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.

Rome Shopping: Paintings

Rome has lured the best artists from all around the world for thousands of years. When surrounded by so much incredible inspiration, the works up and coming artists create while in Rome are naturally amazing. Should you want to snap up a local piece, indulge in a little art collecting, you can easily do so and it won't break the bank either.

Oil Paintings, Watercolors, traditional 'fine art', contemporary pieces, portraits and even caricatures are all drawn, painted and sold on the streets of Rome. No traipsing round private galleries and extortionate prices here in Rome, it's literally on your doorsteps.

A great alternative to a typical souvenir, a painting bought on the streets of Rome makes a fantastic gift, for either yourself or the people back home. Its guaranteed to be unique, and it can sit on your wall, pride of place, as a permanent reminder of your experience in the Eternal City. Who knows, you may even stumble across a future Michelangelo!

The best places to buy such paintings are well entrenched on the tourists trail - but don't let this put you off. These areas are just as popular with locals as they are with tourists, artists like to sell in popular places as they can't survive on art alone.

The Piazza Navona is where you'll find many artists selling watercolors and oil paintings of the views, sights and daily life in Rome. Prices are very reasonable, and everything is negotiable. Generally speaking, watercolors are cheaper than oils, and the larger the painting the more expensive. You can pick up an amazing watercolor, big enough to hang on a wall, but small enough to fit in your luggage, for around €8. Oil Paintings can be significantly more expensive, in the region of €30 to €75. Don't be put off by the asking price - which can be more that €100, you're expected and encouraged to negotiate and haggle. You'll be buying direct from the artist and should you buy more than one painting from the same artist you can get an even bigger discount.

At the top of the Spanish Steps you'll find many a local artist working the canvas. Here, like at the Piazza Navona, you'll find oils and watercolors of many sights and views of Rome. But you'll also find artists prepared to draw or paint your portrait - or caricature should you fancy a laugh! Prices again depend on size and materials used, larger equals more expensive and you have several options regarding materials. From a charcoal drawing, to a watercolor. Colour portraits are more expensive, paints are more expensive that pastels and so on. Negotiate is again encouraged, but if you want a portrait of yourself, haggle before you sit down.

A painting by a local roman artist is a great alternative to your typical souvenirs or postcard. A unique item, you'll be buying direct from the artist so you can assured your money is going to support a talented artist. Take your time, find something you like, and be prepared to negotiate and you'll walk away with a great work of art.

Tag : leisure,travel,rome,shopping,paintings

Shopping and Transport In Lagos

The city main airport named Murtala Muhammad International Airport entertains the flights to Lagos from national as well as international destinations. The airport is owned and administered by Nigerian Airports Company Limited. Thousands of passengers pass through the terminals of the airport each year, apart from that there are several projects under consideration to raise the passengers figure by growing the airport infrastructure and facilities. Lagos being a main air transportation center in Nigeria has a number of direct flights to various international destinations executing from its international airport. Furthermore, many international branded airlines like Nigerian International Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, Emirates, British Airways, Kenya Airways, Arik Air, Alitalia, Ethiopian Airlines, Afriqiyah Airways operate from this airport to run several flights to Lagos from all over the globe.

There are several markets all around Lagos for buying paintings, sculptures, day to day commodities, vegetables market, fish market, departmental stores and many more. Several markets are also situated besides the coast. The shoppers will find mass of stalls and mini shops which sell all types of artisan goods, decorative from all over the Nigeria. You will also locate several wood figures, masquerades, beads, brass arts, leather accessories, fabrics; barrels along with African musical instruments crafted by local skilled artists. Thousands of tourists traveling to Nigeria book their cheap flights to Lagos

Furthermore you may also move to the Alaba market on the western side of the city which is well recognized for both foods and spices buying. Foodstuffs and household items is the specialty of these markets and several other items like fashion accessories like beads, spas, footwear, handbags, and cosmetic products are also easily available and lots of buyers buy several products of their need especially those who travel to Nigeria by their cheap flights to Lagos.

Even if it's not enough, you may head to Palms shopping center which is a huge shopping compound with abundant stores, shopping sheds, antique stalls, chops bars, restaurants and so on. Additionally, there are many fine sites for arts and culture shopping with several stalls selling arts and crafts works. The visitors, who spend their holiday in Lagos by cheap flight to Lagos frequently stop at the big shopping complex to shop many of the famous and well known items for which the city is famous.

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Great European Museums to Visit

There are several great museums to visit when travelling in Europe. Here are just a few great suggestions if you are planning to be in the following cities:

Art Museums
While there are well over 60 museums in Paris, they focus mostly around the arts. The most popular ones are:

Paris - The Louvre Museum: This is the largest museum in the world. Established in 1793, the Louvre displays several works of western art and is divided by, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Oriental Antiques, Islamic art, Paintings, Sculptures, Prints and Drawings. It also includes a whole section that is devoted to just the history of the Louvre. (See below to combine your visits with The Order of Liberation museum also located in Paris).

Paris - The Rodin Museum: To view the bronze and marble works of Auguste Rodin (1840-1917). Visitors can enjoy long walks through several large sculptures and gardens.

War Museums
Europe also has many museums that focus around War and Remembrance. Here are a few suggestions for some of the more popular ones:

Amsterdam - The Anne Frank House: Visit the site of the home where Anne Franks life led to her hiding out from the Nazis in a dim annex of her father's jam factory. While is Amsterdam, interested visitors can also look up the National War and Resistance Museum.

Berlin - The Holocaust Museum: Visit a villa in Wannsee, Berlin where the Wannsee Conference was held to discuss a "Final Solution" to the Nazi plan to exterminate the Jews.

Copenhagen - The Danish Resistance Museum: Visit this museum to see various apparatus that the determined resistance fighters used. It also features the long roll of toilet paper with notes about what it was like to live in a concentration camp. Without pens, the letters were formed by pricking holes with a pin. This was then discovered hidden in a vent.

Paris - The Order of Liberation: This is France's second National Order, following the Legion of Honor. Established by General De Gaulle, the Resistance Museum is entered through the Musee de l'Armee.

London - The Imperial War Museum: This museum is a great exhibit of England's military vehicles, weapons, and war memorabilia. It also includes an extensive library that is open Mondays through Saturdays and contains a massive photographic archive, a 20th century art collection and more. It used to occupy the former Bethlehem Hospital for the Insane ("Bedlam") and was originally founded in 1917.

London (Liverpool) - The Beatles Museum: A national museum dedicated to the Beatles. It included an exhibition of some of the Beatles related musical and personal items. Visitors may are welcome to shop at the museums gift shop where many treasures can be found.

Rome - Vatican City Museum: Visit the Vatican museum and see Michelangelo's masterpiece inside the Sistine Chapel. Visitors can also experience St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square. Enjoy watching guards and citizens wearing Renaissance-style uniforms in the bright colors of the Medici Popes. The tour includes boutique shopping and visits to the Castel S. Angelo, The Tapestry Gallery, The Raphael Rooms and the Vatican Library.

Robert has worked in the travel industry for the past 5 years and has been involved in flight holidays, escorted tours, group travel and cruising. Website involvement includes:
MyGroupTour
In Holidays Europe

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