This year 2oo9....

Well..., this year is the year where i going to college....really like it though... but ..,sometimes looking back at this few year.... suddenly i remember when the day that my dad leave me and my twins without saying a words... but that was long ago...and now i'm a grown-up girl.... but eventough it was hard... i think it should be okey without people named DAD.... and life is better without him... hehehehe....

Christmas from all over the world....

Christmas is not only celebrated in American and European countries but is a popular festival in other parts of the country too. Read about the interesting Christmas celebrations in Iran, Yugoslavia, Egypt and Wales in this section that is heavily influenced by the regional and cultural influences of the country. Costa Ricans make the huge models of the stable, where the Christ was born, and they are often made as big as the room where they are kept so that the Christ can be as comfortable as possible in His Manger. Micronesians are mostly Protestant Christians and celebrate this day as the church family day, when all of them attend most parts of the day attending the local church services that include a message from every minister, lay preacher, and missionary in the area, singing carols and hymns and receiving gifts where strangely each recipient applauds himself while going to receive the gift. The most common church gifts here are two bars of soap.

Santa claus is coming to town....

Christmas is the joyfull day that calm our heart...The tradition of Christmas carols hails back as far as the thirteenth century, although carols were originally communal songs sung during celebrations like harvest tide as well as Christmas. It was only later that carols began to be sung in church, and to be specifically associated with Christmas.

Carols suffered a decline in popularity after the Reformation in the countries where Protestant churches gained prominence (although well-known Reformers like Martin Luther authored carols and encouraged their use in worship), but survived in rural communities until the revival of interest in carols in the 19th century.[citation needed]

The first appearance in print of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen", "The First Noel", "I Saw Three Ships" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" was in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (1833) by William B. Sandys. Composers like Arthur Sullivan helped to repopularize the carol, and it is this period that gave rise to such favorites as "Good King Wenceslas" and "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", a New England carol written by Edmund H. Sears and Richard S. Willis.

Today carols are regularly sung at Christian religious services . Some compositions have words which are clearly not of a religious theme, but are often still referred to as "carols". For example, the sixteenth century song "A Bone, God Wot!" appears to be a wassailing song (which is sung during drinking or while requesting ale), but is described in the British Museum's Cottonian Collection as a Christmas carol.

It is often difficult to draw a distinction between a Christmas carol and a Christmas song. To be sung by a church choir or sung in the street by amateurs, a song would have to have a fairly rapid, regular beat, which would therefore exclude a meandering crooning song such as "White Christmas". A country music song such as "Blue Christmas" might qualify, but in this case it would have to be adopted by many choirs, over many years to be truly "vernacular", and so far it has failed to gain wide acceptance. The Concise Oxford Dictionary is more generous, as it defines a carol as a "religious song...associated with Christmas".

Music
Traditionally, carols have often been based on medieval chord patterns, and it is this that gives them their uniquely characteristic musical sound. Some carols like "Personent hodie", "Good King Wenceslas", and "The Holly and the Ivy" can be traced directly back to the Middle Ages, and are among the oldest musical compositions still regularly sung.

Though many Christmas carols were written prior to the 20th century, several modern compositions have been written in more recent times. Many of the carols written by Alfred Burt are sung regularly in both sacred and secular settings, and are among the better-known modern Christmas carols.

Fashion design

Many professional fashion designers start off by specializing in a particular area of fashion. The smaller and the more specific the market, the more likely a company is to get the right look and feel to their clothes. It is also easier to establish oneself in the fashion industry if a company is known for one type of product, rather than several products. Once a fashion company becomes established (that is, has regular buyers and is well-known by both the trade and the public), it may decide to expand into a new area. If the firm has made a name for the clothes it already produces, this helps to sell the new line. It is usually safest for a company to expand into an area similar to the one it already knows. For example, a designer of women's sportswear might expand into men's sportswear. The chart below shows the areas in which many designers choose to specialize.

How to make KIMCHI.....

Kimchee

Chinese Cabbage Kimchee Cucumber Kimchee Green Chili Kimchee Radish Kimchee

Kimchee is the most famous side dish among the Koreans or even foreigners. It is a must-served dish in every Korean meal. Kimchee is widely refered to Korean traditional fermented vegetables. At the very begining, kimchee is prepared for the winter season since they can't cultivate crops during winter. Therefore, they preserved the vegetables for consuming during the winter.

There are actually various types of kimchee in Korea such as cucumber kimchee, green chilies kimchee, chinese cabbage kimchee, radish kimchee and so on but the word Kimchee is commonly refered to chinese cabbage kimchee. During different season, different kind of kimchee will be served. For example during summer, cucumber kimchee and radish kimchee will be served. During spring, leafy vegetable will be the main ingredient for making kimchee and the kimchee in spring sometimes are not even fermented for a long period but seasoned for a short period. During winter, most of the kimchee are available since it is the most suitable time to consume kimchee.

The ingredients for making kimchee usually includes galic, ginger, spring onion, salt, vinegar, chilies, chilies pepper, salted fishes sauce etc. Combination of these ingredients give a special taste for the kimchee and it stands the name of "Aroma of Korea".



