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  • Thai tour bus and coaches paint lavish decorative graphics on their tourist buses, in addition to, shiny reflectors, floodlights and high volume speakers that turn some buses into colorful, mobile karaoke bars and discotheques.  Factories turn out these tourist coaches in response to the demand for bling.  Although the Thai tourist industry has suffered setbacks because of political protests for the last few years, demand for brightly painted buses has grown so much so that it rare to find one with a with a plainly painted finish.  Much more common these days are fantasy designs and characters from around the world, with detailed artwork from Disney, Marvel Comics and movies such as Jack Sparrow Pirates of the Caribbean - always popular in Thailand
    Thai-decorated-tour-bus-1.jpg
  • Colorful Dome Ceiling, Jaipur
    hindu-dome-3.jpg
  • Colorful Dome Ceiling, Jaipur, India
    hindu-dome-1.jpg
  • Colorful Dome Ceiling, Jaipur, India
    hindu-dome-2.jpg
  • Colorful Pants Display at Chatuchak Market - sometimes called the Weekend Market is the largest market in Thailand, and one of the largest of the world.  It covers over 35 acres and contains more than 5,000 stalls not counting wandering vendors and street entertainers. On a good day the market receives between 200,000 and 300,000 visitors. The market offers a wide variety of products including household items, clothing, Thai handicrafts, religious artifacts, collectibles, foods and even live animals.
    chatuchak-12.jpg
  • Arashiyama Station’s “Kimono Forest” is a colorful aspect of the station’s facelift includes designer Yasumichi Morita creations of kimono fabric patterns arranged on cylindrical columns.  The patterns have been placed inside 600 illuminated poles along pathways of the station, creating a “kimono forest”.
    kimono-forest-8.jpg
  • Colorful boats at Renmin Park or Peoples Park in Chengdu.  Renmin Park has many teahouses, a large pond, pleasure boats and lots of greenery right in the center of Chengdu.
    chengdu-images-6.jpg
  • Arashiyama Station’s “Kimono Forest” is a colorful aspect of the station’s facelift includes designer Yasumichi Morita creations of kimono fabric patterns arranged on cylindrical columns.  The patterns have been placed inside 600 illuminated poles along pathways of the station, creating a “kimono forest”.
    kimono-forest-7.jpg
  • Arashiyama Station’s “Kimono Forest” is a colorful aspect of the station’s facelift includes designer Yasumichi Morita creations of kimono fabric patterns arranged on cylindrical columns.  The patterns have been placed inside 600 illuminated poles along pathways of the station, creating a “kimono forest”.
    kimono-forest-9.jpg
  • Arashiyama Station’s “Kimono Forest” is a colorful aspect of the station’s facelift includes designer Yasumichi Morita creations of kimono fabric patterns arranged on cylindrical columns.  The patterns have been placed inside 600 illuminated poles along pathways of the station, creating a “kimono forest”.
    kimono-forest-6.jpg
  • Filipina Schoolkids Parade at Panagbenga - The Baguio Flower Festival a month long extravaganza that takes place in Baguio during February.  The term means "season of blooming" and the festival was created as a tribute to flowers. The festival includes street dancing, presented by dancers dressed in colorful floral costumes.
    Panagbenga-6.jpg
  • In addition to its famous fountains, Pernes-les-Fontaines is also famous for its colorful buildings and plants.  Home owners take pride in presenting their houses with vines, creepers, flowers and trees to enhance the colorful buildings and the nearby fountains
    pernes-les-fontaines-6.jpg
  • In addition to its famous fpuntains, Pernes-les-Fontaines is also famous for its colorful buildings and plantes.  Home owners take pride in presenting their houses with vines, creepers, flowers and trees to enhance the colorful buildings and the nearby fountains
    pernes-les-fontaines-15.jpg
  • The Tozai Kairo is a semi enclosed corridor constructed in 1636. Although its northern part was damaged in an earthquake which struck the region in 1647, the other parts that survived  remain without any alteration whatever since then. Branching out from the walls, called Sodebe, of the Yomeimon to the east and the west, the Tozai Kairo surrounds the Honden on the south, the east and the west. The corridor is decorated with 25 sculptured panels.
    Tozai-Kairo-1.jpg
  • The Tozai Kairo is a semi enclosed corridor constructed in 1636. Although its northern part was damaged in an earthquake which struck the region in 1647, the other parts that survived  remain without any alteration whatever since then. Branching out from the walls, called Sodebe, of the Yomeimon to the east and the west, the Tozai Kairo surrounds the Honden on the south, the east and the west. The corridor is decorated with 25 sculptured panels.
