Asia Destination | Travel To Asian Countries

TIANANMEN SQUARE - BEIJING

2013-07-22T06:00:00.000+07:00

Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world (440,000 m² - 880m by 500m or 109 acres - 960 by 550 yd). It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several important events in Chinese history.

Outside China, the square is best known in recent memory as the focal point of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, a pro-democracy movement which ended on 4 June 1989 with the declaration of martial law in Beijing by the government and the death of several hundred or possibly thousands of civilians.

The Tiananmen Gate to the Forbidden City was built in 1415 during the Ming Dynasty. Towards the demise of the Ming Dynasty, heavy fighting between Li Zicheng and the early Qing emperors damaged (or perhaps destroyed) the gate. The Tiananmen square was designed and built in 1651, and has since enlarged four times its original size in the 1950s.

Near the center of today's square, stood the "Great Ming Gate", the southern gate to the Imperial City, renamed "Great Qing Gate" during the Qing Dynasty, and "Gate of China" during the Republic of China era. Unlike the other gates in Beijing, such as the Tiananmen and the Qianmen, this was a purely ceremonial gateway, with three arches but no ramparts, similar in style to the ceremonial gateways found in the Ming Dynasty Tombs.

This gate had a special status as the "Gate of the Nation", as can be seen from its successive names. It normally remained closed, except when the Emperor passed through. Commoner traffic was diverted to two side gates at the western and eastern ends of today's square, respectively. Because of this diversion in traffic, a busy marketplace, called Chessgrid Streets developed in the big, fenced square to the south of this gate.

From Wikipedia

FORBIDDEN CITY - CHINA

2013-07-07T07:00:00.000+07:00

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the centre of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.

Built in 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings and covers 720,000 m2 (7,800,000 sq ft). The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture, and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere.

The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

Since 1925, the Forbidden City has been under the charge of the Palace Museum, whose extensive collection of artwork and artifacts were built upon the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Part of the museum's former collection is now located in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Both museums descend from the same institution, but were split after the Chinese Civil War.

From Wikipedia

BEIJING - CHINA

2013-06-18T14:00:00.000+07:00

Beijing (/beɪˈdʒɪŋ/; Chinese: 北京; pinyin: Běijīng, [peɪ˨˩ t͡ɕiŋ˥] ( listen)), sometimes romanized as Peking (/piːˈkɪŋ/, /peɪˈkɪŋ/), is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world. The population as of 2012 was 20,693,000.

The metropolis, located in northern China, is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the national government, with 14 urban and suburban districts and two rural counties. Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighboring Tianjin Municipality to the southeast.

Beijing is the second largest Chinese city by urban population after Shanghai and is the nation's political, cultural, and educational center.

It is home to the headquarters of most of China's largest state-owned companies, and is a major hub for the national highway, expressway, railway, and high-speed rail networks. The Beijing Capital International Airport is the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic.

The city's history dates back three millenia. As the last of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, Beijing has been the political center of the country for much of the past seven centuries. The city is renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, gardens, tombs, walls and gates, and its art treasures and universities have made it a center of culture and art in China. Few cities in the world have been the political and cultural center of an area as immense for so long.

From Wikipedia

RAJA AMPAT ISLANDS - WEST PAPUA

2012-12-25T07:00:00.000+07:00

Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo, and the smaller island of Kofiau. Raja Ampat is located off the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, in Indonesia's West Papua province.

Raja Ampat Regency is a new regency which separated from Sorong Regency in 2004. It encompasses more than 40,000 km² of land and sea, which also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indonesia.

It is a part of the newly named West Papua (province) of Indonesia which was formerly Irian Jaya. Some of the islands are the most northern pieces of land in the Australian continent.

The oceanic natural resources around Raja Ampat give it significant potential as a tourist area. Many sources place Raja Ampat as one of their top ten most popular places for diving whilst it retains the number one ranking in terms of underwater biodiversity.

From Wikipedia

WAKATOBI NATIONAL PARK - SOUTH EAST SULAWESI

2012-09-01T06:00:00.000+07:00

Wakatobi National Park is a marine national park, south of Sulawesi island of Indonesia. The name of Wakatobi is an acronym of the four main Tukangbesi Islands: Wangi-wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia, and Binongko. Since 2005, the park has been listed as a tentative World Heritage Site.

Wakatobi National Park is located south-east of Sulawesi, between 05°12’-06°10’S and 123°20’-124°39’E, between the Banda Sea to the north-east and the Flores Sea to the south-west.

It consists of four larger islands : Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko, as well as many small islands such as Tokobao, North Lintea, South Lintea, Kampenaune, Hoga and Tolandono.

The highest elevation is 274 metres (899 ft) on Wangi-Wangi, followed by Lagole Hill (271m) on Tomia, Terpadu Hill (222 m) on Binongko and Mount Sampuagiwolo (203 m) on Kadelupa. The water depth varies, with the deepest parts reaching 1,044 metres (3,425 ft).

The types of vegetation found in the national park are mangrove forest, coastal forest, lowland swamp forest, riverbank vegetation, lowland rainforest, mountain rainforest and coral reefs.

