I wrote yesterday how last week’s day trip to Wellington gave me the opportunity to check out The Beehive, #3 on VirtualTourist.com’s list of World’s Ugliest Buildings.
But the real reason for I was in Wellington was to check out the Kuru Pounamu: The Treasured Stone exhibition over at The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa [...]img src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PerceptiveTravelBlog/~4/tN8WGdm5xNE” height=”1″ width=”1″/
Archive for November, 2009
Dhaka, Bangladesh>, Nov 30, 2009
Today we had a day a wonderful quiet day that was badly needed. To get away from the hectic hussle-bussle was so relaxing for us.
We went on a river boat tour that lasted about 6 hours. The vans picked us up in the morning - us being Ann and I and Kathy and a group of other teachers - some with their children. The boat was very nice - clean and had nice seating around the deck with a clean bathroom below and also a place where the children played most of the time.
We stopped three times - the first time to go to see an 18th century old mansion estate that is now being used as a school (higher education - but not sure what). To look at the building you would see a delapidated huge building with a grassy lawn that went to the river. To us it looked as if it should be condemed and infact the upper floors were.
The second stop was in a village that had a sari “factory”. The “factory” consisted of a room about 16ft by 40 ft where there were areas for about 8 people to sit and hand weave the fabrics. After that they they showed us the finished products and it was a free for all with everyone trying to decide what colour they liked best. A cotton/silk mix scarf ended up costing us about 7 dollars. It was amazing to see.
The third stop was because the children and one of the adults wanted to swim in the river. They had a great time jumping off the boat and into the water. As soon as we stopped the boat children from everywhere came running to see us. They would have liked to swim with the foreign kids but the tour leader told them to stay put on the river bank. Even a few of the women came - one old woman with a river hyacynth flower that she eventually threw onto the boat.
All along the way we say people going about their daily lives. Washing themselves in the river, tending to a couple of goats - today was a religous holiday so the childern were not in school.
Hong Kong, Hong Kong>, Nov 30, 2009
With a family holiday long overdue I was surfing the breadth and width of the internet for offers. My kids and wife were keen on going to Hong Kong as they love their shopping and they had their minds set on Hong Kong. This made my life much easier but I still had to find a nice hotel to stay. It was on one of these long arduous searches that I came across the Cosmopolitan hotel. What caught my attention immediately was the star rating and the price.
I went a head and booked the hotel as it suited my budget perfectly but with a slight hesitation thinking of what to expect. When I arrived at the hotel all my doubts were soon dispelled as the hotel just seemed like such good value for money. Every thing about it was just as they had described on the site. It was modern and warmly and more than anything the staff was extremely friendly.
The only thing I could maybe falter about the hotel if I really had to would be the room sizes but I guess this is the case with most modern hotels in large metropolises. All in all my family thoroughly enjoyed the trip and their stay at the hotel. My wife was ever so grateful to the staff as they had given her some tips on where to shop as well as where to get the best bargains. The hotel shuttle service was an added bonus and again it’s just simply amazing what this hotel offers for the price you pay.
VnnNews – Gold and petroleum companies have gained the upper hand, while securities companies have fallen grades, according to VNR 500.
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Gold, silver and gemstone companies have never before gained such an impressive improvement on the VNR 500. These businesses nearly doubled in number and jumped in grades, many making the top 50. Gold companies can be seen on the list as among the 10 biggest private businesses in Vietnam.
The Saigon Jewelry Company (SJC) is a typical example. The company has made a major leap from the 11th grade in 2008 to the sixth in 2009. The rise of gold companies shows that gold trading is now a profitable business.
Meanwhile, key industries still keep leading roles, especially petroleum, finance and banking, steel, telecommunication and seafood. Though petroleum companies always complain about loss and difficulties, they still dominate the list, accounting for 30 percent of the top 10 Vietnamese businesses.
Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) tops the VNR 500 ranking, while the Vietnam National Petroleum Corporation (Petrolimex) lands in second. PV Oil, also a member of the “petroleum family,” ranks eighth.
The finance and banking sector has maintained a stable position, with the majority listed in the top 100.
Commercial banks have one representative, Agribank, in VNR 500’s top 10 list and three more on the list of the top 10 private businesses: Asia Commercial bank, Sacombank and Techcombank.