Recipe Ingredients

* 500g chinese cabbage
* 1 1/2 tbsp crashed garlic
* 1 1/2 tsp crashed ginger
* spring onion cut into 5cm long
* 2 tbsp finely chopped red chilies
* 1 tbsp red pepper powder
* 1 tsp korean red chilies paste ( GoChuJang " 고추장,苦椒醬")
* 2 tbsp salted fish sauce
* 3 tbsp vinegar

Cooking Directions

1. Chop cabbage coarsely and place it in a large dish.
2. Sprinkle cabbage with salt and season it for 3 or 4 hours.
3. Squeeze cabbage dry with hand and place it in another bowl.
4. Add the remanding ingredients and mix it well.
5. Put into refrigerator at least 2 days before serving.

.....Organizational Behavior......

AArrrrggghhhhh....... i haven't finished my assignment...and this really annoying me... my twins nearly finished but i haven't ....well...,this O.B is one of the assignment that i really don't like it at all..... HAIL TO THE NOOOO.....

Kimchi doen jang

Budae-jjiggae (Army Base Stew) Budae-jjiggae
This dish results from Korea's painful history. During the Korean war, and for a time afterwards, people had little to eat. Most people had to fill their stomachs with the food distributed on the street called Kkulkkulijuk (meaning "pig's gruel"). People made this dish by combining left-over Spam and hot dogs from U.S. Army restaurants and whatever ele was available. All the left-overs were put into pot with water and boiled.

These days, restaurants usually use ramyeon noodles, ddeok (Korean rice cakes), sausages, meat, and goch'ujang paste for a hot and spicy taste, which Koreans like the most. To get the right taste of this dish, Spam sausage should be added.

How to eat: Eaten with a bowl of rice. Most Koreans mix rice with spoonfuls of stew.


Cheonggukjang-jjiggae (Fast Fermented Bean Paste Stew) Cheonggukjang-jjiggae
Fast fermented bean paste is created by boiling the new crop of soy bean in the autumn then storing in a warm place for several days. Salt, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper are added to the fermented beans, then the mixture is rolled into small balls.

Ch'eonggukjang-jjiggae is made from this paste by adding it to minced beef, shredded cabbage kimchi or sliced radishes, tofu, green onions, and garlic.

How to eat: Eaten with a bowl of rice. Most Koreans mix rice with spoonfuls of stew.


Doenjang-jjigae (Bean Paste Stew) Doenjang-jjigae
If Koreans were asked to nominate a national dish, they would probably name doenjang jjigae. It is eaten very frequently throughout the country. The key to the flavor lies in the quality of the bean paste. Bean paste is made early each Lunar year by soaking meju (bean paste blocks shaped like bricks) in brine for forty days and then draining off the soy sauce this produces. The residue is mashed into a yellow paste.

Other ingredients of doenjang jjigae can be tofu, clam meat, pork or beef, but some recipes are meatless. Seasonal vegetables such as zucchini, spinach, green peppers, and onions can also be added. Seasonings include garlic, anchovies, red pepper powder, and salt. A more exotic recipe, known as kungjung doenjang jjigae (royal soybean paste soup) calls for beef, mushrooms, tofu, and gingko nuts.

How to eat: Eaten with a bowl of rice. Most Koreans mix rice with spoonfuls of stew.

Galbi-jjim (Short Rib Stew) Galbi-jjim
Koreans are proud of their method for cooking spareribs which are often served at celebrations and can often be found as part of a higher priced meal in an upscale restaurant.

The ribs are cooked for an hour with pyogo mushrooms, carrots, ginkgo nuts, and jujubes in a sauce that contains soy sauce, green onions, garlic, sugar, pepper, sesame seeds, sesame oil, pear juice, ginger juice, and water. The mixture is served with vegetables and decorated with egg strips and pine nuts.

How to eat: Usually served as a side dish.

Gopchang-jeongol (Seasoned Entrails and Vegetable Stew) Gopchang-jeongol
This casserole dish is served as a main dish or as a side dish while drinking. Beef entrails are boiled until tender and seasoned with red pepper powder and oil or fat. Then they are cooked again in beef broth with vegetables in a wide, round pan at your table. Cooked noodles are added during the last minute of cooking.

How to eat: Eaten with a bowl of rice. Most Koreans mix rice with spoonfuls of stew.

Kimchi-jjiggae (Kimchi Stew) Kimchi-jjiggae
Along with doenjang-jjigae, this is one of the most common home dishes for common people. Baechu kimchi (cabbage kimchi) makes the best ingredient for this stew. Ripened sour kimchi is sliced and sauteed in salad oil. Then the sauteed kimchi, bean curd, other available vegetables, tteok (Korean rice cake), and noodles are mixed with pork, beef, or sea food (such as oysters) and cooked as a stew. The amount of water and hot pepper paste determine the level of taste and spiciness.

How to eat: Eaten with a bowl of rice. Most Koreans mix rice with spoonfuls of stew.

Nakji-jeongol (Octopus Stew) Nakji-jeongol
Seasoned octopus and vegetables are arranged in a pan casserole with beef broth and cooked at your table. Cooked noodles are added when the soup is boiling. Octopus is a favorite dish of Koreans.

How to eat: Eaten with a bowl of rice. Most Koreans mix rice with spoonfuls of stew.

