize on the bike, and try to keep the bike upright, overall balance, coordination and gait improves. Improved balance helps in the prevention of falls and fractures, help in decreasing risk of injury.

I read about cycling and realised that cycle or bike is a human-powered, human driven vehicle, and riding it is enjoyed all around the world. When I visited European countries, especially Netherlands, it was a visual wonder to see almost each and every person cycling. It’s said that 99.1 % of population in Amsterdam possess cycles and they use it as a regular mode of transport. They win all cycle races too! Cycling is almost like walking for them! Isn’t that wonderful? 

Riding a cycle is simple, with a little balancing tact. Mobile and stationary cycling both are great forms.

The most wonderful fact about cycling is that it is not a no - no for the aged. It is a low-impact exercise meant for all, age no bar!

It is easy to accommodate cycling in our daily routine, because we can use it everywhere. It requires minimum parking space, once we lock it properly.  Presently in big cities, arrangements have been made to park cycles securely. 

In today’s polluted world, it is considered as an environment friendly sport, besides being a means of recreation. So we can help reduce carbon footprints by riding bikes whenever possible.

Feeling the breeze on your face, is real happiness and watching the nature and scenic surroundings is a pleasure in the early hours of morning.

If the traffic is moderate and controlled, cycling can be used as a means of transport.

Many clubs and NGOs are motivating cycling today as a competitive sport, organising events, races and involving people.

Cycling alone or with friends can, to some extent, relieve stress, frustration, anxiety and depression.

Focusing on the road while cycling helps in developing concentration and presence of mind, helping you to get distracted from everyday stress.

Taking care while cycling is important to avoid accidents so riding in lanes reserved for cycling, peaceful streets, non-crowded areas is recommended.

Cycling is a wonderful means of exploring local areas. Cycling is a very enjoyable way of staying healthy while staying in touch with the surrounding world!

We should thank The Almighty for helping us enjoy ourselves, appreciate the satisfaction, coming from improving our fitness while having fun.

TOWARDS FAWN !!!

3rd June has been designated as World Bicycle Day. to celebrate the sense of happiness, relief and global connection it brings.

Happy Cycling!

Green Blogger

Prof. Dr. Jaya Kurhekar

Magnificent, Eye-pleasing Hoover Dam!

Magnificent, Eye-pleasing Hoover Dam!

 

We just visited Hoover Dam in New Vegas, South West USA and were truly astounded. It is a huge, magnificent and eye – pleasing structure.

In the Black Canyon, between the border of U.S. States of Nevada and Arizona lies the Colorado river; on which is built the concrete arch-gravity Hoover Dam! It is the highest arch-gravity, concrete dam in the United States, constructed during 1930-36.

Hoover Dam is named after Herbert Hoover, the U.S. president during 1929-33, in whose administration, the dam construction began. This work provided employment to thousands of workers, in the era of economic depression. It was initially named as Boulder Dam; later in 1947, it was formally named as Hoover dam.

 

 

What impressed me most was that this dam is very much visitor – friendly. It is clean, with pleasant environment, potable water, wash rooms, sitting arrangement and a restaurant. It also houses a memento shop, from where one can buy mementoes to carry back memories. In the outer lounge, the history of the dam and its construction is depicted, with the help of pictures, videos and sculptors. There is a very interesting working model, which helps one to easily understand the importance of water, how the dam works, how water can be saved and which human activities are responsible for wastage of water. Besides, one can visit all chambers and observe the working of turbines, gates, generation of hydro-electric power; There are galleries to see the birds' eye view of the whole infrastructure! It is a wonderful experience, all in all.

 

 

We also visited Lake Mead, which is the dam’s reservoir. It's reservoir back water lake, Lake Mead, extending 185 km upstream is one of the world’s largest artificial lakes. It lies 40 km east of Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. It is 1.6 to 16 km wide, with a capacity of 38,296,200,000 cubic meters, has 885 km of shoreline and a surface area of 593 square km. It's name was taken after Elwood Mead, the then commissioner of reclamation (1924–36).

Lake Mead is a source of drinking water for around 25 million people. Since 1999, drought and increasing population has resulted in a drop in lake levels. In 2022, the water levels reached a historic low, and the reservoir’s low-level pumps, were turned on for the first time. It has always come to help. in times of need! 

                             

This dam is used for flood and silt control, generation of hydroelectric power, agricultural irrigation, and domestic water supply. It is also a major sightseeing destination, with some seven million visitors a year, almost one million going on tours through the dam.

The magnificent Hoover Dam, which was constructed 85 years ago, still stands strong, serving the purpose for which it was built! 

                              There are a few features which are very significant about this dam. During its construction, an entire city was created specially for the convenience of the people working on the dam. This dam boasts being America's largest water reservoir. It is one of the the Earth's tallest dam. It is the America’s second - highest bridge which reroutes all traffic, which is quite heavy, from the top of the dam.

Visitor - friendly, clean, majestic, it is a must visit site, for those who travel through this part of USA. 

 

Green Blogger

Prof. Dr. Jaya Kurhekar

                                               

 

Serene tranquilant Meydenbauer Bay Park

Serene tranquilant Meydenbauer Bay Park

My visit to Seattle USA is incomplete without a visit to Meydenbauer Bay Park.  

It is a park alongside Lake Washington, located in Bellevue, Washington. It has been named after William Meydenbauer, a baker from Seattle, who was buried at lakeside in 1906. This park is serene and beautiful, featuring long pier, sands, paved and unpaved trails, walking paths, games and play areas for children, picnic tables, a playground, restroom facility, a beach and more importantly, a peaceful environment. Various other amenities include a beach house with restrooms and showers, a Natural ravine, parking lot and marina entrance.  

This place has undergone a lot of transitions. Once upon a time, approximately from the 1890s up to 1921, it was the landing site for ferries that ran between Seattle and Bellevue, for passengers. 

It was a popular destination for Seattle residents once, a home to Wildwood Park and a dance hall.

In 1953, it became Bellevue's first Bay Park.

In 2009, this park welcomed the Seattle Civic Christmas Ship.

We have been visiting this place since 2012 and every time we go there, we find something new and interesting!

                                 

2014

2016

In 2016, there was another small beach park very close by, which is now merged with Meydenbauer Bay Park, expanding the space. 

2022

Previously known as Meydenbauer Beach Park, in March 2019, various additions were made wherein the beach was expanded and a curving 420-foot-long pedestrian pier was added. It is adorned with trees, chirping birds, flower bushes, a peaceful environment, at any time of the day! You can even see fish and water birds at the bank. Rental kayaks and canoes are available for water sports lovers; rather this is a site for non-motorized water-craft launches! Lifeguard is an additional support system available.

                                                                                 2022

A wonderful place to think, write, sketch, photograph, eat, walk, play, contemplate and many more! 

2023

Colourful play articles are alluring! You can’t help but enjoy them for some time, irrespective of age. 

Every time we visited, we have observed people from various parts of the globe, spending quiet time here! Its one jewel in the crown of Bellevue!

Sunset is a great time to visit!

 Green Blogger
Prof. Dr. Jaya Kurhekar