The balanced perspective Colombia

Colombia may have made gigantic safety leaps forward in

recent years yet there’s still room for much improvement. There are certain

areas of the country that are still considered unsafe for foreign travellers,

and keeping away from any known trouble spots will certainly be a wise choice.

Besides, even the Australian government warning website, which rates the whole

country deserving of ‘high caution’, actually goes to much trouble to list

places it considers unsafe, and many which it states as exceptions, including

all the above-mentioned tourist hubs. When reading such warnings, it is

imperative to read all the details, not just the headlines.

An important factor when considering travel to Colombia is

to pay close attention to what your insurance company says. Being covered by

insurance is essential not just when travelling to Colombia, but when traveling

ANYWHERE! Travel insurance companies are incredibly reliable and don’t scare

easily. They use facts and stats to concoct their policies, not unsubstantiated

warnings.

The UK Foreign Travel Advice for Colombia site has a great

map you can download, which will give you an overview of the areas that are

safe to visit, and those you should avoid.

Top tips for keeping safe when visiting Colombia

The great majority of safety travel tips pertain to

independent travellers, when solo taxi rides, use of public transport, and

overnight transfers, are part and parcel of everyday life. On a group tour in

Colombia, however, the major dangers are dissipated. Not only will you be in

the care of a local and experienced guide, but you’ll have the luxury of

private transport and a local’s knowledge of the safe roads to take, and the

ones to avoid.

Independent and group travellers alike ought to maintain a

low profile. No flashy displays of wealth are recommended (naturally) and

keeping a minimum of cash and valuables with you is imperative. More

importantly, should you be accosted by a would-be robber, it’s wise to simply

hand over what they want. Better to lose a hundred bucks rather than have a

nasty story to tell.

And then relax. Statistics SHOUT that you’re much more

likely to get attacked by a shark whilst swimming in Australia, than to be

kidnapped for ransom in Colombia. But we bet that won’t stop you from enjoying

another spectacular day at the beach back home. And it really shouldn’t.

Why you should visit Colombia

While so many people think ‘If you go to Colombia, you’ll

never come back!’ due to the overly-dramatic safety warnings, we chuckle and

think that (although for very different reasons) they’re quite right. Lush

tropical jungles, fantastic historical highlights and drop dead gorgeous

beaches. All of them devoid of mass tourism. Colombia is an absolute tourism

powerhouse and one of the most addictive destinations in all of South America.

The people are insanely friendly, the coffee and food sensational and the sheer

kaleidoscope of experiences simply out of this world. Visit once and you may

well feel an insatiable urge to come back, time and again.

VIENNA COFFEE HOUSE TRADITION

An ancient, still popular Vienna coffee house tradition known far beyond Austria’s borders dictates that the honoured guest of the establishment should always, and automatically, be served a small glass of water on the small silver tray beside his or her melange, kleiner Brauner or grofier Schwarzer.

This glass of water should not just be free of charge, of course. It should also be replaced with a fresh one the moment it has been imbibed by the guest, certainly in those coffee houses which keep to the old coffee house traditions, even if the guest has since ordered another coffee. And in really, really good coffee houses, this water will, should need be, continue to be served all afternoon, as the guest reads one newspaper after another or chats away to other customers.

And this is why the struggle over the price of water in Viennese guesthouses has become not so much a question of profitability and commerce as a true cultural battle. In Vienna, that small glass of water is a symbol of hospitality. An outmoded, almost anticapitalistic, egalitarian expression of the idea that, even if you are not blessed with a bulging wallet and can only afford the smallest of small black coffees today, you remain as welcome at a Viennese coffee house as a better-off guest.

Real coffee house

The coffee house, after all, is supposed to be a place to bring all in the community together, young and old, rich and poor. This water symbolises the idea that a real coffee house is more than just a gastronomic business oriented to nought but profit; rather, it is a communal meeting place, a place to be together. And it is a nonchalant nicety, because such a glass of water, which comes out of the tap and so has to be paid for by the coffee house owner through his rates whether served to customers or not, might just as well be served to a thirsty guest as used to wash the dishes.

Which is why it is really, really getting up the noses of the people of Vienna that simply because they have poured it into a small glass and put it on the guest’s table, some restaurateurs are now demanding money for a product they will quite happily waste by leaving their dishwashers on, and gallons of which they pour on their floors. In Vienna, that just isn’t on. The Viennese don’t like it. The only ones who buy it are tourists who are used to nothing else. In Vienna, however, it is not normal -and hopefully never will be.

Source: https://tour.ephesusday.com/vienna-coffee-house-tradition/

Myanmar Vietnam Indoesia

Spanning few

countries, thousands of islands, and hundreds of traditional cultures and

unique natural wonders, the region of Southeast Asia could take a lifetime to

fully explore. These few destinations each offer something different for the

most discerning travellers.

Bagan, Myanmar

Move over, Angkor Wat. While the ancient Khmer ruins are

undeniably beautiful, the towering Buddhist monuments of Bagan retain a rare

magic unsullied by droves of tour groups. Some 10,000 Buddhist temples,

pagodas, and monasteries sweep across a 42 square kilometre desert-like plain

encircled by the misty Bago Yoma mountain range in the distance. Each of the

structures were built nearly a century ago – between the years 1057 and 1287, at

which point the kingdom fell to invading Mongols – and have been since restored

and protected by Unesco.

