YEHUDA DIN BENAIM 02/02

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Oliver Adzievski flexing his biceps

Some pics of Oliver before the IFBB Mr. Europe Pro 2010.

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Indian Freedom

Origin of Indian freedom strike in Bombay 1946

The Royal Indian Navy mutiny (also called the Bombay Mutiny) encompasses a total strike and subsequent mutiny by Indian sailors of the Royal Indian Navy on board ship and shore establishments at Bombay (Mumbai) harbor on 18 February 1946. From the initial flash point in Bombay, the mutiny spread and found support throughout British India, from Karachi to Calcutta and ultimately came to involve 78 ships, 20 shore establishments and 20,000 sailors.

Leading Signalman M.S Khan and Petty Officer Telegraphist Madan Singh were unanimously elected President and Vice-President respectively. The strike found immense support among the Indian population, already gripped by the stories of the Indian National Army.

The actions of the mutineers was supported by demonstrations which included a one-day general strike in Bombay. The strike spread to other cities, and was joined by the Royal Indian Air Force and local police forces.

Naval officers and men began calling themselves the "Indian National Navy" and offered left-handed salutes to British officers. At some places, NCOs in the British Indian Army ignored and defied orders from British superiors. In Madras and Pune, the British garrisons had to face revolts within the ranks of the Indian Army. Widespread rioting took place from Karachi to Calcutta.

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Travel Destination - Andorra

The small country of Andorra is a land of prosperity due to tourism. It is located in Western Europe, bordered by Spain and France. Rugged mountains are in excess, due to location of the country in eastern Pyrenees mountain range, amongst which the Coma Pedrosa, is the highest range. The summer and winter resorts, apart from the duty free status, have been the prime attractions for the massive volume of tourists visiting the country every year. This leads to huge returns from tourism accounting for up to 80% of the country's Gross Domestic Product.

Dotted with impressive remains of traditional past, Andorra amply exhibits its rich architectural heritage.

Travelers seeking some blood tingling, electrifying adventure will be pleased with overwhelming options, amongst which the skiing is the most popular. The Soldeu el Tarter deserves a special mention in this context. Apart from being a popular ski resort, with basic accommodations, it is also a ski school. It features downhill ski area, cross country ski area and the snowboard ski area.

The ragged mountains allow a wonderful hiking experience for the travelers. Pic del'Estanyo, is one of the main attractions for hiking purpose. Helicopter rides and hiking are also offered at Coll Arenys. Vallnord is the ultimate destination for all kinds of rip roaring, hair raising adventure, with mountain biking and skiing areas available.

The travelers can purchase souvenirs from the shopping stop of Hiper Market. The valley of Madriu-Perafita-Claror is one of the favorites amongst the tourists. It is a rendezvous with peace and tranquility of the wide expanse of green valley, creating an air of serenity. Grandvalira is another skiing area. A vast majority of tourists gets attracted to this travel destination due to generous skiing opportunities. Amusement and sports activities coupled with the beatific natural beauty are responsible for making the country one of the most enchanting tourism destinations of the world.

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Monday Escapes

My recent visit to the Colony Palms Hotel in Palm Springs really left me inspired and of course had my mind wandering to this location:

Images via Travelmoon

Morocco!

Have a great week!

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Aurora Borealis

The Aurora, also known as the Northern Lights, has mystified people down through the ages, scientists, poets, and lay persons alike. Written records of so-called "great auroral displays" date back more than two thousand years.


Sometimes the Aurora over Alaska and other auroral zones is barely visible or appears colorless and unmoving. But at other times the auroras can be incredibly bright, multihued and fast moving. Tall green curtains of lights, red tipped at their bottoms, stretch from horizon to horizon. They ripple and sway, fold and unfold, then suddenly disappear, only to reform in a new shape minutes later.


For those who live in Alaska, the Aurora is a part of northern life. Fall, winter and spring is the special season for viewing the great lights for residents and off-season visitors. Some Alaskans have "Aurora Alerts;" when a display begins, the first person to spot them begins a phone tree to get the word out.

The "pulsating Aurora" is one form of Northern Light common during the post-midnight hours. It blinks on and off every few seconds as though controlled by some mysterious unseen hand in the sky flicking a switch.

The great auroral displays are spectacular global events during which the Aurora spreads down from the polar regions to cover as much as two thirds of the earth's skies with bright, fast-moving masses of light, often deep red in color.

The rare "great auroral displays" follow one or two days of violent solar flares in the vicinity of major sunspots. These solar flares cast out vast streams of electrically charged particles which stream down into the earth's atmosphere. These particles, mostly electrons and protons, are steered away from the tropical regions by the earth's magnetic field.

