Today is my birthday, the big 2-8. For a little fun, I looked up different ways birthdays are celebrated around the world and wanted to include some of the things I found.
Children are not given homework or chores on their birthdays in Germany. On a child's birthday the house is decorated, the dining table or kitchen has a special wooden birthday wreath placed in it. The wreath contains small holes for candles and a holder in the center for the lifecandle. This a taller candle and is beautifully decorated. This candle is lit each year of a child's birthday until they reach the age of twelve. Germany is the first country to offically celebrate birthdays with a party.
In Holland, it is customary to decorate the chair at the dining table of the birthday boy/girl. Special birthdays (milestones as well as 5, 10, 15, 20 etc.) are called Crown Birthdays and bigger/better presents are given to honor the crown birthday. A birthday "party" is normally celebrated between 8 and 9 pm and coffee and drinks are served.
Hong Kong serves special noodles for lunch on a child's birthday. The noodles are extra long to symbolize a long life. This is also true in the Philippines, who also include balloons and pinatas. Blinking, colored lights are strung up outside the home of the person celebrating his/her birthday.
Picking someone up and flipping them upside down and bumping his head on the floor (the number of years = number of bumps) is done on a birthday in Ireland. On the 21st birthday, the celebrant is given his own set of keys to the house. This means the person is considered of age and may come and go as they please at any time.
Egyptian birthday parties have two cakes, sesame sticks and lots of fruit to symbolize life. Birthday parties are even held for one week old newborns with plenty of dancing and flowers.
In Ecuador a child may only receive a phone call or a card on their actual birthday as they celebrate their birthday on the day of the saint they are named after. Saints day parties are usually an afternoon tea party. The children are served raisin cake, fancy tea cookies, and hot chocolate. Like many spanish-influenced countries, the fifteenth birthday is especially important for a girl.
In honor of my wedding anniversary today, I did a little research into a different type of marriage.
The "arranged marriage", a western term meaning a marriage that is chosen by the two sets of parents. Contrary to some people's beliefs, arranged marriages aren't always a blind date at the altar. This does still happen in some cases, although it is the exception rather than the rule. Instead, as early as from birth, the parental pairs decide that their children will one day be joined in marriage and the intended couple meets each other several times before their wedding. Some cultures use a third party, usually an elderly women much respected for her wisdom, to make these love matches. In these cases, the couple usually doesn't officially meet until their wedding day-although they may be able to sneak glimpses.
Today, this type of marriage is practiced in Southeast Asia and parts of the Middle East. Globalization has played a part in helping Pakistani immigrants arrange marriages by using matchmaking websites to meet prospective spouses.
So how do parents, matchmakers and sometimes the children themselves (although parents have full veto power) choose a prospective spouse? Some of these factors in some order of priority may be taken into account for the purpose of matchmaking:
*Reputation of the family
*Vocation: For a groom, the profession of doctor, accountant, lawyer or engineer are traditionally valued as excellent spouse material. More recently, any profession commanding relatively high income is also given preference. Vocation is less important for a bride[citation needed] but it is not uncommon for two people of the same vocation to be matched. Some preferred vocations for a bride include the profession of teacher, doctor, or lawyer.
*Wealth: Families holding substantial assets may prefer to marry to another wealthy family.
*Religion: The religious and spiritual beliefs can play a large role in finding a suitable spouse.
*Pre-existing medical conditions
*Horoscope: Numerology and the positions of stars at birth is often used in Indian culture to predict the success of a particular match. This is sometimes expressed as a percentage, for example, a 70% match. Horoscope becomes a determining factor if one of the partners is Mângalik (lit., negatively influenced by Mars).
*Psychological compatibility (this factor became especially popular in the post-Soviet Russia and Ukraine, see e.g. Socionics)
*Diet: Vegetarianism or omnivore
*Height: Typically the groom should be taller than the bride.
*Age: Typically the groom should be older than the bride.
*Other factors: City of residence, education level, etc.
