Other places in Nepal where one can obtain Tibetan sterling silver jewellery ornaments for sale are generally Thamel, New Road, Basantapur, Bhaktapur, Durbarmarg, and so forth. If you think you won’t be able to visit these brick and mortar shop, try shopping on the web. You can find scores of online handicraft selling websites that offers Tibetan silver jewellery for sale. There are online sites based in Patan city, which directly deals with the artisans of Patan and whose wonderful creations can be seen on their sites. For seekers of unique Tibetan Silver Jewelry, please check the following online store Tibetan Silver Jewelry. The site also allows for those who want to purchase Tibetan silver jewelry ornaments wholesale, granting fascinating discounts.

Nepal

Tibetan Silver Jewelry – Where to Buy Genuine Tibetan Jewelry?

Amogh Shakya
Managing Director,
Shakya Handicraft,
Online Store for Nepalese Handicraft

World demand for manufactured fibres is projected to increase 5.4 per cent annually to about 44 million metric tons in 2005, valued at US0 billion. Manufactured fibres will continue to increase their market share at the costs of natural fibres expanding to nearly two-thirds of total mill fibre consumption in 2005 based on expanding applications in apparel and home furnishings, as well as continuing strength for synthetics in tufted carpeting and industrial applications.

Taiwan

It is noticed that, in the future, the contribution of natural fibres will decrease as the contribution of artificial fibres rises. It is projected that 65 million tons of synthetic yarn will be produced globally in 2010; nearly 30 million tons of which will be polyester, 4 million acrylic, 5 million polyamide and 2 million cellulose.

Taiwan’s man made fibre industry

In the last five decades, the textile industry has created an important position in exports, earning huge revenues of foreign exchange for Taiwan. Though, in the second half of the 1980s, many problems like labour shortages, increasing overhead costs, prohibitive land prices and environmental protection forced many textile houses to relocate a part or all of their production to Southeast Asia and China in order to stay competitive.

Hence textiles are called as one of Taiwan’s labour-intensive “traditional industries.” Those textile companies that stayed in Taiwan were forced to improve. Small, family-run businesses have been transformed into medium-sized or large companies, with cost-effective measures and new management practice to enhance quality and productivity. Since Taiwan does not produce cotton, wool, silk, linen, or other natural raw materials, the domestic textile industry has developed man-made fabrics, which have demonstrated to be outstanding options to natural products.

Taiwan’s petrochemical industry covers 50 upper and middle-stream producers located at Kaohsiung. In 2002, the industry had a production value of US.6 billion (apart from textile and plastics related industries), of which 62.7 per cent was sold in the domestic market. Taiwan’s petrochemical production capacity, as calculated by ethylene output, was capable to fulfill about 94 per cent of actual domestic demand in 2002.

Today, Taiwan’s man-made fibres have gained an important position in the world’s textile industry. In 2002, Taiwan made over three million tons of man-made fibre, which stood second in the world. Polyester amounted for 80 per cent of the total output and ranked Taiwan as the world’s second largest manufacturer of this fibre. That same year, Taiwan’s export and import amounted to over US.6 billion of textiles, including fibre, yarn, fabric, garments and accessories. Hong Kong was the main target for Taiwan’s textile exports, followed by the United States and ASEAN countries. The textile industry has been one of Taiwan’s major shares in maintaining the island’s favorable trade balance.

The production of man-made fibre of Taiwan for the year 2005 has been registering a continuous decline in output that began in November 2004. Production fell to a record low of 258,970 tons in November 2004. It further declined in November 2005 to 9.2 percent from year ago levels to 234,900 tons. Man-made fibre production declined to 14.6 percent from year ago levels to 2,664,122 tons for the January through November 2005 period. This is in contrast to last years 0.3 percent increase to levels of 3,341,900 tons

Taiwan’s exports to China

In the first four months of 2005, Taiwan exported .22 billion worth products and services to the Chinese. Taiwan’s mainland-bound exports for the January-April period saw a raise of 21.2 per cent over the same period in 2004. Major export products to China covered electrical equipment and parts, machine tools, plastics, steel, synthetic fibres, optical products, organic chemicals, industrial textiles and brass and bronze products. In the interim, Taiwan gained a trade surplus of .99 billion against the mainland in the first four months of 2005, up 23.4 per cent over the year-earlier level.

China’s potent market

The stiff competition has persisted with China receiving further market shares. Now the Chinese polyester industry posses more than half the world polyester fibre and yarn spinning business. There was only one nation (PR China) with a growth rate in all polyester sub-segments in 2005. Against this, the industries in South Korea and Taiwan lost an aggregated production volume of 650,000 tons.

