In 1876, six years after the death of Charles Dickens, the streets of the English capital still looked very much like the famous author had described. Poverty, disability and filth were everywhere: people lived a precarious and marginal existence working on the streets of London. Two men became determined to document this – and the book they produced shocked a nation.
Radical journalist Adolphe Smith conducted interviews with the poor and down and outs of London. Yet this had been done before. The unique selling point of this book was his collaboration with photographer John Thomson. These pictures - such as the one above of a young girl searching drinking houses for an inebriate parent, were taken with a camera using the glass plate method (Eastman would not develop film until the next decade). They stunned the British middle classes and made their book – Street Life of London – an immediate best seller.
What do you get if you cross a zebra with a seal? There is no sensible answer to that question, of course, but there is a species of seal which lives in the Arctic and subarctic regions of the North Pacific Ocean which could (however unfeasibly) be the product of a chance romance between the two species. It is the Ribbon Seal and it is remarkable for its stripes. Our sibling site, the Ark in Space has a picture feature on this amazing animal.
They say that life imitates art but perhaps in this case it is the other way around. This is Faucaria tigrina or the Tiger's Jaw – a succulent plant found in South Africa.
Yet caught at the right angle the plant does not resemble so much the jaw of a tiger as that of an altogether alien creature, featured in a number of movies starring Sigourney Weaver et al.
It may look like the hideaway of a super villain from a Bond movie but this is the Sphinx Observatory, dedicated to research which must take place out at an altitude of 3000-3500 meters.
It is situated in Jungfraujoch, Switzerland. At an astonishing 3.571 meters above sea level, the Sphinx observatory in the Swiss Alps is the highest-altitude built structure in Europe.
Many people say that Londoners are full of it. This may or may not be true but there is one certainty – when they let it go (as it were) it has to go somewhere. In Victorian days the smell from the river became so pungent that our Members of Parliament couldn't stand the stench (one might, perhaps, argue there was a little yin-yang going on there).
It was time for change then and it's time for change now. The folks at Thames Tideway have just released the video above. In it, real Londoners talk about the new 'super sewer' that is being built below the streets of England's capital city. It is costing a huge £4.2 billion from the start of the project in 2014 to its end in 2023. That's quite a while. Yet Rome was not built in a day, as they say, and – for sure – a city the size of London needs serious stuff going on underneath in order for day to day life to carry on pong-free up top.
This is, then, a huge feat of engineering which is needed because although the Victorians solved the problem back in the 1850s, times and populations change. Where we think they may have solved the problem permanently, there are still huge issues. Even now, the Thames still needs clearing up and raw sewage is going in to river at (what you might think is) an alarming rate (and you would be right). Each year 8 billion toilet flushes go straight in to the Thames.
Big issues lead to big solutions. The project is vast – anything that takes almost a decade will be by sheer definition. Yet we can all get our heads around the whole thing with some interesting visuals and a narration to accompany them by contemporary denizens of Hackney, Southwark and the Southbank.
Take a look at the video above. The scale is epic but it reflects a vision for a city which will be with us in five years.
Spider webs – possibly the most beautiful and intricate animal structures of the natural world. However, some spiders are not content with a simple web. They go one step further. They decorate their own webs and today they are featured on the Ark in Space.
These stabilimenta were the source of inspiration for EB White, who was struggling to come up with ideas for his second novel. One day he noticed the additional decorations on the web of a Banded Garden Spider. It was from this natural inspiration that he would come up with the idea of a writing spider and would go on to write one of the world's most cherished children's books, Charlotte's Web. Pop over to the Ark in Space for the full story of the spiders that decorate their own webs together with some amazing pictures.
I had the great pleasure, this summer, to curate an anthology of short stories written by English teachers throughout the UK. The aim of the anthology was to present a collection of stories aimed at students working towards their GCSE English Language exam – that is the gold standard of first language general education in England and a qualification which is attempted by most of the population, either at 16 years of age or beyond.