*Language: Language also is deemed to be an important criteria. The groom and the bride should have the same First language.
What's interesting to me is that these are the same factors that "normal" people use when they are seriously dating in hopes to find a spouse. Dating websites especially break it down in similar clinical categories because these factors are important in finding a compatible spouse.
So signing up for match.com is like hiring an elderly matchmaker to sort through the unacceptable and select you a suitable mate? It's actually pretty close, much closer than I had previously imagined.
This is a commercial that makes light of arranged marriages.
"The heavens may turn about the world as they will. They will find no city like Istanbul." - Nabi, seventeenth century Turkish poet.
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, and in the top 25 largest urban areas in the world. It is the only city in the world that extends onto two different continents, both Europe and Asia. Some people call it "The Bridge between Europe and Asia."
Because of it's unique location, the city has amazing influences from both continents. The European Union even named it "The European Capital of Culture" for 2010. Today Istanbul counts more than 20 theatres, an opera, museums, numerous cinemas in which you can watch original movies with subtitles, and various bars and clubs. The traditional “Istanbul Summer” offers a lot of international film, theatre, music and jazz performances.
Part command centre for a massive military empire, part archetypal Eastern pleasure dome, the lavishly decorated Topkapı Palace was the seat of Ottoman power for over three centuries. At least half a day is needed to explore it; and given the high entrance fee you might want to take a full day to get your money’s worth. If you’re pushed for time, the must-see features are the Harem, Imperial Treasury and the views from the innermost courtyard.
2. Explore Byzantine wonders
Though off the beaten track, it would be a big mistake to overlook the Church of St Saviour in Chora. Known for its Byzantine splendour, it houses celebrated mosaics and frescoes that are arguably the most important surviving examples of art from that era. Ironically, this Christian art owes its excellent condition to the church’s conversion to Islam in the early 16th century.
3. Haggle for carpets at the Grand Bazaar
Serious shoppers should go armed with a notepad, a calculator and plenty of time when visiting the Grand Bazaar – three hours is about the minimum needed for a purchasing expedition. Choose your vendor from over 5,500 and prepare for an onslaught of courting and cajolements. Yörük is a highly recommended little carpet store while Pako (at No.87) stocks the city’s best handbags and purses. For coats and jackets, Kürkçüler Çarşisi is the area of choice. While beating down the price remember that the vendors pay their rent in gold – a hefty seven kilos a year for shops on the main avenue.
4. Ferry around the Bosphorus
A truly relaxing way of getting across one of the world’s busiest waterways is to take one of the half-hourly commuter ferry services up the Bosphorus from Eminönü. Alight ashore at Beşiktaş, Ortaköy and Bebek along the way to take in the lush parks, palaces and yalıs (waterside mansions).
5. Hang out under the bridge
It may not sound like an ideal way to spend an hour of your precious sightseeing time, but hanging out under the Galata Bridge is highly recommended. The bridge itself forms the vital link between the two sides of European Istanbul, while its lower deck – directly under the walkway – is home to restaurants, bars and tea-houses with ringside waterfront seating for boat watching and cheap beers.
6. Wonder at past glories
The third sacred building on the site to bear the name, the truly breathtaking Haghia Sophia was first a Byzantine church, then Ottoman mosque and now a Turkish museum. Today the mosaic walls and vaulted chambers merely hint at its former glory; the building is pretty shabby when compared with neighbouring mosques, but its historical relevance shines through.
7. Go loco for lokum
Don’t avoid Egyptian Bazaar because of its pushy traders hustling their oily perfumes, cheap gold and sachets of ‘Turkish Viagra’ or you'll miss out on its finer treats. Instead, make a beeline for Erzincanlılar (shop No.2), one of the finest delis in the world, known for its delicious honeycomb and hard Turkish cheese. Move on to Pinar (No.14) for excellent lokum (Turkish delight) and Antep Pazarı (No.50) for pistachios, nuts, honey-covered mulberries and dried figs stuffed with walnuts.
