Last January three Russian tourists came to Manokwari to enjoy the natural beauty of Papuan forest. They walked around the Table Mountain (Gunung Meja) hoping to see Kuskus and other beautiful birds such as White and Goliath Cockatoo and paradise birds (Cendrawasih). Unfortunately, they were not able to see paradise birds and kuskus. They could only see Goliath Cockatoo and Bats in a cave located deep in the jungle of the Table Mountain. These Russian tourists expressed their concerns over the rapidly decreasing number of Kuskus population in Table Mountain's forest where ten years ago, Kuskus could still be seen. Kuskus population in the mountain is in danger of extinction due to huntings. Although this is a protected forest and the hunting activities in the forest have been banned by the government, hunters still kill animals in the forest.
As we could not locate kuskus in its natural habitat, we had to bring these Russian tourists to the house of Mr. Teniwut which was located some two hundred meters from SDN 1 Kota (formerly known as the Dutch Klim en Daal school). There, we saw a cute Kuskus living in a cage. Mr. Teniwut said that the animal was caught in Senopi village in the mountainous region of Manokwari regency. It is an endemic animal of Papua that is rapidly decreasing in number mostly due to huntings. In the past the local Papuan hunted these animals only for their meat. Now they catch Kuskus alive to sell them to wealthy people who will buy them in high prices. When we visited the Table Mountain several days ago, we saw that the local government had built a concrete gate and constructed a wooden house at the entrance of the forest in the Anggori area. Soon, people who want to enter it have to buy tickets. It means that the forest of the Table Mountain in Manokwari will become Hutan Wisata. If this is really their goal, we hope that the local government will be more serious in protecting the forest and in restoring the population of kuskus and other animals which were onced lived in the Table Mountain.
This article was written by Charles Roring (contact email peace4wp@gmail.com) to promote eco-tourism in Papua and to support the local people in getting alternative jobs in tourism related industries so that they will not cut the forest or hunt animals in the Table Mountain of Manokwari of West Papua..
This afternoon I accompanied a Norwegian student visiting some Papuan artists in Kota region of Manokwari town. Her name is Linda. It was around 3:20 p.m. when she arrived at my bookstore. She was walking from Hotel Billy when my sister saw her and picked her up. So, they arrived here by a minibus. After talking for a few minutes and looking at some of my and Paul's paintings, I and Linda walked to the home of Mr. Lucky Kaikatui. He is an oil painting artist. Unfortunately he was in Sorong. So, we could only talk to his wife. Linda took some pictures of his paintings. She said that she was interested in the painting of paradise birds but the size of the artwork was too big for her bag. Linda asked if the artist could make similar painting whose size is smaller. But Mr. Kaikatui's wife could not decide whether her husband would paint it nor mention its price. She said that she would call her husband to discuss Linda's request.
Then we continued our trip to the house of Mrs. Fonataba. She is a master of clothes weaving. She learned this skill from Catholic nuns when she was still young. Many of the women who could make hand made woven clothes have died. Perhaps, she is the only woman in Papua island who is able to manually weave clothes from cotton thread as shown in the photo above. She has taught her daughters and other women in Biak and Serui islands on how to weave clothes in order to pass down her skills to young generations. Mrs. Fonataba looked very happy. She was with her daughter and grand-daughters when we met her. I and Linda took some pictures there. Linda bought some bracelet made of orchid's roots and a piece of shawl, all of these items cost Rp. 210,000 (around 21 US dollars). Mrs. Fonataba said that she needs around one week to make a shawl if it was done as her past-time activity. But if she spends her whole day weaving the cloth, she will be able to finish it in three days.
It was going to rain when we walked to Mr. Awom's house which is located next to Suri bakery. He is a wood carving artist. He was about to go somewhere when we met him. Linda bought a photo frame there and also took some pictures of his nice artworks. The price of the frame was Rp. 100,000 (about 10 US dollars). She said that she could not buy bigger carvings because they are too big to be inserted into her backpack. Across from Mr. Awom's house was Mrs. Kerewai's studio. Unfortunately, we could not meet her because she was still in Jayapura. She had just participated in an exhibition in Papua New Guinea. Her daughter said that she would be in Manokwari again the next day. There were some handicrafts made of sea shells displayed in Ms. Ruth's (the daughter of Ms. Kerewai) kiosk, but she did not buy them because they were too fragile to be brought in her backpack. Linda said that they will be broken when she arrives in Norway. It was raining when we (I and Paul) said good bye to Linda at the Pertokoan cross-road. She walked back to Billy hotel and we walked back up to our homes at Kompleks Missi area. This beautiful girl is doing research on the possibility of the implementation of UN-REDD program to support communities living around the forest. UN-REDD stands for the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries. She will be in Manokwari for around three weeks visiting villages, talking to people, seeing the forest and collecting data.