You might wonder why teachers would bother participating in such a project – 43 altogether – when there are so many short stories already available. Why new ones? Authors from across the centuries had helped in my teaching delivery – Dickens, Chopin, Dahl, Gaiman, Mansfield and others – but all had something in common with me. It was entirely unlikely that they had written their stories while keeping in mind assessment objectives and skills descriptors against which they would be judged.
So the stories in this anthology directly and explicitly relate to the skills that the students of GCSE English have to present in their creative writing piece in the exam. I knew I would be able to write a few myself but went on to a Facebook page I help run, GCSE English Language, to ask for some assistance. I was overwhelmed by the response.
Over the course of July and August 2018 I received 50 short stories, all based on the example questions I had created for the anthology. There were only 12 choices so a number of participants engaged with each example question. The result was a lovely collection of short stories which I hope will engage students of GCSE English Language for many years to come. There is, I think, something for everybody in this anthology.
If you would like to download the anthology and the teacher's notes to accompany it, please go to the TES website. The resource is free so although you may have to create an account (if you have Facebook you can even use that) you will not pay for anything.
The Average Cost of a Funeral in the UK – Time to Plan More Than the Music?
You can read the report in more depth on the Legal & General website but I'll put a few of the more interesting (to me) facts and figures here for you to digest. The greatest relief is that many people are like me – they haven't really thought about it too much. So I'm not alone in that respect but I suppose if there is one thing that unites us all it is birth and death. The days in-between the two events are numerous but a single day can shape the rest of your life, positively or negatively and I have always thought there are about four or five of these pivotal days in anyone's life. So perhaps we should count the funeral as an honorary pivotal day and start thinking more about it.
£4.6K is, apparently, how much it will cost for me to be cremated (I live in Greater London) but to be buried that rises to £7.7k. I am rather thankful I don't live in Enfield because I don't like the place and, moreover, the cost there rises to as much as £13k. That seems a rather exorbitant price to pay for expiring in that rather grim borough! Yet even though there are cheaper (and more pleasant, no doubt) places to die than London the price of dying will be, on average, £5,925 by 2024. They might just as well have rounded that up to £6K and be done, frankly.
I'm disinclined to inform my family and friends that I should be given a pauper's burial even though I have to admit the thought of that is almost attractive in a Dickensian mid-Victorian gothic novel kind of way. Perhaps what I will do, however, is take a look at how I can plan for my own funeral instead. Although I have never been too good at forethought, when I imagine how things might be done if certain relatives are left to organise it a slight shudder courses its way down my spine. Always look on the bright side of life is a good rule while blood is coursing through our veins. Once that stops and I slip of this mortal coil I think I would like to know exactly how my funeral will go, including the playlist obviously but with all the other details in place too. Time to make a plan, methinks.
Our sibling site, the Ark in Space has a new feature about this unremarkable looking bird species. Not all bird species build nests. Some, like the razorbill, lay an egg on a rocky ledge and hope for the best. Others, like the king penguin, have no access to nesting materials so keep their egg warm by squatting directly over it, covering it with their feathers. Then there is the cuckoo, a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nest of others.
Yet most species of birds do indeed make nests and they come in all shapes and sizes. Perhaps the most spectacular of all these is that created by a rather plain looking African bird, the sociable weaver (also known more simply as the social weaver). Click here to take a look at this amazing nest-maker.


Are you are interested in joining the Young Womens' League? Are you new to the league and are looking to meet others in your cohort or ask questions about our events? Please join us for a prospective/new member coffee from 9:30-11am on Monday, September 28th, or contact our new member chair, Maia Sapanski, with any questions (maia.sapanski@gmail.com). We look forward to seeing you!


Timms, R. , Purcell, S.
Plan, which introduces the strategy for dissemination, communicati n and exploitation.
WHY to disseminate (expected achievements).
project presentations, workshops and conferences participation.
that all GAP partners carry out their information sharing responsibility fully, and in a timely manner.