There is a remarkable growth in mill demand for polyester filament in China. Even so, capacity has increased faster in the last few years, leading to a decline in operating costs and pressure on fibre prices. With new volume still being established, operating costs are set to increase only slowly out to 2005. The question is whether China, and the world, will be capable to keep up to these volumes. China’s volumes have a great effect on the world picture where we again see low operating cost that recover only slowly.

This emphasises the stress on fibre prices from excess capacity in this segment of the fibre market. In the 1990′s, China’s contribution of mill demand for acrylic, polyester filament and polyester staple was between 13.9 per cent and 18.7 per cent. By 2020, China could gain well, up a 44.5 per cent contribution of mill demand for acrylic, a 49.3 per cent share of mill demand for polyester filament and a 47.2 per cent share of mill demand for polyester staple.

The yearly yield of Taiwan’s manmade fibre industry has stayed stable at around 3.1 million tons a year since 2000, but earning from fibre sales is increasing as fibre manufacturers are implementing various techniques and are shifting to production of higher-margin, higher-tech fibres and yarns.

The output declined in 2005 because of the phase-out of textile quotas and curbing migration of fibre production to mainland China. While some Taiwanese fibre companies implemented a product diversification strategy to come across the competitive challenges of the market, others such as the Juda Fibre Ltd., Jinan, China, consider that the migration of fibre industry is possible.

In 1992, a Taiwanese company established three weaving factories in Jinan, the capital of Shangdong province in China. The company asked Juda Fibre to set up a fibre factory to provide the weaving mills with a local source of raw material. Four years later, it has established a joint venture in Jinan with a local enterprise – the Jinan Chemical Fibre Factory – and emerged as Juda, a new company which means holding all together. In 1999, it established a second company, Nature Fibre Ltd. with its own capital. With more than million worth of fibre exports to the USA, Brazil, Southeast Asia and the Middle East in the past eight years, Juda now foresees the China market as its prospectus. They consider that though Taiwanese fibre companies have dominated the market for high-tech fibres, this control will soon disappear as manufacturers in China are gaining fast. China can now make within two years any type of high-tech fibre that Taiwan companies can produce.

It is believed that if Taiwanese fibre manufacturers don’t shift their manufacturing to the China soon, they will lose their good break in China’s manmade fibre market.

The Taiwan Man-Made Fibre Industries Association (TMMFA), which possesses 41 members and affiliates, including most of the leading manmade fibre manufacturers in Taiwan, has been exploring the China market for years. In the last few years, it had many investment visits in various parts of China and motivated its members to capture the potential market through the already established ventures.

One of the confidences to achievement in China is to know the culture diversities of the various parts of China. For instance, Juda’s achievement is at least partly attributed to the Jinan people’s good nature and honesty.

In contrast, another company that made golf clubs established its factory in a different South China city and eventually ended up paying for a costly relocation to a different area. The purpose, employees and local representatives were constantly looking for more benefits from the company and equipment and materials were often stolen and local government representatives were always on a look for something in order to provide the needed services and to help avoid bureaucratic problems.

Local economic policy is another problem. There are many areas with a prospective future in China, but not all areas are simple to deal with and local policy is a huge obstruction. Juda came in to the China market following Taiwan’s downstream textile enterprises and assistance by local enterprises. It set up itself in the local community, made business with local companies and offered to local patronage. This grovels to Juda with the community.

Another aspect that is normally ignored by companies entering China is correctly calculating all the costs of executing business.

For instance, an apparel factory was in problem after its set up in an eastern city of Guangdong province partly due to cost of transportation. It send more than half of its products to Europe and Middle East through Hong Kong, and the transport cost amounted to around 0 per container, greater than that of the center Guangdong cities which have greater labor costs. It is noted that the dissimilarity in labor costs did not pay off for the higher costs of shipping. Hence, it is a question of selection of locations, and was shown to be ill-advised, despite the area’s comparatively lower labor costs.

There are various evaluations of the China’s fibre market, but two major trends are clearly marked. Firstly, China’s manmade fibre market will keep prospering. The split between the rich and the poor has been a main dilemma in China. Beijing has considered this as a nuisance to the regime and has initiated to solve the problem. Though the prospects are still in a mist, considerably more rapidly economic development in the rural parts, with a population of 900 million, can be estimated. Compelling the growth in local consumption of manmade fibres will be the sustainable economic development in the rural areas.

Secondly, low labor costs will be China’s benefit for a long time. Its 900 million rural residents constitute a large pool of low-cost workers. Chinese people earn (in smaller inland cities and rural areas) to 0 a month. And even if the raise in their earning power is greater than that of the GDP, which Beijing anticipates, China will stay a hotbed for labor-intensive industries, such as manmade fibre production in the next decade. That’s why it is suggested not only to explore the China market but wager their future on it.

