Japan's highest and most famous peak

Yoshinoyama (Mount Yoshino) in Yoshino Town, Nara Prefecture, is Japan's most famous cherry blossom spot. Besides an estimated 30,000 cherry trees, the area also offers a rich history and several temples and shrines.

As the base of the pilgrimage trail to sacred Mount Omine, Yoshino has been a center of Shugendo mountain worship for many centuries. The remote town also served various historical personalities as a refuge, including Emperor Go-Daigo who established a competing second imperial court there in the 14th century.

Yoshinoyama is divided into four areas, the Shimo Senbon (lower 1000 trees) at the base of the mountain, Naka Senbon (middle 1000 trees), Kami Senbon (upper 1000 trees) and Oku Senbon (inner 1000 trees) at the top of the mountain.

Together with Mount Koya and Kumano, Yoshino was designated a cultural UNESO World Heritage Site in 2004, named the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range".

Attraction place to go in Yoshinoyama

Cherry Blossoms The cherry blossoms of Yoshinoyama.

Kinpusenji Temple The most important temple of Yoshino.

Yoshimizu Shrine Temporary quarters of Emperor Go-Daigo.

Chikurin-in Temple Temple ryokan with a beautiful garden.

Mikumari Shrine Shrine with an unusual architecture.

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Japan's most famous cherry blossom spot

Yoshinoyama (Mount Yoshino) in Yoshino Town, Nara Prefecture, is Japan's most famous cherry blossom spot. Besides an estimated 30,000 cherry trees, the area also offers a rich history and several temples and shrines.

As the base of the pilgrimage trail to sacred Mount Omine, Yoshino has been a center of Shugendo mountain worship for many centuries. The remote town also served various historical personalities as a refuge, including Emperor Go-Daigo who established a competing second imperial court there in the 14th century.

Yoshinoyama is divided into four areas, the Shimo Senbon (lower 1000 trees) at the base of the mountain, Naka Senbon (middle 1000 trees), Kami Senbon (upper 1000 trees) and Oku Senbon (inner 1000 trees) at the top of the mountain.

Together with Mount Koya and Kumano, Yoshino was designated a cultural UNESO World Heritage Site in 2004, named the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range".

Attraction places of Yoshinoyama

Cherry Blossoms The cherry blossoms of Yoshinoyama.

Kinpusenji Temple The most important temple of Yoshino.

Yoshimizu Shrine Temporary quarters of Emperor Go-Daigo.

Chikurin-in Temple Temple ryokan with a beautiful garden.

Mikumari Shrine Shrine with an unusual architecture.

For more detail click here

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Japan - which city was chosen by US armed forces as the first ever target of an atomic bomb????

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture and the largest city of the Chugoku Region, the westernmost region on Japan's main island of Honshu. It is home to about one million people.

On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was chosen by US armed forces as the first ever target of an atomic bomb employed over a populated area. As a result, 200,000 civilians lost their lives, and Hiroshima became a city vehemently engaged in the promotion of peace.

Hiroshima's Peace Park including the memorial museum, and the island of Miyajima (literally: shrine island), located 40 minutes from the city center by train and ferry, are among Japan's most interesting tourist attractions.

Peace Memorial Park Commemorating the drop of the atomic bomb.

Miyajima Island famous for its shrine and large torii gate.

Hiroshima Castle Reconstruction of the former castle.

Shukkeien A beautiful Japanese style garden.

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Thailand Tourism Review

Even as Thailand seeks to overcome the impact of the devastating December 2004 tsunami, and learn from its lessons in the reconstruction and rehabilitation process, it is important to look ahead to some major events that will shine a much more positive light on the kingdom.

2006 will mark the 60th anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne, further lengthening his standing record as the world's longest-reigning monarch.

At the same time, Thailand will open the new Suvarnabhumi Airport, a new gateway to the country. Interestingly, it is His Majesty the King who graciously conferred the name Suvarnabhumi for the new airport. It means "Golden Land" and is highly appropriate in the context of the times.

So even as we plan ahead for these events, and the opportunities they will open up to shine a powerful positive light on Thailand, we must never forget the victims of the tsunami or the efforts of the wonderful people who eased the pain and suffering and led the recovery.

As has been widely reported, and at the risk of repeating what should be obvious, the hotels, attractions, bars and restaurants in the vast majority of the previously affected areas are ready, willing and able to provide their legendary quality standard of cost-effective, cheerful hospitality.

Tourist dollars will ensure people remain in employment, improve morale, and facilitate the healing process. The message to the world is clear _ come to Thailand and come now. The generous, warm and friendly people of Thailand need support _ now.

2006 also is a milestone year for us at Diethelm Travel Thailand. Our parent company _ Diethelm Keller Holding _ celebrates its 100 years of continuous business operations in Thailand. More than most, we can take an informed position on what has been and what will likely be.

