vol 5 beyond xperience september 2011

xperienceB e y o n d

www.beyondxperience.comVol. 5 September 2011

International XperienceDragon’s Blood Tree

International DiscoveryIndescribable Indonesia

Report - Wackiest HotelsThe Wackiest of Hotels III

International XperienceSleep in a Museum

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Regional Xperience – Mountain Cycling. . . . . 7

Regional Discovery – Jordan . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

The Stonehenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Mirror Maze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

The Dragon’s Blood Trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Sleep in Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

International Discovery – Indonesia . . . . . . . 20

FeatureUnique Festivals III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Feature Perilous Airports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Gardens of the world . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Feature The Wackiest of Hotels III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Contents

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beyond xperience l Sep 2011

EDIToR’S noTE

Editor in Chief:Mukesh [email protected]

Managing Editor:M. Khalid [email protected]

Photography/Illustrations/Design:Muhammad [email protected]

Editorial Contributors:Salim SayyidMichelle McgillKavya Chawla

Contributing Photographer:Navin Vaswani

Publisher:Media 4 FZEFujairah TowerPO Box: 4422, Fujairah, UAE.

Marketed by:Winds Advertising & PublishingPO Box: 25271, Abu Dhabi – UAETel: +971 (2) 677 3330Fax: +971 (2) 679 3339Email: [email protected]

Marketing Associates:Mashood Ali (Middle East)Soraya Hajee (East Africa)

United Kingdom RepresentativeFast Track Travel6 Way Land, Hayes UB32QULondon, UK

Disclaimer:While every effort and care has been made to ensure accuracy of information contain in this publication, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions it may contain.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the number of breaths that take your life away.” AnonThe Author wrote this in the mid to late 1970’s for Carleton Cards and sold it away for under a dollar, copyright included. It has been attributed as anon because Carleton never had a clue that millions would find this quote so important.

Today, we pay our respects to this unknown author with the opening quote through our Vol. 5 which has some of the most amazing xperiences that would take your breath away. Our humble efforts through this beautiful, colourful and endear-ing magazine is to provide our valued readers some exciting moments for a refreshing cool change in this sweltering sum-mer heat. Reiterating those magical words of William Henry Davies in our very first Vol.1 –‘What is this life so full of care – we have no time to stand and stare.” I would like to reinforce the wisdom of these words and invite you to xperience some exotic moments through some breath taking xperiences in this divine chaos called Life.

In this Issue we have a ‘Maze’ to ‘Amaze’ you, a Dragon’s Blood Tree within a spectacular endemic flora, a Kim II Sung Modesty Monument in Mansudae, an awe inspiring creation like Stonehenge, the Icy Expanse of Antarctic Glaciers, the sensational feeling of being suspended in thin air through Zugspitze and an opportunity to sleep with the Mummies of Egypt and more…

Breathe easy folks, you are in for some breath taking mo-ments and while you measure your breaths in these fasci-nating xperiences, we will count our blessings through the amazing support that you have given us and am sure this support will continue. We will continue taking your breath away in all our forthcoming issues – It’s a promise!

Mukesh Bhawnani

To read detailed stories aboutthe Xperiences published in this edition please visit:

www.beyondxperience.com

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LETTERS

Letters to the editor

I have always been a fan of travelling and of things that are rare and unique. Even in our country, the Philippines, I have gone to almost all tourist spots and rare finds alike. Now that I am working at another country, travel has been limited due to time and money constraints. This is why I was so glad when I got a hold of your magazine. It is like the world is in the palm of my hands. I am able to explore places in the confines of my home with only my imagination and your great articles and pictures to expense. One day, I will be able to visit these enticing places and experi-ence their culture because your magazine opens doors and adds some more greater things to one’s bucket list.

Cher Pauline Cruz (Philippines)

Dear Editor: What a breath of fresh air to open beyond Xperience magazine and find an objective and very well designed article about World Wackiest Hotel, I am an avid hotelier and love to stay and spend time at properties which have unique features. The article (Wackiest Hotel) for me is an eye opener and I loved it. It gives me inspiration to travel more and discover more.

Jason Luis (Singapore)Finance Manager

Your article (Let The festival Begin) was a joy to read. Discover-ing these amazing festivals is a pleasure and stimulates the reader to become a part of these festivals. Not only that it provides the information about the people and their practices around the globe.

I am a business woman and don’t find much time for fun travelling but reading Beyond Xperience gives me an opportunity to do that. Thanks and all the best for future.

Asma Mitthani (India)Businesswomen

Letter of the Month

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REGIonAL XPERIEnCE

Spread on a wide surface of 1,600,000sqm in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s new 2030

city plan at Khalifa City, the newly

opened Al Forsan International Sports Resort is the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East.

The Resort is set to become the coun-try’s and the region’s preferred desti-nation for world class sports and lei-sure.Al Forsan International Sports Re-sort features five world class sports for novices to professionals and

AL forsAnAn uLtiMAte sporting Xperience

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REGIonAL XPERIEnCE

includes a comprehensive shooting area, water sports area featuring the first cable ski lakes in the Middle East, equestrian centre offering indoor and outdoor training arenas, motor sports including karting and off-road karting and themed indoor air conditioned

paint-ball fields. But the real attrac-tion among them all is the indoor show jumping arena, one of its kinds in Mid-dle East.

Mountain Cy Cling in rAK StepS to heaven

Ras Al Khaimah, has serious and unique terrains for cycling. This is a serious

adventure sport and is definitely not for the faint hearted or unfit. The route is the only hiking route included in a climber’s guide written by a professional; a pioneer of UAE

rock climbing. Be warned this is a serious mountain route and cycling across these terrains are tough, sturdy and harsh but once you reach your mark, the views will blow your mind away.

If one wanted to xperience the hike it can be done in one day but it is not advisable by the professionals. Most of the single day attempts have led to par-ties spending uncomfortable un-planned nights on site.

Xperience this unique Adrena-line rush In Ras Al Khaimah.

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CInEMATIC XPERIEnCE

It is rare to see UAE’s landscape being featured in an international cinema. However, in a locally made

film, Abood’s Lost Camel in 3D format, we emphasize on this very experience either captured from the surface or from the above.

