#Fort Point National Historic Site

[rabbitcruiser]

Fort Point National Historic Site was dedicated as a national historic site on April 14, 1971.    

[wutheringheightsfilm]

How do we support Cubans and their resistance to western imperialism

I'm so glad you asked anon! A great way to start is to by actually listening to Cubans and their own stories and news. There are some really good organizations and accounts on Instagram (and many of them have their own publications outside of Instagram, so if you don't have the app, you can still follow what's going on)

Here are the ones I recommend:

@ bellyofthebeastcuba < news outlet that focuses on cuba

@ nationalnetworkoncuba < this is a coalition of many different orgs that are actively working to get the US gov to lift the blockade, etc; they post a lot of actionable things you can do to get involved physically, as well as opportunities for stuff like webinars! here is their website.

@ ratbcuba < this is a british org dedicated to solidarity with cuba

@ caribbeansolidaritynetwork < not strictly cuba oriented, but a network committed to the liberation of all of the caribbean! they also have events like study circles (and you can access their readings online if you can't go in person)

@ ghpartners < this is a nonprofit actively working to get donations in order to send medical supplies to cuba, right now they are working on delivering pacemakers to the island! here is their website.

Other than that, I really, really encourage you to start learning as much as you can on Cuban history and the history of their resistance, as well as their history of working alongside other resistance movements. Cuba worked in solidarity with the Black Panthers, with numerous African countries fighting for their own liberation, with Vietnam, and even more. National Network on Cuba has a really good political education page where you can start that includes a book list and articles list, as well as youtube videos of documentaries. This is a Google drive from NNOC that introduces the concept and history of Guantanamo Bay. There's going to be an Afro-Cuban reading list released on the NNOC site soon, so definitely check back for it.

This is a timeline of the Embargo to help you get introduced to that. This is an article about Afro-Cuban resistance fighters during the revolution. This is an article that discusses the atrocities committed by the Batista regime.

Before you read any of Fidel Castro's work (particularly his famous speech, History Will Absolve Me), read this page first on the history of the attack on the Moncada Fort on July 26, 1953, a year after Batista’s US backed coup d’état. It gives the historical context necessary to read Castro's History Will Absolve Me speech.

This is a PDF of some of Che Guevara's speeches in a collection called Che Guevara Talks to Young People. While the Introduction insists this is not "Che Guevara for beginners" I still think it's a good jumping off point. Here is an interview with Assata Shakur talking about her experiences in Cuba.

I hope this list helps, and of course, it's not exhaustive. I just hope I gave a good enough foundation for anyone who wants to start learning!

[southeastasianists]

Singapore’s prosperity has long set it apart from many other former British colonies. There is another difference, too: Singapore has clung to honouring its former colonial ruler — and it wants to keep doing so.

Special accolade has gone to Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who is considered to have founded modern Singapore in the early 1800s. For decades, Singapore’s textbooks credited Raffles with transforming the island from a “sleepy fishing village” into a thriving seaport. He has been the central character in a larger official narrative that says imperial Britain had set up Singapore for success as an independent nation.

Dedications to Raffles dot the landscape of Singapore. A business district, schools and dozens of other buildings bear his name. Two 2.5-metre likenesses of the man loom large in downtown Singapore.

But a new statue of Raffles, installed in a park in May, has revived a debate about the legacy of colonialism in Singapore. On one side is the broader establishment, which has held up British colonial rule positively. On the other are those who want a closer inspection of the empire that Raffles represented and the racial inequity he left behind, even as Singapore became wealthy.

This divide has surfaced before, perhaps most prominently a few years ago when Singapore celebrated the bicentennial of Raffles’ arrival on the island. Now, the new statue has set off a fresh debate, with critics pointing out that other countries have for years been taking down monuments to historical figures associated with slavery or imperialism, or both.

“The thing about Raffles is that, unfortunately I think, it has been delivered as a hagiography rather than just history,” said Alfian Sa’at, a playwright who wants to see the Raffles statues destroyed. “It’s so strange — the idea that one would defend colonial practice. It goes against the grain on what’s happening in many parts of the world.”

The new statue of Raffles stands next to one of his friend Nathaniel Wallich, a Danish botanist, at Fort Canning Park. Tan Kee Wee, an economist who pooled $330,000 with his siblings to commission the statues, said he wanted to commemorate the pair’s role in founding Singapore’s first botanic gardens, which were his frequent childhood haunt. He donated the sculptures in his parents’ name to the National Parks Board.

Opponents have also criticised the government for allowing the statue to go up at the park because it was the site of the tomb of precolonial Malay kings. The parks board said it considered historical relevance in the installation of the sculptures.

Questions about the statue have even been raised in Singapore’s parliament. In June, Desmond Lee, the minister for national development, responded to one by saying that Singapore did not glorify its colonial history. At the same time, Lee added, “We need not be afraid of the past.”

The plaque for the Raffles statue explains how Singapore’s first botanic gardens “cultivated plants of economic importance, particularly spices”. That, critics said, was a euphemism for their actual purpose: cash crops for the British Empire.

Tan defended the legacy of British colonialists in Singapore, saying they “didn’t come and kill Singaporeans”.

He added: “Singapore was treated well by the British. So why all this bitterness?”

Far from benign

But colonial Britain was far from benign. For instance, it treated nonwhite residents of Singapore as second-class citizens. Raffles created a town plan for Singapore that segregated people into different racial enclaves. And he did not interact with the locals, said Kwa Chong Guan, a historian.

“He was very much a corporate company man, just concerned with what he assumed to be the English East India Co’s interests,” Kwa said.

Raffles landed in Singapore in 1819 as Britain was looking to compete with the Dutch in the Malacca Strait, a crucial waterway to China. At the time, Singapore was under the sway of the kingdom of Johor in present-day Malaysia. Raffles exploited a succession dispute in Johor to secure a treaty that allowed the East India Company to set up a trading post in Singapore.

Within a handful of years, Singapore was officially a British territory. Convict labour, largely from the Indian subcontinent, was crucial to its economic development. So, too, were Chinese immigrants, which included wealthy traders and poor labourers.

Singapore achieved self-governance in 1959, then briefly joined Malaysia before becoming an independent republic in 1965. It has since built one of the world’s most open economies and among its busiest ports, as well as a bustling regional financial hub.

In recent years, the government has acknowledged, in small ways, the need to expand the narrative of Singapore’s founding beyond Raffles. Its textbooks now reflect that the island was a thriving centre of regional trade for hundreds of years before Raffles arrived.

In 2019, officials cast the commemoration of Raffles’ arrival as also a celebration of others who built Singapore. A Raffles statue was painted over as if to disappear into the backdrop. Placed next to it, though only for the duration of the event, were four other sculptures of early settlers, including that of Sang Nila Utama, a Malay prince who founded what was called Singapura in 1299.

To some historians and intellectuals, such gestures are merely symbolic and ignore the reckoning Singapore needs to have with its colonial past. British rule introduced racist stereotypes about nonwhites, such as that of the “lazy” Malay, an Indigenous group in Singapore, that has had a lasting effect on public attitudes. Colonialism led to racial divisions that, in many ways, persist to this day in the city-state that is now dominated by ethnic Chinese.

