We are all unique individuals. Kita memiliki anggota tubuh, penampilan, dan pikiran yang berbeda dengan orang lain. So be your self !!!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Straits of Hormuz

Leaving the Emirates behind us, we set sail to Oman, exiting the Persian Gulf and entering the Gulf of Oman once more. In doing this we cross a narrow strait at the northern tip of Oman, the “Hormuz Strait”, which separates the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman. The strait at its narrowest is 33 miles (54 km) wide. It is the only sea passage to the open ocean for large areas of the petroleum-exporting Persian Gulf. It is said that between 20% and 40% of the world's oil supply passes through the strait, making it one of the world's most strategically important choke points.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The earliest recorded mention of Dubai is in 1095 AD, in the Arabic book Mojam Ma Ostojam men Asmae Al belaad wal Mawadhea, which refers to “Dubai” as a vast place. Later, in 1587 AD, the Venetian pearl merchant Gaspero Balbi mentions the name of Dubai as one of the places where Venetians worked, diving for pearls. There are more substantial records of the town of Dubai from 1799. Earlier in the 18th century the Al Abu Falasa lineage of the Bani Yas clan established itself in Dubai, which was a dependent of the settlement of Abu Dhabi until 1833. In 1833, the Al Maktoum dynasty of the Bani Yas tribe left the settlement of Abu Dhabi and took over the town of Dubai and was constantly at odds with the emirate of Abu Dhabi. In 1835, Dubai and the rest of the Trucial States signed a maritime truce with Britain and a “Perpetual Maritime Truce” about two decades later. Dubai came under the protection of the United Kingdom by the Exclusive Agreement of 1892. Its location made Dubai a chief port for trade and exports throughout the early and mid-20th century. On December 2, 1971, Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other Emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after former protector Britain left the Persian Gulf. In 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a single, uniform currency: the United Arab Emirates dirham. The current ruler of Dubai is H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Like the preceding ruler, his older brother, he is also the Vice President and the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates on the Persian Gulf. It is the most populous and second largest after Abu Dhabi. With enormous construction and development in various industries, Dubai has attracted world-wide attention through innovative real estate projects, sports events, conferences and Guinness records; however, this increased attention, coinciding with its emergence as a world business hub, has also highlighted potential human rights issues concerning its largely immigrant workforce. Oil reserves in Dubai are less than one-twentieth those of Abu Dhabi, and oil income represents only 6% of their gross domestic product. The government’s decision to diversify from a trade-based but oil reliant economy to one that is service and tourism-oriented has made real estate more valuable, resulting in a property boom from 2004-2006. Construction on a large scale has turned Dubai into one of the fastest growing cities in the world, equaled only by the large Chinese cities. It is unusual in that its population is comprised mainly of expatriates, with United Arab Emirate nationals (Emiratis) constituting the minority. The majority of these expatriates come from south Asia and Southeast Asia. The government does not allow any form of naturalization or permanent residence to expatriates; however, foreigners are permitted to purchase and own property without a local partner or sponsor. The port of Dubai is one of the major ports for the United Arab Emirates next to Jebel Ali. Dubai has the largest Dry-dock in the world which is situated immediately adjacent to Port Rashid in the Dubai Dry-docks Estate. Traffic figures: The combined figures for Jebel Ali and Port Rashid are as follows; approx 77,380,000t of cargo and 14,000 vessels are handled annually. The maximum size of vessels handled is 230 meters. One of the many attractions of Dubai is the fact that they have created several artificial Islands. These Palm Islands are artificial islands in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on which major commercial and residential infrastructure will be constructed. The islands are the Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali and the Palm Deira. Each settlement will be in the shape of a palm tree, topped with a crescent, and will have a large number of residential, leisure and entertainment centers. The Palm Islands are located off the coast of The United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf and will add 520 kilometers of beaches to the city of Dubai.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Census of Marine Life (CoML), How Many Fish in the Sea?

An estimated 5,000 previously unknown ocean fish species and hundreds of thousands of other marine life forms are yet to be discovered, according to scientists engaged in a massive global scientific collaboration to identify and catalog life in the oceans. The new marine fish species are being catalogued and mapped by the Census of Marine Life (CoML), an unprecedented cooperative initiative involving leading marine scientists from every world region. More than 300 scientists from 53 countries are at work on the Census, designed to assess the diversity, distribution and abundance of ocean life and explain how it changes over time. The scientists, their institutions and government agencies are pooling their findings to create a comprehensive and authoritative portrait of life in the oceans today, yesterday and tomorrow. Over 15,300 species of marine fish are now included in the Census database with another 2,000 - 3,000 expected by the time of the final Census report in 2010. CoML experts expect the final count of marine fish species to total roughly 20,000. An average of 1,700 other animals and numerous marine plants are also being catalogued each year. CoML scientists estimate that 210,000 marine life forms of all types are currently known to science, but the total in existence could be up to 10 times that number.

The Gulf of Oman

Leaving the Arabian Sea behind us we enter the Gulf of Oman. The Gulf of Oman is a strait (and not an actual gulf) that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran (Persia). On the south coast are Oman in the east, and the United Arab Emirates for a short distance in the west. The Persian Gulf is rich with good fishing grounds, extensive coral reefs, and abundant pearl oysters, but its ecology has come under pressure from industrialization, and in particular, repeated petroleum spillages during recent wars.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Green Flash

Some people might have heard of the phenomenon “the green flash”. On a clear cloudless day, at the moment the sun disappears under the horizon a bright green flash can be seen. When the sun sets the colors of the spectrum are filtered one by one when breaking through the atmosphere. Green being the last color of the spectrum will be the last visible light of the sun.

Early History of Mumbai, India

Artifacts found near Kandivali in northern Mumbai indicate that the islands had been inhabited since the Stone Age. Documented evidence of human habitation dates back to 250 BCE, when it was known as Heptanesia (meaning “A Cluster of Seven Islands” in Ancient Greek). In the 3rd century BCE, the islands formed part of the Maurya Empire, ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Aşoka. During its first few centuries, control over Mumbai was disputed between the Indo-Scythian Western Satraps and the Satavahanas. The Hindu rulers of the Silhara Dynasty later governed the islands until 1343, when the kingdom of Gujarat annexed them. Some of the oldest edifices of the archipelago – the Elephanta Caves and the Walkeshwar temple complex date from this era. On December 2, 1911, the Gateway of India was built to commemorate the arrival in India of King George V and Queen Mary and was completed on December 4, 1924. In 1534, the Portuguese appropriated the islands from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. They were ceded to Charles II of England in 1661, as dowry for Catherine de Braganza. These islands were in turn leased to the British East India Company in 1668 for a sum of £10 per annum. The company found the deep harbor on the east coast of the islands to be ideal for setting up their first port in the subcontinent. The population quickly rose from 10,000 in 1661, to 60,000 in 1675; In 1687, the British East India Company transferred its headquarters from Surat to Bombay. The city eventually became the headquarters of the Bombay Presidency. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east, India has a coastline of 4,671 miles (7,517 kilometers). India's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert, both of which drive the monsoons. The Himalayas prevent cold Central Asian katabatic winds from blowing in, keeping the bulk of the Indian subcontinent warmer than most locations at similar latitudes. The Thar Desert plays a crucial role in attracting the moisture-laden southwest summer monsoon winds that, between June and October, provide the majority of India's rainfall.

Palm Tree

The sight of a palm tree usually inspires thoughts of a peaceful, calm vacation near azure waters. Palms are one of the most well-known and recognized cultivated plants. Throughout much of history, the palm tree has literally been a lifeline to humans due to the common products or food they provide. Lietrally hundreds of uses for the fruit, oil, branches, leaves and nuts have been described. In many cultures, the palm tree was a symbol of victory, peace, and fertility. Although generally thoughtof as a tropical plant, the northernmost native palm grows in Locarno, Switzerland!

The History of Time Zones

Standard time is the time of a town, region or country that is established by law or general usage as civil time. The concept of standard time was adopted in the late 19th century in an attempt to end the confusion that was caused by each community’s use of its own solar time, which became increasingly necessary with the development of rapid railway systems and the consequent confusion of schedules that used scores of different local times kept in separate communities. The need for standard time was felt most particularly in the United States and Canada. Sir Sandford Fleming, a Canadian railway planner and engineer, outlined a plan for worldwide standard time in the late 1870’s. Following this initiative, in 1884, delegates form 27 nations met in Washington, D.C. for the Meridian Conference and agreed on the system which we use now. The present system employs 24 standard meridians or longitude (lines running from the North Pole to the South Pole) 15 degrees apart, starting with the prime meridian through Greenwich, England. These meridians are theoretically the centers of 24 standard time zones, in practice the zones have in many cases been subdivided or altered in shape for the convenience of their inhabitants.

The Arabian Sea

Today from Mumbai we cross the Arabian Sea to the Arabic Peninsula. The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui, the north-east point of Somalia, Socotra, Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) in India, and the western coast of Sri Lanka. The Arabian Sea's surface area is about 1,491,130 square miles (3,862,000 sq km). The maximum width of the Arabian Sea is approximately 1,490 miles (2,400 km), and its maximum depth is 15,262ft (4,652 meters), in the Arabian Basin, approximately at the same latitude as the southernmost tip of India.