    Tozai-Kairo-3.jpg
  • Alfombras are brightly coloured carpets made of flowers.  This Easter custom in Guatemala is incredibly beautiful going back to the Spanish who then used colorful street decorations at Easter.  The colorful  use of carpets of  flowers has its beginnings in the Mayan custom of creating pathways for kings and priests to walk on when entering ceremonial locations and for use in sacred spaces.  In the alfombras of Guatemala you see a mix of both.
    alfombra-3.jpg
  • In addition to its famous fpuntains, Pernes-les-Fontaines is also famous for its colorful buildings and plantes.  Home owners take pride in presenting their houses with vines, creepers, flowers and trees to enhance the colorful buildings and the nearby fountains
    pernes-les-fontaines-32.jpg
  • In addition to its famous fpuntains, Pernes-les-Fontaines is also famous for its colorful buildings and plantes.  Home owners take pride in presenting their houses with vines, creepers, flowers and trees to enhance the colorful buildings and the nearby fountains
    pernes-les-fontaines-33.jpg
  • Alfombras are brightly coloured carpets made of flowers.  This Easter custom in Guatemala is incredibly beautiful going back to the Spanish who then used colorful street decorations at Easter.  The colorful  use of carpets of  flowers has its beginnings in the Mayan custom of creating pathways for kings and priests to walk on when entering ceremonial locations and for use in sacred spaces.  In the alfombras of Guatemala you see a mix of both.
    alfombra.jpg
  • In addition to its famous fpuntains, Pernes-les-Fontaines is also famous for its colorful buildings and plantes.  Home owners take pride in presenting their houses with vines, creepers, flowers and trees to enhance the colorful buildings and the nearby fountains
    pernes-les-fontaines-21.jpg
  • In addition to its famous fpuntains, Pernes-les-Fontaines is also famous for its colorful buildings and plantes.  Home owners take pride in presenting their houses with vines, creepers, flowers and trees to enhance the colorful buildings and the nearby fountains
    pernes-les-fontaines-8.jpg
  • In addition to its famous fpuntains, Pernes-les-Fontaines is also famous for its colorful buildings and plantes.  Home owners take pride in presenting their houses with vines, creepers, flowers and trees to enhance the colorful buildings and the nearby fountains
    pernes-les-fontaines-7.jpg
  • The Tozai Kairo is a semi enclosed corridor constructed in 1636. Although its northern part was damaged in an earthquake which struck the region in 1647, the other parts that survived  remain without any alteration whatever since then. Branching out from the walls, called Sodebe, of the Yomeimon to the east and the west, the Tozai Kairo surrounds the Honden on the south, the east and the west. The corridor is decorated with 25 sculptured panels.
    Tozai-Kairo-2.jpg
  • Colorful boats at Renmin Park or Peoples Park in Chengdu.  Renmin Park has many teahouses, a large pond, pleasure boats and lots of greenery right in the center of Chengdu.
    renmin-chengdu-2.jpg
  • Families with boys hang colorful carp kites, called Koinobori, outside their houses - one for each boy, with the biggest representing the oldest boy at the top. The kites flutter in the wind and look beautiful, as you can see in the photo above! In Japanese culture, the carp (or koi) represents courage and perseverance, as the fish is known for its strength and determination as it swims against the current upstream. The carp kite symbolises each family's wish for their sons to grow up brave and strong.
    carps-banners-1.jpg
  • Families with boys hang colorful carp kites, called Koinobori, outside their houses - one for each boy, with the biggest representing the oldest boy at the top. The kites flutter in the wind and look beautiful, as you can see in the photo above! In Japanese culture, the carp (or koi) represents courage and perseverance, as the fish is known for its strength and determination as it swims against the current upstream. The carp kite symbolises each family's wish for their sons to grow up brave and strong.
    Koinobori-carp-banners-4.jpg
  • The artist Patricia Cunha produced a work Umbrella Sky along Rue des Fourbisseurs in Avignon. Pedestrians can view some 160 umbrellas suspended above their heads as a part of the Umbrella Sky Project which began in Agueda, Portugal.  Each summer during July, August and September artists construct these shady spots for pedestrians.  The array of umbrellas creates a geometric and colorful pattern overhead and helps keep the heat down. in an environmentally friendly way.
    rue-foubisseurs-avignon-2.jpgr
  • Families with boys hang colorful carp kites, called Koinobori, outside their houses - one for each boy, with the biggest representing the oldest boy at the top. The kites flutter in the wind and look beautiful, as you can see in the photo above! In Japanese culture, the carp (or koi) represents courage and perseverance, as the fish is known for its strength and determination as it swims against the current upstream. The carp kite symbolises each family's wish for their sons to grow up brave and strong.