Taiwan Fibre Industry: Shift In Production Base

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As we all know, Cantonese cuisine dominates the Hong Kong food market. Two distinct features of Cantonese cuisine are freshness and simplicity. As a general rule, the simpler the cooking process is, the fresher ingredients are required. Therefore a typical Cantonese feast is a guarantee of quality.

HongKong

As a native Cantonese living in Hong Kong, let me walk you through a day’s Hong Kong food tour. Please make an effort to enjoy the delicious Cantonese food as suggested.

Agenda of a Classic Hong Kong Food Tour

Breakfast or Lunch – Dim Sum

Dim sum breakfast or lunch is a major social life style of Hong Kong residents. Locals and expatriates all love it.

Dim sum is only served at breakfast time through late afternoon. Never try to order dim sum at dinner time.

Dim sum as a representative Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong is widely available in town. Never have dim sum at a hotel restaurant. That is not the authentic style. Look for some noisy however tidy restaurants. There are plenty of quality dim sum restaurants in town. Just check with your hotel concierge for a nearby one.

Here are the super trio ‘must-eat’ items:

o Steamed shrimp dumplings

o Steamed pork dumplings

o Steamed BBQ pork buns

You’ll have to pay for the cost of tea (per head) and 10% service fee. A dim sum lunch might cost HK-100 per person.

Recommended Restaurant:

Maxim’s Restaurant at City Hall, Lower Block, Central, Hong Kong. This restaurant is always full due to its quality of food. Tel: (852) 2521-1303

Tea Time – between 2.30pm and 5.30pm

At this time of a day, foods are sold at reduced rates. Why not go for a late lunch? A tea set usually costs HK-30.

Hong Kong Milk Tea

This is the single item from casual dining restaurants that out-performs five-star hotels.

Hong Kong milk tea is very strong tea mixed with condensed milk. The tea is also strained through a stocking-like apparatus, making the texture very smooth and silky. You just need to have at least a cup of it while visiting Hong Kong.

During tea time, a cup of hot milk tea is sold at HK at Café de Coral. Even MacDonald’s is now serving this localized milk tea in addition to their traditional American tea.

Recommended Restaurant:

Café de Coral, a fast-food restaurant chain that you can easily find one everywhere in town. No service charge.

Wanton Noodle

This is another famous Cantonese Hong Kong food. It is considered as a light lunch or tea time snack.

Cantonese wanton is something similar to dumplings in Beijing. But its shape is more like a small ball. The filling is mainly fresh shrimps mixed with minced pork and mushrooms. With a special type of ‘elastic’ Cantonese noodle in broth, you would have an extremely wonderful feeling in your mouth.

At tea time, a bowl of fresh shrimp wanton noodle might cost as little as HK. Don’t go to shops selling at HK or more. You can always get a bowl of good quality wanton noodle at around HK.

Wanton noodle shops are easy to find especially in shopping areas. These are causal restaurants usually no service charge incurred. Wanton noodle is seldom served in fine dining restaurants.

Dinner Time – Seafood and others

Seafood is a typical Cantonese Hong Kong food, especially during dinner time. Good quality seafood restaurants are everywhere. Dim sum restaurants generally serve seafood at dinner time.

If you want to eat the best cooked seafood with the best ingredients, Hong Kong is the place. Frankly, live seafood could be expensive, depending on the type and size. A deep sea grouper of one kilogram would cost a few hundred Hong Kong dollars. However, this is a life time experience only available in Hong Kong. There is nowhere else in the world you could have such great seafood dining experience.

Though live seafood is expensive, you do have a choice to have chilled ones. They are also very good. Chilled fishes are usually sold at fixed price. Some restaurants even offer seafood set menu. That would allow you to control your budget more easily.

Steamed chicken (plain version) is another classic Hong Kong food. The whole chicken is steamed and cut after it is cooked. No seasoning is applied. You only eat with a sauce made of smashed ginger and salt mixed with hot cooking oil. Smashed green union is sometime added to the sauce. The sauce is only to bring up the natural taste of the chicken.

The best chicken restaurant in Hong Kong is called Yuet Heung at 105 Thompson Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong. Unless you stay at a nearby hotel, you don’t have to make your way there as steamed chicken is available in every Cantonese restaurant.

Roast sucking pig is another highlight of Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong. It is highly recommended. Like seafood, you should have it at least once in Hong Kong. Its skin is so crispy and meat is so smooth and juicy. If you like Beijing duck, you must love Cantonese roast suckling pig.