Ganesh Temple, Mumbai, India

Maret 24, 2009 Mumbai, India Hari ini saya mendapatkan pengalaman berharga dalam hidup. 6 orang dari kami merencanakan untuk pergi ke Ganesh Temple somewhere in Mumbai. Ketika akan mencari angkutan dari luar gerbang pelabuhan, kami langsung dikerubungi oleh para supir taxi yg menawarkan jasanya. Sebelum memutuskan taxi mana yang akan kami pakai, kami menanyakan beberapa supir taxi tersebut tentang arah tujuan kami. Dan semua supir taxi tersebut mengaku tau tempat2 yang akan kami kunjungi, Tak lupa kami juga mengadakan perjanjian ongkos perjalanan. Dengan tujuan supaya kami tidak di tipu oleh mereka. Biasalah ... dinegara2 seperti ini, Segalanya bisa dijadikan bahan tipu muslihat. Akhirnya kami mendapatkan mobil yg kami inginkan. Ada sesuatu yang menarik dari sopir yang kami pilih. Waktu sopir ini menawarkan jasanya, sopir ini mengaku beragama katolik. Kami memilih sopir ini sebenarnya bukan karena agamanya. Tetapi karena mobilnya cukup buat kami berenam. Instead of two taxis one Toyota kijang Inova was good idea. Dalam perjalanan sebagai the way of respect, kami menanyakan nama sopir kami. Dia menyebut nama Ismail, Kami meyakinkan sopir tersebut, You said you are Katolik, Ismail is not a Katolik name, is it ??? Yes sir, I am a moeslem. Kami tidak mempermasalahkannya lagi. Tapi apakah sejauh itu agama seorang sopir di Mumbai menjadi masalah untuk mendapatkan penumpang ?????? Bagi saya ini sangat aneh. Apapun agama kita, sebenarnya tidak menjadikannya sebuah masalah untuk mencari penghasilan untuk mencukupi kebutuhan keluarga. Kemudian setelah di Ganesh Temple. Kami membeli persembahan di kios dekat pintu masuk, Dalam perjalanan dari pintu gerbang menuju ke tempat pemujaan Ganesha, Kami melewati penjagaan yang sangat ketat. Pertama-tama pengunjung dipisahkan menjadi 2 golongan. Yang tidak membawa apa2 masuk pintu sebelah kanan. Yang membawa persembahan lewat pintu sebelah kiri. Pemeriksaan pertama melewati gerbang metal detektor, Dilanjutkan pemeriksaan body search 1 diteruskan body search 2, Yang membawa persembahan, persembahan itu sendiri harus melewati mesin x-ray. No problem for me at all. Karena awal tahun ini, mumbai mendapatkan serangan teroris di hotel Taj Mahal. Wajar-wajar aja. Setelah tiba di dalam temple … Kami kebingungan. Karena tidak tahu apa yang harus dilakukan. Setelah bertanya kepada seorang pengaman disana, Kami baru tahu bahwa ada antrian untuk masuk ke dalam temple. Kami melihat antrian yang sangat panjang sekali. Pada saat kami akan masuk ke antrian. Seorang pemuda dengan bahasa ‘India’ mencoba menawarkan jasanya. Jasa untuk menjadi pemandu menuju ke ‘patung Ganesha’ melalui jalur khusus. Mereka minta ongkos 700 rupee. Setelah tawar menawar jadilah 500 repee. Sebenarnya kami bertanya2, Mengapa ini bisa terjadi dan mengapa kami menerima tawaran ini, Alasan kami untuk menerima tawaran ini mungkin bisa dimengerti. Karena waktu, hanya itu alasannya. Karena kami harus pergi kebeberapa tempat lagi sebelum balik kekapal untuk bekerja. Tapi alasan kenapa ada ‘jalur khusus’ ini yang tidak bisa saya mengerti. Seolah-olah untuk sembahyang saja kami harus memakai ‘CALO’. Ha … ha … ha … Sebuah alasan yang belum bisa saya mengerti. Setelah itu kami dipandu menuju tempat pemujaan ganesha. Sebenarnya kami tidak begitu paham. Apakah tempat ini temple atau mandir. Karena tempat ini berupa bangunan bertingkat. Seperti rumah saja ……. Persis di tengah2 bangunan saya melihat sebuah tempat khusus yg terdapat ‘Patung Ganesha’ didalamnya. Trus kami di berikan isyarat oleh pemandu itu untuk melakukan puja. Anehnya kami tidak melihat ada orang sembahyang disana. Yang saya lihat hanya orang yang menghaturkan persembahan. Persembahan2 itu diterima oleh 3 orang yang saya rasa sekelas pendeta. Persembahan yang berupa kalungan bunga, sejenis makanan kecil dan sebuah kelapa kecil. Kalungan bunga itu dikalungkan di patung Ganesha dan ditukar dgn kalungan bunga yang lain, Begitu juga dengan makanan dan kelapa persembahan. Entah apa yang harus dilakukan disana. Kami tidak tahu. Tapi ada perasaan seolah2 kami dipaksa keluar dr ruangan itu oleh pengaman disana. Kami dengar teriakan2 dalam bahasa India yang kami tidak tahu artinya. Tapi dari bahasa tubuh mereka kami sedikit mengerti bahwa kami harus menyingkir dari tempat itu secepatnya. Saya secepat kilat menyampaikan permohonan2 saya kepada Ganesha dari dalam hati. Saya jadi bingung sendiri ….. Apa yang harus saya lakukan. Dalam ketidak mengertian kami. Kami segera menyingkir dari tempat itu. Kami mencoba untuk negosiasi dengan pemandu supaya bisa bersembahyang sebentar. Pemandu berdialog dengan pengaman dan akhirnya kami diperkenankan untuk beberapa saat berada di depan lokasi patung Ganesha. Tapi saya sempat mendengar teriakan dari yang saya rasa seorang pengaman disana, Untuk tidak duduk di daerah itu. Saya jadi tambah bingung. Dalam waktu sesaat itu, Saya hanya menyampaikan permohonan maaf saya kepada Ganesha. Karena ketidak tahuan saya tentang apa yang harus saya lakukan disana. Satu yang tidak saya mengerti di tempat ini. Mengapa orang2 yang datang untuk memuja Ganesha ditempat ini, Tidak dibiarkan ato diberikan kesempatan untuk memuja Ganesha dengan khusuk, minimal 5 menit maksimal. Mengapa harus tergesa2 sekali bahkan disertai teriakan2 keras untuk segera menyingkir. Apakah karena hari selasa itu hari khusus untuk memuja Ganesha ??? Atau apakah karena saking banyaknya orang2 yang ingin melakukan puja ??? Sehingga mungkin tindakan itu dianggap tindakan yang paling ‘adil’ untuk semua pemuja ???? Ah …. Ua ah gelap ………. Akhirnya kamipun melewati sebuah pintu dan kami menyadari ada ruangan lain. Saya melihat ada bangunan seperti pagoda kecil dan didepannya ada plataran dengan relief bergambar Hanuman. Sekali lagi bingung apa yang musti kami lakukan. Kami melihat orang2 sana menyentuhkan tangannya ke pagoda itu, Kemudian menyentuhkan tangannya ke dahinya. Entah apa artinya itu …… Pokoknya saya bingung. Akhirnya pasrah saja dengan tidak melakukan apa-apa. Sangat disayangkan memang. Akhrnya kamipun keluar bangunan itu menuju halaman. Setelah melewati pintu. Kami diberikan cairan berwarna putih, Belakangan kami tahu itu adalah susu yang dipakai untuk memandikan patung Ganesha yang ada didalam tadi. Saya melihat orang2 meminum susu tadi dan kemudian menganbil sejenis jajan kecil2 seperti telor yang telah disediakan. Entah untuk apa ….. Lagi-lagi saya tidak mengerti. Setelah membayar pemandu tadi akhirnya kami keluar dari areal temple tadi. Satu pelajaran penting yang saya bisa petik hari ini. JIKA KITA AKAN MELAKUKAN SESUATU, KITA HARUS TAHU APA YANG HARUS DILAKUKAN. Seperti kita membeli sebuah peralatan elektronik di toko. Memang penjaga toko akan memberi penjelasan tentang produk yang kita beli. Tapi setelah sampai dirumah. KITA TETAP HARUS MEMBACA BUKU MANUALNYA. Di buku ini ada penjelasan tentang apa yang harus kita lakukan sebelum dan sesudah mengoperasikan produk tersebut. Sehingga kita bisa mengoperasikan produk tersebut dengan benar. Ini tidak kami lakukan ketika kami mengunjungi Ganesh Temple. Sehingga kami pun tidak tahu apa yang harus kami lakukan disana. Untuk mengantisipasi sesuatu pun kami tidak siap. Sungguh hal yang memalukan. But everything happen for reasons.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Maharaja Of India

The word Maharaja is Sanskrit for “great king” or “high king” (karmadharaya from mahānt “great” and rājan “king”). Due to Sanskrit’s major influence on the vocabulary of most languages in India, the term ‘Maharaja’ is common to many modern languages, such as Bengali, Hindi and Gujrati. Its use is primarily for Hindu potentates (ruler or sovereign). The female equivalent to Maharaja is Maharani, a title used either by the wife of a Maharaja or, in the few states where allowed, by a woman ruling in her own right. The term Maharaj denotes separate noble and religious offices, although the fact that in Hindi the suffix ‘a’ in Maharaja is silent makes the two titles homonyms.