    Koinobori-carp-banners-1.jpg
  • Kawai Monster Cafe Multicolored Pasta  - Steven King says that monsters are real and live inside us.  The Kawai Monster Cafe is a perfect place to test this theory out. The cafe is right at home in Harajuku, which has quite a few monsters in the neighborhood.  And cuteness.  Kawai Monster Cafe is not about the cuisine, which has not been reviewed kindly.  It’s all about the presentation and the decor that keep customers coming.  The place has differently themed areas, though the Mushroom Disco is probably the most colorful.  In an adjacent area you’ll find the Milk Stand which features milk bottle lights and a cracked mirror ceiling to add to the trippy look.  The mascot is “Choppy” or Mr. Ten Thousand Chopsticks.  Another highlight is a kind of cake-merry-go-round called Sweets-go-Round.  The Bar Experiment is meant to resemble a giant jellyfish complete with illuminated sea creatures.  The rest rooms are also kitted out in color.  Even if mother nature doesn’t call, it is worth visiting anyway just for the unique experience and decor.
    kawai-monster-cafe-10.jpg
  • Kawai Monster Cafe Multicolored Pasta  - Steven King says that monsters are real and live inside us.  The Kawai Monster Cafe is a perfect place to test this theory out. The cafe is right at home in Harajuku, which has quite a few monsters in the neighborhood.  And cuteness.  Kawai Monster Cafe is not about the cuisine, which has not been reviewed kindly.  It’s all about the presentation and the decor that keep customers coming.  The place has differently themed areas, though the Mushroom Disco is probably the most colorful.  In an adjacent area you’ll find the Milk Stand which features milk bottle lights and a cracked mirror ceiling to add to the trippy look.  The mascot is “Choppy” or Mr. Ten Thousand Chopsticks.  Another highlight is a kind of cake-merry-go-round called Sweets-go-Round.  The Bar Experiment is meant to resemble a giant jellyfish complete with illuminated sea creatures.  The rest rooms are also kitted out in color.  Even if mother nature doesn’t call, it is worth visiting anyway just for the unique experience and decor.
    kawai-monster-cafe-27.jpg
  • Kawai Monster Cafe Multicolored Pasta  - Steven King says that monsters are real and live inside us.  The Kawai Monster Cafe is a perfect place to test this theory out. The cafe is right at home in Harajuku, which has quite a few monsters in the neighborhood.  And cuteness.  Kawai Monster Cafe is not about the cuisine, which has not been reviewed kindly.  It’s all about the presentation and the decor that keep customers coming.  The place has differently themed areas, though the Mushroom Disco is probably the most colorful.  In an adjacent area you’ll find the Milk Stand which features milk bottle lights and a cracked mirror ceiling to add to the trippy look.  The mascot is “Choppy” or Mr. Ten Thousand Chopsticks.  Another highlight is a kind of cake-merry-go-round called Sweets-go-Round.  The Bar Experiment is meant to resemble a giant jellyfish complete with illuminated sea creatures.  The rest rooms are also kitted out in color.  Even if mother nature doesn’t call, it is worth visiting anyway just for the unique experience and decor.
    kawai-monster-cafe-11.jpg
  • The original purpose of Matsuoto City Art Museum is to ncourage citizens’ artistic activities and contributing to life aiming to set a foundation tfor art and to foster and create new art.  The Museum is very much rooted in the local community where citizens can improve themselves. Consequently, the museum always promotes local artists such as Kusama Yayoi and her colorful artwork and sculptures, as well as the more sober creations of Munehide Hosokawa - both of whom have permanent collections at the museum.
    matsumoto-art-museum-4.jpg
  • The original purpose of Matsuoto City Art Museum is to ncourage citizens’ artistic activities and contributing to life aiming to set a foundation tfor art and to foster and create new art.  The Museum is very much rooted in the local community where citizens can improve themselves. Consequently, the museum always promotes local artists such as Kusama Yayoi and her colorful artwork and sculptures, as well as the more sober creations of Munehide Hosokawa - both of whom have permanent collections at the museum.
    matsumoto-art-museum-1.jpg
  • The original purpose of Matsuoto City Art Museum is to ncourage citizens’ artistic activities and contributing to life aiming to set a foundation tfor art and to foster and create new art.  The Museum is very much rooted in the local community where citizens can improve themselves. Consequently, the museum always promotes local artists such as Kusama Yayoi and her colorful artwork and sculptures, as well as the more sober creations of Munehide Hosokawa - both of whom have permanent collections at the museum.
    matsumoto-art-museum-3.jpg
  • The original purpose of Matsuoto City Art Museum is to ncourage citizens’ artistic activities and contributing to life aiming to set a foundation tfor art and to foster and create new art.  The Museum is very much rooted in the local community where citizens can improve themselves. Consequently, the museum always promotes local artists such as Kusama Yayoi and her colorful artwork and sculptures, as well as the more sober creations of Munehide Hosokawa - both of whom have permanent collections at the museum.
