Blogs of the World
From our contributors: week of May 13
There’s quite a bit of reading material this week thanks to our contributors, who wrote about interesting subjects in their personal blogs. Happy reading!
Keukenhof Gardens (credit: Aledys)
DeeBee, our contributor from France, posted The Colours of Spring: Bluebells.
“In France Bluebells are known as Wild Hyacinths and are found mostly all over the country. They bloom between April and May depending on the weather and are of course perennial bulbs.”
Mike, our contributor from Japan, published Then and Now Photos: Shureimon a Torii in Okinawa.
Aledys, our contributor from the Netherlands, posted Last of the Tulip Days: a Visit to Keukenhof Gardens.
“Spring in the Netherlands can be a bit cooler and wetter than in other parts of Europe and we have been having quite a bit of rain and rather low temperatures lately; but despite the unspring-like weather, I just couldn’t stay away from the beautiful tulip fields in the Noordoostpolder and I even managed to visit Keukenhof Park a few days ago.”
Carrie, our contributing editor, The Challenge: 51 Wineries, toddler and (soon-to-be) newborn in tow
“Dave and I were talking this weekend and realized that when we live in a new place, we often don’t do any of the “must do” things in that place- be it touristy things (which to be honest, I usually avoid) but also all the wonderful, quirky things you are going to find in a new country or city that you just have to experience to really get to know the culture. And yet, when I am on a two week holiday, I usually see it all. Why? I know I will run low on time, and so I make a list. And thus we decided: we need a bucket list!“
Ana, our contributing editor from Argentina, published Palacio de las Aguas Corrientes (aka the toilet museum)
“I must have walked or driven past this magnificent building a few dozen times but it never crossed my mind to go inside. As it so often happens with the attractions of one’s hometown, I never really paid much attention to what was inside the building and when it was built and what for. Now that I’m a tourist in Buenos Aires, I learned that there is a museum inside the Palacio de las Aguas Corrientes, owned by the water company, AySA.”
Read more
From Our Contributors: Week of April 23
Familiarizing the World with Assam.
Ruchi Kaur, a design professional in New Delhi, has one major goal: to introduce the globe to the culture of Assam. Feeling the media constantly portrayed her homeland in a negative light, Ruchi, along with a photographer and IT specialist, set out to change Assam’s reputation. Her new blog, Sinaki: The Familiarity Project, includes stories of heroes, celebrations, and beautiful orchids.
I recommend the Sights & Sounds page for some stunning photography. Sinaki, while written in English, does include Assamese within some of the art and Assamese phrases written with English characters to help us all read and pronounce the language.
1. Where do you live, and where are you from?
I currently reside in New Delhi, India. I was born and brought up in Dibrugarh District of Assam, North-East India.
2. Can you tell us why you began this blog?
Writing has always come across to me as a natural phenomenon. I believe that the pen is mightier than the sword. It’s one of the best tools to express my views.
The idea behind the concept ‘SINAKI’ started a year ago.
Assam and, in general, the North-East of India has always been highlighted by the media in a very negative spirit. Militant urgencies in Assam make cover page stories and headlines while the most amazing of things never get a forefront. I personally have come across people from the rest of India who do not even know about the culture that exists. It’s because they never cared to go and see what lies in that land. Promotions for the state have not been successful enough to bring about the positivity. Its a small place with a big heart. All that is needed is acceptance. This is only possible if the differences are abolished. This is my reason of familiarising Assam. So that not just India but the world gets to see unexplored beauty.
Plus, I believe that one should repay to that land that gave a person life and living. SINAKI is a way of paying tribute to the land.
3. What is one thing you would like everyone to learn about Assam?
‘Joi Aai Axom’ (pronounced as joey-aaii-okhom) means ‘ long live Assam’.
Come visit Assam once, you will learn everything about it. It’s the second ‘God’s own land’
Read more
India, a world of cultures, languages and traditions
From our contributors: week of April 23
Let our contributors take you on a journey to France, USA, India and the Czech Republic. Have a look at what they wrote this week on their blogs. You’ll be amazed!
Camelia - photo credit DeeBee, Online Travel France
DeeBee, our contributor from France, continues her series called The Colours of Spring. In the Camelia Red post, DeeBee writes about this beautiful flower, so popular in France, its importance in French culture and its ties to French literature.
“The Lady of the Camellias – La Dame aux Camélias is a novel by Alexandre Dumas Jr that was published in 1848, and later adapted for the stage. The source of inspiration for the creation of Marguerite Gautier, the novel’s main character, was Rose Alphonsine Plessis known as Marie Duplessis a beautiful young woman born into poverty in a little town of Normandy in Western France.”
Mike, our contributor from Japan, posted a bucolic photo of deer in the forest near Lake New York.
Anu, our contributor from India, published a photo essay on the birds of Sewri (South Mumbai).
“In my earlier post, I wrote about the flamingos we saw at Sewri. They are, after all, the main reason people flock to Sewri these days at low tide! However, there are also scores of other birds which arrive at Sewri for the insects which populate the mud flats. This post is about some of them”
Sandra, our contributor from Portugal, published a photo essay of the city of Prague.
Read more
From our contributors: week of April 2
A look into Our Parents
Mark McLean, a Canadian prairie boy who moved to the West Coast, has spent the past few months living in Michigan and sixteen months prior in Dominica. His time abroad has allowed him not only the opportunity to meet locals and expats alike, but also to get writing. May we all be especially grateful for the latter.
Mark’s newest project involves taking a look into, not the people he meets, but the parents who raised them. He was inspired to start the blog Of Our Parents. (more…)
From our contributors: week of April 2
Another week, another roundup of posts written by some of our contributors on their blogs.
Spinach gnocchi
Carmen, our contributor from Romania, writes about St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Bucharest. (more…)
Brazilian Paradise
As a Brazilian, I´d highly recommend Tropicaldaydreams blog for the ones interested in Brazilian culture and life.
This is an excellent blog about Brazil that goes deep into some issues such as cultural differences, economic issues in Brazil, as well as in-depth reflections on Brazil´s problems, such as incarceration. The author, Barbara Lowenstein, has lived with her husband in Brazilian paradise, Búzios, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, for a decade. So, she brings to her blog a fresh expatriate view of the country with an insider perspective. This is a blog that has much to contribute to understanding what Brazil is about, demystifying stereotypes and getting to a more solid view of the country´s beauties and socio-economic challenges.
Photo from Barbara’s own collection.
Recent Comments