Hi guys! Im really sorry for just posting now after a long time. I've been very busy at school especially because its examination time. Anyway Im posting a project of mine for the 3rd grading period/2nd semester. It's a picto-travelogue made by truly yours (actually its all made up as what my favorite teacher instructed us) and its about me going around Asia's finest places, taking pictures, visiting relatives (daw), and of course tasting the different ulam's and snacks available there. Enjoy!
Around Asia in18 Days
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A PICTO-TRAVELOGUE |
Jade Michael Ada |
Dear Readers,
This book shares with you the author's personal experience as she travels around Asia uncovering The Best of it.
Asia is the largest continent in the world divided into six regions – Southwest Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Central and North Asia, with 52 countries that are full of colorful and exciting cultures, histories and beliefs.
From their earliest known history, Asians have been deeply conscious of the impact of natural forces on their lives.
Asia is a really wonderful place to be in especially because most of the 7 wonders of the world are in Asia.
So please enjoy reading and come with me as I travel "Around Asia in 18 Days".
The Author
First stop, Cambodia! Cambodia is such a wonderful place to visit with lots of landscapes and historical buildings that are still intact. With this in mind, I started wandering about in Cambodia. I didn't go that far, I just went to this temple, roamed around its capital city and understood why it was called Kingdom of Cambodia. It is officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia (Khmer: áž–្ážšះážšាជាណាចក្រកម្áž–ុជា
Preăh Réachéa Nachâk KâmpÅchéa), is a country in Southeast Asia that borders Thailand to the west and northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest. The geography of Cambodia is dominated by the Mekong River
Tonlé Mékong and Tonlé Sap lake.
The kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with King Norodom Sihamoni as head of state (reigned since 2004) and prime minister Hun Sen as head of government. Phnom Penh is the kingdom's capital and largest city, and is the center of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. Siem Reap is the gateway to the Angkor region, a main destination for tourism in which are located the temple of Angkor Wat and other Angkorian temples. Battambang, the largest province in northwestern Cambodia is known for its rice production, and Sihanoukville, a coastal city, is the primary sea port and beach resort.
Cambodia has an area of 181,035 square kilometres (69,898 sq mi) and a population of over 14 million people. A citizen of Cambodia is usually identified as "Cambodian" or "Khmer", although the latter strictly refers to ethnic Khmers. Theravada Buddhism is the official religion of Cambodia, which is practiced by around 96% of the Cambodian population. The country's minority peoples include Muslims, Cham, ethnic Chinese, Vietnamese and various hill tribes.
Agriculture has long been the most important sector to the Cambodian economy, with around 59% of the population relying on agriculture for their livelihood (with rice being the principal crop). Other important sectors include garments, construction and tourism - foreign visitors to Angkor Wat numbered more than 4 million in 2007. In 2005, oil and natural gas deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters, and once commercial extraction begins in 2011, the oil revenues could profoundly affect Cambodia's economy.
Cambodia
Next stop, Brunei Darussalam - known as one of the richest countries in the world as you will easily notice. Brunei is officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace (Malay: Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: بروني
دارالسلام), is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, and in fact it is separated into two parts by Limbang, which is part of Sarawak. It is the only sovereign state completely on the island of Borneo, with the remainder of the island belonging to Malaysia and Indonesia.
After a few hours of walking I decided to visit the famed Jerudong Park that has built in hotels, hospitals, monuments and rides! Jerudong Park is an amusement park in Brunei. It is the largest and most expensive amusement park in South East Asia, built and funded by the Bruneian government for $1 billion.
capital mosque, Brunei Darussalam
Day three, Dhaka Bangladesh- one of the mega cities in South Asia. After going to some mosques here and roaming around its busy streets (which is really big with lots of tall buildings) I realized that the city's infrastructures have high architectural designs. It is
formerly known as Dacca, and Jahangirnagar, during Mughal era), is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, has a population of over 12 million, making it the largest city in Bangladesh.[2] It is the 9th largest city in the world[4] and also among the most densely populated cities in the world. Dhaka is known as the City of Mosques[5] and renowned for producing the world's finest muslin. Dhaka is also known as the Rickshaw Capital of the World. Approximately 400,000 cycle rickshaws run each day.[6] Today it serves as one of the prime centres for culture, education and business in the region.
Next stop, Vietnam! As I recall Vietnam was a part of a war. Hanoi is the capital and second-largest city of Vietnam. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam. It was eclipsed by Huế during the Nguyễn Dynasty as the capital of Vietnam, but Hanoi served as the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1954. From 1954 to 1976, it was the capital of North Vietnam.