    matsumoto-art-museum-2.jpg
  • Toshogu Shrines are found throughout Japan. The most famous is located in Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture. It is one of Japan's most popular destinations for tourists. Five structures at Nikk&#333; T&#333;sh&#333;-g&#363; are categorized as National Treasures of Japan, and three more as Important Cultural Properties.  The stable of the shrine's sacred horses bears a carving of the three wise monkeys, who hear, speak and see no evil, a traditional symbol in Chinese and Japanese culture.<br />
Ieyasu's son, the second shogun Hidetada, ordered the construction of the Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Later, the third shogun Iemitsu had the shrine enlarged and lavishly decorated.
    Tozai-Kairo-4.jpg
  • Arashiyama Station’s “Kimono Forest” is a colorful aspect of the station’s facelift includes designer Yasumichi Morita creations of kimono fabric patterns arranged on cylindrical columns.  The patterns have been placed inside 600 illuminated poles along pathways of the station, creating a “kimono forest”.
    kimono-forest-5.jpg
  • Chinese Decorative Incense with Colorful Dragons - There are many forms of Chinese incense and its use and formulation theory is strongly tied to Traditional Chinese medicine and are still referred today as "fragrant medicines". Use of incense has long been as much for healthy well-being as religious ceremonies.
    decorative-incense-sticks-01.jpg
  • Families with boys hang colorful carp kites, called Koinobori, outside their houses - one for each boy, with the biggest representing the oldest boy at the top. The kites flutter in the wind and look beautiful, as you can see in the photo above! In Japanese culture, the carp (or koi) represents courage and perseverance, as the fish is known for its strength and determination as it swims against the current upstream. The carp kite symbolises each family's wish for their sons to grow up brave and strong.
    Koinobori-carp-banners-2.jpg
  • Families with boys hang colorful carp kites, called Koinobori, outside their houses - one for each boy, with the biggest representing the oldest boy at the top. The kites flutter in the wind and look beautiful, as you can see in the photo above! In Japanese culture, the carp (or koi) represents courage and perseverance, as the fish is known for its strength and determination as it swims against the current upstream. The carp kite symbolises each family's wish for their sons to grow up brave and strong.
    Koinobori-carp-banners-3.jpg
  • The artist Patricia Cunha produced a work Umbrella Sky along Rue des Fourbisseurs in Avignon. Pedestrians can view some 160 umbrellas suspended above their heads as a part of the Umbrella Sky Project which began in Agueda, Portugal.  Each summer during July, August and September artists construct these shady spots for pedestrians.  The array of umbrellas creates a geometric and colorful pattern overhead and helps keep the heat down. in an environmentally friendly way.
    rue-fourbisseurs-avignon-1.jpg
  • Taking a Bow at the Kimono Show at Nishijin Textiles; Kimono are made of silk and normally very expensive though there is now a thriving market in second hand kimono. Nowadays they are worn at formal or traditional occasions such as funerals, weddings or tea ceremonies. Kimono differ in style and color depending on the occasion on which it is worn and the age and marital status of the person wearing it. To put on a kimono needs some practice. Especially tying the belt (obi) alone is difficult so that many people require assistance. Wearing a kimono properly includes proper hair style, traditional shoes, socks, underwear, and a small handbag for women.
    nishijin-kimono-5.jpg
  • Jeepneys are a popular means of public transportation in the Philippines and were originally made of abandoned US army jeeps left behind after World War II.  Jeepneys are known for flamboyant decorations and funny names given by their owners such as "One Love" or "Cry Me a River". They have become almost a symbol of Filipino culture and ingenuity. The word Jeepney derives from a combination of jeep and jitney. At the end of WWII jeeps were stripped down, metal roofs were added for shade; and they were decorated with vibrant colors and ornaments.
    jeepney-1.jpg
  • Traditional short Muay Thai kickboxing shorts are usually brightly colored with lots of trim and occasionally bearing the name of a sponsor.
    thai-kickboxer-shorts-01.jpg
  • Japanese "Love hotels" attempt various themes to lighten the mood of such assignations,  this particular love hotel likes soft lights and moody colors.  this particular love hotel could almost pass for a real, normal hotel except for the smoked glass dark windows for privacy and the hidden entrance...Japanese love hotels always have a discreet entrance. More commonly they are "drive-through" with hidden parking lots or at least giant mud flaps hiding cars, or that is to say, car license plates in case the wife happens to drive by.
    japanese-love-hotel-1.jpg
  • 28. Toshogu Shrine 日光東照宮  - Toshogu Shrines are found throughout Japan though the most famous by far is located in Nikko. The stable of the shrine's sacred horses bears a carving of the three wise monkeys who hear, speak and see no evil, a traditional symbol in Chinese and Japanese culture.  Ieyasu's son, the second shogun Hidetada, ordered the construction of the Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Later, the third shogun Iemitsu had the shrine enlarged and lavishly decorated and covered with gold leaf and colored carvings.