Highlighting the splendorous UAE geography. Imagine flying over Hatta and the Hajar mountains bordering oman or the mountains of Khorfak-kan. We would witness from a flight , if it was day time landing in one of the Emirates of the UAE or a skydiv-ers freefalling experience from approx 13,000 feet.

Kids will also experience action packed scenes in the desert and en-counters with the wild life.

on another note which is rare to see are the sports adventures like the for-mula 1 Marina being brought up with breathtaking camera works in 3D. This experience demonstrate high qual-ity graphics and skilled animations, directors to accomplish such scenes have adopted photorealistic quality for big movie screen viewing experience. For an international audience this very experience will thrill their adrenalin for UAE’s sports, and curiosity for won-drous landscapes and wild life in the UAE.

Abood’s lost cAmelA 3D eXtrAvAgAnzA

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DRIVInG XPERIEnCE

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DRIVInG XPERIEnCE

Xperience the ecstasy and security when driving a Touareg. The steering

feedback and smoothness gives it a unique drive characteristic. The off-road mode near the gear shifter adjusts the stability program and ABS electronically and optimizes it for sand and gravel. Xperience the ‘beachy’ beach ride!

Xperience Touareg – a gem of an SUV perfect for a nice weekend

doubling up as a family car, carry-ing children to school and making frequent trips to the supermarket on weekdays.

A brand new face, upgraded 4 x 4 system, V6 and V8 engines, all round visibility, LED day time run-ning lights, dashboard and controls ergonomically and solidly built, lux-urious and sturdy with a panoram-ic roof, Dynaudio speakers, more legroom, user friendly navigation

system and multimedia interface, 8 speed smooth transmission – a world’s first on an SUV, superb ac-celeration, excellent suspension system, improved fuel efficiency and… more power, more torque!

Driven by 280 horses giving you the Xperience of a life time. – Sleeker, Sportier, Safer - that’s the VoLK-SWAGEn ToUAREG SIMPLY SUPERB!

SIMPLY SUPERB!Touareg

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REGIonAL DISCoVERY

AMMAnJordan’s capital, Amman, is a must see. The friendly people will warmly greet you into their fascinating city. They are proud of their vibrant and compelling capital and will be more than happy to educate you. Arising from the sands of time Amman has developed into a modern city but still withholds its authentic charm. It is perched upon a mountainous area flanked by the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley making it picture per-fect. The city is generally used as a base for visiting other parts of Jordan. However, the capital contains some delights, which make it a worthwhile stay. The commercial heart of the city boasts ultra modern buildings, fine restaurants, hotels, art galleries and boutiques. Tradition is intact in the coffee shops and artisan’s work-shop, embracing the city’s older past. It contains small businesses produc-ing and selling everything from amaz-ing jewellery to everyday household items. In Amman you are sure to notice the gleaming white houses. In fact the white buildings look their best during sunset when they glow

to the fading warmth of the day. The polished houses, cafes and stalls are interspersed with bustling souqs, bringing back that great sense of tradition. Amman is a great pedestal for exploring other parts of Jordan but don’t leave without mingling with its people and discovering its own unique treasures.

WADi ruM It has been used as the backdrop for many films such as Lawrence of Arabia, Transformers, The Face and more. Wadi Rum is picturesque and dramatic; a visit within will make you feel as if you are caught up in a movie

Journey to

Located in the Middle East this country thrives in beauty, energy, history and culture. It is a place to suit all tastes and

offers an incredible range of things to do and savour. It takes you beyond and fills you with joy. Here are just five out of the many things to do that are sure to dazzle and bewilder you.

Image credited: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Wadi_Rum_Panorama.jpg

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REGIonAL DISCoVERY

scene. A set practically untouched by humanity, its maze of monolithic rockscapes being the work of pure nature. Weather and winds carved the stunning cliffs and decorated its walls, a true natural beauty. Wadi Rum is another of Jordan’s must-sees; it explodes with beauty, tran-quillity and energy. There is plenty to do here, you can trek, climb, embark on a camel or horse safari, balloon across the stunning desert or rage through the sands on a 4x4. Whatever tantalises your tastes they will be ex-cited at Wadi Rum. Also, you can truly immerse yourself in Bedouin culture as virtually all the people living in and around Wadi Rum are of Bedouin ori-gin. Unfortunately only few Bedouins are able to continue a complete no-madic existence today and the tradi-tional Bedouin lifestyle is fast disap-pearing. So being able to experience it whilst it still survives is a fantastic experience. Whatever you do don’t forget to embrace the sunset or sun-rise, watching the sun tinge the sands pink and wash the cliffs crimson will show you one of the world’s outstand-ing desert landscapes.

the DeAD seAA well-known attraction of Jordan is the Dead Sea, and it’s not difficult to see why it holds such an incredible reputation. The Dead Sea is the low-est point on earth’s surface. Being

400 metres below sea level it retains a super high concentration of salt and minerals in its waters from the centuries of run off from the Jordan Rift Valley and stands as the deep-est hyper saline lake in the world. The benefits and experiences it be-stows are immense. Imagine going for a swim and then reclining to read a book, completely buoyant, but without a float! This is the only place in the world, which offers this oppor-tunity, the high salinity makes float-ing effortless. Its health benefits are also marvellous. The waters contain over 35 different types of minerals

that are valuable to the body and skin. In addition to the minerals the weather found at the Dead Sea helps to balance and maintain cor-rect water and moisture levels in the body. Together they promote heal-ing of the skin and prevent and cure allergies and give the skins surface an anti allergic protection. It also offers incredible sights, flanked by mountains and rolling hills, giving it a serene beauty. Known, as na-ture’s living miracle the Dead Sea is a spectacular place and one of Jordan’s great gems. Relax and re-vitalize in the deep Dead Sea.

