5 interesting facts about the beautiful Lotus temple in Delhi

The Bahai house of worship is a famous monument in New Delhi and is unique in several ways!

Here are some amazing facts about the Lotus temple:

1. The Bahai Lotus temple was designed by Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba in the shape of a lotus as it is common to several religions including Hinduism and Buddhism. He has won several international awards for this brilliant piece of work.
                   
2. It is in line with the teachings of the Bahai faith believing in the Oneness of God, the Oneness of Religions, and the Oneness of Mankind. As such, people of all religions and races are welcome in the temple as it is a place to worship the creator of the universe and not one particular deity.

3. The temple is visited by more than four million people every year with an average of more than 10000 visitors daily.

4. The Bahai house of worship in Delhi is one of seven such houses of worship. The other six are at Sydney in Australia, Panama City in Panama, Apia inWestern Samoa, Kampala in Uganda, Frankfurt in Germany and Wilmette in USA.

5. The Bahai community offers four activities called the core activities for those who are interested in the Bahai way of life. these acrtivities are Childrens’ Classes, Junior Youth Classes, Devotional Meetings and Study Circles.

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Contact Details.

Crossworld Holidays Tours & Travels (IATA approved)

Address : Grounf Floor, Ram Smruti,
Opp. to New English School,
Ram Maruti Road, Cross Road,
Thane (W) - 400602, India
Tel:+91 - 22 - 4038 4747
Fax:+91 - 22 - 2542 3427
E-mail: crossh@gmail.com

Breakfast Eatout Places in Mumbai

Breakfast for some can mean scrambled eggs, sausages and toast while for others, the most important meal of the day is reduced to just coffee on the go. If you live in hectic Mumbai, and don't get the time to have a big breaker on weekdays, you can atone by heading to these fantastic cafes for a long morning repast on the weekend.

Theobroma

Heavenly desserts and some quick delicious bites make Theobroma a Mumbai favourite. Serving food with a Parsi twist, the patisserie chain has multiple outlets across the city right from Colaba to Andheri. A full range of products including cakes, brownies, breads, chocolates, cookies and sandwiches doesn’t make it any easier to order and you’ll be spoilt for choice. You could just opt for the full English breakfast that includes a stuffed omelette, toast and chips.
ADDRESS: 24, Cusrow Baug, Electric House, Colaba, Mumbai.

Food for thought

While rummaging through your favourite classics at the Kitab Khana Bookstore, it’s easy to get distracted by the aroma of freshly baked goods. As you tiptoe around the room, looking for the source of that wonderful aromas wafting in the air, you run smack dab into Food for thought—a quaint little café tucked away into a corner of the bookstore. Try the waffles with hazelnut sauce or the kimchi hash browns, and you’ll probably just end up skipping lunch.
ADDRESS: Inside Kitab Khana, Mahatma Gandhi Rd, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai.
                               
Mocha Mojo

A fulfilling, value for money breakfast at Bandra's Mocha Mojo is exactly what's needed on those lazy Sunday mornings. The quintessential coffee shop, Mocha has a range of breakfast treats to kick-start your day: start with a a cup of coffee or a glass of fresh fruit juice and then dive headlong into a choice of eats. We recommend the eggs and herbed ciabatta and pancakes with maple syrup.
ADDRESS: Classic Corner Building, Next to Holy Family Hospital, Hill Road, Bandra West, Mumbai.

Kyani & Co

One of the oldest cafes in the city, Kyani & Co is forever bustling with loyal patrons who drop by for their daily cup of tea (accompanied by khari biscuits). The old-world charm of chequered table cloths and vintage ad posters remains unchanged and continues to bring in taxi-drivers and film stars to college students and professors alike. The cherry custard is a must-have while the ever-popular mava cake disappears in a few hours of being baked.
ADDRESS: Jermahal Estate, 657, JSS Road,Kalbadevi Rd, Tak Wadi, Lohar Chawl, Marine Lines, Mumbai.

