The Great Debate: Picnic Baskets Vs. Picnic Totes

You’ve been on a picnic before, right? You may have taken a large spread with you, complete with all of your favorite picnic dishes, from ham and cheese sandwiches, to potato salad, and sweet tea. Do you remember what you carried your food and utensils in? You may have carried them in a picnic basket. Picnic baskets are a classic way to pack for your journey to your favorite outdoor dining spot. Nowadays, picnickers have a variety of picnic baskets that they can choose from. So, the next time you’re picnicking, will you choose a picnic basket or a picnic tote?

Picnic baskets and picnic totes both have the same general function. They keep your food safe and clean, they keep your utensils clean and organized, and they make transporting your meal easier. Just what is the difference between picnic baskets and picnic totes?

Picnic baskets come in two different styles. There is the classic picnic basket (Think “Wizard of Oz”), which is made of either rattan or bamboo. This type of basket is lightweight, while still managing to be durable. Unfortunately, it can be uncomfortable to carry a classic basket if you are walking a long distance to your picnic destination. There are also more modern picnic baskets, which are made of a polyester material. These baskets are often fully insulated so that they can keep your food and beverages cold. Best of all, these baskets usually zip, which helps to keep your utensils and your food germ-free.

Picnic totes are different from picnic baskets in that they look much more like a traditional tote bag that you might transport your books in. The placement of their straps makes totes much easier to carry. You can find picnic totes that offer enough accessories so that four people can enjoy a picnic together. Like picnic baskets, many of these totes will already include your silverware and cups, so that you never need to bring your dinnerware from home out into the wilderness.

Some totes are made exclusively for wine, or for wine and cheese. These totes keep your picnic completely insulated so you can relax and sip on a chilled glass of white wine. Wine and cheese totes aren’t the only totes that will keep your food cold, though. There are picnic totes available online that will keep your entire meal, as well as your beverages, at the perfect temperature.

Visit The Royal Mattancherry Dutch Palace

Cochin is an enchanting tourist destination of Kerala where tourists come from far and wide. Also known as Kochi, this city is well-known for its history, culture, traditions, tea, coffee and spice plantations, palace, beach and backwaters. There is so much to enjoy and experience on Cochin Tour.

This beautiful city is popularly known as the ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’. It also serves as an important seaport of the country. Located in the Eravikulam district of the state it is a picturesque place where you can enjoy the glory of Mother Nature at its best. Its tea, coffee and spice gardens are among the famous attractions of Cochin which promise to leave you completely mesmerized.

On your tour to Cochin do visit the historic and beautiful Mattancherry Palace which is also known as Dutch Palace. Located at a distance of only 10 km from Cochin, this palace is a fascinating attraction. This splendid structure was built by the Portuguese in the year 1555 and was gifted to the erstwhile king of Kochi. Later the Dutch established their supremacy over the kingdom. At that time they renovated the palace and named it as the Dutch Palace in the year 1663. Today when you visit this royal structure you will be mesmerized to see its beautiful interiors, paintings and a variety of things reflecting Hindu art.

Visit the Coronation hall on the second floor to treat your eyes with the arresting paintings (frescoes) adorning the walls. These paintings display the scenes from the great Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. Another attraction of the Dutch Palace is a special area dedicated to paintings based on the themes of Tretayug ( from Putra Kameshthi Yagya to Rama’s return to Ayodhya after Lanka’s war). These paintings reflect the finest examples of Kerala’s mural paintings having their own unique style. The palace also houses a variety of royal articles such as costumes, palanquin lined with ivory, turbans, etc. No wonder a visit to Dutch Palace will transport you back in time to the era of raja-maharajas.

Also visit the temple dedicated to ‘Pazhayannu Bhagavati (the Goddess of the Kochi Royal family) inside the palace complex. The shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna are also there in the palace complex.

Beautiful Egypt

With Egypt family holidays becoming increasingly popular there are many first time visitors to the country out there, this article looks at several top attractions of the country for those who know very little about this fantastic country and its ancient history.

Topping the list, and the one that many people will recognise, are the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. These impressive monuments have come to represent much of what the outside world sees when they think of Egypt, and for a good reason. The pyramids form some of the greatest tombs on the planet, their perfect peaks soaring up into the sky. The Sphinx is more of an enigma, with archaeologists arguing to this day over its purpose.

Next on the list, another ancient structure, are the magical temples dedicated to Ramsis II and his wife Nevertari. The temples were built in the belief they could grant immortality and they're some of the most beautiful examples of ancient structures in the country. The other truly remarkable story behind these structures is that they were moved in their entirety in the late 20th century to avoid flooding in the area they were originally located.

Moving on, and its another icon of Egypt, is the mighty river Nile. Not only is it one of the longest and largest rivers on the planet but it also makes for an excellent cruise experience! The Nile has been at the heart of Egypt for thousands of years, with ancient sites set all along the length of the river. The river also houses an abundance of life, along with its impressive history, and you can see everything from the fantastic bird life to sleek Nile crocodiles.

Next up, and one of the sites you can visit from the river, is the beautiful Valley of the Kings. This sacred valley houses the tombs of the Pharaohs and because of this has some of the most incredibly decorated structures in Egypt. Inside the tombs many fantastic treasures have been discovered including the famous mummy Tutankhamun.

Finally we have a more modern jewel and it's the countries capital, Cairo, a fantastic centre of culture. Cairo's a place you wouldn't want to miss and luckily most trips to Egypt will feature some time in the capital. The city is packed with fantastic markets, brilliant culture and amazing history. The city also features several fantastic museums that help enrich any trips you may be thinking of making to the ancient sites.