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REGIonAL DISCoVERY

petrAKnown as the Rose-Red city, Petra is one of Jordan’s prime jewels. Great monuments around the world are al-ways visited with pre-excitement and anticipation. People clutch to a photo of their destination eager to see the real deal in its natural beauty. Yet, when finally standing before the me-morial they only conjure up the exact same image they have in their hands. Petra is not like this – it surpasses all expectations. Hidden amid the spec-tacular rock formations of Wadi Musa in Jordan, you must leave behind the scorched, stony landscape to begin your exploration. You must enter through the Siq, a narrow gorge, over 1km in length that is edged on either side by towering, 80m high cliffs. An-ticipation rises as you draw closer. Fi-nally, you stumble upon this magical sight, the magnificent mass of rose-pink rock. You are blown away. Before you stands a massive façade, 30m wide and 43m high, chiselled out of solid, dusky pink rock. You continue on to clamber up rocky staircases falling upon more monuments and tombs. Persisting on to the ruins of a Crusader Castle and to the great al-tar known as the High Place of Sacri-fice. Here you can lap up the fantastic views of mountains and beyond. no

magazine could capture this image. Petra is much more than an archaeo-logical site; it’s an exhilarating adven-ture.

JorDAniAn cuisineLast but not least is Jordan’s cuisine. You cannot ultimately fully under-stand a culture by just exploring the country; you must indulge in the lo-

cal food. In Jordan meal-time is not merely to fill a belly, but rather, a time of festivity. The variety of food and flavours mixed with the incredible Jorda-nian hospitality creates a celebratory ambience. Jordan’s food stems from traditional Bedouin cook-ing but takes on a strong influence from neighbour-ing Arab countries result-ing in a blend of exciting and delightful flavours. Manakish is the usual start to the day, soft pita bread with a liberal helping of tangy za’atar seasoning. The most distinctive Jorda-nian dish is Mansaf. This consists of Arabic rice, a rich broth made from dry sour milk and either lamb or chicken. Mansaf is a must-try on the Jordanian

menu. Another taste true to tradition is the tasty hot cup of Arabic coffee. It is a great reviver, and the Jorda-nian dash of cardamom to the coffee gives an extra burst of flavour sen-sation resulting in a cool, minty after taste. Whatever you like to savour Jordan’s cuisine will certainly offer you tantalising flavours.

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Xperience one of the most unique destinations on Earth –

the coldest land mass in the world and probably the least touched by human activity – the Antarctic Glaciers. This dramatic white landscape as well as unique wild life makes for an unforgettable journey. The Icy expanse with the gorgeous blue waters which has been a fascination with adventurers, holiday planners is now within your reach.

So before access to this dreamland is restricted due to global warming, get set, hitch your backpack and Xperience the Icy Expanse of the unspoiled beauty of the land, the scintillating

panoramic views of snow clad mountain in all its pristine glory through Polar Dream Holiday Packages at a reasonable cost.

AntArctic GlAciersthe Icy expanSe beckonS you

Mystery and intrigue surrounds Stonehenge located near Salisbury in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside, UK. Time seems to have erased the meaning of this unique creation. What was it meant to be – a temple for worshipping the sun, a healing centre

or a burial place or simply an engineering marvel? Just imagine how our ancestors built this magnificent site with such mighty stones and limited primitive tools.

Here is a tip to gain access for some private wandering time. ‘Stone Circle Access’ visits allow people to explore this historic site under the English Heritage management. Book well in advance as slots fill up quickly. The visits are not guid-ed tours but your reservations can be paired with a visit to the site during normal hours at no extra charge.

Visit Stonehenge and Xperi-ence an awe inspiring creation like never before.

Stonehengeawe InSpIrIng creatIon

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InTERnATIonAL XPERIEnCE

Ripley’s Enchanted Mirror Maze is one of the most exciting

and unique attractions that the entire family can enjoy! It’s a new kind of fun house having over 100 Mirrors with LED lighting and digital sound. See infinite reflections of yourself in every direction! Encounter surprising corners, dead ends and continuous circles! never the same experience twice!

With over 2,000 square feet of back to back mirrors, it’s up to you to find your way out, with a different experience every time!

Go through as many times as you like with your ticket! Compete for the fastest time through. Xperience a Maze to amaze you - Visit Ripley’s Enchanted Mirror Maze, USA.

Every foreigner that visits north Korea must pay a respectful visit to Mansudae (Mansu Hill) in Pyongyang, where you will be expected to bow before the 20 meter tall bronze statue of the “Great Leader” Kim Il-Sung.

The official version is that the statue is a monument to the former leader’s modesty; the people originally wanted to build a statue twice as tall, but the leader insisted that the amount of money could be better spent on other things. on special holidays tens of thousands of north Koreans flock to the monument to pay their respects.

William Altaffer of Expedition Photo Travel who has visited Pyongyang four times says, “It’s like Mars with people”

Xperience modesty xperience Mansudae Monument in Pyongyang.

MAnsudAe MonuMent in PyongyAng

MoDesty MonuMent

ripLey’s enchAnteD

Mirror MAzeRipley’s enchanted

MiRRoR Maze

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nature lovers, sun worshippers or hikers the Zugspitze will take

your breath away. only 90 kilometers away from Munich and at an altitude of almost 3,000 meters, Germany's highest mountain presents a world of fascinating adventure.

The Alpspitze Viewing Plat-form nearby will astonish you. At its foot two steel arms in the form of an "X" jut out thir-teen meters over the abyss below, with one of them slop-ing downwards towards the Höllental valley and the other reaching skywards to the Zugspitze. You will be haunt-ed by the unique experience of feeling suspended in thin air as you recount the sen-sational views of the nearby rock faces, the breathtaking mountain panorama and the

1,000 meter drop to the valley below. Xperience Zugspitze - it will take your breath away!

Socotra is a small archipelago of four islands in the Indian ocean. The largest island which is a part of the archipelago is also known as Socotra

and is described as the most alien looking space on Earth. Socotra is a part of the Republic of Yemen. It is considered to be the jewel of biodiversity in the Arabian Sea. The geological isolation, fierce heat and drought have resulted in creating a unique and spectacular endemic flora and its most striking plant is the Dragon Blood Tree. It has a strange looking umbrella shape with its red sap, considered to be the dragon’s blood of the ancients, is a sought after medicine and dye. The other worldly Dragon Blood Trees and 700 rare species of flora and fauna have drawn people to Socotra. The Socotra is also a birder’s paradise with 140 different species of birds; 10 of which are not found anywhere in the world. Getting around is a challenge as there are almost no roads.

