Happy New Year!

On the eve of another year, we wanted to take a moment to thank you for reading our blog in 2009. We first started writing about luxury cruising back in the summer of 2006 as we prepared for our very first cruise aboard Regent's Seven Seas Mariner. That trip hooked us and we've been cruising ever since.

We've visited places we never thought we would (Siberia, Russia and the northern islands of Japan to name a few) and have met some fantastic people along the way. The thrill of discovering new places and making new friends is what keeps us booking cruise vacations again and again.

In 2010 we'll continue to bring you luxury cruise news, cruise reviews, onboard coverage of our own trips, and Twitter tweets. We'll also publish several more issues of Voyage magazine and will start posting podcasts and more video clips. If you'd like to see us cover anything specific, please let us know!

Thank you again for spending some of your precious time at our website! Leonard and I wish each of you a very Happy New Year! Here's to health, happiness, and prosperity in 2010!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Sunset View

Friends wish you all

HAPPY & PROSPEROUS

New Year

Your continuous support and interest in my blog enthused me to show more of my Little World. Looking forward to do more of it in the New Year. Thanks to all and happy blogging.

New Discounts for Windstar Cruises Alumni - Caribbean

Windstar Cruises just sent out a postcard to members of their Foremast Club. There are new discounts available if you've previously sailed with the line and the per diems are definitely worth considering.

The best deal is $1,099 per person for Wind Surf's 7-night Caribbean cruise out of Barbados. That's available on January 17, 31, February 14, and March 14.

Other deals include:

Wind Spirit St. Martin 7-night Roundtrip for $1,539 per person
January 9, 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13, 30, and March 6

Wind Star Costa Rica 7-night Roundtrip for $1,539 per person
January 2, 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13, 20, 27, and March 6, 13, 20

Wind Surf Barbados 7-night Roundtrip for $1,859 per person
January 10, February 7, 21, and March 7

Taxes and government fees are additional and cancellation penalties apply.

For more information, talk with your travel agent or contact Windstar Cruises at 1-(800) 258-7245.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo courtesy of Leonard Hospidor

Our First Cruise of 2010! SeaDream II in the Caribbean

The holiday season has been a whirlwind for us. Right after Thanksgiving we finished updating a Hawaii guidebook for UK-based Thomas Cook and released our first issue of Voyage magazine, which is devoted to luxury cruising. (If you haven't yet read the Fall issue, you can still order a copy! Our first issue commemorates Seabourn Odyssey's maiden season and includes a feature about the new Celebrity Equinox and tips for visiting various Caribbean ports.)

From there we launched into our first annual Travel Bloggers' Caravan and gave away dozens of prizes to our visitors. We were thrilled to reach the end of December and took some time off as we celebrated the Christmas holiday with our families in the Northeast. We hope your holidays were as magical as ours were!

We're now looking forward to our first cruise of 2010! On January 10, 2010, we'll embark on Sea Dream Yacht Club's SeaDream II out of San Juan, Puerto Rico for an all-inclusive seven-night yachting adventure to the following ports of call:

San Juan, Puerto Rico
Culebrita, Puerto Rico
Esperanza, Vieques, Puerto Rico
Cruz Bay, St. John, United States Virgin Islands
Marigot, St. Martin, French West Indies
Saba, Netherlands, Antilles
Gustavia, St. Barthelemy, French West Indies
Jost van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands

I love the fact that SeaDream is a luxury line that offers plenty of seven-night options for those of us that prefer not to be out of the office for more than a week. (SeaDream also offers a handful of five-night itineraries in the Caribbean.)

The company tagline—"It's yachting, not cruising: there's a difference"—is also incredibly compelling since we love small ship sailing. With just 112 passengers and 95 crew, SeaDream II promises to be everything we love in a cruise getaway.

I'll be discussing SeaDream a lot during the next two weeks prior to embarkation. If you're a SeaDream regular, please let us know what you love most about the yachts and what's not to be missed!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

St. Milagres Church, Mangalore

Mangalore located in Karnataka state is a small city. It is well connected by land, sea and air. There are many temples and churches in and around this place. Some of these churches are more than 100 years old and have their own history to tell.

Milagres Church was originally built by Bishop Thomas de Castro in 1680. This church is also known as Church of Our Lady of Miracles. (Click on all the images for bigger picture)



The church was brought down due to battles between kings in those days and it was reconstructed in 1811. The facade collapsed again in 1911 and present structure was rebuilt again in the same year.

Wish you all Merry Christmas.

