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Kyoto is an ancient mysterious city, once been Japan’s old capital and the emperor’s residence from 794 until 1868. Over the centuries wars and fires destroyed the city, but today Kyoto rises with its beautiful gardens, temples and shrines. Left, a purification ceremony with period costumes at the Jonengu shrine.

Kyoto is located in a valley, part of the Yamashiro (or Kyoto) Basin. The Yamashiro Basin is surrounded on three sides by mountains known as Higashiyama, Kitayama and Nishiyama, with a height just above 1000 meters above sea level. The picture displays Shosei-en Garden at Higashi Hongan-ji Temple.

A tea ceremony performed by local high school students at Shosei-en Garden was organized by the Tale of Genji Association

Kyoto sits atop a large natural water table that provides the city with freshwater wells. Due to large scale urbanization, the amount of rain draining into the table is dwindling and wells across the area are drying at an increasing rate.

The park surrounding the Kyoto Imperial Palace, where emperors and nobles once lived.

Crete is the largest of the Greek island and the fifth largest one in the Mediterranean Sea. Crete was centre of the oldest Greek and European civilization. The eastern Lassithi perfecture in Crete is an evidence into life in old Crete. Aspros Potamos, left in this picture is a 300-year-old cottages once used by olive farmers.

Today Aspros Potamos is a peaceful place open to visitors as a rustic retreat. Palaikastro is a village on the eastern end of Crete, where is a Minoan era settlement.

This is Vai beach, located near the ancient town of Itanos.

A sunbath-girl rests surrounded by palm trees on Vai Beach. Nearby are more deserted coves.

Another landmark is Pefki, a mountain village where tourists can hear traditional music, eat snails fried in olive oil and rosemary and drink raki. Go there and dive into the peace of life.....

Zadar is located on the northern Dalmatian coast of Croatia and has a rich architectural history and a non-euro economy that's easier on the dollar.

The Old Town is a breathtaking place situated on a 1- acre peninsula with pedestrian only fishbone layout. The ninth-century Church of St. Donat is also located there among the many historical artifacts of three millenniums.

Nonchalantly tucked in the back of Cafe Lovre, for anyone to stroll into with their cup of kava is the Romanesque 11th-century St. Lawrence Church.

As well as the old town id famous for its market filled with fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers and is seeking heritage-site for its historic center from Unesco.

There is nothing Taiwanese about the Astoria Cafe in Taipei. And that is what made it special. The place was opened over a half century ago, on the west side of Taipei. It is a bakery, which sold fresh bread and homemade cakes downstairs. On upstairs level, it served dark bitter Russian coffee.

The capital of Taiwan also has unfolded history. Business boomed. Taiwan bet early on high-tech manufacturing and the island was gadget maker to the world.

Taipei these days is full with narrow avenues, tiled facades and crowds of street vendors, office towers, shopping malls, restaurants and foreign boutiques sprouted from the city's new glass-and-steel east side. But there are echoes everywhere of the turmoil that shaped the city and signs of an uncertain future.

In any boomtown, things vanish and other things take their place. But something more has happened in Taipei. Near the National Taiwan university there're a cluster of old Japanese-era houses. They're astonishing.The side street are crooked and lovely and lined with bookstores, cafes with tiny round tables and boutique sellingJapanese street fashion.

Taipei's shiny east sideis hometo the world's tallest building. Taipei 101. But Chiang Kai- shek's memorial casts a longer shadow. It sits in the middle of a sprawling walled garden, towering over a severe plaza that spans several city blocks.

Burma is a large country in mainland Southeast Asia. The country is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southwest, Bangladesh on the west and India on the northwest.

There is a wide range of indigenous cultures exist in Burma, the large number of the culture is primarily Buddhist and Bamar. Bamar culture has been brought by the neighbouring countries. This is manifested in its language, cuisine, music, dance and theatre. The arts, particularly literature, have historically been influenced by the local form of Theravada Buddhism.

In a traditional village, the temple is the centre of cultural life. Monks are supported by the lay people. A novitiation ceremony called shinbyu is the most important coming of age events for a boy when he enters the monastery for a short period of time. All boys of Buddhist family need to be a novice before the age of twenty and to be a monk after the age of twenty. It is compulsory for all boys of Buddhism.

British colonial also influenced the culture of Burma. Burma’s educational system is modelled of the United Kingdom. Colonial architectural influences are most evident in major cities such as Yangon.

