In Taiwan, reading is a cultural phenomenon
I don’t think I can ever cease to admire Taiwan as a country. I had loads of curiosity before I visited it & it hasn’t lessened a bit. I am still amazed, I am still surprised in many ways.
Today I will talk about the wonderful reading culture in Taiwan.
When I was crossing the bridge on the River Kwai (no, not the movie), I saw a beautiful temple at its bank. Curiosity made me walk up to it, only to find the gates closed.
For centuries they lived in caves, roamed and ruled the complicated sierras, ravines and hidden valleys of the Serrania de Ronda and Sierra Morena, which sheltered them. Slowly they became so powerful in Andalucia that the government in Madrid in 1844 had to order the creation of the Guardia Civil (the local police at the villages) to put an end to their robbing ways. After that the robbery was almost curbed but isolated pockets of bandits were still robbing the wealthy travellers on their way to Ronda in as late as 1930s.
Another year has passed and it’s time to look back and take stock of my journeys, not only in terms of travel but the journeys which opened a new horizon in front of me and helped me see the world with diverse perceptions.
As I always say, I count my memories, not the places and I am happy that my travel memories are far more and better than the destinations.
Mauritius, a beautiful island country, known for its white beaches and pristine waters. Each side of the island reveals a dramatically different landscape from the other. It is that one country you can fall in love with immediately… even before landing.
I live in Mumbai and yet this was my first time at KGAF (Kala Ghoda Arts Festival). Call it my bad luck, I was always out of town at this time of the year.
I used to wonder what is so fascinating about this festival that people come here from other parts of India to attend it and I haven’t done so! Thankfully, I now know the reason.
This 9 day art festival is held every year in Mumbai with various themes and interpretations with representation of social issues, the state of our country what it is today. Many artists show their creativity through their work. Not only this, the sub-festivals feature the visual arts, dance, music, theatre, cinema, literature, lectures, seminars and workshops, heritage walks and special events for children as well. Various NGOs also have their stalls selling their products.
When I saw this statue in Plaza de Sol, Madrid, I was told that this statue is The Symbol of Madrid. A tree and a bear? I was intrigued enough to find out the story behind it.
Bear and the Madroño tree.
The official symbol of Madrid is a bear rearing up on its hind legs and feasting on berries of a tree. Sometimes it is
During one of my visits to New York, I visited Rockefeller Center. It is one of the attractions of New York city, an art deco marvel consisting of around 20 commercial buildings covering 11 acres in midtown Manhattan. Named after the multi-millionaire, John D. Rockefeller, who leased the space for a commercial district.
Statue of Atlas
The statue of Atlas holds an interesting story. It is said