The European Commission has successfully built up an excellent working relationship with major European stakeholders in social tourism issues. This collaboration has enabled the Commission to draw upon the assistance and expertise of such stakeholders in some of its very own initiatives too. The Conference on Social Tourism organised by the Commission in January 2006 was a clear example of how and why full cooperation with stakeholders can lead to achieving desired objectives.
During this Conference in January 2006, the Commission presented the results of a survey (« Tourism for All 2006») on social tourism it had undertaken, and examined a number of good practices linked to the senior citizens` market.
As a follow-up to this successful conference, and within the context of the “European Year 2007 of Equal Opportunities for All”, the Tourism Unit organised a stakeholders' conference on the 6th February 2007 on “Social Tourism in the EU: Youths and Senior Citizens” in Brussels at the Borschette Centre.
The main objective of the conference was to identify whether there exists the possibility of extending collaboration on social tourism in different Member States that are currently less active than others in this field. The Conference was of primary interest to Member States but also to the existing stakeholders in this field, since the programme presented best practices and engaged the delegates in focussed discussions about the future directions for social tourism.
The overall theme was based on the Lisbon Strategy and incorporated two main topics in the day long event, focussing on youth tourism in the morning and senior citizens in the afternoon.
The morning session consisted primarily in an exploratory exercise to identify problem areas and increase awareness on best practices within the youth travel field. Important stakeholders such as the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation and the European Union Federation of Youth Hostel Associations lent their support to this Conference, alongside other speakers from Germany, Italy and Slovenia that elaborated upon some good practices in their own particular country.
The European Commission presented the results of a Survey on Youths (see below presentation of Mr Ianniello) which was carried out in collaboration with the “Bureau International du Tourisme Social" (BITS). The Tourism Unit distributed two questionnaires (see below), one to Member States and the other to several stakeholders linked to the youth’s sector. Sixteen National Public Bodies, of which, two are candidate countries, returned the completed questionnaires. This is an encouraging response rate since besides these sixteen countries, Holland, Austria and Liechtenstein informed the Commission that they do not have any specific national research in the field of youth tourism.
Apart from the sixteen countries, twenty-two stakeholders provided feedback on the questionnaire. There was good geographical distribution, since even non EU countries replied. This allowed a sufficiently good indicative overview of the problems and issues within the youth sector as part of the Survey Analysis.
One of the questions asked within the questionnaire was to provide information through a pre-defined template on examples of good practices across Europe in the youth tourism field. In this regard, the Commission is facilitating the dissemination of such good practices by placing them on the Tourism Unit’s web site, in order to raise awareness at Europe-wide level and to facilitate networking between the stakeholders themselves.
Any additional stakeholders who may wish to indicate their good practices are invited to do so by compiling this document (word version) and returning it to entr-tourism@ec.europa.eu . Potential respondents are requested to send feedback only on the proposed template, to ensure uniformity.
The afternoon session gave rise to a more focused approach built on the findings of the January 2006 Conference. By examining the European applicability of successful national models as previously identified in this Conference, the focus was on one excellent good practice, the one adopted by IMSERSO in Spain and which was presented and highlighted in the Commission’s first Conference. This time however, speakers did not discuss the scheme per se, but rather focused on examining whether this national model had the potential to become an Europeanised model that allows for low season exchanges in social tourism between a number of Member States.
Speakers in this afternoon session were top officials from either Spain itself or neighbouring countries like France, Portugal or the Republic of Andorra that have already experienced contact with IMSERSO. It is through the prospects and practical difficulties faced by these key players that delegates discussed and reflected upon the possibility of giving this good practice, or other similar initiatives, a more accentuated European dimension.
The European Commission agreed to actively participate in initiatives led by competent bodies like BITS in forming a network of interested parties to closely monitor developments in the field of social tourism.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
TOURISM PREPARATORY ACTION
More specific aims of EDEN are to:
– enhance visibility of the European tourist destinations
– create awareness of Europe’s tourist diversity and quality
– promoting all European countries and regions
– help de-congestion, combat seasonality, rebalance the tourist flows towards the non traditional destinations
– awarding sustainable forms of tourism
– create a platform for the exchange of good practices at European level, and
– promote networking between awarded destinations which could persuade other destinations to adopt sustainable tourist development models
The Commission has worked in close cooperation with the Member States for the implementation of EDEN.
The European Commission launched the first phase of the pilot project "European Destinations of Excellence" in 2006.
For the year 2006, the theme of the pilot project was related to rural tourism. The subtitle of the award for this specific year was “Best Emerging Rural Destinations” .
Eligible destinations were those which have implemented in any of the last 3 years initiatives that have contributed to the promotion of the local tourist offer through a better appreciation of the rural natural and cultural heritage. Moreover, each participating Country has outlined more specific criteria of eligibility.
Selections procedures were carried out at national level in the first semester of 2007 by the 9 Members States which joined this pilot project: Austria, Belgium (Wallonia), Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia and Malta, plus 1 candidate country: Croatia.
The 10 winning destinations of excellence have been awarded in a European-level conference which took place at the Annual Forum on Tourism in Portugal in October 2007.
If you want to discover the 10 winning destinations, visit our dedicated page.
If you want to know more about how national administration organised the 2007 selection phases, follow me.
The European Commission launched the second phase of the pilot project "European Destinations of Excellence".