The educational system of Burma is operated by the government Ministry of Education. There are 101 universities, 12 institutes, 9 degree colleges and 24 colleges in Burma, a total of 146 higher education institutions. There are 10 Technical Training Schools, 23 nursing training schools, 1 sport academy and 20 midwifery schools.There are 2047 Basic Education High Schools, 2605 Basic Education Middle Schools, 29944 Basic Education Primary Schools and 5952 Post Primary Schools. 1692 multimedia classrooms exist within this system.

If you travel from Istanbul to Bulgaria, once you cross the Bulgarian border everything is going to change.The surrounded landscape will become more interesting and in pretty small towns and villages there aren’t concrete blocks, only low, red-brick houses with red roofs and messy gardens.

Then Plovdiv will appeared as a cluster of blocks high-rises trying to reach the red sky. But it would be absurd to judge a city by its suburbs. Over the centuries Plovdiv changed hands between Bulgarians and Byzantines many times until, in the late 14th century, the last, dissolving remnants of the Bulgarian empire were absorbed by the Ottomans.

But, despite this and the best efforts of Communist planners, with their love of concrete and vacuous monumentality, Plovdiv has somehow survived. Walking north along Knyaz Alexandre — Plovdiv’s equivalent to Fifth Avenue –which is much more welcoming square, with busy outdoor cafes and a fountain ringed by bronze swans.

At the end of Knyaz Alexandre is Plovdiv’s Great Mosque, and a huge hole in the ground containing the northern end of a grand Roman stadium. The Great Mosque was a splendid, early Ottoman structure built, as the gravely courteous Turkish, in the reign of Sultan Murat II. Behind the mosque was a small square with yet more cafes and displays of horribly kitschy paintings. A steep, cobbled street led into the heart of the old quarter.

In exploring old Plovdiv, it is hard to go wrong. Just get pleasantly lost, and you are sure to find something enchanting. For example, there is main drag, and soon came upon the Lamartine House, a tall konak painted a dusty pink where the lachrymose French poet had rested for a few nights during the course of his ”Voyage en Orient.” Round a corner and down a steep slope was the Roman theater, its lovely, Ionic stage building hovering above a four-lane highway.

Almost immediately next door was Plovdiv’s Ethnographic Museum. Here, it is the building that houses the collection, rather than the collection itself, that is the chief exhibit, for this is perhaps the most splendid of old Plovdiv’s konaks, which are generally notable for the painted decoration of their exteriors.

Say Bali, Indonesia and think of paradise. That’s true! There are stunning sunsets, sculpted rice terraces and a beautiful temple on almost every corner. There’re great surfing clubs and lovely clubs for those of you who seek for bohemian lifestyle.

But there’s nothing like the Scared Monkey Forest Sanctuary. To visit it drive an hour north of Kuta Beach, to the town of Ubud, which is the cultural heart of Bali. The monkeys live in a dense, jungley stretch of green at the southern edge of town complete with its own temple. Some advice: Leave your snacks at home and do not buy any bananas.

When the night comes Bali is going to offer great experience of fire dances, mask dances, trance dances, monster dances and puppet shows, all of which have been refined over the centuries to the point that eyeballs, fingertips and toes all move in elaborate choreographed precision. On a typical night in Ubud you can take your pick from a half-dozen different shows.

Many of the stylish-luxury hotels in Ubud are built along the top of the gorge that the Ayung River runs through. There’s a good reason for that: the views are outstanding. Down on the river, climb aboard a rubber raft and watch the thick vines, low-flying swallows and waterfalls go by.

The Botanic Garden Ubud opened last summer — a magical park with extraordinary lilies, banana twist orchids and a miniature rainforest. Have a snack at the Chocolate House Cafe, which is housed in a 130-year-old jogglo, a traditional Javanese hut made of teak wood. The guava and passion fruit juices (12,000 rupiah) are garden fresh and the chicken kutu kaja, which is cooked slowly in banana leaves and served with red Tabanan rice, is a local specialty (42,000 rupiah). The menu rotates, but if it has it, don’t miss the coconut and jackfruit ice puter, ice cream made with coconut milk in a hand-cranked drum.

PARADISE WITHIN PARADISE

Kyoto is one of the most historical significant city in Japan. The city is impregnates with temples, shrines, imperial places and traditional wooden homes. As well as is nearby Nara, which is another more ancient city in beautiful Japan.

