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 Maaria Cruises Kerala Backwaters in India Maaria Meesale from Tartu, Estonia, takes the slow boat on a meandering voyage through the idyllic green maze of waterways in the backwaters of Kerala, known as "God's Own Country" to the locals in southwest India. Serene, cool and green: it's not how you imagine India to be. The boat is human- powered with a bamboo pole. The cruise is so tranquile that many fall asleep. Kerala is one of National Geographic's 50 Places of a Lifetime. Kerala . India | 2011 31 Mar 2020  Kids at Jama Masjid of Delhi in India Kids like to frolick at the courtyard of Jama Masjid, the great mosque of Old Delhi which is the largest in India, capable of holding 25,000 devotees. Completed in 1656, it is the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. The highly decorative mosque has three great gates, four towers and two 40m-high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and white marble. Delhi . India | 2011 30 Mar 2020  Saanvi Admires Taj Mahal in India Saanvi, dressed in traditional clothes from Mumbai, admires the Taj Mahal, the breathtaking white-marble mausoleum commissioned by Mughul emperor Shah Jahan as a declaration of lasting love for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Located on the southern bank of the Yamuna River near Agra, India, the Taj Mahal took 22 years to build and finally completed in 1653. This exquisite monument astounds visitors for its symmetry, structural beauty, intricate calligraphy, inlaid gemstones, and magnificent garden. Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage since 1983. Agra . India | 2011 29 Mar 2020  Reflection at Kotor in Montenegro Located on a beautiful bay on the coast of Montenegro, Kotor is a city steeped in tradition and history, with remarkable scenic views. The dramatic old town is a maze of cobblestoned alleys, medieval churches, cathedrals, Venetian palaces and pillars, protected by the city walls fortification. Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage since 1979. Kotor . Montenegro | 2020 28 Mar 2020  Spirit of Lovcen Monument in Cetinje, Montenegro Built in 1939, the Spirit of Lovcen (Lovcenska vila) monument in Cetinje, Montenegro, commemorates Montenegrin emigres who was drowned while returning from USA to fight in World War I. Cetinje is the ancient royal capital of Montenegro. Cetinje . Montenegro | 2020 27 Mar 2020  Pussy Willow of Valbona National Park in Albania Pussy willow is a name given to the genus Salix (willows and sallows). In early spring, before the male catkins come into full flower they are covered in fine, greyish fur, leading to a fancied likeness to tiny cats, also known as 'pussies'. Valbona National Park in northern Albania has a gorgeous setting on a wide plain surrounded by towering mountain peaks of the Alps, snow-capped in winter and spring. Hiking opportunities abound. Valbona . Albania | 2020 26 Mar 2020  Alessio and Alex on Koman Ferry in Albania 3 year-old Alessio and her brother 11 year-old Alex are enjoying their ride on the 3-hour-long commuter ferry on Koman Lake from Koman to Fierze in northern Albania. This is one of the most scenic ferry rides, offering breathtaking views along the way, in Albania as well as in Europe. Koman Lake . Albania | 2020 25 Mar 2020  What's Happening Back There? 6 year-old Aldo and his friends turn their attention towards the back of the ferry to find out what the commotion amongst the girls is about. They are all riding on a 3-hour-long commuter ferry on Koman Lake. in northern Albania. Koman Lake . Albania | 2020 24 Mar 2020  Onufri National Iconographic Museum of Berat in Albania Onufri Museum is dedicated to Byzantine art and iconography. The museum is located inside the Church of the Dormition of St Mary, dates from 1797, at the highest altitude of the Berat Castle quarter. The museum was named in honour of Onufri, an Albanian painting master of the 16th century. Onufri's spectacular 16th-century religious paintings are displayed along with the church's beautifully gilded 19th-century iconostasis. Berat . Albania | 2020 23 Mar 2020  National History Museum of Tirana in Albania The National History Museum (Muzeu Historik Kombetar) is the largest museum in Albania and holds many of the country's archaeological treasures and a replica of national hero Skanderbeg's massive sword. The modernist mosaic adorning the museum's facade shows Albanians victorious and proud from Illyrian times. The collection of statues, mosaics and columns from ancient Greek and Roman times is breathtaking. Tirana . Albania | 2020 22 Mar 2020  Rustem Kryezkiu at Tirana in Albania Retired 66 year-old Rustem Kryezkiu loves to sit at Sheshi Skenderbej (Skanderbeg Square), the centre of Tirana, and watches the world goes by. Lively Tirana is the capital of Albania which has awakened from its Communist past in the early 1990s. Tirana . Albania | 2020 21 Mar 2020  Loopholes and Mistakes of Home Quarantine Abound as Hong Kong Closes Border This reporter arrived in Hong Kong on 19 Mar 2020, the first day when mandatory quarantine for 14 days is required for all residents and visitors. Loopholes and mistakes are found to be abound for the government's home quarantine measures for inbound travelers. 