#harsh lighting in the second pic so you can tell how proud i am to have found a shirt so close to hers from the prologue lmao

[teamhawkeye]

slowly piecing together my Laura cosplays in time for summer! 🐺🌕

[pinkishlips-blog1]

enemies to lovers (jungwoo)

another jungwoo request uwu

tbh i can’t imagine jungwoo hating someone or vice versa

okay so basically both of you are classmates

but you two never got the chance to interact with each other

because first, you are a new student and second, rumors are all over the place that he once said he is annoyed of your existence because you are the scholar from your previous college who has the highest gpa 

and jungwoo is an overall star student, meaning he gets straight A’s and is active in all of the school activities

he ‘probably’ got threatened because he has a competition now

and the fact that you two are classmates, the tension is thick

he calls you nerd sometimes and even scoffs whenever you get the answer right

as for you, you honestly don’t look at his direction or acknowledge his existence because he is just another classmate

and that annoys him so much

because he thinks that you must be affected? but then you are so calm whenever he makes fun of you

“dude, i think you should stop. silent people are actually dragons like when they are mad? they can literally blow fire” says yukhei, his younger friend

his group of friends try to talk to you and you honestly don’t mind because they’re actually nice and outgoing but then what happened to jungwoo

like how can an arrogant boy be friends with chill people

but then you didn’t care since it’s their life anyway

your classmates are always entertained whenever you two lowkey fight

like during class discussion, both of you will debate how this is wrong, how this is right, how this how that and it stresses out your professors

like there was this one time that the professors made sure that you two wouldn’t almost see each other

because since he loves teasing you, the professors saw that you are almost this close to punching him on the face

despite that, one of your professors decided that you two should team up for the school’s foundation week

even though you were a bit hesitant on approaching him first, you are like “fuck this, i’ll try to interact with him for the sake of my grade.”

so you walked towards on of the chairs near him and started coughing in order to get his attention

and jungwoo almost jumped out of his chair once he saw you sitting near him and his eyes were O.O

“dude, have you seen a ghost or something?” you ask, raising your eyebrow as you take out your notebook and pen

his cheeks are slightly pink because of your comment

“o-oh hello, i w-was just shocked.” says him who is a stuttering mess

take note of today, this is the first time jungwoo has ever stuttered because of a girl

or more like, because of you

his group of friends are high-fiving as they witness this scene

and the professor is sighing happily because you two aren’t close to ripping each other’s faces

as days pass by, you two are starting to hangout. well mainly because of this huge project!

your brainstorming continues, exchanging ideas back and forth, ending up scribbling or reediting your final plan 

at that time, jungwoo realized that you aren’t actually a person who only cares about education and doesn’t have a social life

you are a pretty chill person and you just go with the flow of life

and he thinks that you’re actually cool

and he was flattered because you laugh at his jokes even though they’re corny or whenever he trips on the floor 

at that time, he notices how you cover your mouth when laughing, how your unconsciously fix your hair or how you secretly eat in class

even his friends notice it, how his face lights up whenever he sees you when they expect him to make fun of you

“bro, i think you like them already” - doyoung, one of his bestfriends, told him when they are eating their lunch at the cafeteria when he witnessed jungwoo all heart eyes for you as you are interacting with your friends

“what? me? catching feelings for the straight A’s student? i don’t think so.”

“whatever you say, mister all heart eyes for straight A’s student.”

there he realized that MAYBE, just maybe, he is starting to treat you less harsh than before

“can you stop staring at me?” you tell him as you try to focus on the draft of the project

“you look pretty today! your outfit suits you!” he says and smiled really big at you

“oh thank you!” you say, blushing and you complimented how his new haircolor suit him

as for you, you notice that jungwoo is starting to treat you differently (in a good way)

and you can’t help but feel like your heart is going to fall off your chest

but then, you try to ignore your feelings because what if him being kind to you is just fake? what if he’s just playing with your feelings?

you start to overthink about it but you have decided to just shrug it off and just get over this project

a few weeks passed and today is the big day

so the professor congratulated you both for the success of the event, it’s pretty much obvious because a lot of people are enjoying the foundation week

there are a bunch of booths to choose from like marriage booth, prison booth, arcade booth etc

and before you two realized, doyoung cuffed both of your hands and dragged you to the marriage booth

i can’t believe i am writing this oh my god my school used to have these booths 

mark put the veil on your head and jisung gave you the bouquet and you are like “what the heck are you guys doing?”

as for jungwoo, he is just there standing at the side and admiring you

expect your friends to be taking pictures of this nonstop

so doyoung told you to exchange vows and you are staying calm because you know this is just fake #dontassume

and jungwoo is back to his stuttering self and deep inside just want to curl up into a ball and cry

because you really look pretty wearing that veil and he wishes that maybe what’s happening is real

not the real wedding but actually confessing to you

“okay now, this is the most awaited part. you may now kiss the bride!” johnny screams happily, motioning jungwoo to kiss you 

jungwoo looked at your eyes and you looked at your right side, hinting him to kiss you on your cheek

which he did, and half of the people who witnessed are screaming “why just the cheek?!”

but jungwoo didn’t mind, at least he got to kiss you on your cheek

you actually want to throw the ring away because you know the wedding is fake

the moment you are supposed to remove the ring, jungwoo called out your name

“hey, i was looking everywhere for you” he said, panting and trying to catch his breath

“oh i decided to take a look around the place and it’s good that the people are enjoying ha ha” you say awkwardly and just want to disappear

because 1) you can’t handle your emotions anymore 2) you don’t hate jungwoo now and like him!!!

“sorry about my friends, i guess they really love to tease us”

“it’s no problem!”

“okay wait i need to tell you something.” he said, scratching the back of his head and you raised your eyebrow, motioning him to continue

“okay so at first i basically hate you because i have a competition now in academics and that means my exposure will be lessen but thank God for this project because i get to learn about you and like you know i keep on spending time with you and i just realized that you are actually cute and beautiful and kept on doing things that make my heart flutter and i just can’t handle it anymore so yeah i guess i am rambling right now but okay wait i like you okay canikissyounow?”

you start laughing and he looked down, feeling embarrassed. “jungwoo, calm down. you started rapping out of nowhere but i know you are just confessing to me.”