“If you only focus on one man and the so-called benevolent aspect of colonialism, and you don’t try to associate or think about the negative part too much, isn’t that a kind of blindness, or deliberate amnesia?” said Sai Siew Min, an independent historian. (Story continues below)

Role of race

Race relations played a role in Raffles’ ascension in Singaporean lore. Soon after Singapore became independent, the governing People’s Action Party — which remains in power decades later — decided to officially declare Raffles the founder of Singapore. Years later, S Rajaratnam, who was then the foreign minister, said that anointing a Malay, Chinese or Indian as its founder would have been fraught.

“So we put up an Englishman — a neutral, so there will be no dissension,” Rajaratnam said.

The decision was also meant to indicate that Singapore remained open to the West and free markets.

In a 1983 speech, Rajaratnam acknowledged that Raffles’ attitude toward the “nonwhite races was that without British overlordship the natives would not amount to much”.

Critics of the Raffles statues also argue that his legacy should reflect his time on the island of Java. Although Raffles outlawed slavery in Singapore, he allowed trading of slaves in Java, including children as young as 13, according to Tim Hannigan, who wrote a book about Raffles.

The new statues of Raffles and Wallich were created by Andrew Lacey, a British artist. The sculptures evoke the two men as apparitions — symbolism that Lacey said represented the world’s evolution away from the West.

Lacey said he had “wrangled” with the public reaction toward his sculptures and he had no qualms if Singaporeans wanted to take them down, destroy them or replace their heads with the Malay gardeners who were instrumental in creating the botanic gardens.

“I was cognisant of the complexities of making any dead white male,” he said of Raffles. “I wasn’t cognisant of the degree of complexity around him.”

[ltwilliammowett]

Lighthouse Keeper chest ?, 19th century

Painted with view of Gurnet Twin Lighthouses. Plymouth Light Station, also known as Gurnet Light, was first established on a high bluff at the end of Gurnet Point in 1768. Plymouth served as one of the major ports of colonial America. Increased shipping traffic necessitated a navigational aid to guide mariners in and out of Plymouth Harbor and further promote trade. The original structure resembled a house with a lantern room at each end of the roof. After a fire destroyed the first light station in 1801, a new pair of wooden towers was constructed by 1803.

In 1842 the crumbling towers were replaced with two white octagonal pyramidal towers. The north light was 110 feet above sea level, and the south tower 102 feet. However, the lights were too close together and often were seen as a merged single beam of light. 1871 a fourth-order fresnel lens was installed, greatly increasing the strength of the lights. And in 1914 the Cape Cod Canal opened, giving new importance to the Gurnet as a navigational aid. The Bureau of Lighthouses discontinued one of the twin lights in 1924 as it phased out multiple lights. The remaining light still stands.

On March 8, 1977, the Plymouth Light Station was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1998 the Coast Guard moved the lighthouse back from the eroding 45-foot cliff. It was standing only 50 feet from the edge when it was placed on rollers and moved by tracks 140 feet from its previous site. It now sits on the property of Fort Andrew at Gurnet Point. And in 1999 the Coast Guard gave Project Gurnet & Bug Lights, Inc. the first of many 5-year licenses allowing us to restore, preserve, and maintain Gurnet Light.

[gracehosborn]

What's the itinerary? 👀

Hi, Anon! Happy to share.

My dream American Revolution trip itinerary, just including my must-sees, and a rough idea of transportation (still working on food stops and slipping in other points of interest):

Day 1:

Early morning flight to Boston, MA

Stay in Boston for 3 nights, 4 days

Rental car for Day 2 and 3

Boston Massacre Site

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

Bunker Hill Museum and Monument

Old North Church & Historic Site

Day 2:

Paul Revere House

Lexington Battle Green Tour, Lexington MA

Drive from Boston

Old North Bridge, Concord MA

Drive from Lexington

Day 3:

Adams National Historic Park, Quincy MA

Drive from Boston

General Nathaniel Greene Homestead, Coventry RI

Drive from Adams NHP

Day 4:

Early morning train/bus to Albany, NY

Stay in Albany 2 nights, 3 days

Rental car for Day 4 and 5

Saratoga National Historical Park, Stillwater NY

Drive from Albany

Fort Ticonderoga, Ticonderoga NY

Drive from Saratoga NHP

Day 5:

Schuyler Mansion tour

Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site, Newbrugh NY

Drive from Albany

John Jay Homestead, Katonah NY

Drive from Washington Headquarters Newbrugh

Day 6:

Early morning train from Albany to New York City, NY

Stay in New York City for 4 nights, 5 days

Hamilton Grange National Memorial

Morris-Jumel Mansion

Day 7:

City Hall Park

Federal Hall

Fraunces Tavern Museum

Trinity Church & Cemetary

Day 8:

Museum of the City of New York

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Day 9:

Van Cortlandt House Museum

Central Park

New York Historical Society Museum & Library

Weehawken Dueling Grounds/Hamilton Park, Weehawken, NJ

Take ferry to and from

Day 10:

Train/bus to Princeton, NJ

Stay in Princeton 2 nights, 3 days

Rental car for Day 11

Princeton Battlefield State Park

Day 11:

Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Manalapan, NJ

Drive from Princeton

Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown NJ (Includes: Ford Mansion/Washington’s Headquarters, Schuyler-Hamilton House, Jockey Hollow)

Drive from Monmouth Battlefield Park

Day 12:

Early train/bus to Trenton, NJ

Old Barracks Museum

Washington Crossing Park, Washington Crossing, PA

Train/bus from Trenton

Train/Bus from Washington Crossing to Philadelphia PA

Stay in Philadelphia 3 nights, 4 days

Rental car for Day 15 and 16

Day 13:

Independence Hall

Liberty Bell Center

First Bank of the United States

Carpenter’s Hall

Day 14:

Museum of the American Revolution

Elfreth’s Alley Museum

Day 15:

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Drive from Philadelphia

Moland House (Washington Headquarters), Warwick Township PA

Drive from Valley Forge NHP

Peter Wentz Farmstead (Washington Headquarters), Lansdale PA

Drive from Moland House

Day 16:

Cliveden of the National Trust (Chew House)

Drive from Philadelphia

Brandywine Battlefield (park), Chadds Ford PA

Drive from Cliveden

Afternoon or evening train from Philadelphia to Alexandria, VA

Stay in Alexandria for 2 nights, 3 days

Rental car for Day 18

Day 17:

George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Train/bus from Alexandria, VA

National Archives Museum, Washington DC

Train/bus from Alexandria, VA

Day 18:

James Madison’s Montpelier, Montpelier Station, VA

Drive from Alexandria, VA

Evening train from Alexandria to Williamsburg, VA

Stay in Williamsburg 2 nights

Day 19:

Colonial Williamsburg

Day 20:

Yorktown Battlefield

American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

Train/bus/taxi from Williamsburg

Day 21:

Fly from Williamsburg to Charleston, SC

Stay in Charleston for 4 nights, 5 days

Rental car for Days 22-24

South Carolina Historical Society Museum

Day 22:

Savannah History Museum, Savannah GA

Battlefield Park Heritage Center, Savannah GA

Drive from Charleston

Day 23:

Cowpens National Battlefield, Cowpens SC

Drive from Charleston

Eutaw Springs Battlefield Park, Eutawville SC

Drive from Cowpens

Day 24:

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Mempkin Abbey (site of Laurens family graves)

Day 25:

Fly home from Charleston SC

[wachinyeya]

https://ictnews.org/news/biden-designates-avi-kwa-ame-a-national-monument

Joe Biden designates Avi Kwa Ame a national monument

President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday Avi Kwa Ame as a national monument in Nevada, following up on a promise he made in late 2022.

