Ελληνική Δημοκρατία hellenic repubblic

Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic is a country in Southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula . Greece lies at the juncture of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is heir to the heritages of classical Greece, the Byzantine Empire, and nearly four centuries of Ottoman rule.Regarded as the cradle of western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, western literature, political science, major scientific principles and drama including both tragedy and comedy, Greece has a particularly long and eventful history and a cultural heritage considerably influential in Northern Africa and the Middle East, and fundamentally formative for the culture of Europe and what may be called the West. The shores of Greece's Aegean Sea saw the emergence of the first advanced civilizations in Europe. Minoan and Mycenean civilizations, and later Greek city-states, emerged across the Greek peninsula but also on the shores of Black Sea, South Italy and Asia Minor, reaching great levels of prosperity that resulted in an unprecedented cultural boom, expressed in architecture, tragedy, drama, science and philosophy, and nurtured in Athens under a democratic environment. Athens and Sparta led the way in repelling the Persian Empire in a series of battles. Both were later overshadowed by Thebes and eventually Macedonia, with the latter under the guidance of Alexander the Great uniting and leading the Greek world to victory over the Persians, to presage the Hellenistic era, itself brought only partially to a close two centuries later with the establishment of Roman rule over Greek lands in 146 BC. The subsequent mixture of Roman and Hellenic culture took form in the establishment of the Eastern Roman Empire in 330 AD around Constantinople, and remained a major cultural and military force for the next 1,123 years until its fall at the hands of Ottomans in 1453. On the eve of the Ottoman era the Greek intelligentsia migrated to Western Europe, playing a significant role in the Western European Renaissance through the transferring of works by Ancient Greeks to Western Europe. Nevertheless, the Ottoman millet system contributed to the ethnic cohesion of Orthodox Greeks by segregating the various peoples within the Ottoman Empire based on religion as the latter played an an integral role in the formation of modern Greek identity.through the Greek War of Independence, successfully fought against the Ottoman Empire from 1821 to 1829, the nascent Greek state was finally recognized under the London Protocol. Greek culture evolved over several thousand years, with its earliest known civilization being in the Mycenean and Minoan era, continuing into Classical Greece, the birth of the Hellenistic era and through the influence of the Roman Empire and its Greek Eastern successor the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman Empire also had a significant influence on Greek culture, but the Greek war of independence is credited for the revitalization Greece and establishing a single [once again] sovereign single entity (though notably smaller), of its multi-faceted culture throughout the ages.

The Greeks invented athleti contests and held them in honour of their gods. The Isthmos game were stagedevery two years at the Isthmos of Corinth. The Pythian games took place every four years near Delphi. But the most famous games were those at Olympia, a town in south- western Greece. These took place every four years. The ancient Olympics seem to have begun in the early 700 BC, in honour of Zeus. No women were allowed to watch the games. Pottery dating from around 550 BC shows men taking part in the games naked or wearing only a thong.
The games were greatly expanded from a one-day festival of athletics and wrestling to, in 472 BC, five days with many events. The order of the events is not precisely known, but the first day of the festival was devoted to sacrifices. On the second day, the foot-race, the main event of the games, took place in the stadium, an oblong area enclosed by sloping banks of earth. On other days, wrestling, boxing, and the pancratium, a combination of the two, were held. In wrestling, the aim was to throw the opponent to the ground three times. Horse-racing, in which each entrant owned his horse, was confined to the wealthy but was nevertheless a popular attraction. After the horse-racing came the pentathlon, a series of five events: sprinting, long-jumping, javelin-hurling, discus-throwing, and wrestling.

· The Acropolis of Athens is the best known acropolis (high city, The "Sacred Rock) in Greece. Although there are many other acropolises in Greece, the significance of the Acropolis of Athens is such that it is commonly known as The Acropolis without qualification. The Acropolis is a flat-topped rock which rises 150 m (512 ft) above sea level in the city of Athens, Greece. It was also known as Cecropia, after the legendary serpent-man, Kekrops or Cecrops, the first Athenian king.the

· Parthenon is a temple of the Greek goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC on the acropolis of Athens. It is the most famous surviving building of ancient Greece, and has been praised as the finest achievement of Greek architecture. Its decorative sculptures are considered one of the high points of Greek art. The Parthenon is an enduring symbol of ancient Greece and of Athenian democracy, and is regarded as one of the world's greatest cultural monuments.The name of the Parthenon likely derives from the monumental cult statue of Athena Parthenos housed in the eastern room of the building. This statue was sculpted in ivory and gold by Phidias. Athena's epithet parthenos refers to the goddess's unmarried and virginal status.The Parthenon replaced an older temple of Athena that had been destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. Like most Greek temples, the Parthenon was used as a treasury, and for a time served as the treasury of the Delian League, which later became the Athenian Empire.In the sixth century AD, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church dedicated to the Virgin. After the Turkish conquest, it was converted into a mosque. In 1687, a Turkish ammunition dump inside the building was ignited by Venetian bombardment. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Parthenon and its sculptures. In 1806 AD, Lord Elgin removed some of the surviving sculptures and took them to England. These sculptures, now known as the Elgin Marbles or Parthenon Marbles, are on display in the British Museum. An ongoing dispute concerns whether the Elgin Marbles should be returned to Greece.The Parthenon, along with the other buildings on the Acropolis, is now one of the most visited archaeological sites in Greece. The Greek Ministry of Culture is currently carrying out a program of restoration and reconstruction.

appreciate

我亲爱的，你写的很好。你可以说，所以我们可以再出发，这样更好。 出发means leave for some place instead of just leave as 离开 does。and munich is really nice.just i found germen words are so long, my god. so hard for me to spell and read. thanks to your introduction, i found so many interesting places. we must take a look later on. munich loves you too

Kevin Rudd, new australia prime minister

dear vivi, yesterday, a new PM of australia was elected. Kevin Rudd. i heard he is the first western leader who can speak chinese. i checked his profile. he studied chinese when he is in the university. i suppose chinese will be more popular. so keep doing it. you are on the right track.
by the way, he is one who oppose the iraq war and his election could change the political and foreign policy of australia. australia troops will probably leave iraq war in few time.
Rudd studied at the Australian National University in Canberra, residing at Burgmann College, and graduated with First Class Honours in Arts (Asian Studies). He majored in Chinese language and Chinese history, and is proficient in Mandarin. Rudd gave himself a Chinese name (Chinese: 陸克文; pinyin: Lù Kèwén; Simplified Chinese: 陆克文)[7] when he was studying in university. During his studies, Rudd cleaned the house of political commentator Laurie Oakes to earn money.

München mag dich- - - - Munich loves u!!!

我 亲 爱 的。。。冻得麻木,我病 了！！！所 以 我们 休息 一 下！！！现 在 我的身 体 很好,所以我们可以再离开！！！我们到了 munich!! (my god i suppose i wrote so many stupid things :S pls sorry)
Munich is the capital of the German state of Bavaria and a Gamma World City. At the centre of the city is the Marienplatz - a large open square named after the Mariensäule, a Marian column in its centre - with the Old and the New Town Hall. Its tower contains the Rathaus-Glockenspiel. Three gates of the demolished medieval fortification have survived to this day - the Isartor in the east, the Sendlinger Tor in the south and the Karlstor in the west of the inner city. The Karlstor is the oldest building at Stachus, a grand square dominated by the Justizpalast (Palace of Justice).The Peterskirche close to Marienplatz is the oldest church of the inner city. It was first built during the Romanesque period, and was the focus of the early monastic settlement in Munich before the city's official foundation in 1158. Nearby St. Peter the Gothic hall-church Heiliggeistkirche (The Church of the Holy Ghost) was converted to baroque style from 1724 onwards and looks down upon the Viktualienmarkt, the most popular market of Munich.