    28.3.NIKKO-TOSHOGU-04.jpg
  • Lavender or lavandula is a flowering plants ithat is surprisingly iin the mint family.  Many types of lavender are cultivated and used as ornamental plants for garden and landscaping.  They are also used as cooking herbs especially in France and Italy. The color “lavender blue” is named  after the shade of the flowers of this plant.
    lavender-2.jpg
  • Lavender or lavandula is a flowering plants ithat is surprisingly iin the mint family.  Many types of lavender are cultivated and used as ornamental plants for garden and landscaping.  They are also used as cooking herbs especially in France and Italy. The color “lavender blue” is named  after the shade of the flowers of this plant.
    lavender-1.jpg
  • Bowing at the Kimono Show, Nishijin Textiles; Kimono are made of silk and normally very expensive though there is now a thriving market in second hand kimono. Nowadays they are worn at formal or traditional occasions such as funerals, weddings or tea ceremonies. Kimono differ in style and color depending on the occasion on which it is worn and the age and marital status of the person wearing it. To put on a kimono needs some practice. Especially tying the belt (obi) alone is difficult so that many people require assistance. Wearing a kimono properly includes proper hair style, traditional shoes, socks, underwear, and a small handbag for women.
    nishijin-kimono-1.jpg
  • Kimono are made of silk and normally very expensive though there is now a thriving market in second hand kimono. Nowadays they are worn at formal or traditional occasions such as funerals, weddings or tea ceremonies. Kimono differ in style and color depending on the occasion on which it is worn and the age and marital status of the person wearing it. To put on a kimono needs some practice. Especially tying the belt (obi) alone is difficult so that many people require assistance. Wearing a kimono properly includes proper hair style, traditional shoes, socks, underwear, and a small handbag for women.
    nishijin-kimono-6.jpg
  • A woman and child looking out over the blue city of Jodhpur. Jodhpur is affectionately called the "Blue City" because of the blue  houses under and around Mehrangarh Fort. Locals believe the buildings were painted blue to make things appear cooler because of the extreme heat of the area, as well as to add a dash of color to the sandy terrain.
    jodhpur-blue-7.jpg
  • Kimono differ in style and color depending on the occasion on which it is worn and the age and marital status of the person wearing it. To put on a kimono needs some practice. Especially tying the belt alone is difficult so that many people require assistance. Wearing a kimono properly includes the proper hair style, shoes, socks, and even underwear.  Nowadays it is popular to "dress up in kimono for a day" even for foreign visitors.
    wearing-kimono-1.jpg
  • Hoi An Silk Lamps - Hoi An is well known throughout Asia for its hand made crafts, particularly silk lamps and lanterns.  Other specialties include tailor made clothing and hand carved wooden items.
    hoi-an-lanterns-1.jpg
  • Origami Cranes at Hiroshima Peace Park -  a large park in the center of Hiroshima dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack on August 6, 1945, which led to the death of 140,000 people. <br />
The location of  Peace Park was once the city’s busiest downtown commercial district. The park was built on open field that was created by the explosion.  The purpose of the Peace Memorial Park is to not only memorialize the victims, but also to establish the memory of nuclear horrors and advocate world peace.
    peace-park-cranes.jpg
  • Hoi An Silk Lanterns - Hoi An is well known throughout Asia for its hand made crafts, particularly silk lamps and lanterns.  The lanterns are out in full force during lunar cycles when the moon is full and candles are placed in front of buildings and electrical lights turned off.  This gives the lanterns a special appeal.  Other specialties in Hoi An include tailor made clothing and hand carved wooden items.
    hoi-an-lanterns-11.jpg
  • Kanom is the generic word for snacks, often referring to sweets or desserts. Sweet khanom are usually made of certain ingredients: powdered rice, sugar, flour and coconut milk or cream. There is a huge variety available: khanom dtaan - palm sugar, khanom gluay - banana, khanom faakthong - pumpkin, khanom phueak - taro depending on the season. They are often presented in a tiny basket made of banana leaves. It is believed that the Thai dessert had its origin in the Sukhothai Era.
    kanom-sweets-2.jpg
  • Arashiyama Station’s facelift includes designer Yasumichi Morita creations of kimono fabric patterns arranged on cylindrical columns.  The patterns have been placed inside 600 illuminated poles along pathways of the station, creating a “kimono forest”.