Biden also declared a national monument in Texas and the creation of a marine sanctuary in U.S. waters near the Pacific Remote Islands southwest of Hawai'i.

Biden spoke at the White House Conservation in Action Summit at the Interior Department with Fort Mojave Indian Tribal Chairman Timothy Williams commending him during his introduction.

“Under his leadership we have a seat at the table and we are seeing an unprecedented era and opportunity for our tribal communities,” Williams said. “And we are all grateful to the president for taking historic action to combat the climate crisis and conserve and restore our nation’s land and waters.”

Williams was among the proponents to make Avi Kwa Ame, also known as Spirit Mountain, a national monument. It’s considered sacred to the Mojave people and for the nine other Yuman-speaking tribes along the Colorado River, as well as the Hopi and Chemehuevi Paiute tribes, Williams said.

The site in southern Nevada spans more than 500,000 acres near the Arizona and California state lines. It’s home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises and a large concentration of Joshua trees, some of which are more than 900 years old. It’s also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It took more than three months for Biden to make the announcement.

“It’s a place of reverence, it’s a place of spirituality, it’s a place of healing and now it will be recognized for its significance it holds and be preserved forever,” Biden said. “I look forward to visiting it myself.”

He thanked Williams and the legislative leaders who advocated for Avi Kwa Ame including Nevada Rep. Dina Titus, Democrat, who sponsored a bill to protect the rugged region near the Mojave National Preserve from development, including solar farms and a proposed wind farm.

“To the native people who point to Avi Kwa Ame as their spiritual birthplace, and every Nevadan who knows the value of our cherished public lands: Today is for you,″ Titus tweeted.

The Honor Avi Kwa Ame coalition, which includes tribes, local residents, state lawmakers and conservation groups, said its members were "overjoyed" to learn the site will be a new national monument.

"Together, we will honor Avi Kwa Ame today — from its rich Indigenous history, to its vast and diverse plant and wildlife, to the outdoor recreation opportunities created for local cities and towns in southern Nevada by a new gorgeous monument right in their backyard," the group said.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland released a press release praising the announcement.

“I am grateful to President Biden for taking this important step in recognition of the decades of advocacy from tribes and the scientific community, who are eager to protect the objects within its boundaries,” Haaland stated.“Together with tribal leaders, outdoor enthusiasts, local elected officials, and other stakeholders, we will manage this new monument for the benefit of current and future generations.”

In Texas, Biden plans to create the Castner Range National Monument in El Paso. It’s the ancestral homeland of the Comanche and Apache people, and its cultural ecology is considered sacred to several Indigenous communities.

The designation will protect the cultural, scientific and historic objects found within the monument's boundaries, honor U.S. veterans, service members and tribal nations, and expand access to outdoor recreation on public lands, the White House said.

Located on Fort Bliss, Castner Range served as a training and testing site for the U.S. Army during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Army ceased training at the site and closed Castner Range in 1966.

The Castner Range monument "will preserve fragile lands already surrounded on three sides by development,'' help ensure access to clean water and protect rare and endangered species, said Rep. Veronica Escobar, Democrat-Texas.

“The people of El Paso have fought to protect this for 50 years. Their work has finally paid off,” Biden said.

Biden designated his first national monument, in Colorado, last year. In 2021, he restored the boundaries for Bears Ears National Monument in Utah after they were significantly narrowed by President Donald Trump, a Republican.

In the Pacific, Biden will direct the Commerce Department to consider initiating a new national marine sanctuary designation within 30 days to protect all U.S. waters around the Pacific Remote Islands. If completed, the 777,000 square miles, southwest of Hawaii, will help ensure the U.S. reaches Biden's goal to conserve at least 30 percent of ocean waters under U.S. jurisdiction by 2030, the White House said.

Among Hawaiian state leaders, Biden thanked Native Hawaiian leaders who “worked tirelessly to protect our oceans. I want to thank you. I genuinely mean it, it wouldn't have happened without you.”

Biden also announced a series of steps to conserve, restore and expand access to public lands and waters across the country, the White House said.

The proposals seek to modernize management of America's public lands, harness the power of the ocean to help fight climate change, and better conserve wildlife corridors. Biden also will announce new spending to improve access to outdoor recreation, promote tribal conservation and reduce wildfire risk.

Bidden added he’s committed to working with tribal leaders and legislative leaders on bringing “healthy and abundant” salmon run back to the Colorado River system.

“There’s nothing beyond our capacity if we work together,” Biden said.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

John Linton Palmer, Views near Fort Victoria, June–July 1851, pen and ink, From Chile to the Arctic Album, F030/4 © RGS-IBG.

First plate, top: Esquimalt harbour, with Constance Cove, and Mt Angeles in the distance.

First plate, below: ‘Entrance to Victoria Fort’.

Second plate, above: ‘Fort Victoria, Vancouver I.’.

Second plate, below: ‘From landing place at Victoria Fort’ [original caption].

Third plate: Sketches of people and artefacts, Vancouver Island, June–July 1851. Fourth plate: Tomb of King Freezy’s brother at the entrance of Victoria Inlet, B. Columbia, 1851′.

"In considering such archival images as traces of encounter, contemporary historians would of course seek to adduce more evidence about the meanings of such events for the participants, in this case both British and Hawaiian, situating these events in their time and place. From this perspective, the rituals of diplomacy, the expectations of the various parties, the knowing and unknowing ways in which these events were described, would all need to be investigated. The same is true of the many other examples of the art of encounter in Linton Palmer’s albums. From an art historical perspective, such imagery would also need to be carefully contextualized with reference to matters of style, genre and perspective. In many cases, as I have argued, the influence of the naval tradition of maritime view-making is clear. However, there is another way of seeing these visual archives, especially when encountered from a heritage perspective, in which the informational content – the documentary detail – may matter even more than the point of view.

In order to substantiate this final point, we should return to Linton Palmer’s Fort Victoria sketches. Fleeting views they may have been, but in their attention to detail – whether the rendering of the hair and adornments of the people he encountered, or the material evidence of Indigenous presence in the landscape – such pencil sketches by naval visitors sometimes record what other contemporary documents do not, and in ways that can be located precisely in space and time. The matt lodges around the Fort, the cedar plank houses across the harbour, a fishing station in the distance: all these features signal an active Indigenous presence at a particular moment preceding a disastrous era in the history of the Indigenous people of what became British Columbia. Since they were first made available to First Nations historians following their exhibition in a 2009 RGS-IBG exhibition (Hidden Histories of Exploration), Linton Palmer’s images have entered the visual archive of Indigenous history and made more widely available in digital form. In particular, they have been incorporated into understandings of local settlement history by Grant Keddie, a curator at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria. As Keddie’s work indicates, there is an ‘archaeological’ way of reading such documents, cross-referencing with other sources of evidence about the precise geography and chronology of landscape change. As is clear from the contemporary significance of the Indigenous sites sketched by Linton Palmer, such work is far from merely of academic interest. In 2001, 150 years after the brief visit of HMS Portland to Fort Victoria, a claim was filed in Canadian courts asserting that the land on which the Parliament of British Columbia was built (near the original Fort) had originally been occupied by or promised to First Nations peoples. After a long and contested legal process, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation eventually reached an out of court settlement with the representatives of the Esquimalt and Songhees nations, which has been valued at $31.5 million dollars. In this context, mapping the precise geography of Indigenous settlement in space and time mattered a great deal: in fact it truly was the multi-million dollar question. And in the process, as researchers and consultants pored over long forgotten maps and drawings not unlike Linton Palmer’s sketches, the visual archive of travel acquired a new value." - Felix Driver, "Material memories of travel: the albums of a Victorian naval surgeon." Journal of Historical Geography 69 (2020): 53-54

[regisafoster]

Port Jervis, New York - A Historic Canal and Railroad Transport Hub

With roots as a pre-automobile transportation hub, Port Jervis, New York, is a historic burgh with a history of colonial settlement extending to the 1690s. Northeast of New York City, it’s situated amidst the fertile valleys of the Delaware and Neversink River systems. The valleys mark the boundary between the Appalachian Plateau and Shawangunk Mountains, and hundreds of miles of state and nationally-managed recreational lands surround it.