“are you going to reject me because tell me now so that i won’t look like a fool in front of you.”

you giggle and point at your lips “i guess you can”

so he kisses you on your lips but pulled away immediately and is a giggling mess

i swear he probably feels more !!! than you

jungwoo as your boyfriend is like your bestfriend

he becomes your study buddy 

study dates include mostly at the cafes, since they’re peaceful and both of you love coffee

plus the ambiance make you less stressed compared to your dorms

study dates part 2 include at his dorm, just chilling and watching movies and eating ramen

he once tried to cook but didn’t completely fail, it’s just he was so nervous that’s why he thinks he messed it up

you complimented his cooking and that made him so happy but still apologized

tries to give you kisses most of the time - from your forehead, to your nose, cheeks, lips, neck, hands

loves complimenting you and assures you that you are doing well with your studies

“that’s my baby!” “you are doing great okay? i’m so proud of you”

study dates part 3 include playful review games meaning he asks you questions and if you get it right, the reward is a kiss

which sometimes lead to makeout sessions

but end up studying again since you both know that education is important

he loves taking pictures of you - probably has multiple albums of your pictures on his phone 

especially when you are wearing his hoodies, he makes sure he gets to take some pics of you

your date choices are actually wide - from parks to arcades to fast food chains to fancy restaurants to bookstores to music stores to a whole lot more

always assures you that it’s you and only you that he loves the most

“baby, can you believe that we used to hate each other a lot?” he asks you one time as he plays with your hair while watching a movie

“i know right? and i always ignore you because i know you are so annoying.”

he holds your hand tightly as he say, “but then it made me believe at the saying - the more you hate, the more you love. i hate that i love you so much, baby. it annoys but makes me so happy so much.”

[topfygad]

My Stay At The Grand Dragon Ladakh – Luxury Hotel Review

The Grand Dragon Ladakh Review

The Grand Dragon Ladakh

I was told that Hotel Grand Dragon Ladakh is the finest Luxury Hotel in Ladakh. The reviews on various blogs and sites also said the same. So I was looking forward to staying at The Grand Dragon Ladakh.   I was prepared for the luxury, but I had no idea that I have been given only half the information. None of the reviews I read before heading to The Grand Dragon Ladakh had prepared me to the other side of Ladakhi Hospitality. Don’t get me wrong, the hotel Grand Dragon Ladakh is for sure the finest luxury hotel in Ladakh and I can say this because I have stayed in a few hotels and guest houses in Ladakh and nothing even comes close to The Grand Dragon.  So while I was prepared for the luxury I was totally unprepared for the pampering that was showered on me and other guests who were traveling in our entourage.

Is  The GRAND DRAGON The Finest Luxury Hotel in Ladakh?

You see luxury is something that is a function of something you can pay and buy but personalized pampering is something that has to come from the heart and that is where the staff and the owners of the Grand Dragon win your heart.  Their gestures that come straight from the heart and as part of Ladakhi hospitality is what makes you go Ah and Oh and sometimes you are so much in awe that you forget you are living in a hotel and feel like you are at dear friend’s home.

Let me try to explain the small gestures that made a big impact on me and made me feel pampered at every step of our stay at the Grand Dragon Ladakh making me believe that The Grand Dragon is not just the finest luxury hotel in Ladakh it is much more than that it offers personalized pampering to the guests.

The Grand Dragon Ladakh proudly showcases the very best of Ladakhi Architecture, that incorporates ornate wooden pillars, designs that take inspiration for Buddhist monasteries and local homes that warmly welcomes you to the hotel. The hotel grounds are well kept and when we visited mauve/lilac/light purple? ( take your pick of color for I am unable to describe these delicate blooms ) Apple blooms were in season

Please help me in describing the color these Apple Blossoms

When you arrive at a luxury hotel you expect great welcome, luxurious lobby and a room with all the amenities, etc. but what makes you feel totally welcome is a hot bowl of local garlic soup served in the comfort of your room to acclimatize you to the thin air of Leh. As you must be aware when you fly into a high altitude place like Leh the danger of AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness is real. There are a few things that you can do to acclimatize your body to the same and enjoying a hot garlic soup while looking at snowclad mountains having a conference with powderpuff clouds is one of them. Then we were given a small silky pouch with some camphor in it that aids in breathing in case you feel a problem on day one.

Luxury & Pampering are two different concept

But this was just the beginning, after some rest, we had a meeting with a Doctor who checked each one of us for blood oxygen level, Blood Pressure and once again gave us instructions on what to do and what not to do on day one in Ladakh. Most of the folks in our group were fine thanks to the hot Garlic Soup, the rest and was ready to start exploring the beautiful city of Leh with the wonderful folks from Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Grand Lobby of The Grand Dragon Ladakh – Can you notice all the paintings on the walls? More about them later in the post

You can read more about AMS in my earlier blog post here based on my earlier visit to Ladakh

How to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness Ladakh 

  My room at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

View from my room at The Grand Dragon Ladakh

The rooms with view at Grand Dragon Ladakh 

  What a view, …what a view. I kept on saying, “what a view….” when I saw this from the Grand Dragon Ladakh – Click image for more

There is no doubt that the rooms at Grand Dragon Ladakh are ultra luxurious, from the room amenities that are given to you in abundance like all kind of luxury toiletries, a large comfortable bed, Tea Coffee Maker, welcome snacks, etc. what gives you a feeling of care and pampering is things that you don’t expect. Just to give you a few examples like besides toiletries you are also given sunscreen lotion to protect your skin from the harsh Ladakh Sun, then you have 4 bottles of water as you need to keep yourself hydrated at high altitude. But what totally had me in awe was the view from the room. The hotel has been designed in such a way that majority of the rooms offer wonderful views of the silvery mountains in distance and the large windows make you feel that you can just reach out and touch those peaks.  Some of the high-end rooms also have a sit out area outside where you can enjoy private moments looking at the peaks. The best part is irrespective of what room or what floor you are staying you get unobstructed glorious views of mighty mountains. Every day when I got up in the morning it was nothing like bliss to open your window curtains and see these peaks and just before going to bed I will open the window once again and look at the peaks. I am telling you looking at these peaks can be addictive, but I highly recommend it

A Fisheye view of the Suit at The Grand Dragon Ladakh

  One of the rooms at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Food At Grand Dragon Ladakh

A fraction of the buffet at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

Most of my meals at the hotel I had was in the ground floor multi cuisine restaurant/coffee shop starting from the lavish breakfast that spoils you for a choice that ranges from  Indian, South Indian, Continental, and god knows what else cuisine because most of the days I was full even before I tried a small fraction of what was on offer. While we had many wonderful meals at the Grand Dragon two stand out in my memory. The first one was a full meal of Khow suey, a specialty one dish meal from Myanmar. But calling it one dish meal is actually a misnomer because you have an assortment of veg and non-veg garnishes to add to your soup accompanied by various sauces, herbs, and condiments, etc. This was by far one of the best Khow suey I have had in a long time.

