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Wednesday 29 April 2009

HONG KONG ISLAND


The size is only 80 Square Kilometers, but it is the heart of Hong Kong.

On the Island's north, from Central to Causeway Bay are the shopping, entertainment and commercial districts. Whereas the Southern District is the backyard of HK where you can find nice beaches, cafes and markets.

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Indonesia " the magical country "


The word of “Indonesia” is coined from Latin word “Indos”, means ‘India’ and “Nesos”, means ‘island’. Both words mean Island of India, or islands existing in India. And event those two words are suitable with Indonesia condition having 17.508 islands, in where about 6.000 islands are occupied which are stretching along 5.510 kilometer between Australia and Asia Continent and divide Pacific and Indian Ocean on the equator line.

Indonesia comprising 32 provinces has five big and main islands, namely Sumatera (473.606 km2), Kalimantan 1539,400 km2), Sulawesi (189,216 km2), Irian Jaya (421,981 km2), and Java (132,187 km2). Those five islands are occupied by about 70 % of Indonesian people. Geographically, Indonesia is also grouped into four specific territories. First, Sunda Besar (Big Sunda) Island consisting of Sumatera, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

Second, Sunda Kecil (Small Sunda) Island comprising smaller islands ranging from Bali Island to the East territory. Third, Maluku Island covering all islands situated between Irian Jaya and Sulawesi territory. And the last is Irian Jaya, the island situated in the most eastern part of Indonesia.

The capital city of Indonesia is Jakarta, a city with impressive histories and backgrounds. At the beginning, Jakarta was known as a seaport named Sunda Kelapa. The anniversary of Jakarta on 22nd June 1527 was stipulated based on the conquest history of Demak soldiers under the commander Sultan Fatahillah to subjugate the territory from Portuguese. The name of Jayakarta donated by Fatahillah for the conquered territory means “city with big triumph”. But the name of this city was changed from Jayakarta to become Batavia during the Dutch colonial.

As the capital city of the nation, Jakarta also plays role as governmental center, business and industrial hub. The city with 660 kilometer width is occupied by about 8 million populations and now Jakarta is growing as a metropolitan city that reflects the advancement of the nation economic, politic, social and industry.

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cheap flights to Bangkok


From the moment of stepping off a flight to Bangkok in the sparkling new Suvarnabhumi Airport, a visitor to Thailand’s capital can see what’s on offer. The new airport has become something of a symbol for modern Bangkok and is a microcosm of the city itself. Excellent restaurants and high-end designer shops sit in the architecturally magnificent hall, alongside huge wooden statues of Spirit Guards. Old Eastern Buddhist traditions exist happily among new Western commercialism in a bustling, stimulating environment.

It would be possible to spend years in the city and still not see all the huge metropolis has to offer, but most tourists book flights to Bangkok hoping to catch some of the favourites. A visit to Wat Pho and the Grand Palace gives an idea of the city’s history. The shopping is unrivalled, with high-end designer malls and street markets both sprawling throughout the city. Thai boxing (Muay Thai) is a popular activity for locals and tourists alike; both watching a fight and training. The nightlife, of course, is notorious, but it’s not just the red light district of Patpong. The Khao San Road, ever-popular with backpackers, is filled with bars, clubs and even Irish pubs, while the central area has some of the world’s super-clubs and most fancy bars. From sunrise to sunset, there is plenty to see in this friendly, accessible city.

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UNIQUELY SINGAPORE


It's popular to dismiss Singapore as a kind of Asia Lite - blandly efficient and safe, a boringly tasteless, disciplinarian and unadventurous place where citizens are robbed of their cherished freedom to spit on the street and chew gum. Utter nonsense.

Singapore is in fact one of the most enjoyable cities in Southeast Asia. As you zoom in from one of the world's best airports along the lushly tree-shaded expressway or on the zippy MRT train line, you'll quickly realise this is no traffic-snarled Bangkok. And as you stroll through the fashion emporiums of Orchard Rd, poke around antique shops in Chinatown or take a walk around one of the dozens of beautiful city parks, you'll know the city bears no comparison to crime- and poverty-ridden Manila or Jakarta.

Then, as you are drinking and dancing until dawn in the city's pubs and clubs, or sipping a cocktail surrounded by the colonial elegance of a Raffles Hotel veranda, think of your fellow travellers in Bangkok, who are being turfed onto the street at midnight.

