Video
Folk Dance in Bunad
21/09/10
Bunad is the traditional costume
in Norway. You won’t miss it if you happen to
visit the country on May 17 (Kiat’sEyeView:SyttendeMai)
when it is popularly worn for the national day
celebration. Needless to say, bunad is naturally
the costume of choice in traditional cultural
event such as folk dancing. Shown here are my
picture and video documentations of the midsummer day (23 June)
performance in front of the Norwegian Parliament
(Stortinget) in 2007.
Related links:
- RennyBA’s Terella: Folk Dance
in Bunad from Norway
- My Little Norway: Bunad - Norwegian Traditional Costumes
Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2010
16/04/10
I made a point of visiting the international hot air
balloon fiesta in Putrajaya after missing out
on the first ever such fiesta last year. The
second hot air balloon fiesta was held from
18-21 Mar this year. Visitors were entertained
by balloon fun fly, tethered balloon rides and
other events throughout the days. Hot air
balloons were transformed into gigantic lanterns
after dark during the "Night Glow" event on 20
Mar. The whole day of festivities was then
concluded with a short but spectacular fireworks
display.
"Night Glow" at the 2nd Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (20/03/2010)
Related link:
"Night Glow" at the 2nd Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (20/03/2010)
Related link:
- Official website: Putrajaya
International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2010
- The Star: Putrajaya Hot Air
Balloon rides draw the crowd
- Flickr: Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon Fiesta
Hanoi Traffic Madness
22/01/10
Motorbikes rule the streets in Vietnam and this is
especially true in big cities such as Hanoi and
Saigon. Busy streets are filled with relentless flow
of honking motorbikes and cars. Street crossing can
be daunting at places where zebra crossings and
traffic lights are scarce. It is almost impossible to
wait till a halt in traffic before crossing. The
common advice is to start crossing when there is a
reasonable gap in the traffic and walk predictably
across the streets so that the vehicles can avoid
you. It works!
Traffic in the Old Quarter of Hanoi (11/2009)
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES OF HANOI
Related link:
Traffic in the Old Quarter of Hanoi (11/2009)
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES OF HANOI
Related link:
- Wikitravel: Crossing the Road in Vietnam
The Batak People and Culture
29/04/09
Horas! Welcome to the Batak heartland that
centres on Samosir Island and covers the surrounding
areas of Lake Toba. Sites of cultural and historical
significance to the Batak people can be found on the
island at places such as Tomok, Ambarita and
Simanindo (see Lake Toba Album).
Batak houses, with distinctive saddle-shaped,
twin-peaked roofs, are eye-catching and
unmissable. They can be found all over Samasir
Island in all shapes and sizes, from
elaborately decorated traditional houses
preserved in museums to practical zinc-roofed
village houses or resort cottages by the
shoreline.
The following excerpt from Sumatra-Indonesia.com gives some ideas on the Batak architecture and symbolism built into the design:
"The roofs of the house are designed so the back of the roof in higher than the front. The father of the house always sleeps at the front of the house and the children in the back. The higher roof in the back signifies that the father wants his children to reach higher in life than himself. The steps leading up to the small entrance are always atleast 4, 5 or 6 to signify how many children the family wants to have. The small entrance into a Batak house are designed so you have to bow down to enter the house paying respect to the people inside the house."
Batak culture is also known to be rich in customs and rituals. This 53-sec video clip, taken at the Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo, aims to give a sample of traditional Batak dance. The performance (Mon-Sat 10.30-11.10, 11.45-12.30; Sun 11.45-12.30) is not to be missed by culturally inclined visitors to Samosir, Lake Toba.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES
Related links:
The following excerpt from Sumatra-Indonesia.com gives some ideas on the Batak architecture and symbolism built into the design:
"The roofs of the house are designed so the back of the roof in higher than the front. The father of the house always sleeps at the front of the house and the children in the back. The higher roof in the back signifies that the father wants his children to reach higher in life than himself. The steps leading up to the small entrance are always atleast 4, 5 or 6 to signify how many children the family wants to have. The small entrance into a Batak house are designed so you have to bow down to enter the house paying respect to the people inside the house."
Batak culture is also known to be rich in customs and rituals. This 53-sec video clip, taken at the Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo, aims to give a sample of traditional Batak dance. The performance (Mon-Sat 10.30-11.10, 11.45-12.30; Sun 11.45-12.30) is not to be missed by culturally inclined visitors to Samosir, Lake Toba.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES
Related links:
-
Kiat's Eye View:
The Route to Samosir
-
Kiat's Eye View:
Samosir Island and Lake Toba
- Wikipedia: Batak (Indonesia)
- The New York Times: In the
Land of Batak
- Blogspot/ Frienster: Museum Huta Bolon, Simanindo
Lions in the Campus
26/02/09
This is another blog entry related to the Chinese New
Year, with snapshots and video clip on the visit of
the lions to UNMC (University of
Nottingham Malaysia Campus). This has been an
annual event and well-received by the campus
community of diverse backgrounds.
Video clip (QuickTime Player)
Video clip (YouTube)
CLICK HERE
Video clip (QuickTime Player)
Video clip (YouTube)
CLICK HERE
Glasgow West End Festival
20/06/08
West End Festival is back in
Glasgow from Fri 13 to Sun 29 June this year,
bringing a variety of cultural events to the
city. The opening parade (Sun 15 June) was a
colourful occasion with a strong Latin American
carnival atmosphere.
CLICK ALBUM FOR MORE PICTURES
CLICK ALBUM FOR MORE PICTURES
Syttende Mai
18/05/08
The Norwegians celebrate their national day on
Syttende Mai or May 17,
an occasion that features children's parades all over the country,
with many turning out in the traditional costume bunad.
Check out the album and videos for more coverage of the event in 2008:
(click!)
an occasion that features children's parades all over the country,
with many turning out in the traditional costume bunad.
Check out the album and videos for more coverage of the event in 2008:
(click!)
Chinese New Year in Cosmopolitan London
14/02/08
新年快樂，萬事如意！
(xinniankuaile, wanshiruyi = Happy New Year and Everything Goes Well as Wished!)
Clockwise from top left: Street decorations near Oxford Circus tube station, Chinatown (day), Chinatown (night), Cultural performances at Trafalgar Square (02/2008)
Video clip: Firecrackers at Leicester Square (10/02/2008)
All Set for Christmas!
23/12/07
Once again, George Square in Glasgow is fully
transformed for Christmas celebration, illuminated
with stunning Christmas lights and the Christmas
tree, ice skating, funfair etc are back! Click
here for more winter
programmes in Glasgow.
Christmas decoration at George Square, Glasgow (20/12/2007)
Video clips (24/11/2007):
Christmas decoration at George Square, Glasgow (20/12/2007)
Video clips (24/11/2007):
Two More Animal Facts Learnt
03/11/07
A brown bear can climb a tree and a
grey squirrel can climb a wall!!!
Brown bears in the Skansen zoo, Stockholm (04/2006)
Video: Grey squirrel outside the SIBS building, Glasgow (10/2006)
Brown bears in the Skansen zoo, Stockholm (04/2006)
Video: Grey squirrel outside the SIBS building, Glasgow (10/2006)
A Wee Dose of Historical Combat
08/10/07
Brutal combats from the past brought to live at
Linlithgow in AD 2007!
The Battle of Stirling Bridge, reenacted at Linlithgow Palace, Scotland (07/2007)
Video: Jousting event at Linlithgow Palace (07/2007)
The Battle of Stirling Bridge, reenacted at Linlithgow Palace, Scotland (07/2007)
Video: Jousting event at Linlithgow Palace (07/2007)