  The second meal is even more special as it was a dinner on the Buddha Purnima night & we all were in the hotel lawns waiting for the moon to make a grand appearance. We were all interested in some Moon Photography before starting our dinner. As it happened it was also the holy month of Ramazan and the chef at The Grand Dragon has made a special 7-course Ladakhi Meal for us that started with soups, various bread, Ladakh style momos, different curries ranging from lamb to wild mushrooms, etc. While each course of this special Ladakhi meal introduced us to new flavors and textures of Ladakhi cuisine to us, what made the meal extra special was that Mr. Anjum Qadir made special arrangements for us with a large telescope to see the moon closely as it rose behind the barren mountains making them shine against a dark sky. Then a special experience awaited us, as the courteous staff of the Grand Dragon brought our Ladakhi dishes, Mr. Anjum who had just had his iftar meal sometime back, explained each dish to us, what it was made of how it is different from the similar dishes in other parts of Kashmir or Tibet how the ingredients are sourced and stored to keep the flavors intact. So I learned a few things like the Ladakhi Momos are juicy and need to be enjoyed with yummy simmering juices that are waiting to flood your taste buds. The Ladakhi Biryani is totally out of this world and the fragrances come from locally grown fruits like apricot etc. that are added to it. The Ladakhi bread served as a small succulent loaf is fragrant with fresh earthy flavors and is soft like cheese if eaten fresh.

Moon watching on Buddha Purnima at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

Ladakhi momos are juicier and filled with local veggies, cheese and are full of aromas and juice

One of the Ladakhi dishes, while I forgot the name the aroma lingers

I don’t think I am able to do justice to the variety of flavors, textures and stories that Ladakhi food takes you through, what enhanced the experience was Mr. Anjum Qadir, explaining to us about each dish in a very proud and passionate manner. I am telling you having a 7-course ( or was it 9  course? But who was counting ? Not me

) meal in the finest luxury hotel in Ladakh is one thing, to get to learn about the same from the hotel owner’s son himself is a priceless experience. I must say I count my blessings to be able to experience it first hand and this meal is definitely in my top ten meals ever while traveling.

Mr. Anjum Qadir who heads the Food & Beverages at The Grand Dragon and is an artist in his own right explains to us about Ladakhi cuisine

Ah so many things and as you know when it comes to food I just have no patience to take pictures so I am sorry folks you have these few pics clicked with my SST phone ( Sasta Sunder Tikau Phone ). But I am sure I have intrigued you enough to try Ladakhi cuisine when you are in Ladakh & best place to have it is without a doubt The Grand Dragon Ladakh

GYM, SPA & Other Facilities at Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Grand Dragon Ladakh is a popular choice among those seeking a luxury stay in Ladakh, it is not uncommon to bump into movie stars, VVIPs, etc, it is also a popular choice for meetings and conferences. A 200 + seater centrally airconditioned hall caters to these. We were also given a tour of the spa and the gym at the hotel. While I was impressed with both, I could not believe that people will be exercising in the thin air of Leh, but as it turned out there are a lot of health and fitness conscious travelers who do not want to miss daily exercise routine so Grand Dragon takes care of there health with modern equipment and trained staff in the gym and spa.

My respect for people who don’t miss their exercise regime even in the thin air of Ladakh

The large conference room at The Grand Dragon can seat 200 participants & has all the modern facilities for a large meeting/conference

The hotel has a full-service business center, meeting rooms and even a large conference room that can seat 200 people for meeting and conferences. The curio shop at the Grand Dragon Ladakh has some of the most amazing handicrafts, jewels & artifacts from Ladakh and can easily function as a museum showcasing Ladakhi Culture.

Traditional Jewels? Art? History?

Traditional headgear jewelry from one of the tribes of Ladakh. Check the image below how it is worn. Do you know an heirloom headgear like this can cost more than a mid-size car?

  But what impressed me most at the hotel was the various paintings of the day to day life of Ladakh by none other than Mr. Ghulam Mustafa a well-known award & heart winning artists and one the two brothers who are the brain behind this beautiful hotel.

Mr. Ghulam Mustafa & Mr. Anjum Qadir – Father & Son wonderful artists excellent hoteliers

The Grand Dragon Ladakh was developed and conceptualized by the brothers Gulam Mustafa also known as the first modern artist of Ladakh and Gulam Mohiuddin. As you enter the lobby beside the ornate wood designs on pillars and roof you also notice the beautiful paintings adorning the walls and you learn each one of them has been made by Mr. Mustafa himself. He loves to paint life in Ladakh on his canvas and showcase it in the Grand Dragon Ladakh.   I think fellow traveler and writer Ayandrali Dutta has put it much better than I ever would be able to check this out here >

      Overall it was a wonderful trip and I must thank the wonderful team at The Grand Dragon Ladakh to make this trip extra special.

  My this trip to Ladakh was on the invitation of the only star luxury hotel of Leh > The Grand Dragon Ladakh. I really enjoyed my stay with The Grand Dragon Ladakh. You can check more about them here > The Grand Dragon Ladakh

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The Grand Dragon Ladakh

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[jillmckenzie1]

The Silver Lining – Online Dating on the Road

Once upon a time, in a galaxy not so far away, I came across a guy on Bumble who immediately proclaimed in his bio that faith was the number quality that he was looking for in a woman. Okay. He then proceeded to say how much he loved positivity and hated photo filters: “Real is beautiful.” You got it, bud. I second the filter hate train. I mean, I’ll send you a dumbass video of me with cheeseburgers circling around my head, but a hard no on the cat ears for public visibility. In true Stephanie fashion, I led with: “Should I start sending all my Snapchat filter selfies now or later?” (don’t worry, the answer is yes, I do amuse myself). Here’s the part where you sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. His response: “Funny, Funny. I wonder what a vagina looks like filtered? Huh [insert light bulb emoji]. I have an idea. Test it out for us. Send me one both ways. I’ll let you know [insert smiley face emoji].”

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

Yep, this actually happened. Seriously. I responded and questioned why, on any planet in any point in time, he believed this response would be an acceptable way to speak to a woman. Ever. I recall using words like “disgusting” and “degrading” (I’m sure the screenshot is somewhere deep in the abyss of my iPhotos if you need evidence). His response? He was joking. Right. Super funny, dude. Real funny. Report. Block. Terminate. Bye.