Tea Centre

Tea Centre is the place to head to when you want to sit back and sip a cup of tea in a very colonial ambience. Owned by the Tea Board of the Government of India, it’s one of the last few places in the city that still serves more than a dozen varieties of tea. A cup of hot buttered apple tea along with eggs and toast will satisfy all your English breakfast cravings.
ADDRESS: Resham Bhavan, 78, Veer Nariman Rd, Churchgate, Mumbai
       
Café Mondegar

Cheek by jowl with Regal Cinema, Cafe Mondegar is part of what keeps Colaba cool. Founded by Iranian immigrants in 1871, this bar has been serving beer for generations and despite a limited range of beer and finger food, it wins on historic clout. The walls are covered with the legendary cartoonist Mario Miranda's caricatures. Mondy's, as it's affectionately known, is a temporary home to the eddies of humanity and if you hang out long enough you'll start to see the tables echo the walls.
ADDRESS: 5-A,Metro House, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Colaba Causeway, Apollo Bandar, Mumbai.

                               

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Contact Details.

Crossworld Holidays Tours & Travels (IATA approved)

Address : Grounf Floor, Ram Smruti,
Opp. to New English School,
Ram Maruti Road, Cross Road,
Thane (W) - 400602, India
Tel:+91 - 22 - 4038 4747
Fax:+91 - 22 - 2542 3427
E-mail: crossh@gmail.com

Charmed by Vienna

At first, with its many palaces, royal monuments and historic cafes, Vienna seems to be an old-fashioned city that's steeped in imperial history and traditions. With imposing Baroque buildings all around, trams and horse carriages running on the streets and soft notes of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's most famous tunes floating in the air, Vienna makes it easy to believe that you are back in the eighteenth century. Amidst all this, the city centre is usually swarming with Mozart look-alikes selling tickets for the evening's opera or concerts.

Austria's capital boasts of a formidable past: it was the seat of two empires for nearly four centuries and one of the most vital cultural centres in Europe. It was also the home of musical giants such as Mozart and Beethoven, political leaders such as Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky, psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and artist Gustav Klimt.

Despite its classical heritage, Vienna's appeal lies as much in its old-world charm as in its ability to embrace the new. The most striking evidence of this is in Stephansplatz, a public square named after the city's most famous and distinctive church—St. Stephen's Cathedral or Stephansdom. Stephansplatz is considered to be the cultural and geographical heart of Vienna, and the Gothic-style cathedral stands cheek by jowl with the modernist Haas-Haus. Created by celebrated Austrian architect Hans Hollein in the 1980s, Haas-Haus offers a striking contrast to the medieval edifice next to it, with its steel-and-glass facade often reflecting the older building's silhouette. The square itself is almost always buzzing with street performers and musicians, shoppers and tourists. The atmosphere is carnival-like, and it's not unusual to stumble upon impromptu flash dances like this one.
                               
St. Stephens Cathedral is recogniseable by its multi-coloured tiled roof, and a narrow elongated spire that is visible from almost anywhere in Vienna's historic centre. Inside, the quiet hush of the church is an apt setting to admire the impressive Gothic stone pulpit that takes centre stage. Stephansdom is dominated by its south tower, which makes it one of the tallest churches in the world. Enthusiastic visitors can trudge up its 343 steps for a bird's eye view of the Old Town from the top. For braver travellers, a tour of the cathedral's catacombs is a far more thrilling way to absorb the city's history. Held daily, the tour explores the church's and the city's underbelly. The catacombs are the final resting places for several royals as well as commoners, and contain royal tombs, remains of the victims of a massive plague in the 18th century and urns holding the remains of members of the Habsburgs dynasty.
                               

