Stories about Travel from June, 2009
Paraguay: The Possibility of a New Bullet Train
There is speculation that a new bullet train could be built linking the Paraguayan capital city of Asunción with the Brazilian city of Paranaguá and which uses the energy from the Itaipú dam. Carlos Rodríguez of Rescatar [es] thinks that it could be beneficial for the region.
Palestine: Harsh Treatment By Egyptian Border Authorities
Lebanese activist Natalie Abou Shakra, who has been in the Gaza Strip for seven months, is now being prevented from entering Egypt by the Egyptian authorities. Witnessing the treatment of Palestinians at the border she says: “They have been taught to accept this treatment. But, as activists, it is our...
Palestine: Lebanese Activist Stuck At Egypt-Gaza Border
Lebanese activist Natalie Abou Shakra, who reported from Gaza during Israel's attacks in January, is not being allowed to cross out of the Gaza Strip into Egypt.
Palestine: Rafah Crossing Open For 72 Hours
Laila El-Haddad is hoping she will see her parents soon, as the Rafah Crossing from Gaza into Egypt is temporarily opened: “Of the some 5000 Palestinians registered to cross, only 250 were allowed out of Gaza on the first day (a total of 5 buses), and only 4 buses scheduled...
Israel/Palestine: Travels With A Surfboard
Jesse Aizenstat is an American surfer who has been visiting Israel and Palestine – and he has carried his surfboard everywhere: “Walk from the Jerusalem bus station to the Muslim Quarter. This took about a half-hour; perhaps more because of inquisitive strangers questioning my sanity for bringing a surfboard to...
ISS: Photos and a Poem from Koichi Wakata
Astronaut Koichi Wakata on the International Space Station posted some photographs, including one of Sarychev Volcano while it was erupting (Also part of NASA's Image of the Day Gallery), and a tanka poem: “My home planet enwrapped / The blue light of the atmosphere shines”.
Preetam Rai interview
GV author Preetam Rai was interviewed by Syed Syahrul Zarizi of Malaysia about his online projects and his thoughts on blogging and travel.
Russia: Buckwheat
Russian Blog posts an ode to buckwheat.
Laos: Strange pineapples on display
Two strange pineapples, one shaped like a dragon and the other shaped like a heart, are on display in a temple in Laos. The pineapples harvested from a Vientiane farm are drawing huge crowds everyday.
FSU: Soviet Toys
Photos of Soviet children's toys – at LJ user varjag_2007‘s blog (RUS).
Cuba: Unanswered Questions
“I am waiting for a clarification about why he hasn’t accepted Obama’s proposal for U.S. telecommunications companies to provide Internet to the Cuban people. I demand, like many around me, a convincing argument for why we are not going to join the OAS…”: Generation Y says that “the list of...
Ukraine: “Where Life Lives You”
An expat's musings on life in Ukraine – at Greetings from Kyiv.
Russia: Kamchatka Volcanoes Online
Profy reports that soon it will be possible to follow Kamchatka volcanoes’ eruptions online.
Russia-India: A medieval journey to India
Jost A Mon discusses his own and other translations of the 15th century memoirs of Russian merchant's Nikitin odyssey to India and elsewhere.
Thailand: Thousands affected by train strike
Thousands of passengers were affected by the two-day nationwide train strike launched by employees of the State Railway of Thailand. The workers were protesting a cabinet resolution which they claim would lead to the privatization of the railway company. A survey shows that majority of Thais are upset with the strike.
Albania: Female Solo Singers
A post on “some of the most important Albanian female solo singer artists of the last century” – at The Balkan Crew.
Martinique, Guadeloupe: Sarkozy Visit
Repeating Islands notes that French President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to make a trip to Martinique and Guadeloupe later this week “to address overseas ‘issues’ after the general strikes” that took place in the French Overseas Territories earlier this year.
Caribbean: Following the path of the Caribs
Since the beginning of 2009, French West Indians have questioned their identity, their national heritage and their present-day situation in different ways. Kintamingo Ema, a Martinican blog, presents an initiative which mixes a social insertion, historical and archeological project with an identity quest. Dubbed "Kintamingo Ema, sur le chemin de nos ancêtres" (Kintamingo Ema, following the path of our ancestors), the project was launched by Association Karisko , an association focusing on social integration.
Trinidad & Tobago: H1N1
This Beach Called Life: “Swine Flu, A(H1N1), has now hit Trinidad and Tobago with the number of cases increasing daily causing facemaks to become as popular as condoms at Carnival.”
Philippines: Culture and tourism
John Ryan Recabar shares his thoughts on reviving Philippine tourism and the importance of reliving old traditions.
Japan: Iran from a Japanese viewpoint
Gompagompagompa tells about his last trip in Iran, before the elections. The blogger describes Iranians as an extremely kind and hospitable people and explains how he decided to write this post to let Japanese people know that “Iran” is not equal to “terrorism”.