The Wakatobi Archipelago has 25 groups of coral reefs including fringing reefs, barrier reefs and atolls. A survey conducted in 2003 identified 396 species of coral belonging to 68 genera and 15 families. These include Acropora formosa, Acropora hyacinthus, Psammocora profundasafla, Pavona cactus, Leptoseris yabei, Fungia molucensis, Lobophyllia robusta, Merulina ampliata, Platygyra versifora, Euphyllia glabrescens, Tubastraea frondes, Stylophora pistillata, Sarcophyton throchelliophorum, and Sinularia species.

Among the recorded species of seabird are the Brown Booby, Common Kingfisher and Malaysian Plover.

Turtles in the park include the Hawksbill turtle, Loggerhead sea turtle, and Olive Ridley.

After the designation of the Wakatobi Marine Conservation Area in 1996, the Wakatobi National Park with a total area of 1,390,000 ha has been established in 2002. It is managed by the Wakatobi National Park Authority (Balai Taman Nasional). In 2005 the park has been listed as a tentative World Heritage Site.

Major threats are posed by overfishing and destructive fishing practices, including fish bombing and poison fishing.

From Wikipedia

SENGGIGI BEACH - LOMBOK

2012-08-12T16:33:00.004+07:00

Senggigi Beach is a famous tourism spot in Lombok, Indonesia.

Senggigi beach is located on the west coast of the Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Barat or NTB) province, Indonesia. Senggigi beach is not as big as Kuta Beach in Bali, but once we were here, we will feel like being at Kuta Beach, Bali.

Its coastal beach is still beautiful, although there is still littered with leafage garbage because the leaves are still rarely cleaned.

Underwater scenery is very beautiful, and tourists can do snorkeling as much because the waves are not too large.

Coral reefs rose at the middle of the beach causing large waves would break in the middle of the beach. There are also hotels with varying prices, from the high rate hotel to the hotel with economical rate.

SHWEDAGON PAGODA - YANGON

2012-05-17T07:00:00.000+07:00

The Shwedagon Pagoda (officially titled Shwedagon Zedi Daw ([ʃwèdəɡòʊɴ zèdìdɔ̀]), also known in English as the Great Dagon Pagoda and the Golden Pagoda, is a 99 metres (325 ft) gilded pagoda and stupa located in Yangon, Burma.

The pagoda lies to the west of Kandawgyi Lake, on Singuttara Hill, thus dominating the skyline of the city.

It is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda for the Burmese with relics of the past four Buddhas enshrined within, namely the staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Koṇāgamana, a piece of the robe of Kassapa and eight strands of hair of Gautama, the historical Buddha.

Uppatasanti Pagoda is a same-sized replica of Shwedagon Pagoda in Naypyidaw, the new capital of Burma.

According to tradition, the Shwedagon Pagoda has existed for more than 2,500 years, making it the oldest historical pagoda in Burma and the world. According to tradition, two merchant brothers, Taphussa and Bhallika, from the land of Ramanya, met the Lord Gautama Buddha during his lifetime and received eight of the Buddha's hairs.

The brothers traveled back to their homeland in Burma and, with the help of the local king, King Okkalapa of Burma, found Singuttara Hill, where relics of other Buddhas preceding Gautama Buddha had been enshrined.

From Wikipedia

HA LONG BAY - VIETNAM

2012-05-01T07:00:00.000+07:00

Ha Long Bay (Vietnamese: Vịnh Hạ Long, About this sound listen, literally: "descending dragon bay") is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a popular travel destination, located in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam.

Administratively, the bay belongs to Hạ Long City, Cẩm Phả town, and part of Van Don district. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes.

Ha Long Bay is a center of a larger zone which includes Bái Tử Long bay to the northeast, and Cát Bà islands to the southwest. These larger zones share similar geological, geographical, geomorphological, climate, and cultural characters.

Ha Long Bay has an area of around 1,553 km2, including 1,960–2,000 islets, most of which are limestone. The core of the bay has an area of 334 km2 with a high density of 775 islets.

The limestone in this bay has gone through 500 million years of formation in different conditions and environments. The evolution of the karst in this bay has taken 20 million years under the impact of the tropical wet climate.

The geo-diversity of the environment in the area has created biodiversity, including a tropical evergreen biosystem, oceanic and sea shore biosystem. Ha Long Bay is home to 14 endemic floral species and 60 endemic faunal species.

Historical research surveys have shown the presence of prehistorical human beings in this area tens of thousands years ago. The successive ancient cultures are the Soi Nhụ culture around 18,000–7000 BC, the Cái Bèo culture 7000–5000 BC and the Hạ Long culture 5,000–3,500 years ago. Hạ Long Bay also marked important events in the history of Vietnam with many artifacts found in Bài Thơ Mout, Đầu Gỗ Cave, Bãi Cháy.

500 years ago, Nguyen Trai praised the beauty of Hạ Long Bay in his verse Lộ nhập Vân Đồn, in which he called it "rock wonder in the sky". In 1962, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam listed Hạ Long Bay in the National Relics and Landscapes publication. In 1994, the core zone of Hạ Long Bay was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site according to criterion vii, and listed for a second time according to criterion viii.