Kyoto is a place, where tourists will enjoy and experience on maximum the traditional inn. There’re a huge number of restaurants, bars and gardens. The gardens are spectacular Zen rock gardens used by Buddhist priests for meditation and relaxation. Visitors won’t find a slice of old Japan like this in other Japanese cities.

The central part of Kyoto west of the Kamo River and north of Shimogyo-ku, embraces Kyoto’s main shopping and nightlife districts with most of the action on Kawaramachi and Shijo Dori avenues. In addition to its many shopping arcades, restaurants, and bars, Nakagyo-ku also has a number of exclusive ryokan tucked away in delightful neighborhoods typical of old Kyoto, and it is home to Nijo Castle. Nakagyo-ku is one of the most desirable places to stay in terms of convenience and atmosphere.

Kyoto is hotter and more humid than Tokyo in summer and colder than Tokyo in winter. The city has villas than any other Japanese city. If you have time, visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Katsura Imperial Villa, or Shugakuin Imperial Villa with their splendid gardens.

The most romantic way to spend a summer’s evening than drifting down the river in a wooden boat decorated with paper lanterns, watching the fishermen and their cormorants at work. It’s amazing

Sanjusangendo is the popular name for Rengeo-in, a temple in eastern Kyoto which is famous for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Sanjusangendo is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama District of Kyoto, Japan. Officially known Sanjusangendo belongs to and is run by the Myoho-in temple, a part of the Tendai school of Buddhism. The temple name literally means Hall with thirty three spaces between columns, describing the architecture of the long main hall of the temple. Temple built in 12th century. Initially temple contained 124 small statues. In 13th century statues were added till 1001 units were reached. First row of statues are impressions of different gods (Thunder, Wind, …). Each one of them being remarkable pieces of art!

Archers compete against each other in the 120-meter long Sanjusangen-do Temple, which is the world’s longest wooden structure. The l meter in diameter target is positioned 60 meters away, so a high level of expertise is required
“Sanjusangendo” means a hall with 33 bays. The number 33 is sacred in Buddhism, for it is believed that Buddha saves mankind by disguising himself in 33 different forms. The 33 bays hold 1,001 statues of Kannon-Bosatsu! Each small image is 5 1/2 feet tall, carved out of wood and leafed in gold. It was an amazing sight.

There are 30 guardian deities, at one side the God of thunder and at the other side the God of wind. Both gods were worshipped as deities who controlled weather and brought good harvest. The statues are from the Kamakura period (12th-14th century) The temple was established by a powerful warrior-politician Taira-no-Kiyomori in 1164. The original building was destroyed by fire, but was reconstructed in 1266. Since then it underwent 4 major reconstructions. The hall is 120 meter long. It is open from 9:00 to 16:00. Admission free is 600 Yen. Photography is not permitted inside the temple.

Boudhanath stupa, a sacred Buddhist shrine, located in a short distance Northeast of Kathmandu is a World Heritage Site. This ancient stupa symbolizing “Nirvana”- the state of no suffering – was built in by. In its honor the festival of lights is celebrated on a full moon night in around February. A five day festival which takes place each year on the fifteenth day of Kartika around the end of celebrated by all Hindus with ritual house-cleaning, lanterns, candles, and fireworks. The Nepali version tends to be more picturesque and less explosive (literally) than those celebrated in India. All houses in the cities and villages are decorated with dozens of lit oil lamps which gives them a glittering appearance at night. The festival is held in honor of the Goddess Laxmi who is the Hindu goddess of wealth and also the wife of the almighty Vishnu. Hindus are joined by Jains, who mark their New Year and Sikhs, during this festival.

The Festival is all about worshiping of different animals such as crow, dog, cow, and worshiping of the Hindu Goddess of Fortune or Wealth (Goddess Laxmi), and cooking great meals at home, brothers and sisters shopping for gifts, flying kites, decorating homes and streets, playing cards with friends, resting and relaxing, and finally ending the festival with an exchange of a special temporary mark on forehead (tika in Nepali).
When Takaful’s Syariah head issued the now infamous letter, which forbade its staff from greeting Hindus during this festive season, not only were Hindus insulted, many Malaysians felt this had gone too far.

Over 80,000 enjoyed the vibrant music, riotous colours and spicy flavours of Diwali in 2006. Organised by Asia New Zealand Foundation in partnership with Auckland City Council, the Festival features the popular Bollywood dance competition, international performers, classical dance and music, crafts, Diwali sweets and lots of delicious food stalls.

