By: Zdenko Kahlina

The Sydney Harbour Bridge
It is the most famous bridge in Australia. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is located opposite the Sydney Opera House and close to Circular Quay. You can certainly find the Sydney Harbour Bride on most postcards, souvenirs and any tourist guides. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House are iconic images of both Sydney and Australia.

The Coathanger – Beautiful Sydney Harbour Bridge

Much of Sydney is built around this epic harbour lined with beaches and hidden coves and dotted with islands. Stretching 20 kms from the sea to the mouth of the Parramatta River, ferries, sailboats, and multi-million dollar yachts cross the harbour throughout the day.

Sydney is Australia’s largest city and perhaps, its most romanticized city. With a population of 4.2 million and a size equal to that of greater London, Sydney truly is a place to visit in Australia. Our first full day in touring the Sydney, began with a walk around the Sydney’s Darling harbour, we boarded the ‘Magistic’ cruise for a 2 hour trip around the bay and we walked around the amazing Sydney Harbour Bridge. We didn’t cross the bridge until few days later.

Arial view of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the bay

The Sydney Harbour Bridge, also affectionately known as the ‘Coathanger’, was opened on March 19th 1932 by Premier Jack Lang, after six years of construction. Made of steel the bridge contains 6 million hand driven rivets. The surface area that requires painting is equal to about the surface area of 60 sports fields. The Bridge has huge hinges to absorb the expansion caused by the hot Sydney sun. You will see them on either side of the bridge at the footings of the Pylons. The views and photo opportunities are fantastic. There is a great display on how the thing was built. It has a similar place in Sydney history to the Statue of Liberty in New York as far as many migrants to Australia go.

Walk across the Bridge
The bridge walk is about 1.5 km. We started at Milsons Point Railway Station, a short distance from the north end of the bridge. We left our car on a small parking lot, almost under the bridge. From the Broughton Street turn right and walk towards the city and up the stairs on the eastern footway of the bridge.

Ahead are the northern pylons with the southern pair in the distance. These granite faced concrete boxes serve no structural purpose. The Commissioner for Railways, James Fraser, recommended they be omitted to save the money. However, they stayed, because Bradfield’s view that they were an essential architectural feature of the bridge prevailed.

The northern pylons

These granite faced concrete pylons serve no structural purpose

The walk ends at the stairs leading down to Cumberland Street in the city, a short distance from Circular Quay and Wynyard Station. There are stairs leading to the footway at each end of the bridge. Allow two hours for the walk, including a visit to the pylon lookout and museum at the southern end of the bridge. You can have a close hand look while you are in Sydney by visiting the South Eastern Pylon. It is a walking trip and recommended for the fit only. It is a longish walk to get to the base of the Pylon and then there are 200 steps to the top. There is no charge to walk across the bridge by the footway, but there is a charge ($15 for adult) for the optional visit to the lookout and museum.

Immediately after leaving the pylon to continue our walk towards the city, look down at the shoreline below to see a rectangular ferry dock. Vehicular ferries and a horse-ferry for horse drawn transport used this dock up to the time the bridge was opened.

The southern pylons

Walking across the Bridge in the rain: Vera and Zdenko

When you reach the city end of the footway, look right to see the tunnel entrances down which the trams ran to and from Wynyard. The tunnels are now a car park. It was raining when we were there, so my pictures didn’t turn that well as I was expecting. But it rained most of our stay in Sydney, so we had no choice, but to be tourists even on rainy days like this.

Pylon lookout and museum at the southern end of the bridge.

After crossing the bridge we walked down the stairs to a tourist area called The Rocks, wandered around Circular Quay (which is more square than circular) and then ventured up the steps of the Sydney Opera House. It’s an amazing sight to see first hand, after only seeing it on the telly, and builds excitement for some of the other monuments we’ll visit in the next few days. We then walked down through the Botanic Gardens and down to the Sydney Aquarium. Having never visited an Aquarium (where have I been my whole live) I was pretty gob smacked. Rip out the Adelaide Zoo and replace it with one of these, it’s an absolutely amazing experience. The underwater tunnels where Sharks, Fish, Rays and Eels share a tank and swim right overhead is really something to see.

Tourists on top of the bridge

Climbing the Bridge – Not worth the money charged
To be fair, we didn’t climb the bridge because my friend warned me that it was very expensive and not worth the money charged. I am not the ideal audience for the Bridge Climb anyways, as I am scared of heights, I hate touristy things, and I can think of a lot of things I would rather do with a few hundred dollars that don’t combine droves of tourists at heights. The only reason I would probable do it anyway, would be to take photos with my camera, from the top of the bridge. But picture taking is not allowed!!! It is especially painful to be parted from your camera, as there are fantastic views. I don’t understand their logic and reasoning behind this. They are saying that any objects like cameras, could be dropped, which could be fatal for someone below. They are prohibiting cameras, but they are selling their own photos. This would be OK if they were not so expensive. Eight pics run about 50 or 60 AUS dollars. That said, if you do the climb, I can just about guarantee you will be talking about it for a long time.

My friends and I walked the bridge instead – for free!! It was just as satisfying as climbing, but saved us significant amount of money, and we did it in less than 2 hours.

Group of tourists on top of the bridge – Impressive!

Here is how others described climbing the Sydney bridge event:
It was as expected. Lots of people in lines, putting on clothes that made the whole thing seem like a bigger deal than it was, then getting in other lines to slowly go across a bridge that was, even at that height, pretty boring. The views were nice, but certainly were not worth the price. We spent more time getting dressed, getting a safety briefing, waiting, getting undressed, and putting all of our equipment away, than we actually spent on the bridge.

We were not allowed to take anything with you at all. It’s quite energetic – over 1000 steps, so feel free to take it easy and don’t feel pressurized to keep up. I can be a bit afraid of heights, but as you are attached in a way that makes it impossible to disconnect yourself it didn’t worry me at all, even the steep ladders. However, it would theoretically be possible to fall down a ladder, though there are special guides to keep an eye on those bits in case anything did happen. There is a continuous stream of groups going through, so you can sometimes feel like going through a sausage machine!

View of the bridge and the city from northern side

Our docent was very accommodating and informative. It can be a bit exciting if you have issues with heights but most get over their fears pretty quickly. Safety is a priority – everything is well tied down so you can’t lose anything like hats, glasses, etc. And climbers are harnessed to secure cables on the railings at ALL times. I have two gripes, one minor, one a bit more significant. The first one (minor) is that it is a bit difficult finding start of the climb. It’s in a somewhat out of the way location.

The bigger one is photography. I understand their concern for safety but I think the bigger concern is revenue. They are moving a lot of groups through the tours close together so they need to keep people moving (which would leave little time for straggling photo hounds).

When you look at a photo of the bridge, look at where the flags are on top – that’s where we were! It felt like a real achievement until I realized that well over 2 million people have done it in around 10 years of the tour running. Oh well, at least the views were great. But a grand old bridge it is, and one you will remember it whenever you think of Sydney after your visit.

Moral of the story – if you have wanted to do this your entire life, then you will probably think it is awesome. If you don’t really want to go and think it sounds lame and overpriced, you will likely leave feeling violated.

Conclusion
My impression of Sydney is a big, busy place with layers of history and interesting stories underneath the more renowned cosmopolitan lifestyle. From an outsiders point of view it’s a beautiful city, its famous Harbour is alive with interesting activity and its city centre seems to hide many surprises such as old pubs, street markets and classic architecture. Sydney’s China town and Chinese Garden in the middle of the city are very impressive!

There seem to be more tourists in the city than actual Sydney-siders, but it’s nice to think they’re interested in Australia enough to visit. I can imagine living here would be quite exhausting, but to visit and relax around the place… and to be seen! Sydney is a pretty great place to spend your time.

Sydney Harbour Bridge – The Coathanger

Sydney Harbour Bridge History
The displaced peoples of Europe who came to Australia in the days of the grand ships can get very misty when you ask them what they felt when they saw this grand old arch on their arrival in Sydney from the aftermath of World War Two as they sailed up Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour). The old Bridge has been replaced as “the” landmark of Sydney by the bold architecture of the Opera House.

When it opened it cost a car six pence to cross. A horse and rider was 3 pence. These days a return trip (for some reason the only kind) costs about $3-4 dollars. Price changes throughout the day. Horses and riders are banned, that’s the changing times. You can walk across free and you are allowed to bicycle in a special lane. Sydney Harbour Bridge is the world’s largest (but not longest as that’s the New River Gorge in the USA) steel arch bridge, and, in its beautiful harbour location, has become a renowned international symbol of Australia.

Its total length including approach spans is 1,149 meters and its arch span is 503 meters. The top of the arch is 134 meters above sea level and the clearance for shipping under the deck is a spacious 49 meters. The total steelwork weighs 52,800 tones, including 39,000 tones in the arch. The 49 meter wide deck makes Sydney Harbour Bridge the widest Longspan Bridge in the world. It now carries eight vehicle lanes, two train lines, a footway and a cycleway.

After inviting worldwide tenders in 1922, the New South Wales Government received twenty proposals from six companies and on 24 March 1924; the contract (for Australian 4,217,721 pounds 11 shillings and 10 pence!) was let to the English firm Dorman Long and Co of Middlesbrough.

The general design was prepared by Dr J.J.C Bradfield and officers of the NSW Department of Public Works, while the detailed design and crucial erection process were undertaken by the contractors consulting engineer Mr (later Sir) Ralph Freeman of Sir Douglas Fox and Partners and his associate Mr. G.C Imbault. Some other designs that where not chosen can be found here. As Chief Engineer of Sydney Harbour Bridge and Metropolitan Railway Construction from 1912, Dr Bradfield is regarded as the “father” of the Bridge as it was his vision, enthusiasm, engineering expertise and detailed supervision of all aspects of its construction which brought Sydney’s long held dream into reality.

The contractors, under Director of Construction, Lawrence Ennis, set up two workshops at Milsons Point on the North Shore. Here, the steel (79% imported from England, 21% from Australian sources) was fabricated into girders etc. The foundations for the four main bearings, which carry the full weight of the main span were dug to a depth of 12.2 metres and filled with special reinforced high-grade concrete laid in hexagonal formations.

The four impressive, decorative 89 meter high pylons are made of concrete, faced with granite, quarried near Moruya, where about 250 Australian, Scottish and Italian stonemasons and their families lived in a temporary settlement. Three ships were specifically built to carry the 18,000 cubic meters of cut, dressed and numbered granite blocks, 300km north to Sydney.

After the approach spans were erected, work began on the main arch. Two half-arches were built out progressively from each shore, each held back by 128 cables anchored underground through U-shaped tunnels. Steel members were fabricated in the workshops, placed onto barges, towed into position on the harbour and lifted up by two 580 tone electrically operated creeper cranes, which erected the half-arches before them as they traveled forward.

There was great excitement on 20 August 1930 after the arch was successfully joined at 10pm the night before. The steel decking was then hung from the arch and was all in place within nine months, being built from the centre outwards to save time moving the cranes. As the project neared completion, the last of approximately six million Australian made rivets were driven through the deck on 21 January 1932. In February 1932 the Bridge was test loaded using up to 96 steam locomotives placed in various configurations.

The official opening day on Saturday 19 March 1932

Traffic on the bridge in 1956

The official opening day on Saturday 19 March 1932 was a momentous occasion, drawing remarkable crowds (estimated between 300,000 and one million people) to the city and around the harbour foreshores. The NSW Premier, the Hon. John T. Lang, officially declared the Bridge open. However, the Premier enlivened proceedings when Captain Francis De Groot of the para-military group, the New Guard, slashed the ribbon prematurely with his sword, prior to the official cutting. This incident caused both amusement and dismay on the day and has since become part of Australian folklore. The opening celebrations included a vast cavalcade of decorated floats, marching groups and bands proceeding through the city streets and across the deck in a pageant of surprising size and quality, considering the economic depression.

The celebrations continued with a gun-salute, a procession of passenger ships under the Bridge, a ‘venetian’ carnival, a fly-past, fireworks, sports carnivals and exhibitions. After the pageant the public was allowed to walk across the deck…an event not repeated until the 50th anniversary of the Bridge in 1982. Some enthusiastic ones celebrated by unofficially climbing up the arch.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an essential artery feeding traffic to and from Sydney.