Today, the best way to experience this step back in time is

by renting a bicycle or one of Bagans signature electric bicycles to tour the

enormous grounds at your own pace, joined only by passing tourists on their own

routes, groundskeepers and local villagers going about their day, and the

occasional monk.

Sa Pa, Vietnam

High in the Hoang Lien Son mountains of Northern Vietnam is

the remote village of Sa Pa, itself more reminiscent of the South Asian

trekking hotspots than of regional jungles and beaches. Aside from the

breathtaking beauty of the highlands, the culture that has developed over time

in the Lao Chai Province of Vietnam is unlike the rest of the country, home to

several ethnic tribal groups that settled in the region generations ago and

have since established their autonomous identities after decades of strife

among Vietnamese independence fighters and French imperialists. Today, Sa Pa’s grandest

attraction is its crowning peak,

Fan Si Pan – the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143 meters

above sea level. For the casual hiker, however, Haong Lien National Park offers

the picturesque mountain landscape sprinkled with valleys of terraced rice

paddies, and a unique forest ecosystem home to several endangered species and

small tribal villages.

Kuta Lombok, Indonesia

Not to be confused with Kuta Bali, this quiet little surfing

town has all the beachy vibes and coastal charm of its Balinese cousin, but

without the heavy commercialisation and curated tourism industry – at least for

now. Instead the area still retains its legacy as a fishing village, rather

uninterrupted by any uptick in tourism, but has designed itself nicely to

adjust to accommodating its small numbers of visitors.

Surfers of all levels will find it hard to move on from this

world-class destination, with several hotspots offering surf cresting toward

stunning white sand or volcanic rock beaches. Kuta’s coast also is a great

jumping off point to explore deeper into Southern Lombok and nearby Sumbawa. Coron,

So all went back to the host

It belongs to Ws nephew, who sits upon a throne among us, and is the son of his brother, the Emperor Isaac. But if he is willing to throw himself on the mercy of his nephew, and to give Mm back his crown and empire, then we will pray his nephew to forgive him, and bestow upon him as much as will enable him to live wealthily. And if you come not as the bearer of such a message, then be not so bold as to come here again.” So the envoy departed and went back to Constantinople, to the Emperor Alexius.

The Crusaders Show the Young Alexius to the People of Constantinople, and Prepare for the Battle

The barons consulted together on the morrow, and said that they would show the young Alexius, the son of the Emperor of Constantinople, to the people of the city. So they assembled all the galleys. The Doge of Venice and the Marquis of Montferrat entered into one, and took with them Alexius, the son of the Emperor Isaac; and into the other galleys entered the knights and barons, as many as would.

They went thus quite close to the walls of Constantinople and showed the youth to the people of the Greeks, and said, “Behold your natural lord; and be it known to you that we have not come to do you harm, but have come to guard and defend you, if so be that you return to your duty. For he whom you now obey as your lord holds rule by wrong and wickedness, against God and reason. And you know full well that he has dealt treasonably with him who is your lord and his brother, that he has blinded his eyes and reft from him his empire by wrong and wickedness. Now behold the rightful heir.

If you hold with him, you will be doing as you ought; and if not we will do to you the very worst that we can.” But for fear and terror of the Emperor Alexius, not one person on the land or in the city made show as if he held for the prince. So all went back to the host, and each sought his quarters.

On the morrow, when they had heard mass, they assembled in parliament, and the parliament was held on horseback in the midst of the fields. There might you have seen many a fine war-horse, and many a good knight thereon. And the council was held to discuss the order of the battalions, how many they should have, and of what strength. Many were the words said on one side and the other. But in the end it was settled that the advanced guard should be given to Baldwin of Flanders, because he had a very great number of good men, and archers and crossbowmen, more than any other chief that was in the host.

S: https://balkan.privatetours.info/memoirs-or-chronicle-of-the-fourth-crusade-part-32/

The guts of the Balkan Peninsula

Bulgaria occupies a territory of 111,000 sq.

kilometres, has a inhabitants of 9 million and is located within the coronary heart of the Balkan Peninsula. It’s a nation of roses, staunch

revolutionaries, well-known singers and dancers. Its

persons are well-known for his or her industriousness and hospitality.

A land of Historic

Civilizations

The Bulgarian state was based within the yr 681. Bulgaria just isn’t solely one of many oldest European states, but

in addition a land through which man has

appeared very early – some 150,000 years in the past.

Not removed from the town

of Stara Zagora, Central Bulgaria, the world’s oldest and

largest copper mines have been found. They had been exploited within the

late fifth and early 4th millennium B. C. Metallic instruments ensured a

labour productiveness which was 30 instances greater than that of

stone instruments, and their look

led to a veritable revolution within

the growth of human society. Moreover, beneficial weather conditions made attainable

the comparatively early look of animal husbandry and

plant-growing, which enriched the weight loss program

and made surer the existence of primitive man. Wheat was grown within the Balkans as early as the top

of the seventh millennium B. C. and it was from right here that it was unfold

to the remainder of Europe.