Xperience Socotra Island. You would be inclined to think that you have traveled to another era of Earth’s history. See it to believe it!

tAke your breAth AWAy

The Dragon’s Blood Trees of socoTrasee it to beLieve it

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Sleep with a Dinosaur, sleep with a Sphinx and even connect with Pharaoh Merneptah, son of Ramesses II! Museum Sleep overs bring in an unforgettable experience for kids. The child in you can be let loose along with the kids on an overnight exciting expedition of the museum and exploration of the galleries by day.

The audacious explorers are taken for a ride through time and across continents to explore and connect with ancient Egypt, ancient Greeks and Romans and ancient artefacts through the museum galleries by flashlights. Yes, Xperience night at the Museum but don’t expect the exhibits to literally come to life at night.

Museum Sleep overs have been growing in popularity in north America and Canada. The Smithsonian, the American Museum of natural History, the Royal ontario Museum in Canada have them but before you book remember it’s a slumber party. Do pack your own sleep gear, pillows and toiletries and prepare to spend the night in the company of guests on the floor. The programming always includes plenty of extras, like special activities, evening snacks and breakfast. Depending on the program, fees can range from $60 – $150 per person. Most museums require a supervision ratio of at least one adult to five children.

Let loose the child in you – you have nothing to lose even when sleeping with a Dinosaur!

sLeep in A MuseuMi WAnnA sLeep With A DinosAur!

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InTERnATIonAL DISCoVERY

MonAs, JAkArtA

A trip to Indonesian’s capital Jakarta is incomplete without a visit to the Monas, or national Monument. TheMonas expresses Indonesia’s fight for Independence and its heroes’ past struggles. now it stands proud-ly in the centre of Merdeka Square as an icon of the city. The construction ensued in three stages, beginning in 1961 and finally being opened to the public on July 12th, 1975. Its creation shows a remarkable look-ing structure and its design contains intricate details and reasoning. For example, the designer incorporated the numbers 17, 8 and 45, repre-senting the date of the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, in the dimensions of the monument. The monument is crowned with a 14.5 ton bronze Flame of Independence to further declare the Indonesian people’s struggle for independence. The base of the monument contains an historical museum, a marble-lined room which depicts scenes from Indonesian history and the In-dependence Room containing sym-bols of Indonesian Independence. It is a great sight to see and a great source of education. Here you can learn about the Indonesians’ proud and patriotic history.

IndescrIbable IndonesIa

MonAs, JAkArtA

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tAMAn Mini inDonesiA

There is no better place to get a full perspective of Indonesian culture, nature and heritage than at Taman Mini Indonesia, which literally means ‘Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park. The park is a much smaller scale of Indonesia and encapsulates all as-pects of daily life in Indonesia’s 26 provinces. It does so through col-lections of Indonesian architecture, clothing, dances ad traditions, which are perfectly presented. It was the former Indonesian first lady, Tien Su-harto who came up with the idea to create the mini Indonesia and what a great plan it was. now, it gives tour-ists who have a limited time in Indo-nesia a chance to savour a taste of the whole country but on a land span of 250 acres. It contains over 25 re-gional pavilions portraying the utter diversity of Indonesian architecture and livelihoods. The attraction also contains 15 different units of muse-ums enabling visitors to gain a deep knowledge of the country’s culture, tradition and art. Taman Mini Indo-nesia is one of Jakarta’s finest at-tractions and well worth a visit. not only does it give you full exposure to Indonesia but it also boasts numer-ous beautiful parks and recreational facilities.

ciAter’s hot springs

How could you resist refreshing your body and revitalising your mind at Indonesia’s Ciater’s Hot Springs? Lo-cated in the cool highlands of Subang in West Java you can inhale the clean, crisp mountain air and exhale to the blissful setting and bubbling mountain streams that provide a soothing tune. The town of Ciater is known for its nat-ural hot springs created by the heat from nearby volcanoes. The springs promote healing and physical well-being and are a must for those who enjoy indulging in pure, pampering luxury and needing a break from the city bustle of Jakarta.

tAnkubAn perAhu

Have you ever bought a boiled egg at the edge of a crater? Have you even ever been to the edge of a crater? If not, you should. Head 20km north of the city of Bandung, the provincial capital of West Java, Indonesia and you will come upon Tankuban Perahu, a dormant volcano. It last erupted in 1959 and is now a very popular tourist attraction, offering visitors marvellous vistas, a lush blanket of pine trees and tea plantations, cool and refreshing air and hot springs below. The mountain also contains rows of lengthy craters, which prove to be the main attrac-tion. Although the volcano is dormant some of the crater still shows sign of

A country that will have your senses reeling, your body stimulating, and your taste buds tantalising, Indonesia has it

all. It is a vast archipelago armed with adventure, flair, and diversity. Here are a few of Indonesia’s charms. Let us leap from temples to mountains, to hot springs to craters, and into caves to discover INDONESIA.

tAMAn Mini inDonesiA

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volcanic activity. The first impression you get when you step out of the car is the strong, sulphur smell. This comes from the emergence of volcanic gases and sulphur hot springs at the foot of the mountain. You will find lots of trad-ers with a variety of merchandise such as strawberries, scarves, hats, plant seeds, powdered sulphur, beverages

and other sorts. You can also buy an egg and have it boiled for you in bub-bling water produced from the heat of the mountain itself. Tangkuban Perahu is a magnificent place to clear your mind and enjoy the view and although the smell can become too much at times, it truly is an unforgettable place.

borobuDur

It is Indonesia’s single most visited tourist attraction, Borobudur is in-triguing and mystifying the visitors for decades. It is an amazing cultural xperience and should be on the top of the list for things to see in Indonesia. So what makes it so fascinating? Well firstly, there is no definite written re-cord of who built Borobudur or why it was built. It’s an ancient Buddhist stu-pa and temple compound in central Java and a UnESCo World Heritage Site. Furthermore it is the world’s big-gest Buddhist monument and widely considered to be one of the world’s seven wonders. It was built in the 9th century and its Gupta architecture reflects India’s influence, however it contains a great deal of local traits and elements that make it uniquely Indonesian. It is one of those places that forgetting your camera would be devastating. The temple sits as a dra-

matic crown on a hilltop looking down upon lush green fields and rolling hills on the island of Java. Decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues the monument will strike you with awe. Rich in Buddhist and Hindu history along with certain mystery it is easy to see its fascination. Have your