I was glad to be there, see the bridge and experience city of Sydney!

By: Zdenko Kahlina

Gold Coast Hinterland – Mount Tamborine
The “Green behind the Gold” is the term given to the lush hinterland that sweeps up from the golden beaches of the Gold Coast to mountains, plateaus, gorges and valleys that remain at peace with nature. They contain a storehouse of environmental treasures now fully protected in vast swathes of pristine country under the banner of World Heritage Listing as the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (formerly known as the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves).

Mount Tamborine is in Queensland hinterlands

Just 30 minutes inland from the Gold Coast beaches is the Hinterland which has sub tropical rainforest hills and mountains. This lush mountain plateau offers breathtaking views of the Hinterland ranges and the Gold Coast. It is a world of subtropical rainforests, waterfalls and associated wilderness. It was raining in Broadbeach since our arrival (three days in a row!!) and by now it was time to head inland instead to the beaches.

The drive up to the hinterlands from Broadbeach takes you by the Surfers Paradise, and through the small towns of Benowa, Carrara and Nerang in the north/west direction. The road will lead you out past an area of acreage properties and then up the mountain to Tamborine Village where you’ll probably want to spend some time. Head over to North Tamborine and you’ll see signs pointing to various bushwalks and National Parks. There are plenty of short strolls around the mountain into gorgeous rainforests. If you’re hungry grab some morning tea at a coffee house and then head over to Eagle Heights and back down the Mountain to Nerang. You should arrive in Nerang at about midday. There’ll be a bit of traffic if you leave on a Saturday morning, but nothing that would compare to a major city.

Further on as we drove up to the top of Green Mountain we found Mountview Alpaca Farm which has a real estate office, coffee shop and gift store selling a range of clothing made from the soft wool of the Alpaca. The coffee shop at Mountview Alpaca Farm has a great view through the mountains down over the valley. On a sunny day that is! But when we were there, clouds were very low and it was raining heavily.

The coffee shop at the Tamborine mountain

There are a number of large National Parks that make up the hinterland. Tamborine National Park, Lamington National Park and Springbrook National Park are protected lands to ensure the fauna and flora are protected.

The hinterlands are made up of an extinct volcanic range which formed the peaks and valleys. There are plenty of things to do in the hinterlands including canopy walks through the tropical rainforest, bird feeding, visiting wineries and visiting the hundreds of arts and craft stores throughout the small villages and towns found in the Hinterland. Because of the falling rain we couldn’t do many of those things.

The area does produce crops on a small scale and there are plenty of roadside stalls to purchase the kiwifruit, passion fruit, avocados, rhubarb, apples and mangoes. If you like walking trails there are many and varied to choose from. If like me you prefer a less energetic way to get the most from your visit, there is a Trolley car style tourist operation offering a variety of tours in sit down comfort. The system features a hop on-hop off route that allows you to see as much or as little as you wish. It’s a great idea. When you do hop off you can be refreshed in any manner of ways in any number of places as coffee shops abound, and if you care to, take advantage of the wine tasting. Yup, they have grapes even up here.

When we were there, it was raining all day long

There is quite a diverse range of wildlife found throughout the Hinterland including kangaroos, wallabies, platypus, wombats and a range of tropical birds like the Australian King Parrot, Crimson Rosella and Albert’s lyrebird. There are also some interested insects including the glowworms.

There are a number of impressive waterfalls throughout the hinterlands including Purlingbrook Falls at Springbrook, Twinfalls Canyon, Cameron Falls and Cedar Creek Falls. The easiest of the waterfalls to visit is Curtis Falls located within Tamborine National Park Joalah Section. That’s exactly what we did, because on a rainy day like this, we didn’t want to end up walking for a long time.

The Curtis Falls

The Curtis Falls
The Curtis Falls is a 10 minute drive from the Mount Tamborine village, then a short walk through the wet eucalypt forest. The round trip walk takes only around 30 minutes.

The Curtis Falls in Joalah Section of Mount Tamborine is one of the many walking tracks in Tamborine National Park. Near the beginning of the trail is a parking area, which also had two restrooms. The walking trail is quite short, only 1.5 km which consists of descending steps in the middle of the rainforest trees. The end of the trail is the pool below the water falls, which can be viewed from a fenced platform. No direct access allowed to the water area.

The walking trail is quite short

 The wet eucalypt forest

This is one amazing tree

The uniqueness of the Rainforests and Eucalyptus forests that make up the Tamborine Plateau.

The Eucalyptus forests trees

At the end of the trail, there was an impressive view of the falls and surrounding columnar basalt rock face. Swimming is prohibited at the falls. A restricted access area below Curtis Falls protects an important glow-worm colony.

By the pool below the water falls

The track continues from the falls, along a piccabeen palm-fringed creek to a giant strangler fig. Beyond this strangler fig, the lower Joalah track is closed for the safety reasons (due to rockfalls).

With Gold Coast located within an hour’s drive from this site, visitors have easy access to many popular attractions in the area. Tamborine Mountain Botanical Gardens are not-to-be-missed while in the mountain.

Driving through the rainforest

Wineries in the Hinterland
There are a number of wineries throughout the Hinterland with their cellar doors open to try their range of wines. Also the wineries have retails stores at Mount Tamborine for wine tasting. Wineries include O’Reilly’s Wines located in the Canungra Valley.

Marks & Gardner Gallery
During the ride, we stopped at the ‘Secret Garden’, because of its intrigue name. The gallery and café are located on the left side of the road. The Secret Garden Veranda Cafe is located on the rear deck, overlooking expansive gardens and lawns. Light lunches, coffee and cakes are served from Wednesday to Sunday 9 am to 4 pm.

Marks & Gardner Gallery @ Secret Garden

Set in five acres of rolling lawns central to wineries and national parks, “Marks & Gardner Gallery @ Secret Garden” is a unique destination for serious art and booklovers. The innovative exhibition program changes every 5 weeks and presents exhibitions by contemporary painters, sculptors, printmakers, jewellers & designers , together with focus exhibitions including original illustrations from children’s books and a biannual ceramic exhibition.

Secret Garden Bookshop specializes in Australian children’s books from birth to teen. The Bookshop also stocks an eclectic range of books for adults from literature to specialty themes. Regular book launches and workshops are held with authors and illustrators throughout the year and provide a unique opportunity to meet some of our well known Australian authors/illustrators.

Website: www.marksandgardner.com

Our small group in the ‘Secret Garden’

About Mount Tamborine
Located to the west of Surfers Paradise and less than one hours drive from either there or from Brisbane Central, Mt Tamborine is a place of beauty, never-ending views and a haven of markets, cafe’s and stalls.

In recent years it has become popular with visitors and many new Spa’s and Retreats have opened. Songbird’s Rainforest Retreat combines all of the natural elements of the area with tranquil settings, organic cooking and luxurious accommodation. So popular in fact is their restaurant that weekends require bookings well in advance as many of the regions locals choose this as an ideal getaway.

The population of Mt Tamborine has boomed in recent years as along with the rest of the Gold Coast, property has been sort out by southern state residents looking to make the sea change.

Avocados – Food of the Gods!

Tamborine Mountain Avocadoes – Food of the Gods!
Tamborine Mountain is known Australia wide for its plentiful, magnificent avocadoes that can be bought at the road side honesty stalls. When driving through the mountain, you’ll suddenly see the stand with avocadoes on the side of the road. There is nobody watching them. It’s all about trust. You pick your avocadoes and live $2 for each one you take with you.

Avocados for sale at the road side honesty stalls

 Self-serve with Avocados

They are available all year round, depending on the variety. At the moment the rough pebbly purple, black skinned Hass are in season: they have creamiest flesh of all the varieties. Split and consumed with nothing more than a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice or a flick of best olive oil and balsamic vinegar, flecks of sea salt and ground black pepper, it offers a sensuous solitary eating experience.

The flesh is smooth and creamy and the flavour nutty and rich. With a glass of chilled Witches Falls Verdelho it is a perfect little meal. Certainly greater more glamorous embellishments can be used, for the avocado is happy partner to all kinds of different flavour profiles – prawns, tomatoes, chillies, garlic, smoked chicken, crisp fried prosciutto or bacon to name but a few.

Return to the Gold Coast
Once we’ve been done for the day, we followed the signs to the Pacific Highway and Brisbane. We followed the road 90 through towns Mount Nathan, Clagiraba and Canungra. Once on the Pacific Highway (M1) make a right turn and head towards Surfers paradise again.

Tambourine Mountain was an interesting change from the Gold Coast in many ways.

By: Zdenko Kahlina

SHOCK, HORROR!!! It rained on the Gold Coast!
Imagine this, we just traveled across half of the world, from Canada to Australia, expecting to enjoy Australian summer and hot days. I have packed sun protection in my suitcase, only to arrive at Gold Coast in January for five days and it rained ALL the time.

Broadbeach is favourite destination
Broadbeach a long time favourite Gold Coast Queensland, destination for families and couples with its white sandy beaches, amazing ocean, parklands, playgrounds and picnic facilities. Just a few kilometres south of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach is a great place for foodies, as it’s known as the Gold Coast’s central dining hub. There are loads of restaurants and bars offering a different taste of the world to try on every corner.

Arial view of Gold Coast

The apartments at The Wave, the place where we were staying, are just a short stroll to the magnificent, safe Kurrawa beach, patrolled by lifeguards, offering great surf and safe swimming. This beach is ideal for families and surfers alike when the weather is sunny and warm. But we had nothing of this. As I mentioned before, it rained all the time, and it was quite windy, so approaching the beach and the strong blowing wind coming from the ocean was not very pleasant. My wife only stepped in the water to her lower ankle. Even walking on the wet sand was like walking through the mud.

So, what else could we do when it’s raining all day long. Shopping! Because the weather didn’t cooperate with our plans for swimming, we added some shopping to the mix of rain and wet sand. Lining the streets of Broadbeach are boutiques and retail outlets and just across the road from central Broadbeach is the popular Pacific Fair Shopping Centre offering more than 130 stores so you can shop till you drop.

Surfers Paradise is really paradise!

Prize winning restaurants and cafes are in Broadbeach

Broadbeach: shopping at Pacific Fair Shopping Centre

If you are staying in Broadbeach and don’t wish to venture there are loads of options right at your fingertips. You can enjoy the shopping at Pacific Fair Shopping Centre around half of the complex is indoors and there is a cinema, you might also wish to poke around the boutiques in the Oasis Shopping Centre. Shops and restaurants are just minutes from the door and the major transport routes are all nearby. Once you’re done here you could slip across to Conrad Jupiter’s Casino for an affordable meal, a show or to try your luck!

If thrills and spills are more your style, from Broadbeach it is also easy to access the Gold Coast’s major theme parks: Movie World, Dreamworld, SeaWorld and Wet’n’Wild. Broadbeach offers a wonderful holiday experience that can be as casual and relaxed or as refined and energetic as you like.

When the average person thinks of Queensland’s Gold Coast, they usually think of Surfers Paradise. When surfers think of Surfers Paradise, they think of the waves just across the New South Wales border near Coolangatta. When the locals on the Gold Coast want to enjoy the best the region’s beaches have to offer, they think of Burleigh Heads.

Broadbeach Beaches
The enticingly pristine beaches in the Broadbeach are what make it one of most popular tourist destinations in Australia. The long stretch of fine sand and sparkling blue waters as well as the contagiously laidback ambience is among the reasons why people continue to flock this marvelous beachside suburb.

Kurrawa beach, is patrolled by lifeguards

No swimming: All we could do on Kurrawa beach, was to get our feet wet!

In Broadbeach: Beautiful trail parallel with the Kurrawa beach.

Guests at our affordable Broadbeach accommodation can spend their days frolicking at the beach. The temperate waters and tides make it appropriate for swimming, parasailing and surfing. In case someone might want to get a crash course on how to hang ten, there are several surfing schools are nearby. Broadbeach also boasts of having two patrolled beaches that will ensure holiday makers’ safety while at the beach. Aside from surfing and swimming, you may also stroll along the nearby beachfront cafes and shops that offer a variety of delightful delicacies and charming trinkets.