Initially known as Carpenter’s Point, Port Jervis was a landing point for timber raftsmen who plied the upper Delaware River. It was also a stop on the Old Mine Road, the country’s first 100-mile road (now United States Route 209), which took travelers south from Kingston.

Carpenter’s Point was incorporated into Deerpark in 1798. The locale was named Port Jervis in 1827, and it officially became a port of the Delaware River and Hudson Canal in 1828. As a repair point and boat basin, it formed an essential station on a 171-mile-long transportation network that brought anthracite coal from Pennsylvania’s northeastern mountains to New England and New York City. The name was in honor of the Hudson Canal’s chief engineer, John B. Jervis, from Rome, New York.

In 1847, Port Jervis became a hub for railroad operations and grew to house a main engine terminal facility while serving as the Delaware Division of the Erie Railroad’s headquarters. This property included the railroad’s primary maintenance and yard facilities.

Port Jervis officially became a village in 1853 and ultimately incorporated as a city in 1907. In the late 19th century, several glass factories began business, and an influx of employees producing glassware, silk, gloves, shorts, mittens, and saws moved in. The railroad yards and light manufacturing shops were a major part of the local economy through the 1960s.

Today, tourism is the mainstay of Port Jervis, with historic Front Street featuring eateries, a bookshop, antique shops, and other small businesses. The well-marked Delaware River Heritage Trail provides a walking tour of various gardens, historical structures, and an exceptional view of the Delaware River.

Among the well-preserved sites worth exploring is Fort Decker, a stone house on West Main Street that was initially constructed in 1760 and burnt by Joseph Brant alongside Native American allies in a 1779 raid during the Revolutionary War. Serving as the Minisink Valley Historical Society museum, Martinus Decker rebuilt the house in 1793 and used it as a tavern and hotel during the years of the Delaware and Hudson Canal construction. Indeed, John B. Jervis stayed at the location while engineering the canal.

Another historic remnant is the Port Jervis turntable, which comprises a circular area with a 115-foot diameter and a bridge. Able to carry a weight of more than 440 tons or a locomotive loaded with coal and water, the turntable is the largest that still operates nationwide.

Befitting its status as a scenic tourist destination, Port Jervis offers several popular events each year, including the Fall Foliage Festival, for which volunteers place 50 corn stalks on light poles decorating Pike and Front Streets. There are also popular holiday events such as the Downtown Spooktacular and the Chriskindlmarkt, with the latter featuring horse and carriage rides and traditional juggling as entertainment.

[lazaruspiss]

Historic Gotham: Part One

Fort Dumas: Thanks to their deep roots in the Royal Navy, the Kanes gained clout after the Seven Years War. They raised companies full of frontier mercenaries by recruiting former enemies, including the Dumas Family. When the Kanes sold them on Gotham City as a bulwark against evil, the Dumas, descending from a long line of holy warriors dating back to the Crusades, didn't just buy into the idea - they put all their focus into building a physical symbol of it. The Miracle of Fort Dumas was a turning point in the American Revolution, and just added to the Dumas mythology. The Fort's been a national landmark ever since, but this is still Gotham City: The busloads of tourists don't visit as often, and the locals know to avoid the place altogether. Of course the Dumas family's still around and still has their hands in every dirty war where they can turn a profit. Note: Make a substantial donation to restoration fund. Scans indicate caverns under cliff; could reinforce for water-borne operations?

I remember when Bruce was investigating the possibility of having multiple Batcaves around the city. Shame he never went through with it. - J. T.

Gotham City Cathedral: The Gotham Cathedral is the largest church in Gotham City and was the city's first supermassive structure. It was designed by Cyrus Pinkney in the 1840s and took almost thirty years to finish. It was officially completed in 1877. Pinkney was a very religious man and imbued the cathedral with designs that would "cast away evil spirits", like the gargoyles located around the church. He's also responsible for the design and construction of the mansion that later became Arkham Asylum. The Gotham Cathedral became such a renowned landmark that its style - dubbed the "New Gotham Style" - was recreated by various architects for other buildings across the city. This is also where my parents' funeral took place before they were brought to the Wayne family crypt at the Gotham City cemetery. I haven't gone inside since.

Gotham City Fire Department: The Gotham City Fire Department was established in the 1800s and was then known as the Gotham Town Fire Brigade. It was privately run and was composed of a small group of volunteers who patrolled the streets for signs of fires. At the onset of the Industrial Revolution, many factories opened their doors in Gotham, but due to a lack of volunteers and resources to protect the new warehouses, the fire brigade was turned into a government-run institution. This allowed the newly formed fire department to widen their efforts to the rest of Gotham. The GCFD puts out thousands of fires every year and are almost always accompanied by GCPD officers when responding to emergencies, as they are ill-equipped to deal with the city's criminal gangs, who are responsible for over 70% of all fires in Gotham.

City Hall: The original City Hall occupied Gotham Town's former Courthouse and was the site of the signing of the city charter in 1836. A statue was built in the adjoining plaza to honor Bartholomew Wycliffe, Gotham City's first mayor. The new building features a modern bas-relief wall design at street level, which portrays key moments from Gotham's foundation. As Batman, I tend to stay far away from City Hall, but as Bruce Wayne I've had to visit many times to acquire permits for various projects. City Hall has been the site of multiple riots through the years, like the one of 1840 that eventually led to the creation of the GCPD. This, in addition to the arrival of meta criminals, has forced the mayor to increase the building's security. It has been equipped with reinforced doors and windows as well as a safe room in the basement, where the mayor can retreat in case of emergency.

[piizunn]

a personal reflection on decolonization

riel s. | 2022

Tansii kiiya (hello, how are you?) my name is riel starr and I am a Red River Michif artist and academic. my history on his land begins thousands of years ago among the peoples of the great plains, and my written history begins in the late 1600s with my first French ancestors and their unnamed first nations wives. my first First Nations ancestor is an unnamed woman referred to in my grandmother’s family tree as “Cree Woman”. I am Red River Métis on my mother’s side. Our historic Métis family names are Berthelet, Caron, St. Germaine, Dazé, Larivière and Dubois, and we come from the communities of Point à Grouette (now called St. Agathe), St. Norbert, and St. Vital (now modern-day Winnipeg) as well as the historic Batoche, Saskatchewan. My Berthelet ancestors were notable community leaders in Pointe à Grouette and my Caron ancestors including my fifth great uncle jean caron sr. fought in the North West resistance of 1885 at the battle of Duck Lake when he was fifty-two years old. Jean Caron Sr’s house is now a historic site in Batoche. As for myself my mother is a Métis educator and academic and my father is a settler archaeologist-turned-locksmith. I introduce myself in this way, the traditional way of Métis writers to contextualize my family, my knowledge and experiences, as well as my place on this land.