Suggested Four-course Dinner for Two

o Steamed fish

o Steamed chicken (a dish is enough for two, half a chicken is good for four, order for one whole chicken only if you have more than four)

o Fried vegetable (pick your favourite vegetable, have it fried plainly or with garlic)

o Daily soup (Soup of the day is usually well prepared with finely chosen ingredients by the executive chef)

This menu might cost around HK0 per person in a regular restaurant. It might be more expensive depends on the type of fish and the class of the restaurant.

Click here to see more on Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong.

Tips

o Chinese food is meant for sharing. Order several dishes and share among your group members.

o Split bill is not popular in Chinese restaurants. Each table is a chargeable unit.

o Say ‘mai dan’ when you are ready to go. This is the Cantonese way of asking for a bill in a restaurant.

o No smoking is allowed in any Hong Kong restaurants, effective January 1, 2007.

A Day Trip to Explore Hong Kong Food-Insider’s Guide for Food Lovers

Anna is a Hong Kong Chinese. She loves travelling, especially China travel. Her website is all about the top tourist cities in China. http://china-travel-golden-route.com

Korea’s ancient capital, Gyeongju, is the country’s big must-see, and rates as one of the ten most important ancient cultural cities in the world. In among the shops and markets in the modern-day city you’ll find abundant relics of its two-thousand-year history, including colossal fifth-century tombs and burial mounds, a seventh-century stone observatory, and the royal pleasure gardens of Anapji, which were designed in 674 AD. Other quarters of Gyeongju are rich with elegant pagodas and historic wooden Buddhist temples, and numerous trails take you to the slopes of the sacred mountain, Nam-san, which dominates the south of the city.

Korea

Hiking in the national parks

South Korea is full of exhilarating national parks, all of which are crisscrossed by clearly marked trails and dotted with good camping spots (and the occasional mountain hut). The cream of the crop is Seorak-san, and in particular Naeseorak (Inner Seorak), an exceptionally tranquil stretch of forested peaks, rivers, waterfalls and Buddhist temples – and some established rock climbs too. Also well worth seeking out are Jiri-san, which boasts a 65-kilometre-long ridge trail and lots of historic temples; the popular and fairly gentle trails of Songni-san; and Bukhansan, which is on the edge of Seoul.

Seoul

South Korea’s modern day capital has a reasonable number of sights to keep you entertained for a few days. Most interesting are the five imposing royal palaces, some of which date back to the fifteenth century. Inside the Changdokkung Palace you’ll find one of South Korea’s loveliest gardens, the Piwon, a beautifully landscaped haven of ponds and pavilions. In the modern part of town, check out the Kimchi Museum, dedicated to fiery pickled cabbage that is South Korea’s national dish, browse the cutting-edge Leeum Museum of Modern Art, and spend the evening in the trendy nightlufe district of Sinchon.

Panmunjeom

On the 38th parallel, the 1953 ceasefire line between North and South Korea – a four-kilometre-wide strip of land spiked with guardposts – is still in force today, and the village of Panmunjeom, which stands on the DMZ just 56km north of Seoul, is a popular day-trip from the capital. Unless you can afford the cost of joining an organized tour around North Korea, this is the closest you can get to the repressive, desperately impoverished totalitarian state. There’s no border crossing here (or anywhere between the two countries) but Panmunjeom attracts busloads of tourists, all of whom required to dress smartly (No jeans, T-shirts or miniskirts) and, if male, to have a respectable haircut!

The KoreanFolkVillage

It may sound like a coach tour nightmare, but the Korean Folk Village is well worth a day-trip from Seoul, especially if you’ve not got time to explore the rest of the country. A reconstruction of a typical nineteenth-century village, it’s complete with Buddhist temple, Confucian school, pottery and weaving workshops, blacksmiths and traditional farmhouses. The people you see in the village do actually live and work there, even if they might look like actors dolled up in traditional outfits.

Jeju-do

This southern island has maintained traditions that have long disappeared from the mainland and is now a popular tourist destination as well as a favorite with local honeymooners. Highlights here include mysterious Easter Island-like statues, hikes to the summit of Halla-san (South Korea’s highest volcano), and a seven-kilometer-long lava-tube cave. The climate down here is warmer and wetter that in the rest of the country, but don’t come specifically foe the beaches, as you’ll find them crowded and disappointingly scruffy

The three-hour boat ride from Busan to Yeosu

This is one of the most scenic journeys in the country, with fine views of the crenellated coastline and myriad islets. It’s so attractive round here that the whole area has been conserved as Hallyo Waterway National Park