The theme of excellence for 2007 is "tourism and local intangible heritage".
Those destinations which have developed a new tourism offer based on the appreciation of their specific local intangible heritage will have the possibility to compete at national level and be selected as 2007 destination of excellence.
18 Member States and 2 candidate countries are participating in the project. The national competitions, open to all eligible destinations according to the selection criteria chosen by the National Administrations in charge of tourism, will take place in the first half of 2008. It is expected that the winning destinations are selected in June 2008.
If you wish to have more information about national selection procedures in your country (selection criteria, application forms, etc), you can get in touch with your national contact point:
– enhance visibility of the European tourist destinations
– create awareness of Europe’s tourist diversity and quality
– promoting all European countries and regions
– help de-congestion, combat seasonality, rebalance the tourist flows towards the non traditional destinations
– awarding sustainable forms of tourism
– create a platform for the exchange of good practices at European level, and
– promote networking between awarded destinations which could persuade other destinations to adopt sustainable tourist development models
The Commission has worked in close cooperation with the Member States for the implementation of EDEN.
The European Commission launched the first phase of the pilot project "European Destinations of Excellence" in 2006.
For the year 2006, the theme of the pilot project was related to rural tourism. The subtitle of the award for this specific year was “Best Emerging Rural Destinations” .
Eligible destinations were those which have implemented in any of the last 3 years initiatives that have contributed to the promotion of the local tourist offer through a better appreciation of the rural natural and cultural heritage. Moreover, each participating Country has outlined more specific criteria of eligibility.
Selections procedures were carried out at national level in the first semester of 2007 by the 9 Members States which joined this pilot project: Austria, Belgium (Wallonia), Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia and Malta, plus 1 candidate country: Croatia.
The 10 winning destinations of excellence have been awarded in a European-level conference which took place at the Annual Forum on Tourism in Portugal in October 2007.
If you want to discover the 10 winning destinations, visit our dedicated page.
If you want to know more about how national administration organised the 2007 selection phases, follow me.
The European Commission launched the second phase of the pilot project "European Destinations of Excellence".
The theme of excellence for 2007 is "tourism and local intangible heritage".
Those destinations which have developed a new tourism offer based on the appreciation of their specific local intangible heritage will have the possibility to compete at national level and be selected as 2007 destination of excellence.
18 Member States and 2 candidate countries are participating in the project. The national competitions, open to all eligible destinations according to the selection criteria chosen by the National Administrations in charge of tourism, will take place in the first half of 2008. It is expected that the winning destinations are selected in June 2008.
If you wish to have more information about national selection procedures in your country (selection criteria, application forms, etc), you can get in touch with your national contact point:
What & Where is Bali?
Bali: An Overview
Bali is an island of incredible mystery, beauty, enchantment, culture, hospitality, variety, and serenity; who wouldn't fall under its irresistible spell?
Bali's spectacular beaches, volcanoes, lakes, temples, and terraced rice fields -- combined with its deeply artistic roots and its legendary hospitality -- have made it one of the most visited places on earth. The religion and culture of Bali are unique in the world, and the Balinese have preserved their traditions in spite of the island's growing tourist industry.
While many destinations offer beautiful scenery, few have the variety of Bali, and none has its unique art, culture, and natural hospitality.
Geography
Located 8 degrees south of the equator in the midst of the 8,000 islands of the Indonesian archipelago, Bali measures approximately 140 km by 80 km and has an area of 5,620 square kilometers. Immediately east of Java, Bali is the first of the Sunda Islands. Its mountain range consists mostly of dormant and active volcanoes, with the highest, the active volcano Mount Gunung Agung, reaching 3,142 meters. Stretched to the south and north of these volcanoes, Bali's fertile agricultural lands produce abundant crops of rice.
The thinly populated West is the only non-cultivated area and includes Bali's National Park, a deeply forested area with many varieties of plants and birds. The eastern and northeastern slopes of Gunung Agung are arid, as is the extreme south of the island. The climate of most of the island is hot and humid, with an average temperature of 28 Celcius, but the higher altitudes can be quite cool. The rainy season lasts from October to March, and the humidity fluctuates between 75% and 80% depending on the season. Winds tend to blow from the West during the rainy season and from the East during the 'dry' season.
Balinese Life
The strong cultural identity of Bali is based on a combination of closely related elements that include its unique religion, its language, its castes, its community life, and its art.
Although the official language is Indonesian, Balinese remains the everyday language of the people of the island.
The ancient caste system -- still alive but no longer of any official or formal significance -- divides the Balinese into four distinct castes: Priests ('Brahmana'), Rulers ('Ksatria'), Warriors ('Wesia'), and commoners ('Sudra'). Unlike India, Balinese Hinduism has no 'untouchable' caste. Ninety percent of Balinese are commoners, while the remaining ten percent are divided among the three higher castes.
Numerous ceremonies mark the progression of life in Bali, starting, of course, with birth. Children are treated with respect and gentleness; corporal punishment is rare. In adulthood, marriage becomes compulsory and represents the individual's official entry into the community as an adult. Subsequently, participation in the meetings of the Banjar (village association that manages village affairs) becomes obligatory.
The management of the all-important water supply falls under another essential community organization called the Subak, to which each village landowner belongs. Bali's irrigation system, unique in the world, is managed by these associations, which ensure the fair distribution of water and carry out the traditional ceremonial rites to the gods of agriculture.