Not too far away, Hundertwasserhaus is a break from the turn-of-the-century imperial architecture that is most synonymous with Vienna. Designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser in 1986, this residential apartment is a jumble of curved surfaces, colourful textures, uneven floors and a rooftop garden. The area opposite Hundertwasserhaus has been developed into a shopping arcade called Kalke Village, frequented by tourists, but it remains one of my favourite spots in the city for its quirkiness.

The city's reputation in Western classical music is upheld by the Staatsoper, the Opera House. Its grand interiors host concerts by the Vienna Philharmonika, but it's nicer to soak in the capital's musical legacy in an intimate chamber choir. Comprising of four members, a chamber concert is generally held in one of the old apartments surrounding the city centre. Listening to the compositions of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert at dusk is likely to be one of the most magical experiences of your visit.

While Vienna is packed with excellent museums, including the spectacular cultural enclave known as the Museumsquartier, it's the street art that lends a contemporary edge to an otherwise classical European city. The best place to catch Vienna's most exciting graffiti is the Donaukanal, a branch of the Danube River that skirts the Old Town of Vienna or the Innere Stradt. Its banks form the perfect canvas for Vienna's many Banksys, whose creations range from typographic messages to intricately drawn murals. The picturesque waterfront is frequented by picnickers, joggers and bicyclists. Alternatively, if like me, you watch it from a boat, gliding down the length of the Donaukanal, it might seem like the perfect meeting point for the old and the new.

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Contact Details.

Crossworld Holidays Tours & Travels (IATA approved)

Address : Grounf Floor, Ram Smruti,
Opp. to New English School,
Ram Maruti Road, Cross Road,
Thane (W) - 400602, India
Tel:+91 - 22 - 4038 4747
Fax:+91 - 22 - 2542 3427
E-mail: crossh@gmail.com

Jaipur street food that will make you drool

A trip to Jaipur always includes two things—exploring the magnificent forts and palaces, and savouring authentic Rajasthani delicacies. The street food of Jaipur is not only loved by the locals but is also popular among the visitors. Peppered with a range of small-in-area but high-on-taste food joints, this vibrant desert city has a lot to offer when it comes to food. From going crazy over the tangy golgappas at Chawla's and tasting crispy pyaaz kachoris at Rawat Misthan Bhandar to getting your hands dirty at Sethi Bar-Be-Que; the Jaipur's street food will leave you longing for more. The narrow lanes of the Pink City are bustling with such street side food vendors selling almost everything, be it a cool glass of lassi, a variety of omelettes or kulfi faludas. Here we have compiled a list of some famous Jaipuri street food and where to find them when in Jaipur.

Masala Tea at Gulab Ji Chai Waala

Situated opposite Ganpati Plaza on MI Road, Gulab Ji Chai Waala is renowned for its tasty and refreshing masala chai, bun and muska. You can also ask for bun muska samosa, which tastes delicious and is a craze among people here. Always packed with tea lovers, the Gulab Ji Chai Wala serves tea till 6 pm only. So, if you are a tea person, a trip to this place is compulsory. Make sure to add Gulab Ji Chai Waala in your list while exploring the street food joints in Jaipur.
                                          
Golgappas at Chawla’s and Nand’s

For all the golgappa (pani patashi) fanatics, Hotel Chawla and Nand on Fashion Street, Raja Park are an absolute heaven. Dipped in spicy, sweet and tangy chutneys, these custom-made wonders served here are quite famous in the city. Both these competitor stalls stand opposite to each other and lure customers with their mouthwatering golgappas. Here you can choose from various chutneys or dips suiting your palate. So, when on a street food tour of the city, do try the golgappas at both the places and decide yourself which one's the best!
                                
Chicken Tikka at Sethi’s

Satisfy your meat cravings at the popular Sethi Bar-Be-Que restaurant in Raja Park, which is believed to serve best chicken tikka and tandoori in Jaipur. Having a dhaba-style atmosphere, this little food joint is quite a craze among the non-vegetarian crowd of the city. People prefer to eat inside their cars here so a long row of cars can be seen parked outside the restaurant. Served with tandoori rotis, masala, chutney, onion rings and lemon, these tantalisingly delicious chicken tikkas will definitely leave you longing for more. Do not forget to try their lahsooni chicken tikka and hariyali chicken tikka, which are truly divine. Apart from non-veg food items, they also serve veg delicacies for the vegetarian foodies.