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camera fully charged and go visit the wonderful Borobudur.

tAMAn Ayun teMpLe

It simply means beautiful garden but Taman Ayun Temple is much more. It is one of Bali’s most picturesque tem-ples. It offers a taste of tradition, reli-gion and culture. I Gusti Agung Anom, a founder of the Mengwi kingdom in 1934, built the temple. In later years it was skillfully renovated giving it the appearance which tourists find so at-tractive nowadays. The temple was

built on a high tableland, which is sur-rounded by ponds and so gives the effect from afar that it is floating on wa-ter. Visitors are warmly welcomed into the temple with a vast and beautiful landscape garden in the front court-yard. A visit to Taman Ayun offers an air of serenity and tranquility. All in all, a beautiful place to visit whilst in Bali.

tAnAh Lot

Another temple located in Bali, which

draws in the crowds, is Tanah Lot. Its construction may be simple but its location on the oceanfront gives it a dramatic look. This is one of the main temples in the worship of Balinese gods. During high tide the rock on which the temple is perched looks like a large boat at sea. The sunset is spectacular here, lighting up the sky with hues of golds and pinks deeply contrasting against the dark-ened rock and temple. Waves crash against it completing the sensational picture. Unfortunately the place may

appear to be perfectly peaceful but its unique beauty attracts more than a few. In fact you must prepare for hoards and hoards of tourists all happily snapping their way to and from the temple. You may become annoyed ambling through mazes of souvenir shops and shoulder bump-ing your way to the temple; it certain-ly isn’t pleasant. But when you reach the outstanding destination people will be forgotten and you can cap-ture your perfect shot.

goA gAJAh

Another Indonesian addition to the UnESCo World Heritage is Goa Ga-jah or Elephant Cave. It is known as Elephant Cave due to its close proxim-ity to the Elephant River. This important Hindu archaeological site is located just 10 minutes outside of Ubad in Bali and contains numerous qualities that make it an interesting visit. one can enjoy exploring a mysterious cave, rel-ics, ancient bathing pools, or bask in lush rice paddies and a grand, green garden. Immediately its menacing

entrance will intrigue you. Step into a gaping, demonic mouth and venture inwards to darkness. In the middle of the cave is a pool, which is used to take the holy Tirtha water for Hindu ceremony, and you are welcome to leave offerings here. Continue on to follow a narrow path towards the river and you will find the ruins of a Bud-dhist temple hidden slightly laced with thick foliage. Goa Gajah is something quite different and surprising.

tAnAh Lot

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FEATURE - FESTIVALS

bALLooning festivAL, usA

over 700 colourful balloons filling the sky really is a sight to see. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is considered to be the most photographed event in the world, and why wouldn’t it be? Dawn breaks

over the Sandia Mountains and hun-dreds of balloons begin floating up-wards to greet the sky and mingle between the clouds – a breathtaking spectacle. This Balloon Festival is the largest hot air ballooning event in the world. It takes place on the first full week of october and goes on for nine days. Albuquerque is known for its clear blue skies, calm winds and mild temperatures so it is the ideal location for ballooning. People fill the area all eager to be in-volved in the launch, fun is abundant and strange shaped balloons such as dinosaurs, a cow jumping over a moon, flowers, bumble bees all can be seen up close before the launch and then add comic factor to the sky. And you don’t just have to stand as spectators; you can become more involved by going on a balloon ride and gaining that perfect birds eye view. night turns to magic as hun-dreds of balloons are tethered over the fiesta grounds. In harmony, the pilots set their burners aflame creat-ing a mysterious ambience. This is followed by firework displays, which brings the day to an end and leaves people’s spirits soaring.

street pAinting festivAL, usAVivid shades brighten the streets of Lake Worth every year when the Annual Street Painting Festival comes to town. over 400 artists open their chalk pallets and get to work transforming the area to an unbelievably inventive avenue. The festival displays a range of artistic styles from Renaissance classicism to Pop Art. People stroll and ponder over paintings whilst music vibrates through the town and street per-formers fringe the edges of the path entertaining onlookers. Lake Worth boasts the largest of all street-painting festivals with more than 200

To follow on from where we left off in the last edition; here is another five extraordinary festivals. Each pick is

from different corners of the globe, offering a distinct slice of festival fun. Lets begin......

LET THE FES vALS

continue…

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FEATURE - FESTIVALS

street paintings sponsored by busi-nesses, organisations, families and individuals. Street painting traces all the way back to the Italian 16th century when roaming artists would use the pavement as their canvas.

It has still retained its charm and the festival celebrates its fine work and vibrancy; that is of course until the rain flows down and turns the street into a colourful stream.

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FEATURE - FESTIVALS

the tALL ships

festivAL,ireLAnDThe oldest city in Ireland is renowned for its Viking roots so it’s no surprise the frenzy of festivity that takes over

the area when the city hosts the opening of the Tall Ships race. The town becomes alive, pulsating with music, dance and an amazing at-mosphere. From June 30th to July 3rd this year the quay welcomed crews from Russia, France, Poland, norway, The netherlands, Columbia, Belgium, Denmark, Latvia, Estonia, Spain and the UK. Waterford is re-nowned for its rich maritime tradi-

tion and the city’s riverside location makes it the perfect location for this event. This year’s first leg of the race was from Waterford to Greenock, Scotland to Lerwick, Shetland Isles. The second race was to Stavanger, norway and it ends in Halmstad, Sweden on August 8th. The days prior to the departure involve street parades, music, dance, firework displays at night, shopping in craft shops, tasting international cuisines along the food markets and mingling with friends and strangers. Rides and amusements are set up, peo-ple march around with sailor hats perched upon their heads, waving flags and stepping on and off the 50 ships, which align the banks. 500,000 had broad smiles painted across their faces for this year’s spectacle and look forward to the next time the Tall Ships sail in. For a festival filled with excitement, don’t be afraid to jump on board the next Tall Ships Festival in Waterford.