Striking the gases of the earth's high atmosphere, the charged particles glow. It is exactly the same thing that happens in a television tube: complex streams of electrons within the TV strike the phosphor coated face of the tube, and cause it to glow, creating the colored moving patterns we see from our living room couches. Outside, at night, we can look up at that great star-studded television tube in the sky; if the Aurora is out and no clouds are about, the colored patterns will be there too.

Even though "great auroral displays" appear infrequently, spectacular displays of Aurora are common in Alaska and other auroral zone locations. This is because the sun is always sending out a stream of electrons and protons. They make up the solar wind which blows constantly toward the earth and other planets.

Enough of the solar wind particles come into the earth's high atmosphere at the auroral zone to create continuous Aurora, summer, winter, fall and spring.Although much is known about the Aurora, this fascinating phenomenon still withholds some of its mysteries. For example, scientists do not yet understand why the Aurora is so highly structured. For the University of Alaska Fairbanks, this continues to be an important area of study. The most beautiful Aurora is composed of thin sheets that stretch upward a hundred miles or more and extend across the sky from horizon to horizon, like gigantic ribbons set on edge high above and parallel to the earth's surface. These arcs and bands whip and weave across the sky, and bright rays ripple along them at fantastic speed. Some of these intricate multicolored forms have a thickness of only 100 meters, about the length of a football field, yet may be several hundred kilometers tall and well over 1,000 kilometers in length. It boggles the mind to realize—as has been proven by simultaneous observation in the two hemispheres—that these sharply defined auroral forms have an identical or nearly identical mate in the southern hemisphere, out of sight and almost a world away. Joined together by an invisible magnetic bond that arches far above the Equator, each pair of mated auroral dancers move across the cold polar skies in perfect harmony. Each motion or brightness change in one hemisphere is mirrored in the other, on a time scale of less than a fraction of a second. A most curious and highly controversial question involves auroral sound. Although I've never heard one, my wife has and so have several scientists I know. Some reports of hearing noises associated with auroral displays may be erroneous impressions, but I am convinced many others are not. Hundreds of written reports indicate noises are sensed when a particular type of fast-Aurora is nearly overhead. Some people sense whistling and crackling noises, even when they close their eyes. The reports of auroral sound make it certain that the unknown cause of the apparent sound is in the vicinity of the hearer, not in the Aurora itself. Most likely, the reported noises are related to electrical phenomena which accompany certain types of bright Aurora. No matter how many auroras one may have seen, a good high-latitude display, as seen in Alaska, sends tingles up the viewer's spine. Even a moderate display seen at the auroral zone in the 49th state can be far more exciting to watch than one of the rare "great displays." The best of words and photographs fail to capture the magnificence of the high-latitude Aurora, although some of Robert Service's poetry may come close.

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Top 3 Countries for Honeymoon Destinations

What constitutes a memorable honeymoon destination? Every newlywed couple out there might say it’s the place, some will say it’s the weather and others prefer just anywhere as long as their budget fits right.

These days, there are hundreds of great locations ideal for your honeymoon. There are seven continents in the world and each country in each continent has something so extraordinary to offer. Whether you choose to live in a five-star hotel, get tan while getting wet in the beaches or tour around the historic ruins, the final decision to where to go is all up to you and your partner.

Of course, never ignore the amount of money you are willing to splurge. Months before your wedding day, it would be cost-effective if you already have booked a direct flight to your destination, applied for any affordable packages and every little thing you’ll need is locked inside your suitcase. This way, you and your better half will feel stress-free as the departure day arrives.

Where Are You Going?

United States of America: What things can you ask for in a land of milk and honey? There are plenty, right? It is also understandable that USA is a big country and it is clearly confusing you to choose the specific state to hang out. Yes, this decision can be difficult but take some time to research and you can surely trim down your choices to two.

According to About.com, Hawaii ranks as the number one in terms of honeymoon desirability is concerned. This archipelago of eight islands is well-blessed with beautiful beaches, hidden coves, first-class hotels, mouth-watering cuisines and fair weather. Whether you choose to be in Maui, Moloka or O’ahu, there is an ideal spot of attraction for your romantic getaway.

New York is the second state recommended for honeymoon destination. If you are looking for best restaurants, expensive hotels, non-forgettable theatrical plays, nothing can beat the busy streets of the Big Apple.

France: When someone is discussing about Europe, France is surely one of the most-discussed nations during the entire discussion. The country has a very rich history in terms of culture, arts, music, architecture and cuisine.

Its romantic city of Paris is considered the Grand City of Light, where hordes of historic attractions (Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower, Centre Pompidou, Musee d’Orsay and Arc de Triomphe) are found. Other world-class cities in France that offers unlimited fun and loads of exciting activities are Cannes, Lyon, Nice, Marseille and Lille.