Natually, my native mother and my settler archaeologist father never married and split before I was old enough to form any memories. Museums and history have always been a fascination to me; the Royal Terrell Museum in Drumheller, which I dubbed “the dead dinosaur museum” and the Royal Alberta Museum which I called “the dead mouse museum” after my favourite display. The display was a larger-than-life diorama of a mouse, it’s intestines showing, the organisms that helped decompose the corpse were also displayed, massive daddy long legs, gigantic ants, worms thicker than my arm. The RAM is an interesting place. A few years ago, it was moved into a new building downtown and I could no longer spend hours finding fossils in the limestone exterior of the original museum. The place had changed drastically. As I reminisce on what I loved about the RAM I realize that all the things I disliked were their representations of Indigenous people; the uncanny wax figures with placid skin that did not resemble a single Native person’s skin that I had met. and the artwork they portrayed as artifacts. What makes a beaded bag so different from a Van Dyck if they’re the same age? And honoured the same amount by the people who made them?

Another place of importance growing up was Fort Edmonton Park. Like Heritage Park, Fort Edmonton has costumed interpreters, who teach visitors history as if the interpreters were of that time. In the summer of 2017, my lifelong dream came true, and I became a volunteer costumed interpreter with my mentor Sheldon Stockdale, another Métis person, and we were able to teach our history in the way we felt was right, something deeply important to the Métis people. An experience we had that stands out vividly is working on Fort Edmonton’s 1920 Street, and educating visitors on the history of pemmican, a sort of ancient protein bar made from berries, dried meat, and animal fat. Pemmican was a staple of survival for the Métis, and we were asking visitors to help us in redesigning the packaging for the bar. The historic package had a representation of an Indigenous person on it, a caricature of a race. We asked visitors if turning Indigenous people into mascots should be accepted, and sadly many people didn’t see the problem. Sheldon and I borderline argued with a man who seemed to see no problem in reducing us, the people speaking to him, to caricatures. In a similar vein, someone once gave me Chicago Blackhawk’s stickers when i was six, and not knowing a thing about hockey I asked my mother who the stickers were of. I’m guessing my mother did not want to explain the history of colonization and caricatures of Indigenous people, so she dismissed my question by telling me that the man in the tacky illustration was my ancestor.

Decolonizing art history seems like an impossible task, and perhaps it is. You cannot separate someone like Emily Carr from art history in Canada, however you can change the way you teach her work. Perhaps decolonizing art history means recognizing the ways in which “art history” as a field of study is deeply Euro-centric, and how the way of teaching this history is the same. I took my first semester at AUArts in the fall of 2020 after transferring from MacEwan after completing a two-year diploma at MacEwan University. I had a sculpture class a media arts class an art history class. The more I consider how to decolonize our history the more I understand that it is not the history that can be decolonized, it is the way we are teaching said history. It is the way that so much of our education is taught to us through a colonial lens, rather than a multifaceted history with a multitude of perspectives and peoples contributing until an entire picture is formed.

In the fall of 2020 in my media arts class my professor Kurtis Lesick was discussing an artist, a black artist who had him and others participate in a performance in which in that space the black artist allowed the participants to say the N-word. Rather than describing the piece in the way I just did removing the slur, Kurtis Lesick made the conscious decision to say the N- word twice. A person I had once thought to be an ally of mine, who knew the language of decolonization. Earlier this year a classmate in this class who was also in my sculpture class in the winter of 2022 told me that ‘knowing me has made her a better person’, this woman does not know me, and I do not know her, but I knew her in that moment. I knew that she wanted me to absolve her of her settler guilt. White settlers love referencing Tuck and Yang’s Decolonization Is Not a Metaphor but sometimes I wonder if they truly understand that it is simply not enough to know the language of decolonization, that you must be actively anti-colonial in a field that is built on colonization.

I spent a lot of time at Fort Calgary this semester for my FINA class, critiquing their exhibitions wondering how they can be improved if they can be improved, and I learned that given their budget that it is not possible. Fort Calgary, like other institutions cannot afford to replace their current exhibits and entirely redesign the way they teach history. What they can do is acknowledge the missing pieces, they can acknowledge the gaps they can acknowledge the fact that there’s more than one canon of history. Sometimes I wonder if the mosaic of history is too complex to decolonize; knowing that we will never return to a world like the one that existed pre-colonization. I think about my one classmate who tokenizes me, who knows how to use decolonial language to appear one way, but who never puts those concepts into practice. I think about the settlers who think that decolonization is re-colonizing the Americas but with “the Indians” in charge this time.

I now understand that decolonizing art history cannot happen without first decolonizing institutions. I have learned that we cannot forget that we once taught art history in an i way we cannot forget the way colonization has infiltrated every aspect of the education system down to the teaching styles of each professor. if we forget how colonial art history is in the first place, we will forget why we need to decolonize. Considering the hand that art history is hard in colonization around the world, I consider about the way southeast Asian women’s bodies are talked about in my textbooks versus European odalisque paintings. Brown people’s bodies were inherently sexualized and seen as dirty, while white people’s bodies were adored and deemed Classical.

Maybe colonization is another movement in the worldwide canon of art history. Another period in the bar graph of history- as google images seems to see art history. Perhaps Emily Carr and Paul Gauguin are the faces of this genre. Just as colonization cannot be forgotten among its victims, it cannot be forgotten by its perpetrators, who still believe they are a superior culture and race. Genres of literature such as post-colonial writing from India and Sri Lanka may suggest, there was a period of colonial art and literature, perhaps it is ongoing, possibly dying out, maybe here to stay. There will always be an antithesis, an attempt to view art and art history from a different perspective, and that is how we can decolonize art history.

[azvolrien]

The Bastion

Haven't uploaded any drawings in a while, have I? This one's been at the back of my mind for a while, but I only just got around to getting it on the page. I like drawing fantasy maps. The colours are just for labelling purposes, however; the whole castle is really more of a dark grey.

Any resemblance to Edinburgh Castle is... probably not 100% unintentional. The Bastion's quite a bit bigger, though.

And now, further worldbuilding background that wouldn’t fit on the drawing:

As the name ‘Kiraan’ stems from the Old Vallic term ‘Ki-Raan’, meaning something like ‘Raan’s Fort’, the entire empire is in a sense named after the castle. This doesn’t really occur to most people. (If Old Imperial = Latin, Old Vallic = Etruscan, though more in the sense of its historical niche than any actual vocab inspiration.)

The six gates are named after the sacred animals of Raan’s tribe and those of his closest allies. Raan was the chieftain of the Bear Tribe, hence the emblem in the corner; the Fox, Stag, Boar, Eagle and Aurochs Tribes fought alongside him in his campaign to unite the Kargvallen hill peoples into a single nation. Their modern descendants make up the noble houses zeAkiro, zeKandron, zeYunar, zeMora and zeTharion, named after the Five Warlords who led the tribes in Raan’s day.

Points 1 to 3 - The Bastion makes more use of constructs than flesh-and-blood beasts of burden in the modern day and part of the stables is used for storing them, but it does still house a few actual horses. Emperor Zarannon loves horses - his favourite steed is a massive Shire-type beast called Starlight Obsidian II - and wouldn’t hear of getting rid of them outright. He’s made sure all of his kids are proficient riders as well.

Point 4 - The River Tower. This is the lowest point of the Bastion, right down near the water level, and houses the great windlass that raises and lowers the river chain across the Stone. It’s usually left lowered and submerged near the river bed except for maintenance; there’s not much cause to block river traffic by Zar’s reign. The soldiers who operate the windlass are nicknamed the Chain Gang.