For more sky shots join us @ Sky Watch

Windstar Cruises Formulates New Wine Program

Windstar Cruises has always been one of our top choices for laid back sailing expeditions in the Caribbean, Costa Rica, and the Mediterranean. We've always found the food and wine to be top notch and the cruise line continues to improve its offerings in these areas.

Just last week Windstar announced its new Yachtsmen's Discovery Wine Program, which features Wines By the Glass, Wine Flights, and Wine Tastings. The first two options are already available onboard Windstar's motor-sail-yachts: Wind Spirit, Wind Star, and Wind Surf. Wine Tastings will begin in early 2010.

Six ounce Wines by the Glass are available from $6.50–$14.50 per glass in the Lounge and The Restaurant on all three ships as well as in the Yacht Club and in Degrees on Wind Surf.

Twenty-one wines comprise the Wines By The Glass menu, offering guests a choice of 14 distinct varietals/blends, drawn from the soils of 13 distinct appellations from Pacific Rim locales of California, Washington, Oregon, Australia, and New Zealand. Ten white wines, 10 red wines, and one blush in the varietal categories of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Vin Gris de Cigare are offered.

Wine Flights will feature a selection of four glasses of wine for guests to enjoy at their leisure. Wine Tastings will be scheduled sessions on each sailing and led by a sommelier. Here guests will sample a selection of varietals and learn about each one in an intimate, relaxing environment.

For more information, talk with your travel agent or call Windstar Cruises at 1-(800) 258-7245.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

QE2 Saga Continues; Dubai World to Sell Off the Ship

Britain's Times is reporting today that Dubai World, current owner of the former Cunard QE2 will sell off the ship as part of its debt reorganization plan.

Dubai World had previously planned to turn the ship into a luxury hotel as part of its resort complex in Dubai. However, the company's $22 billion debt has put a kabosh on that plan.

There's no word yet on if potential buyers have already been lined up or not. Dubai World will also try to sell other assets, like the high-end clothing chain Barneys.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Chef Dean Marx to Sail Aboard m/s Paul Gauguin

Starting January 2010, the gorgeous m/s Paul Gauguin will be operated by Paul Gauguin Cruises owned by Pacific Beachcomber S.C. The new owners plan to retain the same excellent service and, in fact, you'll see most of the same crew onboard the next time you visit French Polynesia.

Paul Gauguin Cruises is planning a lot of new programs, including inviting celebrity chefs to sail aboard the ship. First up on the May 1, 2010 sailing is Chef Dean James Max. He's the executive chef of 3030 Ocean, a trendy restaurant at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He's also the chef/restauranteur for Latitude 41 Restaurant, Cheeca Lodge, and Brasserie Cayman.

If you'd like to get to know more about Chef Max's cooking style, check out his seafood cookbook A Life By the Sea.

While aboard m/s Paul Gauguin, Chef Max will invite passengers to attend his cooking classes, culinary seminars, and fishing excursions.

To learn more, talk with your travel agent or call Paul Gauguin Cruises at 1-(800) 848-6172.

Bhimbetka Prehistoric Art

Apart from the cave paintings of Bhimbetka which are old as 10000 B.C, that were seen in earlier post there are plenty more paintings that are very colorful and artistic.

Auditorium Cave is a spacious horizontal tunnel about 25m in length, ending in a cathedral-like hall that opens in three directions. At the center of this junction visible from all four entrances is a large rock, 2.5m high and 3.4m wide, called Chief's Rock. (Click on all the images for bigger picture)


On the left side wall of the East passage into Auditorium cave there are paintings on the walls. They are red in color. The prominent figures are that of cattle, goat, deer, hand prints, and double bar.


One can see another beautiful cave painting in the nearby cave. This is located in a elevated region. There are two sets of paintings in this caves. At the lower bottom they are in white color and the top are in the red color. In the above one can see figures of people riding the horse as if they are going for a war.

To see the World visit other participants at: That's My World Tuesday.

Hampi Bazar

This is the only post in Hampi Series that does not concentrate on architecture. Rather this focuses mainly on how the city layout was formed in terms of markets. It gives basic idea on the location of markets and how they are organized.

During the Vijayanagara rule in the 15th century, the Bazaars (markets) happened to be the centers of all the commercial activities. It is believed that these bazaars were not only just commercial regions but were also the sprawling quarters of the capital city of the empire. These bazaars are mostly situated opposite the temples. (click on the image for bigger view)

In Hampi there were main four bazaars of varied sizes, all of them in front of the temples. They are, the Virupaksha Bazaar opposite the Virupaksha Temple, the Soolai Bazaar opposite the Achyutapura Temple, the Krishna Bazaar opposite the Krishna Temple and the Vithala Bazaar opposite the Vithala Temple. Today, except the Virupaksha Bazaar, the other three bazaars have been deserted over a period of time and no activity can be seen.