No discussion of Bali is complete without mentioning Bali's native inhabitants, the so-called 'Bali Aga'. They are the descendants of the first known inhabitants of Bali, and their customs are of prehistoric origin -- long before the arrival of Hinduism. Now their culture represents a unique combination of their animistic origins and Balinese Hinduism. There are only a few villages of Bali Aga left; the two best known are Tenganan in Karangasem and Trunyan in Kintamani, Bangli.
History
It is believed that Bali's first inhabitants came from China at the beginning of the Iron Age, around 3,000 BC. Some Buddhist inscriptions date from the 9th century AD; it was only in the 11th century that Hindu influence from Java began to make its mark on the island. The 13th century saw the emergence of the Majapahit dynasty that ruled over Java and Bali for the next three centuries.
At the end of this era, chased by the arrival of Islam, the Javanese aristocracy and its priests and artisans fled to Bali. Bali then entered an intense period of cultural development, the main traits of which are to be found today in the caste system, the rituals, and certain artistic styles.
The first Dutch seamen landed in Bali in 1597. Starting in 1800 in the north of Bali, the Dutch began a long and troubled campaign to colonize the island. Their efforts climaxed with the collective suicide of 14 September 1906, when 4,000 Balinese killed themselves rather than capitulate. Dutch colonization lasted until World War II, when they were ousted by Japanese forces.
The Japanese occupation lasted from 1942 to 1945. 0n 17 August 1945, Sukarno, the first President of the Republic of Indonesia, proclaimed independence. After the end of World War II, however, the Dutch tried to re-assert their colonial control over Bali and Indonesia. At the battle of Marga (Bali) in 1946, the Dutch faced a group of 94 Balinese soldiers led by Lt. Col. I Gusti Ngurah Rai, all of whom died refusing to surrender. In 1949, the Dutch finally relinquished their claims on Indonesia.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Women in RI surfing tour - Headline
The Jakarta Post, Kuta, Bali
The organizers of Indonesian Surfing Championships (ISC) announced Saturday that they would include a women's division in its tour season this year.
Spokesman for the organizers, Tim Hain, said that three sponsors had already committed to including the women's division in their events this year.
"Incredibly, without any formal announcement being sent out, six women have already come to the ISC office and signed up to get their ISC membership cards this week," he said in a statement.
The first event will be the Roxy Open at Keramas Beach in April during the Quiksilver Open, the second will be at Legian Beach in mid-October at the Villa Mana Charity Surf event, and the season closer will be during the Rip Curl Surf and Music Festival at Kuta Beach in late October.
"The point's leader at the end of the year will receive the women's championship trophy at the ISC awards presentation scheduled for early November," he added.
With the rapidly growing popularity of the sport of surfing in Indonesia, more and women are getting into it and finding that the thrill of riding waves is not only for the guys. The stigma of surfing being a purely man's sport in Indonesia is being blunted by the alluring images of women at the beach and in the water, from the young daughters of famous Australian, American, and Hawaiian surfers in magazine ads to movies like Blue Crush and the MTV series Boarding House-North Shore.
"Not to mention movie stars like Cameron Diaz seen taking surfing lessons from Rizal Tanjung at Dreamland Beach in Bali," Tim added.
According to him, some major international surfwear companies have created brands exclusively for the women's market, such as Quiksilver/Roxy, Rip Curl Girl, Billabong Girls and Rusty Chix.
Bali's own Surfer Girl is a company dedicated exclusively to providing surfing and beachwear products to women of all ages, recently adding a surfing school as well.
Rip Curl holds "Girls Go Surfing" days several times per year at their Rip Curl Surf School, inviting women and girl celebrities from Jakarta to give surfing a try alongside tourists and locals.
The organizers of Indonesian Surfing Championships (ISC) announced Saturday that they would include a women's division in its tour season this year.
Spokesman for the organizers, Tim Hain, said that three sponsors had already committed to including the women's division in their events this year.
"Incredibly, without any formal announcement being sent out, six women have already come to the ISC office and signed up to get their ISC membership cards this week," he said in a statement.
The first event will be the Roxy Open at Keramas Beach in April during the Quiksilver Open, the second will be at Legian Beach in mid-October at the Villa Mana Charity Surf event, and the season closer will be during the Rip Curl Surf and Music Festival at Kuta Beach in late October.
"The point's leader at the end of the year will receive the women's championship trophy at the ISC awards presentation scheduled for early November," he added.
With the rapidly growing popularity of the sport of surfing in Indonesia, more and women are getting into it and finding that the thrill of riding waves is not only for the guys. The stigma of surfing being a purely man's sport in Indonesia is being blunted by the alluring images of women at the beach and in the water, from the young daughters of famous Australian, American, and Hawaiian surfers in magazine ads to movies like Blue Crush and the MTV series Boarding House-North Shore.
"Not to mention movie stars like Cameron Diaz seen taking surfing lessons from Rizal Tanjung at Dreamland Beach in Bali," Tim added.
According to him, some major international surfwear companies have created brands exclusively for the women's market, such as Quiksilver/Roxy, Rip Curl Girl, Billabong Girls and Rusty Chix.
Bali's own Surfer Girl is a company dedicated exclusively to providing surfing and beachwear products to women of all ages, recently adding a surfing school as well.