Here are the name of the artists and the kind of artworks which they make. I suggest that you buy souvenirs direclty from them instead of buying from shops. By buying directly from the artists, you can get cheaper products, give comments and encourage them to improve the quality of their artworks. Xavier Bookstore - Selling Postcard and Watercolor Paintings The artworks are made by Charles Roring and some Papuan artists Address: Brawijaya Street next to SD Padma 1 Kompleks Missi Manokwari. Charles Roring and some of his Papuan friends can provide tour guide service for traveling to various tourist attractions in and around Manokwari. He can be contacted through his cell phone: 081332245180 or email: peace4wp@gmail.com
Mrs. Marice Fatie-Fonataba This widow is a master in cloth weaving. She lives in Komplex Missi behind Catholic Church St. Agustinus, Manokwari. Her woven cloth and pandanus bags are beautiful souvenirs which you can buy for your loved ones.
Mr. Lucky Kaikatui He is an oil painting artist. He paints birds of paradise, the beautiful beaches of Papua, village life and forest. Mr. Kaikatui lives behind SMP Katolik (Catholic Junior High School) in Komplex Missi Manokwari
Mr. Awom - a wood carving artist
Address: Merdeka Street, next to Suri Bakery Shop
Mr. Awom makes small number but high quality wooden carvings. H
Mr. Asaribab - a school teacher who is also a wood carving and painter
Address: Anggrem
Carving and painting have been an integral part of Mr. Asaribab's family for generations.
Mr. Tony Mansiraken Krey
A Multi Talented Artist (a Papuan intellectual, a writer)
Address: Ketapang Boat Station, Kwawi, Manokwari
His friends like to call him Tonci Krey. This artist is considered as a brilliant artist. Most of the public statues in Manokwari were made by him. Art lovers who come to Manokwari must meet him if they want to know more about Papuan art and culture. You can buy paintings, carvings, and get various information about Papuan people, their stories and culture.
As a travel guide who frequently accompany tourists around this town and its surrounding forest, beaches and islands, I see that most of the visitors, after going around, will ask me whether there are souvenir shops in this small town Manokwari. Of course, there are. I know two souvenir shops in this town that sell various items ranging from string bags to Wamena's penis gourd. I also know several Papuan artists in this town that constantly make handicrafts both for domestic and foreign tourists. Although this is not their main source of income, their love of art continues to encourage them making artworks from time to time. For example, Mrs. Marice Fonataba who lives behind the Catholic church St. Agustinus in Kota area of Manokwari town. Her home is not located on a strategic street where tourists can easily find it. But she continues to manually weave traditional Papuan cloth as her past time activities. When I visited her home last week, I was surprised to see that she had made many artworks worth of millions of rupiahs.
There is also another artist whose home is on Jalan Merdeka next to Suri Bakery. He is a wood carving artist who has made high quality carvings. I brought three Russian eco-travelers to his home one night to buy some of his artworks. These Russians were amazed by the quality of the carvings and they were even surprised when he sold it for only Rp. 20,000 rupiahs each which is considered very-very cheap according to local standard. I immediately told them that they should give him better price as their appreciation for his hard works. They did. They paid 300,000 rupiahs for three carvings which they bought from him. He looked happy and smiled at us. It was drizzling that night but the Russians were satisfied with the wooden carvings which they had just bought. Souvenirs that tourists must not buy There are no rules but please, follow my suggestions as voluntary guidelines. When you go to a souvenir shop and you find handicrafts that are made of corals, please don't buy them. Coral reef is one of the most important species for marine environment. Due to global warming and the increased dumping of wastes at sea, these fragile species are dying. As tourists we must not buy souvenirs made of sea corals to discourage the destruction of coral reef around the world which is the home to thousands of species of fish and other marine creatures. This also applies to Kuskus fur - an endemic animal from West Papua, to preserved skin and feather of bird of paradise and to other threatened animals in Papua island. By not buying such souvenirs we have practiced responsible eco-tourism principles in our life.
If you are planning to visit Alabama- Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel will provide you all necessary information. Their web site address is touralabama.org Talladega Scenic Drive beings at US near Heflin and winds through Talladega National Forest to Adams Gap, Southwest of Chesham State park. The 25 minute drive has scenic views, especially in March and April and mid October-mid November. In and around Mobile, the Azalea Trail twines for 27 minute, flowering time is February and March.
This region encompasses the hilly Highlands around Birmingham, the State’s largest city and the State capital Montgomery which is in the heart of the black belt region, named for its rich, dark soil. This State’s Bird is yellowhammer and flower is Camellia. Motto of the State is We Dare Defend Our Rights.