Virupaksha Bazaar with Virupakasha Temple tower at the far end

Virupaksha Bazaar is 1 km in length and the market stretches from the doorstep of the Virupaksha Temple and extends in the western direction till the the Bull Temple. Both sides of the street are lined with a series of old pavilions, some of them are two storied. These structures were once part of a thriving market and residence of the nobles. Today here one can find everything from the coconuts and flowers to offer at Virupaksha Temple to rare coins and antiquities of great value.

Vithala Bazaar

For more sky shots join us @ Sky Watch

Today's Caravan Stop: Win Noise-Cancelling Headphones from LuxurySafariExperts.com

Mysterious, beautiful, majestic, fragile... the continent of Africa beckons! From the tombs of ancient kings and queen in Egypt to silverback gorillas in the mountains of Uganda to the Kalahari Desert blanketing much of Botswana, Africa offers a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

LuxurySafariExperts.com is a new website from the editors of LuxuryCruiseBible.com and it distills the options for visitors interested in seeing the sites and wildlife of Africa without sacrificing exquisite accommodations and excellent service.

Today's the last day of the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan and we end with travel advice for adventurers heading to Africa. Visit LuxurySafariExperts.com today and comment on the blog post and you'll be entered to win a pair of folding noise-cancelling headphones courtesy of Magellan's. Trust me, you'll need thse for the long-haul flight to Africa!

On behalf of myself and all of the other bloggers who participated in this year's Travel Bloggers' Caravan & Giveaway, we want to wish you a very happy, healthy, and safe holiday season! Thank you for following our Caravan and we hope to do this again sometime soon!

We also thank all of our sponsors, especially Magellan's Travel Supplies, for donating such useful travel-related gear for our prize packs!

Please give us your feedback and let us know what you liked about the Caravan or what you'd like to see done differently in the future. We'd especially love to hear about what type of prizes you're most interested in receiving.

(Winner selection and prize fulfillment is at the discretion of LuxurySafariExperts.com. LuxuryCruiseBible.com cannot be held responsible for the late delivery or non-delivery of prizes given away by other bloggers in the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan.)

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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Don't miss the Travel Bloggers'
Caravan & Giveaway!

Visit the Luxury Cruise Bible blog each day between December 1 and 15. Link to the Caravan's "blog of the day", post a comment on that website, and you'll be entered to win. Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to guidebooks and DVDs.

Regent Voyager Suffers Minor Engine Trouble

This has not been a banner day for the luxury cruise industry. First we lose one of the most beautiful yachts sailing the South Pacific (see my post about Nomade Yachting in receivership) and now we're hearing about engine trouble aboard Regent's Seven Seas Voyager. The cruise ship is currently sailing a 14-night itinerary from Rio de Janeiro to Fort Lauderdale.

Luckily, it sounds like the problem is minor. That being said though, the ship was forced to bypass its scheduled port of Antigua due to a slower cruising speed cause by the engine trouble. Instead, the ship will dock several hours longer in San Juan while the engine is fixed. All should be well after that and the itinerary is expected to resume without further adjustments.

Unrelated to the engine problem, Voyager also suffered an isolated water leak that has affected several cabins.

Let's hope tomorrow shines a bit brighter for Voyager!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo courtesy of Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Bora Bora Yacht Line in Receivership

I was so disheartened to hear today that Nomade Yachting, formerly Bora Bora Cruises based in French Polynesia, has gone into receivership.

The cruise line operated two gorgeous 60 meter yachts: Tia Moana and Tu Moana. All scheduled itineraries aboard the Tia Moana have been cancelled and the ship is now up for sale. The price tag is 25 million euros ($37.7 million for those of us in the United States). Yacht broker Edmiston & Company is handling the sale.

Tu Moana is currently in dry-dock and will be available for private charters as of April 2010. Revisions are being made to the yacht that will decrease the passenger capacity form 50 to 30. there will be a 100-square-meter Owner's Suite, six VIP suites, and eight double cabins.

Nomade Yachting offered a truly uncommon experience in French Polynesia and made weekly cruises from Bora Bora to Huahine, Raiarea, and Le Taha'a.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Bhimbetka Cave Paintings

The caves of Bhimbetaka have paintings that date back to various periods during which these caves could have been inhabited. The main colors used in these paintings are red and white. Red color paintings are bright, while the white paintings look faded. The quality of the paintings is so great that the painting appear so fresh as if it has been done few days back. At lot of places, paintings have been done on top of the other, giving a feeling that the artists have used the same space to paint and re-paint. The style of paintings resembles the Worli paintings and at times the Madhubani. Most of the figures are written using geometrical shapes. Animals form the primary subject of paintings, followed by humans and occasional trees and flowers.

