Stories about Travel from January, 2010
Hungary: Pécs, the European Capital of Culture
Marietta Le describes preparations for a year as one of the three European Capitals of Culture in Pécs and reviews and translates some of the netizens' reactions.
Haiti: Experiences of the Earthquake
So far the casualty reports from Haiti's earthquake have focused on the terrifying statistics, but very few names had been attached to those numbers. Here is a look at some of the experiences that the survivors of this natural disaster are sharing online...
Bhutan: Everything Is Cheap In Phuentsholing
Penstar describes about Phuntsoling, the shopping paradise of Bhutan: “Everything comes cheap here. Garments are cheap. Utensils are cheap. Culinary items are cheap. Trust is cheap. Faith is cheap. Dignity is cheap. Human life is cheap. Quality of goods is cheap.”
Cuba: “Facing” the Exit Permit
El Yuma has discovered a Facebook group “aimed at ending Cuba's exit permit requirement and debating restrictions on the free movement of Cubans in general.”
Barbados: Anti-Terrorism Measures
“The series of terror events in the USA in recent months is a vivid reminder that people who are determined to do wrong or evil are not easy to stop”: Living in Barbados thinks that the government “needs to be vigilant too and to have in place mechanisms that do...
China: New Ticketing System For Train Riders
As “Chunyun”—the travel season before, during, and after the Chinese New Year—approaches, two of China’s largest rail lines are adopting a “real-name” ticketing system. Information Times reported Friday that passengers traveling on trains serviced by Guangzhou Railway Group or Chengdu Railway Bureau will be required to produce a valid identification card upon...
Slovakia: First Slovak Terrorist Caught in Ireland, Sort Of
Tibor Blazko translates Slovak netizens' caustic remarks about the botched security test on a plane to Dublin.
Barbados: Road Toll Gang
Barbados Free Press chastises the police for not clamping down on the Boscobel “Road Toll Gang”, which “stop[s] tourist hired cars by standing in front of them. They inform the drivers that the road is closed, instruct them to drive another way and then demand money for the ‘assistance’.”
Western Sahara: Running the Sahara Marathon 2010
The Sahara Marathon is an international sport event to demonstrate solidarity with the Saharawi people and this year celebrates its 10th anniversary. Many dedicated bloggers wrote about it to promote the event in different languages and even created blogs for this purpose.
Taiwan: Hakka blue shirts in Meinong
Wandering Taiwan describes how the Hakka tradition of blue shirts is maintained in Meinong, Kaohsiung County.
Caribbean: Farewell 2009
Caribbean bloggers bid 2009 farewell – BeachLime says: “The only sure thing that's going to happen in 2010 is that it will prove to be a challenging one for Bermudians”; Belizean provides a comprehensive end of year review and Caribbean Free Radio tells the story of her year in pictures.
Myanmar: Pagoda Festival
dawn_1o9 from Myanmar describes the scenes she witnessed at the Pagoda festival in Moe Kaung Pagoda.
Myanmar: Pictures during Full Moon Day
dawn_1o9 from Myanmar posts pictures during Full Moon Day of Pyar Tho. Full Moon Days are Sabbath Days when people go to monastery and pagodas.
Colombia: Galeras Volcano Eruption Video
Twitter user @mrmuller linked to the video of the Galeras Volcano Eruption in Colombia and also posted a picture of the aftermath. It seems the areas in the immediate vicinity of the volcano are being evacuated, but the Black and White Carnival in the city of Pasto will continue as...
