The Principality of Transylvania

Brasov, Transylvania

As a child, I have been terrified by the story of the lord of the vampires- Count Dracula. It’s funny because while I want to watch Dracula films, my eyes are close most of the time. However, as a Sesame Street kid, I also remember Count Dracula teaching us to count from 1 to 10.  Ha-ha...

In my younger years, I’ve always thought that Transylvania is just a mythical place until I’ve heard that it’s actually a region in central Romania. I guess, if anybody would pay Romania a visit, it’s impossible not to visit Transylvania.

Lake in Carpathians

Transylvania is said to be the heart of the kingdom of Dacia, which ruled the region from 82 BC until the Roman Empire conquered the territory in 106 AD. By 271 AD, the Romans started to withdraw from the region and several tribes gained power and influence over it successively. Toward the end of 900 AD, the Hungarians took control of the region and became an administrative division of the kingdom of Hungary by 1003 AD up to 1526.

In 1526, the Ottoman Empire defeated the Hungarians in the Battle of Mohacs, which divided the kingdom of Hungary between the Ottoman Empire and Habsburg (Austrian) Monarchy. In 1571, Transylvania was declared an independent principality. While enjoying relative autonomy, the region was under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire.

Transylvania landscape

However, the Ottomans lost the region to the Habsburgs in 1683 after the battle of Vienna. The Habsburgs began to establish its rule over the region and in 1711; the Hungarian princes that governed the region were replaced by Habsburg Imperial governors.

Some say that this mixture of influences from the Muslim Ottomans and the Catholic Habsburgs including perhaps the Calvinist Hungarian princes’ influence might have caused considerable effect on Romanian culture, which made them eccentric in the eyes of Victorians (British). This perception might have influenced Bram Stroker’s novel, Dracula, which was first published in 1897, but of course I’m not writing that as a matter of fact.

Transylvania is a great place to visit especially for its fascinating landscape and scenery.

For information about traveling to Transylvania, you may visit:

http://www.traveltoromania.co.uk/transylvania/

http://www.outdoorholiday.com/mountain/Hiking_Carpathian_Mountains.php

Photos: "Brasov" and "landscape" from traveltoromania.co.uk; 
"lake in Carpathians" from outdoorholiday.com

Info: wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Whitby Abbey Ruins

The Ruins of Whitby Abbey from Whitby.Co.UK

While I was surfing the net, I noticed a photo of what seemed like an old ruins of a castle or an age old, basilica or monastery perhaps. It intrigued me so much and I noticed the name Whitby Abbey Pond at the caption. It was something I thought, I would like to see in person.

So, I tried googling for Whitby Abbey.

Well, I found out that Whitby is a town in Yorkshire, Northern England UK. It is where Whitby Abbey had stood. It was one of the twelve monasteries that the king of Northumbria, the medieval kingdom of the Angles during the post Roman period (presently northern England to southeast Scotland), had built in 656 AD after defeating the pagan king of Mercia, (one of the kingdoms of the Anglo Saxon Heptarchy). He even consecrated his daughter to serve God and became an abbess.

The first abbess of Whitby Abbey, Hilda, became a saint. Whitby became a center for Anglo-Saxon literature, a royal nunnery and burial place for the royal family. One important historical stamp of Northumbria was the Synod of Whitby in 664, which established the date of easter in the Catholic faith.

In 867, the Vikings destroyed the monastery. It was rebuilt by William de Percy in 1078 in honor of St Hilda. It was then called St Hilda Abbey but in 1540, Henry VIII destroyed it again and left it in ruins until today.

As a trivia, did you know that Bram Stoker wrote his famous book while at the churchyard of Mt. Mary’s parish church, which is on Whitby’s east cliff? The famous book- Dracula. I wonder how such a place with a holy background had born a vampire story; seems absurd. Haha... 

Whitby Abbey had a colorful story and had etched its place in the annals of English history. How I wish I can visit it in the future.

Image and Info Sources:

Whitby Tourist Accommodation and Travel Information, Whitby.Co.UK, No Update data; Available at: http://www.whitby.co.uk/ Accessed October 16, 2010.

Wikipedia contributors. Whitby. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. October 10, 2010, 00:49 UTC. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Whitby&oldid=389799040 Accessed October 16, 2010.

Wikipedia contributors. Northumbria. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. September 11, 2010, 13:21 UTC. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Northumbria&oldid=384195963 Accessed October 16, 2010.

Malapascua Island, Philippines: A Popular Diving Site

While watching GMA-7s late night program “Born to be Wild”, hosted by Doc Ferds Recio and Kiko Rustia, I got to see a wonderful island in the Philippines, the Malapascua Island, which is eight kilometers off the province of Cebu. It has a white sand beach, similar to Boracay Island although I can say that it is not as popular yet. Many say that it is going to be the next Boracay in terms of being a tourist attraction.

One of the most popular attractions of the island is its rich diving spots. You can observe from below different species of fish and corals and the breathtaking Thresher sharks moving around its deep blue waters. It is becoming very popular among diving enthusiasts.

Another interesting place to see in Malapascua is the Calanggaman Island, which is around an hour or so by boat. There you can snorkel or just simply swim around while enjoying the ambience of a virgin paradise. Maripipi is also a wonderful destination for those who want to explore volcanoes.

Put Malapascua Island on top of your list if you plan to go around the Philippines. 

Pix: http://malapascuaislandsite.info/2010/05/malapascua-island/

The Amazing Belize Blue Hole

Photo of the Great Blue Hole of Belize courtesy of beautyofearth.net

After hiking, I’d like to go diving. I have featured here the Tubatahha Reef, one of the most popular diving spot in the Philippines. I’d like to out this time, to a distant location- Belize, a country in Central America. I have learned about Belize when I blogged about the Guatemala Sink Hole on my other blog- Amazing People and Events (I considered the sink hole a peculiar phenomenon or event). As I have read about sink holes, I've learned about the Great Blue Hole of Belize, which is a pre-historic sink hole.