The nice climatic and materials

circumstances decided the looks on the territory of present-day Bulgaria of a few of the earliest civilizations in historical past. Just lately a

gold trove was unearthed close to the town of Varna, courting

from the top of the fifth

and early 4th millennium B. C. It’s a proof not solely of a excessive degree of growth of the crafts but in addition of a complicated

stage of social stratification. The clay tablets with written indicators on them discovered close to the city of Vratsa,

North-western Bulgaria, date again to roughly the identical interval.

You ask me in regards to the things

to do in Bulgaria? I can inform you a few of them. You’ll be able to

have enjoyable walks within the

nature, you can also make buddies,

get pleasure from adventurous excursions,

be taught historical past…

Shall I stick with it?

The Thracians had been the

primary inhabitants inhabiting the territory

of present-day Bulgaria, identified to science. Within the works of the traditional

Greek authors they’re described as a quite a few individuals, and

Thrace – as a land of abundance and merriment. Thrace was the place of birth of the legendary

musician Orpheus and of Spartacus, the chief of the

slaves’ rebellion which shook the Roman Empire early

in our period. Throughout the

previous few many years

Bulgarian archaeologists have unearthed imposing tombs with magnificent

frescoes, impregnable strongholds, workshops and beautiful

gold jewels and vessels.

After the seventh century B. C. a substantial variety of colonies

of the Greek poleis (city-states) had been based alongside the Thracian

Black Beach. They began

an animated commerce and cultural change with the hinterland, thus making

a second cultural layer on the present-day Bulgarian territory – of one other sensible historical civilization – that of the Greeks.

Departs for Copenhagen

The ‘Spitzbergen Experience’ cruise leads into the realm of polar bears.

On the MS Fram, passengers can explore the west coast of the largest island in the Svalbard Archipelago in detail. Starting out from the island capital of Longyearbyen, the MS Fram first sets a course for the ‘Sorkapp’ (southern cape) of Spitzbergen. The nine-day expeditionary voyage then leads north along the west coast to the north of the island at a latitude of 80° north.

The focus of the cruise entitled ‘Disko Bay Expedition’, meanwhile, is on the breathtakingly beautiful polar worlds, and encounters with the Inuit and their culture. The MS Fram starts off on its nine-day tour from Kangerlussuaq, moving north along the west coast of Greenland until it reaches Disko Bay, where gig antic glaciers and overwhelming ice landscapes mesmerise passengers. In addition to these fascinating natural experiences, high points of the trip include visits to small Inuit settlements.

Other providers are also aware of the magnetic attraction of this region, and the AIDA Northern Europe product now takes its guests further north than ever before: for the first time, the AlDAcara now travels to the idyllic Spitzbergen island group, between the North Sea and the Arctic Ocean, while the Lofoten islands, just off the Norwegian coast, are also visited for the first time on a Northern Europe trip. AIDA guests can enjoy the midnight sun and fjord landscape on a trip from Hammerfest to Gravdal via Tromso. These spectacular 17-day trips start out from Kiel on three dates in June and July 2012.

Nordic version

Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten is also setting a course firmly north: on the MS Europa, passengers can enjoy an introductory trip with the eclectic title ‘MS Euro pa meets Sansibar offSylt’. Highlights of this trip include the day-long passage through the Kiel Canal, the island of Sylt, and an invitation to feast at the legendary beach bar Sansibar, a Nordic version of the Cafe del Mar on Ibiza. As the sun sinks slowly beneath the horizon, another unexpected pleasure awaits: a raucous party night aboard the Europa.

Anyone wishing to discover their more adventurous side is in the right place: the expeditionary ships Hanseatic and Bremen ofHapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten are distinguished by their low draft, categorisation in the highest ice class possible for passenger ships (E4), and their manoeuvrable and robust inflatable boats, 14 and 12 in number respectively. The very latest technology on board ensures the ships can navigate the harsh conditions of the waters of the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans safely and venture deep into the polar regions, beyond the northern and southern polar circles.

After a long time out, the Bremen is setting out again in 2011, heading for Alaska, where it will offer two expeditionary voyages to the home of sea eagles and bears. The ship will navigate the legendary North-West Passage in August 2011, while the Hanseatic will take passengers to the eastern section of the North-West Passage at the same time.

Northern Europe

Convincedyou’ve seen all there is to see in Northern Europe? Then treat yourself to a cruise through the region on one of the ships in the MSC fleet. The fleet travels to the Baltic, Norway and its beautiful fjords, as well as Iceland and the unique Faroe and Shetland Islands. The cities of Tallinn, Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen and Amsterdam don’t just offer lovely tourist attractions, but are also perfect for taking extended shore leave.

In general, anyone who loves tumultuous waterfalls, crystal-dear air and fascinating landscapes will love a trip north. Due to the large demand, Cost a Kreuzfahrten now also sends its flagship, the Costa Pacifika, to the Great North: starting out from Hamburg or Kiel, the company offers uniquely lovely routes along the Norwegian coasts to the northern cape and Spitzbergen.