The Frauenkirche (Dom zu unserer Lieben Frau - Cathedral of Our Lady) is the most famous building in the city centre and serves as cathedral for the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. The nearby Michaelskirche is the largest renaissance church north of the Alps, while the Theatinerkirche is a basilica in Italianate high baroque which had a major influence on Southern German baroque architecture. Its dome dominates the Odeonsplatz. The large Residenz palace complex (begun in 1385) on the edge of Munich's Old Town ranks among Europe's most significant museums of interior decoration. Having undergone several extensions, it contains also the treasury and the splendid rococo Cuvilliés Theatre. Next door to the Residenz the neo-classical opera, the Nationaltheater was erected.
The Hofbräuhaus am Platzl, is the most famous beer hall worldwide, is located in the city centre. It also operates the second largest tent at the Oktoberfest, one of Munich's most famous attractions. For two weeks, the Oktoberfest, or d' Wiesn as the locals call it, attracts millions of people visiting its beer tents ("Bierzelte") and fairground attractions. The Oktoberfest was first held on October 12, 1810 in honor of the marriage of crown prince Ludwig to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities were closed with a horse race and in the following years the horse races were continued and later developed into what is now known as the Oktoberfest. Despite its name, most of Oktoberfest occurs in September. It always finishes on the first Sunday in October unless the German national holiday on 3 October ("Tag der deutschen Einheit" - Day of German Unity) is a Monday or Tuesday - then the Oktoberfest remains open for these days. my honey since u like beer so much it can be nice to go to munich in that period.what do u think????
anyway since i m just a little bit better,let s have a rest then we ll leave again for Hamburg.*******

Willkommen in Berlin

the Federal Republic of Germany is a country in West-central Europe. As a nation-state, the country was unified near the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. After World War II, Germany's territory was divided into two separate states: the sectors controlled by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States called Federal Republic of Germany; and the Soviet Zone established the German Democratic Republic , informally known as "West Germany" and "East Germany" and the two parts of Berlin as "West Berlin" and "East Berlin".

West Germany, established as a liberal parliamentary republic with a "social market economy", was allied with the United States, the UK and France. The country eventually came to enjoy prolonged economic growth beginning in the early 1950s East Germany was at first occupied by, and later (May 1955) allied with, the USSR. An authoritarian country with a Soviet-style command economy, East Germany soon became the richest, most advanced country in the Warsaw Pact, but many of its citizens looked to the West for political freedoms and economic prosperity. The Berlin Wall, built in 1961 to stop East Germans from escaping to West Germany, became a symbol of the Cold War. However, tensions between East and West Germany were somewhat reduced in the early 1970s and reunification on 3 October 1990.

Berlin is the capital city and it is the major center in European politics, culture, media, and science infact Berlin is the third most-visited tourist destination in the EU

Now let s have a tour:

· The Fernsehturm (TV tower) at Alexanderplatz ,in Mitte, is the second highest building in the European Union Built in 1969, it is visible throughout most of the central districts of Berlin. The city can be viewed from its 204 meter high observation floor. Starting here the Karl-Marx-Allee heads east, an avenue lined by monumental residential buildings, designed in the Socialist Classicism Style of the Stalin era. Adjacent to this area is the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall), with its distinctive red-brick architecture. The previously built-up part in front of it is the Neptunbrunnen, a fountain featuring a mythological scene.

· The East Side Gallery is an open-air exhibition of art painted directly on the last existing portions of the Berlin Wall. It is the largest remaining evidence of the city's historical division. It has recently undergone a restoration.

· The Brandenburg Gate is an iconic landmark of Berlin and Germany. It also appears on German euro coins (10 Cent / 20 Cent and 50 Cent). The Reichstag building is the traditional seat of the German Parliament, renovated in the 1950s after severe World War II damage. The building was again remodeled by British architect Norman Foster in the 1990s and features a glass dome over the session area, which allows free public access to the parliamentary proceedings and magnificent views of the city.

· Potsdamer Platz is an entire quarter built from scratch after 1995 and was not rebuilt as it was divided by the Wall. To the west of Potsdamer Platz is the Kulturforum, which houses the Gemäldegalerie, and is flanked by the Neue Nationalgalerie and the Philharmonic. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a Holocaust memorial, is situated to the north. The area around Hackescher Markt is home to the fashionable culture, with countless clothing outlets, clubs, bars, and galleries. This includes the Hackesche Höfe, a conglomeration of buildings around several courtyards, reconstructed around 1996. Oranienburger Straße and the nearby New Synagogue were the center of Jewish culture before 1933, and regains being it today.

· Berlin has one of the most diverse and vibrant nightlife scenes in Europe.After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, many buildings in Mitte, the former city center of East Berlin, were renovated. Many had not been rebuilt since World War II. Illegally occupied by young people, they became a fertile ground for all sorts of underground and counter-culture gatherings. It is also home to many nightclubs and techno clubs .The Linientreu, near the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, has been well known since the 1990s for techno music. The LaBelle discotheque in Friedenau became famous as the location of the 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing. SO36 in Kreuzberg originally focused largely on punk music but today has become a popular venue for dances and parties of all kinds. SOUND, located from 1971 to 1988 in Tiergarten and today in Charlottenburg, gained notoriety in the late 1970s for its popularity with heroin users and other drug addicts as described in Christiane F.'s book Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo.( We, children from Bahnhof Zoo)

· The Karneval der Kulturen, a multi-ethnic street parade celebrated every Pentecost weekend, and the Christopher Street Day, which is Central Europe's largest gay-lesbian pride event and is celebrated the last weekend of June, are openly supported by the city's government. Berlin is also well known for the techno carnival Love Parade and the cultural festival Berliner Festspiele, which include the jazz festival JazzFest Berlin.

Madrid y suya movida

Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. Residents are called Madrileños (madrilenians).The city is located between the autonomous communities of Castile and León and Castile-La Mancha. Due to its economic output, standard of living, and market size, Madrid is considered the major financial center of the Iberian Peninsula; it hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major Spanish companies, as well as the headquarters of three of the world's 100 largest companies (Telefónica, Repsol-YPF, Endesa). As the capital city of Spain, seat of government, and residence of the Spanish monarch, Madrid is also the political center of Spain. The current mayor is Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, of the conservative party.As the capital of Spain, Madrid is a city of great cultural and political importance. While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the huge Royal Palace of Madrid; the Teatro Real (Royal theatre) with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro park, founded in 1631; the imposing 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; an archaeological museum of international reputation; and three superb art museums: Prado Museum, which hosts one of the finest art collections in the world, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace.