Mumbai’s Culture

Mumbai is one of the most liberal and cosmopolitan cities of India, embracing concepts that would be taboo in other cities. Mumbai residents of all religions celebrate Western and Indian celebrations and festivals with great fanfare. The metropolis has local roadside fast food and South Indian and Chinese food are also very popular. The residents have unique tastes in cuisine, music, film and literature, both Indian and international. Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinema, with the oldest film shot here in 1896. It also boasts a large number of cinemas, including Asia’s largest IMAX dome theater, which feature mainstream Bollywood and Hollywood films. The city also hosts various plays and cultural performances. There are also two art galleries: The Jehangir Art Gallery and The National Gallery of Modern Art and a museum, The Prince of Wales Museum in South Mumbai. Built in 1833, the Asiatic Society of Bombay is the oldest public library in the city.

Mumbai, India

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and is the most populous Indian city. It is located on an island off the west coast of India and has an estimated metropolitan population in 2005 of 17 million, making it the sixth largest metropolitan area in the world. Clustered along with its outlying satellite townships, it forms one of the world’s most populous conurbations. The city, which has a deep natural harbor, is also the largest port in western India, handling over half of the country’s passenger traffic. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India, and houses important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, and the corporate headquarters of many Indian companies. Owing to the immense business opportunities available in Mumbai and the relatively high standard of living, it has attracted migrants from all over India and South Asia, making the city a potpourri of various communities and cultures. The appellation Mumbai is an eponym, derived from Mumba: the name of the local Hindu goddess Mumbadevi and Aai, which means mother in Marathi. In the 16th century, the Portuguese named the area Bom Bahia, meaning Good Bay. Later corrupted to Bombaim, it is still known as such in Portuguese. After the British gained possession, it was anglicized to Bombay. The name was officially changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995. Mumbai is located on Salsette Island, which lies at the mouth of Ulhas River off the western coast of India in the coastal region known as the Konkan. Most of Mumbai is at sea level and the average elevation ranges from 33 to 49.5 feet (10 to 15 meters). The northern part of Mumbai is hilly and the highest point of the city is at 1,450 feet (450 meters). Three Lakes are within the metropolitan limits: the Tulsi Lake, Vihar Lake and the Powai Lake. The first two are present within the Borivali National Park and supply part of the city’s drinking water. Mumbai also has three small rivers within the city limits originating in the National Park. The coastline of the city is indented with numerous creeks and bays. On the eastern seaboard, large mangrove swamps rich in biodiversity occupy most of the region. Soil cover in the city region is predominantly sandy owing to its proximity to the sea. The underlying rock of the region is composed of black Deccan basalt flows and their acid and basic variants dating back to the late Cretaceous and early Eocene geological eras. Mumbai sits on a seismically active zone owing to the presence of three fault lines in the vicinity. The area is classified as a Zone III region, which means an earthquake of magnitude of up to 6.5 can be expected. Bombay Harbor is the premier port on the West coast of India; its fine harbor, about 14 miles long with a general width of about 5 miles lies East of Bombay Island. Bombay was ceded to the Portuguese by the sultan of Gujarat in the early 16th century. It later passed to Britain as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza on her marriage to Charles the second of England. Its rise to the status of major port began when ships of the Dutch East India Company started, in the eighteenth century, to make it a regular port of call and received further impetus with the establishment of cotton mills in 1850. With its unique topography, it is well sheltered to wind and waves by Mumbai Island to the west and the mainland of Konkan to the east, Mumbai has one of the best natural harbors in the world, handling 50% of the country's passenger traffic, and much of India's cargo. It is also an important base for the Indian Navy, being the headquarters of the Western Naval Command. The former name Bombay had its origins in the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived in the area and called it by various names, which finally took the written form Bombaim, still common in current Portuguese use. The name was officially changed to its Marathi pronunciation of Mumbai in 1996.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Customs in India

· The word no has abrasive connotations; therefore do not outright refuse an offer but find a vague way to get around it, such as I’ll try. · Keep small change handy as street merchants and taxi drivers often claim that they have no change. · Tipping is a certain way to make sure things get done. It is more than a gift for a job well done. · Keep your hands in your pockets when walking by temples, as street merchants will often make you pay for a bracelet they put on a free arm. · Never pat or touch an Indian’s head. · It is rude to point with your fingers. Instead, use your chin to point. It is also considered rude to beckon with your palm up, whistle or wink. · A side-to-side head movement denotes agreement while an up-and-down head movement means no. As cows are revered animals by Hindu people, wearing leather of any kind can be seen as offensive.

Cochin, India

Cochin is both a city and a former state (known as Princely State) in southwest India on the Arabian Sea. Now part of Kerala state, the region of Cochin has one of the highest population densities in India. Agriculture is the chief economic activity. Ernakulam was the former capital and Kochi (formerly Cochin) the chief port. Thought of as the finest port south of Bombay, Kochi, with its naval base and shipbuilding industry, is the primary training center for the Indian Navy. After Vasco da Gama visited the city in 1502, the Portuguese established a settlement. The Dutch captured it in 1663 and the British in 1795. In adjoining Mattancheri there is a small community of descendants of Jews expelled from Portugal in the 16th century, thought to be the oldest Jewish enclave in India. India is a large, triangular-shaped country in southern Asia, buttressed by the long sweep of the Himalaya in the north and protruding into the Indian Ocean in the south. It is bordered by Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. Sri Lanka is the teardrop-shaped island hanging off its southern tip. India covers a land area of some 1,281,930 square miles (3,287,000 square kilometers), though disputed borders with Pakistan and China make this figure somewhat arbitrary; it still remains that India is the seventh largest country in the world. The city is situated at the northern end of a peninsula, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) long and less than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) wide. Kochi's proximity to the equator along with its coastal location results in little seasonal temperature variation, with moderate to high levels of humidity. Annual temperatures range between 68–95 °F (20 to 35 °C) with the record high being 96 °F (35 °C), and record low 63 °F (17 °C). Kochi as Cochin in known nowadays is one of the principal seaports of India and the main deep water harbor South of Mumbai.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Charts and Courses of a Ship

The selection of the route depends on the depth of the water, the shortest track, scenery, weather, currents, as well as many other factors. When the course lines have been drawn, distance and speed have been calculated, it is time to call the Captain to approve the intended route. Under his guidance adjustments are made, the approaches to each port finalized, anchorages selected, and alternative scenarios developed in case they are needed.

Passing Sri Lanka

At the western part of the Bay of Bengal lies the Island Nation of Sri Lanka with its capital “Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte” or Sri Jayewardenepura, also known as Kotte. It is the administrative capital of Sri Lanka. It is located beyond the eastern suburbs of the commercial capital Colombo and is often called New Capital territory. After passing Sri Lanka on the starboard side we will turn around the southern tip of India and head north in the Arabian Sea to Cochin.

Friday, March 20, 2009

The Bay of Bengal

Today we sail The Bay of Bengal, is bordered by India on the west, Bangladesh on the north, and Myanmar (Burma) and the Malay Peninsula on the east. The area experiences monsoons in both winter and summer. Cyclones—such as the one which devastated the eastern shore of Bangladesh in April 1991—occur in the spring and autumn. From January till October there is a northward flowing current in the bay called the “East Indian Current”. During the rest of the year the current is flowing south westward and is called the “East Indian Winter Jet”.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sailing The Andaman Sea

Today we are crossing the Andaman Sea, named after the Andaman Islands which lie between Burma (Myanmar) and the Indonesian Island of Sumatera. We will pass the Ten Degree Channel, which runs between Little Andaman Island and Car Nicobar Island (Nicobar Islands). Once through this channel we will sail into the Bay of Bengal on our way to Cochin.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Galungan di Phuket, Thailand

Hari ini adalah hari raya Galungan, Terpaksa dirayakan di kapal Ms Rotterdam. Mulai tadi pagi, masak masakan Bali dengan Wayan Aryasa, dibantu Mr Jenggo and Komang Subagiana. Lumayan penghilang rasa rindu ama keluarga di Bali. Selamat Hari Raya Galungan dan Kuningan. ms Rotterdam Grand World Voyage Phuket, Thailand

Phuket, Thailand

Phuket is actually an island on the southwest side of Thailand it is about the same size as Singapore and is connected to mainland Thailand via a bridge on the far north tip. Dubbed ‘Pearl of the South’ by the tourist industry, Phuket is Thailand’s largest, most populous and most visited island. A whirl of color and cosmopolitanism, Thailand’s only island province revolves around and thrives on tourism, but still retains a spark of the real Thailand. Phuket is more about doing things - or doing nothing at all - than it is about sightseeing. With that said, there are some interesting markets, temples, examples of Sino-Portuguese architecture and nature reserves to check out when you can go no deeper shade of brown. Set within a lush tropical landscape, Thailand is a theater of sensual and cultural contrasts; the long, rich heritage and abundant resources of this proud Buddhist nation jostle for space within the dynamics of a country undergoing economic boom and bust. It is zestful, tranquil, resplendent and subtle - Thailand is always compelling. The coastal terrain of the 503 square miles, 810 square kilometers, and island encompasses broad, sandy bays, rocky peninsulas, limestone cliffs, forested hills and tropical vegetation. Phuket’s inland area supports rice paddies, rubber, cashew nut, cacao, pineapple and coconut plantations as well as the islands last bit of rain forest. Phuket has a culture all of its own, combining Chinese and Portuguese influences with that of the Southern Thais, and Chao Naam, a seafaring, semi-nomadic group that depend on fishing and boatbuilding.

