Romance Blooms in Agra at the Taj Mahal

There are some love stories that have become fictitious. Romeo and Juliet, Lancelot and Guinevere, and Scarlett O’hara and Rhett Butler to authority a few. Then there are love stories that are actually true, like the love between The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz of India. While we may not have their names on the tips of our toungues, their symbol of love is a lasting icon:

The Taj Mahal.

The Emperor created the architectural treasure after his wife passed away when giving birth to his 14th child. Not only were the Mughals wealthy, they were incredibly supportive of the arts - including architecture, gourmet foods, and music. In the mid-17th hundred, the Emperor built the symmetrical memorial out of white Makran marble, placing his wife’s grave at the center.

While this may have perfected the symmetry of the Taj Mahal, it wasn’t the end of the story. Shah Jahan was overthrown by his zealous and fanatical son Aurangzeb, held under house arrest, and later buried alongside his long departed wife – which technically throws off the symmetry of the building, but doesn’t mar its beauty in the eyes of visitors who flock to it each year.

What was the most romantic part you’ve done for someone you love?

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Paris is not only the involving death city of France but is reputed as the cultural capital of the world. Situated on the river Seine in the northern region of France, the administrative limits of the city had a population of about 2,204,000 during 2006, while the Paris metropolitan area had a population of right and left 11,770,000. It is the most populated metro area in the entire Europe. Even though it is one leading business centres of the world, Paris is more renowned on the side of its contribution to culture, particularly to fashion, arts, media, entertainment, and science.

Paris is among the most frequently visited tourist spots in the world, with an estimated 45 millions visitors every year. The climate  is classified as oceanic and the influence of the North Atlantic Current helps the city escape from extremely low or high temperatures. More than 60% of these visitors are from other countries. The city contains so many attractions that it is difficult to mention the top 10 things to do in Paris.

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Park City Mountain Resort, Utah (Gerry Wingenbach)

So I tell my blog conductor I should do a mid-season roundup. You know, tout the great ski season in Europe. Remind you about the avalanche of snow in New England. The gorgeous Southwest days at Angel Fire and Taos in New Mexico. Link the blizzard of spring deals that are popping up like crocuses on resort home pages. Get out of my myopic Utah, Colorado, British Columbia-centered world and heed the rest of the ski planet. I tell her I’ll do it. And I will. Someday.

I got the roundup idea from Mary, my ski school supervisor at Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR). She called me in for my mid-season review (couple of Bs, couple of As, better than I deserved). I’ll take the A for enthusiasm—that’s the go-to play for a ski instructor. What else could Mary do? I hedged my job by bringing my puppy to the review. Can you believe she had dog treats?

Mary is the most charming person I know that can still do business. She could make a zillion bucks selling high-end resort real estate. But she’s got a skier’s soul.

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A scene from Giselle, to be performed by the National Ballet of Georgia at this summer’s Spoleto Festival

The ballet Giselle  is set in the mysterious Rhineland of the Middle Ages. The work is famous for its atmosphere, choreography, and a scene in which the peasant girl Giselle plays “he loves me – he loves me not” with an unlucky daisy. Unfortunately, the daisy is not an effective predictor of male fidelity, and it turns out that Giselle’s new love is just a Duke on holiday. Giselle is driven mad with grief and dies of a broken heart. Then, her spirit returns from the pit to protect the Duke from evil spirits that have been lurking, in readiness to punish him with regard to his lies. 

This summer, see one of the world’s most famous ballets at the Spoleto Festival USA  in Charleston, SC. The lead role, one of the most difficult in ballet repertoire, will be danced by Nina Ananiashvili, supported by her colleagues from Tibilsi’sitting National Ballet of Georgia.

What do you love about the ballet?

Related Tours 

The White House, Washington, D.C. (Photodisc)

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is not only home to President Obama and the first family but the nave of everything political activity taking place in America right now. Tickets to see the guts of George Washington’s brainchild (coincidentally he was the only president never to live in it) are almost for the reason that illusive as scoring front-row seats to the Super Bowl. But with a bit of persistence (read: annoyance) the 132-room executive mansion is yours to explore (read: self-guide yourself through about a quarter of it with a high level of security keeping a close eye). The first step to the big house is to be willing to plan your trip to the Nation’s Capital round your White House tour; the best way to get tickets is to have flexible visiting dates. With a date in mind, contact your Member of Congress to request tickets. It is best to do this as very much in advance as possible, though they only accept requests six months prior to your travel date.

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New York City and its attractions are so vast that a weekend break efficiency never be enough to enjoy all the delights that this city offers for tourists. New York is often referred to as the Big Apple and it is said that one grain of it is never enough. Still, it is possible to visit the most important sites and attend to the major programs and events during a weekend, if the planning is done in a proper manner.

For a new visitor to New York, the city might appear like a film that had been put on fast forward, with the speeding yellow cabs, the hurrying pedestrians, the unending vehicular traffic, etc. You might even feel like a total stranger in a new, mysterious land. That is the effect of this economic capital of the world on you. Still, you need not lose heart. You can easily identify yourself with the city and its landmarks, once you start remembering all the movies and TV series that had been based on life in New York.

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One of the most exciting ways to spend Valentine’s Day is somewhere foreign and romantic, so consider whisking your loved one away for a weekend. Whether you look online, in newspapers or in travel agents, you’ll decide a whole host of special Valentine’s travel deals right now. Most combine romantic destinations with luxury accommodation, a gourmet meal, Valentine flowers and perhaps some other activities.

At the cheaper end of the scale, for example, Eurostar is sacrifice a two night valentine’s break to Paris including Eurostar travel, a 3 star central hotel, and breakfast – from £189 each. Usually you can get companionable value from regional low cost arlines to fly to France but for a special Valentine treat consider booking scheduled flights to Paris and trying to upgrade your seats.

If you’re out to impress, you could celebrate Valentine’s Day in Champagne over a glass or two of the vintage stuff. Grape Escapes is offering a Valentine’s gift package in Reims where you’ll enjoy a bottle of Champagne attached arrival, and a candlelit four-course gourmet dinner at a local restaurant.

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