From Wikipedia

ANGKOR WAT - CAMBODIA

2012-04-17T15:05:00.008+07:00

Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built by Tamil King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city.

As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture, with key features such as the Jagati.

It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.

The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple"; Angkor is a vernacular form of the word nokor (នគរ), which comes from the Sanskrit word nagar (नगर). Wat is the Khmer form of the Pali word "vatthu", meaning "temple grounds". Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok (Vara Vishnuloka in Sanskrit), after the posthumous title of its founder.

From Wikipedia

MACAU

2012-03-22T08:00:00.001+07:00

Macau, also spelled Macao(Traditional Chinese: 澳門, Simplified Chinese : 澳门, Cantonese Jyutping : ou3mun4*2 ; Hanyu Pinyin : Àomén), is along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China. It lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east and south.

The territory's economy is heavily dependent on gambling and tourism but also includes manufacturing.

Macau was a Portuguese colony and both the first and last European colony in China. Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on 20 December 1999.

The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macau stipulate that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer.

Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the PRC's Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defense and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, and immigration policy.

Macau participates in many international organizations and events that do not require members to possess national sovereignty. According to The World Factbook, Macau has the second highest life expectancy in the world.

Etymology
Before the Portuguese settlement in the early 16th century, Macau was known as Haojing (Oyster Mirror) or Jinghai (Mirror Sea). The name Macau is thought to be derived from the A-Ma Temple (Chinese: 媽閣廟; Mandarin Pinyin: Māgé Miào; Jyutping: Maa1 Gok3 Miu6), a temple built in 1448 dedicated to Matsu – the goddess of seafarers and fishermen.

It is said that when the Portuguese sailors landed at the coast just outside the temple and asked the name of the place, the natives replied "媽閣" (Mandarin Pinyin: Māgé; Jyutping: Maa1 Gok3). The Portuguese then named the peninsula "Macau". The present Chinese name (澳門, Àomén) means "Inlet Gates".

From Wikipedia

HUALIEN CITY - TAIWAN

2012-03-01T07:00:00.002+07:00

Hualien City (Chinese: 花蓮市; pinyin: Huāliánshì; Wade–Giles: Hua-lien shih; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hoa-liân-chhī) is the capital of Hualien County, Taiwan. It is located on the East coast of Taiwan, by the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of 110,000 inhabitants.

History
According to The Record of Hualien County (花蓮縣志), Hualien was called "Kilai" (Chinese: 奇萊; pinyin: Jīlái; Wade–Giles: Chi-lai; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Kî-lâi; hiragana: きらい) prior to Japanese rule. Because Kilai (Kirai in Japanese Romaji) is pronounced the same as "dislike" (嫌い) in Japanese, the Japanese administration changed the name into Karen (花蓮; かれん) in the early 20th century.

After World War II, the same Kanji (花蓮) were kept by the Republic of China's Kuomintang administration, which promoted the Chinese romanization "Hualien".

The Spaniards tried to mine gold in Hualien in 1622. Permanent settlements began in 1851, when 2,200 Han Chinese farmers led by Huang A-fong (黃阿鳳) from Taipei arrived at Fengchuan (now the area near Hualien Rear Station). In 1875, more farmers, led by Lin Cang-an (林蒼安) from Yilan, settled at Fengchuan. But, by the time of the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), when Hualien City, along with the rest of Taiwan, was ceded to Japan, there were still not many settlers in Hualien. Circa 1912, the city was expanded to Guohua and Guoan Villages, a region later known as Old New Port (舊新港). Around 1923, the city extended to Aolang Port (鯉浪港), today known as New Port (新港), including Guowei and Guoji Villages.

The government promoted Hualien as a county-controlled city in 1946.

The major aboriginal tribes that reside in Hualien include the Ami, Atayal, and Bunun

Attractions
* Chishingtarn Coast Scenic Area
* North Shore Park (Bei Bin Park)
* Hualien Fish Market
* South Shore Park and Night Market (Nan Bin Park)
* Tzu Chiang Night Market
* Mei Lun Mountain Park
* Pine Garden
* Museum of Sculpture
* Old Railroad Cultural Shopping Street
* Rock Artificial Street
* Still Thought's Hall (Jing-Si Hall) of Buddhist Compasson Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

From Wikipedia

KAOSHIUNG - TAIWAN

2012-02-15T07:00:00.002+07:00

Kaohsiung (Chinese: 高雄; pinyin: Gāoxióng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ko-hiông; old names: Takao, Takow, Takau) is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west.

Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China (Taiwan). On December 25, 2010, it merged with Kaohsiung County to form a larger municipality.

Kaohsiung is the second largest city in Taiwan, with a population around 2.9 million. It is a center for manufacturing, refining, shipbuilding, and other light and heavy industries.

A major port, through which pass most of Taiwan's marine imports and exports, is located at the city but is not managed by the city government.

Kaohsiung International Airport serving the city is the second largest airport in Taiwan. The Port of Kaohsiung is the largest harbor in Taiwan. Kaohsiung is the terminal of the Sun Yat-sen Freeway. The city is served by the railway stations of Western Line and Pingtung Line.