Wejangan Dewa Ruci Untuk Bima

termangu sang bima di tepian samudera dibelai kehangatan alun ombak setinggi betis tak ada lagi tempat bertanya sesirnanya sang naga nemburnawa dewaruci, sang marbudyengrat, memandangnya iba dari kejauhan, tahu belaka bahwa tirta pawitra memang tak pernah ada dan mustahil akan pernah bisa ditemukan oleh manusia mana pun. menghampir sang dewa ruci sambil menyapa: ‘apa yang kau cari, hai werkudara, hanya ada bencana dan kesulitan yang ada di sini di tempat sesunyi dan sekosong ini’ terkejut sang sena dan mencari ke kanan kiri setelah melihat sang penanya ia bergumam: ‘makhluk apa lagi ini, sendirian di tengah samudera sunyi kecil mungil tapi berbunyi pongah dan jumawa? serba sunyi di sini, lanjut sang marbudyengrat mustahil akan ada sabda keluhuran di tempat seperti ini sia-sialah usahamu mencarinya tanpa peduli segala bahaya sang sena semakin termangu menduga-duga, dan akhirnya sadar bahwa makhluk ini pastilah seorang dewa ah, paduka tuan, gelap pekat rasa hatiku. entahlah apa sebenarnya yang aku cari ini. dan siapa sebenarnya diriku ini ketahuilah anakku, akulah yang disebut dewaruci, atau sang marbudyengrat yang tahu segalanya tentang dirimu anakku yang keturunan hyang guru dari hyang brahma, anak kunti, keturunan wisnu yang hanya beranak tiga, yudistira, dirimu, dan janaka. yang bersaudara dua lagi nakula dan sadewa dari ibunda madrim si putri mandraka. datangmu kemari atas perintah gurumu dahyang durna untuk mencari tirta pawitra yang tak pernah ada di sini bila demikian, pukulun, wejanglah aku seperlunya agar tidak mengalami kegelapan seperti ini terasa bagai keris tanpa sarungnya sabarlah anakku,.memang berat cobaan hidup ingatlah pesanku ini senantiasa jangan berangkat sebelum tahu tujuanmu, jangan menyuap sebelum mencicipnya. tahu hanya berawal dari bertanya, bisa berpangkal dari meniru, sesuatu terwujud hanya dari tindakan. janganlah bagai orang gunung membeli emas, mendapat besi kuning pun puas menduga mendapat emas bila tanpa dasar, bakti membuta pun akan bisa menyesatkan duh pukulun, tahulah sudah di mana salah hamba bertindak tanpa tahu asal tujuan sekarang hamba pasrah jiwaraga terserah paduka. nah, bila benar ucapanmu, segera masuklah ke dalam diriku. lanjut sang marbudyengrat sang sena tertegun tak percaya mendengarnya ah, mana mungkin hamba bisa melakukannya paduka hanyalah anak bajang sedangkan tubuh hamba sebesar bukit kelingking pun tak akan mungkin muat. wahai werkudara si dungu anakku, sebesar apa dirimu dibanding alam semesta? seisi alam ini pun bisa masuk ke dalam diriku, jangankan lagi dirimu yang hanya sejentik noktah di alam. mendengar ucapan sang dewaruci sang bima merasa kecil seketika, dan segera melompat masuk ke telinga kiri sang dewaruci yang telah terangsur ke arahnya heh, werkudara, katakanlah sejelas-jelasnya segala yang kau saksikan di sana hanya tampak samudera luas tak bertepi, ucap sang sena alam awang-uwung tak berbatas hamba semakin bingung tak tahu mana utara selatan atas bawah depan belakang janganlah mudah cemas, ujar sang dewaruci yakinilah bahwa di setiap kebimbangan senantiasa akan ada pertolongan dewata dalam seketika sang bima menemukan kiblat dan melihat surya setelah hati kembali tenang tampaklah sang dewaruci di jagad walikan. Extracted from mix sources.