8. Walk the city walls
Constructed during the reign of Theodosius II (408-450), the walls of Constantinople are the largest Byzantine structure that survives in modern Istanbul. The walls encompass the old city in a great arc, stretching some 6.5 kilometers (four miles) from the Golden Horn to the Sea of Marmara. A triumph of engineering, the walls comprise inner and outer ramparts with a terrace in between. Although criticised by scholars for having been rebuilt with modern materials in recent years, the restored sections are undeniably impressive.
9. Get a bird's eye view
Originally named the Tower of Christ, the Galata Tower was built in 1348 at the apex of fortified walls. After the Ottoman conquest, it was used to house prisoners of war and later became an observatory. In the 1960s, the tower was restored and a horrible cheesy restaurant and nightclub were added. Ignore both and ascend to the 360-degree viewing gallery, with commanding views of the entire sprawling metropolis
10. Tuck into Ottoman cuisine
Authentic Turkish food is a far cry from the greasy kebabs that are peddled abroad; prepare your palate for a heady mix of culinary influences. Asitane is a one-of-a-kind restaurant serving truly authentic Ottoman food. Expect lots of sweet and sour fruit and meat combos: try Kavun dolmasi, a melon stuffed with minced meat, rice, almonds and pistachios. Over at Rumeli, traditional dishes have been given a distinctly Mediterranean twist. Also try these: Hacı Abdullah, Sarniç, and Zarifi.
11. Go modern Turkish style
Housed in a former customs warehouse on the waterfront in Karaköy, the two-storey Istanbul Modern has a whopping 8,000 square metres of exhibition space. A shattered glass staircase hung from steel chains and an installation of books suspended over the library are two of the most popular exhibits amongst the cutting-edge, primarliy Turkish, art on display. The museum’s restaurant has proved a big hit in its own right with its stunning views across the Bosphorus to the minarets of Sultanahmet and out to the Marmara Sea
12. Be sultan for an hour or two
The Dolmabahçe Palace's white marble façade is striking when viewed from the water – but it’s trumped by the interior, the work of French decorator Sechan, who worked on the Paris Opera. Highlights include the 36-metre-high throne room with its four-tonne crystal chandelier (a gift from Queen Victoria), the alabaster baths and a 'crystal staircase' that wouldn't look out of place in Las Vegas. This historical building gives opulence a whole new meaning.
13. Make music in the meyhane
The British down pints in pubs, the French guzzle wine in brasseries, and the Greeks smash plates in tavernas. The Turks? They make merry in the meyhane, the age-old Istanbul version of a tapas bar, a place to indulge in meze, drink raki and sway to some fasıl folk music. Many joints work on waiter’s recommendations instead of menus and the city’s most famous meyhane district is the Çiçek Pasajı (Flower Passage), an elegant 19th century arcade located just off Istiklal Caddesi. We recommend Boncuk, which specialises in Armenian dishes and features live fasil music.
14. Take partying to new heights
The best way to see Istanbul is from above, as Istanbul’s nightlife impresarios have discovered – a revelation that has revolutionised dining and drinking in recent years. Rooftop bars and restaurants are springing up everywhere, desperately trying to outdo each other with the most sweeping skyline and exotic cocktail list. Beşinci Kat is a heady mix of art deco and kitsch while Leb-i-Derya Richmond is bright and airy with excellent food.
15. Get bubbly with the hubbly
Call it hookah or ‘hubbly-bubbly’, Turks have been smoking the narghile since the early 17th century. While all the rage in 19th and early 20th century high society, narghile smoking was relegated to a pastime of the peasantry in republican Istanbul. It’s made a 21st century comeback and the pedestrian strip by the American Pazari is lined with narghile cafes. The Enjoyer Café is the most touristy while Erenler Çay Bahçesi is more student-friendly. Try one even if you’re not a smoker, and if feeling truly intrepid go the whole hog and opt for a traditional Turkish coffee. Boiled in a miniature copper beaker and served in porcelain cups, it packs the kick of a double espresso.