If you’re single, you’re not surprised by this story. If you’re in a relationship, I hope to God you are completely astounded. And, while I often think dating apps are the absolute devil, it is also the current means to an end. Are you even a real single person if you are not on a dating app? Not even kidding. Okay, slight over exaggeration, but truly, never in our wildest teen years did us 30-something-year-olds imagine using our phones to score a significant other (AIM, sure, but not our phones).

So, I exist in my current reality. Fact: I’m single. Fact: I’m transient. Fact: I’d like to be in a relationship. Fact: I don’t care whether or not that relationship exists in a transient or stationary state. So, yes, if our vibe is high and you want to hop in the Airstream and explore every end of the earth, great. If you work in a job you love in a city that you call home, ask me to stay. Let’s ride the wave. Together. Because, seriously, doing life with someone who really gets you better than anyone else ever could is the real damn deal.

Back to dating. I don’t think anyone actually dates anymore. I am actually convinced that it’s not really a thing these days. There’s like pre-dating in which you entertain the idea of actually dating. And then there is friend-zoning or jumping deep into the abyss of quasi-matrimony. I speak with experience from the former, not the latter. And, mark my words, “friends with benefits” is so hot right now. I actually went toe-to-toe with two guy friends at a bar last weekend in a pursuit to convince them that the typical Millennial male is more often than not seeking a friend with whom he can simply have sex than an actual committed relationship (let’s just say they didn’t disagree). Because, I actually do believe that most men do not want to sleep around with handfuls of random girls. They seem to be perplexed by their own paradoxical existence of not wanting anything serious (i.e. being forced to attend your grandma’s 80th birthday with you) while simultaneously wanting to have sex as much as humanly possible.

Let me present to you exhibit A.

I moved to Denver in my Airstream last spring. I met a guy on Bumble who happened to be on the way to a bachelor party for the weekend. I assumed we would engage in an hour-long text conversation that would end with him asking me to send nudes or with him sending me a completely unsolicited dick pic (because, yes, as you can assume from the above scenario, guys really do that). I’d tell him to (a) Google a nude, any nude (most certainly not mine), if that’s what he wanted, or (b) I’d cuss him out for exposing himself like a disturbed and arrogant asshole, and I’d add another tally to my list of douchebags found in the wild.

Welp, surprisingly, he proved me wrong. Beyond that, he actually seemed interested in who I was as a human being, and he proceeded to text me non-stop over the course of the weekend. While at a bachelor party (I feel that this detail needs repeating).

So, he returns home three days later and we commit to actually meeting face to face (like, whoa). And, for lack of a better word, it’s flawless. We’re super funny together (priority one), conversation is natural, and chemistry is fire. We hang out for a few weeks, which inevitably leads to sex. Immediately, he drops the bomb: let’s be friends. Let’s. Be. Friends? Oh wait, I’m sorry, correction, let’s be BEST friends. Perfect. Great. Because, I’m really lacking in the best friend department (insert massive eye roll here).

At this point, I assume it will die out. I assume that he used the nice guy “let’s be friends” card in an attempt to save my feelings and he will vanish as quickly as he had appeared. But, no. He quite literally continues to pursue my friendship. For a month he asks me to do nearly everything with him. He also proceeds to pay for everything: climbing, concerts, movies. Let’s note here that he also proceeds to take my clothes off on a semi-regular basis (despite his constant commentary on us needing rules to prevent such happenings). Final bomb: after a Luke Bryan concert, while sitting on a bench enveloped by a Colorado night sky, he tells me that he loves my soul. I’m sorry, what? Like, we are dating, bro. We. Are. DATING. I don’t care what you title me, but let’s call this thing by its Urban Dictionary definition. He follows up this statement with the fact that I simply deserve better. One, I think I am being dumped for the first time without ever actually having been in an established relationship. Two, fuck off. No one gets to tell me what I deserve. I decide that. So, no, I don’t deserve better. You simply deserve less based on your own evaluation of whatever this thing is that we’re doing. Say that, please. Own that.

So, spring came. And, spring went.

Summer roared in like a lion, and I committed myself to rock faces and mountain peaks, two things that I find to be (surprisingly) much more predictable than men. I also dove even deeper into my work (don’t worry, the digital dating gods still delivered amidst my commitment to my professional projects).

Enter exhibit B.

As a freelance creative director and brand strategist, I work remotely for all of my clients. Idaho. California. Kentucky. Texas. I sometimes wonder if I have a subconscious goal to knock off all 50 states. With all that being said, I met a guy in another state who pursued me completely on his own accord. My vision had always been to travel with my Airstream, but I was never 100% certain on dates. This guy gets my number, he uses round-about questions to engage me in some witty banter, and low and behold he says, “Move down here and I’ll fix all your dating problems.” Wow. Bold statement. I like it. So, after a couple months in this state of flirting euphoria, I commit (amongst a sea of many factors, but I’m intrigued by what’s happening here). He calls me pet names and we have running jokes, and if you know me, these are the keys to my heart. So, I’m smitten kitten. Without any expectation of what will actually become of it. If anything.

The point here is that I show up. I have the luxury of saying yes and then doing something about it. I want to be next to him, so I choose that. Because his voice brings this uncanny smile to my face, and when his name appears on my iPhone notifications, there is a simultaneous level of excitement and comfort. He is fireworks, and he is coming home. And the beauty lies not only in the feeling, but also in the reciprocation of the feeling. Because, there is zero bone in my body that has interpreted anything that he’s told me as being untrue.

Until I’m there. Until I’m standing in front of him begging for every inch of contact. And, that alone becomes the culmination of months of aggressive flirting. Me. Begging (like, seriously, just kiss me before I scream). Because he likes me, but he doesn’t know. I’m sorry, what? Yes, he likes me, but he doesn’t know. Because, self-admittedly, he is a tease. And, he likes it, even though he’s not proud of it (his words, not mine). Perfect. Great. Because, my character flaw is not consuming enough water daily. The effect of this flaw on other people: zero.

At this point, I need to clarify two things. One, I respect people who have an awareness about what they do not know. There is nothing wrong with not knowing. I would take harsh honesty over a sugar-coated lie ten times out of ten. My frustration or disappointment or bewilderment exists in the actions that suggest otherwise. I get it, the pursuit is fun, but if you are not ready to take the elk out of the woods after the hunt, then why are you going hunting in the first place? Terrible metaphor, by the way, but rolling with it. Two, I do not believe in forcing anything in life. I spent far too many years making things happen in the pursuit of checking off items from some proverbial checklist (which is entirely bullshit, by the way). So, for someone not to choose me does not devastate my being. Yes, I have feelings. Lots of them. Too many of them, probably (hello, Leo over here). But, in a world where we get to choose everything (for argument’s sake), I’m not into forcing anyone into a choice that involves me.