Madrid is one of Spain's most popular destinations and is renowned for its large quantity of cultural attractions. Madrid is considered one of the top European destinations concerning art museums. Best known is the Golden Triangle of Art, located along the Paseo del Prado and comprising three museums. The most famous one is the Prado Museum, the most popular Golden Triangle of Art member known for such highlights as Diego Velázquez's Las Meninas and Francisco de Goya's La maja vestida and La maja desnuda. The other two museums are the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, established from a mixed private collection, and the Reina Sofia Museum. This is where Pablo Picasso's Guernica hangs, after returning to Spain from New York more than two decades ago. Madrid is notable for its nightlife and night clubs. On weekends, Madrilenian youth are famous for dancing all night long, stopping only to have some chocolate con churros at dawn, go home, take a shower, shave (or not), and go to work. What is also popular is the practice of meeting in parks or streets with friends and drinking alcohol together (this is called 'botellón', from 'botella', bottle), but in recent years, drinking in the street is punished with a fine and now young madrileños drink together all around the city instead of in some well known places. Many places host bands (concerts in Madrid ⁾Nightlife and young cultural awakening flourished after the death of Franco, especially during the 80s while Madrid's mayor Enrique Tierno Galván was in office. This new movement was called la movida and it initially gathered around Plaza del Dos de Mayo (Malasaña area). Some of the most popular night destinations include the neighbourhoods of: Bilbao, Tribunal, Alonso Martinez or Moncloa, together with Puerta del Sol area (including Opera and Gran Via, both adjacent to the popular square) and Huertas (barrio de Las Letras), destinations which are also filled with tourists day and night. The gay district of Chueca has also become a hot spot in the Madrilenian night life, not only for gay people but also for straight people looking for fun in their crowded clubs and popular discos. Madrid hosts the largest Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Spain, Las Ventas, established in 1929. Las Ventas is considered by many to be the world center of bullfighting and has a seating capacity of almost 25,000. Madrid's bullfighting season begins in March and ends in October. Bullfights are held everyday during the festivities of San Isidro (Madrid's patron saint) from the middle of March to the middle of June, and every Sunday, and public holiday, the rest of the season. Las Ventas also hosts music concerts and other events outside of the bullfighting season.honey,this is Madrid let s have a tour around all museums and clubs,no bullfigtings for us,poor animals it s too cruel! let s hurry up Munich is waiting for us!!!

Bilbao and revolution!

Bilbao, (Bilbo in Basque), in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of BiscayBilbao sided with the Republican Government in the Spanish Civil War and was the capital of the first Basque Autonomous Government led by José Antonio Aguirre.in Bilbao there is also a terrorist group called Euskadi Ta Askatasuna or ETA (Basque for "Basque Homeland and Freedom is an armed Basque nationalist organisation.ETA was founded in 1959 and evolved from a group advocating traditional Basque cultural ways to an armed group using violence to demand Basque independence. Its ideology is Marxist-Leninist,ETA is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by both the Spanish and French authorities as well as the European Union, the United States, and the United Nations they still organize terroristic attacks .
Bilbao is a cultural city where u can find many museums,churchs and wonderful landscapes.
the famous Guggenheim Museum, the city acts as home for the Fine Arts Museum recognised as one of Spain’s finest art museums and recently refurbished and the Maritime Museum on the Nervion’s banks, which recently hosted the RMS Titanic exhibition which has been touring Europe. the extravagant Guggenheim Museum is cast as a symbol of Basque economic revival, and locals hope it will lead to a revitalization of their city.Anyway in bilbao u won't find just museums but it has also an intense life especially in the night,cafe,bars,restaurants are its heart! ok let s stay here just for one day,then we ll leave again to visit Madrid!

VIVE LA FRANCEEE!!!

My sweet bibi,pls prepare again ur luggage,we must leave again and tis time we ll go to France!
The name "France" comes from Latin Francia, which literally means "land of the Franks" or "Frankland". There are various theories as to the origin of the name of the Franks. One is that it is derived from the Proto-Germanic word frankonjavelin or lance as the throwing axe of the Franks was known as Francisca.The borders of modern France are approximately the same as those of ancient Gaul, which was inhabited by Celtic Gauls. Gaul was conquered for Rome by Julius Caesar in the 1st century BC, and the Gauls eventually adopted Roman speech (Latin, from which the French language evolved) and Roman culture. Christianity took root in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.The Carolingians ruled France until 987, when Hugh Capet, Duke of France and Count of Paris, was crowned King of France. His descendants, the Direct Capetians, the House of Valois and the House of Bourbon, progressively unified the country through a series of wars and dynastic inheritance. The monarchy reached its height during the 17th century and the reign of Louis XIV. At this time France possessed the largest population in Europe and had tremendous influence over European politics, economy, and culture. France obtained many overseas possessions in the Americas, Africa and Asia.
The monarchy ruled France until the French Revolution, in 1789. King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, were executed, along with thousands of other French citizens. After that Napoleon Bonaparte seized control of the Republic in 1799, making himself First Consul, and later Emperor of what is now known as the First French Empire (1804–1814). In the course of several wars, his armies conquered most of continental Europe, with members of the Bonaparte family being appointed as monarchs of newly established kingdoms.Following Napoleon's final defeat in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo, the French monarchy was re-established, but with new constitutional limitations. In 1830, a civil uprising established the constitutional July Monarchy, which lasted until 1848. The short-lived Second Republic ended in 1852 when Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte proclaimed the Second French Empire. Louis-Napoléon was unseated following defeat in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 and his regime was replaced by the Third Republic. The Frenxh
Fourth Republic was established after the 2 world war but after it wasn't so strong above al due to all those french territories oversea.So n 1958, the weak and unstable Fourth Republic gave way to the Fifth Republic which conteined a strengthened Presidency.
Paris is the capital city of France. It is situated on the River Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region ("Région parisienne").But now let s go to have a look of this wonderful and so romantic city.i d like to advice u just some places,they are important not just their beauty but also for the historical meaning!let s go!

• Place de la Bastille being one of the most historic districts, being a location of an essential event of not only Paris, but the whole country of France. Because of its historical value the square is often used for political demonstrations, including the massive anti-CPE demonstration of March 28, 2006.
• Champs-Élysées is a seventeenth century garden-promenade turned avenue connecting the Concorde and Arc de Triomphe. It is one of the many tourist attractions and a major shopping street of Paris. This avenue has been called "la plus belle avenue du monde" ("the most beautiful avenue in the world").
• Place de la Concorde is at the foot of the Champs-Élysées, built as the "Place Louis XV", site of the infamous guillotine. The Egyptian obelisk is Paris' "oldest monument". On this place, on the two side of the Rue Royale live two identical stone buildings: the eastern houses the French Naval Ministry, the western the luxurious Hôtel de Crillon. Nearby Place Vendôme is famous for its fashionable and deluxe hotels and its jewellers. Many famous fashion designers have had their salons in the square.
• Les Halles was formerly Paris' central meat and produce market, since the late 1970s a major shopping centre around an important metro connection station (Châtelet-Les Halles, the biggest in Europe). The past Les Halles was destroyed in 1971 and replaced by the Forum des Halles. The central market of Paris, the biggest wholesale food market in the world, was transferred to Rungis, in the southern suburbs.
• Le Marais is a trendy Right Bank district. With large gay and Jewish populations it is a very culturally open place.
• Avenue Montaigne , next to the Champs-Élysées, is home to luxury brand labels such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Givenchy.
• Montmartre is a historic area on the Butte, home to the Basilica of the Sacré Coeur. Montmartre has always had a history with artists and has many studios and cafés of many great artists in that area.
• Montparnasse is a historic Left Bank area famous for artists studios, music halls, and café life. The large Montparnasse and the lone Tour Montparnasse skyscraper are located there.
• L'Opéra is the area around the Opéra Garnier is a home to the capital's densest concentration of both department stores and offices. A few examples are the Printemps and Galeries Lafayette grands magasins (department stores), and the Paris headquarters of financial giants such as Crédit Lyonnais and American Express.
• Quartier Latin is a twelfth century scholastic. It is known for its lively atmosphere and many bistros. With various higher education establishments, such as the École Normale Supérieure, ParisTech and the Jussieu university campus make it a major educational centre in Paris, which also contributes to its atmosphere.
• Faubourg Saint-Honoré is one of Paris' high-fashion districts, home to labels such as Hermès and Christian Lacroix.

okok bibi,this is Paris,well u can surely find more and more but u know we are tourists and we cannot stay in a place for so long,then pls have a little rest since we ll have another trip...this time we ll go to Spain,we ll visit Madrid and Barcelona but mostly i d like to show u Bilbao...anywayu ll see! abig kiss*********

Vatican City

Bibi,we just arrived in rome!are u ready?let s goooooo.....