You might think that I have over promoted this post title. I am just telling you what I see. If you are a beach lover, you will see that white sandy beach in Manokwari is one of the best in the world? Why? Because it is the place where you can enjoy sun bathing, swimming, wind surfing and especially for nature lovers watching turtles laying their eggs. If you are serious in watching is precious moment than you need to set up a camp by the beach in a secluded beach area far from villagers home where turtles are usually come up to the beach. Isn't it wonderful? So, when you go to a beach in Manokwari, you can also do other activities such as bird watching around the coconut and ketapang, and mangrove trees that usually grow around the coastal region of Papua or you can hike into the tropical rainforest that is located in the near the beach.
One week ago, three Russian eco-travelers (Mike, Inga and Dima) went to Yonsoribo beach which is still under the Manokwari regency. It's only a two-hour ride by car to the beach. It is located on the northern coast of this town. The beach is not crowded by foreign tourists and it is still in pristine condition. They took some photos during their two days camping there. They built a tent by the road near the beach that is overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was Eastern Monsoon (November to March) where strong wind created big waves along the northern coast line of Papua island. So, it might be dangerous for inexperienced swimmers but it was the perfect moment for surfers to prctice their skills and agility playing on the wave crests with their surf-boards.
If you read the title of the blog, you will see that I have changed it into the Diary of a Manokwari Tourist Guide. Yes, I am now working on promoting eco-tourism or responsible tourism in this small town which is now the capital of Papua Barat Province. And I have written articles related to traveling inside the rainforest of the Table Mountain as my main emphasis on this blog. I also have uploaded many photos related to foreign tourist activities in this town. As a travel writer, what I want to convey in this blog is the tourism activities that bring positive impacts to local people, the main stakeholders of the tourism industry in this town. They should be the ones who play important roles in the development of alternative tourism in this region.
You might have read some of my stories here or at my other web pages the Manokwari Travel Guide. I hope you will be interested in coming to this small yet very beautiful coastal town that is located not far from the equator. Also, there are several other stories about traveling in Manokwari which you can click and read at the end part of the article. There are still many things that I have not written and yet many places which I haven't explored. I prefer to use the term explore rather than visit. Why? Because the word "explore" means going to new places, finding new things, learning new culture, meeting new people, appreciating new world. Sometimes, when we go to Papua, we will see that this huge island has got many new mysteries which are waiting for us to explore. So, what are you waiting for?
Sattanur Dam: This was built across the river Pennar and is a beautiful picnic spot. It is 35 km. from Tiruvannalamalai. There is a children’s park and a small zoo.
The ancient temple in Tirukkovilur is 30 km from Tiruvannamali on the Tirukkovilur Road that leads to Cuddalore and other southern towns. The 2000 year old temple has Lord Vishnu in his Trivikrama posture as the presiding deity. The idol has the right leg raised to the sky, while the left leg is on the ground. King Mahabali is seen praying to the Lord.
Ginger Fort: At a distance of 37 km from the temple town, is an over 700 year old historic fort dating back to Vijayanagara times. It is famous for its association with Raja De Singh, who revolted against the Nawab of Arctot and became the subject of heroic ballads. The fort interconnects 3 hills. It has a number of structures reflecting the Indo – Islamic style of architecture, Vijayanagara and Nayak styles of building. There are some temples inside the complex.
The world famous Arunachaleswara temple at Tiruvannamalai is one of the pancha botha shrines of Lord Shiva. The temple is spread out on an expanse of nine hectares at the foot of the hill. Built over centuries with each King adding to existing structures, the temple has an array of gopurams and mandapams. The tallest is the rajagopuram on the eastern side 41 m tall and 30 m wise and credited to Krishnadeva Raya, the Vijayanagar King.
Karthigai Deepam is the main festival celebrated at Tiruvannamalai. It marks the conclusion of the 10 day Brahmotsavam in the month of Karthigai. Bharani Deepam is lit before the Karthigai Deepam. Five lamps are lit to symbolize the five elemental forms of Lord Shiva.
Chennai is the nearest Airport and it is 200 km. away from Chennai. You can reach Tiruvannalai by road also. Many tourist taxis, autos are available in the town. There are many hotels available and who want to stay at Ramana Ashram can contact them through fax 91-4175-237491.
Web hosting companies are growing day by day and almost all the companies attract you with nice offers, but it is left to us to decide which web hosting company suits our requirement. If you are looking for virtual web hosting with unlimited hosting space and reasonable bandwidth then you must go for paid web hosting instead of free web hosting. The next thing I would suggest you is to look for a web hosting company that offers FTP and Telnet so that you can upload files and at the same time edit the CGI scripts.
The web hosting company should also provide you free 24 hour customer service and this requirement is very much necessary so that you can get back your site to normal working condition in case of any problem in your site. The load the site can manage is very important to be known and select a hosting company not on the basis of what condition your site is right now in select it in such a way that your site will grow in future. Then webhosting security for your website then you should look for SSL protection which makes your transactions very secure. Well the idea I have given so far is about how to manage your hosting but content management is another very important thing in order to make your site more popular and create a reputation for that. Wordpress and Joomla are some of the most commonly used Content management tools.