Taiwan High Speed Rail connects it with Taipei City. The Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit, the city's subway system, was launched in early 2008. Kaohsiung was the host city of the 2009 World Games, a multisport event primarily composed of sports not featured in the Olympic Games. The city is also home to the Republic of China Navy.

From Wikipedia

ALISHAN NATIONAL SCENIC AREA - CHIAYI

2012-02-01T07:00:00.003+07:00

The Alishan National Scenic Area (Chinese: 阿里山國家風景區; pinyin: Ālǐshān guójiā fēngjǐng qū; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: A-lí-san Kok-ka Hong-kéng-khu) is a mountain resort and natural preserve located in the mountains of Chiayi County in Taiwan.

It is 415 km² in area. It includes, among other things, mountain wilderness, four villages, waterfalls, high altitude tea plantations, the Alishan Forest Railway and several hiking trails.

The area is popular among tourists and mountain climbers, and Alishan or Mount Ali (Chinese: 阿里山; pinyin: Ālǐshān) itself has become one of the major landmarks associated with Taiwan. The area is also famous for its production of high mountain tea and wasabi.

Alishan is well known for its sunrises, and on a suitable morning one can observe the sun come up on a sea of clouds (simplified Chinese: 云海; traditional Chinese: 雲海; pinyin: yúnhǎi) in the area between Alishan and Yüshan.

Alishan and Sun Moon Lake are, arguably, two of the most well-known scenic spots in Asia. The song Ālǐshān de gūniang, ‘the girls of Alishan’, that refers to the beautiful girls of the Tsou aborigial tribe, is one of Taiwan's most popular folk songs. This song is also well known in several foreign countries, like the People's Republic of China.

From Wikipedia

XIMENDING - TAIPEI

2012-01-16T19:00:00.005+07:00

Ximending (Chinese: 西門町; pinyin: Xīméndīng; Wade–Giles: Hsi-men-ting; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Se-mn̂g-teng; Romaji: Seimon-chō; sometimes Ximenting) is a neighborhood and shopping district in the Wanhua District of Taipei, Taiwan. It was the first pedestrian zone in Taiwan.

Ximending has been called the "Harajuku of Taipei" and the "Shibuya of Taipei". Ximending is the source of Taiwan's fashion, subculture, and Japanese culture.

Ximending is also the main LGBT district of Taiwan, with a host of gay clubs and pubs surrounding the area.

This area is in the northeastern part of Wanhua District in Taipei and it is also the most important consumer district in the Western District of Taipei. The well-known Ximending Pedestrian Area was the first pedestrian area built in Taipei and is the largest in Taiwan.

Ximending is a popular shopping district for young people.

Access
Because many bus lines gather on Zhonghua Road, Ximending is also an important area for bus transfers. Ximending is also accessible via exit 6 of the Taipei Metro Ximen Station (Banqiao Line and Xiaonanmen Line)

History
Name
The Ximending Pedestrian Area is named after the administrative division Seimon-chō (西門町), which existed during Japanese rule, referring to an area outside the west gate of the city. The area of Seimon-chō included modern-day Chengdu Road (成都路), Xining South Road (西寧南路), Kunming Street (昆明街), and Kangding Road (康定路). However, today the Ximending Pedestrian Area not only includes Seimon-chō but also Wakatake-chō (若竹町) and Shinki-chō (新起町).

The historical spelling of this area was Hsimenting, which is based on the Wade-Giles romanization of Mandarin Chinese. The use of the character 町 is unusual in a Chinese context; it is a chō (a part of a ward) in the Japanese municipality system.

Origin
The name of Ximending was derived from its position outside the west gate of Taipei City. In the beginning during Japanese rule, Ximending was an area of wilderness, through which there was a road connecting the west gate of Taipei to the town of Bangka. Later, the Japanese decided to follow the example of Asakusa in Tokyo to set up an entertainment and business area.

The earliest entertainment facilities constructed included the Taihokuza in 1897, Eiza (now called New Wanguo Market) in 1902, and the Red House Theater in 1908.

Popularity
Ximending attracts an average of over 3 million shoppers per month. It has been called the "Harajuku of Taipei". The local bookstores sell Japanese magazines, books, CD albums, and clothing, making it a haven for the "Harizu", or Japanese culture adorers. Individual vendors gather in the streets as well as the large business buildings, such as Wannien Department Store and Shizilin Square during the day, and Wanguo Department Store and Eslite 116 later at night.

Due to the density of young people, Ximending is comparable to Shilin Night Market and the Eastern District to be areas with the highest crime rates.

From Wikipedia

CHIANG KAI-SHEK MEMORIAL HALL - TAIPEI

2011-12-15T10:00:00.002+07:00

The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (Traditional Chinese: 國立中正紀念堂; Simplified Chinese: 国立中正纪念堂) is a famous monument and tourist attractions erected in memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China. It is located in Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan).

The monument, surrounded by a park, stands at the east end of Memorial Hall Square. The structure is framed on the north and south by the National Theater and National Concert Hall. The entire plaza is located within sight of the Presidential Office Building.

After President Chiang Kai-shek died on 5 April 1975, the Executive branch of the government established a Funeral Committee to build a memorial. The design, by architect Yang Cho-cheng, was chosen in a competition.