    kimono-forest-2.jpg
  • Thai Silk at Chatuchak Market - sometimes written Jatujak or Weekend Market in Bangkok is the largest market in Thailand, and one of the largest of the world.  Frequently called J.J. it covers over 35 acres and contains more than 5,000 stalls not counting wandering vendors and street entertainers. It is estimated that the market receives between 200,000 and 300,000 visitors each day. Most stalls are only open on Saturdays and Sundays. The market offers a wide variety of products including household items, clothing, Thai handicrafts, religious artifacts, collectibles, foods, and even live animals.
    chatuchak-9.jpg
  • Overlooking Kealakekua Bay, St. Benedict's Painted Church is a fascinating place to visit on a journey to the Big Island of Hawaii. Located in the Kona coffee growing region at a place called Honaunau. While it is an important historical site, it is still a vibrant parish, with outreach programs to take care of those in need and to provide medical services for the local community.
    kona-painted-church-1.jpg
  • Furoshiki are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that are used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. Dating back as far as the Nara period, the name furoshiki literally "bath spread" derives from the Edo period practice of using them to bundle clothes while at the sento.  Furoshiki were known as hirazutsumi "flat folded bundle"  Eventually, the furoshiki's usage extended to serve as a means for merchants to transport goods.  Nowadays they are widely used to protect and decorate a gift, lunch boxes with hundreds of other practical uses.
    furoshiki-3.jpg
  • Arashiyama Station’s facelift includes designer Yasumichi Morita creations of kimono fabric patterns arranged on cylindrical columns.  The patterns have been placed inside 600 illuminated poles along pathways of the station, creating a “kimono forest”.
    kimono-forest-3.jpg
  • Overlooking Kealakekua Bay, St. Benedict's Painted Church is a fascinating place to visit on a journey to the Big Island of Hawaii. Located in the Kona coffee growing region at a place called Honaunau. While it is an important historical site, it is still a vibrant parish, with outreach programs to take care of those in need and to provide medical services for the local community.
    kona-painted-church-3.jpg
  • Furoshiki are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that are used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. Dating back as far as the Nara period, the name furoshiki literally "bath spread" derives from the Edo period practice of using them to bundle clothes while at the sento.  Furoshiki were known as hirazutsumi "flat folded bundle"  Eventually, the furoshiki's usage extended to serve as a means for merchants to transport goods.  Nowadays they are widely used to protect and decorate a gift, lunch boxes with hundreds of other practical uses.
    furoshiki-1.jpg
  • Furoshiki are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that are used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. Dating back as far as the Nara period, the name furoshiki literally "bath spread" derives from the Edo period practice of using them to bundle clothes while at the sento.  Furoshiki were known as hirazutsumi "flat folded bundle"  Eventually, the furoshiki's usage extended to serve as a means for merchants to transport goods.  Nowadays they are widely used to protect and decorate a gift, lunch boxes with hundreds of other practical uses.
    furoshiki-4.jpg
  • Ho Withun Thasana or Sage's Lookout is a three storey building with a spirit .staircase leading to the top floor hall. When residing in Bang Pa-In Palace, King Rama V used this hall as  to get the bird's eye view of the surrounding countryside.
    sage-lookout-3.jpg
  • Modern Zen Facility
    modern-zen-2.jpg
  • The village of Bo Sang, on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, is well known for its hand crafted umbrellas. Local artisans make the world famous parasols out of sa paper.  Visitors can even watch the process as artisans make the umbrellas from start to end: struts, paper and then painting them.
    bo-sang-umbrellas-05.jpg
  • Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into paste and then molded into shape. Many types of traditional wagashi and mochigashi or Japanese traditional sweets are made with mochi. For example, daifuku is a soft round mochi stuffed with sweet filling such as bean paste.
    mochi-2.jpg
  • Bandstand at the Cuernavaca Plaza or Zocalo with balloons for the kids
    cuernavaca-zocolo.jpg
  • Santa Prisca Cathedral, Taxco - The Parish of Santa Prisca y San Sebastían, commonly referred to as the Santa Prisca Church, is located in Taxco, and is one of the few Baroque buildings in the state of Guerrero. It was built between 1751 and 1758 by José de la Borda. It is built with pink stone, flanked by two towers which are plain in the lower half but highly decorated in the upper bell portions.
    santa-prisca-taxco-2.jpg
  • Everlasting straw flower is abundant in Baguio and has become one of the most popular souvenirs for visitors.  The straw flower is also one of the featured flowers in the Panagbenga Flower Festival because of its local associations.  The daisy like straw flower is a great addition to any garden. Nicknamed everlasting or paper daisies, strawflowers are long lasting and easy to grow. .
    everlasting-flowers-1.jpg
  • Panagbenga Festival is a month long annual flower festival occurring in Baguio during the month of February.  The term means "season of blooming".  The festival is held during the month of February and was created as a tribute to the city's flowers and as a way to rise up from the devastation of the 1990 earthquake.  The festival includes floats that are decorated with flowers and also includes street dancing, presented by dancers clad in flower inspired costumes, with a nod to the Bendian, an Ibaloi dance of celebration that came from the Cordillera region.  The festival has also helped the younger generation of indigenous people to rediscover their culture's traditions.
