Garmisch, Germany boasts of many things ? the breathtaking Bavarian Alps, perfectly-carved wooden houses with flowerboxes that spill over with color, the delicate edelweiss alpine blossoms, mouth-watering schnitzel, stout German beer, and a myriad of talented local craftsmen. But did you know that at the edge of this quaint, picture-perfect town lies a violent display of Mother Nature? Known in German as the ?Partnachklamm?, it hides behind the old Olympic Stadium and attracts hundreds of hikers each year.

So what exactly is the Partnachklamm? In a nutshell, it?s a struggle to the death ? a knock-down, drag-out brawl between the Partnach River and a limestone gorge. The river peacefully runs through the trees until it hits the 262-foot tall gorge. From there the river?s personality turns to fury as it slams into the rock walls, throwing its temper tantrum for over 2,300 feet before calming down again and continuing to flow through the Bavarian countryside. Visitors follow a carved-out rock path from the entrance to the gorge and up a gradual incline to experience firsthand what nature is capable of. Don?t forget your raincoat, though! You may be able to avoid the mist from the tumbling cascades but the spray from the waterfalls above will most definitely christen you!

There are several ways to experience the Partnachklamm, each holding its own delight for the visitor. Late spring through summer will provide a green backdrop on the limestone rocks while the chilly alpine waters almost deafen its company. In colder months, the gorge becomes an enchanting world of icicles and snow. Check first before showing up during the winter, though?too much snow and ice will force the gorge to close for safety reasons. It?s also possible to visit during the day or the night ? daytime offers better views while the warming sunbeams force their way through the foliage. After dark, torch-lit tours are offered, giving the gorge a mystical quality. Regardless of season or time of day, once you?ve made your way through this hidden natural treasure, continue up the mountain for a robust hike and then relax at the Forsthaus Graseck?s restaurant. The food is excellent and the views are breathtaking. While indulging in their cuisine, ponder how you?ll get back down ? take the same path through the gorge or a restful two-minute ride down in the cable car. Either way, a trip to the Partnachklamm is well worth it!

The Aquarius Sports Resort Hotel in Marawila, a sleepy western coastal town of Sri Lanka is always a fascinating place to me.

The beach-end restaurant of the resort facing the scenic Indian Ocean will become at times a forum for various international issues.

My conversation with the students from various leading German universities who were in their exchange programs and doing their undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the fields of economics, political science, social science, engineering and other disciplines gave me a chance to know more about the German history, economy and cultural issues.

I had a good discussion with Marita Kantar at the beach-end restaurant of the Aquarius Hotel today.

The sun had started to go further and further towards the deep-end of the Indian Ocean’s horizon.

The evening sunlight shone on Marita’s face as she was seated facing the ocean directly and I asked her whether she would like to seat opposite the ocean at the rectangular table.

She smiled and opted to stay where she was enjoying the glorious sunset in the Indian Ocean.

While I was talking to her on various issues, I asked her how she felt about the massacre of Jews by Adolf Hitler. She said, ‘They are only the victims for a person who was mad and power-hungry.’

She further continued, ‘He managed to brain-wash many for his unjustified cruelty on Jews and others in the Germany and neighbouring nations.”

She burst out at one point by saying that the act of one lunatic had the effect of giving a bad image of them.

I placated her saying the act of one megalomaniac does not necessarily tarnish all Germans.

I think not only in Germany even in other countries by the act of some of the reckless leaders, their nation and people have become untouchables or villains for other communities and nationalities.

In our recent past, we have seen many like them. Sadam Hussein in Iraq for his marginalization of Kurds and Shi’ite Muslims and some of the leaders from then Yugoslavia for their violation of Bosnian Muslims and Croatians are too the perpetrators of crimes against humanity in their own way.

Some of the culprits had been prosecuted by the International Criminal Court for War-Crimes, but others escaped. Still there are many war criminals around the world at large.

I told her, ‘These culprits are either hiding or not punished yet or still the law is not strong enough or its enforcement is too weak’.

As Marita was a Diploma student and doing her field of studies in managing social science, I asked about the unification of Germany which created a lot of unemployment problems in Germany and some Germans in the former West German part are uncomfortable about it.

I knew as she is from the former East German part, she might feel uncomfortable at my question.

Her eyes had gone really blurred over my question and answered with a sobbing emotion, ‘the Germans won’t like them to be seen as East Germans and West Germans.’

She further went on that she had been all over the Germany and saw minor changes in their dialects and couldn’t identify any major differences.