Rip Curl holds "Girls Go Surfing" days several times per year at their Rip Curl Surf School, inviting women and girl celebrities from Jakarta to give surfing a try alongside tourists and locals.
Friday, February 22, 2008
NEW THAI TOURISM: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
It is a testament to the strength of Thailand's tourism industry, the huge attraction and strong brand image that the country enjoys, that it has been rebuilt so quickly, with a vibrancy that seemed all but impossible nearly two years ago amid the wreckage of the tsunami.
There is no question that 2005 was a miserable year. Miserable in terms of the human tragedy in the fallout of one of the worst natural disasters there has ever been and miserable for the industry in the setback that followed.
We should always be prepared to face new challenges – some that can be planned for and others that cannot.
One of the latter came on 19 September with the bloodless coup d'etat that saw a transition of power in the Thai government.
The immediate effects were bad for tourism – hotels in particular bore the brunt, with cancellations and shortened stays. The commercial and convention sectors, already facing the toughest conditions of any part of the industry, also took a blow.
Three months on, tourism is, by and large, back on track. Much of this can be attributed to the rapid appointment of a new cabinet that spoke quickly to calm fears and reinforce the positive image of Thailand.
The new Tourism Minister Suvit Yodmani's first statements demonstrated a welcome grasp on his subject. One of his first statements was to declare that he would target the quality of tourists, not their quantity.
Khun Suvit cited a need to protect the natural environment – echoing concerns of many industry leaders Diethelm Travel gathered to discuss Thai tourism for this review.
Khun Suvit said he welcomed suggestions from related government agencies to develop the country's tourism as well as to solve problems and promised that he would not throw out successful schemes introduced by the previous government. He acknowledged that the most urgent task was to appoint a new governor for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
By late October, a little over a month after the coup, researchers forecast that as many as 3.4 million foreign tourists were likely to visit Thailand during the last quarter of 2006, a 2 percent increase on the same time last year, although slower growth than earlier in the year.
If those projections are accurate, full-year foreign tourist arrivals this year will be 13.4 million, a 17 percent rise on 2005, generating an estimated income of 450 billion baht, up 22.5 percent from last year's 367 billion baht. That is not to say there are no challenges, many of which existed long before the events of 19 September.
A major job for the new government will be to control the continuing violence in the far South, already a negative factor in the public eye overseas.
Widespread flooding that ravaged 46 provinces from late August undoubtedly had an impact on tourist arrivals and travel within the country.
Then there are the external pressures. Although the soaring fuel costs are for now abating, they have inevitably taken their toll on some travel. This again was felt most acutely in the commercial sector.
Bad publicity highlighting regional threats, such as health scares and terrorism, may also deter some visitors, although it must be stressed that Thailand is not alone in facing these difficulties.
On the other hand, Thailand tourism, as it demonstrated so clearly last year, is highly resilient and will enjoy many opportunities if it is prepared to grasp them. With sustained levels of support for the industry from the government, we can do more to service the rapidly growing intra-regional market.
The successful opening of the new Suvarnabhumi Airport is a key factor in this, with its opportunities as a hub now closer than ever to reality.
The coming of age of low-cost airlines in the region will also improve access to lesser-known destinations in Thailand while the possibility of a single-visa system for the region offers new and exciting possibilities.
We in the industry have some hard thinking to do about these issues and how we can best turn them to the advantage of Thailand as a whole.
We need also to ask ourselves about the future, to reassess how we judge the success of our industry.
We agree with the new Tourism Minister that for too long we have measured our achievements in the growing number of arrivals but the industry must now ask whether this is good enough. Indeed, is unbridled growth in numbers the only answer to increasing the value of our bountiful resources?
We must also do some deep soul-searching about the way in which we are protecting the land and think again about the environmental impact of our industry.
In this review, Diethelm Travel (Thailand), on the eve of our 50th year of operation, addresses some of these issues, and throws the forum open for all stakeholders to help work together to solve our problems and grasp our opportunities.
There is no question that 2005 was a miserable year. Miserable in terms of the human tragedy in the fallout of one of the worst natural disasters there has ever been and miserable for the industry in the setback that followed.
We should always be prepared to face new challenges – some that can be planned for and others that cannot.
One of the latter came on 19 September with the bloodless coup d'etat that saw a transition of power in the Thai government.
The immediate effects were bad for tourism – hotels in particular bore the brunt, with cancellations and shortened stays. The commercial and convention sectors, already facing the toughest conditions of any part of the industry, also took a blow.
Three months on, tourism is, by and large, back on track. Much of this can be attributed to the rapid appointment of a new cabinet that spoke quickly to calm fears and reinforce the positive image of Thailand.
The new Tourism Minister Suvit Yodmani's first statements demonstrated a welcome grasp on his subject. One of his first statements was to declare that he would target the quality of tourists, not their quantity.
Khun Suvit cited a need to protect the natural environment – echoing concerns of many industry leaders Diethelm Travel gathered to discuss Thai tourism for this review.
Khun Suvit said he welcomed suggestions from related government agencies to develop the country's tourism as well as to solve problems and promised that he would not throw out successful schemes introduced by the previous government. He acknowledged that the most urgent task was to appoint a new governor for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
By late October, a little over a month after the coup, researchers forecast that as many as 3.4 million foreign tourists were likely to visit Thailand during the last quarter of 2006, a 2 percent increase on the same time last year, although slower growth than earlier in the year.