16. Blow off some steam in a hamam
Paying a near-naked stranger to scrape, knead and pummel your flesh as you lie on a steamy slab of marble is one of Istanbul’s hedonistic highlights. Hamams were always intended to purify and are strongly linked to the Islamic tradition of ablutions – the strict set of rules for washing the hands, arms, face and feet with running water before praying. Stick to the tourist-savvy Çemberlitaş Hamamı, Cağaloğlu Hamamı and Galatasaray Hamamı, where although the menus are offered in Turkish it's always possible to explain yourself through frantic gesticulation.
17. Take a spin with the Whirling Dervishes
Sufi music is one of Turkey's best-known cultural exports but the Whirling Dervishes sect is technically outlawed and therefore rarely seen in the city. At the Galata Mevlevihanesi, the dervishes perform twice a month exclusively for tourists and thrice a week they can be caught in a bustling waiting room at Sirkeci train station.
18. Bling it up Bosphorus style
Turks have a highly evolved sense of nightlife and if you like your clubbing scene flashy, you’ll love the venues along the Bosphorus between Ortaköy and Kuruçeşme. Reina and Sortie are the superclubs of choice for the summer months, filled with, gaudy bling, swaggering playboys, C-list celebrities and anorexic gold-diggers. Anjelique is perhaps the most tasteful of the lot, while Blackk is the upmarket newcomer.
19. Bop to Turkish pop
Those fond of pouting Turkish pop idol Tarkan, will be pleased to know that he has inspired a new generation of musicians who fuse Western pop with traditional folk. Music venues are multiplying to accommodate them, and if their record labels have anything to do with it, global recognition is just around the corner. To find out about gigs, wander into the cafés and bookstores around Istiklal Caddesi and peruse the flyers.
20. Escape to the Princes’ Islands
Set in the Marmara Sea off Istanbul's Asian Shore, the Princes' Islands are where Istanbul’s mainly non-Muslim elite built their summerhouses and pleasure palaces. Today, they are one of the last places to offer a glimpse of the old ethnic mix of Istanbul in all its splendour: Greeks, Armenians and Jews still rub shoulders with Turks in the local squares, and churches are more numerous than mosques.
A lazy weekend watching numerous episodes of House Hunters International on HGTV highlighted an important issue that I hadn't really thought about until now. The lucky hunters were searching for a home in Melbourne, Australia- which at one time was the second largest city in the British Empire and the richest city in the world following a gold rush in the 1880's. A view of modern day Melbourne, which has been in a drought since 1997 is shown below:
With freshwater very limited, Australians have had to turn to rainwater collection systems. While obviously they do have systems in place to filter and purify water it is very expensive and not ideal for many families already feeling the pinch from a high cost of living. In June 2007, the Bracks Government announced that a $3.1 billion Wonthaggi desalination plant would be built on Victoria's south-east coast, capable of treating 150 billion litres of water per year as well as a 70 km (43 mi) pipeline from the Goulburn area in Victoria's north to Melbourne and a new water pipeline linking Melbourne and Geelong. Both projects are being conducted under controversial Public-Private Partnerships and a multitude of independent reports have found that neither project is required to supply water to the city.
Rainwater tanks hold potable water that can be used for cooking, cleaning, plumbing and drinking. The installation and initial costs to implement such a system are steep, but a far wiser investment as opposed to the other option of paying the high price for water from the private companies filtering the salt water on the coast.
So how much rain are these tanks able to collect? For every 1,000 square feet of roofing, 1 inch of rain is equal to 623 gallons of water. I'm just guessing here, but I'm pretty sure these Aussies turn the water off while they are brushing their teeth!
Here is a video showcasing one brand of water tank available (try to ignore the dramatic song playing throughout the video):
If there was any way to experience dog sledding in the Yukon without actually being out in below freezing temperatures, I promise I would be first in line. Ever since reading "The Call of the Wild" in middle school, I have always had an interest in all things related to dog sledding. All things except snow of course. My grandparents also had a few siberian huskies, so that is the particular breed of dog I would have on my sledding team.