Thailand: It is already expected that almost half of beautiful tourist attractions are found in Asia. Asia is the biggest continent in the world and it is composed of sixty-percent world’s population. As of this writing, Thailand has been tagged as one of the, if not the first choice, destinations for honeymoon. The water-activities in Phuket are just never-ending. Dive, swim, fish, snorkel, boat etc. all these things are here. However, if you and your partner choose not to get wet, the Chiang Mai is just the perfect place for the both of you. The city will keep your mind busy with a series of physical activities such as camping, raft riding and mountain trekking.

Bangkok is also a popular destination. Every travel advisor online recommends this big city as your destination for either vacation or honeymoon. Like New York, it’s also the place for various shopping malls, hotels and amusements. All things are similar but you know the big difference, the country boats its Chao Praya River where you need to ride a boat to visit a temple (Wat Phra Kaew), to eat at street stalls or row in the south to visit the Asia’s largest outdoor market.

Just a quick reminder: It is advisable for you to visit the country between November and February. The weather is cooler and there are lesser rains during these months.

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Street Food Love

pad thai man a photo by kyria! on Flickr.

I love street food. From this guy, you can get an order of street Pad Thai for about One Dollar. He also has spring rolls and best of all, meats on sticks (50 cents each).

Thank goodness for the Pad Thai Guy.

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YEHUDA DIN BENAIM 01/02

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Esperance - A Secret No More

Its called the 'Secret South'- the length of Western Australian coastline next to the Southern Ocean that until recently has been largely ignored by the tourist masses. But as travellers get more intrepid and even the most far flung places become more accessible this is one secret that is out the bag. In the summer months the full hotels, motels and caravan parks in Esperance, the largest town on the coast, are testament to the growing popularity of the region. And theres a lot to see there- its a place you go to appreciate nature, to indulge in the wide open spaces and the fresh air of unsullied landscapes. For campervan holiday makers, its an unexplored treasure.

Esperance sits quietly on the shores of Esperance Bay, surrounded on either side by miles of isolated beaches. If its a bit of privacy youre after then you have come to the right place- just hop in your motorhome, drive for a while and find a quiet spot on the beach! You might have to share it with some of the kangaroos that enjoy baking in the sun on the white sands, but they wont disturb you. The beaches here are claimed to be the whitest in Australia, and the contrast of the sand dunes with the bright blue water is quite stunning. There is a drive called the Great Ocean Drive which takes you on a 38 kilometre loop past the best beaches in the region, including West Beach, Chapmans Point and Twilight Beach. If youre a surfer then you really will be in heaven, as some of Australias best waves are along this stretch. Remember though, that this is the Southern Ocean... things can get a little chilly in there!

On this drive you will also be taken past the Pink Lake, which is quite a talking point of the region. It is actually a pink lake, although depending on the weather conditions it can be purple too! The colour is attributed to the high concentrations of salt tolerant algae in the water. The salt here is actually 99.9 per cent pure, and is harvested and transported around the country. Its a peaceful and unique spot to spend some time, and there are camping grounds and other forms of accommodation around if you wish to stay a little longer.

Off the coast of Esperance lies the Recherche Archipelago, the largest group of islands in Southern Australia consisting of 105 islands spread over 270 kilometres. While most of these islands are inaccessible to humans, Woody Island is accessed from Esperance and is a popular wilderness retreat. Its a beautiful spot, with that sun soaked atmosphere typical of tiny island holidays. There are day charters out to the island, or if you want to stay longer then a safari hut set amongst the native plants is your choice of accommodation, complete with views over Shearwater Bay!

There are three National Parks close to Esperance - Cape le Grand, Stokes and cape Arid. While all three are worth a look, Cape le Grand comes as the most recommended. There are two campsites in the park, the best one sits on the shores of Lucky Bay and has solar powered showers! Lucky Bay has the distinction of being voted the 'whitest beach in Australia', so a stay in this campsite is definitely a good idea. If you don't have a four wheel drive campervan then stick to the Western side of the park, which has fully sealed roads. If you do have 4WD, then take the adventurous route and drive up to the cape along the beach. If the season is right you may just see pods of whales surfacing off the coast with their new born young. The Park is only 50 kilometres east of Esperance, so it is very easy to access.

While the town itself is a pleasant place to stay and has all the accommodation options you may want, it is not awe inspiringly beautiful, and is more functional than aesthetically pleasing. It has that country town feel, and the people are extremely friendly, so your stay is going to be very pleasant. What is awe inspiring is the surroundings. The beaches alone are a good reason to visit here, and with other attractions like the Recherche Archipelago and the nearby National Parks to visit, your holiday here wont be a disappointment. You can choose to fly in- its a one and a half hour flight from Perth- or make the drive from another Western Australian Centre. Its 720 kilometres to Perth, and 476 kilometres to Albany. These are long distances, and theres a lot to see in them, so why not make a tour of it and spend some time exploring the coast along the way. Think of Esperance as the cherry on top of the cake... the mouth watering finale to your foray into Western Australia's 'Secret South'!

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