China Cultural Chronicles January 4, 2013

  • Tallinn becomes first European capital to offer free public transport

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    Estonian capital city of Tallinn on New Year's Day became the first European capital to waive public transport fee for its registered residents.

    In the case of most adults, free ridership of buses, trams and trolleybuses requires that they be registered in the Population Register as Tallinn residents, Estonian Broadcasting Corporation (ERR) reported on Wednesday.

    Meanwhile, all pupils and students age 19 and under who are listed in the Population Register as residing in Estonia enjoy free public transport.

    In Tallinn, a city of 410,000, a total of 150,000 farecards had been purchased according to last count - as of late December, said the report.

    City officials have described the reform as primarily motivated by environmental and social reasons. Among other criticisms, some have expressed concern about the 12-million-euro budget shortfall the plan is expected to create.

  • Hangzhou sees first snow in 2013

    Tourists visit the West Lake scenic spot in snow in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 3, 2013. The central and northern parts of Zhejiang witnessed on Thursday the first snow in 2013.

    Tourists visit the West Lake scenic spot in snow in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 3, 2013. The central and northern parts of Zhejiang witnessed on Thursday the first snow in 2013. [Xinhua/Han Chuanhao]

  • Nearly 100,000 tourists visit Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple in 2012

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    Cambodia's world heritage Preah Vihear temple greeted some 99,490 domestic and foreign tourists in 2012, up 79 percent from 55,580 visitors in 2011, statistics from the Preah Vihear provincial tourism department showed Wednesday.

    The Hindu temple had been a flashpoint of deadly armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops in February and April, 2011, as Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) of scrub next to the temple.

    Tensions have eased since former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Pheu Thai Party won the general elections in July, 2011.

    According to the statistics, the temple welcomed about 92,350 local visitors and 7,140 foreigners in 2012, up 75 percent and 146 percent respectively year-on-year.

    Preah Vihear provincial tourism department's chief Kong Vibol attributed the sharp rise to improving roads leading to the temple and good security as no more military confrontation between Cambodian and Thai troops over disputed border near the temple.

    "More and more foreigners are curious to see the temple," Kong Vibol told Xinhua Wednesday, "We expect the temple will become one of the country's largest cultural destinations for tourists in the coming years."

    Preah Vihear locates on the top of a 525-meter cliff in the Dangrek Mountains, about 500 kilometers northwest of capital Phnom Penh. It was inscribed in the World Heritage list on July 07, 2008.

  • CN-754654 card 2

    isa 11 has added a photo to the pool:

    CN-754654 card 2

    Received 03.01.13 from nora_yss.
    Travel time: 67 days
    My first card from 2013!
    Nora sent not 1 but 2 cards. :)
    Thank you Nora.

  • CN-754654 card 1

    isa 11 has added a photo to the pool:

    CN-754654 card 1

    Received 03.01.13 from nora_yss.
    Travel time: 67 days
    My first card from 2013!
    Nora sent not 1 but 2 cards. :)
    Thank you Nora.

  • Chinese Opera

    Ming Yam has added a photo to the pool:

    Chinese Opera

  • Chinese Opera

    Ming Yam has added a photo to the pool:

    Chinese Opera

  • Local boys take part in the shaman festival, Tibet 2012

    reurinkjan has added a photo to the pool:

    Local boys take part in the shaman festival, Tibet 2012

    Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157630983897338/s...

    The Shaman Festival in Tongren (Repkong) is a large-scale sacrificial performance activity prevailing among the local Tibetan and the Tu villages in Repkong area, which is held annually between June 17th and 25th of the lunar calendar.
    Shaman Festival is a grand and festive occasion for local people to show their devotion and gratitude to the Mountain God. The Tibetan and Tu ethnic minorities in Tongren County worship the Mountain God as the immortal who protects them. The belief is believed to date back to the ancient worship of totems in the pre-civilization era of this part of Tibet.

  • Local boys take part in the shaman festival, Tibet 2012

    reurinkjan has added a photo to the pool:

    Local boys take part in the shaman festival, Tibet 2012

    Like to see the pictures as LARGE as your screen? Just click on this Slideshow : www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/sets/72157630983897338/s...

    The Shaman Festival in Tongren (Repkong) is a large-scale sacrificial performance activity prevailing among the local Tibetan and the Tu villages in Repkong area, which is held annually between June 17th and 25th of the lunar calendar.
    Shaman Festival is a grand and festive occasion for local people to show their devotion and gratitude to the Mountain God. The Tibetan and Tu ethnic minorities in Tongren County worship the Mountain God as the immortal who protects them. The belief is believed to date back to the ancient worship of totems in the pre-civilization era of this part of Tibet.

  • Badaling Great Wall 八达岭长城 (Beijing 北京)

    SKHO  has added a photo to the pool:

    Badaling Great Wall 八达岭长城 (Beijing 北京)

    Badaling Great Wall 八达岭长城 (Beijing 北京)

  • crawlspace

    china.sixty4 has added a photo to the pool:

    crawlspace

    apartment buildings and rice fields - 'Hua Yu University' - afternoon - Shangqiu, Henan, China

  • Shanghai 2013

    woOoly has added a photo to the pool:

    Shanghai 2013



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