Absolutely magical cities await you on the 8-day cruises of the Costa Magica. From Elamburg, it departs for Copenhagen, Oslo, Dover (London), Le Havre (Paris) and Amsterdam. Could there be a lovelier way to travel the most fascinating cities of Northern and Western Europe? No matter whether you decide on a classic Nordic cruise to the serene Norwegian fjords or prefer to dive into the chaos of the region’s most beautiful cities, you can be sure of one thing on all these cruises: you will be warmly welcomed on board.

S: https://private.ensartourguide.com/spitzbergen-experience-cruise/

The later Vedic texts draw a line of demarcation

However usually the later Vedic texts draw a line of demarcation between

the three increased orders on the one hand, and the sudras on the opposite.

There have been, nonetheless, a number of public rituals linked with the

coronation of the king through which the sudras participated, presumably as

members of the unique tribe. Sure sections of artisans similar to rathakara or

chariot- maker loved a excessive standing, and have been entitled to the sacred

thread ceremony Subsequently even in later Vedic instances varna distinctions

had not superior very far

Within the household we discover the growing energy of the daddy, who may

even disinherit his son In princely households the suitable of primogeniture

was getting stronger Male ancestors got here to be worshipped. Girls have been

usually given a decrease place Though some girls theologians took half m

philosophic discussions and a few queens participated in coronation rituals,

ordinarily girls have been considered inferior and subordinate to males

The establishment of gore appeared in later Vedic instances Actually it

means the cow-pen or the place the place cattle belonging to the entire clan

aie stored, however in course of time it signified descent from a typical

ancestor. Individuals started to practise gotra exogamy. No marriage may happen

between individuals belonging to the identical gotra or having the identical

ancestor,

Asramas or 4 levels of life weren’t nicely established in Vedic instances. Within

the post-Vedic texts we hear of 4 asramas: that of brahmachan or pupil,

grihastha or householder, vanaprastha or partial retirement and samyasa or full

retirement from the world. However solely three arc talked about within the

later Vedic texts, the final or the fourth stage had not been nicely

established in later Vedic instances.

Gods, Rituals and Philosophy

Within the later Vedic interval the higher doab developed to be the cradle

of Aryan tradition underneath brahmanical affect. The entire of the Vedic

literature appears to have been compiled on this space within the land of the

Kuru-Panchalas. The cult of sacrifice was the corner-stone of this tradition

and was accompanied by quite a few rituals and formulae.

Indra and

Agni

The excellent Rig Vedic gods, Indra and Agni, misplaced their former significance. Alternatively Prajapati, the creator, got here to occupy the supreme place within the later Vedic pantheon. A few of the different minor gods of the Rig Vedic interval additionally got here to the forefront ‘Rudra, the god of animals, turned vital in later Vedic instances and Vishnu got here to be conceived as th preserver and protector of the individuals who now led a settled life as a substitute of a semi-nomadic life as they did in Rig Vedic instances.

As well as, some symbolic objects started to be worshipped, and we discover indicators of idolatry in later Vedic instances As society turned divided into social courses similar to brah- manas, rajanyas, vaisyas and sudras, a number of the social orders got here to have their very own deities. Pushan, who was alleged to take care of cattle, got here to be considered the god of the sudras, though within the age of the Rig Veda cattle- rearing was the first occupation of the Aryans Individuals worshipped gods for a similar materials causes on this interval as they did in earlier instances Nevertheless, the mode of worship modified significantly Prayers continued to be recited, however they ceased to be the dominant mode of placating the gods. Sacrifices turned way more vital, they usually assumed each public and home character. Public sacrifices concerned the king and the entire of the group, which was nonetheless in lots of instances equivalent with the tribe.

Non public sacrifices have been carried out by people of their homes be- -causa on this interval the Vedic individuals led a settled .life and maintained well-established households. People offeied oblations to Agni, and every one in every of these took the type of a ritual or sacrifice.

The only dwellings around

Semyon Ivanov was a track-walker. His hut was ten versts away from a railroad station in one direction and twelve versts away in the other. About four versts away there was a cotton mill that had opened the year before, and its tall chimney rose up darkly from behind the forest. The only dwellings around were the distant huts of the other track-walkers.
Semyon Ivanov’s health had been completely shattered. Nine years before he had served right through the war as servant to an officer. The sun had roasted him, the cold frozen him, and hunger famished him on the forced marches of forty and fifty versts a day in the heat and the cold and the rain and the shine. The bullets had whizzed about him, but, thank God! none had struck him!

Semyon’s regiment had once been on the firing line. For a whole week there had been skirmishing with the Turks, only a deep ravine separating the two hostile armies; and from mom till eve there had been a steady cross-fire. Thrice daily Semyon carried a steaming samovar and his officer’s meals from the camp kitchen to the ravine. The bullets hummed about him and rattled viciously against the rocks. Semyon was terrified and cried sometimes, but still he kept right on. The officers were pleased with him, because he always had hot tea ready for them.