Hari Raya Galungan Dan Kuningan

Setiap 210 hari sekali berdasarkan penanggalan Bali-Jawa (Javano- Balinese Calender) yakni pada hari Budha Kliwon Wuku Dungulan Umat Hindu di Indonesia merayakan Hari Raya Galungan dan sepuluh hari kemudian akan disusul dengan perayaan Kuningan. Galungan adalah suatu upacara sakral yang memberikan kekuatan spritual agar mampu membedakan mana dorongan hidup yang berasal dari Adharma dan mana dari Budhi Atma yaitu : Suara Kebenaran (Dharma) dalam diri manusia. Disamping itu juga berarti kemampuan untuk membedakan kecenderungan keraksasaan (asura sampad) dan kecenderungan kedewaan (dewa sampad), karena hidup yang berbahagia atau ananda adalah hidup yang memiliki kemampuan untuk menguasai kecenderungan keraksasaan. Dalam lontar Sunarigama dijelaskan rincian upacara Hari Raya Galungan sebagai berikut : "Rabu Kliwon Dungulan namanya Galungan, arahkan bersatunya rohani supaya mendapatkan pandangan yang terang untuk melenyapkan segala kekacuan pikiran" Jadi inti Galungan adalah menyatukan kekuatan rohani agar mendapatkan pikiran dan pendirian yang terang. Bersatunya rohani dan pikiran yang terang inilah wujud dharma dalam diri. Sedangkan segala kekacuan pikiran (byaparaning idep) adalah wujud Adharma. Rangkaian Perayaan Hari Raya Galungan dan Kuningan di India dikenal dengan berbagai nama, di antaranya adalah Úraddhâ Vijaya Daúami, Durgâpûjâ atau Mahanavami. Berdasarkan data prasasti yang ditemukan di Bali, yakni Turuñan Prasasti yang berasal dari tahun 813 Caka (891 M) yang menyebutkan haywahaywan di mâgha mahânavamî (Goris, 1954: 56). Dalam bahasa Bali dewasa ini kata mahaywahaywa (dari kata mahayu-hayu) berarti merayakan. Haywahaywan di mâgha mahânavamî berarti perayaan Mâgha Mahânavamî. Di India Mahânavami identik dengan Dasara yakni hari pemujaan ditujukan kepada para leluhur (Dubois, 1981:569). Swami Úivânanda (1991:8) mengidentikkan Dasara dengan Dûrgâpûjâ yang dirayakan dua kali setahun, yakni Râmanavarâtrî atau Râmanavamî pada bulan Caitra (April-Mei), dan Dûrgânavarâtrî atau Dûrgânavamî pada bulan Asuji (September-Oktober). Perayaan ini disebut juga Vijaya Daoeami atau Úrâddha Vijaya Daúami yang dirayakan selama sepuluh hari, seperti halnya Hari Raya Galungan dan Kuningan di Indonesia. Hari Raya Galungan sudah dirayakan terlebih dahulu di tanah Jawa, ini sesuai dengan lontar berbahasa Jawa Kuno yaitu : Kidung Panji Amalat Rasmi. Di Bali Hari Raya Galungan untuk pertama kali dilaksanakan pada Hari Purnama Kapat, Budha Kliwon Dungulan tahun Saka 804 atau tahun 882 Masehi ini sesuai dengan lontar "Purana Bali Dwipa". Rangkaian perayaan Hari Raya Galungan dan Kuningan merupakan rangkaian perayaan yang paling panjang di antara hari raya - hari raya agama Hindu. 1. Rangkaian itu dimulai ketika hari Tumpek Pengarah atau Pengatag, yang jatuh pada hari Sabtu Kliwon Wuku Wariga, tepatnya 25 hari sebelum Hari Raya Galungan dan persembahan ditujukan kepada dewa OEa?kara (nama lain Dewa OEiva) sebagai penguasa tumbuh-tumbuhan dengan mempersembahkan sesajen pada pohon-pohon kayu yang menghasilkan buah, daun, dan bunga yang akan digunakan pada Hari Raya Galungan 2. Sugihan Jawa atau Sugihan Jaba yaitu; Sebuah kegiatan rohani dalam rangka menyucikan bhuana agung (makrocosmos) yang jatuh pada hari Kamis Wage Sungsang. Kata Sugihan berasal dari urat kata Sugi yang artinya membersihkan dan Jaba artinya luar, dalam lontar Sundarigama dijelaskan: bahwa Sugihan Jawa merupakan "Pasucian dewa kalinggania pamrastista bhatara kabeh" (pesucian dewa, karena itu hari penyucian semua bhatara). Pelaksanaan upacara ini dengan membersihkan alam lingkungan, baik pura, tempat tinggal, dan peralatan upacara di masing-masing tempat suci. Dan yang terpenting adalah membersihkan badan fisik dari debu kotoran dunia Maya, agar layak dihuni oleh Sang Jiwa Suci sebagai Brahma Pura. 3. Sugihan Bali; Bali dalam bahasa Sansekerta berarti kekuatan yang ada dalam diri. Jadi Sugihan Bali memiliki makna yaitu menyucikan diri sendiri sesuai dengan lontar sunarigama: "Kalinggania amrestista raga tawulan" (oleh karenanya menyucikan badan jasmani-rohani masing-masing (mikrocosmos) yaitu dengan memohon tirta pembersihan/penglukatan. Manusia tidak saja terdiri dari badan fisik tetapi juga badan rohani (Suksma Sarira dan Antahkarana Sarira). Persiapan fisik dan rohani adalah modal awal yang harus diperkuat sehingga sistem kekebalan tubuh ini menjadi maksimal untuk menghadapi musuh yang akan menggoda pertapaan kita. 4.Panyekeban puasa I; Jatuh pada hari Minggu Pahing Dungulan. Panyekeban artinya mengendalikan semua indria dari pengaruh negatif, karena hari ini Sangkala Tiga Wisesa turun ke dunia untuk mengganggu dan menggoda kekokohan manusia dalam melaksanakan Hari Galungan. Dalam Lontar Sunarigama disebutkan : "Anyekung Jnana" artinya mendiamkan pikiran agar tidak dimasuki oleh Bhuta Galungan dan juga disebutkan "Nirmalakena" (orang yang pikirannya yang selalu suci) tidak akan dimasuki oleh Bhuta Galungan. Melihat pesan Panyekeban ini mewajibkan umat Hindu untuk mulai melaksanakan Brata atau Upavasa sehingga pemenuhan akan kebutuhan semua indriya tidak jatuh ke dalam kubangan dosa; pikirkan yang baik dan benar, berbicara kebenaran, berperilaku bijak dan bajik, mendengar kebenaran, menikmati makanan yang sattvika, dan yang lain, agar tetap memiliki kekuatan untuk menghalau godaan Sang Mara. Jadi tidak hanya nyekeb pisang atau tape untuk banten. 5. Penyajaan puasa II; Artinya hari ini umat mengadakan Tapa Samadhi dengan pemujaan kepada Ista Dewata. Penyajaan dalam lontar Sunarigama disebutkan : "Pangastawaning Sang Ngamong Yoga Samadhi" upacara ini dilaksanakan pada hari Senin Pon Dungulan. Dengan Wiweka dan Winaya, manusia Hindu diajak untuk dapat memilah kemudian memilih yang mana benar dan salah. Bukan semata-mata membuat kue untuk upacara. 6. Penampahan puasa III; Berasal dari kata tampah atau sembelih artinya ; bahwa pada hari ini manusia melakukan pertempuran melawan Adharma, atau hari untuk mengalahkan Bhuta Galungan dengan upacara pokok yakni Mabyakala yaitu memangkas dan mengeliminir sifat-sifat kebinatangan yang ada pada diri, bukan semata-mata membunuh hewan korban, karena musuh sebenarnya ada di dalam diri, bukan di luar termasuk sifat hewani tersebut. Ini sesuai dengan lontar Sunarigama yaitu ; "Pamyakala kala malaradan". Inilah puncak dari Brata dan Upavasa umat Hindu, bertempur melawan semua bentuk Ahamkara - kegelapan yang bercokol dalam diri. Selama ini justru sebagain besar dari kita malah berpesta pora makan, lupa terhadap jati diri, menikmati makanan, mabuk. Sehingga bukan Nyomya Bhuta Kala- Nyupat Angga Sarira, malah kita akhirnya menjelma jadi Bhuta itu sendiri 7. Galungan lebar puasa; Hari kemenangan dharma terhadap adharma setelah berhasil mengatasi semua godaan selama perjalan hidup ini, dan merupakan titik balik agar manusia senantiasa mengendalikan diri dan berkarma sesuai dengan dharma dalam rangka meningkatkan kualitas hidup dan dalam usaha mencapai anandam atau jagadhita dan moksa serta shanti dalam hidup sebagai mahluk yang berwiweka. 8. Manis Galungan; Setelah merayakan kemenangan , manusia merasakan nikmatnya (manisnya) kemenangan dengan mengunjungi sanak saudara dengan penuh keceriaan, berbagi suka cita, mengabarkan ajaran kebenaran betapa nikmatnya bisa meneguk kemenangan. Jadi hari ini umat Hindu wajib mewartakanmenyampaikan pesan dharma kepada semua manusia inilah misi umat Hindu: Dharma Cara- menyampaikan ajaran kebenaran dengan Satyam Vada mengatakan dengan kesungguhan dan kejujuran. 9. Pemaridan Guru; Jatuh pada hari Sabtu Pon Dungulan, maknyanya pada hari ini dilambangkan dewata kembali ke sorga dan meninggalkan anugrah berupa kadirgayusan yaitu ; hidup sehat umur panjang dan hari ini umat menikmati waranugraha dari dewata. Demikian makna Hari Raya Galungan sebagai hari pendakian spritual dalam mencapai kemenangan /wijaya dalam hidup ini ditinjau dari sudut pelaksanaan upacara dan filosofisnya. 10. Sepuluh hari setelah Galungan disebut Kuningan merupakan tonggak kembalinya para dewata dan roh suci leluhur menuju kahyangan stana-nya masingmasing yang diyakini tempatnya di svargaloka (alam sorga). Kuningan merupakan hari kasih sayang, yang disimbulkan melalui berbagai pratika upakara seperti: tamiang, koleman, sulangi, tebo, dan endongan. www.cyberdharma.net

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick (389 AD-461 AD?) is known as the Apostle of Ireland, Christian prelate. His birthplace is uncertain, but it was probably in southwestern Britain; his British name was Succat. At 16 years of age he was carried off by Irish marauders and passed his captivity as a herdsman near the mountain Slemish in County Antrim (according to tradition) or in County Connacht. The young herdsman saw visions in which he was urged to escape, and after six years of slavery he did so, to the northern coast of Gaul. Ordained a priest, possibly by Saint Germanus, at Auxerre, he returned to Ireland. Sometime after 431 AD, Patrick was appointed successor to St. Palladius, First Bishop of Ireland. Patrick concentrated on the west and north of Ireland, establishing his see at Armagh. Patrick’s two surviving works are written in Latin and demonstrate his acquaintance with the Vulgate translation of the Bible. In one of these works, ‘The Confessions’, Patrick portrays himself as an ignorant yokel in an unequal contest with the powerful and learned adherents of Pelagianism. His reported use of the shamrock as an illustration of the Trinity led to its being regarded as the Irish national symbol. A strange chant of his, called ‘The Lorica’, is preserved in the ‘Liber Hymnorum’ (Book of Hymns), and what purports to have been a handbell he used during Mass is shown in the National Museum in Dublin. Ireland held few secular celebrations and parades on Saint Patrick’s Day; however, in 1995 the government of Ireland established the Saint Patrick’s Day Festival with the goal of creating a festival that ranks amongst all of the greatest celebrations in the world.

Malacca Strait

Malacca Strait, which is one of world's busiest shipping areas. The strait is a narrow, 805 km (500 mile) stretch of water between Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the state of Melaka, Malaysia. The strait is the main shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, linking major Asian economies such as India, China, Japan and South Korea. Over 50,000 vessels pass through the strait per year, carrying about one-quarter of the world's traded goods including oil, Chinese manufactures, and Indonesian coffee.

Hari Keberuntungan

Hari ini di Singapura, kapal Ms Rotterdam dan MS Balmoral berlabuh di dock yang sama. Saya akhirnya bisa ketemu ipar saya Made Locong di terminal. Sungguh sebuah kebesaran Tuhan, thanks God, you give me a great day.

The Merlion and Sentosa Island

The Merlion is a figure with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Its name comes from a combination of mermaid and lion. The merlion was used by the Singapore Tourism Board as its logo up to 1997 and continues to be its trademark symbol. Supposedly, the lion head and fish body of the creature recalls the story of the legendary Sang Nila Utama, who saw a lion while hunting on an island, en route to Malacca. The island eventually became the sea port of Temasek, a precursor to Singapore. The original Merlion statue stood at the opening of the Singapore River, installed at a ceremony in1972. In 2002, the statue was relocated to its current site that fronts Marina Bay with the completion of the Esplanade Bridge in 1997. A taller replica can be found on Sentosa Island. Sentosa, meaning tranquility in Malay, is a popular island resort in Singapore which features a beautiful sheltered beach, historical fortifications in Fort Siloso, dating from World War II, two golf courses and two five-star hotels. Sentosa was once known as Pulau Belakang Mati, which in Malay means the "Island of Death from Behind". Different versions of how the island came to acquire such a name abound. One account attributed the name to murder and piracy in the island's past. A second claimed that the island is the paradise of warrior spirits and a third account claims that an outbreak of disease in the late 1840s almost wiped out the original settlers. In a 1972 contest, the island was renamed Sentosa.