If those projections are accurate, full-year foreign tourist arrivals this year will be 13.4 million, a 17 percent rise on 2005, generating an estimated income of 450 billion baht, up 22.5 percent from last year's 367 billion baht. That is not to say there are no challenges, many of which existed long before the events of 19 September.
A major job for the new government will be to control the continuing violence in the far South, already a negative factor in the public eye overseas.
Widespread flooding that ravaged 46 provinces from late August undoubtedly had an impact on tourist arrivals and travel within the country.
Then there are the external pressures. Although the soaring fuel costs are for now abating, they have inevitably taken their toll on some travel. This again was felt most acutely in the commercial sector.
Bad publicity highlighting regional threats, such as health scares and terrorism, may also deter some visitors, although it must be stressed that Thailand is not alone in facing these difficulties.
On the other hand, Thailand tourism, as it demonstrated so clearly last year, is highly resilient and will enjoy many opportunities if it is prepared to grasp them. With sustained levels of support for the industry from the government, we can do more to service the rapidly growing intra-regional market.
The successful opening of the new Suvarnabhumi Airport is a key factor in this, with its opportunities as a hub now closer than ever to reality.
The coming of age of low-cost airlines in the region will also improve access to lesser-known destinations in Thailand while the possibility of a single-visa system for the region offers new and exciting possibilities.
We in the industry have some hard thinking to do about these issues and how we can best turn them to the advantage of Thailand as a whole.
We need also to ask ourselves about the future, to reassess how we judge the success of our industry.
We agree with the new Tourism Minister that for too long we have measured our achievements in the growing number of arrivals but the industry must now ask whether this is good enough. Indeed, is unbridled growth in numbers the only answer to increasing the value of our bountiful resources?
We must also do some deep soul-searching about the way in which we are protecting the land and think again about the environmental impact of our industry.
In this review, Diethelm Travel (Thailand), on the eve of our 50th year of operation, addresses some of these issues, and throws the forum open for all stakeholders to help work together to solve our problems and grasp our opportunities.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
MEMORY IN VIETNAM
Things to remember
It's in your best interests not to drink the tap water, especially after flooding!
Avoid cyclo ride after dark.
Dress modestly and appropriately when visiting local dwellings and religious sites, etc.
Leave your valuables behind before a night out on the town, or going to the beach.
When crossing the road, especially in Ho Chi Minh city, always keep looking to the left and right and walk slowly!
Do not offer money directly to minority people - instead donate to a local charity or offer a small gift, such as pens.
Try at least once the delicious, local street food.
Always ask permission first before taking photographs, especially in minority areas.
Things do not to miss
Sleeping out on deck on a boat in Halong Bay
Ordering custom-made clothes from the local tailor shop
Taking a slow cyclo ride through the French Quarter of old Saigon
Eating pho ga (chicken noodle soup) at a street side noodle stalls.
Watching the traditional water - puppet performance in Hanoi.
Experience the full moon festivities in the ancient town of Hoi An.
Drinking rice-wine in the minority villages of the north
Taking a boat along Hue's Huong (Perfume) River, visiting the Royal Mausoleums.
Overnight in a homestay in the Mekong Delta's riverside orchards.
Bartering for a bargain at Saigon's largest market, Ben Thanh Market
Taking a stroll through Hanoi's Old Quarters.
It's in your best interests not to drink the tap water, especially after flooding!
Avoid cyclo ride after dark.
Dress modestly and appropriately when visiting local dwellings and religious sites, etc.
Leave your valuables behind before a night out on the town, or going to the beach.
When crossing the road, especially in Ho Chi Minh city, always keep looking to the left and right and walk slowly!
Do not offer money directly to minority people - instead donate to a local charity or offer a small gift, such as pens.
Try at least once the delicious, local street food.
Always ask permission first before taking photographs, especially in minority areas.
Things do not to miss
Sleeping out on deck on a boat in Halong Bay
Ordering custom-made clothes from the local tailor shop
Taking a slow cyclo ride through the French Quarter of old Saigon
Eating pho ga (chicken noodle soup) at a street side noodle stalls.
Watching the traditional water - puppet performance in Hanoi.
Experience the full moon festivities in the ancient town of Hoi An.
Drinking rice-wine in the minority villages of the north
Taking a boat along Hue's Huong (Perfume) River, visiting the Royal Mausoleums.
Overnight in a homestay in the Mekong Delta's riverside orchards.
Bartering for a bargain at Saigon's largest market, Ben Thanh Market
Taking a stroll through Hanoi's Old Quarters.
Basic of Bali Island - A Paradise in the Sun
The basics about Bali:
A Tourist’s Paradise—Bali has something for everyone. Beaches. Mountains. Water sports. Shopping. Food. Art. If you can’t find it here, you are not looking very hard. Bali has scuba diving, sports fishing, sailing, mountain adventure, art, shopping, temples (literally thousands of temples), food, food, and more food. If you can’t find something to keep your interest in Bali, you should pay a visit to your doctor, because you may be dead.
Starting with the hotels. Bali has some spectacular hotels that are located on the side of sheer ocean cliffs. In very few places in the world will you find hotels seated on private beaches, climbing up beautiful mountainsides, and you can actually afford to stay here. Bali is an ultimately affordable place to visit.