What she said is correct. Even East Germany is only a creation after the Second World War when the major allied forces divided Germany into two parts.

East Germany had been left out with the communist USSR and their puppet East German administration.

But when the cold war came to an end and the demise of the Berlin wall in 1989, the new united Germany had made East Germany part of the existing federal system in other parts of the Germany as a new territory.

The capital of the new unified Germany was shifted from the then West German capital Bonn to the then East German capital Berlin.

Marita was doing an interesting assignment on a topic on Germans and their perception on the benefits for going abroad for a better living in their retirements for her Diploma at the University of Applied Sciences, Technology Business and Design in Wismar.

As Walker told me, she is from the plain land which has a vast horizon on land and with its Baltic sea; she has shown some natural intelligence in her arguments.

She answered intelligently to certain complicated issues on Germany.

While we were discussing at the restaurant, some German students were sun-bathing on the beach.

They were shining when the sun-rays reflected on their swim-suited white skin.

The sunshine penetrated everywhere in the restaurant through the wall-less space facing the Indian Ocean and made the restaurant into a sudden surge of brightness.

The sea wind was flowing towards the restaurant gustily.

The whole atmosphere in the restaurant something different from the normal and Marita was fascinated by the change.

But, the sunshine and its rays when time was passing into early twilight were cooling and the reddish sky looked so unique.

The sun was about to be set in a short while.

Though Marita was traveled vastly in Europe, she hardly made any comments on other nation’s social or economic issues.

She said firmly, ‘I can’t comment about other countries by staying just a few days on their cultural, social and economic issues.”

I also agreed with her.

Even people living together in one country are failing to identify other communities who are living with them for centuries.

They fail to identify different aspirations, cultural differences with acceptance and religious differences with understanding for some reason or other, causing many of the world’s conflicts from time to time.

It is sometimes very difficult for a visiting tourist or a trouble-shooting diplomat to get the right picture of the social aspirations of different communities in a short stay.

Darkness had spread everywhere over the Indian Ocean and the restaurant balanced by its lights to make the whole environment out of darkness and the atmosphere had become such a fascinating place for those who want to be away from worldly struggles and problems.

Vicki Landes, author of “Europe for the Senses – A Photographic Journal” gave her first radio interview last week with Penny Sansevieri of the ‘Fascinating Authors Radio Show’. Landes discusses finding herself moving to Europe “kicking and screaming” and her gradual emersion into the European culture. Once acclimated, Landes set out to explore her surroundings and ended up visiting 45 different countries throughout the world. She credits her grandparents with giving her the book idea and has spent a total of 6 and a half years so far, traveling Europe on the weekends and snapping pictures.

Landes notes that although travelers should not miss the popular sites in Europe, the lesser known destinations can be just as meaningful, especially if you get to explore them without tourist crowds. For example, Maulbronn Monastery, just outside Stuttgart, Germany, is not a tourist trap and ‘you can explore the hallways as the only living soul’. Almost 1,000 years old and hailed as being in the best condition of any monastery north of the Alps, this monastery delights. Unlike traditional museums that rope you off from exhibits, Maulbronn allows you to “wrap your arms around the enormous pillars and press your cheek against the cold stone”.

Another example of a lesser known site is Schwetzingen Castle and Gardens – “everyone knows Heidelberg Castle, but what about Schwetzingen? It’s only 20 minutes away from Heidelberg and the gardens blow me away every time I visit”. Between the perfect symmetry of the arched hedges and the contract between vivid green foliage and stark white marble statues hidden throughout, Landes notes that this destination should be a ‘do not miss’ for any Germany-bound tourist.

After nearly a decade when I was traveling with the German students through Elephants Pass, watching the same Lagoon where I crossed at midnights struck how things were changing the world over in an unbelievably short time.

While the German students were videoing the Lagoon my mind recalling the once flourishing Nallur city offs the coast of the Jaffna Lagoon, which was once the capital of the Naga kingdom. The Northern part of Sri Lanka throve during the Naga Kingdom from 6th century BC to the middle of the 3rd century AD. Nagas were of the Tibeto ? Burman origin, a Mongoloid race and migrated to India 4000 BC, driven by some political disturbances from Central Asia through the North Eastern frontier of the Himalayan mountain range.

Nagas were a prominent non- Aryan race in India and their names are still preserved in various parts of India. The Indo ? Aryan invasion in the Indian subcontinent had driven them South and they invaded further South towards Sri Lanka.

This may coincide with the theory of the Aryan invasion in the North- western sector of India and their expansion to other areas driving away the indigenous people of the Indus valley civilization, the Dravidians further south.