                                
Omelettes at Sanjay’s

People often question what's such a big deal in making omelettes? To get your answer, you need to visit Sanjay Omelette in Bapu Nagar, which serves more than 20 varieties of omelettes. The place is owned by Sanjay Sharma, who was also a participant of the famous show called the Masterchef India. He has been running this place for more than two decades now and people from all across the city visit here to enjoy the wide range of omelettes. Two of the most popular dishes here are the egg pizza and masala omelette, which are simply delicious. So, Sanjay Omelette should definitely be in your list of street food joints to eat at while in Jaipur.

Srikhand at Falahaar

Falahaar, a small food joint situated in Saraogi Mansion, is ideal for vegetarians and people on fast. The place is known for its sabudane ki khichdi, a dish that is light and healthy, and sabudana dahi vada, a blend of tangy flavours. Besides, their makkhan lassi, fruit cream, mango kalakand and shrikahnd are also a must-try. With its clean surrounding, healthy and tasty food and pocket-friendly rates, Falahaar has now become an extremely popular street food joint in the city of Jaipur.

Kathi Rolls at Al Bake

Al Bake - The Chicken Paradise, as the name suggests, is a heaven for chicken lovers. From swarama to tikka, you can find almost all chicken items to bite into in the menu. Located on MI Road, the shop remains open till 12 in the morning and is always crowded with customers. You can see people ordering kathi rolls here largely, which is an absolute delight for all carnivores and a signature dish of this outlet. Your street food journey of Jaipur wouldn't be considered complete without sampling Al Bake's hot and scrumptious kathi rolls.
                                
Pyaaz Kachori at Rawat Misthan Bhandar
Come to Rawat Misthan Bhandar and treat your tastebuds with Rajasthan's signature pyaaz kachori, a flavoursome crisp and deep fried delicacy stuffed with spicy caramelised onion. The place is always jam-packed with customers since the crack of dawn to dusk, so you need to rise up real early and visit if you want to taste the best kachoris in Jaipur. The shop is not only famous amongst the locals but tourists too come here to take home Rawat's pyaaz kachori. Apart for this, their samosa, aaloo bonda, dal karchori and mawa kachori are also quite famous.
                                
Lassi at Lassiwala

If you thought lassi is only a Punjab thing, you really need to visit Lassiwala on MI Road in Jaipur. Served in earthen glasses topped with a thick layer of malai, the sweet (meethi) and sour (namkeen) lassi here will instantly rejuvenate you with its freshness. To enjoy these thick, buttery and revitalising coolers, make sure to visit early as the shop often runs out on lassi after 4 pm in the evening. The Lassiwala has been here since 1944 and this legendary lassi shop now is a must-visit for all those visiting Jaipur.

Kulfi Faluda at Bapu Bazaar

What could be better option than a plate of delicious matka kulfi on a sultry summer day in Jaipur? To taste the best kulfi faluda in Jaipur, visit the shop number 28 on Link road at Bapu Bazaar. The taste of these kulfis will take you down the memory lane reminding you of your joyous childhood. The shop has an ideal location for classic street food experience, in the middle of all crazy noise and chaos. So, do take some time out and visit here to sample their creamy kulfis, which are considered best in the city.
                     
 Pav Bhaji at Pandit’s

The pav bhaji stall of Pandit near Birla Mandir has earned a permanent name and fame for itself for serving hot and delicious pav bhaji in the city. Loved equally by locals and tourists for its consistent tastiness, the pav bhaji is served at quite a nominal price. For all those on a street food hopping in Jaipur, these stalls are a must visit. Freshly made and served hot with cube of butter and garlic chutney, you can simply not stop yourself from eating. The smell only of these pav bhajis in making are capable of making you forget all about your dieting regime!                               