Private sector marching forward
Two business fields considered “hot” in 2008 have not been ranked as highly for 2009. None have been listed in the top 10 of Vietnam’s biggest enterprises or biggest private enterprises. Other business fields have maintained their ranking in 2009.
Only 10 percent of businesses on 2008’s VNR 500 have been weeded out in 2009, proving the stability of Vietnam’s market.
The 2009 list also reveals the considerable progress of private businesses. More private enterprises from more fields have added their names. Their “occupancy” rate on the VNR 500 increased from 24 percent in 2008 to 30 percent in 2009.
The jump in grades made by private businesses is also significant, demonstrating the ability of businesses to survive the economic downturn.
The list of Vietnamese top 10 businesses, now available on www.vnr500.com.vn:
- Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam)
- Vietnam Petroleum Corporation (Petrolimex)
- Electricity of Vietnam (EVN)
- Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin)
- Vietnam Post and Telecommunication Group (VNPT)
- Saigon Jewelry Company (SJC)
- Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank)
- PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil)
- Military Telecom Corporation (Viettel)
- Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin)
Dam Anh
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The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is seeking ways to calculate forest-preserving charges for power and water users in the country to contribute money.
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Under the policy, visitors and water and power users in the localities pay for forest rangers via water companies, hydropower plants and travel agents operating at special-use forests. The fees are VND40 for each cubic meter of water and VND20 for a kilowatt of electricity.
Customers of Dai Ninh, Da Nhim and Hoa Binh power plants in Hoa Binh Province and hydropower plants in Son La Province also pay for rangers of watershed forests. Visitors have the fees included in tourism products.
Vietnam is the first nation in Southeast Asia to carry out such a program to pay for forest protection services and plans to expand it. The ministry will set aside 10% of the fees collected for the forest protection and development fund, 10% for management and 80% for forest rangers.
Results of the Da Nhim River Valley preservation project suggest that water regulation and forest soil protection costs are VND240,000 and VND880,000 for each hectare of forest per year. The costs are equivalent to environment protection charges of VND11 for a cubic meter of water and VND32 per kilowatt.
Rames Peter, director of the Dong Nai River Valley preservation project, said each hectare of upstream protective forest could help Da Nhim Hydropower Plant earn nearly US$70 per year. Meanwhile, five hydropower plants along the Sap Spring in Son La Province can earn VND3 billion per month each thanks to 14,000 hectares of protective forest but just VND15.7 billion per year if the forest is chopped down.
Vuong Van Quynh from the Vietnam Forestry University suggested charging 50% and 70% of power and water costs, or 6.6% and 3.3% of electric and water prices respectively. The way is suitable as we will not have to calculate again due to price hikes, he told a seminar on environment charges in Hanoi on Tuesday.
Son La Province expects to reach VND400-800 billion from the charges within a few years, increasing by four to eight times from the current level.
VietNamNet/SGT
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Photographer Tran Viet Van portrays the life of Vietnamese military commanders through his recently opened solo exhibition entitled Generals in Peacetime.
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Old soldiers never die, they just fade away: General Vo Nguyen Giap in a contemplative moment, captured by Tran Viet Van. |
The idea of taking photos of the generals in the peacetime came to Van when he photographed General Giap in May to illustrate an article for Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper where Van works.
Huy says he’s always moved when seeing his photos of the daily life of military men when exhibited.
“I and other commanders now in their 70s, living an ordinary life like other people,” he says, “we feel proud that Van has shown an interested in us.”
“When the country was at risk, we volunteered to join the army. Now, although the country is at peace, we still follow the current situation and are devoted to the country’s defence.”
Before visiting the exhibition, Nguyen Thu Thao wondered how Van would express the theme of veterans during a period of peace.
“His talent completely has won my heart,” Thao says, “Van captures the simple lives of the generals but still express their character as heroes.”
Although many visitors agree that the photos portray modest pictures of the commanders to people, it’s not the exhibition’s purpose, said Van.
“The generals themselves live closely to their community,” he says, “I display their photos to respect their devotion and sacrifices.”
Van says he learned many moral lessons from the retired generals.
The commanders want a peaceful life. For them, moments with their families are the most precious thing. They are well aware, none better than them, of the price of peace.
Comradeship is a holy and noble sentiment. Van captured moving moments when the generals meet their old comrades.