Singapore, Republic of Singapore

Singapore, an island country and the smallest country in Southeast Asia, is located on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The site of several ancient port cities and a possession of several empires in its history, Singapore was a Malay fishing village when it was colonized by the United Kingdom in the 19th century. It was further occupied by the Japanese Empire in World War II, and was later part of the merger which established Malaysia. When Singapore acquired independence, having few natural resources, it was socio-politically volatile and economically undeveloped. Foreign investment and rapid government-led industrialization has since created an economy which relies on exports of electronics and manufacturing primarily from its port. Singapore is known to have the highest standard of living in Asia. Measured by GDP per capita, Singapore is the 22nd wealthiest country with a foreign reserve of US$119 billion. Eighty-three percent of Singapore's population lives in housing estates constructed by the Housing Development Board and nearly half use the public transport system daily. As a result of efforts to control motorized traffic, the maintenance of natural greenery, strict regulations on industrial locations and emissions, and other pro-environmental initiatives by the government and the private sector, Singapore has been able to control its pollution levels to well within World Health Organization standards.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

The Earth’s Atmosphere

The earth’s atmosphere is composed of distinct layers. The troposphere extends upward from the earth to a height of about 5 miles (8.1 kilometers) at the poles, to about 7 miles (11.3 kilometers) in mid-latitudes, and to about 10 miles (16.1 kilometers) at the equator. The air in the troposphere is in constant motion, with both horizontal and vertical air currents. Throughout the troposphere, temperature decreases with altitude. Above the troposphere is an atmospheric ozone layer, which is also the lower layer of the stratosphere. Temperature changes little with altitude in the stratosphere, which extends upward to about 30 miles (50 kilometers). Above this layer is the mesosphere, which extends to about 50 miles (80 kilometers) above the earth; the temperature sharply decreases at the base of the mesosphere before it begins to rise at the top of the mesosphere. The next layer is the thermosphere, which extends upward from the mesosphere to about 400 miles (640 kilometers); its temperature increases rapidly with altitude because of the absorption of shortwave radiation by ionization processes, although, because of the thinness of the air, little heat energy is available. The final layer is the exosphere, which gradually gets thinner as it reaches into the vacuum of space at around 435 miles (700 kilometers); the atmosphere is so attenuated at this altitude that the average distance air molecules travel without colliding is equal to the radius of the earth.

Saved By the Bell

In 17th century England, a guard at Windsor Castle was accused of falling asleep at his post. He claimed he was wrongly accused and could prove it; he had heard the church bell chime 13 times at midnight. Townspeople supported his claim and he was not executed. Today we think of the bell that ends a round in boxing, often saving the boxer from injury, or the bell at the end of a class period, saving you from more work. Regardless, this idiom means rescue from a situation at the last possible moment.

Kemaman, Malaysia

Kemaman, on the coast of the South China Sea, was known as early as the second century, BCE. Under the name Kole, it was mentioned by the Greek astrologer Ptolemy in a map of the Malay Peninsula. The areas written history is scarce, but it is commonly agreed that it was first explored around 1750 AD by a Pahang nobleman and his followers. Before the arrival of the Malays, Kemaman and the surrounding areas were inhabited by the Sakai and Jakun tribes. The district’s vast wealth of iron attracted many Chinese migrants who built a thriving industry in the manufacturing of salted fish. Today, the economy is based largely on petroleum and oil. The discovery of oil in the 1980s turned the area into a highly desirable destination for migrant workers from all over Malaysia and other parts of Asia. Kemaman boasts the deepest seaport in Malaysia and also has a liquefied petroleum gas export terminal managed by PETRONAS, the national oil corporation, whose PETRONAS Towers in Kuala Lumpur are among the world’s tallest buildings. The beautiful beaches in the area used to be a haven for nesting green turtles. However, the local taste for the turtle eggs has resulted in the species being declared extinct in the area since about 2004. A Turtle Sanctuary and conservation center has been established to provide undisturbed beach area in an effort to lure the turtles back to nest here again.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Ancient Vietnamese History

A Vietnamese legend tells that the Vietnamese people of various tribes were born outside the womb following the marriage of Lac Long Quân (Dragon Chief) and Âu Co (the Fairy). However, most Vietnamese historians consider the Dong Son civilization that covered much of Southeast Asia to be the beginning of Vietnam's history. In 208 BCE a Qin Dynasty general named Triêu Đà established a state called Nam Viet which encompassed southern China and the Red River Delta. The historical significance of the original Nam Viêt remains controversial because some historians consider it a Chinese occupation while others believe it was an independent era. For most of the period from 111 BCE to the early 10th century CE, Vietnam was under the rule of successive Chinese dynasties. Sporadic independence movements were attempted, but were quickly suppressed by Chinese forces.

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Vietnam consists of a total area of 208,635 square miles (335,767 km), and is bordered on the North by China and on the West by Laos and Cambodia. The population of Vietnam is approximately 60 million. In the North the population is the densest in the Red River Delta; in the South the population is concentrated in the fertile plain of the Mekong Delta and in the central lowlands. The port of Nha Trang recently got upgraded to handle lager vessels. At this time it handles approximately 600 vessels a year with a maximum capacity of 30.000 GT. Nha Trang is the capital of Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. Well known for its pristine beaches and excellent scuba diving, it is fast becoming a popular destination for international tourists (it is already very popular with Vietnamese tourists), attracting large numbers of backpackers on the Southeast Asia circuit. Nha Trang used to be a quiet fishing village and as little as two years ago it was still pretty sleepy, however, recent government and private investments have transformed it into a thriving beachside resort-town with a gorgeous beach promenade several miles long and a variety of hotels ranging from brand-new five-star venues along the waterfront to small, family run hotels, all within easy walking distance of the beach around Biet Thu and Nguyen Thien Thuat streets. Here you will also find a variety of restaurants, ranging from sophisticated dining experiences to family run, so there is something for every budget and taste. However much you may enjoy the beachside holiday atmosphere, do not neglect to take a walk through the older part of town to see the fishing fleet at anchor and do not miss the Long Son Pagoda which is marked by a huge white Buddha statue. This beautiful temple pays tribute to the lives and tragic deaths of the monks who so dramatically emolliated themselves as a protest against the Vietnam War. It is a somber reminder of the tragedies of Vietnam which ended with the reunification of the country just 30 years ago.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Terapi Pernafasan Untuk Sakit Kepala & Keletihan

Kita memiliki hidung berlubang disebelah kiri dan disebelah kanan. Apakah fungsinya sama untuk menarik dan membuang nafas ? Sebenarnya fungsinya tidak sama dan dapat k ita rasakan bedanya, sebelah kanan mewakili matahari (mengeluarkan panas) dan sebelah kiri mewakili bulan (mengeluarkan dingin). Jika sakit kepala, cobalah menutup lubang hidung sebelah kanan dan bernafaslah melalui hidung sebelah kiri dan lakukan kira-kira 5 menit, sakit kepala akan sembuh. Jika anda merasa lelah, tutuplah lubang hidung sebelah kiri dan bernafaslah melalui hidung sebelah kanan. Lakukan bolak-balik. Tak lama kemudian, anda akan merasakan segar kembali. Sebab lubang hidung sebelah kanan mengeluarkan panas, sehingga gampang sekali panas, lubang hidung sebelah kiri mengeluarkan dingin. Perempuan bernafas lebih dengan hidung sebelah kiri, sehingga hatinya mudah sekali dingin. Laki-laki bernafas lebih dengan hidung sebelah kanan, sehingga mudah sekali marah. Apakah anda pernah memperhatikan pada saat bangun, lubang hidung sebelah mana yang bernafas lebih cepat ? Sebelah kiri atau kanan ? Jika lubang hidung sebelah kiri bernafas lebih cepat, anda akan merasa sangat lelah.Tutuplah lubang hidung sebelah kiri dan gunakan lubang hidung sebelah kanan untuk bernafas, anda akan merasa segar kembali dengan cepat. Cara tersebut boleh diajarkan kepada anak-anak, tetapi efeknya akan lebih manjur jika diterapkan kepada orang dewasa. Saya biasanya merasakan sakit kepala, dan rasanya nyeri. Kemudian saya berobat ke dokter dan beliau bercanda : "Anda akan sembuh jika berumah tangga !" Dokter itu tidak bicara omong kosong. Apa yang dia sampaikan didukung dengan teori dan kesaksian. Selama itu, setiap malam saya merasakan sakit kepala dan tidak dapat belajar. Saya makan obat, tetapi tidak dapat sembuh. Pada suatu malam. saya duduk bermeditasi dan menutup lubang hidung sebelah kanan dan bernafas dengan lubang hidung sebelah kiri. Dalam kurang dari satu minggu, sakit kepala saya sembuh. Saya teruskan melakukannya selama 1 bulan, sejak malam itu sampai sekarang , sakit kepala saya tidak kambuh lagi. Ini adalah pengalaman saya sendiri. Saya beritahukan hal ini kepada orang lain, jika sakit kepala, cobalah cara tersebut, sebab sangat efektif buat saya. Banyak orang lain telah mencobanya dan berhasil. Ini adalah terapi alami, tidak seperti makan obat dalam jangka panjang yang memungkinkan ada efek sampingnya. Jadi kenapa anda tidak mencobanya ? Dengan mempraktekkan terapi pernafasan ini secara benar (menarik dan mengeluarkan nafas), kondisi tubuh anda akan sangat rileks. From: Robert Wijayanto robert_wyanto@yahoo.com

