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Welcome to my photo and travel blog! Here you will find a select mix of interesting photos from various countries with my thoughts. Feel free to leave comments.

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YoginiR: I love to travel and explore new places. https://www.instagram.com/journeywithyogini/

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Weekend Getaways - Gems in the German Moselle Valley!

July 21, 2020

The Moselle valley is often overlooked in comparison to the world-famous romantic route of the Rhine valley. Granted, Moselle is not as mighty as the Rhine but the valley has its own charm! River Moselle (German: Mosel) flows through France, Luxembourg and Germany. As the river passes though Germany it creates beautiful landscapes and a great opportunity for wine growers. Most of the hillsides are covered in vineyards which grow the white grape variety called Riesling. The river has been used for trade and travel since hundreds of years and today we can see a high number of castle ruins along the entire Moselle valley. In this blog I am going to cover the cities (and castles) me and my husband have visited till now. The rivers Mosel and Rhine meet in Koblenz. The point of confluence is called the The Deutsches Eck and it is a lovely must-see place. M ore about Koblenz in the next blog dedicated to the Rhine valley ! 😉 In Germany, i f you stay in NRW or Rhineland-Palatin

North Germany road trip - highlights from Bremen, Hamburg, Rügen, Rostock and the countless beaches on the Baltic sea!

September 06, 2020

Germany is famous for the black forest region, snow capped mountains, numerous castles and picturesque villages frozen in time. We (me and my husband) have checked off most of the typical touristic attractions in Germany. In t hese strange times we did not want to leave the country so I started looking for a summer vacation destination inside Germany. Even after living in Germany for many years we had still not visited any beach in the north nor seen Hamburg , the second biggest city in Germany. As I read more and started making a sightseeing list, I realized there is a lot more to see in north Germany beyond Hamburg. I was excited that this trip is going to be like no other as we would see amazing red brick architecture, white sand beaches, white chalk cliffs and hike through a national park😎. I love the planning process before a trip and thoroughly enjoy creating a document with a detailed 'to-do' list for each location. Being child free allows us to be spontaneous an

Experiencing the Majestic Niagara Falls

December 27, 2023

The allure of Niagara Falls is timeless, drawing in millions of visitors each year to witness the breathtaking natural wonder that straddles the border between Canada and the United States . The Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls are two of the three waterfalls collectively known as Niagara Falls. My recent trip to the Canadian side of the falls was nothing short of awe-inspiring, packed with unforgettable experiences that showcased the raw power and beauty of this iconic destination. Arrival at Niagara Falls Niagara Falls is also the name of the city located on the Canadian side of the famous waterfalls. The journey began with an early morning bus ride from Toronto. T he anticipation of seeing the falls up close mounted with every passing minute. The bus stopped right in front of the falls & what a sight it was! We had booked a room at Niagara Falls Marriott Fallsview Hotel & Spa with a view of the falls. It was money spent well. This was the panoramic view from the ho

Jodhpur - 3 day trip to the majestic Rajasthan in India

April 04, 2020

Please note: We visited Jodhpur before the Corona virus chaos started worldwide. In the current situation #stayhome #staysafe and read away!!! When we (me and my husband) informed our family and friends that we plan to stay in Jodhpur for three days we were often told that one and a half days are enough for sightseeing and there is nothing more to see! That may be true for those who have visited other cities in Rajasthan or who are living in India and get Rajasthani cuisine or handicrafts in their cities as well. But we had neither visited Rajasthan before nor do we live in India anymore. For us, visiting Rajasthan was a dream from a long time. We knew we will not be satisfied with anything less than three days so we went ahead with the plan. As I researched more I found many activities often missed by the fast-paced travelers. I hope this post encourages others to look out for such local activities and truly experience a new culture. Kirty Tour and Travels booked our flights

Mesmerizing journey through Provence - from the French Riviera to the lakes and mountains

November 20, 2019

Provence is the south-eastern region of France. It has a lot to offer and the highlights are the beaches (popularly known as the French Riviera ), the French side of the Alps mountains and the Verdon Natural Regional Park. The French Riviera The 'French riviera' is the region with glamorous beaches on the south coast of France. We (me and my husband) visited Nice, Cannes, Antibes and Monaco . In these towns the beaches are the main attraction. There are mostly very few or no other typical sightseeing places like castles or museums like other touristy European cities. Paradise for sail boats and yachts Nice We landed at the Nice airport on 6th September 2019. We started the sightseeing by visiting the market in the Nice city center. I had read about a local vegetarian delicacy called Socca and directly went to the shop that sells it. It is made with chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Simple and delicious! Socca and win

Rhine Valley - Home to countless castles, endless vineyards and breathtaking scenery!

