Stories about Travel from August, 2008
Appeal of Singapore-based Burmese patriots
Jacob's Weblog uploads a petition letter by supporters of the six Burmese activists who were denied of visa extension by Singapore's immigration authorities.
Rotaractors’ views on Indonesia
Rotaract Club Semanggi Jakarta has created a blog to gather the perception of other Rotaractors all over the world about Indonesia.
Slovakia: Top 10 Castles
The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia posts a list of “the top 10 castles and ruins in Slovakia” (with maps and pictures).
Poland: “Polish Enigma”
MHahn of the Women's International Perspective (WIP) writes on WIP Talk Blog about “the trials and tribulations of life in a transitioning country” – Poland: “It is full of inconsistencies, bureaucratic mazes, masked faces, false hopes, and intense pride, but also an enchanting aura wafting through the crevices, a sorrowful...
Saudi Arabia: Independent women
While there are no doubt restrictions for women living in Saudi Arabia, they do not necessarily match the oppressive image that many foreigners have of the country. In this post we have advice for women wanting to visit Jeddah alone, a review of a women-only hotel in Riyadh, and a plea to those foreigners who feel they want to speak on behalf of oppressed Saudi women.
Chile: Trolley Bus in Valparaíso
Contenidos Locales [es] covers the recent publication by Jacqueline Gonzalez from the Chilean city of Valparaíso, who writes about the trolley bus that has been running since the 1950s.
Guinea-Bissau: Travel Pictures
Attending requests, Brigida Rocha Brito [pt] publishes some pictures of Forest of Cantanhez, Tombali region in southern Guinea-Bissau, towards Guiné Conacri borders, and promises more soon. “Next there will be new series of pictures from Bissau and a third one from Cachéu, region in the north near the border with...
Guatemala: Protection of La Danta
Many Guatemalans and foreign journalists are concerned about the plight of the region around La Danta, one of the world's largest pyramids. A group from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting recently visited Petén to document the environmental threats to the region. La Danta is also the name for the tapir, which also requires conservation attention.
Saudi Arabia: Off the road
Desert Flower, an American Muslim living in Saudi Arabia, is tired of not being permitted to drive: ‘…it gets down right stupid when you have to schedule an appointment to go grocery shopping or to get to the pharmacy or the doctor for that matter.’
Barbados, Cuba: Broadcasting Meeting
Bajan Global Report reports on the Prime Minister's trip to Cuba to attend the 39th General Assembly of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, an organization which supports and promotes high quality work of regional radio and TV entities – but Barbados Free Press calls it “irony defined”: “We are disappointed that...
Post-tsunami reconstruction efforts in Aceh
angieindo visited Banda Aceh, Indonesia and was able to witness the post-tsunami reconstruction efforts in the area.
Estonia: Setomaa
Itching for Eestimaa writes about a recent trip to Setomaa, “the southeastern most corner of Estonia, the home of the Orthodox, Finno-Ugric Setu people.”
Jamaica: Gustav etc.
As Jamaican Annie Paul waits for Hurricane Gustav “to huff and puff and blow our house down”, she blogs about everything from Usain Bolt-inspired dance moves to Michelle Obama: “(She) was impressive, wasn't she? Neither pale, nor male–i can identify with that…”
Ukraine: Independence Day Parade
Ukrainiana posts photos and video from the Aug. 24 Independence Day military parade in Kyiv.
Ukraine: Past and Future of Independence Square
The past and, possibly, the future of Kyiv's Independence Square, in pictures and text (RUS), posted by LJ user raikkonen2007 in the ru_politics LJ community.
Ukraine: Military Parade Rehearsal
LJ user alex_from_kiev (RUS) posts a video of the Independence Day military parade rehearsal in Kyiv in the ru_politics LJ community.
Russia: Political Toilet Seats
LJ user viking-nord (RUS) reposts photos of toilet seats with portraits of Putin, Lenin, Stalin and others on them, produced by Irkutsk region resident Evgeny Rybachenko.
Sri Lanka: Ridi Vihare
Cerno visits a historic cave temple – the Ridi Vihare -”Silver Temple” in Sinhala and writes about it.
MENA: Refused Gaza Fulbright students speak
A few weeks a group of students from the Gaza Strip who were due to go to the United States on Fulbright scholarships had their visas revoked at the last moment. Two of the students who were denied the chance to pursue their studies have since written heartfelt letters pleading their case.
Colombia: Narcotours in Medellín
In Medellín, Colombia, “narco”-tours are being offered for foreigners to visit sites associated with the drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, writes Jorge Gobbi of Blog de Viajes [es].
Latvia: Soviet Murals
Three photos of Soviet-time murals in Latvia – at Arnis Balcus’ Photo Blog.