The Nagas were dependent on the sea for their living and established trade with India, and developed art and culture. They also worshipped serpents, which is in the icon of Lord Siva. Kudiramali, a place near Silapaththurai, a western coastal sleepy village off the Gulf of Mannar too was a seaport and a capital of the Naga race.

There are legendry stories about an ?Alli? queen who ruled that area and had a great liking for pearls. Her warriors were women and she hated men. During her time pearls were exported to Arab countries and in return Arab horses were imported through this port. That is how that port derived its name Kudiramalai (Horse Mountain).

Due to natural causes the sea engulfed the Kudiramalai area probably by tidal waves caused either by a strong cyclone or earthquake.

Memories impinged on me of moments when I had visited a decade ago Queen Alli?s ruined palace. The roaring waves of the Gulf of Mannar were battering the walls of the ruined palace, which to a great extent was submerged by the sea.

Amazingly the ruined palace was still withstanding those mighty sea waves for some thousands years, though it has lost a major portions to the sea. When I stepped into the cave-like inside of it I marveled at the architecture of the upper portion of the wall?s entrance. Other than the walls, I hardly found anything inside but the vibrations of the battering waves outside of the wall, which was echoing inside in a mysterious way.

While I was watching the Lagoon I pondered how the capital had shifted from Kudiramalai to Nallur. Ruins of the palace of the then Naga capital in Nallur have been revealed in recent excavations embodying many stories of the lost Naga kingdom.

The vicinity of the lagoon was suddenly lost by the mangroves aside of the highway by the speedily hurrying vehicle and brought my attention to the northern highway towards Jaffna town.

While our vehicle was passing the Jaffna Lagoon and the then Elephant Pass camp vicinity we reached the Iyakkachchi area, an early settlement of Yakkas, a tribal group who were living in the era of Nagas together in the Island.

The ?Yakkas?, possibly early immigrants from Persia, were numerous and very powerful, and held themselves aloof and confined themselves mostly to the mountain fastnesses of the North- Central region of the Island, whereas the ‘Nagas’ confined themselves to the seaboard.

Ptolemy, the famous Greek-speaking geographer and astronomer who lived in the Roman Egypt called the Mahaweli River as Phasis fluvius, which means the Persian river, indicating that the Yakkas, who dwelt there, were connected to the Persians.

The Yakkas also could have been the indigenous people of Persia and might have escaped to Sri Lanka when the invaders were advancing towards their territory by sea or land from Persia.

Kuveni was the queen of Yakkhas and became the consort of Prince Vijaya(B.C. 543-504) who eventually bacame the first Indo-Aryan king of Sri Lanka with the Kalinga ancestory. Later he married a princess from the Dravidian Kingdom of ?Pandy? in South India.

Some of the German intern students were tired and in a sleepy mood. They might have not had enough sleep because of the strange environment. For students it is an option to travel out of Germany to complete their internship. Several students are coming to Asia, especially to AGSEP in Sri Lanka. The students who were with me in the Northern relief mission are also one batch of students of those who were in their overseas study tour.

When we were passing by the last end of the then Elephant Pass Military camp, sea birds were flying around the shallow water and busily fishing for their night meal.

When the publishers of the Lonely Planet travel guides issued their annual list of the best travel destinations for this year there were a few surprises. Gone were some of the over-priced, over-crowded tourist traps of previous years. There are some new entries to peak the curiosity and provide ever-expanding new vistas and experiences for the crowd-weary world traveler. Here?s a partial list in reverse order.

9. Germany An old favorite that still can pull its weight with the tourism crowd and one of only two European entries that made the list, Germany has much to offer. More than just Oktoberfest, beer and sausages, travelers can delight in specialties from each of the country?s regions.

8. Colombia A stunning surprise entry on the list for the first time, Colombia may be know for its drug-trafficking and civil war violence, but it?s also the world?s leading producer of fine emeralds. It?s the world?s second leading producer of coffee after Brazil, but the quality of the rich, mild coffee produced here is second to none. One of South America?s most beautiful countries, scenic delights range from still-active volcanoes like the smoldering Galeras to the bubbling mud spews of Totumo near Colombia?s Atlantic coast.