Chottanikkara is famous for the temple of the powerful Goddess Raja Rajeswari. A large number of people with mental afflictions find relief and cure after worship in the temple, observing certain religious disciplines for specified periods. On a tree growing in the premises of the temple, one can see hundreds of nails struck on it by the afflicted using their own heads like a hammer in a state of trance. The temple authorities provide accommodation in the temple for pilgrims.
Kaladi: Kerala can be proud of this picturesque village, 13 kms. from Alwaye on the bank of the river Peiyar. Here was born Sri Sankaracharya, one of the greatest philosophers of the world. The great exponent of Advaita philosophy Sri Sankara has left a lasting influence on Indian life and culture.
Excerpts from:Conecuh People by Dr. Wade Hall Attraction: Red Door Theatre (seen right and below) Location: Union Springs, Alabama Photos: Tourism Council of Bullock County and the Red Door Theatre
Conecuh People is a series of interviews with nineteen mostly humble people who lived in southern Bullock County, Alabama, during the first half of the twentieth century. There are sad stories, funny tales, and personal insights into the past, all intricately woven into a brilliant fabric of literature no less authentic than the antique quilts that are still popular today. Although each character is unique, out of their stories emerge patterns of a way of life that could easily be representative of many counties all around the deep South. This way of life has also mostly disappeared, so Conecuh People serves to preserve the history in a powerful way.
Conecuh People was so successful as a book that New York playwright Ty Adams adapted the book into a popular play that is performed annually at the historic Red Door Theatre, a converted historic Episcopal church in Union Springs. The Red Door Theatre is in Bullock County, where all the characters in the book are from. This beautiful town also offers an amazing walking tour. Many of the photos you will see on this feature come from that walking tour and the productions of Conecuh People.
Conecuh People the play will be reviewed in April by Michael P. Howley of the American Theatre Critics Association. Mr. Howley's review will be posted here when available, but his review on the Red Door Theatre's current production of Catfish Moon is available at http://theatremontgomery.blogspot.com/.
The following excerpts are from a lively moonshiner named Tommie Manley. Manley's wife, Verse, is also featured in the book and the play.
From Conecuh People:
I been making whiskey from the time I was 'bout eighteen to I got be about fifty. I got caught fourteen times and was sont off two times. Both times I got off easy because I never made the judges mad. The last time I went off Judge Johnson in Montgomery sont me. I didn't give him no trouble at all.
He asked me, "Well, say Tommie, why would you make whiskey?" I said, "Well, Judge, it's just a thing I could do to get some quick money out of."
He said, "Well, Tommie, didn't you know that you was breaking the rules and regulations of the federal government?"
I said, "Yes sir, Judge, I did. But I was trying to slip by and not let nobody know I was doing it."
He asked me where I bought my sugar at. Now, I didn't want him to know who was furnishing my sugar, so I said, "Well, Judge, I would get some at the hardware store and at different places."
He said, "Now, Tommie, the man at the hardware store don't sell sugar."
I said, "Well, you know, they might have didn't. Maybe the man was just buying some to sell to me. He knowed I wasn't scared for him to know I was making whiskey, so he'd special order a couple of tons for me."
Now that tickled them folks to death up there in that courtroom in Montgomery. I said, "But Judge, I know I done wrong, and I'll never do it no more. I just can't do it. I done got too old and I can't handle the weight of that sugar and them shorts and that other stuff."
I know peoples who been making whiskey all their lives and never been caught. This last time I was caught by two young men from Butler and Montgomery County. Turns out they had been making pictures of me, my still, my car and everything from a helicopter.
I was already caught and didn't even know it. I seen that helicopter coming across but didn't pay it no attention. They passed over, went on and found two more stills and went back to Montgomery, put that helicopter up, got in a car and come on back and got me. It's hard for them federal men to catch you lessen you been turned up. I always put my still in somebody's woods that I can slip into and out of without them knowing. That's the reason you get caught a lot of times. When the landowner finds out you in there, maybe he go talking and call in the law.
You know how people is. If they can't make a living good and have money, then they don't want you to neither. It's just like I told Verse the other day. I bought her a picture called "The Lord's Supper" right up there on the wall.
I said, "Verse, you take Jesus Christ. He was the greatest man that's ever been on the land. But you look at them old boys on the end of that picture. They fixing to get Him whupped and killed. Judas is down there at one end, and there's Peter standing beside Him with his hand on His shoulder. He got his hand on Jesus' shoulder! That's the onliest man you know of that ever put his hand on Jesus. See, all them boys was close to Him. But anytime peoples get that close to you, they close enough to kill you. And they will!