Vatican City, officially State of the Vatican City (Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae; Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano), is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. The state came into existence by virtue of the Lateran Treaty in 1929, which speaks of it as a new creation ,not as a vestige of the much larger Papal States (756 to 1870) that had previously encompassed central Italy, most of which was absorbed into the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, and the final part, the city of Rome and a small area close to it, ten years later.Vatican City is a non-hereditary, elected monarchy that is ruled by the Bishop of Rome , the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all clergymen of the Catholic Church. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Latin:Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Apostolic Palace — the Pope's official residence .For almost 1000 years (324-1309) the Popes lived at the Lateran Palace on the Caelian Hill in the east of Rome. On their return from 68 years in Avignon in 1377 the Lateran building was out of repair, since when they have lived in the Vatican or, for a while, at the Quirinal, now the residence of the president of Italy. The Lateran Treaty by which the Vatican City State was set up is so called because it was signed in the restored Lateran building, which is now the residence of the Pope's Cardinal Vicar General for the City of Rome. There have been two Vatican Councils, but five Lateran Councils. The Basilica of St. John Lateran, not the St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, remains the Pope's cathedral.
the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano called Saint Peter's Basilica, is one of four major basilicas of Rome (Basilica of St. John Lateran, St. Peter's, Santa Maria Maggiore and St. Paul outside the Walls). It is the most prominent building inside the Vatican City and built on the ruins of Old Saint Peter's Basilica. Its dome is also a dominant feature of the Roman skyline. Saint Peter's is also incidentally the patriarchal basilica of Constantinople, whereas the Lateran Basilica is the patriarchal basilica of Rome. It s the largest church building in Christianity. One of the holiest sites of Christendom in the Catholic tradition, it is traditionally the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to Roman Catholic tradition, also the first Bishop of Antioch, and later first Bishop of Rome. Although the New Testament does not mention Peter's presence or martyrdom in Rome, Catholic tradition holds that his tomb is below the baldachin and altar; for this reason, many Popes, starting with the first ones, have been buried there. Construction on the current basilica, over the old Constantinian basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed in 1626^.Although the Vatican basilica is not the Pope's official seat (Saint John Lateran), it is most certainly his principal church, as most Papal ceremonies take place at St. Peter's due to its size, proximity to the Papal residence, and location within the Vatican City walls. The basilica also holds a relic of the Cathedra Petri, which is, according to Catholic tradition, the episcopal throne of the basilica's namesake when he led the Roman church, but which is no longer used as the Papal cathedra. It is believed that a piece of this cathedra, or chair, is contained within the altarpiece, designed by Bernini.
My sweet bibi,don’t worry i ll take u there,u ll see everything,u ll like it!!

isreal

dear bibi,this time we ll go to visit Israel.Even it isn't a european country,i d like to introduce it to you since it is linked to my history thanks to religion!i already gave u some info about Christianity and Judaism,u know these 2 religions are deeply linked since christianity is a branch of it!anyway now it is time to go around it! Israel is a country in Southwest located on the southeastern edge of the Mediterreabn Sea.The West Bank and the Gaza Strip are partially administrated by the Palestinian National Authority. the majority of population is Jews,infact Israel is the world's only Jewish State,but it is also home for arab muslim,christians and druze . Jerusalem is the nation's capital,seat of the governament and largest city.The modern state of Israel has its roots in the "LAND OF ISRAEL"a concept central to Judaism or over three thousand years. After te 1 world war te League of Nations approved British Mandate for Palestine with the intent of creating a "national home for the Jewish people". But in 1947 United Nations approved the partition of the Mandate of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab but arabian rejected the plane and in 1948 Israel declared its indipendence and it caused the arab-israeli war!Anyway even Isreal is a middle east country it is a democracy and developped country!
Jerusalem is in the Judean Mountains , between the Mediterrean Sea and the northern tip of the Dead Sea, the city has a history that goes back as far as the 4th millenniun BCE, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. Jerusalem has been the holiest city in Judaism and the spiritual center of the Jewish people since the 10th centuryBCE. The city contains a number of significant ancient Christian sites and is considered the 3rd Holiest city in Islam.
The walled area of Jerusalem, which constituted the entire city until the 1860s, is now called the old city , and was added to the list of heritage sites in danger in 1982. The Old City has been traditionally divided into four quarters, although the names used today—the armenian,christian,jewish and muslim Quarters—were only introduced in the early 19th century.he Old City is home to several sites of key religious importance: the temple mount and its western wall for jews, the curch of the holy sepulchre for christians, and the dome of rock and al- aqsa for muslims.Despite efforts to maintain peaceful religious coexistence, some sites, such as the Temple Mount, have been a continuous source of friction and controversy.The Western Wall, one of the holiest sites in JudaismJerusalem has been sacred to the Jews since the 10th century BCE, as the site of Solomon's Temple and the Second Temple. It is mentioned in the Bible 632 times. Today, the Western Wall, a remnant of the Second Temple, is a holy site for Jews, second only to the Temple Mount itself. Synagogues around the world are traditionally built with the Holy Ark facing Jerusalem, and Arks within Jerusalem face the "Holy of Holies". As prescribed in the Mishna and codified in the Shulchan Aruch, daily prayers are recited while facing towards Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Many Jews have "Mizrach" plaques hung on a wall of their homes to indicate the direction of prayer. The main entrance to the Church of the Holy SepulchreChristianity reveres Jerusalem not only for its role in the Old Testament but also for its significance in the life of Jesus. According to Biblical accounts, Jesus was brought to the city of Jerusalem not long after his birth and later in his life cleansed the Second Temple. The Cenacle, believed to be the site of Jesus' Last Supper, is located on Mount Zion in the same building that houses the Tomb of King David. Another prominent Christian site in Jerusalem is Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion. The Gospel of John describes it as being located outside Jerusalem, but recent archaeological evidence suggests Golgotha is a short distance from the Old City walls, within the present-day confines of the city. The land currently occupied by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered one of the top candidates for Golgotha and thus has been a Christian pilgrimage site for the past two thousand years. Dome of the Rock viewed through the Temple Mount's Cotton Gate (Bab al-Qattanin)According to tradition, Jerusalem is the third-holiest city in Islam. Before it was permanently switched to the Kabaa in Mecca, the qibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims was Jerusalem. The city's lasting place in Islam, however, is primarily due to Muhammad's Night of Ascension (c. 620 CE). Muslims believe Muhammad was miraculously transported one night from Mecca to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, whereupon he ascended to Heaven to meet previous prophets of Islam. The first verse in the Qur'an's Surat al-Isra notes the destination of Muhammad's journey as al-Aqsa (the farthest) mosque, in reference to the location in Jerusalem. Today, the Temple Mount is topped by two Islamic landmarks intended to commemorate the event — al-Aqsa Mosque, derived from the name mentioned in the Qur'an, and the Dome of the Rock, which stands over the Foundation Stone, from which Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to Heaven.
well as you can see Jerusalem is a religious place,a place in which u can purify ur soul,but there are also many places where u can have fun and meet young people!