The rock art in these caves has been classified into various groups on the basis of the style and subject. (Click on all the images for bigger picture)

Upper Palaeolithic

The paintings in this period were mostly drawn using green and dark red colors as liner representations. The figures drawn were animals like bisons, boar.

Mesolithic

The paintings in this period are comparatively smaller in size. The linear representation of drawings are more stylish. Apart from animals, there are human figures. The hunting scenes clearly show the weapons like barbed spears, pointed sticks, bows and arrows used during those times.

Hunting scene

The depiction of communal dances, birds, mother and child, pregnant women, men carrying dead animal, drinking etc, are seen in this rock shelter range.

people dancing holding hands at the top and they are going for hunting at the bottom

Chalcolithic

The paintings in this period show that the cave dwellers of this area were in contact with the agricultural communities. They exchanged goods with them.

Early Historic

The paintings in this period are painted mostlty in red and white. The drawings have a schematic and decorative style. They mainly depict riders, religious symbols, tunic-like dresses, and the scripts of different periods.

Medival

The paintings in this period are geometric, linear and more schematic. The artistic style was crude when compared to earlier periods.

The picture below is taken at the first cave that you see as soon as one enters the cave complex. There are paintings of animals drawn in white color on the roof of the cave.

This place can be reached directly from Bhopal or from Bhojpur as I had done.

Today's Caravan Stop: EuropeUpClose.com for a Chance to Win a Digital Camera

I'll admit that I haven't explored Europe in nearly as much depth as I should have by this point in my life. Whereas a generation before me may have spent a gap year backpacking across Europe, my early travel adventures focused more on tropical isles and Asian outposts. That's why I love visiting Terri Fogarty's EuropeUpClose.com. She can tell me just about everything I want to know about the Europe I've yet to discover.

The Travel Bloggers' Caravan stops at EuropeUpClose.com today. Visit the site and comment on today's blog post and you'll be entered to win a Fujifilm FinePix J28 10MP digital camera with 3x optical zoom.

Terri fell in love with Europe on her first trip to Paris more than 20 years ago. Since then, she and her husband Bill have traveled all over Europe, taking trips on the average of twice a year. During this time Terri has also run her own Europe-focused travel agency, planning hundreds of trips to Europe for my clients, friends, and family.

Europe won Terri over because Europeans seem to understand what life is all about: family, friends, and food. They have a deep appreciation for history and culture and in Terri's opinion have perfected the art of living.

EuropeUpClose.com has more than a dozen writers who are experts on European travel, and the articles are designed to share first-hand travel experience. Terri and her band of experts know the ins and outs of successful travel; where to find the best deals, how to save money, and how to find those hidden gems that many guidebooks often seem to miss.

EuropeUpClose.com is an evolving and constantly updated travel guide, offering daily tips and travel suggestions. So, if you just want to dream of Europe, or plan your European vacation with confidence that you are “in the know”, EuropeUpClose.com is your insider guide.

(Winner selection and prize fulfillment is at the discretion of EuropeUpClose.com. LuxuryCruiseBible.com cannot be held responsible for the late delivery or non-delivery of prizes given away by other bloggers in the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan.)

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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Don't miss the Travel Bloggers'
Caravan & Giveaway!

Visit the Luxury Cruise Bible blog each day between December 1 and 15. Link to the Caravan's "blog of the day", post a comment on that website, and you'll be entered to win. Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to guidebooks and DVDs.

Today's Caravan Stop: My Itchy Travel Feet is Giving Away Travel DVDs

I can't believe that the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan & Giveaway is almost over! But, we've still got three more blogs to cover and some fun prizes to give away.

Today, head to Donna L. Hull's MyItchyTravelFeet.com. Comment on the blog post and you'll be entered to win two great prizes: a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card, which may be redeemed at all Barnes & Noble stories and online at BarnesandNoble.com, and a "Library Edition" of the most recent season of "Rudy Maxa's World", including six DVDs containing 13 shows on destinations in India, Turkey, Japan, Thailand, St. Petersburg, Estonia, and Argentina ($112 value).