Shinseollo (Fairy Casserole) Shinseollo
This time consuming specialty is not sold as an independent dish, but usually served as part of a fancy table d'hote dinner or on a buffet table. This Korean style chafing dish has a hole for burning chacoal underneath the bowl to keep the dish warm. Meat balls, fried egg slivers, fried fish fillets, mushrooms, fried liver, pre-cooked carrots, ginko nuts, walnuts, and pine nuts are arranged for a colorful dish. Clear beef broth is added to make a tasty stew.

How to eat: This dish is usually served as a side dish.


Sogogi-jeongol (Beef and Vegetable Stew) Sogogi-jeongol
Sliced beef, vegetables, and bean curd are arranged in a pan and cooked with beef broth at your table. Some recipes call for adding shrimp or clams to make the broth more tasty.

How to eat: Eaten with a bowl of rice. Most Koreans mix rice with spoonfuls of stew.

Sundubu-jjigae (Raw Bean Curd Stew) Sundubu-jjigae
This dish is made from boiled raw bean curd. other ingredients include cooked opened clams, clam water, chopped poke, chopped kimchi, sliced Welsh onion, and sauce in a small Korean traditional style pot.

To make the sauce, mix red pepper powder, chopped welsh onion, garlic, and ginger with soy sauce, and put them into a prepared hot pot with oil. Many times an egg can be placed on top of the stew. The taste can be somewhat spicy, but very tasty.

How to eat: Eaten with a bowl of rice. Most Koreans mix rice with spoonfuls of stew.

.....Losing Frequencies.....

Today, i've just finished my class(financial management)... but then i still didn't gain any knowledge in that class.... It's not that i'm Daydream but i just don't understands.... then.., i was like... LOST....!!! Lost in the middle of the ocean.... i've lost the frequency with my... Hmmm....(never mind).... Then..,suddenly my twins ask me whether i'm understand in Financial.... oh man...i just...FREEZE and not give a feedback...Then my twins said that i should focus, heard and take notes.... but i've already done that.....
fuhhh..... i guess that i wasn't good enough to defeat my twins at this level... Well... i can understand in Account but in Add math...., hahahha... save it...!! Then,luckily i've done my C.S Assignment and ms.Freda said that my Draft was okey... it just that i need to work on my Conclusions..... Tough day...!!!

North pole

North pole...,one of the place where The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets the Earth's surface. It should not be confused with the North Magnetic Pole.

The North Pole is the northernmost point on Earth, lying diametrically opposite the South Pole. It defines geodetic latitude 90° North, as well as the direction of True North. At the North Pole all directions point south; all lines of longitude converge there, so its longitude can be defined as any degree value.

Canada

Geography

Covering most of the northern part of the North American continent and with an area larger than that of the United States, Canada has an extremely varied topography. In the east, the mountainous maritime provinces have an irregular coastline on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic. The St. Lawrence plain, covering most of southern Quebec and Ontario, and the interior continental plain, covering southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan and most of Alberta, are the principal cultivable areas. They are separated by a forested plateau rising from Lakes Superior and Huron.

Westward toward the Pacific, most of British Columbia, the Yukon, and part of western Alberta are covered by parallel mountain ranges, including the Rockies. The Pacific border of the coast range is ragged with fjords and channels. The highest point in Canada is Mount Logan (19,850 ft; 6,050 m), which is in the Yukon. The two principal river systems are the Mackenzie and the St. Lawrence. The St. Lawrence, with its tributaries, is navigable for over 1,900 mi (3,058 km).

Timbuktu, Afrika

Timbuktu is widely used to describe a place extremely far away and regarded by many as a myth. In reality it's a city in Mali, West Africa, of such great historical importance that in 1988 it was designated a World Heritage Site.
Situated on the southernmost edge of the Sahara Desert, Timbuktu is about eight miles from the Niger River -- closer during the rainy season. It was founded in the twelfth century by Tuareg nomads. By the fourteenth century it had became a major center for the trans-Sahara gold and salt trade as well Islamic scholarship and culture, the Oxford University of the Sahara, despite the rise and fall of powerful dynasties around it.
When the emperor Mansa Musa undertook an extravagant pilgrimage with an entourage of thousands from Timbuktu to Mecca via Cairo in 1324, he transformed European and Arabian perceptions about West Africa. Stopping in Cairo to visit the sultan, Musa gave away so much gold that the Egyptian money market crashed.
Musa built the Great Mosque (Djinguereber) and commissioned the Granada architect Abu Ishaq asSahil to design the Sankore mosque. The Sankore University was established around the mosque. The Great Mosque has been rebuilt many times, but the Sankore mosque still stands, probably because it was built around a wooden framework which aids the repairs necessary after the annual rains.
By the 1450s, the population reached some 100,000, a quarter of these were scholars, many of whom had studied in Egypt or Mecca. The city reached its peak during the Askia period (1403-1591). Merchants from North Africa came to trade salt, cloth and horses for gold and slaves. Leo Africanus, a Muslim from Granada, left a account of his visit in 1526, which renewed European interest in the "city of gold".
In 1591 Morocco captured Timbuktu. In 1593 its scholars were arrested on suspicion of disloyalty, some were killed and others exiled to Morocco. Even more devastating was the inability of the Moroccan troops in control of the city to protect it from repeated attacks by the Bambara, Fulani, and Tuareg. Timbuktu was in decline.
European explorers were still attempting to reach Africa's 'city of gold' but none had survived. In 1788 a group of Englishmen formed the Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa, primarily to discover the source of the Niger and reach Timbuktu. The race was on.
Most famous of the failures was Mungo Park. Robbed, tortured by warlords, and finally drowned when his raft was attacked, he did at least get to the Niger, "glittering to the morning sun, as broad as the Thames at Westminster."
In 1824 the Geographical Society of Paris offered a considerable reward for the first European to visit Timbuktu and return to tell their tale. The Scottish explorer Gordon Laing is acknowledged as the first European to reach Timbuktu, in 1826. He'd survived a savage attack by Tuareg nomads on his journey from Tripoli to Timbuktu, but was murdered two days after leaving the city.