The island of Ulung-do

Rugged, remote and starkly beautiful, this tiny volcanic outcrop – accessed by ferry from Samcheck – has hardly any roads and is best explored on foot. It takes two days to walk right round the island, giving you ample opportunity to enjoy the temples. Forested ridges, waterfalls and famous 2000-year-old juniper tree

Taking an open-air bath with a view at Seorak Waterpia

Soak up the glorious mountain vista while wallowing in the natural hot springs at this spa resort in Seorak-san National Park, where you can also bathe in a lemon flavoured pool, go skinny dipping, and brave a shower under a near-boiling waterfall

The fifteenth-century village of Yangdong

Prettily set beside a river and beneath a wooded hill, Yangdong is of such historic importance that villagers are forbidden to modify or knock down their antique wooden houses, many of which are magnificent structures with sweeping roofs, beautifully carved beams and capacious verandahs.

Bargain-hunting at Namdaemun Night Market in Seoul

Opening every night at around 10.30pm and running through till just before dawn, the enormous Namdaemun Market sells everything from handicrafts to saucepans, ginseng to live fish. It’s a great place to while away the evening, not least because of all the cheap food stalls that dish up hot snacks through till morning.

Staying in a yogwan

If you’re on a budget, make a beeline for these traditional questhouses: they’re cheap, family-run, and usually have lots of character. You sleep on a futon on the floor – a special treat in winter when the underfloor heating system kicks in and acts like a huge electric blanket

Snowboarding and skiing at Yongpyong

There are over thirty runs for skiers and snowboarders at this trendy ski resort on the slopes on Mount Balwang, plus floodlit night skiing, a sledging park and cross-country trails. Also holds a snow-sculpture festival in February

What Are South Korea’s Famous Tourist Attractions and Activities?

Please view the photos of South Korea‘s famous tourist attractions by clicking the link below:-

Photos of South Korea

http://flyme2southkorea.blogspot.com is where you can get the best South Korea traveling destinations information, cheap flights and great hotel discounts. Have fun!!

Tabriz rugs come from the second largest city in Iran which is situated in the Persian Azerbaijan province which in the northwestern part of the country. This ancient city has a tumultuous story, which pre dates current records, for it was already a flourishing oasis when it was first mentioned in a written document.

Azerbaijan

Despite the wars, invasions and occupations it has been through, the inhabitants of the city managed to make the rug craftsmanship thrive commercially, with just a single period in the 19th Century when the business declined. The development of the Tabriz rug business throughout history was dominated by single families and sometimes even dynasties. During the Safavid Dynasty era (1499-1722), the town met with its cultural and economic climax, when members of this dynasty founded workshops and improved the commercial relationships, thus making Tabriz one of the artistic centers of Iran, Tabriz is now one of the main producers of high quality Persian rugs, if not the most prolific of them all.

But why is a Tabriz rug so special? Besides being of very high quality, these carpets show the weaver’s exceptional artistic skills, which have shown to have been transmitted from generation to generation. They are exclusively hand-made and generally colored with natural dyes although some carpets manufactured after 1945 may be synthetically dyed and may have fewer KPSI.

The weave is most commonly made of very fine cotton, but some craftsmen use silk or a combination of these two and for the pile, they usually blend Kurk wool and silk. Some of the finest rugs use silk as an essential part for both the foundation and the pile, and even gold threads are interwoven in the base.

Some of the technical singularities of a Tabriz rug lie in the fact that they have double wefts usually made of cotton or wool together with cotton warps; they also have a combination of the Turkish and Persian knots (many of them have only Turkish double symmetric knots) and a tightly woven doubled foundation. The nap is slightly hard to the touch and very short trimmed for high-quality rugs and longer for the average carpet.

The patterns, colors and the large number of hues used are characteristics of a Tabriz rug and can have a palette which may range from dark red and navy blue as predominant colors, to ivy, tan, soft green and other pastels as contrasting colors. Tabriz rugs are known for the large number of colors used in a single piece. and usually have intricate patterns, with small and complicated details. Most Tabriz rugs have a medallion in the middle and quarters of medallion at the corners (shah abbasi, islimi, or a combination of the two), but there are some which may have geometric, simpler patterns where floral motifs are predominant, with vases, palmettos and hunting scenes near the edge. The diversity is overwhelming, however, some patterns are rare and can only be found in private collections or as family possessions.

Such magnificent rugs can bring a piece of the oriental magic into any room of your house. Who knows, maybe Aladdin’s fantastic carpet will find its place straight at your feet!

