A list of intriguing travel things
One: These eye-popping Chinese temples are located at the top of Mount Fanjingshan—which is 2,570 metres above sea level. The temples soar even higher—sitting atop “a lonely spire called the New Golden Summit, or Red Clouds Golden Summit”—which rises more than 100 metres above the surrounding mountaintop. You have to climb 8,000 steps to reach the temple. For perspective, it takes 3,550 steps to reach the Tirupati temple.
‘Fanjing’ is an abbreviation of Fantian Jingtu, which means ‘Brahma's pure land’ in Chinese. We don’t know the age of these Buddhist shrines—but the first temples were likely constructed during the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century AD. Below is an aerial view of the temples—the lead image gives you a sense of their height. The Atlantic has an incredible photo gallery of the temples.
Two: Say hello to the ‘anti-hotel’—built by the luxury brand Chopard to ensure the privacy of the very-rich. There is no signage to announce its existence in the heart of Paris. And there was no big launch to announce its opening. And when you walk inside, there is no front desk or lines to check in. The hotel is part of the broader trend of stealth wealth—which now includes stealth luxury. This hotel is sooo discreet that it’s simply named after its name from the street address: 1 Place Vendome. As one project advisor puts it: “There is a growing clientele that seeks exclusivity and privacy. We wanted to create a semi-private hotel, like a really beautiful family residence.” Regular rooms start at $1,540 per night—while a suite will set you back by $15,400. You can see what the streetfront looks like. (CNN)
Three: If you ever go to Lucknow, be sure to try its unique culinary attraction: the Kashmiri Chai ka pyala. Some say it was brought to the city of the nawabs by the Kashmiris—but became a beloved street delicacy in 1965. This gulabi chai gets its colour when ordinary tea leaves are boiled along with bicarbonate of soda for a long time. The most intriguing bit: the tea is typically prepared with salt—and is eaten on the streets of Lucknow with the Taftan Samosa and malai. You can see how it’s made in the clip below. Learn more about the tea over at Lucknow Observer. Wanna make some? Slurrp has an easy recipe. And while you’re at it, check out our awesome 48 hour guide to Lucknow.