                                

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Contact Details.

Crossworld Holidays Tours & Travels (IATA approved)

Address : Grounf Floor, Ram Smruti,
Opp. to New English School,
Ram Maruti Road, Cross Road,
Thane (W) - 400602, India
Tel:+91 - 22 - 4038 4747
Fax:+91 - 22 - 2542 3427
E-mail: crossh@gmail.com

Get water sports ready in Andamans

Andamans are beyond sun and sand—the azure waters are ideal for water sports like diving, scuba diving, snorkelling and much more. The biggest lure for travellers is undoubtedly the marine life, which has made it one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world. Over the years, a number of diving schools have come up that offer long- and short-term courses. The warm waters are also perfect for an afternoon of snorkelling. Other active water sports like windsurfing and sailing are slowly gaining popularity.

While searching for water sports companies, visitors must make sure to sign up with credible organisations. For diving, look for PADI certification before signing up for any of the courses. PADI refers to Professional Association of Diving Instructors, a worldwide certification associated with recreational diving. A PADI certification ensures that the establishment is a credible organisation, which uses standard systems of learning.

                                    
With a plethora of diving companies coming up every season, it is difficult to choose the perfect one for dive. Some of the popular ones are Barefoot Scuba, Andaman Bubbles and Lacadives. With an earthy resort of the same name, Barefoot is a trusted name ever since diving became popular in Andamans. Guests, staying at the resort or outside, can sign up for long- and short-term courses. The groups are small and personalised attention is guaranteed. Associated with two of the best resorts in the islands, Andaman Bubbles offers a large number of variations for diving. The spots chosen by the team allow divers to go in as deep as 30 metres. Besides, if you are heading to Wandoor, sign up with Lacadives. The Lacadives team collaborates with the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Environmental Team (ANET) to offer environment conscious and educative dives off Wandoor.

Along with scuba diving, visitors can opt for snorkelling, kayaking, windsurfing and game fishing as per their preference.

• Scuba Diving

Wandoor and Havelock are two major diving centres of the islands. Barracudas, snappers, sweetlips and an array of other species inhabit the clear waters. Myriad colours absorb both seasoned and first time divers. A standard experience includes a classroom session, gear, practice with instructors, diving with an instructor and other add-ons such as underwater photographs and videos. Some of the most famous diving spots in Andamans are Bala Reef, Snake Island, Corruption Rock, Havelock, Fish Rock near Passage Island, Rutland Island, Cinque Island and Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park in Wandoor.
                                   

• Snorkelling

Though snorkelling is less technical, it allows travellers to get a peek into the underwater wonders as well. Snorkelling does not allow participants to go as deep but they can still see a wide variety of marine life in Andamans' clear waters.

• Kayaking

Few companies offer kayaking in the calm sections of the sea. It is one of popular activities among families visiting Andamans as even the younger members can participate in kayaking.
                                  
                                    

• Windsurfing

Windsurfing with a board and a small sail to make cruise through the sea is ideal for the slightly more adventurous. This needs some amount of skill, but if you are planning to stay on for long, it may not be difficult to master.
                                    

• Game Fishing

Though ecologically, this is a controversial sport; some companies offer game fishing off the coasts of Havelock Island, Neil Island, Long Island and Ritchie's Archipelago. Over the years, the catch and release concept has reduced the risk to marine life.

                                    

To Know more about Crossworld Holidays, visit - www.crossworldholidays.com

Contact Details.

Crossworld Holidays Tours & Travels (IATA approved)

Address : Grounf Floor, Ram Smruti,
Opp. to New English School,
Ram Maruti Road, Cross Road,
Thane (W) - 400602, India
Tel:+91 - 22 - 4038 4747
Fax:+91 - 22 - 2542 3427
E-mail: crossh@gmail.com