Broadbeach Shopping
Holiday makers at our family accommodation Gold Coast can opt to spend a bit of leisurely shopping spree at the nearby Pacific Fair Shopping Centre and also at the Oasis. As one of the biggest retail centers in the region, the Pacific Fair houses a complete line on some of the most exquisite local and international consumer brands ranging from fabulous clothes and accessories to gift items and home wares. Moreover, shoppers can avail of excellent services at the specialty shops or even perhaps indulge in a relaxing treatment at the beauty and wellness salons. There are also plenty of restaurants and cafes conveniently located inside the mall.

Vera in Broadbeach shopping center

Broadbeach Dining
Have your fill of the most scrumptious gastronomy in the region. Undoubtedly, the most prize winning restaurants and cafes in the Gold Coast are found in Broadbeach. There’s definitely always something that will surely tickle your taste buds. Trendy and innovative, most restaurants in Broadbeach offer delectably diverse international cuisines that can cater to your taste and means as well as your varying appetite.

Broadbeach Nightlife
When it comes to nightlife and entertainment, Broadbeach is relatively more toned down than Surfers Paradise but it never falls short of providing a tremendous party scene at the trendiest nightclubs and bars located nearby our Broadbeach holiday accommodation. If you to enjoy an exciting game nights you can always drop by the extravagant Jupiter’s Casino. Not merely an excellent venue for business conference, the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre also holds venues for huge sporting and concert events that everyone enjoy.

Broadbeach is distinctly different, discover the ingredients to a picture-perfect holiday – The simple pleasures of a day at the beach, dinner at an ultra-sophisticated restaurant or lunch at a relaxing café. Barbeques and picnics in the park on a picture perfect Broadbeach day, a night of world-class entertainment, dancing and perfect options for your romantic getaway or family holiday.

You can shop until you drop in Broadbeach at one of the hundreds of stores at Pacific Fair, the Oasis Shopping Centre, Niecon Plaza and a variety of boutiques.

The Australian Outback Spectacular show – Spirit of the Horse – With a tribute to Phar Lap (horse).
When our friends booked this show I had no idea of what I was to see. We went in with an open mind and as soon as the show began, we knew it was about Australia and the outback. Australian Outback Spectacular is a permanent attraction situated around 20 minutes inland from Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast between Warner Bros. Movie World and Wet’n’Wild Water World on the Pacific Motorway, Oxenford, Gold Coast, Queensland.

The show was all about horses and Australia heritage

Bluey rabbiting…

By the camp fire in the Australian outback.

The show was fantastic! It was like watching two different shows: Spirit of the Horse and Phar Lap. In the first part of the show they portray the outback and Australian way off life. Second part of the show was dedicated to remarkable tale of Phar Lap, one of Australian horse racing history’s most dramatic story that combines all the elements necessary to make it an all time favorite. A Thoroughbred horse with inauspicious beginnings that almost never got the chance to race, people who believed in him and risked much to earn him a chance, people ready to kill him in order to further their criminal agenda, triumph over the odds, and a tragic ending. The name Phar Lap comes from a dialect of Thai, and means “Lightning”, or “Sky Flash” which turned out to be a most prescient moniker.

The Show starts and it does not stop, it has you enthralled from start to finish. Both shows were magnificent!! Venue is fantastic, pre entertainment of singing, poetry, a stroll around a few horses and the opportunity to have a photo with a beautiful Australian cattle dog or two. Of course there’s also the gift shop, very reasonably priced and the Bar. Seating and viewing is so well designed, comfortable and there is no blocked views.

Spirit of the Horse – With a tribute to Phar Lap

Meal is 10/10 considering it’s ‘Bulk’ cooking for around 2000 people. 3 courses !! Good Aussie tender steak and veggies as a main. At the same time they came Back filling my beer glass with great Australian beer. They don’t skimp on serving the alcohol either. Considering Meal, Drinks and show(s) are all included in ticket price… It is very reasonable. You need to Book Tickets. A must see if you visit the gold coast!

Spectacular show!

2018 Commonwealth Games
Queensland’s favorite tourist destination, the Gold Coast, has won the right to host 2018 Commonwealth Games. The Commowealth Games are proposed to be held between 4 and 15 April, 2018. The Games will see infrastructure development, stimulation and diversification of the local economy. The Gold Coast is very strong on a sport level. Bernard Tomic, highest ranked Australian male professional tennis player lives there. Interestingly he has Croatian heritage like me. Professional cyclist Robbie McEwan grew up in the suburbs on the south side of Brisbane. This is just to name the two of most successful sportsman from the Gold Coast.

The Wave Apartments
I want to describe place where we were staying in Broadbeach. The tower is called ‘The Wave’. This is a high-rise building with the modern apartment’s, with an amazing rooftop pool and deck. The Wave Apartments were built around 2006. They are situated right in the heart of Broadbeach – just pop downstairs and there are restaurants and cafes galore. Just a one minute walk away is the Oasis Shopping Centre with a supermarket and several levels of shops. Walk across the plaza and you can take the monorail directly to the Casino for $2. Kurrawa Park (the huge foreshore park) is about 300 meters away via the Broadbeach Mall, and then stroll across the lawns to the actual beach.

The Wave Apartments

Our apartment was a two bedroom suite with the ocean view from the 23 floor. This was obviously amazing, 2 bedrooms with the views of the ocean and many other buildings surrounding us. This two bedroom apartment was very spacious, clean and tidy. Every room had a separate in-suite bathroom with shower and big closet, almost like two separate suites. Both bedrooms and bathrooms had plenty of space too. Nice big showers in both bathrooms. The bed was a bit hard and the pillows were awful round spongy things (my only little niggle about an otherwise excellent apartment). Apartment was clean and comfortable, good kitchen area with oven, double fridge/freezer, microwave, stovetop and dishwasher. Separate laundry area with dryer and drying rack. The view was amazing!!

Open space: living room with the kitchen

50” TV and ocean view thru the window.

Apartment had everything we needed, very clean and modern. Yes, it was a little noisy with the neighboring shopping centre’s fans and the entertainment venues in the mall, but once you close the doors, it was fine. If you’re worried about noise, make sure you go as high up as possible.

Balcony was very spacious with amazing ocean view.

View of the pool from above

There are 2 heated pools, one on the 4th floor and another small pool at the top of the building. One of the best features of The Wave Apartments is the 34th floor rooftop deck. There’s a guest lounge, BBQ facilities, sauna and a small pool. The views from this deck are amazing both day and night (bring your camera!), so don’t worry if your room doesn’t have the best view, just pop up to the deck! We were also using very modern and well equipped fitness center, which was located on the 4th floor, at the same level as the outdoor pool. Underground parking was very easy to use and accessible, numbered allocated car parks in a secured area.

Pool was on a fourth level

The only slightly annoying thing about my stay was the high level of security. Your key came with a “fob” which you were forced to swipe every time you pressed a floor button inside the lift, to exit the lower levels of the car park area, and even to enter and leave the 34th level rooftop deck. Seems a bit of security overkill, as to get to the rooftop desk you must have swiped the fob in the lift. You also need your actual key if you’re putting the rubbish down the chute near the outside fire escape, otherwise you’ll be locked out of the building, so always carry your keys with you!

The were restaurants everywhere around Broadbeach

The Wave Resort is in a great location and worth paying the extra for ocean view, but either way a great view of the hinterland as well. The Wave Staff were very polite, always had a smile and a good morning. Location is perfect close to the beach. Many shops and restaurants right outside. It was a very enjoyable stay at The Wave thanks to its central location, modern apartments and fantastic staff. Highly recommended!

Zdenko, Vera, Durdja and Ivan on top floor of  ‘The Wave’

Huge thanks to our friends who made all the arrangements and paid for it all!!

By: Zdenko Kahlina

Blue Mountains Australia – New South Wales Travel
We went to the Blue Mountains on our first trip to Sydney, Australia. It was impossible to miss the Blue Mountains main destination: town of Katoomba. Though the weather didn’t fully cooperate, we had a great time, because our friends who live in Sydney were good guides. They’ve been there before…

Where are the Blue Mountains? About 1 hour by road in the car, or 2 hours by rail west of Sydney. If you have only one day, and are not renting a car, take a day tour from Sydney. Tours leave early (6 a.m. is not unusual) and get back late, around 6 p.m. You can also take the train or tour bus for the day.

If you are self-driving, (remember they drive on the left!), try to time your arrival in Katoomba as early in the day as you can. Traffic around Sydney and suburbs can be heavy at peak hours. At the Blue Mountains, there is parking near the major attractions (note they close around 5 p.m.), though parking fills up fast on busy summer weekends.

If you have time to stay several days, then do, especially if you enjoy hiking and exploring the rainforest and watching for ‘exotic’ birds. There are lots of places to stay, from bed and breakfast to hostels and hotels. Stay for one or even two weeks, and you’ll have lots of trails to walk and sights to see.

How Much Do Tours to the Blue Mountains Cost ? Organized day tour excursions prices vary according to what’s included, of course. Expect to pay upwards of $100/day to start for a day trip; and upwards of $300 for a multi day trip. If you have three days, then look for City Rail (train) Blue Mountains Explorer packages.

How Much to Scenic World Rides Cost? There are several packages available at Scenic World, and some tour companies will offer packages of their own, based on the most popular rides. My one-way ticket on the Trainway cost $11 AUD (about the same in USD or CAD, at the time of my visit). See Scenic World site for pricing information.

Best Time to Travel: The Australian summer months (December, January, February) are when most visitors and locals head for the Blue Mountains, especially on weekends. Leura is a charming little town with lots of cute shops, trendy restaurants, a golf course. Katoomba shows its coal town roots. Both areas have wonderful older homes and gardens.

So, together we explored beautiful Katoomba. Off we went to Scenic World, to walk down the Furber Steps near Katoomba Falls, then followed Prince Henry Cliff Walk to the Three Sisters at Echo Point.

Katoomba the main centre in the Blue Mountains (Australia) with a population of approx 12,000. An alternative style town where people escape the big smoke for clean air and nature at your doorstep. Home to lots of artists, actors, grungy hippies, dropouts and millions of tourists. But more than anything, Katoomba is surrounded by a beautiful national parks and clean air.

The town is over 1000m above sea level or 3336 feet high and usually gets snow during the winter. Strangely the winter is the busiest tourist season with everyone coming up for Yule fests and sitting around fireplaces.

It was a beautiful day when we were there so I thought I would capture a few images of everything within a 30 minute walk of the town centre.

Enjoy the picture gallery:

Katoomba Density

Katoomba Landmark old Smokey in middle of town at the Carrington Hotel

Katoomba Railway with CountryLink train

Streetscape

Katoomba Street

Typical Mountain home converted to a restaurant

Palais Royale hotel – lots of old hotels all around Katoomba many with valley views

Lots of street art throughout Katoomba

The Clarendon one of the best live venues in the mountains

HIVE Studios computer animation company has worked on some major movies recently

Darleys at Lillianfels an award winning 5 star restaurant and hotel

Approaching Echo Point and 3 Sisters

Notice the blue haze (evaporated eucalypt oil) in the distance hence the name Blue Mountains

Local Sculptures 

Katoomba Falls

The original katoomba Cable car

One of the cable car pulley wheel things

The other cable car and the second part of Katoomba Falls to the left

Narrowneck Plateau

We could easily have spent a whole week there, happily exploring trails and shops. If you are visiting Sydney, and have time to go the Blue Mountains, do it! It’s a wonderful part of this amazing country.

KATOOMBA interesting points:

■The Three Sisters rock formation at Echo Point.

■The Carrington Hotel, built in 1882, an elegant reminder of a bygone era.

■The Paragon Café, a 1930s establishment with a charming Art Deco ambience.

■The Scenic World Skyway – a 720 meter journey offering 360 degree views of the magnificent Jamison Valley.

Plus the Scenic Railway is great. Don’t miss it.

http://www.scenicworld.com.au/

By: Zdenko Kahlina

A pleasant city escape into the Blue Mountains
When in Sydney, the Blue Mountains are worth the trip. They are absolutely stunning! It was one of the highlights of our trip. We only had one day to make this trip, but it was enough, for a quick visit.