The photo that brings Van most satisfaction is the moment after General Giap met his comrades. When the guests left, Giap looked thoughtful. The red glow of the setting sun created an emotional space. The general’s face, hands and position was almost Zen-like.
The exhibition is the first part of a project over many years of Van’s life. The second part will bring photos of generals from different parts of the armed forces in different regions of the country.
Beside photos, Van also displays stories and conversations with the commanders. The text and photos will be published when the project wraps up.
The exhibition will run until today at Exhibition House, 29 Hang Bai Street, Ha Noi.
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News
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Xi’an, China>, Nov 30, 2009
i think most of you must have some ideas about the Terracotta Warriors of China by the film “Mummy 3″. Sure, it is worth your visit to see how those warriors had been guiding their emperor for thousands of years!!! Please, you can see each other face to face!!
A terracotta army guarding , the tomb of Qin Shihuang, which lures travelers from all over the world. In a quest for immortality and eternal power, China’s first emperor chose to have himself buried with some 8,000 life-size, intricately carved soldiers, horses, and chariots. Discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, the terracotta army then wore painted uniforms, but exposure to the air and sun has turned them black.
Terracotta Warriors and Horses - Ranking as one of China’s and the world’s top historical sights, it houses around 8,000 life-size pottery warriors and horses and chariots, ready to defend their emperor’s immortal soul.The Terracotta Warriors are not to be missed by any visitor to China. The warriors stand guard in battle formation over Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum which has yet to be excavated. Their discovery in 1974 by local farmers was perhaps the most significant archeological discovery of the 20th Century. Work is ongoing at this 22,000 square meter site, which houses around 8,000 life-size pottery warriors and horses. The 2000 year old site has fast become the main attraction in Lintong County, Shaanxi province.
Every figure differs from those around in facial features and expression, clothing, hairstyle, and gestures. The horsemen, the longbow bearers, the archers and the senior officers and generals were positioned in strict accordance with the ancient directives on the Art of War. Many of the figures originally held real weapons of the time, such as bronze swords, longbows, arrows, spears, dagger-axes and other long-shafted weapons. Surface treatment of the weapons made them resistant to rust and corrosion so that after being buried for over 2000 years they were still sharp.
Standing in the vaults, you would be amazed by such a grand ancient army formation, which would transport you back to the ancient warring states period. The tomb is a treasury for the Chinese people, and for the whole world as well.
Do I need to buy travel insurance when I travel? Why must I be insured when I go for my annual year-end vacation? Is travel insurance necessary? Why do I need to have travel insurance since I am already covered by other types of insurance? Travel insurance is important because this insurance will cover your medical expenses and financial losses that arise from losses incurred from money invested in non-refundable pre-payments while traveling. Travel insurance provides coverage for different types of travelers which may include adventure travel, business travel, cruise travel, international travel, leisure travel and student travel.What are the main areas usually covered by travel insurance? When you have travel insurance, you will be insured against frequent risks arising from your travel which include medical expenditures, emergency evacuation or repatriation, trip interruption or trip cancellation and accidental death or injury. Having a good travel insurance will also give us peace of mind should anything undesirable happened to us in a foreign place. Travel insurance also covers risks such as overseas funeral expenses, curtailment, delayed departure and the loss, theft and damage to personal belongings and money. You will also be reimbursed for costs that incurred from delayed baggage, legal assistance, personal liability and rental car damage excess. There are specific insurance to cover for each of these incidents.
We tend to fall sick easily when we are at a foreign country. This could be due to the different climate or due to the type of food we eat. Lacking of sleep and rest when we are too busy sightseeing may also make our body weak and increase the chances of us falling ill. So, getting a travel insurance to reimburse our medical bills would seem to be a great idea. We must always have medical expenses coverage in our travel insurance policies. Please bear in mind that our standard local health insurance will only pay for claims for medical care in our country of residence and not in a foreign country. Even the medical expenses borne by the government will not extend to medical costs incurred overseas. Countries such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom that have universal healthcare may have reciprocal agreements with other countries with parallel health care systems but the subsidized medical care given to tourists may not be up to the normal standards that you are so used to in your own country of residence. You will have to bear all the medical costs by yourself during your overseas trip unless you are covered by a reciprocal arrangement or if your regular health insurance covers international medical charges. Medical care in foreign countries tends to be very expensive. For overseas travelers, make sure you have medical coverage through a travel insurance policy that will completely pay you back all the medical expenses you incurred while you are traveling.