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FEATURE - FESTIVALS

tAngo festivAL, ArgentinAIf you have dancing fever then this festi-val will certainly have your body electri-fied. Tango is one of the most dramatic types of dance and evokes many sen-sations whether you are the dancer or spectator. Argentinian people have a particular passion for the dance and thus host a World Tango Festival every year. The festival begins in August and runs for 18 days; approximately 400,000 people from Argentina and abroad flock togeth-er to celebrate ‘the world’s biggest tango extravaganza’. From tango shows, to classes to book signing to exhibitions the whole city is filled with endless possi-bilities to watch, listen, learn and partici-pate in this vivacious display. It is a great way to immerse oneself within the Latin culture and learn what their traditional dance teaches and discover its romantic roots. It’s time to put those dancing shoes on and grab a partner…after all it takes two to tango!

the night of the rADishes, MeXiconow this Festival is as strange as it sounds. In oaxaca, Mexico, frantic preparation begins before the 23rd of December for one of Mexico’s unique and unusual festivals. Every year the radishes are harvested and brought to local artists. The transfor-mation, which the artists shape out of an ordinary radish is amazing. They design anything from human figures to insects to buildings. Each sculpture has intricate details and artists compete in a contest, which gains the first prize-winner their pic-ture in the newspaper. Although the festival only lasts a few hours it at-tracts thousands of people to the plaza each year. People walk around and marvel at all the large sculptures made entirely from radishes. The cel-ebrations continue on to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with jubilant parades of floats, fireworks, music and dancing. A vegetable that fully embraces the festival – The night of The Radishes.

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REPoRT - SCARIEST AIRPoRTS

courcheveLFrance

It ranks as the 7th most dangerous airports in the world. Courchevel is one of the fin-est ski resorts in the French Alps but takes a lot of courage in getting there. A short, icy and treacherous runway will have you gripping your seat for dear life. It has an extremely short uphill runway of 1722 feet with a vertical drop at the end. The snow, wind and ice don’t add much comfort either but if you manage to get there in one piece it is an experience you won’t forget. To add to the experience you have the opportunity to ski or snowboard after you disembark. You certainly don’t get that with your average airport. Interestingly, to land at Courch-evel you must go up hill and to take off you go down hill. This tricky point amongst others is probably the reason pilot’s need a special certificate to take off or land here. If you want to en-joy watching planes take off and land but don’t fancy freezing outside there is a ski bar located in the airport which is ideal for watching the tricky take off/landing whilst still in the warmth of indoors. The airport contains such a thrill that it was used in the opening of a James Bond movie. Indeed a thrilling and interesting airport but if you are a nervous flyer it probably wouldn’t be the best place to land.

periLous AnD pecuLiAr AirportsAirports can be monotonous places, all have a similar ambience and all have the same procedures. Haul you baggage

to check in, scramble for passport, snail through security, walk through duty free, wait 45 minutes to board, flight is delayed, wait another 30 minutes; it can all be quite tedious. Whilst most airports are similar there are a number,

which have certain traits that bewilder. Some bring about more anxiety than the stress of your baggage being too heavy. Some can terrify. Let’s take a look at some of the world’s scariest and strangest airports.

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This airport has endured an incred-ible amount of controversy, and rightly so. It contains many chilling character-istics and unexplainable stories. Firstly, you are welcomed into the airport by a statue of a 32 feet high fibreglass stallion with veins protruding out of its whole body and red, glowing, de-monic eyes. not a very warm greet-ing, especially for kids. next, we have the murals, which at first glance evoke a strange sense, but when studied closer the nazi symbolism throughout becomes very apparent. one particu-lar atrocious mural that conveys no re-deeming message or moral portrays a large, aggressive figure dressed in a style very similar to the nazi uniform. The figure is wearing a gas mask and surrounded by dead people. He holds a gun and sword, the sword stabbing through the symbol of peace (a white dove), implying it will be destroyed. At

JuAnchoe e. yrAusquinnetherlands Antilles

This airport is located on the Car-ibbean island of Saba, the small-est island of the netherlands Antil-les. Pilots consider it to be one of the most difficult to land upon. So what’s the challenge? That would be the physical position of the runway. It is flanked on one side by high hill;

and on the runway’s other side and both ends, cliffs drop into the sea. At only 400m in runway length it can certainly cause a sweat, after all no-body wants to roll off an edge of a cliff. Furthermore, Saba’s land area is dominated by mount scenery, and at 2,877ft in height it is the highest

point in The netherlands! Despite perilous landing conditions there have been no accidents or incidents to date. Let’s hope it stays that way, crashing off a side of a cliff is never fun!

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princess JuLiAnA internAtionAL Airport, Saint Maarten

Imagine lying on a beach, you are enjoying the sun and sand when you hear an almighty sound; you feel a shadow grow above you. Quickly you put the novel down and gasp above at the jumbo jet, which booms only some meters above. Princess Juliana International air-port is the second busiest airport in the Eastern Caribbean and also boasts the best location for avid

plane-spotters. The airport serves Saint Maarten, the Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin and is famous for its short landing strip – only 2,180 metres, which proves a difficult task for heavy jets. So this is the reason behind the booming planes de-scending extremely low over Maho Beach. The planes must approach the island flying exceptionally low so they have enough time to stop on the landing strip. The sight of

a plane literally metres above your head is breathtaking, thus there have been numerous photos taken of large jets flying a mere 10-20 metres over relaxing holidaymak-ers. The photos look so impressive they have been dismissed as fakes. They certainly aren’t a hoax and if you want to get up close and per-sonal to a plane in descent Maho Beach is the place to go. Just mind your head!

the bottom of the right hand corner of the painting is a letter, an actual letter written by a 14-year girl who died in Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The airport’s runway is also shaped like a swastika. Furthermore, the structural

engineer turned whistle-blower who died in mysterious circumstances in 1996, claimed that beneath the airport lies an immense underground facility, which raised speculation of the air-port hiding a secret military base or

even a concentration camp. There are many more details throughout DIA that cause a great deal of suspicion. over-all Denver International will send chills through your spine whether you depart or arrive.

