"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. . . Explore. Dream. Discover." "Tomorrow is too late..."
The Orang Asli are the minority indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. They are about 120,000 and distributed unevenly among 19 different linguistic groups. They represent the most marginalized of Malaysian society today. But the Orang Asli were not always the underclass during early modern Malayan history, some Orang Asli groups, especially in Melaka, Johor, and Negri Sembilan, were instrumental in helping to establish and maintain early Malay kingdoms. We spent 3 days trek through the ancient rainforests of Taman Negara. On the last day, we came across the Orang Asli community and we meet the chef of the village. Orang means 'man' in its generic sense – hence 'orang-utan', or 'man of the jungle' – and the Orang Asli are the original inhabitants of the jungle. Evidence of their existence was our boat trip from Kuala Tembleling. We had the chance to see them in the water, having bath with the children or just fishing. We arrive to the village also by boat, and we start see a number of temporary shelters dotted around the place done by woven-leaf. My curiosity implies me to go to these places, but hanging around this simply village, I felt the strange sensation that I was being watched, and I really don’t belong to that place. Our guide assured us that they were used to receive people, and there was no reason to feel as an intruder. Strangely we were received by a group of children’s, simply playing around like other children no matter where in the word. I suddenly left behind my silly feeling of stupid tourist with all the photo gear and self-conscious modern man, and I let myself go by all this modest way of living. They reveal to be great hosts and expressed the same curiosity about me, and my camera, that I express for them and theirs hunting tools. Among all the great photos I took in that day, I chose this home to display for the beauty and simplicity.
Ios island in Greece is a famous tourist destination, attracting visitors with its golden beaches and the characteristic Aegean architecture. Ios is well known as the party island with the lively atmosphere and the endless fun. But it isn’t just about parties. Ios means also nice small villages, and astonish beaches. Four of the most beautiful beaches in the Aegean, each one lying next to the other, wait for the visitor to enjoy their peaceful nature in Ios. Don’t miss Chora, the mane village. Exploring Chora means, first of all, walking. Choose a cool morning, wear your most comfortable shoes and get ready to set off. One hour is enough for the ones who just want to have a look at this whitewashed village, perched on the slope of the hill between the port and Mylopotas. The more demanding ones will need the whole morning to discover the hidden beauty of Chora. That's because Chora was built up for the sun and it's the sun that reveals the village to the visitor or hides it from him. To go up to Chora, just follow the wide stone steps of the old ascending road that comes from the port. On your way, right before entering the village, you will come across a part of the walls that once surrounded the ancient town. On your way you will find the modern Orthodox Cathedral of the island, named Evangelismos (Annuciation) and, nearby, a church dedicated to St. Ekaterini, where in 1903 an excavation unearthed the remnants of Byzantine foundations and the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to Apollo. Above these ruins the Christians built the Byzantine Cathedral. The views are just great from here.
Tourists mill around the Gate; Postsdamer Platz, Berlin's thriving pre-war heartland which spent four decades stranded in no-man's land, is now home to a collection of gleaming new office blocks; the east's long-neglected Friedrichstrasse is lined with upmarket boutiques; and former West Germans have colonised newly trendy eastern districts.
Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and while many journalists, travel writers and observers claim that Portugal is one of the best places to live in Europe. For those who live and work in Lisbon would like to suggest that the capital city also stands out alone as a unique location in which to live in Portugal. The pace of life in rural Portugal and in the summer holiday resorts that many of us know and love can be considered relatively laid back – but Lisbon is quite different - It is a vibrant city, the pace of life can be quite fast as the professional classes who call Lisbon home have busy and full lives, and as a result there is always plenty to do, see and experience in Portugal’s capital city. The lovely capital city Lisbon has fascinating winding streets, beautiful historic monuments and architecture and great nightlife. That Portugal has great beaches, everybody knows. But it also has some of the best surfing spots of Europe – from wild beaches for the experienced to calmer beaches great for beginners, and more, you can combine that all year round with your busy city live just off the coast of Lisbon. Half an hour from the city center you have the Praia Grande near Sintra, particularly popular with body boarders, and other top destinations for both sports including the spectacular Praia do Guincho, the novice friendly Costa de Caparica, where this photo was taken, and, for the experts, Santo Amaro. Carcavelos in particular is a great place to meet local of all ages who surf away those school or work day stresses! Where in the world you can combine your work day with a surfing lunch break in October, in a nice sunny day?
Last week I was privileged to be able to see one of the best flamenco shows in Madrid at the Corral de la Morería restaurant "tablao". I saw the show whilst enjoying some marvelous Spanish food. The Corral de la Morería was inaugurated on 25th May 1957, making it the oldest flamenco show restaurant in Madrid. Its owner, Manuel del Rey, wanted to offer the best for his customers from the very beginning, hiring the best chefs and the most distinguished artists, such as Blanca del Rey, Antonio Gades, Lucero Tena, Pastora Imperio, Mario Maya or "el Güito". In all aspects, the restaurant strives to offer an exquisite service to the customer, and this is what makes El Corral de la Morería one of the best "tablao flamenco" restaurants in Spain, and definitely the best I ever see. The restaurant is located in a privileged spot in the heart of Madrid, in the old part of the city, next to the Royal Palace. The address is Calle Moreria, 17, 28005 in Madrid. The place is a cattle car when it comes to packing people in. Every single nook and cranny is jammed with a table. Nevertheless, I must say that the show was amazing. The costumes, intensity, and electricity of the dancers could be felt throughout the place. I realize while there that this restaurant is mentioned at the book “thing that you must do before you die”. I’m glad I did it. Would we do it again? YES.
The Ibn Tulun Mosque is a huge and historic mosque in Cairo built by Ahmad Ibn Tulun. The oldest mosque in Egypt and one of the largest in the world, it is also famed for its lovely architecture and unique minaret. The minaret, the only one of its kind in Egypt, is modeled after the minarets of Samarra, with a spiral staircase around the outside. Andalusian influence can also be seen in the horseshoe arches of the minaret windows and elsewhere - this was brought to Egypt by Muslim refugees who were driven out of Spain by the Reconquista (1212-60). The Mosque is a great place to see, but the views from Cairo City are even more surprising.