Donna is so obsessed with travel that it makes her feet itchy when she’s not out exploring the world. At her blog, My Itchy Travel Feet, The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Travel, she writes about active travel for baby boomers, covering domestic and international destinations. Using her personal experiences and references as a travel writer, she advises boomers on where to go, what to do, where to stay, and how to prepare for an active trip.

Donna recently completed an 8-part series based on a 52-day Pacific cruise for LuxuryCruiseBible.com. The Tucson-based freelance writer and photographer also writes for Uptake.com, iExplore.com, and is an "Outsider" at AdventureUs.com. Some of her print publication credits include AZ3Sixty Magazine, Oro Valley/Marana Magazine, Lovin Life After 50, Fifty Plus, and Her Sports Magazine.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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Don't miss the Travel Bloggers'
Caravan & Giveaway!

Visit the Luxury Cruise Bible blog each day between December 1 and 15. Link to the Caravan's "blog of the day", post a comment on that website, and you'll be entered to win. Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to guidebooks and DVDs.

Today's Caravan Stop: Win a First Ascent Day Pack & ExOfficio Gear from EllenBarone.com

Happy Saturday! Today the Travel Bloggers' Caravan visits EllenBarone.com. Head over to Ellen's site, comment on today's blog post, and you'll be entered to win a day pack (a $79 value) from First Ascent, a new extreme adventure line of gear and clothing by Eddie Bauer and partners.

In addition, ExOfficio will be providing the ultimate travel ensemble! You could be trekking the globe in the latest ExOfficio outfit including; 1 Shirt, 1 Pair of Pants and 1 Pair of ExOfficio Underwear. (approximately $200 value)

Travel expert Ellen Barone did what many of us only dream of doing: at the age of 35, she traded a successful academic career for the wild blue yonder and set out to explore the world and herself.

In the decade since that intrepid decision, she has turned passion into profession, journeying to more than 60 countries in search of evocative images and life-enriching adventures.

Founder of the travel website EllenBarone.com—a popular online portal "keeping travelers in the know and on the go"—hundreds of thousands of visitors turn to Ellen hoping to better inform their travels and their lives. Catering to individuals who enjoy a traveler’s lifestyle, the site is one-stop shopping for expert advice, vacation tips, product reviews, photo galleries, and travel articles to help readers travel better, smarter, and more inspired.

With an eye for the best, the authentic, the innovative and the irresistible Ellen loves little more than sharing information that will inspire readers travel now, travel smarter, and travel often.

(Winner selection and prize fulfillment is at the discretion of EllenBarone.com. LuxuryCruiseBible.com cannot be held responsible for the late delivery or non-delivery of prizes given away by other bloggers in the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan.)

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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Don't miss the Travel Bloggers'
Caravan & Giveaway!

Visit the Luxury Cruise Bible blog each day between December 1 and 15. Link to the Caravan's "blog of the day", post a comment on that website, and you'll be entered to win. Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to guidebooks and DVDs.

Today's Caravan Stop: Win a Caribbean Guidebook & World Grounding Adaptor Set from CruiseDiva.com

The only cruise-related blogs taking part in this year's Travel Bloggers' Caravan & Giveway are LuxuryCruiseBible.com and Linda Coffman's CruiseDiva.com. Today, the Caravan stops at her terrific website. Linda writes about all things cruising and I personally value her opinion when it comes to which ship to book and what itineraries are not to be missed. She's also a prolific guidebook author and I've got many of her books on my shelf.

Linda is giving away a copy of her recently released Fodor's The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises as well as a World Grounding Adaptor Set courtesy of Magellan's Travel Supplies. This combo is just what you need for pre- and post-cruise adventures and smooth sailing.
Linda Coffman is an award-winning freelance travel writer who has been dishing out cruise travel information and advice in print and on the Internet for more than a dozen years. An avid cruise passenger who enjoys sailing on ships of every size to any port worldwide, Linda spends most of her time cruising the Caribbean and writing for Fodor's Travel Publications. She is the author of Fodor's The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises, The Complete Guide to European Cruises, and contributes to six other Fodor's guidebooks.

In addition, Linda created CruiseDiva.com in February 2001 to provide unbiased and practical cruising information to the thousands of Internet users who research their travel choices online. CruiseDiva.com was named a "Best of the Web" Leisure Travel web site by USA Today. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says, "The Cruise Diva's site has good information, lots of practical tips and lots of attitude." When not at sea, Linda makes her home in Georgia.

(Winner selection and prize fulfillment is at the discretion of CruiseDiva.com. LuxuryCruiseBible.com cannot be held responsible for the late delivery or non-delivery of prizes given away by other bloggers in the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan.)

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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Don't miss the Travel Bloggers'
Caravan & Giveaway!