It was only in 1828 that the first European who lived to tell the tale reached Timbuktu. The French explorer, René-Auguste Caillié disguised himself as an Arab -- he had studied Islam and could speak Arabic. His journey from the coast of West Africa to Timbuktu took him a year (he was ill for five months) but he was so unimpressed he spent only two weeks in the city. His three volumes of his adventures were published in 1830 and received the Geographical Society of Paris' prize.

Other explorers, such as the German geographer Heinrich Barth who visited the city during his five-year trek across Africa, also found the city an anticlimax. A city of mud-walled buildings in the middle of a harsh desert, not a city of gold. (View some illustration from his book Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa.)

Timbuktu was captured by the French in 1894 who partly restored the city; in 1960 it became part of the independent Republic of Mali. Today Timbuktu is still on the "must-do" list of adventurous travellers, but few have any idea why such a desolate city should be. With the restoration efforts started in the late 1990s to reclaim some of Timbuktu's heritage from the sands of the Sahara, there is hope that this can change.

My twins....

Today i want to talk about my twins.Well.., as everyone who knows me,they will know that i have a twins...
well...i had a fight with my twins last time(well,actually it wasn't a big problem tough but to her it was big.... sometime i just don't understand her. She always scold me like i'm still kid (but the fact is i already enter the age of 18...)
But sometime... the word that she's saying is true...even sometime i do over react ... Hmmm.... maybe i just need to change myself before she CHANGE me....
i love my twins because she's the only one that i put my trust on... she always beside me... even though i'd had disappointing her... but she still treat me right...Ha ! i guess that's the use of twins and TWINS..... Hope that until we married we will be together forever like always.....

This life.... T-T

Woooaaahh..... okey this is kinda weird.... cause i'm making a confessions in my own blog.... well..,this morning i have a exam... it's mid-term exam and i scrude-up everything.... oh man... it not balance.... i've tried hard to get this right.. Hhhmmmm...... maybe this is not my day.... i think i'll keep trying till the very end....

Switzerland

in Switzerland..,at the northern end of the lake of Zurich stands the the city of zurich. Although the capital of Switzerland is Berne ,Zurich is the largest ,the finest, and, in a general way..the most important town in Switzerland. It stand on both banks of the Limmat River , at the point where the river flows out of the lake , extends along the way shores of the lake as well ....

circe

One of the characters of greek myths was a beautiful but wicked sorceress,or whitch,called Circe. with her wand and magic drugs she changed men into wolves, lions,pigs, or other animals.the most famous story about her tells how she changed the followers of Odyseuss, or Ulysses, into swine.

Travel through food

FOOD. everybody love food.food is the thing that we ate for our daily life and human being can't live without it. well, in every country in this world.., there are many different kind of food that we can get. but in different way of taste, color and its texture. if you go to the Asian country , you can get the spicy food especially in India because they've used many hot chili paper in their daily delicacies.Another interesting way to explore a culture while traveling is to try that country's foreign food. So, for example, try the Mexican food in Southeast Asia, the pizza in Ireland, the paella and tapas in Scandinavia. Seeing the way that the culture views other countries' foods and adapts it to the country's own tastes can be a very interesting experience. And even if you don't like it, it'll give you a great conversation topic next time you're eating Mexican food back home. if you want to try a healthy and fresh food, why don't you try Kimchi. that is a traditional food where the Koreans usually eat for their meals.

source: http://culinarytravel.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_experience_a_new_place_through_food#ixzz0UXmEhFVf

Piano....

The piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performance, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal. Although not portable and often expensive, the piano's versatility and ubiquity have made it one of the most familiar musical instruments.

Pressing a key on the piano's keyboard causes a felt covered hammer to strike steel strings. The hammers rebound, allowing the strings to continue vibrating at their resonant frequency. These vibrations are transmitted through a bridge to a sounding board that couples the acoustic energy to the air so that it can be heard as sound. When the key is released, a damper stops the string's vibration. Pianos are sometimes classified as both percussion and stringed instruments. According to the Hornbostel-Sachs method of music classification, they are grouped with chordophones.

The word piano is a shortened form of the word pianoforte, which is seldom used except in formal language and derived from the original Italian name for the instrument, clavicembalo [or gravicembalo] col piano e forte (literally harpsichord with soft and loud). This refers to the instrument's responsiveness to keyboard touch, which allows the pianist to produce notes at different dynamic levels by controlling the speed with which the hammers hit the strings.