    Panagbenga-4.jpg
  • Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu, the  Philippines. The festival honors the vision of the child Jesus, known as Santo Niño who used to be the patron Saint of the City of Cebu. The festival takes several days with beauty pageants, contests, and street dances that commemorates the Cebuano peoples' Islamic and pagan origin and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism after the arrival of Magellan.
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  • Mexican Street Scene on the streets of Cuernavaca, Morelos.
    cuernavaca-street-scene.jpg
  • Childrens Day Carp Banners - Children's Day or "Kodomo no hi" is a Japanese national holiday on May 5, the fifth day of the fifth month and is part of the Golden Week. It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness. Originally it was called "Boys Day", as the carp typically represent boys in Japan.
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  • The village of Bo Sang, on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, is well known for its hand crafted umbrellas. Local artisans make the world famous parasols out of sa paper.  Visitors can even watch the process as artisans make the umbrellas from start to end: struts, paper and then painting them.
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  • Thai Herbs & Spices
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  • Galle Architecture -  With the arrival of colonialism to Sri Lanka which is evident in the architecture. Very few buildings of the Portuguese era survives, however many building from the Dutch era can be found within the fort area of Galle built by the Dutch in the year 1663 which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many important historic buildings were built by the colonial governments. These were often built in one or another European architectural style, which was in fashion at the time such as the Palladian, Renaissance or Neo-classical styles.
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  • With the arrival of colonialism to Sri Lanka, evident in the architecture, few buildings from the Portuguese period survive although many structures from the Dutch era can be found in the fort area of Galle.  Built by the Dutch in 1663 the fort has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Many important historic buildings were built by the colonial governments built in  European architectural style: Palladian, Renaissance or Neo-classical styles.
    galle-architecture-10.jpg
  • Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu, the  Philippines. The festival honors the vision of the child Jesus, known as Santo Niño who used to be the patron Saint of the City of Cebu. The festival takes several days with beauty pageants, contests, and street dances that commemorates the Cebuano peoples' Islamic and pagan origin and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism after the arrival of Magellan.
    sinulog-1.jpg
  • Jodhpur ìthe blue cityî is the second largest city in  Rajasthan after Jaipur.  The town was formerly the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar. Today Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination, featuring many palaces, forts and temples, set in the stark landscape of the Thar desert.  Jodhpur is often referred to as the "Blue City" due to the vivid blue painted houses around the Mehrangarh Fort.
    jodhpur-blue-detail.jpg
  • The village of Bo Sang, on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, is well known for its hand crafted umbrellas. Local artisans make the world famous parasols out of sa paper.  Visitors can even watch the process as artisans make the umbrellas from start to end: struts, paper and then painting them.
    bo-sang-umbrellas-10.jpg
  • Jodhpur “the blue city” is the second largest city in  Rajasthan after Jaipur.  The town was formerly the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar. Today Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination, featuring many palaces, forts and temples, set in the stark landscape of the Thar desert.  Jodhpur is often referred to as the "Blue City" due to the vivid blue painted houses around the Mehrangarh Fort.
    jodhpur-blue-10.jpg
  • The seven spired chedi at Wat Jet Yot is similar in style to that of its Chiang Mai namesake. Of more aesthetic interest is the wooden ceiling of the front veranda of the main building which features a unique Thai astrological fresco.
    jet-yot-chiang-rai-2.jpg
  • Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu, the  Philippines. The festival honors the vision of the child Jesus, known as Santo Niño who used to be the patron Saint of the City of Cebu. The festival takes several days with beauty pageants, contests, and street dances that commemorates the Cebuano peoples' Islamic and pagan origin and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism after the arrival of Magellan.
    sinulog-7.jpg
  • Baguio's Igorot Stairs are found right outside Barrio Fiesta, a famous restaurat specializing in local foods. The statues are mad of wood, even though they don't look like it as they have been painted over and varnished into a shiny platic-like sheen. The statues and wood sculptures depict the life of the Igorot tribe, the native inhabitants of Baguio. Today not all of the sculpture on the steps are those of Igorots - there are also those of famous Philippine political figures, such as past presidents, there are also sculpture of sleeping guards and some animals.   The balance found in the sculptures can be seen obviously in the way that each sculpture has complete body parts.
    igorot-stairs-baguio-1.jpg
  • The convent of the Sto. Niño de Cebu was founded by Fr. Andres de Urdaneta in 1565, the very day the Legazpi expedition arrived in the island. When Legaspi and his men planned the urbanization of the city, they allotted a place for the church and the convent of San Agustin where the Santo Niño image had been found. The church has always been the Sanctuary of the Sto. Niño, under the custody of the Augustinians.