The Three Sisters, Katoomba (NSW, Australia)

The Blue Mountains is a pleasant city escape and it’s perfect one-day trip. The two towns which you will probably visit are Katoomba and Leura, although we only visited Katoomba. In Katoomba there is a famous cafe called the Paragon – which is art decor in style and sells lovely hand made chocolate. It is a nice place to go for some nostalgia and nostalgic cafe style food.

By Car from Sydney (Direct):
We traveled by car and the most direct route to Katoomba is via the M4 motorway, which becomes the Great Western Highway just beyond Penrith. From central Sydney simply follow Parramatta Road until the turnoff to the M4 motorway. All up it’s an easy 90 minute drive (110km) under normal traffic conditions.

Looking west at Orchard Hills, near Penrith. The Blue Mountains can be made out in the distance.

If you have a little more time to explore the scenic drive along Bells Line of Road (which starts beyond Richmond & Windsor) is fantastic. With a much more relaxed “Sunday Drive” feel to it Bells Line of Road tempts you with many interesting places to visit along the way.

Looking west in the ascent up the Blue Mountains. The M4 ends about half a kilometre from here and reverts to the Great Western Highway (National Route 32), which through the mountains is a mixture of limited access plus at grade intersections, but is mostly a dual carriageway (the sections that are not are currently under construction to Katoomba).

The fruit stalls of Bilpin, the Historic Village at Kurrajong and the Mt Tomah Botanical Gardens are just some of the options available. As you travel further west you will be treated to magnificent views over the rugged expanse of the Grose Valley and National Parks to the North & South.

We made a short stop at the Glenbrook Information Centre, which was located on our left as we arrived into Glenbrook and was well sign-posted. This was a great opportunity to pick up local maps and get other information about Blue Mountains. They also have a good coffee…

The mountains themselves and the 3 Sisters formation are a wonderful UNesco World Heritage listed and you can go for a short bush walk through the valley. There is lots of walking and climbing; make sure to wear comfortable shoes. There is also a Scenic Railway and a Cable car ride.

Paragon Cafe at Katoomba – for a nostalgic ice-cream soda. They also sell chocolates.

If you have a few hours to spare, walk down the many steps at the Three Sisters, across the bottom of the valley under the Three Sisters, then come up the cliff line on the Scenic Railway and walk back to your car across the top of the cliff line (passing numerous lookouts). This is probably the best short walk in the Mountains. There is a tourist information centre at Echo Point (the Three Sisters) if you need directions.

The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters is the Blue Mountains’ most spectacular landmark. Located at Echo Point Katoomba, around 2.5 kilometres from the Great Western Highway, this iconic visitor attraction is experienced by millions of people each year.

The Three Sisters is essentially an unusual rock formation representing three sisters who according to Aboriginal legend were turned to stone. The character of the Three Sisters changes throughout the day and throughout the seasons as the sunlight brings out the magnificent colours. The Three Sisters is also floodlit until around 11pm each evening looking simply spectacular set against the black background of the night sky.

Each of the Three Sisters stand at 922, 918 & 906 metres tall, respectively. That’s over 3000 feet above sea level!

The Three Sisters – view from the Echo Point lookout

Vera and Zdenko at the Echo Point lookout

The Legend
The Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, ‘Meehni’, ‘Wimlah’ and Gunnedoo’ lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe. These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry. The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle.

As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witch doctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witch doctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come.

Description of place
The property includes very extensive areas of a wide range of eucalypt communities and large tracts of wilderness. The high wilderness quality of much of the Greater Blue Mountains constitutes a vital and highly significant contribution to its World Heritage value and has ensured the integrity of its ecosystems and the retention and protection of its heritage values.

Echo Point lookout

The Greater Blue Mountains is an area of breathtaking views, rugged tablelands, sheer cliffs, deep, inaccessible valleys and swamps teeming with life. The unique plants and animals that live in this outstanding natural place relate an extraordinary story of Australia’s antiquity, its diversity of life and its superlative beauty. This is the story of the evolution of Australia’s unique eucalypt vegetation and its associated communities, plants and animals.

Blue Mountains

The property is comprised of eight protected areas in two blocks separated by a transportation and urban development corridor. These protected areas are the Blue Mountains, Wollemi, Yengo, Nattai, Kanangra-Boyd, Gardens of Stone and Thirlmere Lakes National Parks, and the Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve.

The area is a deeply incised sandstone plateau rising from less than 100 meters above sea level to about 1300 meters at the highest point. There are basalt outcrops on the higher ridges. This plateau is thought to have enabled the survival of a rich diversity of plant and animal life by providing a refuge from climatic changes during recent geological history. It is particularly noted for its wide and balanced representation of eucalypt communities ranging from wet and dry sclerophyll to mallee heath lands, as well as localized swamps, wetlands, and grassland. One hundred and one species of eucalypts (over 14 per cent of the global total) occur in the Greater Blue Mountains. Twelve of these are believed to occur only in the Sydney sandstone region.

View of the scenic Skyway

Scenic Cableway
While in Katoomba, we took the Cableway to visit the Jamison Valley and stroll through ancient rainforest at the bottom. The Cableway is Australia’s steepest passenger carrying cable car. On the way up and down we enjoyed breathtaking views of Mount Solitary and the Ruined Castle in the Jamison Valley as well as the world-famous Three Sisters, Orphan Rock and spectacular Katoomba Falls.

Scenic World Station

The Scenic Cableway takes you on a 545 metre ride into – or out of – the World Heritage-listed rainforest of the Jamison Valley. Once at the bottom, you can take the Scenic Walkway to the base of the Scenic Railway. In all, there are just under three kilometres of elevated boardwalk.

Scenic Cableway

Scenic Railway
With an incline of 52 degrees, this ‘Mountain Devil’ travels down the world’s steepest railway. This exciting and historic ride is suitable for people of all ages. Taking up to 84 passengers every 10 minutes into the valley, the railway was built originally to haul coal and shale out of the valley from the mines at the base of the escarpment. The mines closed and the facility becomes a tourist attraction in 1945.

Scenic Walkway
We bought a return ticket and travel down on the Scenic Railway and walked 300 meters through beautiful temperate rainforest along southern hemisphere’s longest elevated timber boardwalk. Interpretive signs describe the many tree species you can see as you wander along. We enjoyed the sounds of native birds including the Superb Lyrebird.

Katoomba old Coal Mine

The way coal was transported in the 18th century

Turpentine tree (Syncarpia glomulifera)

This tree is typical of large Turpentines in this area. A fire has burnt the hollow area inside the tree. This area was approached by a large bushfire in 1948. The sparks from the fire set alight to many of the Turpentines on this side of the rainforest.

Vera’s observing the Eucalypt tree

This magnificent Eucalypt (picture above) is famous for it’s white trunk. This tree was 54 m (180 feet) tall in December 2001. It grows about 5 m per year. The tiny circles on the trunk are caused by the larvae of a moth which lays it’s eggs under the bark.

A path through a Jurassic rainforest

Vera with our friends and guides on a path through a Jurassic rainforest

A path through a Jurassic rainforest is about 2.8 km of boardwalk, through the ancient rainforest. While walking we took time to look around and find some fascinating facts about the local flora and history of the valley. Along the way we also found the Marrangaroo Spring, where you can have a refreshing drink of pure Blue Mountains water.

Scenic Walkway from above

Why are the Blue Mountains blue?
While holidaying in Sydney in 1900, Lady Audrey Tennyson, wife of the South Australian Governor, travelled over the Blue Mountains to visit Jenolan Caves. In a long letter written to her mother on her return to Adelaide, she recounted her experiences. Describing the return journey to Katoomba, where she and her husband spent the night at the “very comfortable tho’ so cold” Carrington Hotel, she remarked on a phenomenon that has impressed and puzzled many visitors to the Mountains:

Blue Mountains and the blue haze

“The afternoon & evening were most beautiful & most wonderful lights & shadows. What struck us more than anything was the wonderfully brilliant blue of the distant hills. I have never seen anything to compare to it at all, the most gorgeous real sapphire blue, really transparent blue – it is impossible to give any idea of it. We wondered whether it was the effect of the gums, and our driver told us it used to be thought so but is an exploded idea, and he agreed with me it must be something in the atmosphere. I shall never forget it.”

The blue haze that characterizes the Mountains had been noted very early. During the first year of the colony’s existence Governor Phillip had given the western mountains the names Carmarthen and Lansdowne. In popular conversation, however, these titles were soon abandoned, official declaration being insufficient to prevent the Mountains from being, as Judge-Advocate Collins observed, “commonly known in the colony by the name of the Blue Mountains.”

Blue Mountains

What causes this blueness, the depth and intensity of which is often quite remarkable? In 1955 the Town Clerk of the City of Blue Mountains asked this question and being unable to give an assured answer, sought an explanation from Department of Physics at the University of Sydney. The Head of the Department at the time, Professor Harry Messel, replied in the following terms:

“It is quite certain that the haze which appears to surround any distant object is due to an optical phenomenon called ‘Rayleigh scattering’. This effect which was first investigated theoretically by Lord Rayleigh causes the rays of light which impinge on small particles to scattered in various directions… Since the atmosphere is always laden with small dust particles, water droplets and the like and since even the air molecules themselves contributed to some extent to the scattering… if an observer looks at a distant object with the intervening atmosphere illuminated by sunlight eyes will receive the, blue scattered rays of sunlight to reflect he object itself. Therefore any distant object will always appear to display some shade of blue.”

From ‘Pictorial Memories Blue Mountains’, Crows Nest: Atrand, 1994 by John Low.

Zdenko taking pictures of Blue Mountains

Phantom Falls

Ever seen a Phantom Falls before? It’s the phenomenon of mist spilling into a valley in the exact way a waterfall does… just much slower, more unexpected and spectacular. Autumn is Phantom Falls season in the Blue Mountains, you’re most likely to see one in the morning.

By: Dumneazu

Signs of Spring: Chinese Food!
Obviously, March is not a month that inspires an awful lot of comment. Now, February… that’s what I call a month! Stepping out of our building we saw the first of spring’s kolbasz buds on a tree in the back yard. Really…

I am not sure whether my neighbor was saving this for an outdoor snack or whether there is some folky reason to stick sausage on a tree branch, but it stayed there for several weeks.

My birthday was adequately celebrated by a trip to the new Chinese restaurant in my neigborhood, Master Wang’s. Chef Wang was the original chef at the Lanzhou Restaurant on Luther Utca, and this is his fourth Budapest locale.

Why get excited about a Chinese restaurant? Well, Budapest has a lot of them, but by and large they are mediocre, overpriced, or unspeakably bad. That last category is aimed at the numerous “Chinese Buffet” joints polluting our gastronomic scene, offering up cheap plates of faux-sinitic stew on rice. Due to a quirk in Hungarian immigration law, any ethnic restaurant has the right to sponsor a residence permit for its cooking staff. So the Chinese folks cooking your fried rice and aromatic duck at the corner take out in Budapest, are far more likely to have graduated from business or even medical school than culinary school. And they are far more likely to come from Northern China than from better known culinary regions like Szechuan or Canton.

There are some Chinese banquet restaurants dotting the back neighborhoods of the city, places where the local Chinese go to celebrate a business deal or a family holiday with an off the menu hot-pot party or dim sum blast, but these are constantly changing and none has ever stayed in one locality for very long. Chef Wang Qiang comes from Lanzhou, a region west of Beijing with a significant Hui muslim population. The Lanzhou always had a special Chinese language only menu offering various mutton dishes for errant Hui in Budapest, but at the new Master Wang on they go all out with a great spicy cumin lamb dish.

Since I had recently stretched my boundaries of icky food by eating sea cucumber and sea squirts at the a Korean Restaurant in the States, I also went for the Hundred Day Eggs. I had heard they were good, I had watched Chinese diners at the Lanzhou order them, but… black eggs? Eggs pickled in clay and salt for a few months until they turn black and gelatinous? And surprise! They were delicious. Run, don’t walk, to your local Chinese banquet hall and order these today. Wang’s were served with chopped tofu and peppers. Not smelly, not slimy, not really anything I had ever related to eggs before. I want more.

Fumie was laughing at me for never having tried them before, but then, I had never seen Fumie order them either. And yes, I have already looked at the wikipedia entry on Century Eggs with a perverse mind to making them myself at home, and just as quickly discarded the idea. Chef Wangs is only a few blocks away (off the 7 bus along Thőkőly út at Gizella út 46) so why bother? And they serve one of my favorite Chinese beer snack plates: spicy mixed offal salad.