Point 5 - The Long Stair. A shortcut up to the Great Keep from the Stag Gate, though it’s very steep and not really wide enough for more than one person, so even most people in good shape prefer to take the long way around if they aren’t in any particular hurry.

Point 6 - Forges. The farrier’s workshop down by the stables takes care of the horseshoes, so these ones are dedicated to the rest of the metalworking the Bastion needs. Weapons maintenance is a big chunk of it, but they take care of other odd jobs as well.

Point 7 - The Lesser Keep. The overall headquarters of the Imperial Legions; as well as various meeting rooms, it houses a military archive and living quarters both for visiting officers - Legion legates are expected to deliver updates to the Emperor in person, though the frequency of these updates can vary widely - and the Bastion’s company of archers.

Point 8 - The river jetty. Supplies brought in by water will generally be landed here. Originally there was no choice other than to carry everything up the steep zigzag path from the water to the top of the crag, but a little funicular was installed during the reign of Zar’s father Kaial.

Point 9 - Baths. The fancier living quarters up in the Great Keep have en-suite bathing facilities, but everyone else in the Bastion has to use these. They’re pretty nice, but not big enough for everyone at once, so there’s a rota.

Point 10 - The Well. Not actually a well, though it is built on the site of an old storage cistern. It’s just the nickname for the pumping and filtration station that provides the Bastion’s water supply, bringing water up from the river below and treating it so it’s safe to drink. They haven’t worked out steam power, however, so the pump is driven by a construct walking on a wheel.

Point 11 - Training yard. Self-explanatory, really; the god-soldiers of the Bastion Guard carry out their practice drills here, as well as self-defence training for the Imperial family and other Bastion denizens.

Point 12 - Temple. Also fairly self-explanatory. The Emperor and his family attend the great temples on the Crag of the Triad across the river to the north during major festivals, but for more everyday rituals they’ll use this little one. It’s basically a household shrine on a larger scale.

Point 13 - Garden. This used to be a kitchen garden, but as the Bastion grew over the centuries it just couldn’t keep up with the bigger population. The kitchen staff do still grow a few fresh herbs and fruits in it, but it’s mostly just a place to relax and enjoy the view. The bulk of the Bastion’s food supply is shipped in from farms outside the city.

Point 14 - The Court of Claws. The Imperial Chronicles suggest that it was Emperor Adimar II who started the tradition of keeping bears in the Bastion, about a thousand years after Raan’s day, and successive Emperors have kept it up. They used to just be in cages, but Zar’s great-grandfather Zarannon III was a bit of an animal-lover and had the Court of Claws turned into something more like a proper zoo habitat. The current inhabitant is a very large and contented male called Misha. Strictly speaking he is a sacred emblem of the Empire, symbolising the strength of Raan’s bloodline and the favour of the war god Voynazh, but Zar thinks of him as more of a pet. Really, he’s too tame and lazy to be a good symbol of a war god.

Point 15 - The Great Keep. The highest, biggest, and most heavily-fortified part of the Bastion. The name is fitting, because the Great Keep is huge, and quite easy to get lost in if you don’t know your way around. The upper levels house the apartments for the Imperial family as well as guest rooms for important visitors; the lower levels, some of which are dug right into the living rock, house assorted stores (and lots of them!), the kitchens, the furnace, servants’ quarters, the god-soldiers’ barracks, and basically everything else you need to keep an enormous castle running smoothly. It also has an extensive library and archive for the Imperial Chronicles. The central courtyard is more for extra light and ventilation than anything else. The entrance hall immediately behind the Bear Gate doubles as the throne room, but it’s rather draughty and uncomfortable, so Zar prefers to rule from his office upstairs unless he really needs to put on the Official Emperor Hat for some state occasion.

There’s a saying that one can see the entirety of the Empire from the towers of the Bastion. This is, of course, a poetic exaggeration, but they do give you a great view over most of the Imperial City.

[rabbitcruiser]

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area was created on October 27, 1972.

[juppycab44587]

Reliable Taxi Service in Jaisalmer: Explore the Golden City with Ease

Jaisalmer, known as the "Golden City" of India, is a mesmerizing destination nestled in the heart of the Thar Desert. With its iconic sand dunes, magnificent forts, and vibrant culture, Jaisalmer attracts travelers from all over the world. Exploring this enchanting city requires convenient and reliable transportation, making a taxi service in Jaisalmer an essential part of your travel plans.

Why Choose a Taxi Service in Jaisalmer?

Navigating Jaisalmer can be challenging, especially for first-time visitors. The narrow lanes of the old city, the spread-out desert attractions, and the scorching desert heat make public transport less appealing. A taxi service in Jaisalmer offers a hassle-free and comfortable way to explore all the city’s attractions without any stress. Here are some compelling reasons to opt for a taxi service:

Convenience and Comfort: Taxi services in Jaisalmer provide door-to-door pick-up and drop-off, ensuring you can travel without worrying about directions or parking.

Time-Saving: With a dedicated vehicle at your disposal, you can create your itinerary and visit multiple attractions in a single day, maximizing your time in Jaisalmer.

Local Expertise: Many taxi drivers in Jaisalmer are locals who know the city inside out. They can guide you to hidden gems and recommend the best spots for authentic Rajasthani food and shopping.

Flexibility: Unlike fixed schedules of buses or trains, a taxi service allows you to travel at your own pace. Whether you want to linger at a sunset point or leave early to catch the morning light at the dunes, the choice is yours.

Popular Attractions in Jaisalmer to Explore with a Taxi Service

A taxi service in Jaisalmer ensures you don’t miss any of the city’s stunning attractions. Here are some must-visit places:

1. Jaisalmer Fort:

One of the largest forts in the world, Jaisalmer Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a living fort, with a thriving community residing within its walls. A taxi can drop you at the fort’s entrance, from where you can explore its intricate architecture, bustling bazaars, and historical landmarks.

2. Sam Sand Dunes:

Located about 40 kilometers from the city, the Sam Sand Dunes are a highlight of any Jaisalmer trip. Taxi services in Jaisalmer can arrange for a comfortable ride to the dunes, where you can enjoy camel rides, cultural performances, and breathtaking sunsets.

3. Patwon Ki Haveli:

This intricately designed haveli is a masterpiece of Rajasthani architecture. A taxi can take you to this historic site, allowing you to delve into its fascinating history and admire its fine craftsmanship.

4. Gadisar Lake:

This serene lake is a perfect spot for boating and photography. With a taxi service, you can visit Gadisar Lake early in the morning or during sunset for the best experience.

5. Desert National Park:

Nature enthusiasts will appreciate a visit to the Desert National Park, which showcases the unique flora and fauna of the Thar Desert. A taxi service in Jaisalmer can make this trip more accessible, allowing you to focus on exploring the park’s beauty.

Types of Taxi Services Available in Jaisalmer

Taxi services in Jaisalmer cater to various travel needs, ensuring a suitable option for every traveler. Here are the most common types:

Local Sightseeing Tours: These packages cover the major attractions within and around Jaisalmer, with pre-designed itineraries or customizable options.

Airport and Railway Station Transfers: Reliable taxi services ensure timely pick-ups and drop-offs, making your arrival or departure from Jaisalmer seamless.

Outstation Trips: If you wish to explore nearby destinations like Bikaner, Jodhpur, or Mount Abu, taxi services in Jaisalmer offer intercity travel options.