The Belize Blue Hole has a circular opening and the water is royal blue in color. It is around 984 feet in diameter and 407 feet deep. Scientists calculate its age through stalactite formations, which goes as far as 153 thousand years ago. It is a home to a variety of underwater fauna and flora and has become a UNESCO world heritage site.

Filmaker, explorer and researcher Jacques-Yves Cousteau made the Great Blue Hole famous when he brought his ship, the Calypso to it in 1971 and declared it a great diving site. Since then, many adventurers were attracted to its mystery and beauty.

The Great Blue Hole of Belize fascinates me beyond words. I definitely cannot explore its hidden splendor and what lies awaiting under its deep blue color but maybe some videos may give us an idea of what’s down there. Here is a You Tube video clip of Belize with divers from Big Fish Dive Center filmed by Philippe Madeira.

The Lantau Hiking Trail in Hong Kong

Photo of The Lantau Hiking Trail and Cable Cars on the right courtesy of www.tripadvisor.co.uk

For able-bodied people, probably one of the most exciting experiences is trekking or hiking. You can see and explore different places leisurely most especially if you like nature. It allows you to test your endurance while enjoying fascinating views.

For persons with disabilities like me, perhaps it is a dream that may remain a dream for a while. Meanwhile, maybe, I can try to find other ways of exploring them.

Outside the Philippines, one good place for hiking is the Lantau Hiking Trail in Hong Kong. It is a seventy-kilometer, circular trail that crawls around Lantau Island. It starts and ends at Mui Wo or Silver Mine Bay Beach.

Photo of The Lantau Peak courtesy of wanderingdanny.com

Lantau Island treats you with its 934-meter high Lantau Peak. Photographers, videographers and naturalists will surely find a great time with its lush green panoramic view. One interesting landmark in the island is the highest and the biggest seated bronze Buddha statue in the world. It reaches a height of 34 meters and weighs 250 tons. You will need to climb more than 250 steps to reach the platform where it sits. If you like a more exciting experience, you can try the Ngong Ping 360. It is a 5.7 kilometer-long cable car ride around the mountain side of the island, which is about a twenty five minute ride.

Photo of the Lantau Tian Tan Buddha courtesy of nomad4ever.com

From the Philippines, Hong Kong is a very attractive destination because Hong Kong does not require tourists to secure a visa. It lessens the hassles of traveling. If you have a passport and the budget, you can go right away. You will surely have a wonderful experience that will last for a lifetime.

The Burnham Park

Burnham Park is the heart of Baguio City. Almost all major developments of the city like commercial centers, the Baguio Cathedral, the City Hall and the City Market have risen around this popular tourist spot.

 The park has acquired its name from its planner Daniel Hudson Burnham, who is also responsible for the original plan for Baguio City. According to GoBaguio.com website, much of Burnham’s original design has remained along the years although some improvements to it have been undertaken. Burnham Park has retained its glory as one of the most famous park in the country.

Burnham Park has been famous for its man made lagoon with boats for hire, the Children's Playground, the Skating Rink, the Rose Garden, the Orchidarium and the Igorot Garden. You can see there the Melvin Jones Grandstand, the Athletic Bowl, a Picnic Grove, the Japanese Peace Tower, Pine Trees of the World and the Sunshine Park as well.

Info: gobaguio.com

Baguio City: Philippines' Summer Capital

The Philippines is going through a period of dry spell. Scientists call it “El Niño”, which means that there will be a hot, dry climate all over the archipelago. We cannot blame some people who look for at least a temporary relief from the scorching heat by going to cooler places where they can spend even just a short vacation.

With or without El Niño, a famous destination during the stretch of the summer months is Baguio City, which makes it the summer capital of the Philippines as thousands seek to take refuge in the cool city. Experts say that Baguio is 8 degrees cooler than the lowland on the average and seldom goes beyond 26 degrees. In fact, the SM Mall in Baguio City is the only mall in the country that does not have an air conditioning facility.

Baguio City is in the province of Benguet in Northern Philippines, which is part of the Cordillera Administrative Region. It is about a six-hour travel from Manila on land. Its name comes from the Ibaloi (native language in Benguet region) word meaning "moss". Perhaps, because of its trees and vegetation. It is famous for vegetable and strawberry farms.

Historically, the development of Baguio City began in the early 1900’s during the American occupation of the Philippines. The American Governor Luke E. Wright commissioned the renowned urban planner Architect Daniel Hudson Burnham for the improvement of the city as a health resort for American soldiers and civilian employees, better known as the Burnham Plan.

The plan dramatically changed the entire mountain range and caused a rapid physical development. The plan had put together a road and a park system for a garden city that could accommodate about 25,000 to 30,000 people. The government that time enacted a charter authored by former Philippines Supreme Court Justice George A. Malcolm, that was in September 1, 1909, which supported the development plan and gave administrative autonomy to the city.

When the famous Kennon Road became open to traffic, almost immediately after the enactment of the charter, it prompted the progress of the mining industry up to mid 1930’s. It had made Baguio City the service and operations center for the rapidly growing industry which caused a fast-paced economic growth in the city.

The Second World War however, impeded all the development and almost left it in total destruction. However, soon after the war, developments proceeded rapidly.

Today, Baguio City has become a highly urbanized city known for its universities, businesses and tourism spots.

Images courtesy of:

kriyayoga.com

2010 Google Map