Who says a salad need to be wholesome to be good? Sliced tripe, tongue, heart, and kidney in a fiery red pepper oil sauce topped with chopped garlic and Chile pepper. It is almost enough to make me like beer.

In various parts of the world Christmas is celebrated differently, but the Christmas tree in some form or fashion is quite popular; examining differences and similarities.

The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington, D.C., is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. school children. Encircling evergreens in the ‘Pathway of Peace’ represent the 50 U.S. states.

The world’s largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy’s Umbria region. Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the ‘tree’ is a modern marvel for an ancient city

A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo’s nighttime neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.

 
Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague’s Old Town Square, and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountains in the southern Czech Republic.

Venice ‘s Murano Island renowned throughout the world for its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

 
Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost’s arrival on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden. He and his helper deliver gifts under  the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.

The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall) can be found in the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, Portugal. Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special enchantment of the city during the holiday season.

 ‘Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree’: Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany’s Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

 Ooh la la Galeries Lafayette! In Paris, even the Christmas trees are chic. With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it’s no surprise this show-stopping department store draws more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.

 In addition to the Vatican’s heavenly evergreen, St. Peter’s Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.

 The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol is dressed for a party. Madrid’s two-week celebration makes millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world’s biggest lottery.

 A token of gratitude for Britain’s aid during World War II, the Christmas tree in London’s Trafalgar Square has been the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.

 Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer Frankfurt’s city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past.

Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).

Christmas Carol:

 There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won’t come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

This week, I found out.

 From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

 -The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness,  Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

 So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol…so pass it on if you wish.’

 Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone!

By: Dumneazu

Korean New Jersey – The Kim chi belt

Don’t like Korean food? Then go away right now. In this part of Jersey, you eventually come to like Korean food. This blog is about Kim Chi food.

Recently a friend of our quit Budapest and moved to the sunny coast of Dalmatia in Croatia. She sends us sms messages every few hours revealing what she has found in the local markets of Korcula, Split, or Rovinj… tuna, octopus, fresh sardines.

This kind of news is harmful to those of us who still live in Budapest, where the only “seafood” is carp or frozen fillet of hake. So, Princess Oooh-La-La, consider this post a gentle version of revenge… welcome to New Jersey, an outlying province of the Republic of Korea! My family is lucky (although they don’t seem to recognize it) to be living in a part of New Jersey which hosts the largest Korean community in the New York area – neighboring Palisades Park and Leonia are nearly 40% Korean, complete with an idiotic white bread Mayor trying to enforce English language sign laws that would make a small-minded nationalist Transylvanian mayor (I’m talking ’bout you, Gheorghe Funar) seem insane. But the Koreans don’t care. They have revitalized a series of dumpy old towns into vibrant Kim chi suburbs.

Don’t like Korean food? Then go away right now. In this part of Jersey, you eventually come to like Korean food. We started our journey into the depths of garlicy cabbage pickles at the Fort Lee institution we discovered last trip: So Kong Dong Soft Tofu Restaurant. As Anthony Bourdain said before pigging out here “Soft and Tofu are two words that usually mean I don’t want to eat it.” Put away your preconceptions: this place rates almost as high as Katz’s Deli in my list of must eat in New York Foods. Almost everything on the menu is $9.00. The kalbi ribs are $15, but you must have them, so no complaining, they are said to be the best in the NY area -and there is a lot of competition in this area for tender marinated grilled kalbi ribs.

The plan is to order your soft tofu soup and wait while the staff cover your table in Kim chi and banchan - little dishes of hot pickled delights to accompany the rice. The rice is spooned into metal bowls: Koreans do not pick up their rice bowls like Chinese and Japanese. Tea is then poured into the hot stoneware rice serving bowl to make a special soupy tea-rice for those who like a bit of the burned rice as a hot beverage.

Kim chi is an acquired taste for non-Koreans, and I highly advise you to acquire it. We have actually tried to make this at home in Budapest with varying success. And now the star of the show arrives: a cast iron bowl of bubbling hot tofu soup – I chose seafood and beef – into which you break an egg and then wait while the egg cooks.

I looked around the packed house and a lot of the tables were filled with local Chinese people, not Koreans. So… this is what Chinese folk eat when they want to go out for something exotic and Asian. A classic aha! moment! Stuffed and satiated, we went out into the foot deep snow that had been dumped on New York the night before. Problem was, we no longer had Kim chi in front of us. That was easily fixed by hopping into one of the many Han Ah Rheum supermarkets serving the local Korean community. These are huge Kim chi retailers, and you wonder how could anybody eat that much spicy fermented radish? But they can and do. A lot of non-Koreans help out – once you are hooked on fermented spicy cabbage and squid pickles, there is no turning back. The seafood at these markets is mind-boggling: fresh (as in alive) and cheap as you can find.

These sea squirts were floating around waiting to be bought and consumed by adventurous eaters: this is about as out there as human seafood consumption can get. Described as “tasting slightly of urine” even the Japanese consider eating sea squirts something of a frat-boy challenge, definitely not for everyone.

Outside in the parking lot there was a wood fired iron stove cooking up yellow fleshed Asian sweet potatoes, a winter delicacy in Korea and Japan. Speaking of Japan, we also hit the Mitsuwa Japanese Shopping Mall on the way into New York city for a quick fix of fresh Santoka Ramen noodle soup.

This was Aron’s first experience of real, fresh ramen soup, not the instant packaged soup that has taken over the world. He like. He like very much. He also liked the accompanying bowl of rice topped with salmon roe. It is great to have a teen aged kid who says “fish eggs on rice? Yeah, Papa, I’ll have some!” Last night we downed a dozen raw clams on the half shell from the Korean market. Maybe I will get him started on sea squirt sashimi before he heads back to Budapest.

All this with a soy sauce hardboiled egg for $10.Like I said… we were not the first to discover that some of New York’s best eating is across the Hudson river in New Jersey. Anthony Bourdain is from Leonia… just down the street from where I am typing this. He trod these same pathways in an episode of No Reservations a few years ago.

http://horinca.blogspot.com/2009/12/korean-new-jersey-kimchi-belt.html

By: Zdenko Kahlina

 During my recent visit to a friend who lives in Mississauga (Ontario), I wanted to explore the area local cyclists are using for their training rides. I asked my friend (an excellent cyclist) for advice and he suggested I should go towards hamlet of Belfountain and beautiful surrounding Caledon hills, just north of the city.

I took his advice and that’s exactly what I did. Since I didn’t bring my bike with me  to Toronto this time, I explored the area with the car.

If you start from Kipling as this map suggest, this route will be about 122 km long. There are very few variety stores on certain stretches of this route – so when going with the bike, stock up on food and fluids BEFORE leaving the city. Be sure to pace yourself and take breaks when needed – you do not have to wait till the designated break to stop and take a rest.

Small hamlet on the Heritage road

On my way out of Mississauga I took Heritage road north/west, all the way to Mayfield Road. As I was driving and approaching Halton Hills on Heritage road, suddenly on my right  appeared a beautiful wooden structure of the Ukrainian Catholic St. Alias Church. It was early in the morning, but the Archpriest Fr. Roman Galadza just happen to arrive at the church while I was there and politely offered me a tour of the church.

The parish church of St. Elias

The parish church of St. Elias 

The parish church of St. Elias the Prophet rises high on the Peel Plain above the Credit River Valley. Though this building was built in 1995, the parish community was started in 1976.

A wooden structure of heavy timbers (Douglas Fir), it is sheathed in Western red cedar. It has been constructed according to an architectural style known as “Boyko”, derived from western Ukraine. The 3 sections (altar, sanctuary, and narthex) are each topped with a dome or cupola.

According to Byzantine liturgical typology, the dome is an image of the heavens.

The narthex is the world fallen after the sin of Adam, the Sanctuary is the world redeemed following the Passion and Resurrection of Christ Jesus, and the Altar is the World to Come, an image of the New Jerusalem. The cupolas on the church of St. Elias are in the 17th century Cossack style.

After this unexpected but nice experience, I continued my journey north towards Terra Cotta. There I turned to Mississauga Road, and pretty soon I was in the Caledon hills surrounded by big trees.

This long ride takes you though an incredible variety of terrain – through the beautiful Caledon Hills, past the unearthly dunes of the Badlands, through the breathtaking Forks of The Credit Provincial Park and up an actual switchback hill to the goodies of the quaint Belfountain General Store.

At the General Store cyclist (and bikers) usually stop for a break. There are sandwiches, cookies and ice cream available for those who need more energy, before they head back to the city.

Belfountain General Store

Belfountain Conservation Area is situated on the Niagara Escarpment in the valley of the West Credit River at the junction of County Roads 1 (Mississauga Road) and 11 (Forks of the Credit Road), just west of Highway 10 and approximately 15 kilometres south of Orangeville. It’s also about 30 kilometres northwest of Brampton, and 82 kilometres northwest of Toronto. 

The first settlers arrived here before 1850, and in 1852, the village was called “Tubtown”. This was a reference to a local blacksmith, Archibald McNaughton, who used large octagonal iron tubs to cool hot metal. The tubs sat outside his shop, which occupied a prominent place in the village, next to the town gas pump.

Belfountain General Store

Belfountain Bed & Breakfast

Fortunately, this name did not last long. A post office was opened at Belfountain (some sources cite it as “Bellfountain”) by Thomas J. Bush in 1853. By the 1870′s the village had a population of about 300 and the local business establishments included a tannery, grist mill, sawmill, one hotel and two general stores.

The picturesque location of Belfountain draws visitors from far and wide, particularly in the autumn when the changing leaves clothe the surrounding hills in brilliant colours. The origin of the name appears unclear, although it may have come from the French “belle fontaine”, or “beautiful fountain” – a reference to the clear waters of the Credit river.

There is plenty to see and do at Belfountain. A nature trail spans the river gorge using a suspension bridge and then winds along the steep sides of the Escarpment requiring steady feet and approximately 30 minutes to walk. A short distance downstream is the juncture of the West and main Credit Rivers, the scenic “Forks of the Credit” area. These can be reached by a rugged hike down into the valley along the Trimble Trail that will take you out of the Conservation Area. The Trimble Trail is not a loop and you will have to retrace your steps to return to the Conservation Area.

On this particular day at the beginning of July, it was really a beautiful summer day, with temperatures in the thirties. Following twisty Forks of the Credit Road I descended from the old town into the valley where the road followed West Credit river.

At the top of the hill you can take a turn and visit Forks of the Credit Provincial Park

Switchbacks on the descent from the Belfountain into the valley

Take a look at this short video of the climb to the Belfountain, by Wes Hodgson: http://vimeo.com/6240853

The cold, spring-fed waters of the West Credit River provide ideal habitat and ample angling opportunities for brook and brown trout and other fish. Freshwater springs flow from the steep valley walls that enclose this tranquil oasis. Heavily treed woodlands of cedar, oak, maple and birch are alive with wildlife – songbirds, rabbits, flying squirrels, ruffed grouse and white-tailed deer. Walkways, a beautiful fountain, gardens, historic stonework including a cave and a grinding stone from a gristmill that once stood beside the river add interest to this beautiful site.

I stepped on to the suspension bridge that spans tumbling waterfalls and take in the view of the river gorge below. You can walk along cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment and watch freshwater springs flowing down limestone cliffs. As you explore, listen for the staccato beat of the ruffed grouse and look for the quick flash of the white-tailed deer. An historic fountain, cave and grinding stone from a gristmill that once stood beside the river also add interest to this beautiful site.

Road thru the valley

Closed Ice cream parlor in the valley

The Credit River is 90 kilometers long, and is home to a wide range of wildlife. Some species are permanent or seasonal residents while others are sighted occasionally. For cyclists and bikers, this is a wonderful drive thru the valley, as the road goes over the small hills. Few kilometers later and I was on McLaughlin Road heading back south towards Brampton.

Beautiful scenery around Inglewood area

Local farm and surrounding hills

Caledon Hills cycling shop

 As I was approaching city and very dense populated areas, memories of this beautiful place that I just left behind were still with me. That’s when I decided to put together small blog so many others who will read this, might one day decide to visit “Forks of the Credit” conservation area in Brampton suburbs. 