We wish all sectors of the tourism industry a happy, safe and successful 2006 and beyond.

Most importantly, we wish His Majesty a long and healthy life. May Thailand continue to prosper and flourish under his gracious and benevolent reign.

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The most magnificent Japanese castle

Himeji-Jo -- Himeji Castle is indisputably the most magnificent Japanese castle still standing in its original form. It has been home to 48 lords and the castle grounds are quite extensive.

Ask anyone who lives in Japan and they will tell you that
Himeji is far and away the best castle in Japan.
It's a must-see for any castle-lover visiting Japan!

To get there, my friends and I took the fabled Shinkansen! The distance to Himeji from Wakayama is not exceedingly far, but we saved an entire hour taking the bullet train.

Some people refer to Himeji castle as the "white heron castle" because they believe that it resembles a heron in its tall, white elegance. It was originally constructed in the 14th century by the powerful clan Norimura Akamatsu. Later the castle was enlarged and altered by successive lords. The entire castle itself is a National Treasure.

The castle grounds consist of a five-story donjon, three smaller donjons, fully defensible walls with towers, a moat, defense turrets, numerous gates and gardens and encompasses an area of 220,000 square meters!

For more detail click here.

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One of the Great Castle in Japan - Osaka-Jo

Osaka-Jo --- The original castle was completed in 1583. It took 100,000 workers slaving away for more than three years to complete. It has since been destroyed twice and restored twice.

The most impressive view of the castle is, unfortunately, from the outside. After being _completely_ destroyed in WWII it was reconstructed in 1931 out of concrete. The interior has some points of interest, it doesn't retain nearly as much as its former prestige.

And while it is not as grand as when it first was built, it still offers a lot in the way of information of Japanese life as it was during the times of its life in the form of video and artifactual exhibits.

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Thailand Coup 2006: Thursday Tourism Update

Those now in Bangkok on holiday, who have no interest in watching TV news programmes, or reading newspapers, can well be forgiven for not even being aware a military coup has taken place in Thailand. For those tourists enjoying the sunshine, sumptuous Thai food and exotic sights of Thailand's many beach destinations the situation will seem even more distant, with the most pressing issue of the day probably being whether to enjoy the sun and sea air by the pool or on the beach.

Such is the current calmness in Thailand. As news of the coup began to emerge on Tuesday evening, Thailand's tourism industry took a collective deep breath. The tourism industry in Thailand, as in many parts of Asia, has proved itself to be resilient time and time again, overcoming problems caused by wars, terrorism, SARS and the devastating Tsunami. But as we edge towards the peak Christmas, New Year, Holiday season any violence that this coup could have created would have had a massive impact on tourism to the country and of course the Thai economy.

Fore more detail click here.

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Bangkok Opens New Airport Suvarnabhumi as Don Muang Closes

Thai Airways International has successfully migrated its operational base from Don Muang’s Bangkok International Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
THAI’s six main activities, those being Cargo and Mail Commercial, Ground Support Equipment Services, Catering Services, Aircraft Maintenance Center, Customer Services, and Operations Center, have completely transferred their equipment and personnel to Suvarnabhumi Airport, whereby a total of 1.8 million pieces have been moved.
Flg. Off. Apinan Sumanaseni, President of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, said “As the national carrier of Thailand, those of us at THAI are rather nostalgic of Don Muang’s Bangkok International Airport after having operated there for the past 46 years. In addition, we are excited about our move to Suvarnabhumi Airport, which offers a whole new range of travel experiences, utilizing modern state-of-the-art facilities tailored to the changing needs of today’s global traveler. It is with pleasure and great anticipation that THAI announces the beginning of a new era, with flights to and from our new operational base at Suvarnabhumi Airport.”
Overnight, THAI transferred the parking location of its aircraft. A total of 22 aircraft were flown as ferry flights without passengers from Don Muang’s Bangkok International Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
All airlines flying to Bangkok now fly to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

For more detail click here

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The best ancient architecture of the world

There are two preeminent ancient religious cities in Southeast Asia: Bagan in Burma and Angkor in Cambodia. Both sites are notable for their expanse of sacred geography and the number and size of their individual temples. For many visitors Bagan is the more extraordinary of the two cities and this because of the view. The ruins of the more than one hundred Angkor temples stand alone and isolated in thick jungles, and only from the top of the tallest temples it is not possible to see others in the distance. Sprawling across a vast dusty plain, the ruins of Bagan are unhidden. There being no trees to obstruct the view, one may gaze over forty square miles of countryside, upon literally thousands of temples. In the early morning, from Sulamani Temple, or in the late afternoon, from Gawdawpalin Temple, the view is among the very finest the world has to offer.