Visit the Luxury Cruise Bible blog each day between December 1 and 15. Link to the Caravan's "blog of the day", post a comment on that website, and you'll be entered to win. Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to guidebooks and DVDs.

Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

From Bhojpur we moved to Bhimbetka to explore the rock shelters which is which is located in Vindhyan mountain range in the central India.

It is a rocky terrain of dense forest and craggy cliffs. In 1957, V S Wakanker of the Vikram University, Ujjain discovered over 1000 rock shelters belonging to the Neolithic age spread over a area of 10 x 4 Kms. In more than 500 of these caves there are paintings that depict the life of the prehistoric cave dwellers. Here there is also evidence of Stone Age habitation from the lower Palaetholic period to the late Mesolithic. It is a natural art gallery and an archaeological treasure. (Click on all the images for bigger picture)

In 2003, UNESCO made them part of the World Heritage List. Out of the over 1000 caves, the 15 of them are extraordinary ones. It is amazing how these caves are located in convoluted cliffs on the top of a hill.

These caves depict paintings belonging to the Paleolithic (10,000 BC), Mesolithic (5,000 BC) and the Chalcolithic (2,000 BC) periods. The paintings are mainly in red and white. There is also hint of other colors being used like green and yellow. Most of the paintings depict the scenes hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders, animals fighting, honey collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, masking and household scenes. Animals such as bison’s, tigers, lions, wild boar, elephants, deers, dogs, lizards, crocodiles etc, have been abundantly depicted in some caves.

There are unobtrusive and clear passageways that have been provided, so that visitors can view the paintings at leisure but are kept sufficiently away not to cause any damage. We will explore this place in several sections in subsequent posts as:

• Bhimbetka Cave Paintings (Classification of paintings)
• Bhimbetaka Prehistoric Art (Auditorium Cave and more)
• Zoo Rock
• Turtle Rock

For more sky shots join us @ Sky Watch

Today's Caravan Stop: Win a Mountainsmith Camera Bag at JtheTravelAuthority.com

Today's Travel Bloggers' Caravan & Giveaway is going on right now at JtheTravelAuthority.com. Just visit that site and comment on today's post by travel expert Jeanine Barone and you'll be entered to win a Mountainsmith Tour FX camera bag (see below).

Jeanine Barone is a New York City-based travel writer who's written for just about every major travel magazine, from National Geographic Traveler to Travel + Leisure, as well as the Boston Globe, and other newspapers. She also blogs and is frequently asked to guest blog about her journeys. Her adventures can also be heard on various radio programs, such as KPAM in Portland, Oregon.

When she's roaming the world, she's seeking out what she calls "hidden treasures," in other words authentic experiences that provide insights into the heart of the land and its people. Aside from travel, she also pens articles on food, wine, design, and architecture.

Whether she's hiking through the volcanic landscape and vineyards on remote Pico Island in the Azores or mountain biking in Israel's Negev Desert, Jeanine provides her readers with vivid, intimate experiences. So much so, that many have commented that reading one of her articles or blog posts makes them want to pack their bags and head straight for the airport. Known as an ultra savvy traveler, Jeanine is frequently asked to write about her travel tips (including how to stay healthy on the road) and her packing strategies, considering she prides herself in never checking luggage, even on a 7+ week journey.

(Winner selection and prize fulfillment is at the discretion of JtheTravelAuthority.com. LuxuryCruiseBible.com cannot be held responsible for the late delivery or non-delivery of prizes given away by other bloggers in the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan.)

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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Don't miss the Travel Bloggers'
Caravan & Giveaway!

Visit the Luxury Cruise Bible blog each day between December 1 and 15. Link to the Caravan's "blog of the day", post a comment on that website, and you'll be entered to win. Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to guidebooks and DVDs.

Azamara Goes All-Inclusive & Rebrands as Azamara Club Cruises

In the crowded cruise marketplace, it's imperative that each line differentiate itself from the competition. That's why Azamara Cruises is launching a major rebranding effort so you and I will better understand what they're all about.

To begin with, the cruise line's name has changed from Azamara Cruises to Azamara Club Cruises with the tagline, "You'll love where we take you." This change points to the refined focus on destination exploration.

According to Larry Pimentel, President and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises, "This isn't a strategy of going from 'good to great.' This is about taking an already great product and making it exceptional."

A lot of interesting changes are on tap and most go into effect in April 2010.