He returned from the campaign with limbs unbroken but crippled with rheumatism. He had experienced no little sorrow since then. He arrived home to find his father, an old man, and his little four-year- old son had died. Semyon remained alone with his wife. They could not do much. It was difficult to plow with rheumatic arms and legs. They could no longer stay in their village, so they started off to seek their fortune in new places.

They stayed for a short time on the line, in Kherson and Donshchina, but nowhere found luck. Then the wife went out to service, and Semyon continued to travel about. Once he happened to ride on an engine, and at one of the stations the face of the station-master seemed familiar to him. Semyon looked at the station master and the station-master looked at Semyon, and they recognized each other. He had been an officer in Semyon’s regiment.

Vsevolod Garshin (1855-1888)

Garshin was all his life subject to melancholia. His work, consisting of only a score of stories, was influenced by his condition, and by his experiences in the Servian and Turkish wars. In 1888, sick with physical and mental torture, he killed himself. Garshin’s stark realism has that pitifully beautiful quality which makes his stories endure. They are pessimistic but never morbid.

Source: https://guide.ensaristanbul.com/the-signal-part-1/

The suppression of Macedonian terrorism

The suppression of Macedonian terrorism

would bring about better relations with Yugoslavia and, therefore, make for

stability in the Balkans. Stable Balkans would be less susceptible to the

blandishments and revisionist pressures of Rome and Berlin and would therefore

further British and western European interests. This was in line with Velchev’s

hopes because, wrote Swire, ‘Velchev has always insisted that in foreign

affairs Bulgaria should be guided by Great Britain. . ,’14 Indeed in later

letters and newspaper articles Swire was careful to link the 1934 coup with

foreign affairs. Typical of many such writings is a letter to the editor of The

Manchester Guardian, written after the war.

On 17 May 1934 the Prime Minister of the day, Moushanov, announced that Goering was about to visit Sofia. On 19 May a military coup d’etat took place, planned and directed by Colonel Damian Velchev . . . The coup was bloodless. There were no executions, no arrests save of a few proved terrorist assassins. A wave of relief swept the country. And while this Government remained in power, nothing more was heard of Goering. . . But in 1935 Tsar Boris skilfully regained absolute power by dividing his opponents upon domestic issues… No sooner did Tsar Boris hold the reins securely again than Goering’s deferred visit to Sofia took place on 26 May, 1935.

Swire was convinced that Velchev’s pacific

policy and his desire for conciliation with Yugoslavia was in tune with the

wishes of the vast majority of the Bulgarian nation. In an article published in

The Near East and India on 10 January, 1935 Swire had expanded more fully on

the relationship between Velchev, the army and the people. The article was

headed ‘A Pacifist People’ and began:

In some quarters grave doubts

Bulgaria today is pacifist. There may have been in some quarters grave doubts upon the subject while she was dominated by Macedonian terrorists and ruled by politicians who were in no danger, themselves, of being called upon to make war. But behind the present regime stands the Army; and the Army in democratic Bulgaria, springs from the people, of whom 80 percent are peasants. Most of the officers come from humble homes and know the abject poverty of those homes. The masses desire peace and an economic revival which cannot come by war. So pacifist they will remain . . .

Cappadocia the summer of 2012

“I’ve been first for two years in this marathon in which athletes from around the world compete. The Lycian Way combines rich history with magnificent natural beauty and is one of the world’s finest trails for an ultramarathon. Turkey’s second ultramarathon is going to be run in Cappadocia the summer of 2012. ”

Birmingham, at the heart of the uk with a population of over one million, is a destination of limitless opportunity, offering visitors an eclectic mix of things to do.

The city oozes style, culture and charm and attracts over 32 million people a year with its level of vibrancy and excitement. Whether it is heritage, culture, food, shopping or sport, there’s plenty of choice to keep you entertained in Birmingham. Birmingham’s early history as a city dates back to the early 12th century when Peter de Birmingham, holder of the manor, gained the right to hold a weekly market. Once famous as a ‘city of a thousand trades’, Birmingham is renowned for its pioneering past and was a world leader in the production of jewelry, pens, guns, buttons and buckles.

This exciting history has left visitors to Birmingham with a number of outstanding heritage attractions to discover, explore and enjoy, including great old vehicles and machines at Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, the Motor Heritage Centre and Coventry Transport Museum. The Jacobean splendour of Aston Hall, the delightfully restored timber-framed farmhouse Blakesley Hall and the magical Sarehole Mill in Hall Green, which formed the inspiration for JRR Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’, are all well worth a visit, and the Black Country Living Museum creates a tribute to the people that once lived in the heart of industrial Britain. Birmingham’s flagship National Sea Life center offers a spectacular undersea voyage and is located alongside the city’s beautiful and historic canals. Birmingham promises you a shopping experience second to none. From clothing to jewelry, the world’s leading brands and shops offer a rich array of products to suit your taste.

Food for thought

Over the past decade Birmingham’s food scene has seen the city transform itself into the ultimate dining destination. Birmingham has over 200 topranking restaurants in the city center, spanning 27 countries across the globe, from Europe and the Far East to the Caribbean and the Americas. Birmingham has a hugely compelling and eclectic arts scene with world class and inspirational organizations and venues right across the cultural spectrum.