Cheapest tour for Bagan click here
For more detail information of Bagan click here

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Spectacular Singapore

Singapore, or the Lion City, is at the crossroads of Asia. Its mix of Chinese, Indian, and Malay cultures, spiced with Western influences, creates a wonderful blend and this small country celebrates the uniqueness of each in its own special way. Today, the districts designated by the former British colonists for the ethnic groups are still in use, with Chinatown and Little India thriving as religious and cultural centres and yet, no matter what their ethnic background, each citizen calls themselves a Singaporean.

Singapore's strategic position has helped to make it the gateway of Asia, creating opportunities to grow into a major centre for trade, communications and tourism.

Fore more detail information about Singapore click here.

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James Bond Island

This famous landmark, called Koh Ping-gan, first found its way onto the international map through its starring role in the James Bond movie "The Man With the Golden Gun". And this is where they seem to take all of the tourists - all at one time. The entire area surrounding this island with its signature rocky pinnacle is indeed spectacular, but most of the tours bus visitors up the main highway for an hour on the same well-worn itinerary. An integral part of that tour is lunch at Koh Pannyi.

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Beyond Phuket

Koh Pannyi (Sea Gypsy Island)

This is a remarkable village, the whole of it built out over water on stilts and with a giant rock monolith guarding its rear. At lunch time, up to 3,000 tourists on the James Bond Island tours are brought in to eat and shop for handicrafts. As soon as the tourists leave, the community closes up its restaurants and trinket shops and transforms itself from a tourist trap into a quiet community of fishermen.


For more information click here.

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Phuket Gay Festival

Taking place in Patong at the beginning of February, the festival itself runs over four days with parties, a volleyball tournament and a street parade that is the highlight of the festival.

Patong Beach is the most famous beach on Phuket Island and has a wide variety of day time activities and a amazing night life.

Stay in Patong if you want to be near to exiting gay night life. In the daytime you can enjoy any of Phuket's 17 sandy beaches or walk down to the gay section of Patong Beach and enjoy the afternoon beach volleyball game.

If you stay outside Patong and want enjoy the night life in Patong you will probably spend a lot of money on tuk-tuk (local taxi) drivers taking you back and forth. Patong is the only beach with a Gay scene on Phuket Island.

If you want solitude there are several secluded islands and beaches only minutes away from Patong, so we are sure that you always will find something or somebody new to discover.

The Saturday Gay day tour from Connect is a "must" even if you not stay in Patong. Follow the link to explore photos from previous tours.

This site contains hundreds of pages on over 1000 photos from Gay Patong and GAY Phuket. Take your time to surf this site and we hope that we will see you here soon in real life.

Welcome to surf this site and if you have any questions or comments please email to us and we will answer within 24 hours.(For more detail information click here)

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The World’s Largest Bell

The World’s Largest Bell

King Dhammazedi's bell may or may not be lost forever, but even if it is, the world's largest accessible and ringing bell is still not in Russia.

That title is owned by Burma's Mingun Bell, which rings near the city of Sagaing, at the Mingun pagoda, some 11 km (7 miles) upriver from Mandalay, in the center of Burma, on the opposite bank of the Ayeyarwaddy and accessible only by river. A 45-minute boat trip to Mingun is very pleasant with plenty of life on the river to see.

This bell was cast by King Bodawpaya on 28 April 1808 and is about 13 feet tall. It weighs 55555 peik-thar, or 90.55 metric tons (about 200 US tons). (Peik-thar are a traditional unit of weight equalling 3.6 lbs (1.63 kg)— that's what the five characters that look like 9's on the side of the bell in the picture to the right mean.)

The pagoda itself was the main jewel in the crown of an ambitious building campaign sponsored by King Bodawpaya (ruled 1782-1819). The largest brick temple in Asia, its outline broods over the western bank of the Irrawaddy River from the hamlet of Mingun. Its base is 256 feet square and it rises some 150 feet. It is now viewed as little more than a curiosity, enhanced by dramatic fissures in its wall created by an earthquake in 1839-- visitors can even climb to the top by a modern stairway mounted on the most ruined corner fo the monument, though no access to the summit existed originally.

The Mingun is Asia's, and indeed, the world's, largest bell. Cast by Bodawpaya to complemlent the huge pagoda, it stands in its original location some 50 yeards to the northeast of the pagoda. The pagoda is still considered unfinished, since it is without a tower, but historians believe King Bodawpaya may have intended to sacrifice height for girth from the very beginning, and thus it may have been considered finished by the king himself. Pagodas were built to venerate sacred objects interred beneath them-- in fact, the word "pagoda" derives from *dagaba* (relic chamber), a term adopted into English after it was encountered in Buddhist Sri Lanka.

Visit to this website for more detail of the world's largest bell

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