• House wines will now be complimentary at lunch and dinner
  
  
• Complimentary coffee (including specialty coffees), soda, and bottled water
  
  
• Gratuities for cabin stewards and dining staff will be included in the cruise fare
  
  
• More late nights and overnights in ports, even on 7-night itineraries
  
  
• Overnights in Istanbul, Turkey; Sorrento, Italy; St. Petersburg, Russia; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Bangkok, Thailand; Singapore; and Hong Kong
  
  
• New shore excursions will place more emphasis on the local community and culture
  
  
• Some new excursions include a Ferrari driving tour in Civitavecchia, Italy and a "In the Steps of the Beatles" tour in Liverpool, England
  
  
• Free shuttle service to/from port communities, where available
  
  
• No need to pack quarters! The self-service laundry is now complimentary.
  
  
• Suite guests may dine at no extra charge at Prime C steakhouse and the Mediterranean-inspired Aqualina
  
  
• Butlers will receive additional training at English butler schools; butlers will only be deployed to suite guests
  
  
• Azamara Club Cruises will launch a dedicated guest loyalty program, called Le Club Voyage, in April 2010

Azamara Club Cruises will continue to be one of the best deals available, but cruise fares will rise. In fact, you'll notice that pricing has been going up over the past few months and will do so again as of December 14, 2009.

Azamara has some brilliant itineraries and the new management team, focusing solely on Azamara Club Cruises, invites you to sail with them and experience their unique strengths. As they're fond of saying, "You'll love where we take you."

For more information about Azamara Club Cruises, talk with your travel agent or Azamara at 1-(877) 999-9553.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Today's Caravan Stop: Nancy D. Brown's What a Trip for a Chance to Win Luggage & Cell Phone Cases

One of the most-followed travel writers on Twitter is Nancy D. Brown, author of the What a Trip blog. The Caravan stops at her blog today and she's got some compelling prizes in store for those who enter to win. She'll be giving away two Otterbox cell phone cases ($50 value each) and a Briggs and Riley Baseline 20” Carry-On Expandable Wide-Body Upright ($369 value).

To enter, visit the What a Trip blog today and comment on her post. It's as simple as that.

Nancy D. Brown is the Uptake.com Travel Editor, writes the What a Trip blog, and is a Contra Costa Times Lamorinda Sun columnist. She is the online travel editor for Diablo magazine and writes the “Traveler Making a Difference” column for Escapes magazine. An avid equestrian, Nancy reviews horse properties at www.writinghorseback.com. She enjoys speaking on panels and specializes in adventure and luxury travel. Recent trips include hiking Switzerland, snorkeling Mexico’s Paradise Reef, and paddling with the Hawaiian Sailing Canoes. Next stop: horseback riding in Germany and Norway.

(Winner selection and prize fulfillment is at the discretion of NancyDBrown.com. LuxuryCruiseBible.com cannot be held responsible for the late delivery or non-delivery of prizes given away by other bloggers in the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan.)

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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Don't miss the Travel Bloggers'
Caravan & Giveaway!

Visit the Luxury Cruise Bible blog each day between December 1 and 15. Link to the Caravan's "blog of the day", post a comment on that website, and you'll be entered to win. Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to guidebooks and DVDs.

Today's Caravan Stop: JohnnyJet.com & the Chance to Win Travel Books & Magellan's Gift Certificate

John DiScala, aka Johnny Jet, is probably one of the most influential travel bloggers on the planet. He spends more time on the road than almost anyone I know and is continually investigating the best travel deals to share with his readers. If you don't already subscribe to his newsletter, you should. And, you can find him on Twitter as well.

The 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan stops at JohnnyJet.com today and he's giving away a terrific prize pack that includes the Great Alaskan Toursaver and Seattle Toursaver books (a $198 value) plus a $50 Magellan's Travel Supplies gift certificate. This is the perfect prize for anyone who's planning an Alaskan land or cruise vacation in 2010. Visit John's blog, comment on the post of the day, and you'll be entered to win.

John travels around 150,000 miles and visits over 20 countries each year. He and his website JohnnyJet.com have been featured over 1,800 times in major publications, including USA Today, Time, Fortune, and The New York Times, and he has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, FOX News Channel, and PBS. JohnnyJet.com has been named "one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel" by Budget Travel Magazine, while the L.A. Times calls it "one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet." Outside Magazine touted Johnny for having one of the world's best "dream jobs". Every week, Johnny hosts a "travel website of the week" for several radio stations around the country, he writes weekly for Frommers.com, and he has written for USA Today, The Boston Herald, LAX Magazine, and Coast Magazine.

(Winner selection and prize fulfillment is at the discretion of JohnnyJet.com. LuxuryCruiseBible.com cannot be held responsible for the late delivery or non-delivery of prizes given away by other bloggers in the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan.)