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FEATURE - GARDEnS

Gardens are among the most amazing manmade landscapes. Be it a smallest

container to the most dramatic botanic garden, it help us appreciate the natural beauty around us, amaze us with the diversity that exists in the world of flora and fauna, and witness the creativity of art of nature.Apart from showing the natural beauty they also stand as symbols of crea-tor’s works of art. The world would not be as colorful as we know it without these gardens. Some gardens will not only be a delight for your romantic dates or play fields for the kids, but gardens that will depict a unique ar-chitecture, history, cultural attributes and some of them made from the things no one considered worthy. Be-yond Xperience take you through just a few of such gardens.

The first on the list is Musee Du quAi brAnLy verticAL gArDen Paris. The streets in this area of Paris mimic the twisty curves of the Seine, and at the heart of it is the Quai Branly Mu-seum. The building itself is a medley of shapes, but it is the administrative wing that really draws attention. The four-storey building, with its gently curving facade, is covered from side-walk to roof in plants.

Designed by botanist and landscape designer Patrick Blanc, the garden comprises 15,000 plants. With 170 species represented, the garden is an amazing spectacle of urban vertical gardening that celebrates biodiver-sity. Plants included in Blanc’s design include heuchera, ferns, ivy, grasses, sedges, mosses, liverwort and berge-

nia (some of the most exotic and rare species).

The patented system Blanc designed to support the garden is constructed of heavy-duty felt attached to a strong plastic backing. The felt and plas-tic support plant roots and provide a medium for water and nutrients to reach the plants. The entire thing is supported by a metal frame that holds the plants off to the facade of the building to reduce the potential for damage from plant roots. A drip irriga-tion system at the top of the wall runs constantly, bathing the plant roots in moisture and nutrients.

Another feather to the cap of world’s most amazing gardens is the Lost gArDens of heLigAn, UK. From the mid-1700’s through the early

Musee Du quAi brAnLy verticAL gArDen

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FEATURE - GARDEnS

20th century, the Tremayne family of Cornwall designed and maintained an extensive garden on the family’s estate. After losing the majority of its gardening staff in World War I, the gar-dens fell into a state of despair that only continued and worsened through the Second World War and thereafter.

The gardens became overgrown and neglected, and any of its former splendours were lost in the mess that remained. That changed, though, in the 1990’s when a descendant of the Tremayne family inherited the estate. Upon looking around, the family real-ized that there was beauty amid the chaos, and undertook the enormous task of bringing the gardens back to their former glory.

The magnificent Heligan Gardens are designed in what is known as the “gardenesque” style, which means that different parts of the garden have entirely different moods and fo-cuses. The gardens include several very old rhododendrons and camel-lias, an Italian-style garden, a large vegetable garden, Europe’s only pro-ductive pineapple pit, and “The Jun-gle,” which is filled with sub-tropical tree ferns.

The gardens are now open to the public, and the “Mud Maiden,” above, has become one of the gar-

den’s most beloved features. It has today become a garden that depicts various moods and attributes clubbed together. rikugien gArDen, Tokyo.This awe-inspiring garden in Tokyo features gardens with 88 scenes that bring famous places in Japan and

China, historical references, and po-ems to life. Rikugien Garden was constructed in the late 1600s through early 1700s by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, with permission from the fifth shōgun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. Some of its most popular features include a se-rene pond and islands, tea houses, and forested areas. In all, the garden is home to over 6,000 trees, particular-ly maples, camellias, magnolias, and azaleas.

Gardens like these are wonderful not only for the pleasure they provide just by being there, but by the inspiration they can provide for our own gardens. They also open our eyes to the diversi-ty of plants on our planet and the crea-tive ways we’ve found to rejoice them.the nong nooch botAnicAL gArDen, Thailand.This amazing, 500-acre garden was originally destined to be a fruit plan-tation. Instead, the owners decided to plant tropical plants and flowers. The result is nothing short of magnificent.

The 500 acres are divided among several themed gardens and display gardens, including a cactus and suc-culent garden, a French garden, a

the Lost gArDens of heLigAn

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FEATURE - GARDEnS

garden inspired by Stonehenge, a display garden featuring variegated plants, an orchid and bromeliad display garden, and “Butterfly Hill” which features tropical plants that attract butterflies. nong nooch is also home to a vast collection of cycads that boasts at least one member of every single cycad

species on the planet.

shALiMAr gArDen Pakistan A Persian garden and it was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in Lahore, modern day Paki-stan. Construction began in 1641 AD and was com-pleted the follow-

ing year. The Shalimar Gardens are located near Baghbanpura along the Grand Trunk Road some 5 kilometers northeast of the main Lahore city. There are five geographical sources of inspiration for Shalimar Gardens: Central Asia, Kashmir, West Punjab, Persia, and the Delhi Sultanate.

It is constructed in the form of an ob-long parallelogram, surrounded by a high brick wall, which is famous for its intricate fretwork. In 1981, Shalimar Gardens was included as a UnESCo World Heritage Site. The Gardens have been laid out from south to north in three descending terraces, which are elevated by 4–5 metres (13-15 feet) above one another. The three terraces have names in Urdu as ; the upper terrace named Farah Baksh meaning Bestower of Pleasure, the

middle terrace named Faiz Baksh meaning Bestower of Goodness and the lower terrace named Hayat Baksh meaning Bestower of life. This garden showcases the beauty of architecture. rock gArDen of chAnDigArh India.The last but not the least on this list is a Sculpture garden in Chan-

digarh, India, also known as nek Chand’s Rock Garden after its found-er nek Chand, a government official who started the garden secretly in his spare time in 1957. Today it is spread over an area of forty-acres (160,000 m²), it is completely built of indus-trial & home waste and thrown-away items.

The garden is most famous for its sculptures made from recycled ce-ramic. It is situated near Sukhna Lake. It consists of man-made in-terlinked waterfalls and many other sculptures that have been made of scrap & other kinds of wastes (bottles, glasses, bangles, tiles, ceramic pots, sinks, electrical waste, etc) which are placed in walled paths. This crea-tion appeared on an Indian postage stamp in 1983. This garden is an apt example of a fact that how a view can change possessions, things that were considered to be useless and were discarded also held importance of craft for someone. That why they say there so much yet to Xperience.

