31 July 2022

Fishing with Cormorants

It is partnership between man and animal which has lasted over a millennia. A fisherman needs to catch enough fish to sell and feed himself and his family. Sometimes that means that he needs an assistant.  The Ark in Space takes a look at the fascinating relationship between the cormorant and the fishermen of China's inland rivers.

Image Credit Pathos Photos

16 October 2021

The Kalash – The White Tribe of Pakistan

In the mountains of the Hindu Kush in Pakistan, six thousand or so people live who look and sound very different from their neighbors.  They claim to have lived in the area for thousands of years and they look to all intents and purposes, European. 

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4 July 2021

The Art of the Romanian Haystack

At this time of year the fields of the Romanian countryside are full of new haystacks.  Over the centuries this particular method of haystack building has become more refined to the point where the haystacks of Romania have their own unique characteristics. Haystacks like this are found nowhere else on earth.

It is of absolute importance to get the haystack just right.  In the past, without the extra food supply to see them through the cold Romanian winter, vital farm animals would have perished.  If the haystack is compromised then disaster could strike.  Great care, then, has always been taken in the construction of these stacks, some of which tower over four meters in height.
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2 August 2016

BiPoland


During my high school history lessons in the 1970s and 80s, twentieth century Poland was always portrayed as something of an unfortunate country, seemingly trapped (even cursed) by the twin burdens of its history and geography. Fortunately we had some Polish kids (the grand-children of servicemen and women who had decided to stay in the UK after 1945) who ensured that at least the Polish people could not be so sweepingly misrepresented. Yet it is a country of contrasts in a number of ways and this short film by Matty Brown visualises this dichotomy in a beautifully vivid way.

Perhaps it is best for Mr Brown to explain in his own words: Poland has this tension that is slowly healing itself as time goes by and newer generations emerge, but you cannot look in any direction without the constant reminder of the past whether it is the remnants of the ghetto wall, or the cautious faces of the elderly. This piece was supposed to be about Auschwitz, but in making the video the surprise was how vibrant, tough, and full of life the Polish people are. I was as emotionally impacted with these new wonderful friends and sensory overload of the gorgeous present-day country as I was with sympathy and sadness at the camps. Even though they are very tough souls, I started to admire them and their country.

If you would like to learn a little more - very quickly - about the country, take a look at the Animated History of Poland, which featured in the country's exhibit at the Shang Hai Expo 2010.

11 June 2016

The 100 Greatest American Films


The BBC recently asked film critics from around the world which were their favorite American movies.  The result is presented here.  Rather than doing a countdown the BBC has decided to present the films in an A-Z.  I found this a little annoying at first but quickly warmed to it due to the very imaginative way the clips are presented.  You can find the 100 – 1 list below!

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5 May 2013

Marseille Bursts in to Flames


Don’t panic, however. It isn’t a precursor to the apocalypse.  Rather it is the French city’s way of celebrating the fact that it is this year’s European Capital of Culture.  The event, Le Vieux Port: Entre Flammes et Flots (The Old Port: Between Flames and Waves and yes, it does sound better in French) marks the opening of the second chapter of the year-long cultural festival; this part is called Marseille Provence Under Open Skies. 

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27 January 2012

Hiking the Northern Hills of Chiang Mai, Thailand:

By Guest Writer Matthew Nunn
Chiang Mai is a vital and popular node in the tourist network for Thailand and the greater South East region. Travellers come here to escape the tourist centric and crowded Bangkok as well as the picturesque and often lively Southern Thai Islands. Here you can expect to find a more culture rich atmosphere, whereby Chiang Mai trades on the traditional notions of Thai culture, the hustle and bustle of its markets and the historic nature of the ancient City’s walls and moat.

A heavily visited location, it doesn’t necessarily flaunt the jet setter scene of other popular destinations the world over, but thrives on the traveler atmosphere of those looking for a more authentic travel experience. Many enjoy being part of this transient community. For those who feel that Thailand has been pounded a little too much by the tourist footprint in the last 2 decades, the hills that surround Chiang Mai effectively combat this notion. Trekking this area will, aside from your guide, the host village, and your small group, remove you from civilization and any tourist influences.


The Northern Hills offer plenty of isolation for travellers looking to escape the crowd
The hills are well accessed by road, but this consists more of steep, solid solitary access roads rather than a sprawling road network. Consequently, once removed from transportation and heading into the jungle you are entering a stunning, isolated and remote region. This is hiking in its purest form; trails are minimal, there isn’t a sign post in existence and a willingness to clamber, slide, swim and grapple with the environment is required.

This is not to say the trek is unforgiving, but instead fairly challenging for anyone in reasonable condition. Although travel to here is easy, the ensuing time that you spend in the hills is not so effortless. Trekkers pack minimal provisions, focusing on essentials such as; a spare set of suitable clothing, insect repellant, sun screen and plenty of bottled water.