Music instrument...

A musical instrument is an object constructed or used for the purpose of making the sounds of music. In principle, anything that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the beginnings of human culture. The academic study of musical instruments is called organology.

The date and origin of the first device considered to be a musical instrument is the subject of modern debate. Archaeologists tend to debate the matter in terms of the validity of various physical evidence such as artifacts and cultural works. An artifact of disputed status as a musical instrument dates back as far as 67,000 years old; artifacts commonly accepted to be early flutes date back as far as about 37,000 years old. However, most historians believe determining a specific time of musical instrument invention to be impossible due to the subjectivity of the definition.

Musical instruments developed independently in many populated regions of the world. However, contact among civilizations resulted in the rapid spread and adaptation of most instruments in places far from their origin. By the Middle Ages, instruments from Mesopotamia could be found in the Malay Archipelago and Europeans were playing instruments from North Africa. Development in the Americas occurred at a slower pace, but cultures of North, Central, and South America shared musical instruments.

Travel through Fashion

Travel through fashion history with Christian Lacroix in Paris Musée des Arts Décoratifs

March 17, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Christian Lacroix celebrates the twentieth birthday of his fashion design house in a fascinating exhibition at Paris Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which is located in a west wing of the Louvre. Of course, it’s mostly a girl and lady thing, but everyone interested in fashion and design would enjoy it.

The title – fashion stories, or fashion histories as well – is quite accurate, for on two levels we have a large selection of “Haute Couture” pieces by Christian Lacroix throughout this last twenty years, shown with many samples of ancient or modern clothes which have inspired him.

On the ground floor, you can sit and watch a video of Christian Lacroix last fashion show.

The exhibition starts with white :

This 1990 white embroidered dress is shown in front of white dresses of the past, and is a tribute to the very talented Callot sisters who managed one of the leading fashion design houses during the 1920s.

And facing white, color :

This long rose evening coat of the 2004/2005 collection goes with a 1870/1875 bronze green dress.

This 1995 purple dress is shown next to a 2006/2007 black one with the emblematic Lacroix heart on the chest.

Then come dots :

A mixed spring dress with a 1900 blouse, a 1989 Lacroix skirt, and a 1865 hat.

This 1999 spotted dress faces a 1939 suit by the great Elsa Schiaparelli, and between these is hanged a 1969 dress by Guy Laroche.

about Poland

The north of Poland, stretching to the Baltic Sea, consists almost entirely of lowlands, while the Carpathian Mountains (including the Tatra range) form the southern border. The Masuria region forms the largest and most-visited lake district in Poland.

The Polish state is over 1 000 years old. In the 16th century Poland was one of the most powerful countries in Europe. With victory at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, King Jan III Sobieski of Poland was able to break the Ottoman siege of Vienna and end the threat of a possible occupation of western Europe

Poland is rich in natural mineral resources, including iron, zinc, copper and rock salt. The Wieliczka salt mine, constructed in the 13th century, contains an entire town below ground with a sanatorium, theatre, church and café! Everything from stairs to chandeliers is made from salt.

Poland’s current constitution dates from 1997. The President is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The 460 members of the lower house of parliament (the Sejm) and the 100 members of the senate, are directly elected by a system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms.

Poland’s traditional dishes include beetroot soup, cabbage rolls (cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice) and pierogi (dumplings stuffed with cabbage and mushrooms, for example).

Famous Poles include the astronomer Copernicus, the composer Chopin, the scientist Maria Curie-Sklodowska, film-makers Roman Polanski and Krzysztof Kieslowski, and the late Pope, John-Paul II.

SAHARA DESSERT

Sahara Arabic: sahrā'