What I have observed in this last eighteen months of singledom is that no one wants to commit. To anything. There is no need to commit to anything. Most guys are on dating apps to have sex. Okay, rephrase, most guys are on dating apps posing like they want something substantial in order to get sex. I actually have the most respect for bios that read, “If I’m being honest, just looking to hook up.” Bravo. Kudos to you, dude. Because, I have had my own seasons of wanting more and wanting less. And, there is nothing wrong with either choice. There is nothing wrong with existing in either space. It’s the lack of honesty that burns me to my core. Stop flirting with me if it’s not going anywhere. Stop wasting my time. I don’t need more friends off of Bumble, or sliding into my DMs, or through obscure means of getting my phone number. Truly. I’ve reached my lifetime quota after 34 years.

In tandem, what I have observed in the last eighteen months about myself is that I am, most certainly, a lover and believer of words. And, that is the crux. That online dating, or simply just dating, is this whole show of words. That are so easily believed. And it’s just all shit. If I had a dollar for every guy who suggested running away with me in my Airstream, I would have been able to pay straight cash for my new F-150 a few weeks ago. Seriously. There’s one in LA, and a couple in New Jersey, a handful in Texas, and so many in Colorado that I’ve actually stopped counting. Because the minute I say, “Okay, I’m calling you on this statement,” my experience indicates that they can’t live up to it.

Great, tell me all about your fantasies, homeboy, only to ghost two days later (or, better yet, I find out about your undying love for your current girlfriend on your second to last Instagram post from five days ago). Newsflash, smoother operator, this is my actual life over here. Hope you enjoyed your glimpse.

So, yes, I’m attempting to not grow cynical. I’m also attempting to unpack two very real personal questions. One, if a game must be played in order to win the affection of another, and that game requires me to act outside of my normal state, then am I even winning if I do “win?” For example, guy articulates that he doesn’t know if he wants anything. Then, the same guy asks for me to bring him food because he’s stuck at work. I show love through service, so naturally, my being is dying to deliver said food. But, guy advice (based on my current inner circle) is usually, don’t bring him the food: “He’s using you. If he can’t say that he wants you, but is willing to get favors from you, show him that you don’t have time to do him favors without him giving you a respectable level of commitment.” And, this is fair. This actually makes sense. But, still, I deliver the food (yep, that’s me) because, yep, that IS me. And, I don’t want to be anything but myself. Ever.

Two, what is my responsibility to give people space to be honest and themselves but also to guard my own heart in that process? I believe in ease. I believe that there are certain things in life that mysteriously and beautifully fall into place. I’d like to believe that a romantic relationship would unfold in a similar fashion. But, if this guy says he doesn’t know and then proceeds to engage with me in a fashion that suggests otherwise, should I believe his actions or his words? And, the fact that I’m asking that question is my answer, right? If the right person were standing in front of me, I’m confident I wouldn’t have to be choosing between his actions and his words in the first place because there would be an alignment in both areas that carries the level of integrity that I demand for in my own self. Yet, here I am, FaceTiming my best male friend at 7:32pm on a Wednesday night to ask how to respond to the 47th text message from a guy who just doesn’t know what it is that he wants from me, making me perplexed on how to proceed with my own verbiage and actions.

At this point, let’s add the nomadic element to the mix. And, I am quite confident that therein lies a bigger piece to this commitment-phobic puzzle. Because, it is easy to fall into a routine with someone who resides within your city limits and has a similar schedule to your scripted life. It is an entirely different thing to choose a person who has the freedom to leave. To ask someone to stay requires a deeper level of commitment. It means that someone is choosing for me to do life alongside him, and it means that we are taking off into the sunset together or I am abandoning the road to call someone my home. Ultimately, that choice is my desire. Because, the more I embark on adventures alone, the narrower the gap becomes for me to experience those things for the first time with someone else.

And, I’m starting to question whether or not anything is actually beautiful without it being shared, without it being seen through two sets of eyes in the same moment, if anything is real without the conversation of that thing existing between two coherent bodies.

So, I continue to sit and manifest these desires in the belief that, one day, I’ll be done with the exhibits. That, one day, someone will choose me, and I will choose him back. Without force. Without fear. Without the twenty questions. Granted, maybe I’ve already missed out on Mr. Perfect somewhere in between. Because I didn’t like his shoes. Or his haircut was weird. Or, I swiped left because he failed to include a bio (c’mon, guys). Regardless, I know that wanting something requires attention to that thing. I know that wanting someone requires intentionality to his existence. So, I’m here. Showing up. Attempting to live outside of our digital dead zone. Attempting to keep doing the work to have that one thing that my heart yearns to explore. I can reason that if it were easy, then everyone would do it. Like, really do it. It’s not easy. Not everyone does it. Like, really does it. But, it will damn well be worth it.

Meanwhile, if you need help with your pickup lines, don’t hesitate to slide into my DMs. They’re currently still free for the taking.

from Blog https://ondenver.com/the-silver-lining-online-dating-on-the-road/

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My Stay At The Grand Dragon Ladakh – Luxury Hotel Review

The Grand Dragon Ladakh Review

The Grand Dragon Ladakh

I was told that Hotel Grand Dragon Ladakh is the finest Luxury Hotel in Ladakh. The reviews on various blogs and sites also said the same. So I was looking forward to staying at The Grand Dragon Ladakh.   I was prepared for the luxury, but I had no idea that I have been given only half the information. None of the reviews I read before heading to The Grand Dragon Ladakh had prepared me to the other side of Ladakhi Hospitality. Don’t get me wrong, the hotel Grand Dragon Ladakh is for sure the finest luxury hotel in Ladakh and I can say this because I have stayed in a few hotels and guest houses in Ladakh and nothing even comes close to The Grand Dragon.  So while I was prepared for the luxury I was totally unprepared for the pampering that was showered on me and other guests who were traveling in our entourage.

Is  The GRAND DRAGON The Finest Luxury Hotel in Ladakh?

You see luxury is something that is a function of something you can pay and buy but personalized pampering is something that has to come from the heart and that is where the staff and the owners of the Grand Dragon win your heart.  Their gestures that come straight from the heart and as part of Ladakhi hospitality is what makes you go Ah and Oh and sometimes you are so much in awe that you forget you are living in a hotel and feel like you are at dear friend’s home.