Hotels. Do you like the beach, pools, an incredible ocean view? Well, the Nikko Bali Resort will present you with a bit of a quandary. You can get a room high up the mountain cliffs, where you will be able to see the beautiful ocean side every morning from you private room balcony, or you can choose a room on the ground floor where you can open your back door and walk directly into the pool, just inches away from your patio door. It is definitely a quandary. I am sure there are other hotels in the world that share similar arrangements, but frankly, I have never seen one or visited another hotel like this one to tell you about. This hotel offers grounds that are beautiful, including wonderful sculptures—one of which stands about 100 feet tall, and is carved into the side of the mountain next to the hotel. An amazing site to behold. The art world and sculptures on the grounds start at the entrance and make their way through the campus. But the most striking feature of the hotel may be its pools. Making their way through canals from the ground floor guest rooms, these pools are tiered for privacy, have a large water slide, gentle waterfalls, and shallow sun bathing pools for those who are not sure if they want to be in the water, or out of the water. You will find few pools that are this diverse and interesting anywhere else in the world. Of course, the restaurant, the spa, the concierge service, and the basic amenities of this resort are as expected—great. Go check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.
Shopping. Bali is filled with fantastic shops and shopping areas. They are easy to find, because they are everywhere. If you want to shop for art, talk to the concierge about getting a driver for the day that can take you around the countryside (all day drive) to various art communes and galleries. This will give you a very different view of what is available. You can see anything from sculptures, to paintings, to prints, to hand painted fabrics, to bowls, the knick-knacks. If you have ever been through the airport in Sydney Australia, and seen the incredible art work for sale in the shops there, you will see these same pieces for sale in Bali—because they are imported from Bali to Australia. Many of us once thought that this artwork was indigenous to Australia, but as it turns out, Australia is a big importer of Bali artwork and goods. One beautiful example: the long, tall wooden masks that are painted bright colors in a dot (“stipple”) art style come from Bali. You can also get clothes, kitchen items, and miles and miles of fun “stuff”. If you like to shop, Bali is a paradise.
Seafood. If you are in Asia, especially if you are on the coast, you should be looking for seafood restaurants. Asia is known for its seafood, and Bali is no exception. Two things that you should know about seafood restaurants: pick a restaurant that has large seafood tanks in the customer area. This is here to show you that the seafood is fresh, and for you to be able to pick your catch of the day. It may not appear too clean, but this is because the salt water is indeed fresh—this is not an aquarium. It is a food tank. Secondly, remember that seafood in Asia is served with all of the body parts—including the head. Fresh seafood always has a head, and swims. Frozen seafood typically does not have a head, and sinks when it is placed in water. If it is swimming, it is fresh, and this is where you want to eat.
Tours. There are lots of private tours in Bali. They are inexpensive, and highly recommended. You can rent a car for the day, driver/tour guide for very little, and have a blast—living like a king or queen. Don’t forget to tip your driver for a good day of service, and if you stop for to eat, consider buying lunch for your driver. This is a nice custom, and is a nice reflection on you and your country. This kind of behavior helps leave place like Bali a little better than when you arrived.
Scuba. The diving in Bali is drift diving, but if you have been drift diving in a gentle 2-3 knot current, you have a completely different dive experience waiting for you in Bali. Drift diving at 4-6 knots is like riding a roller coaster at New York, New York in Vegas. It starts out fast, and gets faster. It can be scary, and it is definitely not for the inexperienced. The thermo-climes in the water are treacherous. Every 30 seconds I went from 65 degrees F to 85 degree F. Hot to cold. Hot to cold. I was only wearing a shorty, and it was heck on my body. To complicate matters, I could not clear my mask quick enough, and we were a small group of 4, so I had difficulties keeping track of where my buddy was and keeping up with him. All in all, this was a pretty scary experience, and I would do it quite differently the next time I go to Bali. Here are some recommendations that I would make for you: (1) Be on your most conservative dive behavior. Get to know your buddy before you get in the water, and ask him/her to keep an eye on you as you descend—“this is my first time diving in Bali”. (2) Make sure your mask is well lubed for fog and the thermo-clime (3) Get some time in the water before you head to the open water; don’t let your dive in Bali be your first for the season, and if it is, do some beach check out diving before you head to the open water (4) Take it slow. This is something that most of us don’t want to do when we dive, but Bali is a place where divers have been lost in the current and yes, some have lost their way and not been found in time. It is a beautiful place, but this is not diving in the beautiful waters of Cozumel, Mexico, and it should not be treated causally.
In Summary, Bali is a fun place. There are many things to do here, and many places to see. You can easily spend a week in Bali, or longer if you want to see it all, and do it all.
A Tourist’s Paradise—Bali has something for everyone. Beaches. Mountains. Water sports. Shopping. Food. Art. If you can’t find it here, you are not looking very hard. Bali has scuba diving, sports fishing, sailing, mountain adventure, art, shopping, temples (literally thousands of temples), food, food, and more food. If you can’t find something to keep your interest in Bali, you should pay a visit to your doctor, because you may be dead.
Starting with the hotels. Bali has some spectacular hotels that are located on the side of sheer ocean cliffs. In very few places in the world will you find hotels seated on private beaches, climbing up beautiful mountainsides, and you can actually afford to stay here. Bali is an ultimately affordable place to visit.