The ancient city of Ephesus (Turkish: Efes), located near the Aegean Sea in modern day Turkey, was one of the great cities of the Greeks in Asia Minor. Ephesus, located 600km (373 miles) southwest of Istanbul, is one of the grandest and best-preserved ruins of the ancient world. According to evidence dating from around 1400 BC, the Hittites were the first to settle the site, which they named Apasas.
From the entrance at the Eastern gate of the city, there is the Eastern Agora, Odeon, the Temple of Domitianus, Polio Fountain, Trajan Fountain, Scolastica Bath, hillside houses, the Temple of Hadrianus, Celsus Library, Lower Agora, Marbled Street, Grand Theater, Arcadianus Avenue and the Church of the Virgin Mary. Near Ephesus is the house of the Virgin Mary.

The archaeological probes launch in 19 century in Efes. With searching the wreckages of the Temple of Artemida. At this the first parts of the ancient city are being struck. After the ending of 19 century major austrian antiquaries from the austrian archaeological institute hold ruins and unveil huge parts of the city, largely public buildings, but Large private homes, between that so called “houses of the southern dim hill brae” in which worthwhile tessellations are being found.

One of the most amazing ruins in Efes is the huge amphitheatre with a 24.000 seat capacity and superb acoustic effects. The ruins also include a gymnasium, agora and baths, as well as the Library of Celsus.The nearby town of Selcuk is dominated by a Byzantine citadel which stans close to the 6th century basilica of St. Jhon, supposedly built on the site of the apostle’s tomb.The 14th century Isa Bey Mosque, next to the basilica is accessed through its typical Seljuk portal.

The Efes museum which houses many of the artifacts, artwork, and statues found in the Ephesus site. Particularly interesting was the exhibit on the gladiator graveyard. Archiologists had discovered the graveyard a few years back and were able to determine many of the gladiator’s causes of death. A part of the site, St.John’s Basilica, was built in the 6th century AD, under emperor Justinian 1 over the supposed site of the apostle’s tomb. It is now surrounded by a Turkish town, Selcuk.

The Lima Cathedral is a Roman Catholic temple and is located in the Main Plaza of downtown Lima, Peru. It started its construction in 1535. It has been transformed many times, but it still conserves its colonial composition and facade. Lima’s cathedral is big, though not necessarily spectacular. Still, it is worth a visit due to its historical significance. It does have some interesting side chapels where we could watch the nuns maintaining the displays.

Lima’s cathedral is immense and ornate. The dominant structure on Lima’s central plaza, this is a must-see for the first-timer. Inside is the tomb of conquistador Francisco Pizarro, along with many pieces of art dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. There is an entrance fee, but the sight is well worth the 5 soles. Lima Cathedral has been affected by many earthquakes throughout its history. In 1609, its vaults were destroyed, and were rebuilt in 1615, at a lower height with a Gothic style. Again in 1746, it was almost entirely destroyed by a severe earthquake, and was rebuilt in 1758. In 1687, another earthquake destroyed the vaults of the Cathedral, followed by an earthquake in 1746, which destroyed its vaults and pillars. Almost after 200 years, another earthquake in 1940 damaged it a limited way, and restoration work was done in the same year.

The interior of Lima cathedral is attractive, with a delicate vaulted ceiling and a checkerboard floor. It is embellished with some impressive baroque furnishings, the most notable of which are the intricately carved choir stalls. The interior is remarkable for the intricate carving work of the wooden seats of the choir, the heavily ornamented “Inmaculada” chapel of Baroque style and an ivory Christ carved by Martinez Montaez, a splendid gift from King Charles V Entering the church and to the fight there is a chapel which holds the remains of the conqueror Francisco Pizarro. In the sacristy there is a museum of religious art. Inside are found colorful tiles from Seville, Spain (the largest collection in Lima), marble columns, and intricately carved cedar doors, cupolas, choir stalls, and stairways. A peaceful courtyard surrounded by arched passageways is found inside. You can see the five main rooms, the big hall and the dinning room on a guided tour. The visits are free, but it is necessary to make an arrangement two days before.
Under the nocturnal sky the cathedral beacons with much lights. Incredible is for the tourists.

Baalbek is a town in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude 1,170 m, situated east of the Litani River. It is famous for its exquisitely detailed but monumentally scaled Temple ruins of the Roman period, when Baalbek, known as Heliopolis was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire. Ruins of ancient temples in Baalbek, Lebanon, include the Temple of Jupiter, shown here, which once measured about 89 by 50 m. The temple, in the Corinthian style, was surrounded by a peristyle of 42 columns. The Romans built Baalbek when they took control of the territory that included what is now Lebanon in 64 BC.