There's no law that says an Asian city can't be well run. It may have been a long and difficult haul from swampy colonial outpost and notorious den of vice to powerhouse industrial nation, but those who say that Singapore has lost its soul along the way couldn't be more wrong.

Few cities in Southeast Asia can boast Singapore's fascinating ethnic brew. Where else in the world can you dip into the cultures of China, India and Muslim Malaysia all in one day, against a backdrop of ultra-modern Western commerce? Not only has Singapore's history of migration left a rich cultural and architectural legacy that makes wandering the streets an absorbing delight, it has created one of the world's great eating capitals.

Food is the national obsession - and it's not difficult to see why. Sitting out under the stars at a bustling hawker centre with a few bottles of Tiger beer and diving into an enormous array of Asian dishes is one of the iconic Singaporean experiences. Sambal stingray, char kway teow, oyster omelette, chicken rice, clay-pot seafood, fish head curry, beef rendang…the list is as long as it is delicious.

And, of course, if your credit card hasn't already taken a battering in the shops, the city's restaurants are some of the most stylish and innovative in the region.

If there's one thing more stylish than the bars and restaurants, it's the boutiques that have made Singapore a byword in Asia for extravagant shopping. Away from the Gucci and Louis Vuitton onslaught of Orchard Rd, however, there are bargains to be found on everything from clothes to electronics - and a range of art and antique shops that few Asian cities can match.

But Singapore is not all about shopping and eating. Nor is the notion of Singapore as completely urbanised anything more than popular myth. Adventure activities include diving with sharks at Underwater World on Sentosa, mountain biking around Bukit Timah, leopard-spotting at Singapore Zoo's magical Night Safari, waterskiing or wakeboarding on the Kallang River, go-karting and rock climbing. And if you want to retreat from civilisation completely, the centre of the island retains large tracts of forest where the only sound you can hear is the monkeys swinging through the trees. In fact, Singapore is one of only two cities in the world that still retains a patch of primary rainforest, in the form of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

It's a fascinating place - and a remarkable achievement. No-one is denying that Singaporeans have had to sacrifice some level of freedom in their island's rise from racially divided, resource-starved port town. But you get the feeling that if Western development aid had ever matched Singapore's strides in poverty reduction, education, infrastructure and health care, they'd be patting themselves on the back and saying that political freedom was a small sacrifice to make.

Besides, it's not all strait-laced conformity. You don't have to look far to find echoes of the island's colourful, rakish past, or evidence of a thriving and creatively unfettered artistic community. Singapore's soul is alive and well - and it is unique.

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ABOUT MALAYSIA "TRULY ASIA "


Multiculturalism has not only made Malaysia a gastronomical paradise, it has also made Malaysia home to hundreds of colourful festivals. It's no wonder that we love celebrating and socialising. As a people, Malaysians are very laid back, warm and friendly.




Geographically, Malaysia is as diverse as its culture. There are two parts to the country, 11 states in the peninsula of Malaysia and two states on the northern part of Borneo. Cool hideaways are found in the highlands that roll down to warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves.

One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme contrasts. Towering skyscrapers look down upon wooden houses built on stilts, and five-star hotels sit several metres away from ancient reefs.

For the perfect holiday full of surprises, eclectic cultures and natural wonders,
the time is now, the place is Malaysia.

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The New York Jets

The New York Jets became a franchise in 1960 and were part of the new American Football League. The AFL was widely considered inferior to the more established National Football League until Broadway Joe Namath backed up his bold prediction and the Jets defeated the more established Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.

They became known as the Jets after a new ownership group, which included Leon Hess who owned Hess gas stations, had plans to relocate the team to Shea Stadium where the Mets played. The Jets adopted their green and white uniforms to mirror the colors that were famously associated with the Hess gas station empire.

After the Jets won the Super Bowl in 1969 there were some lean years in front of them. In fact they didn't reach the playoffs again until 1981. Joe Namath was ravaged by injury and was never able to match his earlier success, the crowds at Shea stadium were dwindling, and in 1984 they left New York to play their home games at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.

The Jets fortunes didn't improve much when they crossed the river into New Jersey. In the 1983 draft they chose quarterback Ken O'Brien to lead them. Ken O'Brien did a good job for the Jets; unfortunately they skipped over a young QB by the name of Dan Marino, which would haunt them for years to come.