The Sahara, with a size of 8.6 million km², is the world's largest desert, covering large parts of North Africa. Around 4 million people live here.Its maximum length is 4,800 km, running from west to east, and up to 1,200 km from north to south. Sahara covers most of Mauritania, Western Sahara, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger and Mali, and touches Morocco and Tunisia.To the north, Sahara is bordered by the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea; in the west by the Atlantic Ocean; in the south, the desert zone reaches 16º northern latitude; in the east it is bordered by the Nile. Still the desert continues to the east of the river until it reaches the Red Sea, but this is not considered a part of the Sahara.Sahara is very dry but there is an annual rainfall in most regions, although just a few dozens of millimetre.Sahara has a subtropical climate in its northern parts, and a tropical one in the south. Winters in the north are cold to cool; in the south, mild. Summers are hot all over the desert. The highest temperature every recorded is 58ºC in Aziziyah, Libya. There is very little rain in the northern parts, virtually nothing in the east, although more in the south. Most rain falls throughout the summer, followed by some scarce winter rain.About a quarter of Sahara consists of mountains. The highest peak reaches 3415, being Emi Koussi in Chad. Some mountain peaks may even have snow in the winter. The main mountain ranges are Hoggar in Algeria; Aïr/Azbine in Niger; and Tibesti in Chad. The Sahara's lowest point lies in the Qattara Depression in Egypt, at about 130 metres below sea level.Sand sheets and dunes represent about 25% of the Sahara; the other parts are mountains, stoney steppes and oases. Pyramidal dunes can be as high as 150 metres, while mountainous sand ridges as high as 350 metres.There are several rivers running through the Sahara, of which the Nile River and Niger River are the only permanent ones. The rest being seasonal, involves that most of the time, there is only a dry river bed, which may carry water for brief periods following uncommon rainfalls. There may be years in between this happening.Metallic minerals are very important to most Saharan countries. Algeria and Mauritania have several major deposits of iron ore, while smaller deposits are found in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Western Sahara and Niger. Copper is found in Mauritania and manganese in Algeria. Small deposits of uranium are widely distributed in the Sahara, while Niger has the largest deposits. Phosphates are found in great quantities in Morocco and Western Sahara, and are already well-exploited. Algeria's phosphate production is smaller, but large enough for exports. Oil is mainly found in Algeria, and is of great importance to the economy of the entire country. While the mineral exploitation has led to economic growth in Sahara, this has rarely helped the indigenous population, as skilled workers have been brought in to the different fields.Of the Sahara's around 4 million people, most live in Mauritania, Western Sahara, Algeria, Libya and Egypt. Dominant groups of people are Sahrawis, Tuareg and Negroids. The largest city is Nouakchott, Mauritania's capital. Other important cities are Tamanrasset in Algeria, and Sebha and Ghat in Libya.Only 200,000 km² of Sahara are fertile oases, where dates, corn and fruits are grown. The few fertile regions today are fed by underground rivers and underground basins. Many of Sahara's oases rests in depressions (areas under sea level) allowing water to surface from underground reservoirs; artesian wells.The soil in Sahara is low in organic matter, and often biologically inactive. The soil in depressions is often saline. Animal life is limited to gazelles, antelopes, jackals, foxes, badgers and hyena.Other sorts of vegetation include scattered concentrations of grasses, shrubs and trees in the highlands, as well as in the oases and along river beds. Some plants are well adjusted to the climate, allowing them to germinate within 3 days of rain and sow their seeds within 2 weeks after that.Animal life of Sahara include gerbil, jerboa, cape hare and desert hedgehog, barbary sheep, oryx, gazelle, deer, wild ass, baboon, hyena, jackal, sand fox, weasel and mongoose. The bird life counts more than 300 species

History5 million years ago: Climatic changes turn the region of Sahara into a desert.

Around 5000 BCE: Climatic changes, with more rainfall over the Saharan region.

Domesticated livestock appears in Sahara, leading to nomadic pastoralism.

Around 4000 BCE: First traces of agriculture.

Around 0 CE: The climate of Sahara returns mainly to desert, rather similar to modern conditions.

3rd century: Camels are introduced in Sahara, taking the place of horses. This allows a great increase in trade, but also banditry.

7th century: Islam is introduced to Sahara, but the conversion process would take almost 4 centuries, involving sometimes mild missionary activities and sometimes brutal oppression.

16th century: Climatic changes involve increased precipitation.

18th century: This is a period of gradual decline in the precipitation, involving a process in which many regions become uninhabitable, leading up to the climatic and demographic conditions of modern times.

1922: Storms and floods destroy Tamanrasset in Algeria

thailand floating market

Thailand's floating markets are among the most-photographed destinations in the country. The river and 'klong' markets give a realistic glance of how daily life must have been in earlier times. The floating markets are where the sellers, their boats laden with a wide variety of tropical fruits, flowers, vegetables and fresh produce, come to meet and barter their products with other traders. These days, modern supermarkets and department stores have largely replaced the traditional floating markets, but a few still survive.
The most popular floating market, one of the must-see one-day trips from Bangkok, is at Ratchaburi, about 101 km to the west of Bangkok. The Ratchaburi market is the largest of its kind, attracting a large number of tourists each day. The lively and colorful images of boat vendors trading their agricultural products is one of the most fascinating and endearing images of Thailand.
There are also some interesting floating markets in Bangkok itself. The Taling Chan floating market is a weekend market in front of Taling Chan district office. Another one is the Wat Sai market in Bangkok's Thonburi area.
Efforts are being made to revive the old markets and reorganize them to support tourism. One example is the Wat Lam Phaya floating market in Nakhon Pathom, which was recently recreated and is now being promoted.
The best way to fully appreciate a floating market is to hire a long-tailed boat for the day. A tour along the klongs also gives you an appreciation of Thai homes and gardens. Don't forget to get up real early for a trip to see the markets. Usually they kick off at dawn, and most traders have already gone back home by late morning

Rome,Italy

From founding to Empire

Capitoline Wolf suckles the infant twins Romulus and Remus.
Rome's early history is shrouded in legend. According to Roman tradition, the city was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus on 21 April 753 BC.[6] Archaeological evidence supports the view that Rome grew from pastoral settlements on the Palatine Hill built in the area of the future Roman Forum. While some archaeologists argue that Rome was indeed founded in the middle of the 8th century BC, the date is subject to controversy.[7] The original settlement developed into the capital of the Roman Kingdom (ruled by a succession of seven kings, according to tradition), and then the Roman Republic (from 510 BC, governed by the Senate), and finally the Roman Empire (from 27 BC, ruled by an Emperor). This success depended on military conquest, commercial predominance, as well as selective assimilation of neighbouring civilisations, most notably the Etruscans and Greeks. From its foundation Rome, although losing occasional battles, had been undefeated in war until 386 BC, when it was briefly occupied by the Gauls.[8] According to the legend, the Gauls offered to deliver Rome back to its people for a thousand pounds of gold, but the Romans refused, preferring to take back their city by force of arms rather than ever admitting defeat, after which the Romans recovered the city in the same year.
Roman dominance expanded over most of Europe and the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, while its population surpassed one million inhabitants.[9] For almost a thousand years, Rome was the most politically important, richest, and largest city in the Western world. After the Empire started to decline and was split, it lost its capital status to Milan and then to Ravenna, and was surpassed in prestige by the Eastern capital Constantinople.
Fall of the Empire and Middle Ages