GAP is in line with the norms of EU and Commission and promote the set standards of best practice.
purposes, strategy and methodology, responsibilities and work divis ons.
clarifying the key messages of the GAP project for partners and the varied audience.
contributing to competitiveness especially in the field of gamification and peacebuilding.
European Commission, (2014) Communicating EU research and innovation guidance for project participants.
for the whole duration of the project's existence.
together will ensure effective dissemination plan and support succe s of the project.
Dissemination Plan. Austin, Tx: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.


Ireland's history is recent, colorful, and tragic in so many ways. They're fighting for their freedom, they're fighting to become a viable, profitable country, and they're fighting to remain relevant. To give you a little perspective, Ireland is approximately the size of the state of Indiana and is home to about 7 million people, 3 million of which reside in Dublin alone. But for a small country, they're fighters, they're humble and they're happy, happy people (maybe it's all the Guinness).


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BLOC Thursdays: A new multicultural space
Arieon Whittsey December 13, 2022 - 9:00am December 20, 2022 - 2:29pm
As a student of color at the University of Illinois, it's not hard to notice the lack of places to have fun that are inclusive of people of color. Owner of K Squared Events and University of Illinois alum Denzel McCauley, and Owner of Unofficialboyz Warren Montgomery noticed that same lack of space and set out to create a solution. That's where BLOC Thursdays come in. The meaning of the word BLOC is; a combination of countries, parties, or groups sharing a common purpose. BLOC Thursdays is a weekly event that began at Axe Bar in Champaign.
During the thick of the pandemic, Brothers Bar & Grill in Campustown closed permanently. McCauley and Montgomery were inspired by the closure of the bar and the space that it left. "Brothers was its own thing…you have to experience it yourself. It was a melting pot of every culture." Montgomery said. Montgomery also noted the difference between the music at Brothers in comparison to other campus bars, "It wasn't just radio hits, there were a lot of minority students there and there was a lot of music that we all listen to there that you wouldn't hear at like a Red Lion or KAMS."
Without a bar like Brothers, McCauley and Montgomery said that the lack of places for POC felt more pronounced, "The ability for students to really get a dynamic experience is very very small, especially since KAMS and Lion are owned by the same individual" McCauley said. They also noted that people of color don't have many spaces where they can throw events, "I think that we are giving everyone an opportunity to see something different. That is necessary. You know? I'm saying like, besides one-off parties that are thrown by an official student group or any other group, minority students don't really have anywhere to go besides someone's house."
Once the pair found a location, they had to figure out how to advertise to a diverse audience in a way that avoided exclusion. The two already had an exceptional track record of throwing events that provided space for people of color, that were respectfully run and, most importantly, fun. With this momentum, they used drink deals, a few ads on social media and reached out to people who could help with promoting to a wide variety of people in the city.
"We made sure to bring in different people…we brought in individuals on the football team to help, sponsor, and host, and we also brought individuals on the cheerleading team to bring in a dynamic crowd. We have the themes too," said McCauley.
Photo by Denzel McCauley.
The event took off quickly, spreading mainly through word of mouth. BLOC was able to set itself apart from bars in Urbana-Champaign and especially the bars in Campustown. When speaking with McCauley and Montgomery, they mentioned the addition of bottle girls to the event as a chance for people in C-U to interact with a club environment in a way that is usually only available in larger cities. The bottle girls take on the responsibility of serving sections, tables, and hyping up the crowd. The two event planners also emphasized the importance of finding a DJ who could play to a general, but diverse crowd. They hired DJ Dev.n who excels at creating rap, pop, alt, and dance mixes.
"It's a good vibe and the crowd isn't just students. I enjoy it because It's a change of pace from the campus bars. There's more people from town, the crowd is predominantly people of color, and I get to play different genres of music." DJ Dev.n said.
The crowd for the events tended to be high energy, dance-heavy, and perfect for occasional live performances by local rappers and singers. BLOC Thursdays stands out as a bar experience that's special and goes above and beyond to be a space that is affordable, fun and inclusive.