korea--a miniature of ancient china

i think i know korea much more than countries in south asia and central asia since it is closer to east china and culturly influenced by chinese. like japan, ancient korea is under the shadow of china. they import everything from china, from culture to language, up till now, they are parcially using chinese characters even if they invented a new unique korean system which they are pround of. i suppose a lot of korean look down upon chinese since our country is not as rich as korean. my friends tell me that those korean always try to state that they are korean, not chinese in front of american. haha. really ridiculous. i suppose they will be proved wrong after 10 to 20 years. since chinese economy is booming. we wasted too much time on development. it is estimated that the GDP of guang dong provice, the richese provice in china, will exceed that of korean as a nation in 15 years. really impressive.
ok, let's talk about the culture. i strongly recommende you to take a look at korea. since this country is a live fertile of chinese ancient custom. you can find how chinese eat, sleep and so on 2000 years ago. they preserved these custom. anway, we will see.
and what is more, i think korean think close to chinese. i mean they are thinking in the same way as chiense. it is hard to explain. for example, korean and chinese have the same idea to deal with the family conflicts. a lot of chinese prefer to watch korean tv serious which is an evidence.
by the way, korea also changed a lot.they developed fastly after 1970. but they still keep some traditianal stuffs. it is wonderful.
and there are two korea. north and south one, under communist and under capitalist. haha. just like east and west germany. it is a hard issue. we can talk about that later
http://english.tour2korea.com/01TripPlanner/KoreaInBrief/location.asp?konum=1&kosm=m1_1

india- saint land of buddism

ok. vivi, today, let's head for india. as far as i know, most of chinese turn a negative view to india. maybe this is another big country near china post thread to china. but i don't care. this view is so stupid, we should have a win win situation intead of a zero sum situation.
india actually is a beatiful place with nice people and landscape. i really want to take you to this siant land of buddism.
anyway, i put something here. The subcontinent of India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal. To the north it is bordered by the world's highest mountain chain, where foothill valleys cover the northernmost of the country's 26 states. Further south, plateaus, tropical rain forests and sandy deserts are bordered by palm fringed beaches .
Side by side with the country's staggering topographical variations is its cultural diversity, the result of the coexistence of a number of religions as well as local tradition. Thus, the towering temples of south India, easily identifiable by their ornately sculptured surface, are associated with a great many crafts and performing arts of the region.
and you can take a look throught this official travelling site of india. it is really good.
http://www.tourindia.com/htm/homepage.htm

azerbaijan the last stop on central asia

viviv, today, we go to azerbaijian, another country used to be overlorded under szar and soviet union. geografically, we have left central asia. since azbaijan is on the other side of the capsian sea. but culturally it still worth taking a glance. Azerbaijan was once a major stopover on the Great Silk Route, and there are many captivating sights to see in this ancient country - Bronze Age petroglyphs, medieval minarets and mosques, the famous carpets. With an oil bonanza incipient, the capital Baku is fast becoming a boomtown.and here a little bit history of azerbaijan.Azerbaijan has been inhabited for at least 3000 years, and probably a lot longer than that. Some theories even place the Garden of Eden in southern Azerbaijan (now part of Iran). Bronze Age settlements have been found in and around Baku. Scythians settled in the area in the 9th century BC, followed by the Medes, followers of Zoroastrianism. The Archaemenid Persians took over half the country 200 years later. Azerbaijan's decision to back Alexander the Great's Greek attack on Persia in 330 BC meant that it drifted into the Seleucid then Parthian empires, which fought interminable wars with the Romans, who finally marched all the way to Qobustan in 66BC. By the 4th century the area had been extensively Christianised.
With a series of Muslim-Arab invasions and the arrival of several waves of Turkic tribes (the ancestors of today's Azerbaijanis), that soon changed. Beginning around 1050, the country enjoyed a cultural renaissance, and achieved many of its greatest architectural and artistic achievements. However, this was crushed by the brutal arrival of various Mongol and Central Asian armies, from Genghis Khan to Tamerlane.
Following centuries saw a three-way struggle between Russia, Turkey and Persia that finally ended in 1828, when Russia and Persia definitively divided Azerbaijan along the Araz River. The south remains in Iran. During the period of Russian rule, many Armenian Christians emigrated from their traditional lands in (what is now) eastern Turkey to the relative safety of the Russian empire, creating a future political time bomb, notably in Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region where they slowly came to form a majority. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan's economy grew in relation to Russia's. The region was a participant in the birth of the modern petroleum industry. The first oil well was drilled in 1848, and the first oil refinery constructed in 1859. Azerbaijan provided Russia, and later the Soviet Union, with crude oil, chemicals, textiles, food and wine.
The denationalisation of the oil industry in 1872 changed Baku from a dusty backwater to a wealthy and sophisticated city, attracting European investors (including the Rothschilds) and accounting for more than half of the world's oil production by the end of the century. But labour exploitation made Baku a political hotbed - it's here that Stalin cut his political teeth.
http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/Azerbaijan/Azerbaijan.html

Kyrgyzstan-a hot spot

vivi, yesterday was our 13. haha, cheers.
today, we are going to another central asia country, Kyrgyzstan, my god, it is too hard for me spell this word. i used ctrl+c and ctrl+v. and i really am not able to figure out how to pronouce this word. anyway, i found it is a very interesting place. from some introduction, i got it is the most hospitable country in central asia for backpeckers. "What Kyrgyzstan lacks in gracious buildings and fancy cakes it makes up for with nomadic traditions such as laid-back hospitality, a healthy distrust of authority and a fondness for drinking fermented mare's milk. It is perhaps the most accessible and welcoming of the Central Asian republics." see, it is exciting, isn't it?
oh, and weather."Summer is ferociously hot in the lowlands, but July and August are the best months to visit the mountains. Cold rains begin in November and snow soon closes mountain passes. The ski season at the Upper Ala-Archa Mountain Ski Base lasts from December to April. Winters are bitterly cold." i think i found somewhere to go in the summer. haha, vivi, we must go there, this country is just on the boarder of china, we might as well go to kyrgyzstan at the first stop.
take look at this country.http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/Kyrgyzstan/Kyrgyz.html

turkmenistan. great opportunity vivi.