Let me try to explain the small gestures that made a big impact on me and made me feel pampered at every step of our stay at the Grand Dragon Ladakh making me believe that The Grand Dragon is not just the finest luxury hotel in Ladakh it is much more than that it offers personalized pampering to the guests.

The Grand Dragon Ladakh proudly showcases the very best of Ladakhi Architecture, that incorporates ornate wooden pillars, designs that take inspiration for Buddhist monasteries and local homes that warmly welcomes you to the hotel. The hotel grounds are well kept and when we visited mauve/lilac/light purple? ( take your pick of color for I am unable to describe these delicate blooms ) Apple blooms were in season

Please help me in describing the color these Apple Blossoms

When you arrive at a luxury hotel you expect great welcome, luxurious lobby and a room with all the amenities, etc. but what makes you feel totally welcome is a hot bowl of local garlic soup served in the comfort of your room to acclimatize you to the thin air of Leh. As you must be aware when you fly into a high altitude place like Leh the danger of AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness is real. There are a few things that you can do to acclimatize your body to the same and enjoying a hot garlic soup while looking at snowclad mountains having a conference with powderpuff clouds is one of them. Then we were given a small silky pouch with some camphor in it that aids in breathing in case you feel a problem on day one.

Luxury & Pampering are two different concept

But this was just the beginning, after some rest, we had a meeting with a Doctor who checked each one of us for blood oxygen level, Blood Pressure and once again gave us instructions on what to do and what not to do on day one in Ladakh. Most of the folks in our group were fine thanks to the hot Garlic Soup, the rest and was ready to start exploring the beautiful city of Leh with the wonderful folks from Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Grand Lobby of The Grand Dragon Ladakh – Can you notice all the paintings on the walls? More about them later in the post

You can read more about AMS in my earlier blog post here based on my earlier visit to Ladakh

How to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness Ladakh 

  My room at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

View from my room at The Grand Dragon Ladakh

The rooms with view at Grand Dragon Ladakh 

  What a view, …what a view. I kept on saying, “what a view….” when I saw this from the Grand Dragon Ladakh – Click image for more

There is no doubt that the rooms at Grand Dragon Ladakh are ultra luxurious, from the room amenities that are given to you in abundance like all kind of luxury toiletries, a large comfortable bed, Tea Coffee Maker, welcome snacks, etc. what gives you a feeling of care and pampering is things that you don’t expect. Just to give you a few examples like besides toiletries you are also given sunscreen lotion to protect your skin from the harsh Ladakh Sun, then you have 4 bottles of water as you need to keep yourself hydrated at high altitude. But what totally had me in awe was the view from the room. The hotel has been designed in such a way that majority of the rooms offer wonderful views of the silvery mountains in distance and the large windows make you feel that you can just reach out and touch those peaks.  Some of the high-end rooms also have a sit out area outside where you can enjoy private moments looking at the peaks. The best part is irrespective of what room or what floor you are staying you get unobstructed glorious views of mighty mountains. Every day when I got up in the morning it was nothing like bliss to open your window curtains and see these peaks and just before going to bed I will open the window once again and look at the peaks. I am telling you looking at these peaks can be addictive, but I highly recommend it

A Fisheye view of the Suit at The Grand Dragon Ladakh

  One of the rooms at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Food At Grand Dragon Ladakh

A fraction of the buffet at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

Most of my meals at the hotel I had was in the ground floor multi cuisine restaurant/coffee shop starting from the lavish breakfast that spoils you for a choice that ranges from  Indian, South Indian, Continental, and god knows what else cuisine because most of the days I was full even before I tried a small fraction of what was on offer. While we had many wonderful meals at the Grand Dragon two stand out in my memory. The first one was a full meal of Khow suey, a specialty one dish meal from Myanmar. But calling it one dish meal is actually a misnomer because you have an assortment of veg and non-veg garnishes to add to your soup accompanied by various sauces, herbs, and condiments, etc. This was by far one of the best Khow suey I have had in a long time.

  The second meal is even more special as it was a dinner on the Buddha Purnima night & we all were in the hotel lawns waiting for the moon to make a grand appearance. We were all interested in some Moon Photography before starting our dinner. As it happened it was also the holy month of Ramazan and the chef at The Grand Dragon has made a special 7-course Ladakhi Meal for us that started with soups, various bread, Ladakh style momos, different curries ranging from lamb to wild mushrooms, etc. While each course of this special Ladakhi meal introduced us to new flavors and textures of Ladakhi cuisine to us, what made the meal extra special was that Mr. Anjum Qadir made special arrangements for us with a large telescope to see the moon closely as it rose behind the barren mountains making them shine against a dark sky. Then a special experience awaited us, as the courteous staff of the Grand Dragon brought our Ladakhi dishes, Mr. Anjum who had just had his iftar meal sometime back, explained each dish to us, what it was made of how it is different from the similar dishes in other parts of Kashmir or Tibet how the ingredients are sourced and stored to keep the flavors intact. So I learned a few things like the Ladakhi Momos are juicy and need to be enjoyed with yummy simmering juices that are waiting to flood your taste buds. The Ladakhi Biryani is totally out of this world and the fragrances come from locally grown fruits like apricot etc. that are added to it. The Ladakhi bread served as a small succulent loaf is fragrant with fresh earthy flavors and is soft like cheese if eaten fresh.

Moon watching on Buddha Purnima at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

Ladakhi momos are juicier and filled with local veggies, cheese and are full of aromas and juice

One of the Ladakhi dishes, while I forgot the name the aroma lingers

I don’t think I am able to do justice to the variety of flavors, textures and stories that Ladakhi food takes you through, what enhanced the experience was Mr. Anjum Qadir, explaining to us about each dish in a very proud and passionate manner. I am telling you having a 7-course ( or was it 9  course? But who was counting ? Not me

) meal in the finest luxury hotel in Ladakh is one thing, to get to learn about the same from the hotel owner’s son himself is a priceless experience. I must say I count my blessings to be able to experience it first hand and this meal is definitely in my top ten meals ever while traveling.