McCauley and Montgomery both expressed that ultimately they desire to provide a safe space where everyone can have fun and use them as a resource. "At the end of the day we're all people that want to have fun, we all want to have a space, and if I'm able to provide a space where people that don't have one feel comfortable and feel safe, I'm going to do that." said McCauley.
The event is currently on a brief hiatus while they look for a permanent home for BLOC Thursdays.
Top photo by Denzel McCauley.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Haslam college plan passes Senate, heads to his desk
Adam Tamburin
The state Senate voted Monday to approve Gov. Bill Haslam's plan to create independent boards for six public universities in the Board of Regents system, essentially ensuring it will become law.
The plan — which is part of the Focus on College and University Success, or FOCUS, Act — won support from 31 senators. Only Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, voted against the plan.
Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, who carried the bill for the administration, said the bill represented "history in the making" that would lead to a "brighter future for all Tennesseans."
Lawmakers in the House passed the bill in March — it will head to Haslam's desk in the coming days.
Vote on Haslam college plan comes after changes
Haslam's office soon will take steps to assemble university boards for Tennessee State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Austin Peay State University and three others that have been overseen by the Tennessee Board of Regents since 1972. Under the plan, the local university boards would be allowed to set tuition, hire presidents and decide their own priorities.
The Board of Regents will continue to manage the state's network of 13 community colleges and 27 technical colleges. Haslam has said the change will allow the Board of Regents to focus on the enrollment growth in those colleges while also creating more local control for the universities.
Leadership in both houses supported the bill from the time it was announced in December. Although some lawmakers and higher education leaders have voiced opposition to elements of the plan, it enjoyed a fairly smooth trip to the governor's desk.
In a statement released shortly after the vote, Haslam cheered the news, which he said would advance the Drive to 55, his wide-ranging effort to increase the number of Tennesseans with a college degree.
"We appreciate the General Assembly's incredible support and partnership on the FOCUS Act, particularly Senator Mark Norris and Representative Ryan Williams for carrying the legislation, and we're excited to move forward with the implementation process," Haslam said. "Tennessee is making dramatic progress in higher education through the Drive to 55, and FOCUS is a crucial next step in this effort."
Mike Krause, Haslam's top higher education adviser, said the administration will begin assembling a roster of potential board members over the summer, with an official announcement of appointees coming in the fall.
The administration will appoint nine of the 10 members in each board. The General Assembly will vote to confirm those appointments during the next legislative session.
Yarbro spoke against the bill, echoing many of its critics who fear the new structure will create a competitive environment in which the universities are pitted against one another in a fight for resources.
"We're creating a lot more government, a lot more bureaucracy and the potential for a lot more politics getting into education," Yarbro said. "I just fear that there are a lot of unintended consequences that could come from this."
But in an interview before the vote Monday, Tennessee Tech University President Philip Oldham said political competition has long been a part of the higher education system in Tennessee. He added that the FOCUS Act would likely improve his university and others.
Having an individual board "will give the universities more opportunities to address the specific needs of their student populations more quickly and aggressively" than they have under the Board of Regents, which oversees 46 institutions.
"It's a great opportunity for the six universities currently in the Board of Regents system to emerge and go to higher levels," Oldham said. "I'm not critical of the current structure. I think this will work better."
Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and on Twitter @tamburintweets.


English tenor Mark Padmore has enjoyed a career that has seen him grow from a choral scholar at King's College, Cambridge, through membership of The Sixteen and Hilliard ensembles, to becoming the international Evangelist of choice in performances of Bach's Passions across the globe. He talks about the people who influenced him – William Christie and Philippe Herreweghe among them – and the prospect of Britten operas in waiting. Padmore is currently enjoying a year-long residency at the Wigmore Hall.