What are the important things to look for when checking out a travel insurance policy’s medical coverage? What are the important areas of medical coverage in the policy of a travel insurance? You must know the precise details of medical care that you will be able to claim from this travel insurance. If you are going to a country with a tiered healthcare system that has both public and private hospitals, does your travel insurance allowed you to go to a private hospital? Some good travel insurer may offer 24-hour contact with emergency advice and does your travel insurance provide you with similar service? Why is it important to have a 24-hour emergency hotline when you are traveling? These emergency hotlines will allow the insurer to assess your situation and will provide you with important medical care advice immediately since insurer will most probably have local medical knowledge that you will not have. Another essential part of a travel insurance policy’s medical coverage that you must know is whether the travel insurance will cover for any medical expenses incurred due to dangerous sports or dangerous activities such as alpine skiing or scuba diving. Some travel insurance may not cover you for accidents that resulted from you in taking part in these adventure sports. Some polices may require you to take some formal training before you can be insured. All is not loss if you cannot find a general travel insurance to cover you for these dangerous activities as you can always have the option to take out a second insurance policy from an insurer that specializes only in these adventure sports. These types of travel accident insurance are likely to be more expensive. It is nowadays common to have multiple travel insurance policies. This is definitely the time why travel insurance is necessary.
Most people think that travel insurance will also pay for the medical bills for illnesses that only become apparent upon your return from your holidays but this is actually not the case. International travel insurance policies will not reimburse you for medical expenses incurred in your home country even though the costs are due to an injury that happened to you when you were vacationing in a foreign country. Medical costs incurred in your country of residence are likely to be covered by your normal local healthcare insurance policies. Even though we need travel insurance when we go overseas, you have to find out what your insurance policies say about dental expenses. Most travel insurance policies may provide substantial amounts for general medical costs but when it comes to dental expenses, the amount insured may be very little. Although getting the correct travel insurance policies that suit your needs is very important, checking out other travelers reviews on travel insurance is equally crucial. The various online insurance reviews will enable us to compare the different travel insurance plans and travel insurance rates. We need to check the prices of travel insurance so that we can get cheap travel insurance and avoid buying overpriced and expensive travel insurance. You must make sure that you are covered when you are traveling by choosing the right holiday insurance for you and your family. Beware of cheap holiday insurance quotes that do not cover everything that you required. One important tip on buying insurance is to always compare travel insurance options so that you will get the right cover for the whole family.
Vang Vieng, Laos>, Nov 19, 2009
The Kangaroo Sunset Bar is a restaurant and bar owned by an Australian but currently rented and run by the Irishman Paul and his Thai girlfriend. We ended up here because it was recommended by the Lonely Planet and we wanted something different from all the TV bars in Vang Vieng. Sure, The Kangaroo Sunset Bar had a TV but I had the impression it’s more for the staff than the visitors. You won’t find row upon row of backpackers watching endless reruns of ‘Friends’ here.
The menu of the bar is extensive, with both Asian and Western food, and all of the food we ordered was absolutely delicious and as cheap as you’ll find anywhere in Laos (we paid less than 8 euro per person for lots of food, Beerlao and whiskey). Paul was more than happy to show us the kitchen and how food was being prepared by his girlfriend (the Thai dishes) and their Lao staff. The toilet is clean and there’s a pool table if you want something more active than just eating and drinking.
Paul is more than happy to play your choice of Western music and he’s an allround good chap that will chat with you any moment he’s available.
It’s really a shame that The Kangaroo Sunset Bar is slightly removed from the center of Vang Vieng. Not because it’s a long walk from the rest of the center (it isn’t) but because the bar gets less customers than it deserves since most people won’t bother to go beyond the main line of TV bars. You’ll find it in the south of town, past the school and close to the temple in the road that runs parallel to the main street but closer to the Nam Song river.
Highly recommended !
Brunei, Brunei>, Nov 29, 2009
It’s so unfortunate that I haven’t been able to write about all my experiences here in Brunei on this trip but it’s because they have been limited. Today I woke up feeling slightly better than yesterday but I woke up with warm, swollen, red, and itchy hands and feet. After taking the Benedryl the doctor at the Hospital gave me, the redness and itchy feeling spread to to rest of my body.. I don’t even know what to do with myself now.. I can barely stop itching!!