Region of Peel, Caledon

At the end, I was so jealous on my friend who can often ride these roads and enjoy the beautiful scenery around Belfountain Conservation area. Next time I should definitely bring my bike with me and do this tour on the bike.

By: Zdenko Kahlina
Welcome to the Unionville (Markham, Ontario)

While I was in Toronto on a business trip few weeks ago, one day I had few extra hours to do my own thing and was thinking what should I do?

I had only couple of hours for that, so I couldn’t go anywhere far away from Markham. All I had was a tourist map/guide of Toronto, where I quickly spotted an area near by, marked as “Historic Unionville”.

Unionville’s Welcome Sign

From Richmond Hill on Highway 7, Unionville is only about 5 minutes drive. I made a left turn into the old town and immediately felt like being on another planet. I was away from the hectic traffic and all the craziness of the big city like Toronto.

Big tourist attraction: Main Street in Unionville

Unionville is a very pretty area, close to Markham, with a nice mix of boutiques, a few antique stores and number of restaurants, all on their Main street. I heard that Unionville is especially lovely in the fall, when the leaves are changing.

Typical Unionville house

Unionville Trading post

Unionville – which is a very pleasant and very walkable little area – finds itself in the middle of the suburbs, where things are further apart than they seem. It’s 3 km (35 minutes at typical walking speed) from Centennial GO station to where the Unionville shopping strip starts (Main Street Unionville & Station Lane), and most of that walk is along Highway 7.

Main Street Unionville

Boutique shops on the Main Street

Off of the Main Street

Unionville is a suburban community in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is located 33 km northeast of downtown Toronto and 4 km east of southern Richmond Hill. Unionville is comprised by the neighborhoods alongside Major MacKenzie Dr. as the Northern limit, Highway 407 as the Southern limit, the neighborhoods alongside McCowan Rd. as the Eastern limit, and the neighborhoods alongside Woodbine Ave. as the Western limit. Main Street, which was Kennedy Road in the mid to late 20th century, runs through Unionville while the new Kennedy runs 300 m to the east.

Restaurants are lined up on the Main Street

Patio seating on the Main Street

Fire hall turned into restaurant

Stylish Country Inn restaurant

The population of Unionville is presently about 30,000. Unionville is said to be one of the most affluent areas in the Greater Toronto Area with an average household income of $127,900. Rouge River runs north of the central part of Unionville and to the southeast. The highway (Highway 404) is to the west, the nearest interchange with the 407 ETR is 2 km south on Kennedy Rd. The population lives in almost all parts of Unionville except for the south central industrialized area. The railway line which links the area to Toronto via GO Train Service once ran as far as Lindsay, a town near Peterborough.

Beautiful church in Unionville

One of the colorful stores on the Main Street

Tourism is a major part of Unionville’s economy. The historic village or downtown section of Unionville is typical of a small town that developed over a century or so starting in the early 1840s (when Ira White erected his Union Mills) through the middle to late 20th century. The historic Main Street Unionville attracts thousands of visitors each year – as of 2006 it boasted 9 restaurants, including 3 pubs. Main Street (originally the laneway from the village’s first grist mill) also has a number of “century homes” dating back to the 1800s. Each year, thousands visit Unionville during the Unionville Festival.

Main Street Unionville

Shoe store in Unionville

The old Planning Mill in Unionville

The main street has been used as a stand-in for fictional Connecticut town Stars Hollow during the first season of The WB’s (now The CW) Gilmore Girls television show, as well as other television and movie backdrops.

Most of the historic buildings in Unionville are included in List of historic buildings in Markham, Ontario.

Toogood Pond, Unionville

Unionville Millennium bandstand

Beautiful pictures:

http://www.evonnedarren.com/blog/main-street-unionville-toronto-maui-hawaii-lifestyle-photographer/

By: Zdenko Kahlina
Welcome to the 2010 version of the DR Exercise!
This was a business trip with the purpose of participating in “Disaster Recovery Exercise” for the company. The objective of the DR Exercise is to confirm that we can recover the identified WCB systems and to confirm that we have accurate and complete documentation for executing the recovery.

 Sheraton Parkway hotel in Richmond Hills

We arrived in Toronto at the beginning of G20 Summit and were warned not to go anywhere near downtown. Walking was likely the best way to get around during G20 weekend, so long as we didn’t walk anywhere near the secured or protest zones.

G20 Summit was in Toronto

 It was probably best not to be anywhere from King to Lake Shore and Spadina to Yonge unless you absolutely have to: that’s the “Traffic Zone,” where even pedestrians were subject to police checkpoints. And if you do get past, don’t even think about getting over that ten-foot fence that’s protecting the “Security Zone.” Fortunately, we didn’t have to go near downtown, as we were stationed in Richmond Hill and Markham.

IBM building on Steels Avenue in Markham

WCB team: Marlon, Kevin, Meng, Mike, Rod, David and Sunny. Zdenko took the picture.

As usual, our “hot site” for recovery of our computer systems was in Markham (Ontario), where we used IBM’s facilities. For this exercise we have set up primary and secondary objectives and hoped to accomplish as much as possible.

Town of Richmond Hill has population of close to 200,000

There was a lot of parking space available everywhere.

Our DR team was staying in Sheraton Parkway hotel on the north side of GTA Toronto in an area called Richmond Hill. To get there we had to use the Hwy 404/Hwy 401 combo to get there, and therein lies your traffic woes. During crush hour, it can take up to 1.5 hours to drive a 20 minute distance.

People drive expensive cars… but no pickup tracks!

The Sheraton Parkway was a definitely good choice for this business trip. From the time we arrived we were treated with warmth and the staff was very friendly. We arrived at the Sheraton on June 26th (my birthday!) at around 3:30 pm. We received the rooms that we requested, and the rooms were beautiful. I especially loved the beds, the most comfortable I have ever slept on (in a hotel).

On our first night we just took it easy, and went to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Our choice was Italian grill Fazooli’s with a great selection of Italian pasta and seafood on the menu.

Fazooli’s grill: very good food!

 Markham is actually one of Canada’s oldest communities. Unfortunately, it was a lot more quaint when it was farmland than now when it has been condo-ized and development-ized to the hilt. Which means it is a desirable bedroom commute from Toronto proper, and now is one of Toronto’s two “high tech” corridors.

 The Hilton Suites Toronto Conference Centre & Spa hotel in Markham

Main Street in Unionville, definitely worth a visit

 Town of Markham does house the Varley Art Gallery in the deliberately picturesque Unionville, and many of Canada’s Group of 7 lived near there in the old town of Richmond Hill. But it is now a lotta square box Costco-type shopping malls and condos, and unless you have family up there, or work there, it’s not necessarily an interesting destination!

Square box building in Richmond Hill

Another Square box building in Markham on Hwy 7.

Huge apartment building in Markham

Our work was in Markham, so I was commuting between Richmond Hill and Markham every day, which is about 10 minute drive one way. Markham is an unremarkable suburb with all that entails — mediocre chain restaurants. It’s home to a large and wealthy Chinese community, and reputedly some of the best Chinese restaurants in North America. The Times Square Mall close to Sheraton hotel is a good place to start.

Times Square Mall: Chinese Mall in Richmond Hill

Another Italian restaurant in Markham

The area around our hotel (East Beaver Creek and HIGHWAY 7) has a variety of restaurants and bars…. I can tell you that there is a really cool restaurant in the food court at Pacific Mall (Steeles & Kennedy Road) near Markham, called “Fill your bowl” where the chef makes noodles for his soups by hand, the old fashioned way. It’s really a trip to see him twist and whack the dough on the counter. Food is really good too. A soup and a glass of soy milk will run you about $6! 

Mainframe team did a great job: Rod, Sunny and Zdenko

For the duration of this exercise, David our DR coordinator, provided refreshments, meals etc. which was a nice company gesture. Work shifts were scheduled to last approximately 12 hours and the whole exercise lasted total of 96 hours.

IBM Facilities for DR Exercise

IBM provided hardware

Over the four packed days, we were testing the emergency preparedness of the WCB to recover from a disaster to the data centre in Edmonton. We have declared an emergency at WCB in Edmonton and now it was time for our team of experts here in Markham to show their strengths.

At the end, the exercise was a total success. Although we did not complete it in the three days we’d hoped, I think we did very well considering these type of exercises never go without unexpected problems. We all did a great job, and returned back to Edmonton satisfied.

From: Travel Adventures
In the North, nothing is straightforward
One of the conditions for visiting North Korea is that you are not allowed to go anywhere without the guides which are appointed by the State.
Not only the itinerary is completely planned beforehand, any visit or trip needs to be completely endorsed beforehand and going anywhere without guide is simply denied. However, this seems to depend on your guides, and probably also on the time of your visit, since it seems that some others have indeed been allowed to walk a little bit around.

Nevertheless, we tried on several occasions to get the permission for an innocent stroll around the city, but this was never granted. The motivation was that the guides were afraid that we would take unwanted pictures, and they told us of an incident in which a Korean woman had contact the police, who quickly identified the responsible guides. Since we did not want to create a scandal and did not want our guides to get into trouble, we decided to stick to this severe limitation to our freedom. The eventual compromise was a guided walk along the vast and almost empty stretches of asphalt avenues in the capital. How much were we longing to just some walking around, talking to the population on the street, and, indeed, taking pictures whenever we wanted! Even the apparently most innocent shots were not approved by the guides, while the stares of the people we saw were certainly not hostile at all, just very curious. Obviously, the guides preferred us to take nice pictures of one of the monumental statues instead.

The pictures you can see on this page were the ones we took more or less unnoticed. In this country of contradictions, the nervousness about our walking about the city for fear of contact with the local public struck us as an especially obvious and lamentful example. After all, in all its publications, monuments, and all other channels the government tries to make it very clear to the very same visitors to the country that these people are the happiest, proudest, most friendly and social people of the world. One can wonder, then, what could be wrong with communicating with these people?

Capital: Pyongyang

Population: 23mln

Religions: Traditionally Buddhist and Confucianism, officially atheist

Languages: Korean

Climate: Moderate with four distinct seasons. The hottest time is July to August, which is also the rainy season; coldest is from December to January, winters in the far north can be very severe. Spring and autumn are mild and mainly dry.

Currency: North Korean won (KPW)

Train Journey

OK, so North Korea is the most closed country in the world. The next logical question for those interested in visiting the country is: how to get there? On the map of Pyongyang, for the convenience of the visitor, all possible connections from the outside world are listed. There are 4 trains a week from Beijing, and two international flights.

One of the exits blocked by luggage

Where for most destinations in the world the options are getting almost endless, the traveler to North Korea does not have to ponder for a long time how to reach his destination. We opted for the train from Beijing. Upon entering the compartment which actually accommodated two other persons, we discovered that it was empty. However, we also came across a large amount of beer under the seats, and a piece of luggage in the compartment. Strangely enough, the compartment remained empty the whole night. This was especially puzzling, because all the other compartments were stuffed with people and loads of luggage. Actually, since the passenger compartments apparently were not enough, luggage was also stored in two of the three toilets, as well as in three of the four exits of the carriage. Obviously, our peace would not last until Pyongyang.

While in the railway station of Dandong, the border with North Korea, two persons entered the train, sweating, suffering, and looking desperate. They were trying to push an enormous package through the aisle, struggling with what appeared to be an impressive weight. When they finally arrived in front of the door to our compartment, they stopped and smiled. The package had arrived at its temporary place. With a superhuman effort, moaning and trembling, the two men managed to park the package on one of the top beds.

We had watched this spectacle with our eyes wide open. When we returned to the aisle, a second package, at least the size of the first, had mysteriously entered the aisle, leaving us little to guess as to where its destination was concerned. To make a long story short, after we had left the compartment on the North Korean side of the border, it had been reorganized completely. By now, it contained two more packages of enormous size and weight, some boxes with fruit, a smaller box with a dirty dog which before meeting his owners had been white one day, and a complete family of three. The son was positively mentally retarded, enjoyed playing with sharp objects, throwing them through the compartment, cleaning a watermelon with a knife and then using the same instrument to help put on his shoes, and demonstratively putting used chewing gum under our seat. His sister had fun in throwing the dog around, either through the air or just by kicking the poor animal inside where she thought it belonged.