Yayasan WWF Indonesia

Yayasan WWF-Indonesia Kantor Taman A9, Unit A-1Kawasan Mega KuninganJakarta 12950 - Indonesia Phone: +62 21 5761070 ext 103 Fax: +62 21 5761080 http://www.wwf. or.idhttp://www.supporte rwwf.org WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (also known as World Wildlife Fund)

Feng Shui

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese skill of keeping a balance of the forces in your surroundings. In feng shui which is Mandarin Chinese meaning wind-water, the land is regarded as living entity reflecting the pattern of heaven, and any development must be in harmony with this pattern. When building, planting, or altering the landscape in any way, practitioners of feng shui aim to balance the forces of yin and yang, the two counter-balancing forces of universe. For example hills and mountains are pictured as dragons, full of yin, while valleys are seen as tigers, embodying the balancing yang forces. Based on classical Chinese writings, it has been practice since the 12th century AD. Not everyone believes in feng shui, but few dare flout its dictates as it may invite business failure, ill health or a decline in family fortunes. Extracted from mix sources.

The Chinese Dragon

The mythical Chinese dragon is depicted as a long, scaled, snake-like creature with four claws. In contrast, the Western dragon stands on four legs and is usually portrayed as evil. The Chinese dragon has long been a potent symbol of absolute power in Chinese folklore and art and also the embodiment of the concept of yang (male) and associated with the weather as the bringer of rain and water in an agriculturally water-driven nation. The dragon is generally accepted in the West as a national emblem of China, however, this usage within both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan is rare. The dragon was historically the symbol of the Emperor of China and regular citizens were forbidden to associate themselves with the dragon. The dragon has aggressive, warlike connotations that the Chinese government likes to avoid. As such, the giant panda is more often used in China as a national emblem. Many oriental dragons have a flaming pearl under their chin which signifies with wealth, good luck, and prosperity. The number nine is considered lucky in China as it is the largest possible single digit, and Chinese dragons are frequently connected with it. A Chinese dragon is normally described in terms of nine attributes and usually has 117 scales - 81 (9x9) male and 36 (9x4) female.

Barbie’s 50th Birthday

The American toy icon known as “Barbie” turns 50 today. Barbie, whose full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, is a global phenomenon who made her debut on March 9, 1959 at the American International Toy Fair in New York. Known for her pink Corvette, extensive wardrobe, and adoring boyfriend Ken, Barbie has fascinated several generations of pre-teen girls and is now a favorite among doll collector worldwide. An original 1959 Barbie still in the box commands thousand of dollars on the collectors market. Over the years Barbie has had several hobbies and career.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Cantonese Pride

The Cantonese of Hong Kong are a plucky lot, and display an ethnic chauvinism rarely encountered in the rest of China. They consider themselves to be perfect exemplars of what it means to be Chinese, despite being colonized and exposed to barbarian ways for 150 years. The Cantonese dialect is also considered by Heunggongyan, as the Hong Kong Cantonese call themselves, to be the true Chinese language. This notion flabbergasts the northern Chinese, who speak Mandarin and look upon Cantonese as an uncivilized language. In fact, the Cantonese have a point, as it is argued that the language is closer to that spoken in earlier ages in China. Poetry from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) tends to rhyme better when read aloud in Cantonese rather than in Mandarin. It also keeps a fair number of classical Chinese expressions in its daily vocabulary, while Mandarin has shorn itself of many of these. It is common to meet Cantonese Chinese who claim that modern Mandarin (called Putonghua) is not truly Chinese, but an invention.

Shanghai’s Sense of Spirituality

Shanghai, by virtue of its cosmopolitan nature, has a unique religious heritage. There are many religious buildings and institutions scattered around the city. Taoism, commonly referred to as the "native religion" of China, has a presence in Shanghai in the form of several temples, the largest being the City God Temple, in the heart of the old city. Buddhism has had a presence in the city since ancient times and the Longhua Temple is the largest temple in Shanghai. The Jade Buddha Temple, another important site, is named after a large statue of Buddha carved out of jade and prominently displayed in the temple. The Muslim population is fairly large and has been active for centuries. Their community is served by a number of mosques, both large and small. Christianity has also played a major factor in the spiritual life of Shanghai – with missionaries streaming into the city after it was opened for trade to the West in the mid-1800s. Catholic churches, such as St Ignatius Cathedral in Xujiahui, still have very active congregations. The She Shan Cathedral is the only active Christian pilgrimage site in China and is the largest Christian church building in East Asia. There were once sizeable Jewish and Eastern Orthodox populations in Shanghai and synagogues, such as the Ohel Rachel Synagogue, still pay tribute to the influence of the Jewish faith. Shanghai is currently one of the biggest cities of the world, with over 20 million inhabitants. It`s name could be translated as ‘by the sea’. Already for centuries, Shanghai had a busy port for coastal traffic and, with the end of the opium war with Great Britain in 1842 also for foreign vessels. After the communist revolution, a lot of companies moved their headquarters towards the much more free Hong Kong. But in the eighties, economic reforms took place, resulting in the port of Shanghai becoming the biggest and busiest in the world in 2004. On our way back to sea you can see countless shipyards, which are situated even in the middle of the city. Today China produces more than 30% of all the ships worldwide.

Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

Situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China sits beautiful Shanghai, the largest city of the People's Republic of China and seventh largest in the world. Shanghai is also one of the world's busiest ports, becoming the largest cargo port in the world in 2005. Originally a fishing town, Shanghai has emerged as one of China's most important cities. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, Shanghai was the third largest financial center in the world, after New York City and London, and the largest commercial city in the Far East. Its beauty and mystery has led to the city having various nicknames including "Paris of the East" and "Queen of the Orient". Before the nineteenth century, Shanghai was not considered a major city of China and compared to other major Chinese cities, there are few ancient landmarks to be found. Shanghai’s importance grew in the nineteenth century, as its strategic position at the mouth of the Yangtze River made it the perfect location for trade with the West. British forces temporarily held Shanghai during the First Opium War and when it ended in 1842 Shanghai was opened for international trade. From the 1920s to the late 30s Shanghai was a so-called 'sin city' as gangsters wielded a great deal of power, running casinos and brothels, but bringing enormous profits into the city.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

The Islands of Hong Kong

Hong Kong Island is separated from the mainland on its north side by a strait ½ to 3 miles wide, which comprises the harbor. Victoria, the capital city of the former colony, lies on the north side of the island, and on the mainland opposite lays the city of Kowloon. The harbor of Hong Kong has been the biggest and busiest port in Asia, but nowadays it has been surpassed in volume and size by the ports of Singapore and Shenzhen. None the less, still 220,000 ships visit this never sleeping city to load and offload their cargoes and passengers. There are 234 outlying islands that make up Hong Kong, many of them little more than uninhabited rocks. However, Cheung Chau (1 square mile, 2.5 square kilometers) has 22,000 residents and is fast developing into a mini Honolulu, although there is no motorized traffic. In 1842 Hong Kong became a dependant territory of the Empire of Great Britain. This occupation came as a result of the refusal of the emperor of China to receive the British opium ships and their cargo. In 1898, China and Great Britain signed a treaty where the region of Hong Kong was leased for a period of 99 years. During this period, Hong Kong grew to become one of the most prosperous and free economies in the world. Even now that Hong Kong is part of China again, it remains to have a large autonomy and is not considered to be part of mainland China. In December 1984, the British agreed to hand over the entire colony when the lease on the New Territories ran out in 1997, rather than hang on to a truncated colony consisting of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. The agreement theoretically allows Hong Kong to retain its pre-1997 social, economic and legal systems for at least 50 years after 1997. As the handover approached, controversies raged over the building of Hong Kong’s expensive new airport and the amount of democracy the Chinese were willing to accept. Chinese Superstitions One of the most prevalent superstitions in Hong Kong is the belief in the power in numbers. In the Cantonese language, many words share the same pronunciation as numbers. The number three sounds similar to ‘life’, nine sounds like ‘eternity’, and the number eight like ‘prosperity’. Lowest on the list is four, which has the same pronunciation as the word for ‘death’. Thus companies or homebuyers will shell out extra money for an address that contains one or more number eights. Each year the Hong Kong government draws in millions of dollars for charity by auctioning off automobile license plates, which feature lucky numbers. The Bank of China Tower opened on 08/08/88 - a rare union of the prosperous numbers. Couples rush to be married if there is an eight in the date, so August is a busy month! A few buildings around the city are missing their 4th or 14th floors, but overall people seem able to live with the number four, despite its ominous overtones. Some foods are also luckier than others. On birthdays, celebrants may eat noodles, as the long strands symbolize longevity. Sea moss, which in Cantonese has the same sound as ‘prosperity’, is always an auspicious ingredient. Peach juice is believed to be a life-giving elixir, while garlic and ginger can protect one against evil. A Hong Kong Wonder No visitor to Hong Kong should miss the longest escalator in the world, the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System. It consists of three moving walkways and 20 elevated walkways that can be reversed; they run down in the morning and up the rest of the day and evening to handle commuter traffic flow.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