1. I completed the online health declaration in advance and received the QR clearance code effective for 24 hours, hoping to save time and speedup entry. 2. The QR code was only visually and casually checked. I just waved the code as I walked pass the inspector, who did not scan the code to ensure accuracy and validity. Anyone can pass through with a fake or expired QR code. 3. I still need to fill out 2 copies of the health declaration paper form with my contact information. When asked why I need to repeat filling the information after completing online health declaration, the immigration officer said the online form is for the Department of Health while these paper forms are for the Immigration Department. I wonder: Does Hong Kong government know to share information between departments? Does Immigration Department knows to use carbon copy form to ensure the data on 2 forms are consistent? and to save time by visitors? 4. There was no explicit checking of body temperature other than the remote automatic scanning by machine as the visitors walk pass. This is very important but weaker than the explicit temperature check on exit. 5. Everyone entering is given a wristband, supposed to be a tracking device. It appears to be a plastic strap with a serial no. and a QR code with no visible electronics part. I am highly doubtful that it can perform tracking. 6. I was given a piece of paper requesting me to install a "Stay Home Safe" mobile app, which appears to be the key to tracking, if I have a smart phone. There is no provision for people who have no smart phone or if the smart phone does not have enough memory to install the app. I could not find the "Stay Home Safe" app on the Google Play store. In an attempt to clear my questions and doubts, I called the hotline at 5394 3150. There was no one answering and was told to leave a message but was immediately told that the message box was full. So, I am in a total limbo, with nowhere to go to to get answers. As of 11 am on 20 March,18 hours after my arrival, I still have not received the SMS message the government is supposed to send me with the code required to activate the app. 7. I was provided with an envelope with a 30-page booklet 'Points to Note for Home Quarantine for Inbound Travellers from Overseas' in English and Chinese. No verbal instructions were given. I don't know how effective that will be, especially for those who do not understand English and Chinese. 9. I saw lots of people in government uniform standing at airport doing nothing. I don't know why except it is to show the government is seen to be doing something. 10. Conclusion: The screening for inbound travelers appears to be inadequate and the procedures for home quarantine by Hong Kong government are riddled with mistakes and loopholes which makes the measures totally ineffective. Enforcement is highly doubtful especially if an incorrect address is provided. Chek Lap Kok . Hong Kong | 2020 20 Mar 2020  Sarajevo Pigeon Square at Dusk in Bosnia The famous Pigeon Square (Bascarsija, meaning main market in Turkish) where hundreds of pigeons linger by day is the very heart of the old Sarajevo. Surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River, Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524. Sarajevo . Bosnia | 2020 19 Mar 2020  Sarajevo Pigeon Square in Bosnia The famous Pigeon Square where hundreds of pigeons linger is in the centre of the Old Town of Sarajevo. Ringed by mountains, Sarajevo as capital and cultural centre of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has an enticing East-meets-West vibe. Sarajevo . Bosnia | 2020 18 Mar 2020  Sarajevo City Hall in Bosnia A stately neo-Moorish striped facade makes the triangular Vijecnica (City Hall) Sarajevo's most beautiful Austro-Hungarian–era building. Built in 1896 and seriously damaged during the 1990s siege, it finally reopened in 2014 after laborious reconstruction. Ringed by mountains, Sarajevo as capital and cultural centre of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has an enticing East-meets-West vibe. It was once renowned as a religious melting pot, known as 'the Jerusalem of Europe'. Within a few blocks you can still find large Catholic and Orthodox cathedrals, Ashkenazi and Sephardic synagogues, and numerous mosques. Two violent events in Sarajevo made world history in the 20th century: the assassination which sparked World War I, and the brutal nearly-4-year siege of the city in the 1990s. Sarajevo . Bosnia | 2020 17 Mar 2020  Mostar of Bosnia & Herzegovina The jewel of Mostar, Stari Most (Old Bridge) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a 16th century Ottoman-style bridge that spans the Neretva River, connecting the two sides of the city. Built in 1556, it was destroyed during the Bosnian War and rebuilt in 2004. The small Old Town has old Turkish houses, cobblestoned streets: interesting shops and cafes. It is a UNESCO World Heritage since 2005. Mostar . Bosnia & Herzegovina | 2020 16 Mar 2020  Sunset at Kotor in Montenegro Atmospheric Kotor is wedged between the brooding mountains and the crystal-clear water of the bay, a UNESCO World Heritage since 1979. The old town is a medieval maze of cobble-stoned paths with museums, churches, cafe-strewn squares, and Venetian palaces, protected by the city walls snaking improbably up the surrounding slopes. Kotor . Montenegro | 2020 15 Mar 2020  Cetinje Monastery in Montenegro The Orthodox white-stone Cetinje Monastery is the spitual heart of the ancient royal capital of Montenegro - Cetinje, at the foot of the Eagle Cross Mountain. The monastery was built in 1484 dedicated to the birth of virgin Mary. It have been repeatedly destroyed during Ottoman attacks and rebuilt. This sturdy incarnation dates from 1786, with columns recycled from the original building. The chapel to the right of the courtyard holds the monastery’s proudest possessions: a shard of the True Cross (a claim made by many European churches) and the mummified right hand of St John the Baptist.. Cetinje . Montenegro | 2020 14 Mar 2020  Snow-capped Valbona in Albania Shutdown by Coronavirus Valbona has a gorgeous setting on a wide plain surrounded by towering mountain peaks, snow-capped in winter and spring. Hiking opportunities abound and the trek to the equally beautiful village of Theth is the most popular. It is also home to the Valbona Valley National Park in the Albanian Alps. Unfortunately, the government has just shutdown all the hotels owing to the coronavirus pandemic on 12 March and tourists are left without accommodation. Valbona . Albania | 2020 13 Mar 2020 r  Lake Koman in Albania With magnificent mountain scenery as its backdrop, Lake Koman in northern Albania offers one of the most enjoyable cruise from Koman to Fierze, the gateway to panoramic hikes in Valbona National Park. Lake Koman . Albania | 2020 12 Mar 2020  Berat - 'Town of a Thousand Windows' in Albania Charming Berat in south-central Albania has picturesque white Ottoman houses stacked up against the hill to its castle, earning it the title of 'town of a thousand windows'. Stunning architecture and the epic mountain scenery that shelters the city helped it to become a UNESCO World Heritage in 2008. Berat . Albania | 2020 11 Mar 2020  The Pyramid of Tirana in Albania 14 year-old Lani Tochilla loves to ride his bike playfully at the abandoned Pyramid of Tirana, indisputably a symbolic landmark of the capital of Albania. Originally built in 1988 as a Museum of Enver Hoxha, a posthumous dedication to Albania's infamous Communist leader who ruled in harsh Stalinist style in 1944-1985 . The Pyramid is now a relic portraying the country's turbulent past. The fenced-off structure is in a dilapidated state, but many people enter the area treating it as a cultural playground, spraying graffiti, climbing up to the top, biking or skate-boarding, etc. Demolition was scheduled in 2011 but the move was heavily protested for heritage preservation. The controversial structure still stands as a ruined historical remnant of its darker days. Tirana . Albania | 2020 10 Mar 2020  Clouds Floating Above Hong Kong As spring approaching with high humidity, low clouds can be observed floating above the city shrouding some of the skysrapers. The view from the Peak is quite unusual and interesting. The Peak . Hong Kong | 2020 9 Mar 2020  The Future of Women Power? On International Women's Day, an Indian lady comes face to face with 'The Future is On', a mural by Colombian street artist Jaba Ultraboyz, depicting two woman commanders in a futuristic Hong Kong. The status of women is a hotly debated topic in India, still a highly male-dominated society. Wanchai . Hong Kong | 2020 8 Mar 2020  My photo is the top story on the front page of Master-Insight.  Rosy Trumpet Blooming in Fanling Many flowers are blooming in spring. Near the Cheung Wah Estate at Fanling Centre, there are several Rosy Trumpet trees in full bloom, attracting many photographers and passers-by to take pictures. Rosy Trumpet is native to tropical South America. The tree can reach 30 metres with up to 1 metre in diameter. It is the national tree in El Salvador, named Maquilishuat. Fanling . Hong Kong | 2020 7 Mar 2020  Red-whiskered Bulbul in Flight .Spring is in full swing, and there are nearly 30 Golden Trumpet trees are blooming at the centre of Nam Cheong Park in Sham Shui Po. Golden Trumpet is native to South America and the national flower of Brazil. It usually blooms in March and April. The red-eared owl is a medium-sized songbird with sharp black peaks and white cheeks, and loves to drink nectar. Shamshuipo . Hong Kong | 2020 6 Mar 2020  Over 100 in Central Flashmob to Protest Police Brutality & RTHK Suppression Netizens launched a "Lunch with You" flashmob during lunchtime in Central today to protest against police brutality, arbitrary arrests and suppressing RTHK. Starting at 1 pm, over 100 citizens and office workers gathered in the atrium and balconies of the second and third floor of Landmark in Pedder Street, Central, chanting, '5 Demands, Not One Less.' A black flag of 'Free Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Time' was raised. Citizens chanted slogans such as 'Disband the police force without delay.' At around 1:40 pm, Protesters marched around the second and third floors of the Landmark. 