Since our time in North Korea was limited, we decided to occupy one of the few windows which could be opened, to look outside at the countryside and the villages. After all, this was the mysterious, closed country which we had wanted to see so desperately. Already at the border station we found out the function of the beer bottles: they were offloaded and disappeared in a car which was driven by someone clearly sanctioned by the heavily guarded soldiers whose task was to prevent interference of train passengers with the outside world, and vice versa.

This very first station also provided us with the very first sight of a face which would be etched in our heads for the next days: that of late President Kim Il Sung. During the many hours it took the train to reach the capital, we saw a lot of different crops in the fields, poor people working the land, very old and obsolete tractors, almost no traffic, and every entrance to a village marked by a huge arch with a slogan.

Although we unfortunately could not read them, we could guess their meaning. They were all praise to the country’s superior system, persuaded the people to work harder to serve their country and its dead President, and basically reminded people that there was no escape from this paradise.

Instead of leaving at the first station in the country, our friends in the compartment accompanied us to Pyongyang. With a 3-hour delay, we arrived in the evening. In an attempt to escape the crowd and the struggle to offload the incredible amount of luggage, we also unintentionally escaped our guides who had been waiting for us. With slightly worried faces, they found us at the hands of a female official with whom no sane person would like to argue. Our visit to North Korea had really started now.

Panmunjom (North)

For days now, the guides have been talking about the South Koreans. Sometimes as their brother folk who have been robbed by the imperialist Americans. Sometimes as their enemies, allies of the hostile world. Finally, we get to visit the border post. After driving for hours on a nearly completely deserted highway from Pyongyang, we end up in Kaesong where we stay overnight. The next morning, without much ado, we continue to the border. We get one last briefing with a model of the area (again, unfriendly words about “the other side” are used). From here, we enter the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone).

We then proceed to the hall where the armistice was signed. The South Koreans refused to sign, because they did not agree. Technically, the two countries are still at war. Here again, there are rooms with exhibits about the infamous Americans and their “puppet allies” who imposed themselves on the defenseless North Koreans. A short drive from here, and we arrive at the real border. But before we reach that, we stop at a gigantic white stone with a Korean inscription. We are told that the base is 9,4 meters, and the top 7,7. Obviously, this is a symbolic link to the day that the sculpted words were written. The author … who else than the Great Leader? One day before dying, he left this message for his people: Korea should be reunited. It seems in contradiction with his efforts to be independent and self sufficient.

Then we continue to the United Nations-blue buildings which are built exactly on the across the borderline. Before we can enter, the North Korean guides take position, and the South Koreans have to stay behind their line. Inside, a table. One side of it is North Korean, the other South Korean. Crossing this border is impossible – for fun you can walk around the table. The absurdity of the situation becomes clear. Probably the most vivid reminder of a Cold War…

Visited: Kuly 2000 

Manyongdae

Of course, with such an important President, his roots are very important, as is his childhood. So, the Koreans changed history once again and invented Kim’s birthplace: Manyongdae, a lovely hill near the capital and the river. It was well understood that to become a real Hero of the People, the background of the President should be as humble as possible.

So, replicas of very modest dimensions of his native house and childhood surroundings were placed in the Manyongdae Park. Some items were placed in them, but since we are talking about God here, it is not allowed to enter the houses. Pictures of the grandfathers of the Late President can be seen in one of them. Also, a picture of Kim’s son has been added.

The guides cannot stop talking about the fact that the poor President did not see his parents alive after allegedly winning the guerilla war against the Japanese, only his grandparents. Every story they tell you is even more sad than the previous one. Anyway, according to modern North Korean history, this is the place where Kim Il Sung grew up, played as a child, pondered over the future of the country as a 13-year old revolutionary in the 1920s, and laid the basis of his endless wisdom which would lead the country to such prosperity.

The most incredible story they told us, though, was the Story of the Jar. When standing in front of one of the houses, there are three big jars on display, and the third is completely distorted and seemingly unusable. In these surroundings, where everything related to the Late President, the Great Leader and the Genius of the 20th Century, the innocent visitor frowns upon seeing this jar which appears to be misplaced. However, the explanation is very obvious. The Mother of the Great Leader was extremely poor, and she did not have the money to buy a new jar when she needed one. Since she was also very practical, she bought a misformed jar, which obviously cost less money. Hence the importance of the Distorted Jar in the life of the Late President. His background is as poor as any North Korean could be. His brilliance made him President. Kim Il Sung, the personification of the American Dream.

http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/asia/northkorea.shtml

Five rules for traveling to North Korea

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) on Jan 25th 2010 at 2:00PM

I’m told that travel to North Korea is quite safe, as long as you follow the rules (and don’t do anything stupid). You have to realize that, politics aside, you’re entering a country that just does things differently. Of course, the consequences that come with straying can be severe. The trip will be scripted, but you know that going in. Follow the bouncing ball, and you’ll be just fine.

This year, we’ll get a sense of how widely North Korea is willing to open its doors to the line of westerners waiting to enter. In 2009, the window for Arirang-related trips was extended, and there are some indications that this year will bring further liberalization to travel rules for Americans. There’s nothing but opportunity, it seems, for travelers interested in seeing the most remote country on the planet.

Again, travel to North Korea is safe, I’m told, as long as you stick to an established tour group, preferably one that specializes in excursions for westerners. Nonetheless, it’s still a good idea to be hyper-conscious of your environment. Here are five ways to make sure you don’t extend the “Ugly American” stereotype to Pyongyang.

1. Stay on the beaten path
Every travel writer in the world seems intent on delivering super-local, “insidery” insights, encouraging you to really blend. In North Korea, that’s the worst advice you could possibly receive. Want to see something strange? The beaten path will give you plenty.

2. Bring cigarettes
Fuck the Surgeon General! Everything I’ve read suggests that North Korean cigarettes suck. Use packs of Marlboros as tips, and you’ll be treated very well throughout your vacation. Pick up a few cartons at home, preferably in a state that doesn’t tax the hell out of them.

3. Be careful with your camera
There is no shortage of rules about what you can photograph (and how). When in doubt, ask your tour guide. First, you don’t want to run afoul of the regs. More important, though, is that you don’t want to ruin someone else’s day … which could end in a damaged career or worse. This is especially the case if you want to take pictures of North Korean people (which is almost always forbidden).

4. Don’t go political
Be open to having a good time. The official guides are actually quite personable and seem to realize, if subconsciously, that they are in the service industry. Your North Korean tour guides will probably be more accommodating than the flight attendants you encountered en route from the United States. Interact with your guide as guides — not as politicians. These people aren’t setting North Korean policy any more than you’re setting U.S. policy.

5. Interview the tour company
The people taking you into North Korea will make a difference. Stick with a reputable company that has a track record of running tours for westerners. Before you make a purchase, talk to the people who run the company. Get comfortable with them. Don’t be afraid to ask even the strangest questions. The right tour company will not only be open to them, it will answer you from a position of expertise and experience.

 Photos by Kernbeisser
In the North, nothing is straightforward 
Imagine the world’s least known and least understood country. Imagine a place where everybody lives under the direct control and guidance of the government, a place where every individual is supposed to work for the gains of the collective.

This description could perhaps be summarized as “Stalinist communism,” but mind you, in North Korea, nothing is quite so straightforward.

When asked about North Korea, most people would use words such as “axis of evil,” “weapons of mass destruction,” “dictatorship,” “starvation,” “secretive” and sometimes even worse. Yet when pushed further, very few people could say any more than these words.

The truth is, most of us don’t really know much about North Korea. We don’t know how they live. We don’t know their daily lives. At least I certainly didn’t, so me and my camera were soon on a 1970s Russian-made plane heading for Pyongyang.

This photo-story does not have a political agenda, except to break the taboo deriving from the axis of evil concept. The photographs aim to capture snapshots from the ordinary lives of the people of North Korea. I would hope that this photographs provide a brief insight into this closed and alien world. 

Railway station

Underground railway station

Building in the city

Typical farms

Typical houses Life in the suburbs

Traffic in the city

Comon scene in Korea

Trouble on the road

Farmers house

City square

There is no traffic jams

Common way of traveling

Bicycle transportation

Beautiful country side

In the city… familiar scene, like Zagreb (Croatia)

Made in North Korea

Renovations Korean style

More photos… it’s one of few survived famous Buddhist temple of Korea.

It’s Ryongtongsa Buddhist temple at Kaesong (Capital of Koryo dynasty).

Budist prayers…

How Bad is Life in North Korea?

The difficulty is that North Korea(GDP per capita in 2007 : $1,114) became super poor country since the communist occupation began so that it is now more close to China($2,483) than Korea($20,015).

Current South Korean government offered a plan to bring the North Korean GDP per capita up to $3000 if they opens doors to the South and the world. However, it seems that they’d rather keep the country closed than doing so because all they actually want is to make sure the Kim Jung Ill’s throne is safe from hands of justices and help, which will eventually awaken North Korean people. AND, they get along with China which actually never care about North Korean people suffering from hunger or their economy(as the Kim Jung Ill does) but to keep it (N.Korea “province”) a stupid waste land as a buffer zone between China and S.Korea, Japan. (and the U.S. and U.N.).

When a country forbids foreigners to freely wander around and talk to people, smart money says that something monstrous is going on. North Korea is probably now the world’s clearest example. It’s hard to confirm that the alleged horrors are going on, but the fact that we aren’t allowed to confirm them is a damning confirmation.

But now the North Korean government has accidentally tipped its hand. As the Los Angeles Times reports, it is now earning a lot of hard currency by letting trusted citizens work abroad.

The North Korean government keeps most of the earnings… Experts estimate that there are 10,000 to 15,000 North Koreans working abroad in behalf of their government in jobs ranging from nursing to construction work. North Korea has sent workers to Russia, Libya, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia and Angola, Chech Republic, etc. defectors say. Almost the entire monthly salary of each of the worker, is deposited directly into an account controlled by the North Korean government, which gives the workers only a fraction of the money.

The key to this story is that despite everything, working abroad is considered a good deal. It’s one of the few ways to save some money to help their families back home. And only the “most loyal” North Koreans qualify, with their families left behind as hostages.

By far the largest number of North Koreans working outside their country are in Russia, where they do mostly logging and construction in military-style camps run by the North Korean government. When the camps were set up in the early 1970s, the workers were North Korean prisoners. But as the North Korean economy disintegrated in the late 1980s, doing hard labor in Siberia came to be seen as a reward because at least it meant getting adequate food.

Life In North Korea

By: Mojca Žirovnik

It’s totally true that if – in our lives – we did some things Italians do regularly, our life would be better.

 I was watching a movie today, an Italian one of recent production, titled: “Italians!” And the movie ended saying: “La vita e troppo breve per non essere Italiano (Life is too short not to be Italian)”!

And I understood that as an invitation to all viewers of this movie to “loosen up”, “follow your heart”, “go with the flow” … Perhaps I’m wrong, but I don’t think so.

It’s totally true that if – in our lives – we did some things that Italians do regularly, our life would be better. Such as?

American woman in Italy, 1951. Do you think things have changed?

Take your time for a morning coffee (instead of a takeaway), have a dinner with your family once a day, where you know that what you’re going to eat is so healthy that you do not have to worry at all about the calories (a dish of pasta with tomato sauce is less heavier than a ham sandwich with mayo).  And after that – feel free to have an amazing “gelato”!

Parking in Italy

Park “all over the place”, and don’t worry if your car gets scratched (from time to time), it’s all about steel, anyway. Offer yourself a pair of amazing (Italian) shoes, preferably with a high heel (I’ve read in a magazine that an average Italian woman spends 500 euro per year on shoes.) And the only types of shoes worth splashing out on are stilettos.

Leaving your “Vespa” on the sidewalk is normal.

For male readers … Never stop wooing! As a woman, married to an Italian, I can tell you that I never turn down an invitation to a nice, little place, tucked away, with checked table cloths, pasta alle vongole and some hearty red wine. It’s a chance for both of us to reflect, to talk and – spend some time together. And the world is full of very good Italian restaurants.

Eating outside on the plaza is very common in Italy.