vivi, when you finish your study, let's take a break and head for turkmenistan. i found this excerpt "The most curious of the Central Asian republics, Turkmenistan resembles an Arab Gulf state without the money. It's the second largest Central Asian country, but four-fifths of it consist of an inhospitable lunar-like desert called the Karakum which conceals unexploited oil and gas deposits" is that exciting? great oil, but not unearthed yet. haha. let's go to turkmesnitan to make a fortune. kidding. anyway, another central asia country. look here."The traditional life of the Turkmen is that of nomadic shepherds, though some have been settled in towns for centuries. " it is great. isn't it? we will see real shepherds life. i suppose you can never see that anymore in other part of the world due to the mechinary. i can say this country is still a mostly locked country without much development and exploitation. we should hurry to live a life on the grassland and shepher those animals and if possible develope some oil to stream out the bumps of the international oil price.haha.
ok, url here
http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/Turkmenistan/Turkmen.html

uzbekistan a fascinating central asia country

my sweetheart, after travelling around the kazakhstan and tajikistan, today, we are heading for Uzbekistan. another central asia country. i am think if soviet union didn't collapse, will it be much easier to travel around all of these central asia area. it is a pity that communist party collapsed in the west. but we still exist. don't worry. you still have chance to be part of a real communist party. anyway, get back to the track.
Uzbekistan, in the ancient cradle between the Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers, is the most historically fascinating of the Central Asian republics. Within it are some of the oldest towns in the world, some of the Silk Road's main centres and most of the region's architectural splendours
The best time to visit is in spring from May until the end of June, and in autumn from September until November. The weather is mild and in April the desert blooms briefly. In autumn it's harvest time, and the markets are full of fresh fruit. If you're interested in trekking the mountains, summer (July and August) is a better time to visit; at all other times the weather is unpredictable and there can be snow in the passes from Christmas to February. You may wish to remain in the mountains to stay cool, as the rest of the country will be sizzling at this time. But remember, whilst the mountains are pleasantly cool in summer, they are freezing in winter.
more info please refer to http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/Uzbekistan/Uzbek.html

central asia pt2:Kazakhstan

my sweety, let's get started to go to Kazakhstan. a beautiful central asian country. i read the history of kazakhstan as follows, it is pretty interesting. this overview is a nice introduction of kazakhstan. how this country came from. where these people came from. take a look.
The origin of the Kazakhs as a people continues to be debated. What is certain is that the Mongol Hordes, moving westward, swept the Turkic peoples of Central Asia into the Kipchak Plain and beyond to what is today Eastern Europe. Two and a half centuries later, after the division of the Golden Horde, the Uzbeks and Kazakhs left Crimea and Kazan and settled in the region between the lower Volga and the Aral Sea. Soon after that, the Uzbeks invaded the cities of Samarqand and Bukhara, established themselves as masters of Central Asia, and went their own way. The Kazakhs, who commanded a large territory between Lake Balkhash and the Volga, remained in the area. Divided into three zhuzes, each occupied a portion of the Kazakh territory. Kazakhstan's topography is varied, made up of dry steppe, semi-deserts, and mountain forests. The Ust Urt Caspian Depression and the Ural Plateau form the western and northwestern parts of the republic. The Tien Shan peaks rest in the east and southeast, leading to the central uplands formed by dried-up salt lakes.
In the 18th century, the land of the Kazakhs was conquered by Russia; it underwent a period of profound Russification. The tribulation of the Kazakhs, as a people determined to remain independent but experience the benefits of modern living, is documented in Abai’s Path. In 1916, led by Amangeldi Imanov, the Kazakhs rebelled against Imperial Russia, but were defeated. They rebelled again, in 1918-1921 (Alash Orda), against the Communists; they were defeated again in the early 1920’s, this time by the Red Army.
Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic, after a major purge, in 1936. Encouraged by the Soviet government, during the 1950’s and 1960’s, Kazakhstan became the center of an agricultural experiment usually referred to as the "Virgin Lands" program. Soviet citizens from all around the nation helped transform Kazakhstan's northern pastures into wheat fields.
In 1991, Kazakhstan became independent and joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In 1992, Kazakhstan joined the United Nations.

http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/Kazakhstan/Kazakh.html

central asia and Tajikistan

my sweety, today we are gonna cover middle asia area and our first stop is Tajikistan. people there i think are very similar to people in xin jiang provice in china. and they all share common culture and ancestry. central asia area is a locked place, not everyone knows about this area., but it did have a great history, and it used to be a route of silk road. very important for the connection btw east and west. i found a very good website which cover all the asia area and iran. the articals are very professional and focus to the topic, worth taking a look. i give you some info concerning central asia and tajikistan
http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/index.html
http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/Tajikistan/Taj.html

nepal- the bride of himalaya

my sweety, today's task is Nepal. i thought i know Nepal much more than other southeast countries, but it turned out i am wrong after i checked out the webpage. this country is more beautiful than i think. and so many extraordinary elements are involved, i think most of traveller come to Nepal due to its approxity to mount everst. there are two route trekking mount everst, the most popular one is in Nepal. but from my point of view. there are much more worth seeing besides mount everest. anyway, i put something here, the website definately can do a better job than me.
Nepal is a mountainous kingdom, located in Southern of Asia. It is a land locked, situated between China to the North and India to the South East and West. The topography changes dramatically within a short lateral distance. There is a narrow strip of low lands in the south. Further north lie the Himalayan foot hills and ranges which run roughly east-west across the country and include eight of the highest peaks in the world - each over 8000m. Geographically, Nepal is divided into three main regions: The Himalayan Region, the Hilly Region and the ' Terai' plain region.
The mountainous region covers 15 percent of the total area of the northern side of the country, lying horizontally at altitudes of 4700m and higher. In this region snow falls every season and mountains such as Everest (8848m) have attracted adventurers for many decades. Another attraction of this region are the 'kundas' (big lakes) and several national parks and wild life reserves, including Sagarmatha National Park, which is a world heritage site. In this region, you can see Sherpa settlements and perhaps sightings of snow bears and Yeti footprints.
The hilly region forms 68 percent of the country, and is formed by the Mahabharat range that soars to touch mountain region, with altitudes of 600 to 4,700 m. In winter, snow may fall in the higher areas. This region is formed by beautiful valleys like Kathmandu and Pokhara and famous for its lakes, in Pokhara Phewa, Begnas, Rupa etc. and the Tilicho lake in Manang District, which are wonderful for swimming and boating. There are three major rivers, the Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali.
Additional attractions in this region are Nagarkot and Dhulikhel, where the heart-stopping beauty of a sunrise can be viewed as never before. Most of the snow covered mountain ranges can be enjoyed from hill tops of Nagarkot, Phulchoki and Pokhara.
The Terai region covers 17 percent of the total, with an altitude of 70m to 600m above sea level. This is the region of religious icons, national parks, and wild life reserves. The most famous holy places are Janakpur, Lumbini and Barahachhetra. Lumbini was the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the champion of world peace. There are four national parks and wild life reserves in this region. Among them the Royal Chitwan National park, with its rhinoceros. This region is also noted as the place where most trekkers take the first steps of their adventure.

http://www.visitnepal.com/travelagents/

Bhutan: "The Land of The (Peaceful) Thunder Dragon"

http://www.bootan.com/bhutan/bhutan.shtml
my sweety, we might as well schedule our travelling plan to Bhutan after we get out of Tibet. we can hike on the range of Himalaya to get into Bhutan. i was reading the webpage as stated above. i am surprised to hear that even a lot of asian don't know about this small country. for me, i know this country and i know it is very close to china. but i really don't know about it. this excerpt will supply a pretty good introduction of Bhutan. by the way, the officail language in this country is English. fortunately, this is a country not only lacated on tibet pleatue but a country without industry and war. this is a quiet and peaceful place. soulds very nice. we really ought to take a visit this place. you ane me together.
"Our Land locked Mountain Kingdom is bordered by Tibet, China, India, near Nepal and Bangladesh. Never Heard of Bhutan? The spelling has changed a few times. The original spelling from Marco Polo times was "Bootan" in the Roman Alphabet, but we call our country "Druk Yul." Most Asians haven't even heard about Bhutan - we've been pretty quiet up here in the Himalayas. We were not involved with the Industrial Age, the World Wars, nor the Arms Race, and until recently not even cyberspace. In fact many of us didn't know you existed until we got your e-mail. We live on our own "Roof of the World" and have kept to our selves for hundreds of years.
Now it is permissible to visit Bhutan. Find out about Bhutan and visit soon.