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REPoRT - WACKIEST HoTELS

When staying at a hotel it is easy enough to find yourself on the wrong floor. You step into the escalator, it stops and you wander out and down

the corridor. only later do you glance at the room number and realize it’s not your floor. This happens easily as floors on hotels all look the same. With identical carpets, identical wallpaper, identical doors, and identical shape it is easy to feel entrapped in maze. This is not the case at Hotel Puerto America. This hotel offers a unique and fresh twist to the world of hotels ensuring each floor showcases a different concept. It contains 12 different floors each one portraying a different understanding of

architecture and design. Looking at the hotel from the outside you can already see the vibrancy. It is painted with a range of bright colours from orange to purple all engaging together to give a dramatic look. Inside the hotel is even more interesting, here you will find yourself staggering throughout the hotel and rubbing your eyes in the belief you are stuck in dream world. Its creation was a project which brought together nineteen of the top architecture and design studios in the world from thirteen different countries showing of its diverse cultural style. Become enticed into an eclectic world of luxury, creativity, colour and joy at the Hotel Silken Puerto America.

the Wackiest of Hotels iii

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ICE HOTELSWEDEN

Drift into a magical winter wonderland at Sweden’s Ice Hotel. You have probably heard about this hotel as it is one of the most remarkable hotels in the

world, but have you stayed there? The hotel has a design and construction, which is beyond creative and must be seen to be believed. Each April the hotel melts back into the river giving it’s designers until winter to come up with other unique ice sculptors and features. not just a hotel, the establishment is seen as a fleeting art project. It is a place to experience art, nature, accommodation and gastronomy and exposes all the seasons of the year. -5 degrees may not have a toasty appeal but the charm of being able to explore Lapland and experience the Midnight Sun and the northern Lights thrills. The hotel offers two types of accommodation and it is recommends a combination of one night in ICEHoTEL with several nights in warm accommodation to perfect your experience. A hotel surrounded by sparkling snow and under a sky that becomes lively and lit with an array of fantastic colours, it really is the perfect place to CHILL.

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WOODLYN PARkNEW ZEALAND

JULESUNDERSEA LODgE USA

Sleep amongst the fishes and on the seabed in this pick. Jules Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida accommodates the adventurous. The fun begins

right after check in when you must dive 21 feet below the surface to reach your room.

It’s got all your usual hotel amenities such as a TV and so forth. But who wants to watch TV when the hotel boasts 42-inch circular windows that offer amazing views of fishes and other sea life whirl by.

The hotel also offers fine facilities, lobby space and an interior design, which will intrigue. Eating out in one of the restaurants is an experience as you watch all the fishes dance around to entertain and don’t forget to or-der the seafood, after all it’s got to be fresher than the beef! And for couples looking to embark on married life in a truly unique way the Underwater Lodge offers an underwater wedding package.

Although the hotel is targeted to diving enthusiasts even guests who have never dived before are allowed the opportunity to check in (once a three-hour class is completed and non-certified divers are familiar with the equipment and simple procedures necessary for a safe dive with a diving instructor). So, if you really want to experience life down under, Jules Underwater Lodge should satisfy your thirst.

Here is a place, which offers you not one weird place to rest your head but four! Choose from a night in a plane, train, underground or boat.

The Plane is a 1950’s Bristol Freighter that was prob-ably one of the last allied planes out of Vietnam and so makes it an exclusive opportunity. It was refurbished into 2 striking self-contained motel units.

The train, known as the ‘Waitomo express is in close proximity to the Waitomo Caves Village and the Glow Worm caves. It is a refurbished 1950s rail car and its lo-cation within the working farm offers fantastic scenery.

The underground experiences, which are labelled the first Hobbit Motels, are built along side the Train Car-riage and Airplane Motels adding to the lodging won-der.

And finally, the last development within Woodlyn Park is made from another war relic, a WW II Patrol Boat. The Ship was built in 1942 and is part of new Zealand’s History as 12 were built for anti submarine patrol in the islands during WW II. only two survived and ‘The Wait-anic’ is one of them. The motel has 5 units: The Cap-tains Room, The Britanic Room, The Titanic Room. The Honeymoon Room, and The olympic Unit. Each unit contains different features to suit different tastes. So if you have a fascination with ancient modes of transpor-tation and want to be brought back to sleep in a histori-cal setting then book yourself into Woodlyn Park.

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KID’S XPERIEnCE

The Atomium is an unbelievable architectural structure making it one of Brussels’ top tourist attractions. It contains nine spheres made of

steel connected by tubes along twelve edges of cube. Puzzled? no amount of description will paint a clear picture, in order to gain full understanding you must see the construction for yourself. The Atomium was just built for Expo’1958 Brussels World fair in Belgium, however due to the great recognition the building received it was made permanent and has become an icon for Brussels.

The iconic formation is also a hotel for kids, and only kids. That’s right adults are allowed into the structure to explore but unless you are between the ages of 6 and 12 you don’t have the opportunity to sleep within. one ball of the Atomium contains mini spheres suspended from the ceiling to sleep in, washing facilities and a playground. Children can marvel at the panoramic view of Brussels whilst discovering other symbolic parts of Brussels before heading to slumber inside the strange structure. It makes you want to be a kid again.

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A MUST XPERIEnCE

Xperience it before it DisapearsThe sea surrounding Komodo provides some of the world’s best diving, thanks to its spectacular fish and coral reefs. The island is also home to Komodo dragons, lizards that grow up to 10 feet long. Rising sea levels threaten to flood its mangrove forests and beaches, while increased acidification and rising surface temperatures may eventually kill the coral.

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PHoToGRAPHER’S XPERIEnCE

Photographer: Navin VaswaniLocation: Switzerland (The International Centre for Art Mechanics (CIMA))Device Model - Canon EOS 5D Mark IIFOCAL LENGTH - 110F number 2.8Exposure time 1/160

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vol 5 beyond xperience september 2011

Documents

amazing xperiences

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