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Teddy Roosevelt Impersonated by Adam Lindquist
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Theodore Roosevelt: The American Boy
April 20, 2017 / T R
In my work recreating Theodore Roosevelt, I have come to the belief that he looked upon his role as a leader as he did as a father. His job, if done well, was to leave the world better for his family (which in his mind included the American people) and leave a good family name. His own Father, Theodore Roosevelt was the man he admired most and trying to emulate him by his own actions would be consistent with his beliefs.
"My father, Theodore Roosevelt, was the best man I ever knew. He combined strength and courage with gentleness, tenderness, and great unselfishness. He would not tolerate in us children selfishness or cruelty, idleness, cowardice, or untruthfulness. As we grew older, he made us understand that the same standard of clean living was demanded the boys as for the girls; that what was wrong in a woman could not be right in a man. With great love and patience, and the most generous sympathy and consideration, he combined insistence on discipline. He never physically punished me but once, but he was the only man of whom I was ever really afraid. I do not mean that it was a wrong fear, for he was entirely just, and we children adored him."
Roosevelt felt strongly that family was important and that we all held a responsibility as Americans to bring up children in a way that promoted the opportunity to be a solid citizen. In an article he wrote in 1900 published in St Nicolas, he wrote:
"Of course, what we have a right to expect of the American boy is that he shall turn out to be a good American man. Now, the chances are strong that he won't be much of a man unless he is a good deal of a boy. He must not be a coward or a weakling, a bully, a shirk, or a prig. He must work hard and play hard. He must be clean-minded and clean-lived, and able to hold his own under all circumstances and against all comers. It is only on these conditions that he will grow into the kind of American man of whom America can be really proud."
What is the lesson we should learn from Roosevelt? That each of us contributes to the fabric of our shared country, and that it starts with how we treat our children and our neighbors children. We are the ones who help create the kind of men and women who have strong morals, strong ideals and ultimately, concern for one another.
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Frost River Bags The best darn canoe and packs in the world
Minnesota Field Trip Library A great resource for finding the best places to take kids on field trips, and for school programs to find presenters
National Park Foundation The National Park Foundation is the official charity of the United States' 59 national parks.
The National Cowboy Museum Roosevelt was a charter member of the great hall here!
The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy is a charitable environmental organization, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, United States. Its mission is to "conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends."


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Tommy LiPuma
Features, Podcasts
by gfagien
https://assets-jazziz-com.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/05/lipuma_mixdown.mp3
From his earliest days as a music promoter in the '60s to his tenure at Warner Bros in the '70s, hit first jazz smash hit (George Benson's Breezin'), Natalie Cole's multiplatinum Unforgettable, legendary concerts in Montreux, his role in the rise to fame of Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets and so many others to his days at Verve, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole and Paul McCartney, commentary on topics from President Obama to his only movie soundtrack (a work he's most proud of) to a train ride home with the precocious Joey Alexander to his commentary on how jazz took a dive when everyone started to sound like everyone else … enjoy a conversation with legendary producer Tommy LiPuma.
intro: Kickin' it – Jeff Lorber
gfagien May 26, 2016
[audio mp3="https://assets-jazziz-com.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/05/lipuma_mixdown.mp3"][/audio] From his earliest days as a music promoter in the '60s to his tenure at Warner Bros in the '70s, hit first jazz smash hit (George Benson's Breezin'), Natalie Cole's multiplatinum Unforgettable, legendary concerts in Montreux, his role in the rise to fame of Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets and so many others to his days at Verve, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole and Paul McCartney, commentary on topics from President Obama to his only movie soundtrack (a work he's most proud of) to a train ride home with the precocious Joey Alexander to his commentary on how jazz took a dive when everyone started to sound like everyone else … enjoy a conversation with legendary producer Tommy LiPuma. intro: Kickin' it - Jeff Lorber


Qatar Petroleum is raising its LNG production capacity by almost 30 million tons annually, the company said amid the rift between the tiny emirate and four of its neighbors, led by Saudi Arabia.