The Hill Region
There are 5 main hill tribes populating the area all with their own unique history and traditions. The Tribes are; the Lahu, the Akha, the Karen, the Lisu and the Hmong. Traditional art, dress and song will vary by each tribe, however they are not alone. There are many other villages and huts dotted around the hills that, due to the vast and remote nature of the location, manage to preserve their isolation. It can be a startling yet welcoming site to clamber over a rock or stumble through a bush and find a wooden hut nestled into the landscape, complete with pigs, dogs and sometimes agricultural land.

Periodically you will stumble across isolated settlements
The inhabitants of these dwellings are also known for having skilled Elephant herders. This is sometimes a contentious issue as degrees of animal cruelty occur in some people’s eyes, but the herders are dedicated to their trade, living and sleeping 24 hours with their animals. In the lower regions of the hills these elephants are often ridden by tourists on trails nimbly navigated by the animals. 

Scaling to the tops of these hills opens up breath taking views of dense lush jungle, allowing you to peek out of the canopy that envelops you at lower altitudes on the hills. If your trek takes you in the right direction you also have the opportunity to see the Thai-Burma border in the distance.

The Thai-Burma Border in the distance
Walking down from these heights will often involve slippery muddy slopes, rushing streams and may require grabbing onto the thin tall trees. Wildlife is pretty adept at concealing itself, but there are several large species of spider present which can often be seen around the villages when you stop to rest. The locals populate the area with their dogs and pigs, as well as the aforementioned elephants.

The environment is dominated by dense, lush vegetation that is only accessible on foot
Following the hills downwards takes you past conveniently located waterfalls for a cool down and as the landscape levels out more and agricultural farms start to pop up, many trekkers then head for a bamboo rafting session. The vastness of the region means you can venture around for an extensive period of time, but there is still the accessibility in place for a brief trip. Heading back to the city of Chiang Mai offers plenty, from tracking down the rich history of this region which has seen many a contest between Burma and Thailand over the centuries, to reveling in the modern Thai culture, something the city sells itself on as the unofficial second city of Thailand.

Author Bio – Matthew completed his first RTW trip in 2011 and has been travel blogging since. He plans to explore the Indian subcontinent in 2012. He is also a regular contributor to Top Travel Blogs.

Discover affordable Thailand by using Orbitz coupon codes.

8 January 2012

Matatoro


This animation peers in to the hermetic world of bullfighting and its public, the reinvents and reinterprets it through a series of highly visual metaphors.  Whatever you thing of bullfighting itself, this animation is quite extraordinary – it is very, very different.  Surreal and lovely looking both matador and bull become real and vibrant characters as the animation progresses.

The 3d feel is so organic, and the frame rate helps with the hand done aesthetic of the piece. Altogether this is a stunning reflection of a part of Spanish culture of which it must be said many disapprove.  Yet there is no opprobrium here – you are left to judge for yourself. A huge well done to the matatoro team.

19 April 2011

The Immortal Bridge

Mount Tai in the Shandon Province, China has had cultural and religious significance for thousands of years.  It is one of the five sacred mountains of China and is associated with the dawn, birth and renaissance.  As you progress up the mountain you will come across this – The Immortal Bridge.



The Immortal Bridge is composed of three huge rocks and several smaller ones. Below it is a valley and to the south is a seemingly bottomless abyss. No one knows quite when these enormous rocks fell in to their current place but it is quite likely they have been like this since the last ice age.



9 January 2011

The Art of Assange

Over the last few weaks Julian Assange has been in the headlines a great deal (you don't say). More than a little street art has sprung up around the internet activist - most of it internet based. However, the art which I have found the most compelling are the three portraits created at Paris based Abode of Chaos.

To all intents and purpose the Abode of Chaos looks, from a distance, like a squat - the kind of place you might find in the center of Amsterdam or Berlin, not in a small village on the outskirsts of Paris.  However, the place is owned by Thierry Ehrmann who founded the Server Group - the company that manages an enormous database of art auction quotations.  With over 400 employees the organisation has a revenue of around 70m Euros. It ain't no squat.

Ehrmann works from the Abode of Chaos. The 17th century mansion style house has been converted in to a replica war zone - and as you can imagine the locals are deeply unhappy about it.  However, although Ehrmann has been fined for unauthorised construction work he has not been told to restore the house to its former state.  As a war zone it was perhaps inevitable that Julian Assange would appear there - albeit only in the form of art.


This is the entrance to the Abode of Chaos. You can see perhaps why the other local residents mau not like it in their village - but it does look extremely interesting.