7. India Mythical, mysterious, enchanting and a hundred more adjectives besides, how could this wondrous place not be on anyone?s wish list of travel destinations? A large percentage, up to 75%, of the population living in large cities speaks at least passable English. I?m surprised it?s only number eight. But it is on the list and deservedly so. Food, festivals, culture and history pour into the streets at every turn

6. Canada June, July and August are peak tourism months for the USA?s giant Northern neighbor. English is the language of all Canada?s provinces with French being the language of choice in the province of Quebec. There are marvelous winter festivals in Quebec City and francophone Montreal to delight the senses for willing to brave the frigid minus forty and below temperatures. There?s plenty to keep you warm though.

5. Antarctica Not only know as ?that frozen continent at the bottom of the world?, Antarctica is now featured in a number of commercials and travel ads. But with temperatures ranging from degrees F to degrees F, ?What?s the attraction?? you might ask. More than you might imagine. There?s not exactly a shortage of wildlife despite daytime temps in the minus teens on a ?warm? day. Marine life is also abundant as are formations of ice and snow on the glaciers that the continent feeds. Wanna play with the penguins, anyone? The experience of being there itself is a unique, one-of-a-kind adventure that draws many. Stormy Cape Horn and the beauty of wind swept Patagonia are also near. Scientific expeditions from a number of countries are nearly always in progress. At times the place is not unlike Grand Central Station. Antarctica is certainly not for everyone, but it does have its charms.

4. Mexico Long a favorite destination of North Americans from the USA and Canada, what?s not to like about this country famous for hot chili peppers and even hotter senoritas? From the beach to bullfights, you can find nearly any form of diversion you like. Skiing in Mexico? You betcha. Mt. Orizaba, North America?s second highest peak is south of the border.

3. Nicaragua With a stable economy and rock-bottom real estate bargains, this country has caught the eye of investors and ex-pats looking for scenic locales and tranquility. Once torn by civil strife, conditions have reversed and improved to the point it?s now a tourism destination for in the know and savvy on Central American affairs.

2. China With one billion, three hundred million inhabitants, the world?s most populous country has awakened from its ?sleeping giant? image to thrust its presence onto the world scene with a vengeance. Authentic Chinese food, not that ?cloned? stuff you get at the chain franchises, awaits you in a variety and abundance that must be experienced to be believed. The Chinese eat and drink things that will absolutely amaze and astound you ? and they make it look good too. From the world renowned Great Wall, the only man-made structure visible from outer space, to vast stretches of seemingly as yet unexplored country, even the Chinese are still turning up discoveries and treasures in their own midst.

1. Argentina It takes two to Tango as they say. If you want to try your hand at Argentina?s national pastime, here?s definitely the place. For meat lovers this is paradise as the beef here is among the best in the world and certainly the best in South America. The beef here is not only great, but there?s plenty of it and it?s cheap by U.S. and European standards. Gauchos, as Argentine cowboys are called, still abound on the grassy pampas and plains that comprise most of the country. There are tours, ?tenderfoot? home stays at ranches and plenty of open spaces for a roundup of experiences that?ll leave you wanting more. Be sure to wash down all that succulent tender roast beef with locally produced wines that are surprisingly good at even more surprisingly affordable prices.

So there you have it, the top ten travel destinations for 2006. Where would you like to go this year? Forget the ?old favorites? temporarily. Step out; try something new and different for a change. Fish for Piranha in the Amazon region of Colombia, or Bull sharks off its Pacific coast. Explore China?s historical, cultural and epicurean delights. Oomph, Pah, Pah your way through Germany?s scores of different sausages and hundreds of varieties of malted brews. Carve an original ice sculpture in Quebec City, laughing at the record cold temperatures all the way. Fish or canoe one of Canada?s unspoiled lakes with water so pure you can drink it. Whichever direction the wind blows you, you?re bound to enjoy experiences and sights to last a lifetime.

The German tsunami relief convoy reached the Paranthan junction, which is the last northern point in the mainland of Indian Ocean’s war-torn island, where people lived in the midst of the civil war in 1996.

I had been there for a brief period of time when I was working with CARE International. The Elephant Pass strategic military camp of Sri Lanka Army was stationed there. The camp was a major coveted target for LTTE since their failed attempt in 1991 along with heavy losses of cadres.

When I was staying in that vicinity in 1995, the vulnerability of that area was an every day presence. The artillery shells were pouring at times like thunderstorm. Some of the shells had fallen near my house and in one incident I narrowly escaped. But a known girl nearby died, of shock caused by the heavy explosion of an artillery shell. I was able to recall how her two sisters were crying when her body was being taken for cremation along the same high way on which I was traveling with the German intern students in the relief mission.