A Tabriz Rug – Your Own Magic Carpet

Arnold Hexden is known for his interesting articles on many subjects.You can read more about antique and Persian rugs on his website: The Antique Rugs Review and Directory which is at [http://www.dreamantiquerugs.com]

A mere 30-minute drive from the international airport, this premier business district maintains higher standards of cleanliness, order, and service than do much of the rest of Metropolitan Manila, that agglomeration of 12 cities and 5 municipalities often referred to simply as “Manila.”

Philippines

Makati has been dubbed the financial capital of the country. At its heart is the Ayala Center, basically comprised by a pair of shopping zones – the Glorietta and Greenbelt – developed in phases amidst patches of green on approximately 50 hectares of real property. This hub is surrounded by tall office buildings, hotels and condominiums. I’d describe the atmosphere here as posh, and business-like, but leisurely all at once.

Boulevards within the district leading to and from this central point are lined by skyscrapers. Notable among these roads are Ayala, Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenues. Palm trees in the middle island make the Ayala stretch particularly picturesque.

The malls all have central air-conditioning, a must in the humid climes this side of the tropics. Yet you can hardly be enclosed in this network of edifices: the structures are interconnected by elevated walkways and pathways along landscaped spaces, and al fresco cafes and eateries. And a stroll across the Greenbelt park can be a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of daily living. Right in the middle is a semi-open, circular chapel sitting on a pond.

The well-heeled, tourists, and your ordinary man-on-the-street congregate at Ayala Center to shop or to enjoy themselves. On weeknights, it’s not unusual to see office workers trooping in droves to this complex before heading for home.

Everything you need to manage is here-in style if you wish. Rows of retail stores sell clothes and accessories, furnishings, electronic gadgets and various other specialties. The Rustan’s, SM and Landmark department stores all have supermarkets in their ground or basement floors.

Restaurants, both of the fast food and gourmet varieties, as well as kiosks offering a quick bite or two, are not hard to find. Other commercial establishments include two swanky cinema complexes, a Gold’s Gym, “spas” offering relaxing massage, and a karaoke parlor. And, yes, there are bars and watering holes that come to life at night.

Seven 5-star hotels dot the vicinity. For first-class accommodations, you can check in at one of these:

1) Dusit Hotel Nikko,

2) Makati Shangri-la,

3) Intercontinental Hotel,

4) Mandarin Oriental Manila,

5) Peninsula Manila,

6) New World Renaissance Hotel, and

7) The Ascott Makati (formerly called Oakwood) right atop the Glorietta shopping complex. Otherwise you may opt to lodge at any number of condominiums or apartment hotels around the area.

Most of the foreign embassies and consulates in the Philippines are headquartered here in Makati, not in the capital city of Manila. The U.S. embassy, though, is in Manila proper.

It might be worth mentioning for certain business travelers, that the Philippine Stock Exchange is a stone’s throw from Ayala Center. Also within the district are numerous business process outsourcing (BPO) agencies, otherwise known as call centers. As for your health consultation and treatment needs, there is the 600-bed Makati Medical Center, which itself is surrounded by a number of medical offices.

One drawback to a stay in Makati is traffic that may snarl during the morning and early evening rush hours–despite strict enforcement of designated loading and unloading stops for public utility vehicles along Ayala Avenue. This inconvenience is a small price to pay, considering the other things going for the district, and considering that bottlenecks are an inescapable fact of life anyway in nearly all but the least busy parts of Metro Manila.

A more serious negative is Makati’s record of being the site of two coups d’état attempts-or what seemed like ones-by a disgruntled faction of the Philippine military.

They occurred in July 27, 2003, when 321 mutinous soldiers holed themselves up at the Ascott Makati hotel-then called Oakwood-and in November 29, 2007, when 26 officers from the very same group seized control of the second floor of the Manila Peninsula. Fortunately, both rebellions were contained within 24 hours without anyone getting hurt.

Makati the city is certainly not without its social ills. While several of the Philippines’ most exclusive residential subdivisions are found here, some sections remain blighted, and are settled by “squatters” living in squalid conditions.

Nevertheless, Makati has more than enough plusses to recommend itself to the foreign traveler.

One big bonus: the city is a take-off point to great vacation spots. The South Luzon Expressway, or SLEX, virtually begins here. This toll road connects to the nearby provinces of Laguna, Batangas and Cavite where are to be found hot springs, beaches, as well as the elevated and temperate resort city of Tagaytay, which overlooks the Taal Volcano and Lake. These sites are anywhere from 40-minute to four-hour rides away.

Finally, Makati’s proximity to the airport makes it relatively easy to travel via local flights to any of the other tourist destinations of the Philippines, like the Island of Boracay, renowned for its white-sand beaches and vibrant night life.

Now, doesn’t that sound inviting?