Yang's design incorporated many elements of traditional Chinese architecture recalling the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, China. (The Kuomintang (KMT) revered Dr. Sun as founder of the party and government Chiang had led.) Groundbreaking for the memorial took place on 31 October 1976, the 90th anniversary of Chiang's birth. The hall officially opened on 5 April 1980, the fifth anniversary of the leader's death.

Yang's design placed the main building at the east end of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park (traditional Chinese: 中正紀念公園; simplified Chinese: 中正纪念公园), covering over 240,000 square metres in Zhongzheng District.

A main gate, the Gate of Great Centrality and Perfect Uprightness (Chinese: 大中至正; traditional Chinese: 大中至正; ) was placed at the west end on Chung Shan South Road, with a Gate of Great Loyalty (traditional Chinese: 大忠門; simplified Chinese: 大忠门) standing at the north side on Hsin Yi (Xinyi) Road and a Gate of Great Piety (traditional Chinese: 大孝門; simplified Chinese: 大孝门) standing at the south side on Ai Kuo (Aiguo) East Road. A Boulevard of Homage, bordered by manicured bushes, connected the main hall with the square. The name Liberty Square for the plaza dates from 2007.

From Wikipedia

TAIPEI 101 - TAIPEI

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000+07:00

Taipei 101 (Chinese: 台北101 / 臺北101), formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan.

The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010. In July 2011, the building was awarded LEED Platinum certification, the highest award in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and became the tallest and largest green building in the world.

Taipei 101 was designed by C.Y. Lee & partners and constructed primarily by KTRT Joint Venture. The tower has served as an icon of modern Taiwan ever since its opening, and received the 2004 Emporis Skyscraper Award. Fireworks launched from Taipei 101 feature prominently in international New Year's Eve broadcasts and the structure appears frequently in travel literature and international media.

Taipei 101 comprises 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. The building was architecturally created as a symbol of the evolution of technology and Asian tradition.

Its postmodernist approach to style incorporates traditional design elements and gives them modern treatments. The tower is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. A multi-level shopping mall adjoining the tower houses hundreds of fashionable stores, restaurants and clubs.

Taipei 101 is owned by the Taipei Financial Center Corporation (TFCC) and managed by the International division of Urban Retail Properties Corporation based in Chicago. The name originally planned for the building, Taipei World Financial Center, until 2003, was derived from the name of the owner. The original name in Chinese was literally, Taipei International Financial Center (Chinese: 臺北國際金融中心).

From Wikipedia

TAIPEI - TAIWAN

2011-11-25T08:00:00.003+07:00

Taipei City (Chinese: 臺北市 or 台北市; Pinyin: Táiběi Shì) is the capital of the Republic of China (ROC) (commonly known as Taiwan) and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean.

Another coastal city, Tamsui, is about 20 km northwest at the river's mouth on the Taiwan Strait. It lies in the two relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung (基隆河) and Xindian (新店溪) rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border. The city proper (Taipei City) is home to an estimated 2,618,772 people.

Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung together form the Taipei metropolitan area with a population of 6,900,273. However, they are administered under different local governing bodies. "Taipei" sometimes refers to the whole metropolitan area, while "Taipei City" refers to the city proper. Taipei City proper is surrounded on all sides by New Taipei.

Taipei is the political, economic, and cultural center of Taiwan. The National Palace Museum which has one of the largest collections of Chinese artifacts and artworks in the world is located in Taipei. Considered to be a global city, Taipei is part of a major industrial area. Railways, high speed rail, highways, airports, and bus lines connect Taipei with all parts of the island. The city is served by two airports – Taipei Songshan and Taiwan Taoyuan.

Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty in China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886. When the Japanese acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War, they retained Taipei as the capital of the island, and also advanced an extensive urban planning in Taipei.

The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) resettled the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.

From Wikipedia

TAIWAN

2011-11-15T10:00:00.005+07:00

Taiwan (Traditional Chinese : 臺灣 ; 台灣 ; Simplified Chinese : 台湾 ; Pinyin : Táiwān, /ˌtaɪˈwɑːn/ ty-wahn), also known, especially in the past, as Formosa (from Portuguese: Ilha Formosa, "Beautiful Island"), is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China.

The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China (ROC) following the Chinese Civil War in 1950. Due to this reason and the political status of Republic of China in the United Nations, the name "Taiwan" has also become the pars pro toto common name for the country itself.

Separated from the Asian continent by the 160 km (99 mi) wide Taiwan Strait, Taiwan is 394 km (245 mi) long and 144 kilometres (89 mi) wide. To the northeast are the main islands of Japan and the East China Sea, and the southern end of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan is directly to the east; the Batanes Islands of the Philippines lie to its south across the Bashi Channel.

The mountainous island spans the Tropic of Cancer and is covered by tropical and subtropical vegetation. Other minor islands and islets of the group include the Penghu Islands (Pescadores), Green Island, and Orchid Island, as well as the Diaoyutai Islands (Senkaku islands), which have been controlled by Japan since the 1970s.