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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Don't miss the Travel Bloggers'
Caravan & Giveaway!

Visit the Luxury Cruise Bible blog each day between December 1 and 15. Link to the Caravan's "blog of the day", post a comment on that website, and you'll be entered to win. Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to guidebooks and DVDs.

Enter Celebrity Cruises' "Eclipse of a Lifetime" Sweepstakes

Today Celebrity Cruises launched its "Eclipse of a Lifetime" sweepstakes, which runs through January 14, 2010. Ten winners and their guests will win a trip to Dusseldorf, Germany, where they will spend some time before heading to the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg on March 13, 2010. From there, winners will board the brand new Solstice-class ship Celebrity Eclipse for the "conveyance" of the ship on the narrow River Ems to Emshaven, Netherlands. Sweepstakes is only open to residents of the United States and Canada.

What's unique about this?

• You'll be the first passengers aboard the ship, excluding Celebrity staff and crew.
• You'll be one of few people who have experienced a conveyance where the ship actually navigates backwards down the River Ems.
• You'll experience the Meyer Werft shipyard, one of the most modern facilities in the world.
• You'll meet Celebrity's President and CEO, Dan Hanrahan, who will personally lead you on a tour of the ship.
• You'll enjoy AquaClass staterooms and enjoy creative menus developed by Chef Jacques Van Staden, Celebrity's VP of Culinary Operations.
• You'll mix and mingle with the ship's senior officers.

Here's some more information about the conveyance from Celebrity:

During the "conveyance" through Germany's River Ems, more than 75,000 residents are expected to line the river banks - in cars, on bikes, on horseback and in RVs—to watch and cheer as one of the largest ships ever to transit the river meanders past charming villages and quaint farmlands. An indisputable rarity in cruising, the conveyance takes the ship along a truly challenging course: At its tightest points along the way, there will be as few as two feet between each side of the 1,040-ft-long, 121-ft-wide Celebrity Eclipse and the locks. The depth of the river and the draft of the ship allow for mere inches—or less—beneath the ship. Celebrity and shipbuilder Meyer Werft have essentially created a science all their own, to closely and carefully monitor the position of the moon and tidal conditions to pinpoint the precise moment when the depth of the river is ideal for the ship to depart the shipyard.

"The science and precision of the process is actually more complex than transiting the Panama Canal," said Hanrahan. A railway bridge must be completely dismantled, and normal train schedules adjusted, to allow for the ship's passage at one point on the course, among other narrow passages. The journey will take between 12 to 15 hours to complete, and is likely to be the most challenging ride the ship will encounter in its life. Only one captain in the world—who sweepstakes winners will have the exclusive opportunity to meet—is licensed and qualified to take the helm during the conveyance. The limited space available for navigation, the nature of sailing in reverse, and the number of narrow passages and bridges to transit are factors cruise ship captains normally don't have to deal with; but, it provides the chance for them to test the ship's maneuverability at slow speeds."

Enter Celebrity Cruises' "Eclipse of Lifetime" sweepstakes. Winners will be announced on January 28, 2010.

For more information about Celebrity Cruises, talk with your travel agent or contact Celebrity at 1-(800) 437-3111.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

My First Time

I was interviewed by Devang Vibhakar for his popular site speakbindas.com.

I have never been interviewed by anyone before this. Please read the interview and let me know what you feel about it.

Today's Caravan Stop: Win a Napa Valley Getaway from CiaoBambino.com

Today we visit CiaoBambino.com, the seventh stop on the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan.
Ciao Bambino is a family travel resource. Written by and for parents, travel experts Kristi Marcelle and Amie O'Shaughnessy publish destination travel tips, advice, and comprehensive reviews of the best accommodations for families with kids of all ages.

In celebration of the season, CiaoBambino.com is giving away a one-night stay at the Westin Verasa in Napa, California, along with a gourmet lunch for two aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train.

To enter, visit CiaoBambino.com today, comment on the blog post, and wait to see if you're the winner (one lucky person will be randomly selected).

(Winner selection and prize fulfillment is at the discretion of CiaoBambino.com. LuxuryCruiseBible.com cannot be held responsible for the late delivery or non-delivery of prizes given away by other bloggers in the 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan.)

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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Don't miss the Travel Bloggers'
Caravan & Giveaway!

Visit the Luxury Cruise Bible blog each day between December 1 and 15. Link to the Caravan's "blog of the day", post a comment on that website, and you'll be entered to win. Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to guidebooks and DVDs.