They betrayed that Man and got Him killed. So if peoples will do that to Jesus, you know they gonna tell where I'm making whiskey. They gonna tell on me and get me sent to the penitentiary. Them peoples the cause of that helicopter coming in. Them federal men wouldn't never have found my still if I hadn't been turned up. They wouldn't have known where to go to look. Bullock County's got a lot of woods, and look how far I was from home. They just got to find somebody that talks. That's the way the world operates. Now you hear me 'cause it's the gospel truth. I make good whiskey. But ain't no still whiskey bad. Of course, after you 'still it, you can put it in something that makes it bad. Whiskey is strong, and if you take that strong whiskey and let it set in a metal pan, it'll eat that metal off, and some of it will will be in the whiskey. You drink that kind of whiskey, and it'll likely kill you. That's why some peoples holler 'bout homemade whiskey being poison.
But I used copper tubs and tubes and caught my whiskey in a glass jug or a wood keg, and wadn't no poison in them. One more thing 'bout whiskey. If you want to flavor it, you put it in a charred wood keg; and it'll be white going in and red coming out. The whiskey sucks the flavor out of that wood.
Man it's strong! You can run an automobile on the first ten or twelve gallons. It'll run your car just like gas. You strike a match around the jug where you catch that first run of whiskey, and the whole thing will blow away—and you with it. What you have to do is cut that strong whiskey to where a man can drink it. You take some of your low whiskey—they calls it low wine—and run some of that in it and it cuts the power down. You want your whiskey to hold just enough beads to when a man swallow it, it won't eat him up. Now you jug it up and you got some good whiskey.
Excerpted from:Conecuh People: Words of Life from the Alabama Blackbelt New South Books, Copyright 2004 by Wade Hall
Conecuh People Tourism Guide When I first met Dr. Wade Hall at his family home in rural Bullock County, I joked with him about how I would one day lecture my son about the “hard” times I grew up in. “Back in my day, we didn’t have an Internet,” I will tell my two year-old when he gets older.
In truth, all of the real life characters in this book would have been thrilled to grow up in a modern middle class lifestyle. If you’re like me, you take many of our modern conveniences for granted, so this book will cause you to notice and appreciate such comforts like never before. For example, the next time that you open the refrigerator, you will suddenly realize how privileged you are to enjoy such a luxury. Little things like that will race through your head for days after reading this book.
There isn’t much talk in the book about how much better things used to be; however, there isn’t much complaining either. We all know how hard the conditions of life used to be: no electricity, no indoor plumbing, scarce food at times, lots of hard work on a farm, etc.
Yes, we all know, but we have never felt it. This book will make you feel those conditions, not just through descriptions of lifestyle but through sympathy developed through emotional connections to the real life characters. The fact that there is so little nostalgia in this book only makes the story that much more realistic and compelling. The simple joys of their humble lives did sustain these proud people, but they wanted more. Even so, they do not feel wronged. Their faith taught them that a greater life was ahead. Rather than reading about these characters, you will feel like you are sitting on their front porch talking to them in person. This style is largely due to Dr. Hall’s incredible editing, such as transforming the interview recordings into monologues and adding key elements of place, time, and voice at critical points. The authentic dialect will remind you of Faulkner at his best.
Dr. Hall also deleted repetitions that often develop in normal conversations and rearranged the order of some interviews. By rewriting some of the material—without losing authenticity—he transformed the work into a dramatic presentation. The style of this editing is what distinguishes Conecuh People from other oral histories and makes it into a work of literature.
Dr. Hall is not a researcher from a distant area of the country who came down South to “study” these subjects and their strange rural roots; he was born—and will always proudly be—one of them. Indeed, he knew many of them intimately growing up in the very area and suffered through the same burdens of poverty and hardship. Since such destitute areas rarely produce brilliant English professors, Conecuh People is an especially rare treat. Note: the houses highlighted in this feature are all in Union Springs, but the book focuses on the hardscrabble country residents just south of the town.
His personal knowledge of the area allowed him to add subtlety into the manuscript that any other author would lack, yet his years away from his rural home also add layers of objectivity and perspective. Like most people would given the opportunity, Dr. Hall immediately left his rural Bullock County roots as soon he graduated from his small country school. He went on to become a distinguished English professor at Bellarmine University and author of twenty books while he lived in Kentucky.
After retiring, he moved back to his boyhood home and brought an impressive collection of rare art and books with him. He has also donated sizable collections to several large universities, including the University of Alabama. Dr. Hall earned his M.A. in English from the University of Alabama and his Ph.D. in English from the University of Illinois. Standing in his large home office is like stepping into an exhibit at an urban museum. I couldn’t help but snap a few pictures just to capture the feel of the room and house. The work to the right displays a rare African-American angel painted in the past. Click to enlarge the picture or the top two pictures of the Red Door Theatre for more detail.
The Red Door Theatre makes for a very unique venue right in the heart of this beautiful Southern town and offers different plays throughout the year.
