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

Moscow - Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow

This is one of the most imposing and controversial building in Russia. This enormous and very expensive cathedral was consecrated in 1883 after the defeat of Napoleon. However it was singled out by the Soviet government for destruction and in 1931 was completely destroyed to make way for the proposed Palace of Soviets which was however never built. The project was replaced to become an open-air swimming pool – the largest in the world and kept at constant temperature of 27 degrees .

The huge Copper domes of the Cathedral that dominate the Moscow skyline

It was only after the fall of the Soviet Union that a decision was taken to resurrect the cathedral in a $ 360 million reconstruction project. The new cathedral was completed in 2000.

 View of the Moskva River from the Pedestrian Bridge in the front of the Cathedral.

Visited and photographed in August 2013.

Sergiev Posad - Golden Ring Town

Visitors to Moscow have to include a visit to The Golden Ring towns which are located in the Northeast of Moscow to get a feel of ancient Russia. These ancient towns ( eight in number ) played a significant role in the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church.  These towns are among the most picturesque in Russia and prominently feature the onion shaped domes in their churches and monastries.

75 kms to the north of Moscow lies the town of Sergiev Posad - one of the Golden Ring Towns. Located in the city is the Holy Trinity Lavra ( Monastery of the Holy Trinity).

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

Inside the monastery is the Trinity Cathedral which is the most important church on the site and where the remains of St Sergius lie. This is a white building with golden domes and was constructed in 1422.

 

 

 

The Holy Trinity Cathedral in the Monastery

Shrine over the Spring

On the right of the cathedral is the 'Shrine over the Spring' which was built when a spring of water sprang in the 17th century during repairs of the cathedral. The water is believed to have the power to heal the sick.  The water comes out of a cross shaped fountain that is covered with a colourful canopy.

Shrine over the Spring

Cross from where the Holy Water Flows

The Gateway Church of the Nativity of St  John the Baptist 

The Church was constructed between 1693 – 1699 over one of  the gates.  It displays the characteristic features of "Stroganov buildings" in intricate details and free treatment of classical forms. The lower part is cut by a gate arch. On both sides of the arch are staircases leading to the upper part with the cube of the Church surrounded by a gallery.

Church of the Nativity of St John the Baptist

Fresco on the Gate

Unfortunately, we could not see and admire the Holy Trinity Larva in all its beauty as the monastery is undergoing renovations for the 700th anniversary of St Sergius which will be celebrated in 2014. Iconic structures like the Cathedral of the Assumption, the Bell Tower etc were wrapped under canopies for repair work.

 

An interesting Russian Orthodox Church near the town of Sergiev Posad

Domes of a Russian Orthodox Church

Getting there: 

There are a number of options to visit Sergiev Posad from Moscow. There are trains every half hour from Yaroslavi Station and take about an hour and a half to reach. Trains start from 5 AM from Moscow and the last return train is at midnight. Buses leave every 15 minutes and take about 2 hours. Another option is to take a guided tour which of course is much more expensive.