The diverse range of galleries, concert venues, theaters and cinemas the city has to offer are second to none. Since opening over 100 years ago, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is now home to more than half a million artifacts. Renaissance masterpieces, 9,000-year- old Middle Eastern treasures and the world’s largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art are all on show here.

Housed in one of Birmingham’s finest Art Deco buildings, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts was designed by Robert Atkinson, one of Britain’s leading architects of the 1920s and 30s. And it displays major works by Monet, Turner, van Gogh and Picasso, while Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery, located in the neo-Gothic Oozells Street School in Brindleyplace, features exhibitions across two floors, spanning photography, painting and sculpture.

Source: LYCIAN WAY

Visited many countries passed through Bulgaria

Thomas J. Clayton who visited many countries passed through Bulgaria also. Going from Varna to Ruse and then on to Romania Clayton was “surprised” to discover that both Bulgaria and Romania were “such fertile countries.” He wrote that he “never saw better pasture lands or wheat fields” anywhere else in the world. These lands reminded him of the prairie lands of Illinois. He was also surprised to find that there were no farm houses like in America.

The lands, he stated, were “tilled by peasants who live in misserable little huts, or in villages. . . Our route lay through a spur of the Balkan Mountains and was very picturesque. . . very beautiful and entertaining. . . The scenery of these mountains is soft and has a soothing rather than a stirring influence upon the beholder.” The author believed that if peace prevailed in these parts of the world, Bulgaria and Romania “will soon become rich and prosperous.”

By Americans on Bulgaria

There are few more accounts by Americans on

Bulgaria. However, they are not much more different than those presented. Many

a time what Americans said

T. J. Clayton. Rambles and Reflections: Europe from Biscay to the Black Sea and from Aetna to the North Cape with Glimpses of Asia, Africa, America and the Islands of the Sea. Chester, Pennsylvania, about the Bulgarians or for that matter about other peoples, reflected on their own personal character or how they valued American culture and way of life. The descriptions presented by these travellers on a variety of topics, like national character and even the history of Bulgaria are hardly scientific or correct accounts.

Almost all of these travellers present

nothing but cliches. They did not have the necessary expertise to carefully

analyze the Bulgarian personality, their ethnic typicalness in terms of common

national cultural values. The frame of reference these travellers used was

founded on their perspective of American history and culture as the

repositories of values of liberty, freedom, democracy, justice, religion,

discipline, industry and progress.

Almost all of the authors sympathized with

the plight of the Bulgarian people under Ottoman domination. They all condemned

the alien system of despotism and many a time showed their preference for

republicanism. The Ottoman system did not permit the development of the

individual, the arts and crafts as well as agriculture and industry. The

authors were aware that the Ottoman state was in its stages of disintegration.

Those who visited Bulgaria before 1878 believed that the Bulgarians would

become free and those who travelled after the liberation of the country praised

the attempts of the Bulgarians to preserve their independence.

Autumn Beauty Kars

With the snow-capped beauty characteristic of a gateway to the caucasus, Kars at the end of summer awaits visitors eager to enjoy delightful moments cheek by jowl with nature and history.

A major city of trade down the centuries due to its position as a bridge between Anatolia and the Caucasus, Kars has a history dating back to the Paleolithic. The city center, which is blanketed in white for a third of the year on average, is fairly bursting with lovely examples of Baltic architecture. Monumental stone structures are a frequent sight in this city laid out like a chessboard. So much so that when you stroll down Ordu Caddesi, you will feel you’re in a European city.

Fethiye Mosque, Hekimevi Health Center, the old Russian Consulate, the Finance Ministry Building, the Health Directorate, the old Customs Building… Each one is more elegant than the last, and the newest is more than a century old. The 12th century Kars Castle meanwhile is the most impressive of the historic structures at the city center, which boasts colorful department stores, herbalists’ shops, dairies, candy stores, breakfast restaurants and working class eateries. And now for a special feature of Kars: Honey and cheese are plentiful here where red meat is consumed in serious quantities. Another culinary specialty of Kars is goose.

Post prandial tea

Besides goose meat with rice and goose meat doner (roasted on a spit), one of the area’s favorite dishes is a veal and vegetable stew called piti, which is cooked in an earthenware casserole. One of the best things to do following an elaborate Kars meal is to take a post-prandial tea at one of the city’s many coffeehouses. And going to Kars without seeing the ruins of Ani 50 kilometers outside the city is a no-no. You will travel through time for a few hours amidst churches, mosques and city walls at Ani, an 8,000-year-old monument-city. The gates of this city, which had its Golden Age in the 11th century, are magnificent even today.

The first mosque built by the Seljuks in Anatolia also stands here. The Seljuk Palace to the west of the ruins is striking for its crown portal with mosaics in a geometric pattern. As the sun slowly sets here, we realize that Kars, beautiful in every season, is even more beautiful in autumn.