Living in Style – Makati, Philippines

Penn Duke writes about Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur Province, and other places in the Philippines.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of a winter holiday is skiing. If you’re the one for skiing, ice-skating or snowboarding, then you ought to go to Colorado and do some winter activity.

Laos

Another place for you to visit in December is Dubai, an international metropolitan developing at a fast pace. Dubai gives you the opportunity to enjoy any activity you can come to think of. In Dubai you should visit the mall of Emirates, the Egyptian Wafi City Mall and also the new mall of Dubai, which is acclaimed as the largest in the world. Weather of Dubai in December is extremely pleasant and you are sure to enjoy your holiday whether you have activities or shopping in mind.

As Europe has cold weather in December, the choices are very limited if you are looking for outdoor activities during your holiday. However, there are some European cities that have great holiday celebrations and festivals on Christmas. Some of these places are Belgium, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich and Stockholm. These cities have very nicely decorated, vibrant and lively markets during the holidays and offer a lot of fun. You can shop around or just browse and check out the decorations for the holidays,

In Europe, there are also some places where there are great winter festivals. In Austria there is the Kaiserball, which is the most posh event of the year. There are also other winter festivals in Scotland and Turkey. You can also go to Russia for the Russian winter festival, which takes place in Pittsburgh.

If you want to have a little adventure, there are some places where you would find plenty of activity and a lot of adventure. You can visit the Mekong River in Laos, which gives you the opportunity to see a great variety of things including architecture of the post colonial era, mountains, forests, temples carved from wood and markets that are both colourful and vibrant.

There is also the Amazon, which is the world’s largest basin, and also the largest tropical rainforest. It offers a retreat from the rest of the world and you can have a great time enjoying this wild retreat. The Swiss Alps are also a great opportunity for some adventure and you can travel in the Glacier Express that has a glass ceiling. The stunning views and clear skies are worth seeing.

If you want a beach holiday, you have the option of going to the Bahamas, Miami, Pheuket, Cape Town, Melbourne, Jamaica, Goa or Perth. Some other places that are likely to have great weather for outdoor activities are Myanmar, Mexico, Taiwan, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Philippines and Cuba.

The Best Holiday Destinations in December

For more info on cheap holidays try Sunmaster

Without too much into the history Vietnam emerged from the second world war and Japanese occupation and like most Asia countries having had enough of colonial domination from Europe. France had not woken up to the fact that Europe’s destruction of itself had resulted in a change in the world order. Eventually Vietnam ended up in a Communist North and a ‘Democratic’ South. The good ol’ USA being the champion of the ‘Free’ west went to war in Vietnam to stop communism taking over the South. Eventually after about 50,000 casualties the USA pulled out under a ‘peace’ plan – or a mechanism by which the USA didn’t have to lose face (peace with honor). Despite this the USA pride and prestige in the world took a huge hit that it only recovered in the Regan years (thanks to the Russians going to the same experience in Afghanistan). How could a world super-power be beaten by a third world country of rice farmers. This of course is a simplistic view – the Vietnamese received large amounts of assistance from other communist countries and endued approximately 5 million army and civilian casualties. However the lesson was simple, make America bleed enough and it will pull out. This is what is occurring in Iraq now. The Muslim extremists, Iraq nationalists, anti-American coalition or whatever you want to call them are trying to make the USA bleed enough to retreat.

Vietnam

The consequences of such a retreat would be a disaster. Whether you think Bush is an idiot or liar for going to war in the first place are now unfortunately irrelevant. The USA can not afford another loss of the scale of Vietnam, with China and India both growing at huge rates, unless the US wants to become the third power it must demonstrate it has the strength to win (strength in the terms of blood). Both India and China could lose a million people and not even batter an eyelid, Russia lost one in five citizens in its great war (WW2), what has the US demonstrated? That it is technologically the most powerful country in the world, but without the willingness to bear human costs. This can be a weakness which others will exploit.

It is a weakness currently being exploited by Iran. As a recent US general has said although not formally at war with Iran ‘we kept finding their bombs here’. A hark back to the United States problems with Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh trail though Laos and Cambodia. This once again raises the question of escalation of the war and the question of whether the US would really be prepared for a country like Iran where to conquer the spirit and win the war would result only after the deaths of half the country and every mullah – I don’t know that the world will stand for that kind of slaughter. Anyone who doesn’t acknowledge that to be a realistic scenario isn’t facing facts and is failing to understand the Iranian mindset – consider the deaths Iran and Iraq went through in their own local war. Don’t think that will suddenly change because it is the USA involved. Any such war would require the destruction to the nations will to fight, and given the lessons of the past this would take some effort of a country which would consider any invasion a jihad against the great Satan.