The city is located on the right bank of the Red River. Hanoi is located at 1,760 km (1,090 mi) north of Ho Chi Minh City.
October 2010 will officially mark 1000 years of the establishment of the city. On this occasion, Hanoi has been named by Frommer's travel guide as one of the world's "Top Destinations 2010".
Today I went to various places and museums here in Vietnam. Some of it are the Contemporary Arts Centre, Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts, The Hanoi Museum. Ho Chi Minh
Mausoleum, and the Phnom Penh Plaza.
After having a good time in Hanoi, I immediately booked a flight Hong Kong.
Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港) is one of two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. Situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbor. With a land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq. mi) and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.] Hong Kong's population is 95 percent ethnic Chinese and 5 percent from other groups. Hong Kong's Han Chinese majority originate mainly from the cities of Guangzhou and Taishan in the neighboring Guangdong province.
I passed by the University of Hong Kong which was so huge and then went to the Middle Island then rode on a cable car in Ocean Park.
After long hours of traveling on plane, first class (not to mention suffering from my jet lag) I landed safe and sound on the lands of Japan.
Japan is officially the State of Japan (日本国) Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku), is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. The characters that make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun".
After being in Tokyo for a while, I got the chance to visit Tokyo International University. This school offers a lot of things. They offer Foreign language education - A substantial overseas study system, based on a network comprising 12 universities worldwide. The language education covers 8 languages to expand your world with various forms of language study support.
Knowing about their famous pagodas, I went west to see the Ruriko-Ji Temple in Yamaguchi City. This pagoda at Ruriko-ji temple in Yamaguchi City is one of the three most important 5-storied pagodas in Japan, the other two being at Horyu-ji in Nara, and Daigo-ji in Kyoto. It was built in 1442, which makes it the tenth oldest in Japan.
It was built by the 26th generation daimyo Morimi Ouchi for his brother, the 25th generation daimyo Yoshihiro Ouchi. The pagoda is 31.2 meters tall, with roofs of cypress bark and it is a designated National Treasure.
Going to Japan was really great, especially meeting Asimo in a Science Convention.
I got an e-mail from a friend in Sri Lanka so I decided to visit her there. After picking me up at the Sri Lanka International Airport, we decided to go for a little sightseeing. First we went to Jetavana Pagoda. It was really tall and looked like a mountain with a house on top. Jetavana was one of the most famous of the Buddhist monasteries in India. It was the second monastery donated to Buddha, after the Veluvana in Rajagaha.
After roaming around, she treated me to a place in Sravasti where we can find the best restaurants and resorts in Sri Lanka. We went to Shubra Mishra. It is one of the best classic restaurants in the place with delicious food and good service.
Next stop is Myanmar Burma. The country's culture, heavily influenced by those of its neighbors, is based on Theravada
Buddhism intertwined with local elements. Burma's diverse population has played a major role in defining its politics, history, and demographics in modern times, and the country continues to struggle to overcome its ethnic tensions. The military has dominated government since General Ne Win led a coup in 1962 that toppled the civilian government of U Nu. Burma remains under the tight control of the military-led State Peace and Development Council.
There are thousands of pagodas here side by side! There are probably more pagodas than the tourists so you can pick your own pagoda and meditate undisturbed.
After meditating for some time, I took a flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I also have a few friends there so it isn't necessary to find a hotel, besides I told them I was coming.
"Welcome to Kuala Lumpur!" they said. But I wasn't really paying attention. A building caught my attention. Actually they are twins connected together by a tunnel/bridge. I was later Informed that it was called Petronas Towers.
The Petronas Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world for six years, until Taipei 101 was completed in 2004. The heights of the towers are measured to the top of their structural components such as spires, but do not include antennas. Spires are considered actual integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The Petronas Twin Towers still remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.
Next stop Singapore! The city-state of Singapore has over 4,300 completed high-rises, the majority of which are located in the Downtown Core. ]In the city, there are 49 skyscrapers that rise higher than 140 metres (459 ft). Three buildings share the title of tallest building in Singapore: United Overseas Bank Plaza One, Republic Plaza and Overseas Union Bank Centre.[2] The three towers, which share the title of 70th-tallest building in the world, are each 280 m (919 ft) tall.[3][4][5] There is a height restriction of 280 metres (919 ft) for structures in the central business district of Singapore because of the proximity of Singapore Changi Airport.