A popular place for dog sledding is the smallest territory of Canada, the Yukon. The Klondike Gold Rush brought many people to the area in 1897-1898, although the population today is still a mere 33,000 people in entire territory. In the northern part of the Yukon, above the Artic circle, there is three continuous months of daylight as well as three solid months of darkness. The Yukon Quest is a famous sledding race that runs over a thousand miles between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, the capital city of the Yukon territories.
Dog sledding isn't just for professionals. There are many packages and tours available where average people can embark on a sledding excursion. Whether you want a “Yukon Quest” style of expedition with winter camping, or return to cozy log cabins every evening after your dogsledding fun, our experienced Yukon adventure experts can help you find it. All you need is an abiding love for dogs, a willingness to learn a few new tricks, and an irresistible attraction to the Yukon's mythical winter.
So I thought I would follow up a blog about The Bermuda Triangle with a blog about the lost city of Atlantis, since there are many people who believe that Atlantis lies within that mysterious section of ocean. Atlantis was an island introduced in Plato's Timaeus and Critias. A powerful naval station, it allegedly sank into the ocean in about 9600 B.C. after failing to invade Athens. Atlantis was not taken seriously, until recently. Some modern people believe that Atlantis did exist and search relentlessly for clues as to just where the island disappeared into the ocean. Below is a video, showing a mysterious grid on the ocean floor near the Canary Island, proposed to be city streets of Atlantis. This was found using Google Earth.
I'm open to the idea of discovering lots of amazing civilizations that were mysteriously erased from history- but the year 9600 B.C. occurred so far in the past that what would make anyone believe there would be any traces left on the ocean floor?
Some people are more sure of the existence of Atlantis than scientists who have written it off as a silly legend, a man named Arysio Santos claims the reason people can't find it is they aren't looking in the correct place. He has also located the garden of Eden, the true location of Troy and even the Holy Land according to his book. If you have the tolerance to read subtitles, the following video showcases some interesting points.
I'm thinking of reading his book, because I definitely need to know more about where I can find these places. Santos died shortly after the release of his book, possibly silenced by aliens who feared he was revealing too much.
The Bermuda Triangle has been debated over and hypothesized about since the time of Christopher Columbus. Even in the 1400's, strange lights were reported in the area that we now call the Bermuda Triangle. Skeptics scoff at the existence of this phenomenal area citing reasons such as the fact that it is in an area known for hurricanes and other weather patterns for the disappearences dating back centuries. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are many people who would like to believe it is an alien influence; a "collection" area for extra-terrestrial life to catch their "guinea pigs" and take them off for further experimentation.
A more logical approach is taken by scientists, using the natural features of the triangle to find possible solutions to put the mystery to rest.
Exploring one of many theories about the Bermuda Triangle area, this video shows an experiment involving gas bubbles used to sink a boat. Methane gas bubbles are released from the ocean bed, rising to the surface and collecting in pockets where the water is calm. As the video shows, an unlucky vessel sailing into one of these bubble areas could soon find itself at the bottom of the ocean.
Could this be an explanation for missing ships in the Bermuda Triangle? Absolutely. Could these methane bubbles pull a plane from the sky? Or did someone forget to push the button down in the hatch?
Over the summer, I had the pleasure of reading another great novel by Lisa See called "Peony in Love." The book featured a protagonist obsessed with the famous Chinese opera, "Peony Pavillion." Without going into too much detail about the book or the opera itself, I will give a brief overview of the storyline. Often called the "Romeo and Juliet" of Chinese literature, the story features two star-crossed lovers who are not able to be together due to interference by parents and other problems. The lovesick girl starves herself to death because she cannot be with her true love.
From culture to culture, "Romeo and Juliet" tales have remained some of the most popular stories, told time and time again. The romanticism of preferring death over a life without your true love is a notion that many people hold close to their heart- most people long to feel THAT strongly about another person. From Pyramus and Thisbe to Salim and Anarkali to Tristan and Isolde, tragic love has been a central theme in literature and music for hundreds of years.