vivi: Burma

cara vivi. so many asian countries we have been. i suppose you are still energitic, aren't you? since we never have our destination. we are alwasy on our road. brillant road. promising road. today, we are going to burma. i found a webpage recording so many burma pictures. so beatiful. i have never even thought that burma is so extraordinary. i am looking forward to visiting this wonderful land.
http://private.addcom.de/asiaphoto/burma/
Burma is another country pretty close to china. in my impression. it is a country less develped up till now. maybe it is better for traveller. i saw an excerpt in the net that the temples in burma are even more than travellers. i quote something from internet as follows.
Myanmar, or Burma as it is still more familiarly known in the West, is a country where magnificent and ancient Buddhist temples gaze out serenely over a nation restless for change. Myanmar has plenty of wonders for the eye--sinuous, life-giving rivers, lush mountain forests, and intricately-drawn cities--but it can also trouble the soul. For the last 30 years, its people have been ruled by a notoriously repressive military government, the tatmadaw.
Travel to Myanmar is as a result a rather vexed moral question, as the bulk of tourist revenue falls into the government's coffers. Against this coldly financial argument, however, is the notion that interaction with Myanmar's people and culture helps to encourage change. Both perspectives have their defenders; we at Interknowledge leave the decision to you.

http://www.geographia.com/myanmar/
check'em out. very nice place. we must go at the right time.

Laos, a mistery land

my dear vivi, we arrived in Laos today. as i said previously, this place is still a less developed area in south east asia. but it tacked on more mistery and curiosity for foreigners. in Laos, you can experience an almost original and real life style that you cannot find anymore in other countries of southeast asia since this is a country didn't get much influence from the west. it preserved more traditional. then we should hurry up to see it before too much west element merged into. I quote something from the net here.
Laos' isolation from foreign influence offers travellers an unparalleled glimpse of traditional Southeast Asian life. From the fertile lowlands of the Mekong River valley to the rugged Annamite highlands, Laos is the highlight of Southeast Asia.
This is the least developed and most enigmatic of the three former French Indochinese states. A ruinous sequence of colonial domination, internecine conflict and dogmatic socialism finally brought the country to its knees in the 1970s, and almost 10% of the population left the country.
The best time to visit is between November and February - during these months it rains least and isn't too hot. This is also the main season for both national and regional bun (festivals). If you're heading up into the mountains, May and July can also be pleasant. Roads can be washed out during rainy season (July to October), but there's plenty of river travel opportunities. Peak tourist months are December to February and during August, although there are relatively few visitors at any time.

http://www.travelfish.org/country/laos

vvvvietnam

vivi, from my point of view, vietnam is a country full of mistery, actually the whole south east asia including vietnam, combodia, laos, burma, nepal, sudan since these countries are not so open to the world as other asia countries like thailand, japan or india. their people, their land, their culture are not so familiar to us, not only you, but for chinese as well. for vietnam, the only impression for me is two wars. one is before my birth that everyone on this earth knows, the vietnam war. the other one is a small war btw vietnam and china in 1980's fighting for the boundary territory. it happened when i was about 4 or 5 years old. at the time, chinese hate vietnam since chinese thought vietnam got help from china during the vietnam war, how can they fight for land with china. to be honest, i really don't know so much about this war since all we can hear was from the communist party. no one ever think what is the real intention or it is useless to think about it.haha. this is asia, vivi, dictotors everywhere. in china, in vietnam, in pakistan.
anyway, i quote something from net here, for a brief introduction to vietnam.by the way, i saw on the net that we can take train to travel around vietnam individually like in china, it is cheap and convinient.
mekong river delta is the most attractive area in vietnam, i qutoe something for this area. you can also check it out on the url.
The Mekong Delta forms both the far southern region of Vietnam and one of country's two main ricebowls. Dominated by the Mekong River and its many tributaries, the surrounding lands are comprised of low lying rice paddies and the rivers are bordered by dense mangroves and palms. The tributaries of the hectic Mekong River highway provide a comprehensive network of canals and channels acting as on and off ramps to the main throughfare. For the independent traveller, these rivers and tributaries can be the best method to explore the Mekong Delta at a leisurely pace and offer the opportunity to experience the truly unique Mekong River lifestyle.By embarking on a comprehensive exploration of the Delta, you will have the opportunity to observe and participate in an extra dimension of Vietnamese life and culture. The attractions to this region of Vietnam include the way in which life exists around the comprehensive river system, the heavy Khmer influence from nearby Cambodia and the extensive coastline, boasting some of the nicer beaches in Vietnam.For those with time on their hands at least a month could be spent exploring this part of Vietnam, yet the vast bulk of tourists and travellers alike spend no more than a handful of days here, generally as a part of a tour organised out of Saigon. For those unfortunate enough to have a time limit for their stay in Vietnam, we would suggest spending a longer time in one region of the Delta rather than attempting to see every centre in seven to ten days, as transport, especially during the wet season, can be very slow and uncomfortable.However much you decide to explore, cruising up one of the many river, as the sun sets over the distant coconut trees, is a truly remarkable experience that will stay with you forever.

http://www.travelfish.org/country/vietnam

combodia and angkor thom

vivi, since we have travelled so much in china, now it is time to travel other parts of asia. the first stop i suppose what you like is Cambodia. my only impression in terms of combodia is angkor thom. to be honest, the whole asia is full of mistery even for me as an asia. this is a place not many people have been travelled but really full of old civilization where you will feel the ancient atmosphere. i am gonna quote an excerpt here to make a better discription of combodia.
The Kingdom of Cambodia is an independent country with a population of more than 7 million people. With a surface area of 181,035 sq. km and once a French colony, is the least known Indochinese country. Cambodia has a distinct geographical personality: it is a wide basin surrounded by highlands. In this basin the farmer has created a simple life - an original civilization and philosophy of mildness. After many years of war, people rediscovered the meaning of "PEACE" They started to rebuild and reconstruct in all fields. Cambodia is divided into 20 provinces and rich in resources, forests, rubber, gems, fish and has a big potential in tourism. It was the Khmer Rouge who insisted that the outside world use the name Kampuchea. Changing the country's official English name back to Cambodia (which has been used by the US State Department all along) was intended as a symbolic move to distance the present government in Phnom Penh from the bitter connotations of the name Kampuchea, which westerners and overseas Khmer alike associate with the murderous Khmer Rouge regime. As a result of the United Nations sponsored and enforced election in May, 1993, the Kingdom of Cambodia is now safe to travel and tourism has once again become possible. Indeed, the country and Phnom Penh in partucular is undergoing something of a renaissance. Often overshadowed by the traumatic events of its recent past, Cambodia as home of the Khmer culture remains one of the most important and exotic countries in South East Asia.
The fortified city of Angkor Thom, some 10 sq km in extent, was built in its present form by Angkor's greatest builder, Jayavarman 7 (reigned 1181 to 1201), who came to power just after the disastrous sacking by the Chams of the previous Khmer capital, is enclosed by a square wall eight metres high and 12 km in length and encircled by a moat 100 meters wide, said to have been inhabited by fierce crocodiles. The city has five monumental gates, one in the north, west and south walls and two in the east wall. The gates, which are 20 metres in height, are decorated on either side of the passageway with stone elephant trunks and crowned by four gargantuan faces of the bodhisatva Avalokitesvara.