Fifteenth-century miniature depicting the Sack of Rome of 410.
With the reign of Constantine I, the Bishop of Rome gained political as well as religious importance, eventually becoming known as the Pope and establishing Rome as the centre of the Catholic Church. After the Sack of Rome in 410 AD by Alaric I and the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, Rome alternated between Byzantine and Germanic control. Its population declined to a mere 20,000 during the Early Middle Ages, reducing the sprawling city to groups of inhabited buildings interspersed among large areas of ruins and vegetation. Rome remained nominally part of the Byzantine Empire until 751 AD, when the Lombards finally abolished the Exarchate of Ravenna. In 756, Pepin the Short gave the Pope temporal jurisdiction over Rome and surrounding areas, thus creating the Papal States. In 846, Muslim Arabs invaded Rome and looted St. Peter's Basilica.[10]
Rome remained the capital of the Papal States until its annexation by the Kingdom of Italy in 1870; the city became a major pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages and the focus of struggles between the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire starting with Charlemagne, who was crowned its first emperor in Rome in 800 by Pope Leo III. Apart from brief periods as an independent city during the Middle Ages, Rome kept its status as Papal capital and "holy city" for centuries, even when the Papacy briefly relocated to Avignon (1309–1377).
Renaissance Rome
The latter half of the 15th century saw the seat of the Italian Renaissance move to Rome from Florence. The Papacy wanted to equal and surpass the grandeur of other Italian cities and to this end created ever more extravagant churches, bridges, and public spaces, including a new Saint Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, Ponte Sisto (the first bridge to be built across the Tiber since antiquity), and Piazza Navona. The Popes were also patrons of the arts engaging such artists as Michelangelo, Perugino, Raphael, Ghirlandaio, Luca Signorelli, Botticelli, and Cosimo Rosselli.
The period was also infamous for papal corruption, with many Popes fathering children, and engaging in nepotism and simony. The corruption of the Popes and the extravagance of their building projects led, in part, to the Reformation and, in turn, the Counter-Reformation.
Towards the reunification of Italy

Giuseppe Garibaldi defends the Roman Republic in 1849.
Italy became caught up in the nationalistic turmoil of the 19th century and twice gained and lost a short-lived independence. Rome became the focus of hopes of Italian reunification when the rest of Italy was reunited under the Kingdom of Italy with a temporary capital at Florence. In 1861, Rome was declared the capital of Italy even though it was still under the control of the Pope. During the 1860s, the last vestiges of the Papal States were under French protection. And it was only when this was lifted in 1870, owing to the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, that Italian troops were able to capture Rome.

New Zealand is one of the most recently settled major landmasses. The first settlers were Eastern Polynesians who went to New Zealand, probably in a series of migrations, sometime between around 700 and 2000 years agoOver the following centuries these settlers developed into a distinct culture now known as Māori. The population was divided into Iwi (tribes) and hapū (subtribes) which would cooperate, compete and sometimes fight with each other. At some point a group of Māori migrated to the Chatham Islands where they developed their own distinct Moriori cultureBecoming aware of the lawless nature of European settlement and increasing interest in the territory by the French, the British government sent William Hobson to New Zealand to claim sovereignty and negotiate a treaty with Māori.The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in the bay island on 6 February 1840. The drafting was done hastily and confusion and disagreement continues to surround the translation. The Treaty is however remains regarded as New Zealand's foundation as a nation and is revered by Māori as a guarantee of their rights.

about korea

Korea, "Land of the Morning Calm," is a land of opposites existing in conjunction with each other. It combines ancient Oriental tradition with modern technology. In downtown Seoul, one can find traces of its 5,000 year history in its palaces, city gates, and temples, yet the country is also a rapidly developing nation in terms of industry, trade, and commerce.

Calendar & Holidays | Clothes | Education | Flag | Food and Drink | Geography | History Housing | Language | Money & Economy | People | Religion | Weather

Calendar As in many Asian countries, Korea uses both the solar and lunar calendars, and celebrates holidays based on both. The country uses one time zone and is 9 hours ahead of GMT, the same as Japan. Most Koreans work Monday through Friday and then a half day on Saturday mornings. Usual business hours are 9:00-6:00 during the week and 9:00-1:00 on Saturday. During national holidays, government offices and most businesses are closed, although many private store keepers and large department stores may remain open. The major exceptions occur during the 3-day holidays for the Lunar New Year (Seol-nal) and Harvest Moon Festival (Chuseok) when just about everything shuts down except public transportation. (See the Events Calendar section for upcoming holidays and events.)