Taiwan was ceded to the Empire of Japan by the Qing Empire in the Treaty of Shimonoseki after the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895. In 1945 the Republic of China acquired control of Taiwan from Japan as a result of World War II. Four years later the ROC lost mainland China in the Chinese Civil War to the Communist Party of China and resettled its government to Taiwan.

Taiwan composes the vast majority of the ROC's territory since 1950, and this is one of multiple reasons that the ROC is commonly known as "Taiwan". The political status of Taiwan is disputed because it is claimed by the People's Republic of China, which was established in 1949 by the communists on mainland China and considers itself the successor state to the ROC.

In fact, since PRC's establishment, it never controlled any of the territories the ROC government currently governs. Japan had originally acquired Taiwan from the Qing Empire in 1895 under Article 2 of the Treaty of Shimonoseki.

At the end of World War II, Japan renounced all claims to sovereignty over its former colonial possessions, including Taiwan and Penghu (Pescadores), but did not specify to whom Taiwan and Penghu should be assigned. This fact and subsequent handling of Taiwan's sovereignty by the Allies of World War II led to the complex and unresolved issues of the legal and political status of Taiwan.

Taiwan's rapid economic growth in the decades after World War II has transformed it into an industrialized developed country and one of the Four Asian Tigers. This economic rise is known as the Taiwan Miracle.

It is categorized as an advanced economy by the IMF and as a high-income economy by the World Bank. Its advanced technology industry plays a key role in the global economy. Taiwanese companies manufacture a large portion of the world's consumer electronics, although most of them are now made in their factories in mainland China.

From Wikipedia

KOWLOON - HONG KONG

2011-11-01T14:07:00.004+07:00

Kowloon (Cantonese ; English pronunciation: /ˌkaʊˈluːn/; Traditional Chinese: 九龍; Simplified Chinese : 九龙 ; Standard Chinese Pinyin: Jiǔlóng; Literal meaning : Nine dragons) is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon.

It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south.

It had a population of 2,019,533 and a population density of 43,033/km2 in 2006. Kowloon is located north of Hong Kong Island and south of the mainland part of the New Territories. The peninsula's area is approximately 47 km2 or 18.1 mi2. Together with Hong Kong Island, it contains 48% of Hong Kong's total population.

The systematic transcription Kau Lung or Kau-lung was often used in derived place names before World War II, for example Kau-lung Bay instead of Kowloon Bay. Other spellings include Kauloong, Kawloong.

Kowloon comprises the following districts : Kowloon City, Kwun Tong, Sham Shui Po, Wong Tai Sin, Yau Tsim Mong

From Wikipedia

LANTAU ISLAND - HONG KONG

2011-10-01T07:00:00.002+07:00

Lantau Island (also Lantao Island; Chinese: 大嶼山), based on the old local name of Lantau Peak (simplified Chinese: 烂头; traditional Chinese: 爛頭; pinyin: Làntóu; lit. Ragged Head), is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong. A small northeastern portion of the island is located in the Tsuen Wan District.

Originally the site of fishing villages, the island has been developed in recent years with the construction of Tung Chung New Town on its north-western coast and the completion of several major infrastructure projects, including Lantau Link (1997), Hong Kong International Airport (1998), Hong Kong Disneyland (2005) and Ngong Ping 360 (2006).

Tourist Attractions
The Ngong Ping Plateau features the Po Lin Monastery and its vegetarian restaurant, as well as the 85-foot (26 m)-high bronze Tian Tan Buddha (or "Giant Buddha") statue, once the world's largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha statue. Walkers can ascend from Tung Chung to the monastery in two hours.

Visitors can also take a 25 minute ride on a Ngong Ping 360 from Tung Chung to the Ngong Ping Plateau. Ngong Ping 360 is a tourism experience which combines a 5.7 km cable car journey with a cultural themed village and easy access to the Tian Tan Buddha Statue.

Tai O is a fishing town located in the northwest of Lantau Island which is more than three centuries old. Tourists visit Tai O for its several hundred stilt houses, though many of those houses were damaged in a fire in July 2000. Tai O retains most of its historical setting such as waterways, stilt houses and fishing boats and it is famous for its fishing village scenery. Traditional Chinese food like salted fish and locally produced shrimp paste can be found there.

Tung Chung Fort was built in 1817 to thwart the opium trade and defend the coast from pirates. There are 6 old cannons and the enclosures are made of granite. During World War II, the Japanese army occupied the fort. In 1979, it was listed as one of the historical monuments of Hong Kong and was refurbished in 1988. The ruins of the Tung Chung Battery, also a historical monument, are located nearby.

The Trappist Haven Monastery at Tai Shui Hang, home to a number of Roman Catholic monks, sits on the east coast of Lantau Island, approximately halfway between the towns of Mui Wo and Discovery Bay. The Lantau Trappist congregation was established in Beijing in the 19th century.

Hong Kong Disneyland lies on the northeastern part of the island, approximately two kilometres from Discovery Bay. It opened on 12 September 2005 on a massive land reclamation project in Penny's Bay. The US$1.8 billion project includes a Disney theme park, two hotels, and retail, dining and entertainment facilities stretching over 1.26 km² (310 acres). The project also has its own rail network linking from Sunny Bay MTR station in Yam O.