Directly behind the theatre is the town’s impressive Civil War cemetery and monument. Union Springs offers a walking tour of many charming antebellum homes that are gorgeous to behold. There is even a delicious Italian restaurant right across the street from the theatre called the Union Pizza Company.
The play Conecuh People is performed every spring (see the link below). The book was published by New South Books and is still in print after a decade. After you read the book, you will want to come see the play. While you’re there, check out everything Union Springs has to offer. Many small Southern towns have a few nicely-renovated antebellum houses, but this town has over forty buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The Union Springs/Bullock County Tourism Council has brochures available just around the corner from the Red Door Theatre, and there are several places to eat, although I recommend the Italian place as the best. A walk through this pretty town on a beautiful spring day will give you a strong connection to the past and a rich cultural experience.
If you enjoyed this feature, please join SELTI by clicking on the "Follow" link at the top left. You will be prompted to create a username and password for a free Google account, which takes about a minute. Once established, you can follow all your favorite Blogs from one place. Also, please post a short comment on any features that you enjoy. Use the Stories By Month archive in the top left to learn about other unique and intriguing places to visit around the South, all introduced through literature. More features will follow from this site.
Money making from all the possible resources is an art and not all people are good at that. So I thought it would be better to discuss how to make money from foreclosure and REO property investment. The term REO is Real Estate Owned generally by the bank and Foreclosure is done so that the asset are reposed. The sites that are presently available charge a lot and no sites offer this list for free. I made an intensive search in Google and finally got one site that provides Free Foreclosures . The biggest advantage with this site is you need not fill in any form share your personal information not even your electronic mail ID. All the information are listed in the site henceforth making life easier for users like us. The site also provides Free REO foreclosures and the latest trends of real estates. This acts as a guide and helps us to decide whether this is the right time to get a land or not. They have Real Estate Owned Foreclosures in their site along with which they also provide Top Foreclosure Auction websites. The site also contains the banks where foreclosure and REO’s are found. The best thing that makes me admire about the site is everything is listed for free. So friends make use of this great free resource and start earning.
Subic was first known because it was very near the former American base in the Philippines. Now, although the American base is no longer there, Subic has managed to keep up with modern developments making it one of the thriving areas in the Philippines.
Located in Subic is the Subic Bay International Airport which makes this place very accessible. This modern airport caters to international flights and can handle up to 700 passengers at one time. The Subic Bay International Airport is competitive when it comes to technology and security so one will always feel safe here.
The Subic Bay Freeport is one of the reasons why Subic is frequently visited. The Subic Bay Freeport is located north of Manila and it is surrounded by Olongapo City, Morong and Subic. Because of its strategic location, Subic Bay Freeport has become a deepwater seaport that can handle the largest ships. It currently services all kinds of vessels and is used by both importers and exporters.
Subic is part of the Olongapo area which is a known tourist destination in Manila. The former Subic Navy Base has been transformed into an economic zone and is now the center of recreational activities. It's also very easy to get to Subic from Manila because of the recent improvement of the North Expressway and the completion of the Subic-Tarlac expressway. The biggest attraction to Subic among tourists is the expansion of tourism facilities and the promotion of ecotourism. Add this to the fact that going to Subic is very affordable, we've got the perfect holiday right at our fingertips.
The Greater Subic Area has several provinces including Bataan, Zambales, Olongapo and the Subic Freeport Zone. The area is inherently beautiful thanks to its rich biodiversity, historical landmarks and white sand beaches found along the coastline.
A great place to stay at when in Subic is the Kokomo's Subic Bay Treasure Island. Being in a tropical island has never been so enjoyable than at this place where the beach is not just the main attraction but the whole relaxed atmosphere. When in Subic, it's a good idea to pick up diving and other water sports such as jet skiing and parasailing. Many offer these activities in Subic at competitive prices. Indeed Subic has something to offer the backpacker, honeymooners and just about everyone else.
A national landmark in Subic that is a must see when in the area us the Shrine of Valor. Among other trips that should be made are to the Zoobic Safari and in particular, the Tiger Safari which showcases a dozen or so golden-eyed tigers. The Ocean Adventure is definitely a wonder and Jungle Joe's World has many attractions for kids and adults alike.
Food is not a problem when in Subic even if one is a picky eater. There's a wide choise when it comes to dining and there are restaurants that serve international cuisine for foreigners who want a touch of home in their food.
Aside from being affordable and offering such a wide array of activities that will annihilate the word boredom, Subic is an affordable getaway for both locals and foreigners alike.
In January, the Mummers Parade will be held in Philadelphia, ushers in the year with some 20,000 sequined and feathered marchers. In the mid February, George Washington’s Birthday is celebrated in Alexandria, Virginia with a parade and reenactment of a Revolutionary War skirmish at nearby Fort Ward. During April the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema presents films from more than 40 countries. In May the Preakness held in Baltimore, Maryland is the second even of horse-racing’s Triple Crown. In Summer (June) First Union US PRO Cycling Championship is the country’s premier bicycle race.