Hotels. Do you like the beach, pools, an incredible ocean view? Well, the Nikko Bali Resort will present you with a bit of a quandary. You can get a room high up the mountain cliffs, where you will be able to see the beautiful ocean side every morning from you private room balcony, or you can choose a room on the ground floor where you can open your back door and walk directly into the pool, just inches away from your patio door. It is definitely a quandary. I am sure there are other hotels in the world that share similar arrangements, but frankly, I have never seen one or visited another hotel like this one to tell you about. This hotel offers grounds that are beautiful, including wonderful sculptures—one of which stands about 100 feet tall, and is carved into the side of the mountain next to the hotel. An amazing site to behold. The art world and sculptures on the grounds start at the entrance and make their way through the campus. But the most striking feature of the hotel may be its pools. Making their way through canals from the ground floor guest rooms, these pools are tiered for privacy, have a large water slide, gentle waterfalls, and shallow sun bathing pools for those who are not sure if they want to be in the water, or out of the water. You will find few pools that are this diverse and interesting anywhere else in the world. Of course, the restaurant, the spa, the concierge service, and the basic amenities of this resort are as expected—great. Go check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.
Shopping. Bali is filled with fantastic shops and shopping areas. They are easy to find, because they are everywhere. If you want to shop for art, talk to the concierge about getting a driver for the day that can take you around the countryside (all day drive) to various art communes and galleries. This will give you a very different view of what is available. You can see anything from sculptures, to paintings, to prints, to hand painted fabrics, to bowls, the knick-knacks. If you have ever been through the airport in Sydney Australia, and seen the incredible art work for sale in the shops there, you will see these same pieces for sale in Bali—because they are imported from Bali to Australia. Many of us once thought that this artwork was indigenous to Australia, but as it turns out, Australia is a big importer of Bali artwork and goods. One beautiful example: the long, tall wooden masks that are painted bright colors in a dot (“stipple”) art style come from Bali. You can also get clothes, kitchen items, and miles and miles of fun “stuff”. If you like to shop, Bali is a paradise.
Seafood. If you are in Asia, especially if you are on the coast, you should be looking for seafood restaurants. Asia is known for its seafood, and Bali is no exception. Two things that you should know about seafood restaurants: pick a restaurant that has large seafood tanks in the customer area. This is here to show you that the seafood is fresh, and for you to be able to pick your catch of the day. It may not appear too clean, but this is because the salt water is indeed fresh—this is not an aquarium. It is a food tank. Secondly, remember that seafood in Asia is served with all of the body parts—including the head. Fresh seafood always has a head, and swims. Frozen seafood typically does not have a head, and sinks when it is placed in water. If it is swimming, it is fresh, and this is where you want to eat.
Tours. There are lots of private tours in Bali. They are inexpensive, and highly recommended. You can rent a car for the day, driver/tour guide for very little, and have a blast—living like a king or queen. Don’t forget to tip your driver for a good day of service, and if you stop for to eat, consider buying lunch for your driver. This is a nice custom, and is a nice reflection on you and your country. This kind of behavior helps leave place like Bali a little better than when you arrived.
Scuba. The diving in Bali is drift diving, but if you have been drift diving in a gentle 2-3 knot current, you have a completely different dive experience waiting for you in Bali. Drift diving at 4-6 knots is like riding a roller coaster at New York, New York in Vegas. It starts out fast, and gets faster. It can be scary, and it is definitely not for the inexperienced. The thermo-climes in the water are treacherous. Every 30 seconds I went from 65 degrees F to 85 degree F. Hot to cold. Hot to cold. I was only wearing a shorty, and it was heck on my body. To complicate matters, I could not clear my mask quick enough, and we were a small group of 4, so I had difficulties keeping track of where my buddy was and keeping up with him. All in all, this was a pretty scary experience, and I would do it quite differently the next time I go to Bali. Here are some recommendations that I would make for you: (1) Be on your most conservative dive behavior. Get to know your buddy before you get in the water, and ask him/her to keep an eye on you as you descend—“this is my first time diving in Bali”. (2) Make sure your mask is well lubed for fog and the thermo-clime (3) Get some time in the water before you head to the open water; don’t let your dive in Bali be your first for the season, and if it is, do some beach check out diving before you head to the open water (4) Take it slow. This is something that most of us don’t want to do when we dive, but Bali is a place where divers have been lost in the current and yes, some have lost their way and not been found in time. It is a beautiful place, but this is not diving in the beautiful waters of Cozumel, Mexico, and it should not be treated causally.
In Summary, Bali is a fun place. There are many things to do here, and many places to see. You can easily spend a week in Bali, or longer if you want to see it all, and do it all.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
BOROBUDUR TEMPLE
The Borobudur Temple is considered as one of the seven wonders of the world. This temple is located at Borobudur District, South of Magelang, Central Java.
The expression of experts who had been studying Borobudur Temple varied someway. Bernet Kempers' expression was: “Borobudur is Borobudur”, meaning that Borobudur Temple is very unique in her own way. Nieuwenkamp (an artist) imaginated Borobudur as “a big lotus flower bud ready to bloom” which was “floating” on a lake. Nieuwenkamp’s imagination was supported by N. Rangkuti (1987) that from the air, the Borobudur Temple looks floating. From the geological studies, experts were able to prove that Borobudur area was one time a big lake. Most of the villages around Borobudur Temple were at the same altitude, 235 meters above the sea-level. The same altitude included the Pawon and Mendut temples. Thus the area under 235 meter altitude was below the lake water level.