20th Century Hong Kong History

In the early 20th century Hong Kong began a gradual shift away from trade to manufacturing. This move was hastened by the civil war in China during the 1920s and by the Japanese invasion in the 1930s, when Chinese capitalists fled to the safer confines of the colony. When the US embargo on Chinese goods during the Korean War threatened to strangle the colony, it was forced to increase its manufacturing capacity and develop service industries, such as banking and insurance. Hong Kong’s existence was threatened again when the Communists came to power in China in 1949 and during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. Although the Chinese could have re-taken Hong Kong with ease, a precarious peace prevailed

Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

Hong Kong consists of a mainland on the country’s southeastern coast and about 235 islands. It is bordered on the north by Guangdong Province and on the east, west and south by the South China Sea. Hong Kong was a British dependency from the 1840s until July 1, 1997, when it passed to Chinese sovereignty as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. When Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997, it had existed as a British colony for 156 years. Stand amid the forest of skyscrapers in Central and try to imagine the ‘barren island with hardly a house upon it’ that British naval officers surveyed as they hoisted the Union Jack over the empire’s newest addition in 1841. It is difficult to picture, for in its headlong dash toward ever-greater prosperity, Hong Kong has worked hard to bury its humble origins. The total land area of Hong Kong is small, only 422 square miles (1092 square kilometers); and the surrounding territorial waters cover 707 square miles (1830 square kilometers). Hong Kong’s mainland consists of the urban area of Kowloon and a portion of the New Territories, a large area that became part of Hong Kong in 1898. Lantau Island (also called Tai Yue Island), ceded to Hong Kong as part of the New Territories but often considered separate from that region, is the largest island. Located about six miles (10 kilometers) east of Lantau Island and across Victoria Harbor from Kowloon is Hong Kong Island. The city of Hong Kong (also known as Victoria) faces the harbor on the northern part of the island. Hong Kong Island is separated from the mainland on its north side by a strait ½ to 3 miles wide, which comprises the harbor. Victoria, the capital city of the former colony, lies on the north side of the island, and on the mainland opposite lays the city of Kowloon. The harbor of Hong Kong has been the biggest and busiest port in Asia, but nowadays it has been surpassed in volume and size by the ports of Singapore and Shenzhen. None the less, still 220,000 ships visit this never sleeping city to load and offload their cargoes and passengers. In December 1984, the British agreed to hand over the entire colony when the lease on the New Territories ran out in 1997, rather than hang on to a truncated colony consisting of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. The agreement theoretically allows Hong Kong to retain its pre-1997 social, economic and legal systems for at least 50 years after 1997. As the handover approached, controversies raged over the building of Hong Kong’s expensive new airport and the amount of democracy the Chinese were willing to accept. Colors and Customs in Hong Kong There is more to a color than meets the eye, at least for the Chinese. White is the color of death and mourners at traditional Chinese funerals will often wear white cloaks, sometimes with a black ribbon. Black on white is traditionally associated with funerals, and if you ever see a large circular flower arrangement in black and white, it denotes someone’s passing. It used to be that sending a white sheet of paper with black writing on it was a bad omen. Red is a far happier color, symbolizing prosperity. In traditional Chinese weddings the bride would wear red; today the red gown is usually only reserved for the wedding reception. Restaurants, temples and other places where people congregate are often decked out in red. However, it is not considered good form to write notes, letters or sign one’s name in red ink. Hong Kong residents do not seem too clear on why this is, but Taiwanese say that it implies the writer lacks intelligence. Yellow, which was always the color of the emperor, is believed to repel evil spirits, which is why temple fortune papers are printed on yellow paper. Black also stands for treachery, but this idea wilted under the forces of fashion - black clothing was all the rage among stylish young women during the 1990’s. Extracted from mix sourses

Sunday, March 1, 2009

The Month Of March

March is the third month of the Gregorian year, according to the present calendar; however, it was the first month of the Roman year, named for Mars, the god of war. In England, until the Gregorian calendar was adopted in 1752, March was considered the first month with the legal year beginning on March 25.

Qigong – Breathing Exercises

Qigong has a long history in China and is a traditional exercise among the Chinese people for keeping fit. In recent years, it has aroused the interest and attention of an increasing number of people. According to the theory of Chinese medicine, ‘Qi’ in ‘Qigong’ not only means the air we breath in, but actually refers to the inner vital energy. In modern medical terms, it means the resistance against disease, adaptability to the external environment, and the ability to overcome internal troubles and regain health. In traditional Chinese medicine, great importance is attached to exercises that strengthen the vital energy, or the internal energy, Chi. There are many schools of breathing exercises in China; they have been classified into five major schools to include medical, Confucian, Buddhist, Taoist and Wushu or Chinese martial art, each having its own characteristics. Medical breathing exercises aim at strengthening of one’s health and are good for treating and preventing diseases. The aim of the Confucian school of breathing exercise is cultivation of one’s moral character and the seeking of longevity. The Buddhist breathing exercise essentially involves the mind. The Wushu breathing exercise is mainly for the purpose of physical training and the improvement of health. According to research, breathing exercises were first introduced as a health alternative in China as far back as 1100 BC. On a cultural relic believed to be 3,000 years old, the following inscription was found: ‘Take a deep breath… hold the breath there for a while and then exhale it like the sprouting grass until it goes to the top of your head. In this way, the Yang vital energy would go up and the Yin down.’ This is what the ancients called Daoyin, and what we call Qigong today. This is a comparatively systematic exposition of the theory of Qigong. In recent years, greater importance has been attached to the study of Qigong, with heartening results. Many Qigong research institutions and sanatoriums have been set up, making Qigong more popular then ever.

Greenwich Mean Time

By international agreement, the time of day at the prime meridian (0°), called Greenwich mean time (GMT), sets the standard for the rest of the world. The Sun moves 15° each hour, making the time one hour earlier every 15° west of the prime meridian. When it is 3 pm at Greenwich (longitude 0°), at longitude 75° west (near New York City) the time is five hours earlier (10 am), and at longitude 120° west (near Los Angeles, California) it is eight hours earlier (7 am). Where longitude 180° west meets longitude 180° east in the Pacific Ocean is the international date line. There, the date changes by one day. When it is 10 am Monday on the east side of the international date line, it is 10 am on Tuesday on the west side of the line.

The Equator

As the center point of the earth, the equator is also the center of the tropics, the area lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at 23°27" north and south of the equator. The climate in the tropics varies; some areas have heavy rainfall, and others are very hot and dry. The sun’s heat near the equator easily evaporates water from the oceans, so the hot tropical air is also moist. This is why there are rain forests at the equator. Also, at the equator, the sun’s rays are unaffected by the tilt of the earth, so the area is always exposed to the sun and receives direct solar rays year-round, regardless of season. The heat is most intense at sea level, but as we move into the mountains, it can also get very cold. In fact, we might find snow at the equator! Overseeing the equator is King Neptune (known in Greek mythology as Poseidon) and in time-honored seafaring fashion, a ceremony to ensure a safe passage usually will be held by crew member. The festivities are marked by the appearance of King Neptune/Poseidon, Chief of the Water Deities. His symbol of power is the trident – a spear with three points on its head. He uses this staff to shatter rocks and call for or subdue storms. Neptune created the horse and upon these powerful creatures, with their brazen hoofs and golden manes, drew his chariot over the sea, which became smooth before him. This could explain the tradition of seafaring merrymaking, honoring Neptune in return for safe passage and smooth waters. EXTRACTED FROM MIX SOURCES

China’s Mighty Waterways

The most important river in China and perhaps all of Asia, is the Yangtze River. With a length of over 3,915 miles (6,300 km), it is the longest river running through China and the third longest river in the world, outdistanced only by the Amazon River and the Nile River. The Yangtze begins its course in the Tibetan highlands of western China where it then flows east to the East China Sea. With eight major tributaries that fan out into the mountains of western China and continue into the lowlands of eastern China, it is easy to see why the Yangtze demands respect during the summer monsoon rains. Historically, massive floods have resulted during these periods causing extensive damage to land, property and populations. The river supports large city populations in excess of a million in several locations including Shanghai. It is also responsible for carrying more than half of China’s agricultural production to market. The second longest river in China, with a length of 3,395 miles (5,432 km), is the Huang Ho River, often called the Yellow River. It too begins in the Tibetan Plateau and flows east into the Yellow Sea. The Huang Ho is a constantly changing river with a mouth that has entered the Yellow Sea at various points during the preceding three thousand years, sometimes as far apart as 500 miles (800 km). The Huang Ho also holds the dubious distinction of being the muddiest in the world carrying 2 pounds (.9 kg) of silt per cubic foot of water. In flood season, that number can quickly rise to 44 pounds (20 kg) per cubic foot! For a country as diverse and expansive as China, it is very important to understand the wandering wealth of its inland waterways.