The Hampton Jazz Festival in Hampton, Virginia brings together the top performers in various styles of Jazz. The Philadelphia Folk Festival is America’s oldest continuous Folk Festival is liked by all. In Autumn the Taste of DC Festival presents dishes from a variety of Washington D.C. eaters and in early November New Hollywood an independent movies are screed at the Virginia Film Festival in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Jog (60 kms from Honnavar) is famous for its magnificent water falls. The Sharavali river flowing over a rocky bed takes a spectacular leap from a height of 292 meters and splits into four smaller streams. The best time to visit this place is just after the monsoons during June-November when the falls are at their most impressive.
Dandeli is blessed with pleasant weather all round the year; it is a natural habitat for wild life. It is about 150 km from Karwar, a picturesque town set against the backdrop of the Western Ghats. The famous Dandeli Game Sanctuary houses some rare species like the barking deer, sloth hear, panther, zimbhar and gaur. The majestic elephant is found wandering free here. Other wild life includes wild dogs and mongooses. A few kilometers away from the sanctuary, in the middle of a steep rock is a beautiful cave. Crawl through the entrance and you will find a large Shivalinga-like formation formed by stalactites and stalagmites.
Daejeon (대전) s the fifth largest city in South Korea. Daejeon is a somewhat quieter city than Seoul, Daegu and Busan, though certainly not small.
Daejeon is located in the heart of the Korean Peninsula and forms a major transportation crossroads, with the major north-south highways and rail lines splitting to follow the east or west sides of the country.
Nearby mountains (Gyeryong-san National Park, Sogni-san National Park and Daedun-san Provincial Park), temples (Beopju-sa, Donghak-sa, and Gap-sa), hot springs (Yuseong), and lakes (Daecheong Lake) offer many recreation opportunities for travelers and local residents.
The city is also home to K-League soccer side Daejeon Citizen, and Korean professional baseball league team Hanhwa Eagles.
Daejeon Tourism
Daejeon, naturally is not a tourist city. As an education and science hub of the country, most of Daejeon sightseeing is related to the field of technology. However, this does not mean that the tourists will not find natural tourist attractions in Daejeon. There are a number of natural attractions which form an integral part of sightseeing tours in Daejeon.
One of the main tourist sites in the South Korean city is the Daecheongho Lake at Miho-dong district of the city. The lake is the third largest artificial lake in the country and the work for it started in 1975. The project was completed in 1980. Besides being an important travel attraction in the country, the lake is also an important source of living for the locals. The lake is given a perfect backdrop by the Mount Yasan which is right beside the lake and creates picturesque scenery. Tourists can reach this beautiful destination via trains and buses which directly take them across to the site of the Daecheongho Lake.
Another popular site is the Yuseong Hot Springs. Situated at the central district of the city, the hot spring is flocked by tourists and locals as the water is considered to have therapeutic value. The water is rich in alkaline minerals making it perfect for treating diseases like Neuralgia and Geriatric. There are a number of legends associated with the hot springs at Yuseong in Daejeon. Tourers interested in traveling to this famous tourist site in Daejeon can easily avail of a bus from Daejeon Station. A short 40 minute drive will lead them to the hot spring.
Another popular site is the National Science Museum, a scientific cultural facility, which features exhibits scientific materials.
Daejeon best sightseeing :
1. Yusong Hot Springs. Arguably the most famous Hot Springs in Korea, the water here is said to benefit those suffering from skin diseases(specifically neuralgia), arthritis and diabetes. Typically containing three to five pools of varying temperatures(from ice cold up to fifty degrees celsius), steam rooms and saunas.
2. Pomun-san. Pomun Mountain towers over the city centre and offers unrivalled views over the southern half of the city. You can take a cable car halfway up to the observation post, from which a ninety minute hike leads to the 457-metre-high peak.
3. Daecheong Lake. A 72 kilometre lake which provides the source of the city's drinking water. If you have a car then the riverside roads offer great views. If you're reliant on public transport then I wouldn't bother making the trip to see the Dam alone.
4. Expo Park. In 1993, Taejon became the first city in a developing country to host the International Exposition. Almost a decade later, six pavilions still offer shows and exhibitions in the middle of the landscaped Expo Park.
5. Sikjangsan. Southeast of the city, Sikjang Mountain is the loftiest of the encircling peaks at 623 metres. Two famous Buddhist temples, Gosansa and Gaesimsa, are located here.
6. Jangtaesan. To the southwest of the city, Jangtaesan Recreational Forest offers a gorgeous lake surrounded by pine trees rising to the top of the 186 metre Mount Jangtae. Again, I'd recommend this more to those with access to a private car.