Based on the inscription dated 842 AD, Casparis suggested that Borobudur was one time a place for praying. The inscription stated a phrase such as: “Kawulan i Bhumi Sambhara”. Kawulan means the origin of holiness, “bhumi sambhara” is a name of a place in Borobudur. Paul Mus stated that Borobudur Temple had the structure of stupa (conical form) with double expression. As a whole, the Borobudur Temple was an open-flat stupa, but on the other hand, the temple expressed the idea of a “closed world”. The latter expression could be felt when one is already inside the temple. Whenever person is inside the temple, his or her view will be limited to high walls full on relieves, the verandah is always squared in such a way that one could not see other parts of the temple, even in a same floor. The same feeling happened if one stood on arupadhatu round platform, he or she will have a wider view only on that level, but are not able to see the lower level nor the upper level like the one on rupadhatu and kamandhatu. It could be said that Borobudur is a symbol of cosmic mountain covered by the sky roof, a specific world that could be reached through isolated alleys as stages. The closed structural design of the temple expressed the concept of a closed world, not just a technical reasons as had been suggested by other experts ( Daud AT, 1987)
Borobudur was built by Sanmaratungga in the 8th century, and belongs to Buddha Mahayana. Borobudur was revealed by Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles in 1814. The temple was found in ruined condition and was buried.
The overall height was 42 meters, but was only 34.5 meters after restoration, and had the dimension of 123 x 123 meters (15,129 square meters). There were 10 floors. The first floor up to the sixth floor was square form, the seventh to the tenth floor were round form.
Borobudur is facing to the East with a total of 1460 panels (2 meters wide each). Total size of the temple walls was 2500 square meters, full of relief. The total number of panels with relief was 1212. According to investigations, the total number of Buddha statue was 504 including the intact and damaged statues. The temple undergone restoration from 1905 to 1910, and the last restoration was done in 1973 to 1983.
1. Structural Design of Borobudur Temple
Ever since the first excavation, most experts speculated on the exact shape of the temple. Hoenig, in his book “Das form problem des Borobudur” speculate that the original form of Borobudur Temple had four gates and nine floors. The form of Borobudur Temple is similar to temples found in Cambodia. According to Parmenteir, the huge single stupa on top of the temple made the smaller stupas in the lower part looked drowned. Stutterheim who had been studying stupas in India and other parts of Asia concluded that the stupa structure was an Indian origin. The original purpose of stupa building was as storage of Buddha Gautama and other holy priests cremation ash.
According to Stutterheim, the overall form of Borobudur Temple is a combination of zigurat (middle Asian Pyramid) and Indian stupa. Stutterheim opinion was supported by the existence of this type of form in Ancient Javanese literature.
The relief of Borobudur temple started from the base of the temple up to the fourth platform. The relieves at the base contained the story of Karmawibhangga. Under the main panel and above the Karmawibhangga relief, a wide-sized relief was inscripted at the wall. From this point along the alley, the relief did not show story in the sequence, but as a repeating part of the story with the same motives which expressed the world of spiritual beings such as half demonic body (Gandharwa, giants or Yataka, dragon, Sidha or angels and their ladies friends, Apsara and Nagi, all of them are heavenly beings who are tender and beautiful.
Division of panels are: the first panel expressed a heavenly being in sitting position, on both side of this panel are small panel with a small standing statue. This figures are repeated 26 times for each side of the wall. Between the panels is carved three bodies, a male flanked by two women.
2. Relieves at the Walls of the Alley.
There was a long series of main relieves at the first alley, either at the main wall or at the inner side of Kutamara wall. Relieves at the Kutamara wall depicted Jataka's and Awadana's, a story of Buddha's life which expressed as Bodhisatwa, due to his good deeds in the past. Sometimes, Buddha is expressed in the form of animals such as rabbit, monkeys etc. As it was told in animated stories, the story was adopted from Sanskrit book, Jatakamala. Only one third of the relieves were known, the rest was still unclear.
The lower relieves of the main wall contained the same story. The upper relieves also had the same story as the lower one. The story contained the life of Buddha consisting of 120 frames until he began teaching Buddha religion. The first frame began from the South of stairway of the curved gate at the East, and follow the path of the sun (the temple on the right side). The life story of Buddha was adopted from Lalitawistara book.
At the second alley, Jataka and Awadana story were continued on the inner side of Utamara, and on the main wall, story was began with stories adopted from Gandhawyuha. This story was so long that it occupied the main wall and inner side wall of Utamara at the third and fourth alley. The story showed the adventure of a Sudhana who met Bodhisatwa Maytreya (the future Buddha) to have religious lesson from the Buddha. Later on, the Sudhana met with Bodhisatwa Mandjusri, and finally he met with Dyani Bodhisatwa Samanta Badra, who gave the highest wisdom. Most of those stories expressed the use of spiritual strength and unusual happenings.
There were many beautiful ornaments inscripted at the wall of the fourth alley, because the fifth alley did not contained any ornaments. The fifth alley is a transitional alley to the next platform, the round platform. The next round platforms also did not contained any ornaments at all (Kaylan,1959).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