Source: https://guide.ensarislamoglu.com/autumn-beauty-kars/

This Sounded Promising

It seemed to me that his Majesty was a very long time at his toilet; but at last we were rewarded. Abruptly from the glass porch he appeared in Euro-pean dress, with very baggy trousers much too long in the leg and a voluminous black frock coat. He stood for a moment holding the frock-coat with both hands, as if wishing to wrap himself up in it.

 Then, still grasping it, he walked quickly down the steps, his legs seeming almost to ripple beneath the weight of his body, and stepped heavily into the brougham, which swung upon its springs. The horses moved, the carriage passed close to me, and again I gazed at this mighty sovereign, while the Eastern pilgrims salaamed to the ground. Mechanically he saluted.

His large face was still unnaturally blank, and yet somehow it looked kind. And I felt that this old man was weary and sad, that his long years of imprisonment had robbed him of all vitality, of all power to enjoy; that he was unable to appreciate the pageant of life in which now, by the irony of fate, he was called to play the central part. All alone he sat in the bright-colored brougham, carrying a flaccid hand to his fez and gazing blankly before him. The carriage passed out of the courtyard, but it did not go up the hill to the palace.

“The sultan/’ said a voice, “is going out

into the country to rest and to divert himself.”

To rest, perhaps; but to divert himself!

After that day I often saw before me a large

white envelop, and the most expressive people in the world were salaaming

before it.

STAMBOUL, THE CITY OF MOSQUES

MOSQUE OF THE YENI-VALIDE-JAMISSI, CONSTANTINOPLE 

STAMBOUL, THE CITY OF MOSQUES

STAMBOUL is wonderfully various. Compressed

between two seas, it contains sharp, even brutal contrasts: of beauty and

ugliness, grandeur and squalor, purity and filth, silence and uproar, the most

delicate fascination and a fierceness that is barbaric. It can give you peace

or a sword. The sword is sharp and cruel; the peace is profound and exquisite.

Every day early I escaped from the uproar

of Pera and sought in Stamboul a place of forgetfulness. There are many such

places in the city and on its outskirts: the mosques, the little courts and

gardens of historic tombs; the strange and forgotten Byzan-tine churches, lost

in the maze of wooden houses; the cemeteries vast and melancholy, where the

dead sleep in the midst of dust and confusion, guarded by giant cypresses; the

lonely and shadowed ways by the walls and the towers; the poetic glades and the

sun-kissed terraces of Seraglio Point.

Opera Amateur Wrestlers

He said this openly, cynically, like a man. He was a little ragged street-arab, as tall as a boot, his forehead hidden under a queer mop of yellow hair.

Nobody claimed him, and they sent him to the Reform School.

Not very intelligent, idle, clumsy with his hands, the only trade he could learn there was not a good one that of reseating straw chairs. However, he was obedient, naturally quiet and silent, and he did not seem to be profoundly corrupted by that school of vice.

But when, in his seventeenth year, he was thrown out again on the streets of Paris, he unhappily found there his prison comrades, all great scamps, exercising their dirty professions: teaching dogs to catch rats in the sewers, and blacking shoes on ball nights in the passage of the Opera amateur wrestlers, who permitted themselves to be thrown by the Hercules of the booths or fishing at noontime from rafts; all of these occupations he followed to some extent, and, some months after he came out of the house of correction, he was arrested again for a petty theft a pair of old shoes prigged from a shop-window. Result: a year in the prison of Sainte Pclagie, where he served as valet to the political prisoners.

Prison and quite

He lived in much surprise among this group of prisoners, all very young, negligent in dress, who talked in loud voices, and carried their heads in a very solemn fashion. They used to meet in the cell of one of the oldest of them, a fellow of some thirty years, already a long time in prison and quite a fixture at Sainte Pagie a large cell, the walls covered with colored caricatures, and from the window of which one could see all Paris its roofs, its spires, and its domes and far away the distant line of hills, blue and indistinct upon the sky.

There were upon the walls some shelves filled with volumes and all the old para¬phernalia of a fencing-room: broken masks, rusty foils, breastplates, and gloves that were losing their tow. It was there that the “politi¬cians” used to dine together, adding to the everlasting “soup and beef,” fruit, cheese, and pints of wine which Jean Francois went out and got by the can a tumultuous repast interrupted by violent disputes, and where, during the dessert, the “Carmagnole” and “Qa Ira” were sung in full chorus.

Source: https://private.doholiday.com/the-substitute-part-2/

The Prince and his individuals extra intimate

I’m from the technology that witnessed communism. I had my good moments, I had my fears however I like Bulgaria probably the most. Many attention-grabbing issues will be learnt and seen on a communist Bulgaria tour. Positively, that is one thing to be skilled a tour in an ex-communist nation.

Inside the previous few months numerous occasions have contributed to render the relations between the Prince and his individuals extra intimate and cordial than they have been earlier than. His go to to the West, and the reception he acquired in Austria, and nonetheless extra in England, have been gratifying to his individuals as proof of the significance connected to Bulgaria overseas. Then, too, the Prince gained floor in common opinion by his marriage final 12 months with the Princess Marie of Parma.