After that incident and continuous artillery shelling, the Area Director of CARE International in Kilinochchi asked me to get away from that area a number of times. But I was reluctant to leave as I was used to the artillery shelling and aerial bombings since my childhood in the war-torn northern Jaffna Peninsula. But for the Area Director, her upbringing in the New York City in a calm and quiet atmosphere made it hard for her to accept my explanation.

Finally I left that area for a while. But memories still came alive when I was looking at the demolished buildings and the surroundings on the way. Our five-vehicle convoy was now speedily hurrying through a one-time No-Man Zone.

The highway and the surroundings were once heavily mined areas. When we were passing the once strategic military camp and the destroyed tanks were telling signs of the war. The horrors of the war and the heat of the battle could be seen around the Elephant Pass Camp which was finally lost to the hands of LTTE in 1999.

Elephant Pass has come a long way from being a stretch of shallow waters that separated the Northern Jaffna Peninsula from the rest of the island in pre-colonial days and has now evolved into a military epicenter of the civil war.

The shallow waters through which elephants once carried goods into the Jaffna peninsula, giving it the name Elephant Pass, have been a silent witness to the ebbs and flow of the northern conflict. Elephant Pass, the terrestrial gateway to the Jaffna peninsula, is now under the control of the Tigers. The fall of Elephant Pass has changed the military course of the whole conflict. The Dutch colonialists first built a small fortress in 1776, which was converted in modern times into a rest house for tourists. After Independence a permanent garrison was set up there to check illicit immigration, smuggling and unlawful transport of timber.

As the intensity of the ethnic conflict escalated, the strategic importance of Elephant Pass also increased. The small camp gradually expanded into a sprawling complex. At one time, the Elephant Pass base and the satellite camps covered an area of about 23 km long and 8-10 km wide. While we were proceeding along in close proximity to Elephant Pass the Jaffna Lagoon on both sides of the high way triggered my thoughts back to many of the personal experiences in the Jaffna Lagoon. I had traveled a number of times crossing the lagoon from the mainland to the peninsula and vice versa as travel through Elephant Pass was prohibited in 1995.

The presence of the Sri Lankan military at the Elephant Pass made passage unsafe what with heavy land mines laid everywhere around the camp area.

Even traveling on the lagoon was unsafe as the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Navy were warring with each other with heavy casualties on both sides. The small boats used to start just before midnight, as the journey through the lagoon would be invisible. The three hours journey crossing the lagoon was enjoyable to me with lot of thrill and suspense until we reached the other end. LTTE monitored the lagoon passage as they controlled both coasts, the Kilali in the peninsula and the Nallur in the mainland.

Crossing the Elephant Pass was more than a crossing and going back into the past to me!

If you?re planning to visit the Oktoberfest for the first time, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Following these tips will help you to have a pleasant stay at Munich?s famous beer festival.

Do’s
1. Always take a friend or more with you
Even though most of the people are friendly and peaceful, there is the occasional drunk that can cause you trouble. Being with a friend makes your stay much safer (especially a woman should never go alone). Furthermore, it?s a lot more fun to celebrate with your friends than with strangers.

2. Drink a lot of water
The old rule ?one beer, one water? also applies for the biggest beer festival in the world. The beer tents are hot and you?ll be thirsty. Drinking only beer makes you drunk much faster than you even notice, especially when you?re not used to the strong German beer .

3. Be friendly to the waitress
Waitresses in the beer tents are the secret queens of the Oktoberfest. They decide if you can stay or have to leave. And they definitely decide if you get a beer or not. Remember that you can only order beer once you sit at a table. No beer is sold to persons standing in the alleys.

4. Do everything that requires coordination before the second beer
It?s not funny to be trapped inside a roller coaster after the second or third beer. Owners of the attractions will not let you inside anyways, because they know what can happen.

5. Enjoy!
Dance and sing as much as you want and have a lot of fun.

Don’ts
1. Don’t bring valuables
Bring only the amount of money you?re planning to spend. Don’t wear expensive jewelry. Wherever there are masses of people, there are also pickpockets. Be on the watch out.

2. Don’t drink and drive
Use the public transport for your sake and the sake of everyone else who could be involved in an accident with you. Drunk driving will cause you to lose your drivers license and get you into a lot of trouble. Germans are very tolerant with alcohol but not in connection with driving.

3. Don’t try to get into the tents at the main entrance
Despite their size beer tents fill up quickly and are closed for security reasons. Chances to get in through the main entrance are nil. Your luck will be better waiting at the side entrances where security sometimes lets people enter when someone else leaves. To avoid closed tents either have a reservation or come early, preferably during weekdays.