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  • One of the most endearing images of Hanoi is that of its ubiquitous flower vendors peddling baskets of fresh blooms either from a bicycle or baskets balanced on bamboo shoulder poles or at the local source, the Hanoi Flower Market.
    hanoi-flower-market-1.jpg
  • Geisha on the streets of Arashiyama Kyoto - geiko as they are called in Kyoto are traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance. Apprentice geisha are called maiko literally "dance child". It is the maiko, with her white make-up and elaborate kimono and hairstyle, that has become the stereotype of a geisha to Westerners.
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  • Graffiti at Manazuru Abandoned Barbeque - Block Art House is a popular place for hip hop artists and graffiti artists to show their stuff, in fact the entire abandoned building is covered in the stuff.  Though it is officially off-limits, people still seem to find their way in to explore, photograph the place or paint the walls. The place itself was once an old barbecue restaurant that went bust, constructed on a cliff.  This place is now only used by street artists and covered with interesting graffiti.
    manazuru-graffiti-haikyo-1.jpg
  • Dragonfruit Hylocereus - A pitaya is the fruit of several cactus species, most importantly of the genus Hylocereus sweet pitayas commonly known as dragonfruit.  They are also sometimes called strawberry pear or nanettikafruit. The fruit's texture is sometimes compared to the kiwi fruit due to the presence of black, crunchy seeds.
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  • Shochu is a distilled drink native to Japan. It is most commonly distilled from barley, sweet potatoes or rice. Shochu usually contains 25% alcohol by volume. Shochu is not be very similar to sake, a brewed rice wine. Its taste is usually far less fruity and depends strongly on the nature of the starch used in the distilling process. Its flavor is often described as earthy. Although Kyushu is the home of shochu, it is produced everywhere in Japan particularly Okinawa.
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  • Sinulog Street Dancing - an annual event held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu, Philippines. The festival honors the vision of Santo Nino, the patron saint of the City of Cebu. The festival takes several days with beauty pageants, contests, and street dances that commemorates the Cebuano peoples origins and introduction of Roman Catholicism after the arrival of Magellan.
    sinulog-8.jpg
  • Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu, the  Philippines. The festival honors the vision of the child Jesus, known as Santo Niño who used to be the patron Saint of the City of Cebu. The festival takes several days with beauty pageants, contests, and street dances that commemorates the Cebuano peoples' Islamic and pagan origin and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism after the arrival of Magellan.
    sinulog-5.jpg
  • Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu, the  Philippines. The festival honors the vision of the child Jesus, known as Santo Niño who used to be the patron Saint of the City of Cebu. The festival takes several days with beauty pageants, contests, and street dances that commemorates the Cebuano peoples' Islamic and pagan origin and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism after the arrival of Magellan.
    sinulog-10.jpg
  • Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu, the  Philippines. The festival honors the vision of the child Jesus, known as Santo Niño who used to be the patron Saint of the City of Cebu. The festival takes several days with beauty pageants, contests, and street dances that commemorates the Cebuano peoples' Islamic and pagan origin and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism after the arrival of Magellan.
    sinulog-11.jpg
  • Diego Rivera Mural at Cortez Palace - The Palacio de Cortés is considered to be the most representative building of Cuernavaca and one of the oldest European style buildings in the Americas. The series of arches of the central terrace and the thick walls are the most representative aspects of the original construction.  Just outside the front of the building is an old pyramid base over which Cortés had the structure built.  After having been the residence of Cortés and his descendants for several centuries, the building became a warehouse, a jail, a military barracks, and then the State Government Palace. In 1973 the building was restored and today houses the Museo Regional Cuauhnáhuac, dedicated to the history of Morelos State with famous murals by Diego Rivera.
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  • Little Japanese girls out on Shichi-Go-San, literally 7-5-3, a traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for children the age of seven, five or three, held annually on November 15.  As Shichi-Go-San is not a national holiday, it is normally observed on the nearest weekend.  Children are still dressed in kimono, many for the first time, for visits to shrines though western-style formal wear is also worn by some children.
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  • Ueno Park Illuminations
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  • Ueno Park Illuminations - fanciful lights in Ueno Park lit up at night and resembling Godzilla, penguins, bears and whatever else the imagination can dredge up.
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