Luxury Taxis: For those looking for a premium experience, luxury cars are available, providing extra comfort and style.

Budget-Friendly Options: For travelers on a budget, small cars and shared taxi services are an economical choice.

How to Choose the Best Taxi Service in Jaisalmer

With numerous taxi providers in Jaisalmer, selecting the right one can make a significant difference in your travel experience. Here are some tips to choose the best service:

Check Reviews and Ratings: Online platforms like Google, TripAdvisor, or travel forums can provide insights into the quality of services offered by different providers.

Compare Prices: Obtain quotes from multiple taxi services to find a balance between affordability and quality.

Verify Credentials: Ensure the taxi service is licensed and that the vehicles are well-maintained and insured.

Evaluate Driver Experience: Experienced drivers not only ensure safety but also enhance your journey with local knowledge and insights.

Ask About Inclusions: Confirm whether fuel charges, tolls, and parking fees are included in the quoted price to avoid hidden costs.

Tips for a Memorable Taxi Experience in Jaisalmer

Plan Ahead: Book your taxi service in Jaisalmer in advance, especially during peak tourist seasons, to secure your preferred vehicle.

Communicate Clearly: Discuss your itinerary and expectations with the driver to avoid misunderstandings during the trip.

Carry Essentials: Keep water, snacks, and sunscreen handy, as Jaisalmer’s desert climate can be demanding.

Respect Local Culture: While exploring with a taxi service, remember to respect local customs and traditions.

The Role of Taxi Services in Promoting Sustainable Tourism

Taxi services in Jaisalmer play a crucial role in promoting sustainable tourism by:

Reducing the need for multiple private vehicles, thus lowering carbon emissions.

Supporting local livelihoods by providing employment to drivers and operators.

Encouraging responsible travel by educating tourists about eco-friendly practices.

Conclusion

A taxi service in Jaisalmer is more than just a mode of transportation; it is your gateway to discovering the city’s rich history, vibrant culture, and stunning landscapes. Whether you’re visiting the majestic Jaisalmer Fort, exploring the golden sand dunes, or immersing yourself in the local way of life, a reliable taxi service ensures your journey is smooth and memorable. So, the next time you plan a trip to this golden paradise, let a trusted taxi service in Jaisalmer be your travel companion, guiding you through the treasures of this enchanting city.

[palaceonwheels]

A Detailed Guide to the Palace on Wheels Train Route

The Palace on Wheels train route offers a luxurious journey through India’s most iconic destinations. This train is not just a mode of travel but an immersive experience that combines comfort, heritage, and culture. Let us explore the intricacies of the Palace on Wheels route, understanding why it stands out as one of the best ways to discover India’s treasures.

Introduction to the Palace on Wheels Train Route

The Palace on Wheels takes travelers on an extraordinary journey through India’s rich history and vibrant culture. Inspired by the royal carriages used by Indian maharajas, the train is a blend of traditional elegance and modern luxury. However, what makes it truly exceptional is the carefully curated route that covers a variety of cultural and natural landscapes.

Every aspect of the Palace on Wheels train route is designed to provide a seamless travel experience. From historic cities to serene wildlife reserves, this journey ensures an unforgettable adventure.

Understanding the Complete Train Route

Starting and Ending Point

The journey begins and concludes in Delhi, the heart of India. Delhi serves as the ideal starting point due to its rich history and vibrant atmosphere. Passengers board the train at the Safdarjung Railway Station, where they are welcomed with a grand traditional ceremony. At the end of the journey, the train returns to Delhi, completing a circular route.

Duration of the Journey

The Palace on Wheels route spans 7 nights and 8 days, offering a perfect balance between leisure and exploration. Each day is carefully planned to maximize the experience, with stops at destinations that showcase India’s diversity. This duration is ideal for travelers who want an in-depth yet well-paced journey.

Exploring the Key Stops on the Train Route

Delhi (Embarkation Point)

The journey begins in Delhi, a city that blends ancient traditions with modern innovations. Passengers are encouraged to explore Delhi’s landmarks such as the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, and India Gate before boarding. The warm welcome ceremony at the station sets the tone for the luxurious adventure ahead.

Jaipur: The Pink City

Jaipur is the first stop on the route and a treasure trove of history and culture. The highlights include:

Amber Fort: A stunning example of Rajput architecture, set against the backdrop of hills.

Hawa Mahal: Known as the Palace of Winds, this iconic structure is a marvel of intricate design.

Local Markets: Jaipur’s vibrant bazaars are perfect for shopping for handicrafts and jewelry.

The city’s charm lies in its ability to transport visitors to a bygone era while offering modern amenities.

Sawai Madhopur: Ranthambore National Park

Sawai Madhopur is home to Ranthambore National Park, one of India’s premier wildlife sanctuaries. Key activities here include:

Safari: A guided tour through the park, offering chances to spot tigers and other wildlife.

Flora and Fauna: The park’s biodiversity makes it a haven for nature enthusiasts.

This stop is perfect for those seeking adventure and a connection with nature.

Chittorgarh

Chittorgarh is steeped in tales of valor and romance. The main attraction is:

Chittorgarh Fort: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its grand architecture and historical significance.

The light and sound show at the fort brings its history to life, making this stop a memorable experience.

Udaipur: The City of Lakes

Udaipur’s beauty is unparalleled, making it a highlight of the journey. Attractions include:

City Palace: A majestic complex that offers panoramic views of the city and its lakes.

Lake Pichola: A serene spot for boat rides and stunning sunsets.

Cultural Performances: Traditional Rajasthani dances and music add to the city’s allure.

Udaipur’s romantic ambiance makes it ideal for couples and families alike.

Jaisalmer: The Golden City

Jaisalmer is a city that seems to emerge straight out of a fairy tale. Key experiences include:

Jaisalmer Fort: A living fort that houses shops, hotels, and ancient temples.

Camel Rides: A unique way to explore the golden sand dunes.

Desert Camps: Enjoy cultural performances under a starlit sky.

This stop offers a perfect blend of adventure and cultural immersion.

Jodhpur: The Blue City

Jodhpur is a city of vibrant contrasts. Highlights include:

Mehrangarh Fort: A massive structure with a museum that showcases royal artifacts.

Local Bazaars: Perfect for purchasing textiles, spices, and handicrafts.

Jaswant Thada: A beautiful marble cenotaph built in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II.

The city’s blue-painted houses provide a stunning backdrop for photographs.

Bharatpur: Keoladeo National Park

Bharatpur’s Keoladeo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its birdlife. Activities include:

Bird Watching: Spot exotic species in their natural habitat.

Guided Tours: Learn about the park’s history and ecological importance.

This stop is a paradise for nature lovers and bird watchers.

Agra: The City of the Taj Mahal

The journey’s final destination is Agra, home to the iconic Taj Mahal. Highlights include:

Taj Mahal: A symbol of love and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Agra Fort: A UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers a glimpse into Mughal history.

Local Cuisine: Agra’s sweets and savory dishes are a must-try.

Agra provides a fitting conclusion to the cultural odyssey.

Onboard Luxury and Experiences

Accommodation

The train’s cabins are designed to reflect royal grandeur while offering modern comforts. Features include:

En-Suite Bathrooms: Equipped with premium fittings.

Personalized Butler Service: Ensures a seamless travel experience.

The luxurious interiors make the train feel like a palace on wheels.

Dining Options

The dining experience aboard the train is exceptional. Highlights include:

Gourmet Meals: A mix of regional and international cuisines.