The city really looked nice at night especially because it was full of glimmering lights from the buildings.
After roaming around cities, I decided to visit Sairee beach in Ko Tao Thailand – a well-known tourist spot.
Ko Tao (also often Koh Tao,). ("Turtle Island") is an island in Thailand located near the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. It covers an area of about 21 km². Administratively it forms a tambon within the district (Amphoe) Ko Pha Ngan of Surat Thani Province. As at end 2006 it's official population is 1382. The main settlement is Ban Mae Hat.The economy of the island is almost exclusively centered on tourism, especially scuba diving.Ko Tao was named by its first settlers for the island's turtle-like geographic shape. Coincidentally, the island is an important breeding ground for Hawksbill turtles and Green turtles. Development of tourism has negatively impacted the health of these grounds but a breeding program organized in 2004 by the Royal Thai Navy and KT-DOC, a coalition of local scuba diving centers has reintroduced hundreds of juvenile turtles to the island's ecosystem.
I was really amazed by its serene blue waters. The corals near the shores make it more ideal for scuba diving. I also visited Tong Takien, it looks very much like our beach here in Laoang.
After going to Thailand, I then proceeded to Ulu Watu Beach, Indonesia, then went to the Balinese Sea Temples. It was quiet comforting and windy because it stands on its cliffs.
After traveling from one country to another, in just ten hours, I'm once again flying above the Philippine Islands. So good to be home! Since I have a few more days left to finish my vacation, I decided to go around our country to visit the places I haven't been to before. Well I haven't been to Boracay before.
Boracay is an island of the Philippines located approximately 315 km (200 miles) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. In 1990, it was voted by the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook as one of the best beaches in the world and again in 1996 by British publication TV Quick as the world's number one tropical beach.
The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak (3 of the 17 barangays which make up the municipality of Malay), and is under the administrative control of the Philippine Tourism Authority in coordination with the Provincial Government of Aklan.
Boracay island was originally home to the Ati tribe. Boracay is part of Aklan Province, which became an independent province on April 25, 1956.
Decades ago, Boracay Island was an almost possessively guarded secret so that only a few knew of its existence. Tourism only began to develop in the 1970s, when, it is said, a foreign movie crew accidentally "discovered" this island paradise. Others maintain that it was the German traveler, 'Jens Peters' book, which included rave reviews of Boracay that changed the island's pace from that of being a quiet secret to eventually being voted as having the best beach in the world. Whichever story is true, it was around this time that Boracay Island slowly ceased to be a private hangout for travelers.
In the 1980s, the island became popular with backpackers. Since then, Boracay has gradually become a cosmopolitan tourism destination and, in the 21st century, has become one of the major tourist destinations in the Philippines.
I decided to travel to Quezon to see an aunt. As my older cousin was driving me around, my eyes caught a glimpse of the famed University of the Philippines Diliman.
The university was originally founded as American University of the Philippines in Padre Faura St., Manila on 18 June 1908. After the liberation from the United States, the school was renamed as University of the Philippines. In 1948, newly-established Republic of the Philippines sited an area now known as Quezon City as the nation's capital.
I also went to a restaurant that serves native Pinoy foods. Adobo is Spanish for sauce, seasoning, or marinade used in Latin American and Southwest U.S.-style cooking. The noun form describes a marinade or seasoning mix. Recipes vary widely by region: Puerto Rican adobo, a rub used principally on meats, differs greatly from the Mexican variety. Meat marinated or seasoned with an adobo is referred to having been adobada or adobado. Adobo is prepared in regions of Latin America and Spain. Pork, spices, and especially red pepper are used. Dishes with the borrowed name, but with different cultural roots, are prepared in the Philippines.
Pork Adobo
I also got to taste the native style of shrimp sinigang. Pinoy Style Shrimp in Sour Soup or Sinigang na Hipon. Sinigang is a Philippine dish famous for the variety of ingredients.
Pinoy Style Shrimp in Sour Soup
(Shrimp sinigang)
We ate, but I was a little hesitant about the shrimp sinigang since I have an allergy to it. Yet it turned out okay. And for this brave thing that I've done (eating shrimp for me is a heroic deed), my cousin treated me with her favorite Fried bananas with Vanilla ice cream! Yummy!
Fried bananas with vanilla ice cream.
Now, I've been to many places already, seen such wonderful rich cultures. I can only say one thing that I learned throughout my vacation. That is: Every country has their own beauty but for us Pinoys, nothing beats home.