Once again we hear ‘those who don’t learn from history are condemned to repeat it.’

Iraq – Is Vietnam Repeating Itself?

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North America, and the United States in particular is a good options for the wheelchair traveler due to the passage of ADA laws a few decades back. There are many great locations in North America, and what you choose depends on the kind of experience you are looking for.

Travel Asia

If it is the historical side of the United States you are after, then two great ideas are Boston, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. Both have great public transportation systems and historical buildings everywhere around the city.

On the West Coast, it is all about the beach. Head to San Diego for warm California beach and the sun. In Northern California, there are a number of great beach towns including Santa Cruz where temperatures are cool.

Other great wheelchair travel ideas would be to drive up the Highway 1 from California to Oregon and Washington, which is almost entirely on the coast. It’s been voted by many travel publications as being one of the most spectacular routes in the world. Once you are up in Washington keep going to Vancouver, B.C. which is also an incredible scenic drive and a very wheelchair friendly city.

If you are looking for more of an outdoor experience then some wheelchair travel ideas including seeing Yosemite National Park or the Grand Canyon. Yosemite National Park is located in California at the base of the Sierra Mountains. Lust forests, waterfall, valleys, and steep canyon walls carved by glaciers entertain the senses. At the Grand Canyon the desert sands and might Colorado River have carved a natural masterpiece over an estimated 17 million years. Surrounding the Grand Canyon the desert displays mother earth’s raw beauty. Even stripped away and bear, she is still magnificent.

Besides the United States and Canada, more wheelchair travel ideas can be a trip to Cancun, Mexico. It is a big tourist location and has more wheelchair access updates than anywhere else in Mexico.

In Europe, there are many wheelchair travel destinations. More and more countries and specific regions of the world are making changes to improve accessibility. However, out of all the counties the more accessible wheelchair travel destinations voiced in a recent wheelchairtraveling.com poll are the cities of Barcelona, Berlin, Vänersborg, Montpellier, and Vienna. All great options if Europe is the region you wish to enjoy. More travel ideas would be to look at Asia and the wheelchair travel destinations to explore are Tokyo and Singapore. These two cities are modern and by far have the most accessible updates in Asia, according to some experienced wheelchair users.

There are many other destinations around the world, some smaller and less talked about than the ones mentioned and others just as well known. Wheelchair travel ideas begin with you, and the type of experience are you looking for? Unique traveling experiences await if you are open new ideas and cultures. Start from within and then start packing!

Wheelchair Travel Ideas for Accessible Vacation Destinations

Looking for accessible vacation spots that are rated by other wheelchair users? Check out our wheelchair travel resources at Wheelchair Traveling

Mumbai derives its name from Mumbadevi the goddess of the fishermen who were the earliest inhabitants of this place then only a desolate marshy island. Gerald Aungier the President of East India Company to whom this island was leased by the Crown in the 1670s for a measly sum of 10 pounds can be called the father of Modern Mumbai. That’s history in brief, now lets get down to some geography.

India

Linear in shape, the western side of Mumbai faces the Arabian Sea. The southern part of Mumbai is pointed and this place is called Colaba. Not far is the Railway Station (Chhtrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus) also in this region. The famous Gateway of India and Prince of Wales Museum are nearby. Towards the south east lie the Elephanta Islands housing the tourist-must-see Elephanta caves. Regular ferry services are available from the Gateway.

The central part of Mumbai is the broadest and contains Chembur, Sion and Bandra among others and also the forts of Mahim and Worli in the bean shaped Mahim Bay. Juhu Beach, a favourite weekend getaway for Mumbaikars (that’s what the Mumbai citizens are known as) lies here and also the airports (domestic and international)

The north eastern part of Mumbai is a green getaway from the concrete skyscrapers and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Kanheri Caves and Tulsi Lake are located here making this region an ideal weekend rendezvous.

Madh Island on the western end is a favourite tourist hotspot. The north western part of Mumbai is sandwiched between the Manori Creek and the National Highway No.8. Borivali, Kandivali and Dahisar lie in this region.

The city seems to welcome everybody with open arms and everybody who has been to Mumbai is sure to love this city. A must-see city for every traveler to India. Since Mumbai is on the west coast of India, it can be the first stop in India for all tourists who come from countries to the west of India.

Mumbai is connected to all the major cities of India through air and rail. So after a day’s stay in Mumbai, wherein you can feel the warmth the city and its people you could proceed to the city of your choice in India.

Mumbai mesmerises. Let’s wish this mighty megalopolis many years of youth and vibrancy.

Cities of India – Mumbai

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