Elegant Ambiance: The restaurants, “The Maharaja” and “The Maharani,” offer a royal dining setting.

Passengers can savor dishes inspired by the destinations on the route.

Cultural Performances

Cultural immersion is an integral part of the journey. Passengers can enjoy:

Onboard Shows: Folk dances and musical performances.

Offboard Activities: Cultural events at select stops.

These experiences deepen the connection to India’s rich traditions.

Highlights of the Train Route’s Unique Features

The Palace on Wheels train route seamlessly blends luxury, culture, and history. With its meticulously planned itinerary, the route ensures that every traveler finds something to cherish. Whether it’s the architectural wonders of Jaipur, the natural beauty of Bharatpur, or the romantic vibes of Udaipur, this journey offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

[ranthamborejunglesafariblogs]

A Guide to Ranthambore's Wildlife and History

Ranthambore National Park, located in Rajasthan, India, is one of the most famous wildlife destinations in the country. Known for its rich history and thriving wildlife, this park offers visitors a unique experience of nature and culture. If you are planning a trip, this guide will help you explore the wonders of Ranthambore.

A Brief History of Ranthambore

Ranthambore’s history dates back to the 10th century. The Ranthambore Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stands as a testament to the region's historical significance. Once a stronghold of the Chauhan dynasty, the fort witnessed many battles and rulers, including the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals.

The park was initially established as a game sanctuary in 1955 and became a national park in 1980. Today, it is part of Project Tiger, a conservation program aimed at protecting the majestic Bengal tiger.

Wildlife at Ranthambore

Ranthambore is home to diverse flora and fauna, making it a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts. The park is famous for its Bengal tigers, which are often spotted roaming freely during the day. Apart from tigers, you can encounter:

Leopards: Elusive and graceful, they are another highlight of the park.

Sloth Bears: Often seen near fruiting trees or termite mounds.

Deer Species: Including sambar, chital, and nilgai.

Birds: Over 300 species, such as kingfishers, eagles, and parakeets.

The park’s lakes and rivers also attract crocodiles, turtles, and various aquatic birds.

Exploring Ranthambore: Jungle Safari

The best way to experience the park’s wildlife is through a Ranthambore Jungle Safari. Safaris are conducted in open jeeps (gypsies) or canters, providing an up-close view of the wilderness. Each safari lasts about three hours and takes you deep into the jungle.

Morning Safari: Ideal for spotting predators as they are most active at dawn.

Afternoon Safari: Perfect for photographing animals in natural light.

Booking your safari in advance is essential, as slots fill up quickly, especially during the peak season from October to June. For hassle-free arrangements, you can rely on Ranthambore Jungle Safari, a trusted name in safari booking services.

Tips for Ranthambore Safari Booking

Book Early: Secure your spot by booking your safari at least a month in advance.

Choose the Right Zone: Ranthambore has 10 safari zones, each offering unique landscapes and wildlife. Zones 1 to 5 are known for frequent tiger sightings.

Follow Guidelines: Always follow the park’s rules to ensure safety and conservation.

Pack Essentials: Carry water, binoculars, sunscreen, and a camera to make the most of your safari experience.

The Beauty of Ranthambore Fort

After your safari, don’t miss a visit to the Ranthambore Fort. Perched on a hill, this fort offers stunning views of the surrounding jungle. Inside, you’ll find ancient temples, mosques, and stepwells that reflect the region’s rich heritage. The fort is also home to langurs and various bird species, adding to its charm.

Best Time to Visit Ranthambore

The park is open from October to June, with the winter months (November to February) being the most popular due to pleasant weather. Summers (March to June) are hotter but offer higher chances of spotting tigers near water bodies.

Where to Stay

Ranthambore offers a range of accommodations, from budget-friendly lodges to luxury resorts. Many lodges are located close to the park, providing easy access to safari entry points. Some also offer guided nature walks and cultural experiences.

Conclusion

Ranthambore National Park is a perfect blend of wildlife and history. Whether you are a nature lover, a photographer, or someone seeking a peaceful retreat, this destination has something for everyone. Don’t forget to book your Ranthambore Safari Booking with a reliable service to ensure a seamless experience.

Plan your trip today and immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Ranthambore!

[travelageindia]

Rajasthan Tour Packages: Discover the Land of Royals and Rich Heritage with Travel Age India

Rajasthan, the land of kings and majestic palaces, is a place that fascinates every traveler, with its rich history, colorful culture, and beautiful scenery. With royal forts, exquisite havelis, and grand palaces, Rajasthan is a proper blend of tradition and opulence. If you plan to explore this royal state, Travel Age India offers meticulously crafted Rajasthan tour packages, allowing you to experience this magnificent region's best.

A Glimpse into Rajasthan's Rich Heritage

Rajasthan is synonymous with its royal heritage, featuring several heritage sites that tell tales of a glorious past. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a culture lover, or someone looking to immerse yourself in the splendor of royal life, the Rajasthan Heritage and Cultural Tour has something for everyone. From monuments to temples and palaces, cities such as Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer are jam-packed with fantastic monuments that showcase the rich architectural history of the era and their rich royal lifestyle.

Travel Age India: Your Perfect Travel Partner

Travel Age India provides diverse Rajasthan tour packages for various interests, budgets, and travel types. Whether you want a luxurious or thrilling adventure, their precisely designed itineraries are sure to make your Rajasthan journey memorable.

Jaipur – The Pink City

Rajasthan's capital city, Jaipur, is generally used as a starting point for Rajasthan tours. Vibrant bazaars, stunning palaces, and historic forts mark this city. Famous attractions include the Amber Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal, and Jantar Mantar. Same Day Jaipur Tour from Delhi Packages with Travel Age India will give you guided tours to unravel the regal charm of Jaipur.

Udaipur – The City of Lakes

Udaipur is known for its beautiful lakes and majestic palaces that appear floating on water. Some breathtaking attractions include the City Palace, Lake Pichola, and Jag Mandir. Travel Age India's Udaipur packages allow you to enjoy boat rides on the serene lakes and witness the sunset over the Aravalli hills, a perfect romantic escape.

Jodhpur – The Blue City

Jodhpur, with its blue-painted houses and the mighty Mehrangarh Fort, is a city that lets you step back in time. Travel Age India's Jodhpur packages will let you explore the fort's grand architecture, the bustling Sardar Market, and the quiet beauty of Umaid Bhawan Palace.

Ranthambore National Park - A Wildlife Adventure

For wildlife enthusiasts, there is the exciting Ranthambore National Park, where one can catch glimpses of tigers in their natural habitat. Travel Age India has included safaris and wildlife excursions in its Rajasthan tour packages to ensure a perfect mix of adventure and nature.

Why Choose Travel Age India?

Travel Age India is more than a journey to sightsee; it's an experience of the royal Rajasthan Tour Duration with Rajasthani culture, traditions, and lifestyle. Their tour packages ensure comfort, convenience, and connecting with the destination. So, whether it's luxurious places to stay or expert local guides, they care for everything involved in your trip.

Conclusion

This land of rich history, the charm of majestic history, regal palaces, and pulsating culture is surely Rajasthan. A journey for a lifetime experience. Whether visiting Jaipur with its grand forts, relaxing, and rejuvenating over Udaipur lakes or golden dunes at Jaisalmer, there cannot be better package deals than Rajasthan by Travel Age India. Come on, join, and celebrate in Rajasthan today and have your chance to bask under its rich legacy of a marvelous state.