16 August 2010

Astana - Kaleidoscopic Capital of Kazakhstan

It has had a number of names in its history, but Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan literally means just that – it is the primary city of the nation.  And what a city it is.  Since its change of name twelve years ago the city has been transformed in to something quite different to the other capitals of the world.  The new name itself was chosen so that it was easy to pronounce by anyone. Take a quick tour and see what you think. Bizarre or brilliant? Or a combination of the two?

One of the first things that catches the eye of the visitor to Astana is the Bayterek – because of its enormous size and central location. Nicknamed the Chupa Chups by the local population the tower is a symbol of the transfer of the capital city to Atsana in 1997.  It is also representative of a Kazakh folk tale about the tree of life and the bird of happiness (not the blue one, however).

Samruk, the bird, laid its egg between two branches of a tree – and the rest is obvious.  If you go up to the altitude deck you can see much of the city – it is almost 100 meters in height.  The tower was designed by the British Architect Sir Norman Foster.

While viewing the city you can take a look at the hand print of the first president of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev.  You can place you hand within the golden imprint (yes, that's solid gold) and make a wish.  From the looks of it however, you might think that the designer had watched a few too many episodes of Stargate (Chevron One is in place!).

The Pyramid of Peace (also known as the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation) was also designed by Sir Norman Foster and architecture myth has it that this was the first and only building where he was given a specific brief and forced to stick with it.  The pyramid has large sections devoted to six major world religions and smaller areas for other faiths. At night it is lit up in a myriad of colors.

Although it is quite a mind boggling site from the exterior, unlike the pyramids of old the public have full access to the interior.  This is the view from the ground floor, looking upward.

The top of the pyramid, from the interior, is remarkable. Opened in 2006, the plan is that every few years that representatives of the major religions will meet to discuss how to co-exist in peace and harmony.  The chamber where the delegates meet is based loosely on the UN Security Council room.  The building also houses the strangely named University of Civilization.

A closer look at the glass pinnacle of the pyramid reveals another image of peace.  However, the affairs of state go on in Astana, and the President needs a palace too.  Anything familiar about his place of residence, do you think?

It is known as the Ak Orda – the white horde – and does seem somewhat similar to a building on a Pennsylvania Avenue, albeit one which may have been reimagined in Second Life.  It was built in 2004 as pretty much a concrete slab, with the marble lining (up to 40cm thick) added later. 

The height of the White House in the US is 70 feet on the south side and just over 60 feet on its  north side.  If they were put side by side, Ak Orda would tower above it – at over 260 feet.

From the symbols of power, to those of religion.  The main mosque in the city is the Nur-Astana and is 40 meters in height.  This is to represent the age of the Prophet Mohamed when he had his first revelation.  Likewise the minarets are an enormous 63 meters in height, which was the prophet’s age when he died.

The prayer room, which comfortable fits five thousand people, is astonishing. Another two thousand can overflow on to the square outside.  Although Kazakhstan is secularly governed it also boasts being the largest country with a population which is predominantly muslim.

As a secular country, Kazakhstan now has more of its fair share of buildings which host cultural events from all over the world. The President's Center of Culture is an imposing structure. From above it looks like a large circle (or star perhaps, a recurring theme in Astana architecture) which emits four rays in to the corners of the world.  The building, although very modern, reflect the Turkic tradition, with the blue dome dominating the building.  It houses a vast collection of relics and artefacts from Kazakhstan through the ages.

Next door to the Ak Orda is the Central Concert Hall.  Opened just last year, the building, by Italian architect Manfredi Nicoletti, is reminiscent of the petals of a flower.  However, just as the building has metaphor at the heart of its design, it has utility too.  Astana is shockingly cold in the winter and the inclined walls protect the interior from the inclemency of Kazakhstan’s weather.

Above are the offices of KazMunayGas. You would be forgiven for wondering where the many millions of dollars come from to make Astana the gleaming new city that it appears.  The answer is oil.  Crude and natural, the country is awash with it – and it is also planning on being a major exporter of uranium. 

The offices of KazMunayGas, the state-owned gas and oil company,  reflect the wealth that the country is now wielding.  The first former Soviet Republic to pay off its debt to the International Monetary Fund, the country is simply awash in oil dollars.

Even the hotels in Astana are spectacular.  The Triumph Astana, although is also serves as apartments for the local good and the great, is one of those buildings that demand a second look.   However, for our money, the standout building remains the Bayterek.

29 July 2010

10 Japanese Customs You Must Know Before a Trip to Japan


If you are planning to visit Japan then there are one or two things you may want to know before you go about the customs over there.  After all, you do not want to offend anyone inadvertantly and if you get something wrong then people do not tend to be quick to forget - even if they do forgive.  So, over at matadorstudy there are a few handy tips for you - from how to address someone correctly to speaking English and safety issues.  Well worth a visit to the site, whether you are planning a trip or you are simply interested!
10 Japanese Customs You Must Know Before a Trip to Japan