Bruges

Bruges is a beautiful city in Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country. The city has some beautiful houses lining the canals of the city.
This famous tourist spot is just an hour away form Antwerp or Brussels and there are a number of trains that you can catch to reach here.
Be sure to take a boat ride on the canals of the city to get  great views of the town.

One of the Canals

July 2014

The Lions of Gir

Besides Africa, the only place where lions exist is the Gir National Park in Gujarat in West India. This is the sole home of the Asiatic Lions and is a protected national park. Lioness on the lookout

Though there are no direct air connections to this place, it is easy to fly down to Rajkot from Mumbai and drive down to Sasan Gir ( approx. 160kms / 3.5 Hrs) . It is estimated that there are over 400 lions today in Gir.

Watchful Young Lion

The Lazy One (Top ) and Lioness on the Prowl ( Bottom)

The Gir forest is a deciduous scrub forest which is ideal as a habitat for the Asiatic Lions. It differs from the African Lion in having a smaller mane and a larger tail tuft. They are also smaller than the African Lion.

These photgraphs were taken on my visit to the Gir Forest in April 2014.

Please do visit my website of  at Pravine Chester's Photo Portfolio

Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City

The Reunification Palace is an important destination for all tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City. However, as a palace it is a disappointment. The original building was destroyed in 1962 by two rebel South Vietnamese Pilots in an assassination bid on the then President Diem who ordered the remaining building to be completely demolished and a new Palace to be built.

View of the Palace from the Front

There isn't much to see except rooms which you cannot enter but only see through the doors. An interesting place is the basement with its telecommunications centre, war room and the numerous tunnels leading to the bunkers. However unbearably hot and humid in there and if you are claustrophobic then best to avoid.

Two of the main rooms of the Palace

 On the roof is displayed the helicopter which was used by the president. Two spots have been highlighted where another rebel of the South Vietnam army tried to bomb the palace.

The Helipad on the Roof and the 2 spots where bombs were dropped

The main attraction are the 2 tanks on the right as one enters the Palace grounds. These were the tanks that smashed through the gates when the North took over the South.

One of the Tanks that were used to Capture the Palace

The Reunification Palace in Saigon is an important destination to visit if you  in the city. It gives one a perspective of the history and of Vietnam.  

Please also visit my webiste Pravine Chester's Photography

Cathedral of Peter & Paul in St Petersburg

If you are in St Petersburg, visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress is a must. Inside the Fortress, the most important structure is the Sts Peter and Paul cathedral. 

View of the Cathedral

This is the oldest church in St Petersburg and was consecrated on June 29, 1733. The cathedral is closely linked to both the history of the city and to the Romanov dynasty and is home to the graves of nearly all the rulers of Russia since Peter the Great. It is located within the Peter & Paul Fortress on an island near the bank of the river Neva and  built under the direction of Tsar Peter I .

The Main Pulpit of the Church

T One of the Beautiful Chandeliers in the church 

 

View of the Cathedral from the front

Visited St Petersburg in August 2013

Eurasian Kingfisher

Eurasian Kingfisher

This small Kingfisher , also known as the Common Kingfisher or River Kingfisher is widely distributed across Eurasia and North Africa. This sparrow sized  bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptions to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank. ( Ref Wikipidia )

Photographed at the Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur. January 2014

To see more of my photographs, please visit my website Pravine Chester's Photo Portfolio