7. Gubongsan. Next to Jangtaesan, the nine distinct peaks in this area are best viewed in Autumn. The tourist literature evocatively, or perhaps bafflingly, describes Gubong Mountain as being like "Oriental paintings on a folding screen".
8. Gyejoksan Mount Gyejock rises to 423 metres and is reputed to offer the best views of the sunset. There are also some excellent views of Daecheong Lake at the summit.
9. The World Cup Stadium. Located in Yusong, the Taejon World Cup stadium was used for World Cup 2002.
Daejeon Nightlife
Daejon is a little quite and simple compared with another major cities in Korea. For a medium-sized city, Daejeon has an active nightlife. The most popular areas are the Yusong district, the Dunsan-dong area (the "new" downtown), the city's old downtown region, and Gung-dong, near Chungnam University.
A good place to get imported beers or a cocktail is WA Bar, located across the street from the Galleria department store in the old downtown area of the Eunhaeng-dong district. A casual place, it's popular with people to grab a drink with friends after work.
Thriving nightlife can be experienced in and around the streets nearby to the Yousung Hotel located at Bongmyoung-Dong . One gets to perceive the real nature of the Korean Nightlife while strolling down the streets which have nightclubs and pubs lined on both sides of it.
Nightlife in Daejeon does not only signify pubbing and drinking but the extensive array of multi-cuisine restaurants are also a nice vent to unwind and relax. The WA Bar if not the most happening of all the nightspots in the city, attracts a lot of young crowd. J- Rock and Watermelon Sugar are the more swanky nightclubs of Daejeon.
Photos of Daejeon :
Expo Science Park Bridge. In 1993, an international exposition (Expo '93) was held at Daejeon. Several landmarks such as the Hanbit Tower and the Expo Bridge were built at this time. After the exposition ended, the grounds were refurbished as Expo Science Park. Next to the park is the National Science Museum, which had moved to its current location in 1990.
For a medium-sized city, Daejeon has an active nightlife. The most popular areas are the Yusong district, the Dunsan-dong area (the "new" downtown), the city's old downtown region, and Gung-dong, near Chungnam University.
Daejeon Metropolitan City is a metropolitan city in the center of South Korea. It is the fifth largest city of South Korea, with a population of 1,442,856 at the end of 2005.
Daejeon World Cup Stadium in the city of Daejeon
Daejeon Yusong Hot Springs situated at the central district of the city, the hot spring is flocked by tourists and locals as the water is considered to have therapeutic value. The water is rich in alkaline minerals making it perfect for treating diseases like Neuralgia and Geriatric.
Across the road from the main entrance to Expo Park, the Science Museum is extremely interesting if you're interested in that sort of thing. Admission is around one pound, with sections on the geological and natural history of the Korean Peninsula, the history of Korean science and technology and the evolution of the universe.
Daejeon train station in Daejeon, South Korea. This is a major stop for the Gyeongbu line. This is a separate station from West Daejeon station.
Recently, it was reported that a Chinese rail company has been invited to Malaysia to do some feasibility project proposals for high speed trains from KL to JB, KL to Kuantan and a Maglev train from Butterworth to Georgetown.
Tourism Melaka will like to express our opinion that a proposal be made for a Maglev train from KLIA to Melaka or from Tampin to Melaka. This Maglev train if built, will encourage visitors to visit historic Melaka upon arrival from KLIA or from Tampin via high-speed train from KL.
The benefit for Malaccans will be good as more visitors will travel to enjoy the sights and sounds of Malacca. At the same time, Malaccans can work in Kuala Lumpur but stays in Malacca as travel time will be in mere one hour.
We need to think out of the box for 2010. Happy New Year 2010 to everyone.
Here is the news report about the train proposals.
Chinese railroad company eyes projects in M'sia
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 3, 2010): Malaysia will work with Tangshan Railway Vehicle Compang, which rolled out the China-made bullet trains late last month, to carry out three rail projects estimated to cost RM1 billion in the country.
According to a report in Nanyang Siang Pau today, the projects are a track for magnetic levitation (maglev) trains between George Town and Butterworth and two high-speed rail links -- between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru and between Kuala Lumpur and Kuantan -- that allow trains to reach 350km per hour.
The report said Tangshan Raiway Vehicle Company, a unit of China CNR Corporation Ltd, has been invited by MRailways International Sdn Bhd, to explore rail opportunities in Malaysia.
Sources said MRails has received a letter of authorisation from Tangshan Railway Vehicle last month for the proposed maglev rail project in Penang on a joint-venture basis.
Apart from the George Town-Butterworth maglev rail project, Tangshan Railway Vehicle also intends to undertake the Kuala Lumpur-Johor Baru and Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan high-speed rail projects.
The two high-speed rail links being planned are similar to the 1,068km Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway that went into service last month.
Dubbed the bullet trains of China, the trains operating the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway can reach 350km per hour.
The three projects, if implemented, can be completed in three to five years.