Over 50% of Lantau consists of national parks, including a large number of well-marked trails. The best known of these is the 70 kilometre, 12 section Lantau Trail. The national parks feature campsites and youth hostels. Lantau's best-known and longest beach is Cheung Sha and its most famous hike is to Sunset Peak, the third highest elevation in Hong Kong.

From Wikipedia

HONG KONG

2011-09-17T17:37:00.011+07:00

Hong Kong (香港) is one of two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau.

A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour.

With a land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Hong Kong's population is 95 percent ethnic Chinese and 5 percent from other groups.

Hong Kong's Han Chinese majority originate mainly from the cities of Guangzhou and Taishan in the neighbouring Guangdong province.

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the First Opium War (1839–1842). Originally confined to Hong Kong Island, the colony's boundaries were extended in stages to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and then the New Territories in 1898. It was occupied by Japan during the Pacific War, after which the British resumed control until 1997, when China resumed sovereignty.

The region espoused minimum government intervention under the ethos of positive non-interventionism during the colonial era. The time period greatly influenced the current culture of Hong Kong, often described as "East meets West", and the educational system, which used to loosely follow the system in England until reforms implemented in 2009.

Under the principle of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has a different political system from mainland China. Hong Kong's independent judiciary functions under the common law framework. The Basic Law of Hong Kong, its constitutional document, which stipulates that Hong Kong shall have a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign relations and military defence, governs its political system. Although it has a burgeoning multi-party system, a small-circle electorate controls half of its legislature. An 800-person Election Committee selects the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the head of government.

As one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade, and the currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the ninth most traded currency in the world. The lack of space caused demand for denser constructions, which developed the city to a centre for modern architecture and the world's most vertical city.

The dense space also led to a highly developed transportation network with public transport travelling rate exceeding 90 percent, the highest in the world. Hong Kong has numerous high international rankings in various aspects. For instance, its economic freedom, financial and economic competitiveness, quality of life, corruption perception, Human Development Index, etc., are all ranked highly.

From Wikipedia

Vacation Rentals at RoomLender

2011-09-12T13:02:00.004+07:00

It all started in Chicago a few years back with an empty Loop apartment and some leftover furniture from a former tenant in Rogers Park.

The basic combination of these 3 elements - available apartment, good location, giveaway furniture - gave birth to a simple idea: a hotel manner short term rental for business people who want more than just a hotel room.

The former empty apartment suddenly was never empty; the demand for corporate rentals surpassed every expectation, and the apartment became a money maker.

It appeared that a significant number of business travelers preferred the independent lifestyle, added comfort, and lower cost granted by a corporate rental apartment, then the limitations of a hotel room.

More and more apartments and condos turned into corporate and vacation rentals seattle and the demand stayed high until winter froze both Chicago and the bookings.Another bright idea saved the day: when Chicago was off season, Florida enjoyed full vacation swing; so, new locations and new cities started adding to the Chicago rentals such as vacation rentals seattle. In the following years, the people behind RoomLender became seasoned hosts with a deep understanding of the hospitality industry, but also of remote property management using online tools and Internet marketing to successfully generate consistent business.

Southridge Capital Management

2011-07-01T10:26:00.002+07:00

Stephen Hicks, Chairman and CEO of Southridge, LLC ("Southridge"), today announced that Southridge Partners II, an institutional investor, has entered into a $10 million equity purchase agreement with TechniScan, Inc. (OTC BB: TSNI), a medical device company engaged in the development and commercialization of an automated 3D breast ultrasound imaging system.

We are excited to be TechniScan’s equity investor in this major phase of developing better breast cancer diagnostics,” said Mr. Hicks. "Southridge is committed to working with TechniScan in the vital research of this emerging technology."

Pursuant to a purchase agreement, TechniScan has the right, at its discretion, to sell to Southridge up to $10 million of its common stock over a 24-month period. The Company will have the right, but is not obligated, to sell stock to Southridge depending on certain conditions as set forth in the purchase agreement.

CHIANG MAI - THAILAND

2011-05-15T17:53:00.003+07:00

Chiang Mai (Thai: About this sound เชียงใหม่ (help·info), IPA: [tɕʰiəŋ màj], Northern Thai: IPA: [tɕiəŋ màj]) sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand, and is the capital of Chiang Mai Province. It is located 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok, among the highest mountains in the country. The city is on the Ping river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya river.

In recent years, Chiang Mai has become an increasingly modern city and has been attracting over 5 million visitors each year, of which between 1.4 million and 2 million are foreign tourists (depending on the year).

Chiang Mai gained prominence in the political sphere in May 2006, when the Chiang Mai Initiative was concluded here between the ASEAN nations and the "+3" countries (China, Japan, and South Korea). Chiang Mai is one of three Thai cities contending to host the World Expo 2020. It has also recently positioned itself to become a Creative City and is considering to apply for Creative City Status with UNESCO.

Chiang Mai's historic importance is derived from its strategic location on the Ping river and major trading routes. The city has long been a major center for handcrafted goods, umbrellas, jewelry (particularly silver) and woodcarving.[citation needed]

While officially the city (thesaban nakhon) of Chiang Mai only covers most parts of the Mueang Chiang Mai district with a population of 160,000, the urban sprawl of the city now extends into several neighboring districts. This Chiang Mai Metropolitan Area has a population of nearly one million people, more than half the total of Chiang Mai Province.

