Travel Darbar By Inder Raj Ahluwalia

Capital of Thailand from 1350, and a power centre for over 400 years till its ravage and destruction by Burmese invaders in 1767, Ayutthaya today is a restored, priceless Thai relic. Ayutthaya’s heydays in the 17 th Century saw it become the most fabulous city in the Orient, a centre of pomp and glory, with fabulous temples built by its people in honour of their Gods, and palaces for their royalty. The buildings were constructed on a grand scale, set amidst landscaped gardens, and given definite shapes, all of which testify to a well-developed architectural flair. Today, restored ruins tell the story of those bygone days of glory. Today, visitors find a rare sense of space here that’s soothing both to the mind and body, and the effect of the overall vastness is enhanced by the comparative lack of vehicular traffic and complete silence. Replete with attractions, a city tour is as educative as it’s interesting. The restored ruins still show their rough, rugged beauty t

There’s this cultural diversity that hits you smack in the face. As a European cultural and intellectual hub, the region is closely associated with the work of great thinkers and doers. Luther; Wieland; Herder; Cranach; Dix; Feininger; Van de Velde; Gropius…! The names trip off rather easily. Then there are the myths and legends, exemplified in elaborate facades; impregnable fortresses; and romantic castles to be found on almost every hill. The fact is that there is a fortress in every village, and romantic castles and medieval fortresses – over 400 in all - proliferate all over the state. The most famous, and the landmark of the town of Eisenach is Wartburg Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Erfurt; Weimar; Eisenach; Jena; Gotha; Altenburg; Meiningen…the Thuringian towns are bursting at the seams with history, tradition, heritage, culture, and leisure diversions. Along with fascinating museums, historic festivals and medieval markets bring life back to the old wal