Never say “no” to an Italian pizza…

Sometimes, however, it’s difficult for all of us to let go. We’re trapped into the pace of everyday life with no emergency exit. And if we want to take action to have a higher quality of life – perhaps we have to learn how to do it. As simple as that.

Guess what? Now I’m going to Florence to a street shop to buy a T-shirt saying “Life is too short NOT to be Italian!” And if I find one, I’ll send it over to you.

Enjoy this day!

Mojca is my Slovenian friend who lives in Florence. She has her own blog site:

http://www.mojcazirovnik.com

By: Zdenko Kahlina  

Varadero – outside of all inclusive resorts

After traveling throughout the Cuba for 14 days in rented car Vera and I returned to the place where our journey began. It seems like we are leaving old Cuba behind and returning to “real” world, with lots of Canadian tourist around and English language spoken everywhere.  

In Varadero you will find lots of hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, along with its main attraction, 20 km of exquisite beach that seems to go on forever. Visitors can sample Cuban food and cocktails, learn to dance Cuban-style, delight in the music and shop for souvenirs and arts and crafts in open-air markets or the growing number of shops. Water sports are available for almost every taste.   

Town of Varadero – the beach  

One restaurant in the town of Varadero  

Immediately after arriving in Varadero we started looking for a hotel. We knew we couldn’t afford room in the big hotels, so we started searching for the small and not so expensive hotels. Driving slowly down the main street in Varadero, we spotted several small hotels, so we decided to stop at the rustically looking house that was hotel “Don Mares.  

Hotel Dos Mares  

Hotel Dos Mares is a simple and small hotel in the centre of Varadero. The rooms are very small, but clean and they have air-conditioning. The bathroom has a toilet and a shower. Small, but okay. Breakfast was bad. Of course if you go to Cuba, do not go if you are a fussy eater.  

Tourists are everywhere in Varadero  

 The hotel has a very nice location in the middle of Varadero.  The beautiful beach is only 150m from the hotel. Because Dos Mares is one of the few hotels in the city centre, there are not many tourists on the beach. You will be in the middle of Cuban people (especially on the weekend). If you want to go to Varadero, but you don’t want to stay at a (horrible) all inclusive hotel, Dos Mares is a perfect choice! 

The beach was gorgeous. Because we were visiting during their winter (March), the ocean was not that calm. It was also windy so we just lay on the sand for some last tanning, before we returned to Edmonton’s cold weather.  

Restaurant on the beach with the live band playing Salsa… 

This area of Varadero is quite nice because when walking around, we ran into the locals, men always saying nice things to us… just so Latin (so un-north American) this part made our trip even more wonderful.   In the evening we had a dinner in the restaurant Antiquedades.  

The restaurant, “Antiquities” is located on the main strip in the downtown core of Varadero, alongside the wall surrounding the Parque Josene, on the corner of Calle 56. It is situated within a villa and has a main dining area and rooms for private reservations.  

The decor is a true step back in time filled with wonderful treasures from the past. The meal is a fixed price menu with many choices to please anyone’s palate. One has to remember that you are in a 3rd world country and as such filet mignon etc. is not the same in Cuba as you may get at home, but good and tasteful nonetheless. The staff in the restaurant was pleasant and eager to please.  

I would strongly recommend this place to anyone looking for a fine dinning experience while on vacation in Cuba. Put on those clothes that you never wear to the hotel dinning room and head over to Antiquedades for a wonderful experience that you will not soon forget. 

Hicacos Peninsula:   

The peninsula is in Matanzas Province, in western Cuba. It is separated from the mainland by a manmade navigation canal which links the Straits of Florida and the Bay of Cárdenas. Hicacos Point Natural Park is on the peninsula’s northeastern tip.  

VARADERO  

Varadero began to be developed as a summer vacation resort in the 1940s, but it wasn’t until the last ten years that its network of hotels and other facilities was given an unprecedented boost. Its tourist offer was diversified and upgraded at the same time.   

One of the four stars hotel resort in Varadero – Cuatro Palmas  

Its main attraction has always been its marvelous beach, but this isn’t all it has to offer. You can explore its caves and escarpments, a necklace of virgin cays that are easy to get to and the carefully preserved natural landscape at the northeastern end of the peninsula. In addition, Cárdenas, the nearby city of Matanzas, the Zapata Peninsula and the San Miguel de los Baños Spa offer cultural, historic and natural attractions.  

Varadero’s Plaza América Conference Center has all the facilities needed for conference and incentive tourism. Varadero is a free port and has exceptionally good conditions for scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, yachting and other water sports. 

How to Get Here:
Varadero’s Juan Gualberto Gómez International Airport receives direct flights not only from other parts of North and Central America and the Caribbean but also from Europe, South America and Africa.  

A scenic highway links Varadero with Havana, 83 miles (134 km) away, and the Central Highway and National Throughway connect it with other regions.  

If you prefer to come by boat, you can choose among three marinas: the Chapelín, Gaviota and Puertosol Dársena de Varadero.  

Hotels:
In late 1999, Varadero had a total of 11,245 hotel rooms, in 42 hotels (5 of them five-star, with 1640 rooms; 21, four-star; 8, three-star; and 8, two-star). Only one hotel, with 42 rooms, is for health tourism. The 41 others, with 11,203 rooms, are for beach tourism. 

Other attractions in Varadero:   

The growing number of options now available to visitors in Varadero will fill your free time-both during the day and at night-with pleasure.  

Restaurant “Casa del Al Capone”  

Apparently Al Capone used to stay in this villa  

Hicacos Point Natural Park:
This natural park, located on the northeastern tip of the peninsula, was declared an ecological preserve in 1974. Its 312 hectares contain many specimens of Varadero’s flora and fauna. It has the largest, best preserved woods and coastal ecosystem in the area. See the legendary “El Patriarca” (The Patriarch) cactus, Ambrosio’s Cave, Mangón Lake and the ruins of the La Calavera (Skull) Salt Works.  

Ambrosio’s Cave:
This is one of the 15 archaeological sites on the peninsula which contain testimony of Indian customs. It is 820 feet (250 m)long and has five interconnecting galleries. The cave contains 72 rupestrian drawings-one of the largest collection of Indian pictographs in the Caribbean islands. During the colonial period, runaway slaves used to take refuge in the cave.  

Mangón Lake:
This is the main lake on the peninsula and is the home of 31 species of birds (19 of them migratory) and 24 varieties of reptiles.  

Museum of Municipal History:
This museum is housed in one of the first frame houses built in Varadero. It is in the bungalow style typical of the southern part of the United States, and its roof is of tiles made in the area. This is one of the most beautiful and best-cared-for of the many houses of this style that were built here. Its exhibits depict the history of the Hicacos Peninsula.  

Art Gallery:
The gallery has exhibits of paintings, sculpture, engravings, silk-screen prints, fabrics, photos, and originals and reproductions by important Matanzas artists. It also puts on shows of works by contemporary Cuban painters, such as Mendive, Flora Fong, Fabelo and Zaida del Río. 

Josone Park:
The park covers nine hectares of grounds, most of which have been left in their natural state. There are four restaurants-Antigüedades, Retiro, Dante and La Campana-specializing in international, Italian and Cuban cuisine, with cocktails, meat, fish and shellfish; an establishment selling sugarcane juice (which is extracted from the sugarcane while you watch); and a bar, La Gruta, on the shores of a lake. 

You can explore the park on foot, by bicycle, in a horse-drawn carriage or by boat. It has a swimming pool and a party room for children (with dance, music, painting, drama and singing classes; performances by clowns; and productions put on by children). For all these reasons, Josone Park is called “a green paradise inside the blue one.”  

Xanadú Mansion:
Once the residence of millionaire Irénée Du Pont de Nemours, it is now the Casa Club. It was built between 1928 and 1930. Quietly elegant and luxurious, its rooms are decorated with precious wood and Italian marble. The Mirador (Lookout) Bar is on the top floor.  

Bellamar Cave:
This cave, a mile and a quarter from the city of Matanzas, was discovered in February 1861 in an area of marly limestone marine terraces. It is nearly two miles (3,1 km) long, and tourists are shown nearly half of it, (1500 m) including many of its 17 galleries, six halls and a corridor. The constant dripping of the water that seeps from its inner walls ensures 100-percent relative humidity. The temperature in the cave ranges between 77º and 80.6º F. (between 25° and 27° C.).  

Cárdenas:
This is a typical Cuban seaside town. It has some old forts that were used in its defense in the past. Buildings in various 19th- and early-20th-century architectural styles line its clean, straight streets. Some of them are now museums and cultural centers serving the community.
Cárdenas, just eight miles (13 km) south of Varadero, is also known as “the flag city,” because it was where the Cuban flag was first raised. Its traditions include the use of horse-drawn carriages for public transportation.  

Matanzas:
Cubans call this “the city of bridges,” because they are one of its distinguishing characteristics, and, ever since the first half of the 19th century, “the Athens of Cuba,” because of its active cultural life. Many of its buildings are in 17th- and 18th-century European styles. It is just 55 miles (90 km) from Havana and less than 20 miles (30 km) from Varadero.  

Rumba Palace:
Carishow, the company in charge of artistic productions, invites you to see the biggest, most original discotheque in Varadero. Modern lighting and sound equipment. Live shows by Cuban salsa orchestras. 

Our Overall Impressions about Cuba

Overall impressions of Cuba are varied and compelling. The skyscapes and landscapes are stunning with wonderful trees. The cities are crumbling with some restoration work in progress and no graffiti.  The whole country is in a kind of time warp, untouched by many of the changes of the last 40 years. There are a lot of people standing around and few of them are fat.   

The people are friendly and multiracial. Boys are playing baseball in the streets everywhere. Cuba is one of the few countries where baseball is a passion. The climate is very mild so it is common to see men go shirtless, but no pierced ears and few tattoos. The country loves music. Horses are used for transportation. The Chinese supply all the bicycles. Both the people and the government want to have US dollars. Tourists (2,000,000 this year) are the number one source of national income, ahead of sugar cane. Canada is first in tourism followed by Italy, France, England and Germany.   

Statues of Jose Martí and photos of Che Guevara are common, but not Castro. TV is his medium. There are power outages. There is a serious housing shortage, so young couples have to live with their parents. Every night they put the mattress down in the living room and may be interrupted during intimacy when some family member wanders in.  

Vera and Zdenko at the end of their Cuban trip in Varadero  

Food 

I won’t go into details but the food in general was not all that great. We did not starve and let’s face it, this is Cuba where people have limited access to food and I think we as tourists should not be too spoiled. Many times I have seen tons and tons of food thrown into the garbage, because consumers from richer countries don’t give a darn and eat with their eyes. Selfish and just plain terrible.  

Cuban seafood meal  

We did have nice stuff, for example delicious papaya, pineapple and guava fruit. Ice cream was very good too. Coffee was very good. The paella was amazing among other specialties served sporadically. In most tourist places the staff also was very friendly. We tipped almost everyone and in return we had very good service. But in the end, I returned home after two weeks and realized that I lost 3 lb!!  

My girlz in front of a restaurant in Varadero 

Castro 

No one knows what will happen in Cuba after Castro dies. He will be 84 this year. Castro has been in power for over 50 years and is a dictator with 9 lives. Imagine, in a country that is nominally Roman Catholic, to eliminate Christmas as a holiday! Castro restored Christmas a couple of years ago. He has zigzagged as necessary to remain in power. He used the Russians to his own ends. He has outwitted every American President he has faced. Clearly he is a nationalist and a socialist. His burning nationalism is the fuel that has kept him in power. He is not a typical dictator who loots the country for his own gain.  

The secret of his staying power is that he is a “patriotic” dictator with a strong secret police force. So in spite of the clear economic disaster that his socialistic economics have brought to Cuba, he remains in power. In fact, 70% of Cubans have been born since he came to power. Since he is such a hard-core revolutionary devoting his whole life to changing history, my guess is that there is a high probability that he will die on a historic date. Some potential death dates for him which would have political significance because of their 60th anniversaries are: July 26, 2013, the attack on the Moncada barracks; early December 2016, the voyage of the ship Granma which re-launched the revolution and January 1, 2019, the success of the revolution. 

Written by: Zdenko Kahlina