The Jets have had a rabid fan base for years and they have supported their team in the lean years and winning years alike. When Coach Bill Parcells left New England to become the coach of the Jets he turned the franchise around almost immediately. While they did not win a Super Bowl during Parcells tenure they became a respectable franchise that would win a lot of games.

The Bill Parcells signing began a border war with AFC East rival New England Patriots. The Patriots felt that Parcells had been negotiating a deal with the Jets even as he was coaching the Patriots to an eventual Super Bowl loss to the Green Bay Packers, and the league agreed.

The New York Jets had to give the Patriots four draft picks and donate three-hundred thousand dollars to the Patriots charitable organization in order to name Bill Parcells as their head coach. This was the first shot fired in the border war. The next would come four years later after Patriots coach Pete Carroll was fired.

The Patriots wanted to hire New York Jets assistant coach Bill Belichik to replace their recently fired coach. Belichik had a clause in his contract that automatically made him head coach of the Jets if Parcells retired. As soon as the Jets received word that the Patriots were interested in Belichik Bill Parcells resigned as head coach and became the General Manager of the Jets. Bill Belichik had had enough of working under Parcells and he immediately resigned as coach of the Jets without ever having coached a game.

Now it was the Patriots turn to compensate the Jets for a coach. The league ruled that the Patriots had to surrender a first round draft pick to the Jets in order to sign Belichik as their coach. The Patriots complied and Belichik became their head coach. The Jets drafted defensive end Shaun Ellis and the Patriots had Bill Belichik as their new coach.

The Jets border war with the Patriots has been an interesting piece of Jets history, but ultimately that is nothing more than a side show to the games that are played every Sunday. The Jets are poised to make a run in the AFC East for years to come due to their loyal fan base and an owner that is absolutely committed to bringing the Jets back to glory.

Writer and editor, Freddie Brister, is a former high school football coach of 25 years. His love of the game of football is reflected in his words and memories of growing up in the South and playing football in the back yard with his brother, cousins and neighborhood friends. His biggest thrill is watching former high school players he has coached play at the college level. His favorite pastime is watching NFL on tv and attending the games in person every chance he gets. Freddie Brister is a huge fan of the NFL and the New York Jets.

By Freddie Brister

EasyJet Routes

EasyJet became established as a low cost airline in 1995. Initially they operated on just two routes from Luton airport in London to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

EasyJet now flies a great percentage of the world and the list of routes is vast, as they operate on almost four hundred routes between European and North African airports. Their aim is to provide their customers with good value, safe, point-to-point air services that appeal to business a leisure markets on a variety of European routes.

Although its home base is in Luton, it is Gatwick that offers the most destinations. In 2007 they expanded their operations in North West England and opened at Manchester Airport.

In the UK, easyJet operate from Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Jersey, Liverpool, London Gatwick Luton and Stanstead, as well as Newcastle & Manchester.

Recently added routes in 2008 included Ajaccio, Tenerife South, Corsica, Sharm el Sheikh, Corfu, Rhodes, Crete, Nantes, Mykonos, Malta, Hurghada, Gibraltar and Cyprus.

This month EasyJet have announced fourteen new routes and nine of these will operate from UK regional airports. These include Newcastle to Malta, Bristol to Corfu and Bastia, Liverpool to Dubrovnik and Manchester to Corfu. This expansion will see more aircraft being based at Manchester and Liverpool and fares including taxes on these new routes will be as low as £22.99 The airport lounges on all the routes are offer tranquil surrounding with comfortable seats and air-conditioning, to work or relax before flights, a far cry from the busy airport terminal. The lounges have a variety of complimentary magazines and newspapers and if you are a little peckish or thirsty, then you can help your self to snacks, freshly made coffee and tea, choose from a variety of wines, beers or spirits, all free of charge.

For the businessman who needs to catch up on any last minute business, lounge facilities include workstations, telephones, fax machines and WiFi Internet access. On all EasyJet routes you can pre-book access at most departure points in the UK and a number in continental Europe.

If you are going skiing you can fly EasyJet to Barcelona, Lyon, Zurich, Milan, Venice, Salzburg or Sofia for a variety of ski destinations.

As there is more to organizing a holiday than choosing a route, EasyJet have partnered with a number of travel specialists and are able to arrange your travel insurance, sort out car hire and accommodation. EasyJet have partners who can offer hotels on many of their routes, with many offering discounts on standard hotel rates.
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