Friday, October 23, 2009

Viet Cong

  1. The Vietnamese film industry has been honoured at film festival and award ceremonies around the world. The prizes attained include the Golden Lion for best film awarded by the Venice International Film to Anh Hung Tran´s Cyclo (1995) ; the Jury Prize awarded by the Sundance Film Festival to Tony Bui´s Three Seasons (1999); and the Grand Jury Prize awarded by the Pusan International Film Festival to Luu Hynh´s The White Silk Dress Press (1999).

2. More than 20 million people in Vietnam ride a bicycle.
Photo: Vietnam
Two-wheeled traffic still takes priority in Hanoi, where cyclists glide past an architectural legacy of French colonialism.
Photograph by Justin Guariglia
3. Vietnam is about 8 times the size of Switzerland.

Images of graceful girls in national charming long dress impressed you? Vietnam not only has ao dai but also other dresses you ever want to find out like ao yem, ao tu than and more.




5. Vietnamese Literature

Parallel and deeply interacting with other cultural aspects, the Vietnamese literature came into being at an early date, including two major components - oral literature and written literature.


Land of Smiles and Royal White Elephants...=)

  • Thailand, in Southeast Asia, is dominated by the Chao Phraya River basin, which contains Bangkok—the capital and largest city, with some 9.7 million people.

  • Land boundaries:
    total: 4,863 km
    border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km

Photo: Thailand
Distinctive rock formations hide many a cave and cove along the beautiful Thai coast near Phuket.
Photograph by Jodi Cobb

Thailand Information and History

Thailand, in Southeast Asia, is dominated by the Chao Phraya River basin, which contains Bangkok—the capital and largest city, with some 9.7 million people.


  • Thailand is bigger than the United Kingdom, Iceland, Belgium and Austria combined.
  • Her Majesty the Queen Sirikit was one of the most beautiful women in the 20th century.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Khmer...(Cambodia's Facts)

Map: Cambodia

Cambodia Flag and Fast Facts
Flag of Cambodia
Population
13,329,000
Capital
Phnom Penh; 1,157,000
Area
181,035 square kilometers
(69,898 square miles)
Language
Khmer, French, English
Religion
Theravada Buddhist







Currency
riel
Life Expectancy
56
GDP per Capita
U.S. $1,600
Literacy Percent
70

Photo: Cambodia
Two Buddhist monks relax in the ruins of Bayon Temple. The site is just one of many wonders at Angkor—ancient capital of the Khmer Empire.
Photograph by W.E. Garrett

  • Khmers have called their country Kampuchea (usually rendered Kambuja), since the l6th century. The name is derived from the word kambu-ja, meaning those born of Kambu (a figure of Indian mythology), which was first used to refer to the people of Cambodia in the 10th century. The Portuguese Cambodia and French Cambodge from which the English name Cambodia is derived, are adaptations of " Kampuja".

  • History of Cambodia:

Human settlement in Cambodia dates back at least 7,000 years, and probably much farther.


  • FOOD

Cambodian food is closely related to the cuisines of neighbouring Thailand and Laos, and to a lesser extent, Vietnam, but there are some distinct local dishes. In the growing number of restaurants in Phnom Penh and Siemreap, you will find excellent Chinese and Vietnamese dishes but it is the local dishes which are often the best prepared and most interesting. Rice is the principal staple and and Battanbang Region is the country's rice bowl. Most Cambodian dishes are cooked in a wok known locally as a chnang khteak.
Khmer Sour Soup
  • 35% of Cambodians live under the poverty line.
  • The Tonle Sap River, which flows from Tonle Sap (Great Lake), reverses its direction twice a year. In the dry season the Tonle Sap River flows into the Mekong River and during the rainy season the floodwaters of the Mekong flow back into the Tonle Sap.See full size image

  • Cambodia's first bridge across the Mekong River opened in 2001 linking the east and west of the country.

  • Angkor Wat, known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, was built by King Suryavarman II (1131 to 1150). The city of Angkor Thom and the Bayon (temple) were built by King Jayavarman VII (1181 to 1220).

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Malaysia, Truly Asia

1. Lembah Bujang in the foothills of Gunung Jerai is believed to be the location of an old Malay Langkasuka Empire, holding ruins that may date back 1,500 years.
LEMBAH Bujang in the foothills of Gunung Jerai is believed to be the location of an old Malay Langkasuka empire, holding ruins that may date back 1,500 years.

2. Tun is the most senior federal title and there can be no more than 25 living recipients at a time.

3. The largest cave chamber in the world is Sarawak Chamber in Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, which can easily accomodate a Boeing 747-200.
6. THE largest cave chamber in the world is the Sarawak Chamber in Gunung Mulu National Part in Sarawak, which can easily accommodate a Boeing 747-200

4. CINEMA came to Malaya in 1933 with the screening of Laila Majnum, based on a Sanskrit play of two ill-fated loves, directed by B.S. Rajhans and produced by the Singapore-bsed Motilal Chemical Company.
CINEMA came to Malaya in 1933 with the screening of Laila Majnum, based on a Sanskrit play of two ill-fated loves, directed by B.S. Rajhans and produced by the Singapore-bsed Motilal Chemical Company.

5. BURSA Malaysia, formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, dates back to 1930 when the Singapore Stockbroker's Accociation was set up to deal in securities in Malaya.
BURSA Malaysia, formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, dates back to 1930 when the Singapore Stockbroker's Accociation was set up to deal in securities in Malaya.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Facts about Indonesia

Interesting facts Indonesia
map Indonesia

Indonesia is home to 35cm miniature deer, fish that climb trees to catch insects and spiders that catch and devour small birds in giant webs.
Miniature deer


Ape-man...Java is one of the earliest places in the world where ape-man lived. The skull of an ape-man who lived at a time when most of Europe was under ice was discovered here.


Population...Indonesia has the fifth largest population in the world(+-180million) which equals the combined population of all other South East Asian countries.

Indonesia An ethnological goldmine...the variety of ethnic groups is unparalled anywhere else in the world(316 ethnic groups).

Indonesia Volcanoes...Indonesia sprawls through a part of the western pacific known as the "Ring of Fire". With over 400 active volcanoes, there are over 3 earthquakes per day.
Gunung Merapi

Size...Indonesia has a total of 5million km2. One million more than the USA, although only 2 million km2 are land.

Indonesia Islands...Three of the ten largest islands in the world are found here.
Climate...Wet season is Nov - March and hot season May to October.