Mr. Anjum Qadir who heads the Food & Beverages at The Grand Dragon and is an artist in his own right explains to us about Ladakhi cuisine

Ah so many things and as you know when it comes to food I just have no patience to take pictures so I am sorry folks you have these few pics clicked with my SST phone ( Sasta Sunder Tikau Phone ). But I am sure I have intrigued you enough to try Ladakhi cuisine when you are in Ladakh & best place to have it is without a doubt The Grand Dragon Ladakh

GYM, SPA & Other Facilities at Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Grand Dragon Ladakh is a popular choice among those seeking a luxury stay in Ladakh, it is not uncommon to bump into movie stars, VVIPs, etc, it is also a popular choice for meetings and conferences. A 200 + seater centrally airconditioned hall caters to these. We were also given a tour of the spa and the gym at the hotel. While I was impressed with both, I could not believe that people will be exercising in the thin air of Leh, but as it turned out there are a lot of health and fitness conscious travelers who do not want to miss daily exercise routine so Grand Dragon takes care of there health with modern equipment and trained staff in the gym and spa.

My respect for people who don’t miss their exercise regime even in the thin air of Ladakh

The large conference room at The Grand Dragon can seat 200 participants & has all the modern facilities for a large meeting/conference

The hotel has a full-service business center, meeting rooms and even a large conference room that can seat 200 people for meeting and conferences. The curio shop at the Grand Dragon Ladakh has some of the most amazing handicrafts, jewels & artifacts from Ladakh and can easily function as a museum showcasing Ladakhi Culture.

Traditional Jewels? Art? History?

Traditional headgear jewelry from one of the tribes of Ladakh. Check the image below how it is worn. Do you know an heirloom headgear like this can cost more than a mid-size car?

  But what impressed me most at the hotel was the various paintings of the day to day life of Ladakh by none other than Mr. Ghulam Mustafa a well-known award & heart winning artists and one the two brothers who are the brain behind this beautiful hotel.

Mr. Ghulam Mustafa & Mr. Anjum Qadir – Father & Son wonderful artists excellent hoteliers

The Grand Dragon Ladakh was developed and conceptualized by the brothers Gulam Mustafa also known as the first modern artist of Ladakh and Gulam Mohiuddin. As you enter the lobby beside the ornate wood designs on pillars and roof you also notice the beautiful paintings adorning the walls and you learn each one of them has been made by Mr. Mustafa himself. He loves to paint life in Ladakh on his canvas and showcase it in the Grand Dragon Ladakh.   I think fellow traveler and writer Ayandrali Dutta has put it much better than I ever would be able to check this out here >

      Overall it was a wonderful trip and I must thank the wonderful team at The Grand Dragon Ladakh to make this trip extra special.

  My this trip to Ladakh was on the invitation of the only star luxury hotel of Leh > The Grand Dragon Ladakh. I really enjoyed my stay with The Grand Dragon Ladakh. You can check more about them here > The Grand Dragon Ladakh

Pin it – The Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Grand Dragon Ladakh

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My Stay At The Grand Dragon Ladakh – Luxury Hotel Review

The Grand Dragon Ladakh Review

The Grand Dragon Ladakh

I was told that Hotel Grand Dragon Ladakh is the finest Luxury Hotel in Ladakh. The reviews on various blogs and sites also said the same. So I was looking forward to staying at The Grand Dragon Ladakh.   I was prepared for the luxury, but I had no idea that I have been given only half the information. None of the reviews I read before heading to The Grand Dragon Ladakh had prepared me to the other side of Ladakhi Hospitality. Don’t get me wrong, the hotel Grand Dragon Ladakh is for sure the finest luxury hotel in Ladakh and I can say this because I have stayed in a few hotels and guest houses in Ladakh and nothing even comes close to The Grand Dragon.  So while I was prepared for the luxury I was totally unprepared for the pampering that was showered on me and other guests who were traveling in our entourage.

Is  The GRAND DRAGON The Finest Luxury Hotel in Ladakh?

You see luxury is something that is a function of something you can pay and buy but personalized pampering is something that has to come from the heart and that is where the staff and the owners of the Grand Dragon win your heart.  Their gestures that come straight from the heart and as part of Ladakhi hospitality is what makes you go Ah and Oh and sometimes you are so much in awe that you forget you are living in a hotel and feel like you are at dear friend’s home.

Let me try to explain the small gestures that made a big impact on me and made me feel pampered at every step of our stay at the Grand Dragon Ladakh making me believe that The Grand Dragon is not just the finest luxury hotel in Ladakh it is much more than that it offers personalized pampering to the guests.

The Grand Dragon Ladakh proudly showcases the very best of Ladakhi Architecture, that incorporates ornate wooden pillars, designs that take inspiration for Buddhist monasteries and local homes that warmly welcomes you to the hotel. The hotel grounds are well kept and when we visited mauve/lilac/light purple? ( take your pick of color for I am unable to describe these delicate blooms ) Apple blooms were in season

Please help me in describing the color these Apple Blossoms

When you arrive at a luxury hotel you expect great welcome, luxurious lobby and a room with all the amenities, etc. but what makes you feel totally welcome is a hot bowl of local garlic soup served in the comfort of your room to acclimatize you to the thin air of Leh. As you must be aware when you fly into a high altitude place like Leh the danger of AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness is real. There are a few things that you can do to acclimatize your body to the same and enjoying a hot garlic soup while looking at snowclad mountains having a conference with powderpuff clouds is one of them. Then we were given a small silky pouch with some camphor in it that aids in breathing in case you feel a problem on day one.

Luxury & Pampering are two different concept

But this was just the beginning, after some rest, we had a meeting with a Doctor who checked each one of us for blood oxygen level, Blood Pressure and once again gave us instructions on what to do and what not to do on day one in Ladakh. Most of the folks in our group were fine thanks to the hot Garlic Soup, the rest and was ready to start exploring the beautiful city of Leh with the wonderful folks from Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Grand Lobby of The Grand Dragon Ladakh – Can you notice all the paintings on the walls? More about them later in the post

You can read more about AMS in my earlier blog post here based on my earlier visit to Ladakh

How to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness Ladakh 

  My room at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

View from my room at The Grand Dragon Ladakh

The rooms with view at Grand Dragon Ladakh 

  What a view, …what a view. I kept on saying, “what a view….” when I saw this from the Grand Dragon Ladakh – Click image for more

There is no doubt that the rooms at Grand Dragon Ladakh are ultra luxurious, from the room amenities that are given to you in abundance like all kind of luxury toiletries, a large comfortable bed, Tea Coffee Maker, welcome snacks, etc. what gives you a feeling of care and pampering is things that you don’t expect. Just to give you a few examples like besides toiletries you are also given sunscreen lotion to protect your skin from the harsh Ladakh Sun, then you have 4 bottles of water as you need to keep yourself hydrated at high altitude. But what totally had me in awe was the view from the room. The hotel has been designed in such a way that majority of the rooms offer wonderful views of the silvery mountains in distance and the large windows make you feel that you can just reach out and touch those peaks.  Some of the high-end rooms also have a sit out area outside where you can enjoy private moments looking at the peaks. The best part is irrespective of what room or what floor you are staying you get unobstructed glorious views of mighty mountains. Every day when I got up in the morning it was nothing like bliss to open your window curtains and see these peaks and just before going to bed I will open the window once again and look at the peaks. I am telling you looking at these peaks can be addictive, but I highly recommend it