The selection of the bride was acceptable to the nation from the actual fact of her representing the home of Bourbon, and of her thus claiming relationship by start with half the royal dynasties of Europe. Furthermore, by her appeal of method and kindliness of nature, the Princess Marie quickly made herself common in her adopted nation; and the sensation of common good-will entertained in the direction of her was intensified when, on the graduation of this 12 months, she gave start to a son, who was born on Bulgarian soil, and who was given by his dad and mom the title of Boris, the nationwide hero of Bulgarian custom.

The daddy of a Bulgarian Prince may not be considered a foreigner, and the dynasty has now acquired a nationwide character which, even below Prince Alexander, it had by no means fairly possessed. An outdated resident right here advised me that he had by no means witnessed such a show of enthusiasm amongst a individuals singularly undemonstrative by character, as that which greeted the announcement of Prince Boris’s start.

The favored feeling concerning the toddler Prince would in all probability have been much more enthusiastic if his dad and mom had consented to have him introduced up within the Orthodox Greek Religion. If the babe ever grows as much as manhood he’ll, if he’s smart, acknowledge the political benefits of belonging to the identical faith as his individuals. When the royal toddler occurs as was the case the opposite day, throughout his father or mother’s sojourn at Eberfeld to be the only kingly occupant of the royal palace, a flag of his personal is hoisted over the constructing. However, as he grows up, a creed of his personal can be a simpler passport to Bulgarian respect and affection.

The sudden demise of Prince

Alexander

Once more, the sudden demise

of Prince Alexander, which solely preceded by a number of weeks the start of

an inheritor to the Bulgarian throne, eliminated a supply of attainable hazard from the trail of the reigning dynasty. Earlier

than that occasion all Bulgarians, who, from

one trigger or one other,

have been dissatisfied with the

present rdgime, may at

all times ponder the

potential of Prince Alexander’s restoration as a way

of redressing the grievances, whether or not actual or imaginary, below

which they thought-about themselves to undergo.

Venice Biennale

But the Venice Biennale isn’t only these exhibitions. For one thing there is Venice itself. And its museums. Don’t miss them as you roam the city’s narrow streets and skip from this canal to that on the vaporetti. The exhibitions that open at the Punta Della Dogana, the Peggy Guggenheim and the Palazzo Grassi at Biennale time, as well as the Prada collection at the Corner Della Regina, are not to be missed.

Indeed, Biennale visitors must have been impressed too because 150,000 of them toured the Turkish pavilion in the first two months. Perhaps because they saw themselves in it, the art world especially was enamored of Erkmen’s sculpture. But Plan B’s main concern of course is Venice. With the canals that give it richness, that brought it power and fame, and to which it literally owes its existence. Today as well they ensure that Venice remains a leading center of tourism. In them circulates the water that is the city’s protector and, slowly rising now, is also becoming its enemy.

Realized with Fiat sponsorship and the support of the Promotion Fund of the Prime Ministry of Turkey under the auspices of Turkish Airlines, and coordinated by the Istanbul Foundation of Culture and Art, the Venice Biennale’s Turkey pavilion is less crowded today than it was in its early days. If you go to the Biennale, be sure to visit this venue, crisscrossed with pipes of red, blue, green and magenta through which water is driven by a constantly humming motor. Perhaps you’ll even be offered a surreptitious drop of distilled Venetian water… Until November 27.

Health

Astrong immune system is the best way to resist the flu, one of winter’s most common ills.

And you can set up your protective shield by living an active life, avoiding stress and maintaining a varied and balanced diet. Start with diet and exercise, because they are the main factors you can modify.

You are what you eat, as they say. To make sure you are getting the energy you need from the proper sources, your plate should include half vegetables, a quarter lean meat and the other quarter homemade yoghurt.

Nature provides the nutrients that supply human needs. You should, for example, eat 5 to 9 servings a day of the nutrients that give color to fruits and vegetables since they enhance protection against bacteria and viruses. Pomegranates, kiwi and citrus among the fruits, and celery, pumpkin, carrots, red pepper, red cabbage, onions, garlic, spinach, chard, radishes, broccoli and cauliflower among the vegetables should be consumed frequently in winter. Natural antibiotics onion and garlic especially should be consumed in large quantities, if possible by swallowing a clove of garlic every morning.

The liver and intestines, which metabolize the nutrients as well as cleansing the body, are the virtual bastion of the immune system, and should be reinforced by special cures. Keep yours in shipshape as winter approaches by mixing 10 stalks of flat leaf parsley and the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water and drinking it regularly twice a week on an empty stomach for liver health. To enrich the intestinal flora and prevent constipation, make use of probiotics.

You can simply take advantage of the probiotic yoghurt and dairy products, muesli, kephir, pickles, traditional homemade yoghurt, boza (a fermented millet drink) and apple vinegar that are available on the market. To increase your fiber intake, have some fresh or dried jujubes, pears, apples, apricots or prunes and a cup of herbal tea as an in-between meal snack.

Don’t neglect your protein sources either, but be sure to choose lean ones. The amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins foster the basic health of cells and develop the immune system. Choose things like white meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dried legumes and soy-based products that are free of saturated fats.

Source: https://private.tourguideensar.com/venice-biennale/