The opera is arguably the best known of its genre, most often performed over the course of three evenings for three hours each day. The elaborate costumes come from the Ming dynasty, with long flowing sleeves and feathered headdresses. The most interesting part about Chinese opera is the use of almost all females to play both male and female roles. Taking their opera very seriously, females were entrusted by society to portray these important characters. At the same time, other Chinese women were not even allowed out of their homes and compounds until they day they were married- only then to be confined in the home of their new husband.
Although it is not often that someone would be able to watch a Chinese Opera outside of China, there have been a few productions in New York and London in the last few years. The government of China must approve all components of the Chinese troupe performing so as not to embarrass China with inappropriate adaptations of the story.
Although, China is of course not the only country known for having wonderful operas; I find the costumes, music and dancing the most intriguing from this culture. Although a video is clearly not the same as the live production, I have had to make due with a recording until I someday get a chance to attend a performance. I recommend the opera or book to anyone, regardless of your own culture who believes in the existence of true love.
Since today is Labor Day, I thought it fitting to pay tribute to some laborers of the past. Twelve hundred years ago, a group of polynesian people who called themselves the Rapa Nui came in canoes to the island now known as Easter Island. Thus called because it was "discovered" on Easter Sunday, the island is located between Tahiti and Chile in the South Pacific. For reasons that are still being speculated about, the Rapa Nui began constucting giant statues constucted out of the volcanic rock on the island. Because this substance was soft and easily carved the statues multiplied and huge sections of the island were cleared as they labored to create more and more statues. The statues, called Moais, became something of an obsession and as the population on the island grew to an estimated 9,000, the natural resources on the island were dwindling. This was due to the clearing of land to make room for the Moais and to make paths for their transportation to other places on the island. It was also just a simple matter of too many people on a small island.
The movement of the Moais to their final resting places was sometimes as much as a fourteen mile trip. Speculation about just how this was done continues to this day, with some people even suggesting an extra terrestrial influence. Regardless of how it was completed, the fact that it was accomplished at all is amazing. The Rapa Nui reached their peak with an approximate 1,000 Moais dotting the coastline until their obsession turned on them and the collapse of their people began. With no trees left on the island, they ran out of resources and didn't even have any lumber to make boats to move on from the island they had destroyed by fixating on their creations. The Rapa Nui turned on each other, battling and destroying the homes they had created and smashing out the eyes of many Moais. Pictographs found in a cave in the south corner of the island called Ana Kai Tangata (translated to mean "cave where men are eaten") show ghost-like bird flying up into the sky, believed to be these souls escaping from the island only by death. Three hundred years after they had arrived, the 750 Rapa Nui remaining were left to pick up the pieces.
There is more to the story of Easter Island, but this marks the end of the statue laborers and therefore the end of this particular blog. For more information on what happened to the remaining people on the island, check out the links below.
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and consequential vanishing of the nearby town of Pompeii is something that has always fascinated me, since seeing a documentary for it somewhere around the age of twelve. It's a little unsettling to think how suddenly an act of nature can just change your entire world, in this case ending it completely. Did they realize what was happening to them as they were buried alive by debris from the volcano? Maybe they did, or maybe there was no time- many of them were probably killed rather instantly. The ones trapped in their homes that died of inhalation and suffocation are the ones that bother me- much like natural disasters still befalling the Earth today. To just be unable to escape a private hell and know that these are your last moments is very much a fear of mine.
The technology we possess today can comfort people that an eruption of this type would not escape the watching eyes of volcanologists. At least, I hope that is true.
Pompeii is definitely a place I wish to see before I myself am covered in molten ash. The discovery in the late 1600's gave archaelogists revealing information about how everyday life was conducted in ancient Roman times. As tragic as the destruction of the inhabitants of Pompeii truly was, seeing time stand still in the preserved ruins is truly a gift from Vesuvius.