A Fisheye view of the Suit at The Grand Dragon Ladakh

  One of the rooms at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Food At Grand Dragon Ladakh

A fraction of the buffet at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

Most of my meals at the hotel I had was in the ground floor multi cuisine restaurant/coffee shop starting from the lavish breakfast that spoils you for a choice that ranges from  Indian, South Indian, Continental, and god knows what else cuisine because most of the days I was full even before I tried a small fraction of what was on offer. While we had many wonderful meals at the Grand Dragon two stand out in my memory. The first one was a full meal of Khow suey, a specialty one dish meal from Myanmar. But calling it one dish meal is actually a misnomer because you have an assortment of veg and non-veg garnishes to add to your soup accompanied by various sauces, herbs, and condiments, etc. This was by far one of the best Khow suey I have had in a long time.

  The second meal is even more special as it was a dinner on the Buddha Purnima night & we all were in the hotel lawns waiting for the moon to make a grand appearance. We were all interested in some Moon Photography before starting our dinner. As it happened it was also the holy month of Ramazan and the chef at The Grand Dragon has made a special 7-course Ladakhi Meal for us that started with soups, various bread, Ladakh style momos, different curries ranging from lamb to wild mushrooms, etc. While each course of this special Ladakhi meal introduced us to new flavors and textures of Ladakhi cuisine to us, what made the meal extra special was that Mr. Anjum Qadir made special arrangements for us with a large telescope to see the moon closely as it rose behind the barren mountains making them shine against a dark sky. Then a special experience awaited us, as the courteous staff of the Grand Dragon brought our Ladakhi dishes, Mr. Anjum who had just had his iftar meal sometime back, explained each dish to us, what it was made of how it is different from the similar dishes in other parts of Kashmir or Tibet how the ingredients are sourced and stored to keep the flavors intact. So I learned a few things like the Ladakhi Momos are juicy and need to be enjoyed with yummy simmering juices that are waiting to flood your taste buds. The Ladakhi Biryani is totally out of this world and the fragrances come from locally grown fruits like apricot etc. that are added to it. The Ladakhi bread served as a small succulent loaf is fragrant with fresh earthy flavors and is soft like cheese if eaten fresh.

Moon watching on Buddha Purnima at the Grand Dragon Ladakh

Ladakhi momos are juicier and filled with local veggies, cheese and are full of aromas and juice

One of the Ladakhi dishes, while I forgot the name the aroma lingers

I don’t think I am able to do justice to the variety of flavors, textures and stories that Ladakhi food takes you through, what enhanced the experience was Mr. Anjum Qadir, explaining to us about each dish in a very proud and passionate manner. I am telling you having a 7-course ( or was it 9  course? But who was counting ? Not me

) meal in the finest luxury hotel in Ladakh is one thing, to get to learn about the same from the hotel owner’s son himself is a priceless experience. I must say I count my blessings to be able to experience it first hand and this meal is definitely in my top ten meals ever while traveling.

Mr. Anjum Qadir who heads the Food & Beverages at The Grand Dragon and is an artist in his own right explains to us about Ladakhi cuisine

Ah so many things and as you know when it comes to food I just have no patience to take pictures so I am sorry folks you have these few pics clicked with my SST phone ( Sasta Sunder Tikau Phone ). But I am sure I have intrigued you enough to try Ladakhi cuisine when you are in Ladakh & best place to have it is without a doubt The Grand Dragon Ladakh

GYM, SPA & Other Facilities at Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Grand Dragon Ladakh is a popular choice among those seeking a luxury stay in Ladakh, it is not uncommon to bump into movie stars, VVIPs, etc, it is also a popular choice for meetings and conferences. A 200 + seater centrally airconditioned hall caters to these. We were also given a tour of the spa and the gym at the hotel. While I was impressed with both, I could not believe that people will be exercising in the thin air of Leh, but as it turned out there are a lot of health and fitness conscious travelers who do not want to miss daily exercise routine so Grand Dragon takes care of there health with modern equipment and trained staff in the gym and spa.

My respect for people who don’t miss their exercise regime even in the thin air of Ladakh

The large conference room at The Grand Dragon can seat 200 participants & has all the modern facilities for a large meeting/conference

The hotel has a full-service business center, meeting rooms and even a large conference room that can seat 200 people for meeting and conferences. The curio shop at the Grand Dragon Ladakh has some of the most amazing handicrafts, jewels & artifacts from Ladakh and can easily function as a museum showcasing Ladakhi Culture.

Traditional Jewels? Art? History?

Traditional headgear jewelry from one of the tribes of Ladakh. Check the image below how it is worn. Do you know an heirloom headgear like this can cost more than a mid-size car?

  But what impressed me most at the hotel was the various paintings of the day to day life of Ladakh by none other than Mr. Ghulam Mustafa a well-known award & heart winning artists and one the two brothers who are the brain behind this beautiful hotel.

Mr. Ghulam Mustafa & Mr. Anjum Qadir – Father & Son wonderful artists excellent hoteliers

The Grand Dragon Ladakh was developed and conceptualized by the brothers Gulam Mustafa also known as the first modern artist of Ladakh and Gulam Mohiuddin. As you enter the lobby beside the ornate wood designs on pillars and roof you also notice the beautiful paintings adorning the walls and you learn each one of them has been made by Mr. Mustafa himself. He loves to paint life in Ladakh on his canvas and showcase it in the Grand Dragon Ladakh.   I think fellow traveler and writer Ayandrali Dutta has put it much better than I ever would be able to check this out here >

      Overall it was a wonderful trip and I must thank the wonderful team at The Grand Dragon Ladakh to make this trip extra special.

  My this trip to Ladakh was on the invitation of the only star luxury hotel of Leh > The Grand Dragon Ladakh. I really enjoyed my stay with The Grand Dragon Ladakh. You can check more about them here > The Grand Dragon Ladakh

Pin it – The Grand Dragon Ladakh

The Grand Dragon Ladakh

I promise that I will not sell, rent, or donate your email to anybody

Try these posts too: No charges for checking

– देखने का कोई पैसा नहीं

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