Clothes Although most people prefer Western clothes like suits and jeans, the national costume, hanbok, is worn by many during national holidays. Traditionally, people wore white clothes, reserving colors for the upper class or during festive occassions. Rubber shoes and sandals have been replaced by designer shoes and sneakers; however, even these are removed when entering a house or other area where shoes are not permitted. The Cultural Spotlight area has an in-depth section on Traditional Clothing.

Education In Korean culture, education is the key to success in life. The school one graduates from can determine whether one will be a success or failure. To many Korean parents, the education of their children outweighs all other considerations, and they will make tremendous sacrifices to let their children get the best education possible. The Korean education system consists of six years of primary school, three years of middle school, then three years of high school. Those who pass the national exam go on to 4-year colleges or universities. Others go to 2-year junior colleges, while the rest enter the work force. Until recently, most middle and high schools were segregated by sex. However, because of complaints about differences in education levels between the boys and girls schools and socialization problems later in life, most schools have gone co-ed.

about sabah

A bit of GEOGRAPHY.

Situated on the northeast side of the island of Borneo, Sabah is smaller than its sister state, Sarawak. The southern part of the island, called Kalimantan, belongs to Indonesia. The state capital is Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton. Sabah is generally mountainous, with the Crocker range of central mountains varying in height from about 1,000 meters to 3,000 meters, which at its peak of Mount Kinabalu rises up to 4095 meters, and with several lower ranges of hills near the coasts.

Things to do and Getting Around.

For those interested in tropical rainforest with diverse flora and fauna, stunning islands and beaches, superb scuba diving with rare and abundant macro and pelagic life, Sabah has much to offer.

On the doorstep of Kota Kinabalu City lies the 49sq km National Park commonly known as TARP. Five beautiful tropical islands make up the land mass. Surrounding waters are a magnet for nature and marine lovers.

This is where our PADI 5 Star Dive, Snorkel & Adventure Center is cased.

The wildlife of the Lower Kinabatangan River is acknowledged by experts to be the most varied and easily accessible in all of Southeast Asia.

The Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre, near Sandakan was established to return orphaned apes back to the wild and is well worth a visit.

Gomantong Caves, made famous by the edible bird nests of Swiftlets living in the limestone cave system on the North East side of Borneo have made this area incredibly valuable and world famous.

Please peruse our sidebar links for a more detailed look at some of the highlights that have interested us.

Independent travel is fairly straightforward and very safe. People are very helpful and don't be put off by stories of Headhunters and Pirates.

The long distant buses, which are very comfortable air conditioned coaches run frequently from KK to Tawau via Sandakan and stop at all major towns where you can get smaller minibuses to take you further. The buses and coaches usually run when full so timetables are generally only a rough guide but if you wait at a main road, one will soon pass by.

If your journey begins in any major city then bus schedule are more reliable and you can pre-book your seat.

Flights are also quite cheap, the Malaysia Airlines System MAS and Airasia have daily flights from KK to Tawau and Sandakan.

Please feel free to drop us a line and we'll endeavor to help with your travel plans or at least put you in touch with someone who can !

Please peruse our Travel Packages - you might find exactly what you're looking for - if not then we offer be-spoke travel itineraries.

A bit of HISTORY

Sabah is Malaysia's northernmost state and together with Sarawak makes up Malaysian Borneo. Known mostly for its two Mountains; Mt Kinabalu and the underwater mountain of Sipadan it still remains something of a frontier.

Before its independence in 1963 the British North Borneo Company administered the country as a protectorate of the British Empire. For centuries prior to this there were many bloody disputes over the countries riches drawing raiders and traders from afar and with the Philippines and Indonesia claiming parts of the territory as their own.

Fortunately nowadays over 30 different ethnic groups live here in harmony while at the same time preserving their own culture, traditions, festivals and custom.

The PEOPLE.

The three million people of Sabah are as diverse as the ecology. There are three main groups of indigenous people. The largest group is the Kadazandusun, making up one third of the population. They live mainly on the West Coast to the interior and were formerly the main rice producers. They have souls and spirits that must be appeased from time to time through specific rituals. In these modern times, some of the rituals are less performed accept during certain festivities.

Along with the Suluk, Irranun, Binadan and Obian people, the Bajau landed on Sabah's shores around 200 years ago. Once regarded as sea gypsies because of their seafaring ways in the past, many have settled down to a more sedentary life of rice farming and cattle breeding. Their riding skills on ponies have earned these Bajau the nickname "Cowboys of the East" and their colourful costumes (as well as those of their ponies) are greatly admired.

The Murut (meaning hill people) inhabit the interior and southeastern parts of Sabah and the territory straddling the Kalimantan and Sarawak borders. Many still occupy the traditional Longhouses. Once feared as fearless headhunters the Murut these days have abandoned much of their age-old traditions especially headhunting. They are also very skilled in hunting with blowpipe.

The Chinese, who migrated in great numbers to Sabah during the early years of the North Borneo Chartered Company era, make up a large portion of the non-indigenous people. Living mostly in and around city areas, they engaged themselves primarily in the commercial sectors of the economy. Unofficially, Sabah is also home to an estimated 700,000 strong Filipino population due to lax immigration controls and poor policing of the Malaysia-Philippines national border

Resulting from this multicultural society is a year full of festivals and colourful ceremonies.