4-5 plainclothes police were on the scene monitoring and there has been no conflict between the two sides. Central . Hong Kong | 2020 5 Mar 2020  Sunset at North Lantao A hiker at Tung O Ancient Trail as the sun sets in north Lantao. Hiking is increasingly popular with the population eager to escape the crowded urban area as the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic rages. Lantao . Hong Kong | 2020 4 Mar 2020  Red-whiskered Bulbul Feeding on Kapok The Red-whiskered Bulbul is a medium-size songbird with a pointed black crest and white cheeks. Kapok is a tropical cotton tree found in southern China. Its cotton fibre is used to make clothes and its bright red flowers to make herbal tea. Tsimshatsui . Hong Kong | 2020 3 Mar 2020  Five Major Controversies of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Kate from New Zealand hikes near Tai O, viewing the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge from afar. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is an important transportation infrastructure connecting mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. The official line indicates that the bridge can greatly reduce the travel time between Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau, forming a 'one-hour living circle'. However, since the construction of the 100-billion-dollar bridge began in 2009, its controversies continued: budget overruns, delays, accidents were frequent, 18 workers were killed during the project, and the Chinese pink dolphin never returned... The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge was opened on 23 October 2018, and the project has 5 major controversies. (1) Bridge costs over $100 billion with serious budget overruns: According to official data in 2009, the total investment of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge was originally estimated to be RMB 72.6 billion, and the main bridge construction was over RMB 37 billion. Mainland to contribute RMB 7 billion; Hong Kong contributed 6.75 billion; Macau contributed 1.98 billion, and the rest will be settled through loans. The actual expenditure in Hong Kong alone is more than HK$120 billion. If Hong Kong's population is about 7.4 million people, each person pays HK$16,000 for the bridge project. With the Hong Kong section of the high-speed railway costing RMB 84.4 billion, both projects are known as the 'white elephant projects'. (2) The actual benefit is in doubt: The bridge has opened to traffic for over a year but the traffic flow continued to be sluggish. Until 30 September 2019, the average daily traffic flow was about 3,981 vehicles, which was only 43% of the forecast. Based on traffic flow, the estimated annual revenue is about RMB 280 million, which is only 13% of the total annual operating cost of about RMB 2.2 billion. There is serious deficit after the first year of bridge operation and cost recovery is unforeseeable. (3) Occupational accidents: At least 18 people were killed, 9 of them died in the Hong Kong section or port-related projects, and hundreds of people were injured. (4) Suspicious construction quality: There were endless scandals during this national infrastructure project. Only one year after it was opened, abnormal settlement was found. The Highways Department confirmed that the latest settlement data of the Hong Kong Port Police Accident Control Tower was 91 millimeters, which is five times more than the 15 millimeter settlement of the adjacent fire drill tower. (5) Environmental concerns: The biggest impact of the Bridge on the environment is the pollution of the ocean, which threatens the endangered Chinese white dolphin. According to figures from the WWF Hong Kong Chapter, there were about 148 Chinese white dolphins detected in Hong Kong waters 10 years ago, but only 47 were recorded in recent years. Engineer Albert Lai commented: 'This is politics overriding professionalism,' and Hong Kong people had to live with the aftermath. Lantao Island . Hong Kong | 2020 2 Mar 2020  Inside Penang Floating Mosque The Floating Mosque in Tanjung Bungah, Penang is a majestic structure with Moorish design and seven-storey-high towering minarets. V wears a robe provided to cover herself as per the rules. The mosque has separate worship area for men and women. It is the first mosque in Malaysia to be built on the sea, with pillars and stilts supporting its structure. It can accommodate 1500 worshippers during prayers. Penang . Malaysia | 2020 1 Mar 2020 Archive: Feb Jan 2020 Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan 2019 Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan 2018 Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan 2017 Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan 2016 Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan 2015 Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb 2014 |
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