In 27 BC, the Roman Emperor Augustus supposedly took the unfathomable decision to build in the middle of nowhere the grandest and mightiest temple of antiquity, the Temple of Jupiter, whose platform, and big courtyard are retained by three walls containing twenty-seven limestone blocks, unequaled in size anywhere in the world, as they all weigh in excess of 300 metric tons. Three of the blocks, however, weigh more than 800 tons each. This block trio is world-renowned as the “Trilithon”. Lion head is the Symbol of power and strength. It was a great decoration on the Roman temple. Earthquake destroyed a part of it but fortunately the head was in a good case.

The second temple, now called the Temple of Bacchus because of Bacchic motives carved at certain points, is in fact the temple of the female counterpart of Baal, namely Baalat, Ishtar or Artagatis. It is in a very good state of preservation and is greatly admired both by connoisseurs and by tourists. It is 70 metres long and is surrounded by a peristyle of 48 columns 20 metres high, bearing an entablature with a frieze of lions, bulls and acanthus leaves, all richly carved. Its entrance is truly monumental, 13 metres high by 7.5 metres wide, finely worked. The nave has fluted columns in relief on the walls. There is a cella or choir 27 metres by 22. The altar of the divinity, placed high, makes the building a religious monument of the highest order. The third temple, a smaller one, placed further to the east and now named after Venus, is a work of wonderful good taste and delicacy.

But as fighting escalated after a Hezbollah raid into Israel on July 12, many people feared for Baalbek and Lebanon’s other archaeological and cultural treasures. Now that a tentative cease-fire has been declared, experts returning to the country say that the sites—which have successfully survived decades of violence in the war-torn region—appear to have once again emerged unscathed.

Deir el-Bahri is located on the west bank of the Nile River. There it sits greeting spectators as they enter the Valley of the Kings. The site is comprised of three temples, the Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut II and the Mortuary Temple of Thutmoses III. The Temple of Deir El-Bahri is one of the most characteristic temples in the whole of Egypt, due to its design and decorations. It was built of limestone, not sandstone like most of the other funerary temples of the New Kingdom period.

The temple, designed by Senenmut, governor of the domains of Amun, in co-operation with the chief treasurer, Djehuty who recorded that he acted as chief, giving directions, I led the craftsmen to work in the works of Djeser-Djeseru. Hatshepsut was unique because she took on several male adornments while she ruled Egypt. Unlike most women of that time, she attached a false beard, wore male clothing, and was depicted in statutes as a pharaoh. She might have done this to make her transition to kingship and the acceptance of the priesthood more convincing. It may be that if she had ruled strictly with a more feminine-looking disposition she may not have been so readily accepted by the masses. Her strategy seemed to work and the priests supported her reign as pharaoh.
Traces of papyrus were found when the pools were excavated and tree pits, dug into the rocky ground and filled with Nile mud, surrounded the pools. The pools may have been used for rituals connected with plants and animals.

In any case, Hatshepsut has left a legacy of architectural and statuary elegance. Her temple built in the area of Thebes, at modern Deir el-Bahri, stands as a beautiful monument to her reign.

Based on the God statue and the reliefs, could be known that Prambanan complex was the place of Hindust worshingBuilt in the 10th century, this is the largest temple compound dedicated to Shiva in Indonesia. Rising above the centre of the last of these concentric squares are three temples decorated with reliefs illustrating the epic of the Ramayana, dedicated to the three great Hindu divinities (Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma) and three temples dedicated to the animals who serve them. Perhaps one of the most majestic temples in the South-East Asia, Prambanan attracts many admirers each year from abroad. Situated about 15 kilometers from Yogyakarta, the top of the main shrine is visible from a great distance and rises high above the scattered ruins of the former temples.

There is a area where you can conduct a special occasion together with your family, particular society or an organization(camping). Public facilities are available her just to support your need. While you activities you also enjoy the most beautiful elegant Hindus Temple in Indonesia, it means that this could be a memorable one.

Prambanan is the best seen shortly after dawn or in the late afternoon. However it is still beautiful at any time.
Archeological Museum:
The museum where you can learn about the ancient history of Prambanan and all the surrounding temples and Wanabaya’s discoveries.