July 25, 2020

River Rhine is one of the major rivers in Europe and flows through Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands. This blog post is specifically about a small 65 km stretch out of the 1233 km length of the river! The Upper Middle Rhine Valley is the the section between Bingen and Koblenz. Very few locations have something for all, this is one such region. If you are a wine lover , here you will be surrounded by vineyards and local wineries (German: Weingut). If you love hiking and wandering around in nature , you will get plenty of options. If you are a history buff , you can immerse yourself in the study of various castles and their intriguing stories. If you are a cycling enthusiast or love to ride your motorbike, you can ride along the Rhine and witness picturesque scenery. Finally, if just want to have a relaxing time away from the bustle of the city life and sit next to the river and soak up the sun then this is the place for you! Welcome to the Rhine valley!! In Germany, i f yo

Exploring Toronto: A Fusion of Urban Marvels and Natural Splendor

December 28, 2023

Toronto, the vibrant metropolis nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario, is a treasure trove of diverse experiences. From soaring skyscrapers to serene natural escapes, here are some destinations we explored during our trip to this bustling Canadian city in autumn of 2023: 1. CN Tower CN Tower is the most noticeable landmark in Toronto. The panoramic views of the city from its observation deck are great. But are they worth $50 is debatable. I t is one of those touristy things I ended up doing anyway. For the adrenaline junkies there is an experience called EdgeWalk. Visitors can have a thrilling hands-free walk around the tower's edge. I gave it a miss 😅. 2. Nathan Phillips Square This bustling square at the heart of the city is home to Toronto's iconic City Hall. The 'TORONTO' sign in the middle of the square is very popular for taking photos. 3. Eaton Centre Eaton Centre is Toronto's premier shopping destination. The sub-way station is conveniently located inside t

How to spend a perfect weekend in Germany like a local doing the best activities

January 24, 2020

Ever wondered on a Friday evening what activities can you do on the weekend ? We eagerly look forward to the weekend but when it arrives most of the time we don't have a plan on how to spend it. Most of the expats don't have a lot of family and friends around them and it is very important to be out and about for the physical and mental well being . A lot of countries have a mall and multiplex culture where a visit to these places is the norm on the weekends and holidays. But I have not seen that in Germany. Saturdays are meant for shopping as all the shops are closed on Sundays including the malls. However, there is a higher preference for being active and fit in your chosen way rather then going to the movies. Of course, like any other place you can join a gym or a hobby club or play a sport by getting in touch with interested individuals with the help of the many available apps. But there is more that you can do occasionally! Come rain or shine there are

Spring in Düsseldorf - 2021

May 23, 2021

The variety in flowers in nature always amazes me. Majority of the flowers in Germany were alien to me. Except roses, I guess roses can be found everywhere in the world. This year due to travel restrictions and work-from-home, we explored Düsseldorf in spring like never before! Two more things helped. One we bought a car a couple of years ago & second I joined Instagram 😄. Up to last year we would visit a few parks in spring to admire the magnolias or the cherry blossoms but this year we planned special trips an hour away just to admire some specific flowers. The inspiration came from looking at photos on Instagram. Spring season here lasts from March to May. Every month nature (with the help of hardworking farmers & gardeners) creates displays of flowers of different colors, shapes and sizes. In this post, I am writing the timeline and places where we captured some gorgeous flowers. Every year timing of the bloom and location could be a bit different . Hundreds of different

A few days in Tallinn, Estonia

January 23, 2020

Tallinn is one of those places that was never on our bucket list but it got there because of its geographical location. After visiting Norway (and loving it) I was looking for destinations in northern Europe which were less expensive and 'discovered' Estonia ! Honestly, I had no information about the country but the more I read about it, the more intriguing it became and ultimately was selected 😉 The fact that Helsinki ( read more about it here ) is just a short ferry ride away from Tallinn also worked in its favor. The city gates dating back to 13th century. What astonished me was that with a population of only 1.3 million it is a developed country with o ne of the world's most digitally-advanced societies. For the uninitiated, Estonia's capital and largest city is Tallinn . Currency is Euro. It became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. So, what did we do in Tallinn? Take a walking tour Walking tours are my most favorite way of exploring

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- December 2
  - Exploring Toronto: A Fusion of Urban Marvels and N...
  - Experiencing the Majestic Niagara Falls

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