The city is subdivided into four wards (khwaeng): Nakhon Ping, Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kawila. The first three are on the west bank of the Ping River, and Kawila is located on the east bank. Nakhon Ping district comprises the north side of the city. Srivijaya, Mengrai, and Kawila consist of the west, south, and east respectively. The city center—within the city walls—is mostly with Srivijaya ward.

From Wikipedia

PHUKET - THAILAND

2011-04-10T08:00:00.003+07:00

Phuket (ภูเก็ต), pronounced (roughly) "pu-ged", is Thailand's largest island. It is 48 km in length, 21 km at its widest, and is in Southern Thailand, on the west-facing Andaman Sea coastline, suspended from the southern tip of Phang Nga Province by a pair of short but substantial road bridges.

Cities
Only a few of Phuket's cities are not on the beach.
* Phuket Town — The administrative center of the province, and the island's main population center. Has the cheapest accommodation, but no beaches.

* Chalong Bay — On the east coast, home to Phuket's most popular yacht anchorage and the primary gateway to the islands off Phuket.

Other Destinations
Beaches
The major beaches, alphabetically ordered:
* Banana Beach ( Coral Island ) — 15 minutes from Chalong Bay. The very beautiful, quiet with all facilities featuring horn bill rainforest birds and fish life
* Bang Thao (Laguna Beach) — long, very quiet beach
* Cape Panwa — home to Phuket Aquarium
* Kalim Beach — a series of small beaches just to the north of Patong
* Kamala Beach — a quieter beach to the north of Patong
* Karon and Karon Noi Beaches — the second most-developed beach after Patong
* Kata Noi Beach — quieter sister of Kata Yai
* Kata Yai Beach — busy, clean tourist beach with good surf
* Laem Sing — small bay with stunning views, between Kamala Beach and Surin Beach
* Mai Khao (Sai Kaeo) (say my cow) — north of the airport, very quiet and far away from it all (tourists). Location of many posh resorts, but also local Thai villages and temples and restaurants (try Kindee near the JW Marriott for an incredible authentic--on a bamboo platform over the estuary-- Thai meal by an award-winning Thai chef)
* Nai Han and Ao Sen — a quiet beach (probably the best) in the south, near Phromthep Cape view point
* Nai Thon and Nai Yang — two quiet beaches in Sirinat National Park
* Patong Beach — the largest beach resort, known for its nightlife
* Rawai, Mittraphap and Laem Ka — set off point for lots of local islands, popular with locals for eating on the beach
* Surin and Pansea Beach — an up-and-coming upmarket destination
* Ya Nui Beach

Islands
There are dozens of small islands (ko) between Phuket and Krabi Province in the Phang Nga Bay. The following have accommodation:
* Ko Bon — 10 minutes from Rawai, an ideal island for a day of snorkeling and relaxing.
* Ko Hae (Coral Island) — 15 minutes by speedboat from Chalong Bay, accessible all year.
* Ko Lon — quiet, mostly Muslim island with a few bungalows
* Ko Mai Thon — gorgeous little island with only one (expensive) place to stay
* Ko Maphrao (Coconut Island)
* Ko Racha (Ko Raya) — consists of two islands (Yai and Noi), popular with scuba divers and a relaxing snorkeling destination.
* Ko Sire (Ko Si Le) — Sea Gypsy colony, connected to the mainland by a causeway
* Ko Yao — two islands halfway to Krabi, with four upmarket resorts

Understand
Phuket nestles in balmy Andaman Sea waters on Thailand's Indian Ocean coastline 862 kilometres south of Bangkok.

Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoyed a rich and colourful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign trader’s ship logs.

In recent times, though, Phuket's top earner has been tourism, which has transformed the island into Thailand's wealthiest province. The west coast of Phuket was hit severely by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, but almost no evidence of the damage now remains.

Phuket enjoys great popularity as a travel destination. Most beaches are on the west coast, with Phuket Town to the south-east and the airport in the north.

Climate
Phuket is hot and humid throughout the year. The hot season is generally considered to be from March to early May. During the summer monsoon season from May to October, mornings and afternoons are still sunny and clear, but it tends to rain in the evenings and water clarity goes down. Locals consider November to February the "cool" season, and the weather is quite tolerable, much more so than in the tourism centers around the Gulf coast. It's comparable to Florida's summer weather in temperature and intensity of rain storms: 25-33 deg C, flying clouds, short and thunderous rainfalls in the afternoons and evenings. Surfing is possible off the western beaches.

Culture
Phuket is a melting pot of Buddhists, Thai-Chinese, Muslims and even sea gypsies. The majority of the population in the rural areas is Muslim. Outside of the provincial town, the rural folk speak with a thick Southern dialect which is difficult for even other Thais to understand. The provincial town’s economy having boomed over the past decade has led to a lot of the youngsters leading similar lives to those in Bangkok. Altogether, the lifestyle of the urban Thai-Chinese resembles that of Bangkokians.

From Wikitravel