The month of June is coming soon! Don’t miss out on important holidays, festivals and events.

JUNE 1

International Children’s Day - Cambodia, China, Laos, North Korea, Vietnam, Australia

There’s a day for the little ones all over the world! Other countries celebrate International Children’s Day during different days but many do on June 1. On this date, there are a lot of fun activities especially held for the young. Have fun, kids!

Dayak Festival - Malaysia

This is a time of celebration because the rice harvest has been completed. In merriment, marriages and unions are forged and events like shows, dancing, music, food and drink are held.

National Tree Planting Day - Cambodia

This is a good day for environmentalists, people with a love for planting, the Cambodian residents and of course the trees.

Reconciliation Week - Australia

Reconciliation Week starts from May 27 and lasts until June 3. This is a week to commemorate the historical events where the Australians make their apologies towards their indigenous brothers, the Aborigines, whom they have treated unfairly during the past.

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Posted in Asia, Events |

Amazing Asia is home to over 400 species of edible fruit. Want to send your tastebuds on a journey? Gathered from the forests and farms of beautiful Asia, these savory fruits are ready for the tasting!

MANGO

By now, you may have tasted a luscious mango because this is one of the most widely eaten fruits from the tropics. Asian mangoes may range from yellow to pale green, and what’s likeable about this fruit is that it’s yummy when both ripe and unripe. To eat, cut the mango into three tasty parts by slicing lengthwise around the big seed. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

LYCHEE

Eaten from the can or fresh from the tree, lychees are guaranteed to tickle your tastebuds. With its unique flavor, it isn’t a surprise that China treats this as one of its most beloved fruits. In fact, legend has it that an emperor of the Tang dynasty lost his throne because he regularly gives his concubine fresh lychees at great expense from his people! Eat like royalty: choose a lychee with rosy looking skin, remove the stem and the rough skin, pluck and munch the fruit and spit the round seed out with flair.

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Posted in Asia, Food |

Tired of the usual burgers and fries? Why not dine Korean style? Korean cuisine is noted for its bold flavor, unique taste and exotic recipes. If you want to get a taste of Korea, read on for some spicy bites to sizzle up your appetite:

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Posted in Food, Korea |

Sagada…….a breathtaking place where the sky kisses the earth. Located at 5,000 feet above sea level in the Cordillera mountain range of Luzon in the Philippines, it is far, far up from the smog and the noise of the cities below. This little Shangri-la is a tourist’s favorite, since it is not as crowded as Baguio City yet the cool weather and the plush scenery is just as pleasing. It is also famous for its world-renowned hanging coffins, 60 underground caves and charming waterfalls.

How to Get There

You could reach this mountain-top town in two ways: from Baguio, take a bus going to Sagada and pass through Mt. Halsema Express. It will take 6-7 hours, but along the way you would pass Benguet and the Chico River. From Banaue, you will take 2 jeepney rides and the trip will take 2-3 hours. During that time, you would pass Bontoc and get a view of the Banaue Rice Terraces, dubbed as the eight wonder of the world.

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Posted in Philippines, Things to do |

Suppose you find yourself in the lucky country of Oz with all that slippery slang. If you don’t want to be treated like a Seppo who’s a chop short of a barbie, no worries mate! I’ll give you the drum so you could chew the fat with the blokes and sheilas like fair dinkum Aussie.

Australian slang (strine) is easy to understand - it is either a shortening of words like chokkie for chocolate, a rhyme (noah’s ark is shark), or a reversal (a bluey is a redhead). They could also be a reference to places, people, and things (Buckley’s chance - reference to the store Buckleys & Nunn - which rhymes with ‘none’). Or they could be invented just for the fun of it (woop woop - an imaginary remote place that’s never been heard before). Read on and enjoy!

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Posted in Australia, Language |

Cravin’ for some cool livin’? Drop by at the beautiful mountains of the Philippines - Baguio City!

Located at 5,000 feet above sea level and with mild temperatures ranging from 9 ^o – 28^o C (48^o – 82^o F) , this city is called the ‘summer capital’ of the Philippines because people climb to the city to escape the summer heat.

Imagine this: the cool breeze ruffling your hair as you drive by the roads of the mountainside. You gaze at the blue skies with low fluffy clouds above you. All around are fragrant pine trees and flowers of all the colors of a rainbow.

Nice isn’t it?

Well then, take it all in as you visit the many parks and places that abound this little paradise. (No need to fret too much; hail a taxi, tell the name of the place and they’ll take you there.)

But First: How to Get to Baguio

The trip to get to your destination matters. You could choose to go by bus, by air, or by car, depending on your taste and temperament.

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Posted in Philippines, Things to do |