Qatar is currently the top LNG exporter globally and is facing growing competition from Australia as well as from hopefuls such as the U.S. and Russia, whose LNG export industry is young but ambitious. This increase in Qatar's capacity, to come from more drilling in the North Field, will help it cement its position, achieved not least because of its low production costs.
The LNG market is currently saturated and prices are depressed. Yet demand for what many call a bridge fuel between oil and renewables is set for a steady increase over the long term, so a capacity increase certainly makes sense for a low-cost producer such as Qatar, which, after the expansion, will be able to produce 100 million tons of LNG annually. That about 40 percent of last year's global supply, up from its current level of 77 million tons.
Politically, the move could be interpreted as open defiance to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain, which tried to force Qatar to sever its ties with Iran and distance itself from Turkey, alleging the emirate funds terrorist groups.


Granular material mixing is common in many industrial applications ranging from the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals to the production of construction materials. Problems arise when proper blending is not achieved, which can lead to failure of the desired product. Currently most industries use trial and error to design blending processes. There is a clear need for not only quantitative, mechanics-based models for predicting blending performance but also experimental data that can be used for model calibration and validation.
In order to provide validation and calibration data in support of model development, two mixing experiments were designed and performed to measure the degree of mixing as a function of time: one in a rotating circular drum and the other in a Tote blender. The experimental apparatuses, operation, data collection and processing algorithms, and challenges encountered are described in this paper.
Cameron, Andrew Thomas (2018) "Granular Material Mixing: Experiments for Calibration and Validation," The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research: Vol. 8, Article 2.


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The forgotten story of a migration: Nacharamma of South India
This is a story of Nacharamma (fictionised by me to some extent), which is not documented in any inscriptions or ancient texts, but has been told by the ancestors of the community, and also been researched by some historians like M Keshavaiah, Dr Pranarthiharan and a few others. Overview: Around the early 17th century, the Pilgrims set to sail across the Atlantic to become the first settlers of America. Much before this, a small but no less interesting migration took place in the Southern India of a community called the 'Sankethis'. It was the summer of 1420 CE, in a place called Sengottai, in Tamil Nadu, along the foothills of the Western Ghats bordering Kerala. The place was flourishing with knowledge of the Vedas where Agraharams were set up. One of the prominent communities of learned people was the Sankethi Iyer community, also known as Sangeethi, derived from the name of the place- Sengottai or Shankotta. Another theory says that they were The group followed Adi Sha
Yedathore: An old town lost in floods
Overview: Yedathore, an old town in Mysore District, gave way to modern Krishnarajanagara, in the 1930s. The town was completely devastated in the floods by the Cauvery river and the whole town had to be shifted some 3 kms away. The new town named KR Nagara, was established between 1920s and 30s by the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar. The pillar, commemorating the formation of the new town, can be seen at the centre of KR Nagar town. Some of the old remains of Yedathore can still be seen, like the old railway station, still called so. The ruins of the old station can still be seen, and the platform is still recognizable, even though the tracks are not to be seen anywhere. The most prominent landmark of the old Yedathore is the Arkeshwara temple, having Chola features, and built in the 14th century by the Vijayanagara kings. Old Yedathore Railway station Old Yedathore Railway station Old Yedathore Railway station Yedathore Arkeshwara temple Yedath
A visit to Sriharikota and Pulikat Lake