http://www.pbase.com/johnglines/cambodia

long men grottoes

vivi, today we are gonna go to Longmen Grottoes. longmen grottoes is a historic relic of china located inLuo Yang, another famous capital in chinese history. this is an evidence of buddism influence in china. ever since buddism was imported into china in tang dynasty. allost all of the chinese emperors are facinated about building those caves and niches. to be honest, we are not well educated of the religion, that is the reason i am also very curious about the grottoes and i want to have a look at it.
we will go to luo yang together, as a matter of fact, there are so many spots in luoyang except for longmen grottoes such as bai ma temple, the most important budda temple in china and shao lin temple, the most important and birth place of Kong Fu or martial arts. you won't miss them. Luo Yang is the most important city of central china even today. we will take a look, definately. i look forward to it.
http://www.longmen.com/Fran/index.html

mount everest

vivi, today we are gonna go to mountain everest, the highest mountain in the world. i quote a passage describing it. i think this one is pretty good.
Mount Everest is situated at the edge of the Tibetan Plateau (Qing Zang Gaoyuan), on the border between Nepal and Tibet. The mountain was named for Sir George Everest, a British military engineer who served as surveyor general of India from 1829 to 1843, during which time the peak was surveyed. Everest was the first person to record the location and height of the mountain, then known as Peak XV. Most Nepali people refer to the mountain as Sagarmatha, meaning "Forehead in the Sky." Speakers of Tibetan languages, including the Sherpa people of northern Nepal, refer to the mountain as Chomolungma, Tibetan for "Goddess Mother of the World." In 1954, after various figures had been rejected, the height of Mount Everest was determined as 8848 m (29,028 ft). The mountain's actual height, and the claim that Everest is the highest mountain in the world, have been disputed. But additional surveys completed in the early 1990s continued to support evidence that Everest is the highest mountain in the world. In fact, the mountain is rising a few millimeters each year due to geological forces. Global Positioning Technology (GPS) has been installed on Mount Everest for the purpose of detecting slight rates of geological uplift.
vivi,maybe someday, we will go there to breath the most fresh air in the world. i am looking forward to this day coming.
http://www.everestnews.com/

xi'an-a glory of 1500 years

vivi, in china, we all agree with one thing, taking a look at xi'an makes you realize what china looked like 2000 years ago; taking a look at beijing makes you realize what china looked like 500 years ago. taking a look at shanghai makes you realize what china looks like right now. this has no contravercial since xi'an is the first capical of china as an empire after qin shi huang united the other six countries. and xi'an was the capital till tang dynasty. it witnessed the prime time of china and it is the destination of silk road. in an age without plane and ship, the land transportation played a crucial role in the economy, xi'an is favarablely located in the center of china. you can see so many old walls preserved in this old city that you cannot see anywhere else in china. very impressive. you will understand what an old city look like in ancient china. in the suburban area, you will find qin shi huang's tomb. it is more like an pyramid. but even bigger. and nearby, you will find terror cotta, the sacrifice for the emperor. you cannot imagine how people can make this 2000 years ago. it is unbeliveable. anyway, i will attach an url, and you will take a look if you like:
http://en.xian-tourism.com/xianguidetext.asp?textID=2

for oct.31 inner mongolia

my dear vivi, since the train is a little bit late, we arrived in inner mongolia the next day. anyway, here we are. what you are seeing is what inner mongolia is pround of : grassland. but it also has large size of desert. both inner mongolia and mongolia used to be under china's control, mongolia was seperated about 100 years ago due to russia's intervention. now we only have inner mongolia. this a fun place, where you can see The mushroom-like yurts, bright sky, fresh air, grassland and the flocks and herds moving like white clouds on the remote grassland. you may also see different activities such as Mongolian wrestling, horse & camel riding, rodeo competitions, archery, visiting traditional families and enjoying the graceful Mongolian singing and dancing. The best time to visit the grassland is definitely during the traditional Mongolian Nadam Festival period when there is a better chance to both participate and feel the lively atmosphere of the grassland life.
take a look at this website
http://www.51766.com/www/detailhtml/1100023134.html

today's topic xin jiang

my dear vivi, today, i am gonna introduce you Xin Jiang, located in the extreme west of china. breathtaking landscape and totally different minorities different from han people. the size of uygur is about the same as tibet. huge i have to say. wulumuqi is the capital of xin jiang. literally, xin jiang means new territory in chinese. it was under control of chinese from 16th century i think in qing dynastry. don't you think we are invading another country. qing is not han people. they used to be more ambitious at their prime time in the history. prior to 16th century, it was once the route of silk road, there was an abandoned old city called lou lan which was so prosperous and was a concrete envidence of silkroad from which civilization went back and forth between west and east. now i am gonna link an url to show you around this beautiful land
http://www.tintcn.com/destination/show/index_pic.asp?PID=40

si chuan, another must see

vivi, now i'd like to recommend you another great place, si chuan. can you imagina what is the population in this single province? 100 million. since this is really a nice place to you to live. the capital of si chuang was awarded the comfortable city in china. further more, this land is so much culture based. almost all of the famous poets in tang dynasty are from si chuang. this place is also where panda inhabits. i will offer you a website. just take a look.
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/sichuan/

Yun Nan, a must see

vivi, I would like to recommend you Yun Nan, located in the south east of china. very nice landscape, very nice people, where you can find old town, high mountains, rivers and several minorities of china. breath taking scenery. you cannot miss you. here is a pic of li jiang, the almost best preserved chinese old town in east of china from probably Ming Dynasty. I will introduce you to take a look at this website.

bible reading

my dear vivi, i am reading about bible. to my surprise, it is not boiling. haha, i cannot imagine i as a chinese is reading this. my God!!!!

one of my recommendation

Cara Vivi
I'd like to recommend you to read some best books in terms of China written in English in my point of view. they all written by one of the famous chinese-american writer, Lin Yutang. he has been the most famous one bridging the china and the rest of the world almost 70 years ago, which was pretty impressive at that time. I suppose what you are learning won't cover his works since he is not on the same side of Communist party and he spent a lot of time in Taiwan. anyway, he is a great writer, the most recommended books i will make to the foreigners because the description of china and chinese is precise and real. very valuable materials to learn china even though all of them are written long time ago. but the core charactristics of chinese doesn't change at all. take a look when you are available.
by the way, this is an online reading website, where you will find a lot of works by Lin. very good website.

God's present

Once upon a time, when i was sleeping. God came to my bed and whispered to me
"bin, I wanna give you a present"
"what present?, Mr/Mrs. God" I asked
"a very importatant present in your life, and you won't know it until it comes true"
today, i know this present is my dear dear vivi, you are a gift given to me by the heaven.
I must must protect my most precious present with my rest of my life.
I love you Livia

happy to have this platform

I am very happy, vivi, with this platform, i can write you whatever i want. and i like this layout and color. black. and i can add those pics or vedio that we like and i hope we can add so many stuffs later. so many so many sweet memory we will have on our web home. vivi
i guess you like it too. and you can see my word as soon as i write instead of waiting for letters. i will still write to you since that is such a sweet thing. i would spend my life to write to you as long as we can not see each other lively.
i love you with my hearttttttttttttttttt

my favourite pic

vivi, to be honest, this pic is my favourite. I love your eye contacts. I totally have been captured by you. vivi, please, let me love you deepdeepdeeply.

creation of webpage

My love love vivi, i create this webpage for our love.
I would like to jog down every moment of our life and thoughts.
I hope you will like, you can also write something or make the comments on this webpage
I love you vivi.