Overview: A visit to Sriharikota to view one of the satellite launches (read Chandrayaan) was in my bucketlist for a long time. Earlier the entry into the Space Centre was prohibited so watching the launch was a difficult task. When I read about the PSLV C46 launch, and the arrangements made to enable common public to view the launch, I decided that it's a good opportunity. The registration process is pretty easy, where we would need to enter some details like Name, DOB, Aadhar card, Address etc. The launch is normally scheduled mid-week, so I had to go and come back just in 1 day. About PSLV C46: This spacecraft carried the earth observation satellite RISAT 2B, which can monitor movements even in bad weather conditions. We started from Bangalore on Tuesday evening and reached Sullurpeta late night. Being a small town with limited tourist attractions, there are not many options to stay, however, there are around 4-5 hotels which are good enough for 3-4 hours sleep. We had b
Exploring North-East India: Manipur - 1
Overview: Once we had a thought of visiting the North-East of India, the first task was to decide on what states to visit. After some thought we finalised on Manipur and Tripura. Now to come up with an itinerary, it was an uphill task, because all the districts in Manipur and Tripura are full of surprises, so arriving at the places to visit was difficult. So finally we selected a mix of nature, heritage and culture. Day 1: We landed in Imphal at 9:30am and the cab driver arrived at the airport at the right time. Our first place of interest was the Kangla Fort.Believed to be in existence since the 1st century CE with the Ningthouja dynasty under Nongda Lairen Pakhangba. Encircled by the traditional 4 divisions of the state, the area includes the burial places, sacred sites, megalithic mounds and places of worship. Some of the important historical structures in the fort are the Citadel wall, the Kanglasha, Sri Govindjee temple, Bir Tikendrajit temple and Gen Slim's cottage. The a
Gujarat Diaries - 7
Overview: This was our final day with Zoomcar, and we started early as usual to avoid queues at the Sardar Patel statue. We reached the parking lot at Kevadia at around 7:30am. The ticket counters open at 8:30am, so we had our breakfast and morning tea near the parking lot. There are 4 types of ticket, Rs 30 for a bus ride and a glimpse of teh statue, Rs 150 for entry into the Sardar Patel Statue premises and the museum, Rs 350 for reaching the top of the statue through elevator, and Rs 1000 ticket for priority pass and avoiding any queues. We took the Rs 150 ticket and hopped on to the bus. The bus takes the visitors to the Sardar Patel statue, Valley of Flowers and the Sardar Sarovar Dam. We reached Sardar Patel statue in 10 mins by bus. We were awestruck by the sheer size of the statue, and couldn't help but take pictures at every step till we reached the foot of the Iron Man. An average man is not even half the size of the toe of the statue. This was something we had not seen
Overview: Another long day was awaiting when we started our journey from Rajkot towards Champaner Archaeological site. We started around 5:30am and reached Champaner at around 11:30am. The roads are very good all across Gujarat, so we did not feel much stress of driving. Inside the Champaner Fort is the Shehar-ki-masjid, a private mosque built for the royal family of the Gujarat Sultanate in teh 15th-16th century. The mosque is built in Indo-Sarcenic architecture, with the outer pillars resembling the Hindu temple type of architecture. The outer structure is flanked by 2 minarets on both the sides. A few yards from Shehar-ki-Masjid is the Mandvi or the Customs house, used as a tax collection booth. This structure locally known as the bazaar. Also nearby are some stray structures and the 3-celled building, used as a prison in the 15th century. Shehar-ki-Masjid, Champaner Champaner Custom House After relishing these monuments, we headed to the Pavagadh hill, which looked mas
Overview: We had booked a safari at Devaliya Interpretation Zone at Gir at 9am. So we started from Diu at around 5:30am so that we could reach their on time. The distance from Diu to Sasan Gir is around 100kms so we kept a driving time of 3 hours and 30 mins buffer. We had some confusion on whether to book a 3 hour safari into the Gir forest or 1 hour safari to the Gir Interpretation Zone, where a smaller fenced area of Gir has been created so that more animals can be spotted. The decision proved good in the end after we spotted the Asiatic Lion, Jackal, Vultures, Wild Cat, Leopard and a few migratory birds. Spotting these animals in their natural habitat was a great experience early in the morning. It took around 1.5 hours from the safari starting point to return to the same place. The ticket cost is Rs 200 per head, and Rs 200 for camera. We had to pay an additional Rs 1900 for the gypsy. Gir Gir From here, we headed to Junagadh, around 1.5 hours drive from here. We firs
The forgotten story of a migration: Nacharamma of ...