Top 10 Cities That Didn’t Exist in 1960

10. Incheon, South Korea

The city of Incheon, in South Korea, is just miles from the North Korean border.  With a population of nearly 3 million, it is the third largest city in South Korea.  In 1994, the South Korean government, with a keen eye toward the future, decided to undertake a bold plan to reclaim land from the sea off the coast of Incheon, and build the world’s largest ubiquitous technological city.  With a projected cost of $40 to 50 billion, the city has an estimated completion date of 2020, and hopes to accommodate up to half a million residents.  The South Korean government is also trying to build the city within a strict green blueprint, which it may or may not meet.

9. King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia

Not only didn’t this city exist in 1960, it barely exists now.  King Abdullah has a grand vision of a city of the future on the Red Sea about an hour away from the Saudi city of Jeddah.  With an estimated cost of $100 billion, building a state-of-the-art city costs a great deal of money.  It is hard to pin down the number of people who currently reside in the city, as we only hear vague estimates, like how the city should house 2 million in 2020, when it is completed.  What is known for sure is that there are a lot of workers there, building a lot of shiny objects.

8. Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

In 1971, Frobisher Bay was officially declared a settlement in the Northwest Territories of Canada.  Just south of the Arctic Circle, about 2,000 people braved the elements on the southern coast of Baffin Island.  The native Inuit wanted a territory all of their own and, in 1999, officially split from the Northwest Territories and became the territory of Nunavut.  Two years later, Iqaluit was officially designated as a city, specifically the capital of the new territory.  In the past 10 years, the population has “spiked” to nearly 7,000 residents.  Despite its small population, Iqaluit is a capital that governs over 750,000 square miles of territory, an area larger than the state of Alaska.

7. Sandouping, China

The area around Sandouping was known as Huangniupu village until 1984.  The Chinese government created the city to house the 40,000 workers who would build the Three Gorges Dam, the largest electricity generating plant on Earth.  Just a few miles up the river is the city of Chongqing, with a population of nearly 30 million.  So basically the Chinese built a new city, to house a dam, to supply electricity to a nearby megapolis.  Talk about a logistical nightmare.  35,000 residents still call Sandouping home.

6. Putrajaya, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is the federal capital of Malaysia, with a population of just over 1.5 million.  But due to overcrowding, the government felt the need to build a brand new city to serve as the country’s federal administrative center.  About 15 minutes south of Kuala Lumpur, the government built the planned city of Putrajaya. Established in 1995, the population has already ballooned to over 65,000, with a state-of-the-art transportation system linking it to Kuala Lumpur.

5. Astana, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan declared independence out of the ashes of the former Soviet Union in 1991. Flush with oil money, the government took only four years to decide it wanted to move the capital from the largest city of Almaty, to the historical city of Tselinograd, which was renamed Astana.  Formally incorporated in 1961, Tselinograd has had a lot of people living there throughout the century, but not always on their own accord; it was once home to one of the most notorious Gulags in the old Soviet Union.

Since Astana was named the capital of Kazakhstan, the population has soared from 250,000 to 700,000, and the skyline has changed from dreary cold war gray to that of a modern metropolis.

4. Abuja, Nigeria

Nigeria declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1960 and, for the next decade, war plagued the country. By the 70′s, multiple factions from across cultural divides decided that the country needed a brand new capital in the center of Nigeria, free from the history of bloodshed.  With the discovery of oil, money began to flow into the African nation; construction lasted for over 10 years on Nigeria’s vision of the future.  In 1991, Abuja was finished and named the new capital.  In just over 20 years, the population of Abuja has skyrocketed to nearly a million (about 3 million in the metro area,) as Nigeria zoomed up to the 7th most populous nation in the world.  Some population experts expect Nigeria to be the 3rd largest nation by 2050.

3. Doha, Qatar

Qatar declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1971.  Large oil and gas reserves poured billions of dollars into the new economy, so much so that Forbes Magazine quickly named Qatar the world’s richest nation.  Doha was named its own municipality in 1963, and has since grown in size and now houses a million residents.

The city is so powerful that they managed to *cough* convince the corrupt weasels at FIFA to award them the 2022 World Cup, despite being located in a desert, with the average high temperature being over 100 degrees Fahrenheit from May until September.  Not really a friendly environment for high-level soccer.

2. Navi Mumbai, India

The city of Mumbai, formally Bombay, has a population of over 12 million.  Mumbai grew and grew until it reached its physical limits in 1972, being on an island just off of the Indian coast.  Navi Mumbai was then developed on the mainland, just across from Mumbai. Navi Mumbai is the largest planned community in the world.  In 40 years, with the express purpose of de-congesting Mumbai, the population has grown exponentially, to the point where Navi Mumbai is now the home of 1.2 million residents, and continues to expand further and further inland.

1. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

In 1971, Dubai declared independence from the United Kingdom, and was part of the group that formed the United Arab Emirates. Oil was discovered in the region, and the riches it provided would change the geographic view of the area forever.  In a period of 40 years, the population swelled from a few thousand to over 1.5 million residents.  More radically, the city began building man-made islands, with land reclaimed from the Persian Gulf.  So over the past 15 years, the city has continued to grow across land that was created after the year 2000.  The Palm Islands are modern wonders, challenged only by the planned islands that are currently in limbo, due to Dubai’s current credit issues.

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Top 10 Korean Foods You Have To Try

10 Soondubu Jiggae

Soft Tofu Stew – 순두부 찌개 [Recipe | Wikipedia]

Soondubu jiggae is a Korean stew (jiggae) – thicker than a soup but thinner than a porridge. When cooked in the traditional way (in an earthenware pot – pictured above) all of the cooking is done in just the one dish. This makes it very easy to clean up afterwards – a job we all hate. It starts with a delicious fish stock and a little beef to deepen the flavor then finished off with fresh shell fish, hot pepper flakes, silken tofu, and eggs which are optional. The best thing about this stew is that you – the cook – can control how hot you want it but limiting the quantity of hot pepper flakes. You can have it blisteringly hot or very mild which is particularly handy if you are cooking for children who can’t stomach their food too spicy. The small amount of beef is typical of Korean food and illustrates how healthy it is – the meat is used for flavor rather than stomach filling. This is a dish everyone should try – it is really one of the nicest ways to introduce someone to tofu which picks up all of the flavors of the stew while adding a soft comforting texture. Eat it with rice and side dishes for a complete meal.

9 Seolleongtang

Ox Bone Soup – 설렁탕 [Recipe | Wikipedia]

Seolleongtang is an incredibly popular soup in Korea – there are even restaurants who specialize in making just it. Of all the items on this list, seolleongtang is the most time consuming as you must boil the beef bones (typically ox leg bones but you can make do with ox tail) for hours and hours to release all of the calcium which gives it the very distinctive white look. But don’t be fooled by the color – this is the beefiest tasting soup you can imagine! When you boil the bones you can also add a large piece of beef and radish which you slice and add to the soup at the last minute. While this is a great winter soup it is also delicious in summer. It also makes a huge quantity so you can make it on the weekend and consume it during the week. In Korea this might be eaten for breakfast – not just dinner – as Korean’s typically have soup, rice, and side dishes for breakfast.

8 Ddukbokkie

Rice Cake Street Food – 떡볶이 [Recipe | Wikipedia]

Ddukbokkie is the delicious smell of Korean cities at night. In large Korean cities like Seoul, the streets are filled with vendors selling their own special recipe versions of the most popular street food. Ddukbokkie (it is pronounced roughly like “dok-bok-ee”) is one of the most popular and it comes in various styles. In the example above I used the linked recipe but also added sliced fish cakes and boiled eggs. The sauce is spicy but it is also very sweet and packed with an immense amount of flavor. The spiciness is cut by the long cylindrical rice cakes which, when cooked, become chewy and soft. The rice cakes are probably the most unusual part of the recipe for most westerners but when they try it – they love it.

7 Dakjuk

Chicken Porridge – 닭죽 [Recipe]

When I first made Dakjuk I wasn’t expecting it to be one of my favorite dishes – it seemed far too simple a recipe. Boy was I wrong! Essentially you boil a chicken in a huge pot of water with onions and a lot of garlic – then you add sushi rice and cook it until the chicken is done. The end result is a thick stew (which Koreans refer to as a porridge even though it has no oats) caused by the rice breaking down bursting with rich chicken and garlic flavor. You tear the chicken up and eat it with the porridge. This is a meal you will make again and again because it really is super easy. I must add one warning though: if you are peeling the garlic by hand (instead of using pre-peeled store bought garlic) wear gloves; garlic oil in large quantities can cause third degree burns – which I found out the hard way!

6 Hoeddeok

Sweet Syrupy Pancakes – 호떡 [Recipe | Wikipedia]

If you have a sweet tooth you are guaranteed satisfaction with this amazing pancake sold by street vendors. It is a little more complex than a western style pancake because it is made with a yeast dough but the effort is well worth it. The dough (virtually identical to a western bread dough) is filled with a mixture of cinnamon, brown sugar, and chopped walnuts and fried in a lightly oiled pan until the filling has melted into a syrup. This really is the queen of pancakes and it is incredibly popular with children. Try this out next time the kids want pancakes for breakfast – they will love you for it. And if you don’t like the sound of the filling or don’t have a sweet tooth, just fill it with mozzarella cheese instead.

5 Yangnyeom Tongdak

Seasoned Fried Chicken – 양념통닭 [Recipe | Wikipedia]

I guarantee that once you try this, you will be ditching KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and switching to the other KFC – Korean Fried Chicken. This fried chicken has to be tasted to be believed. When you bite into a piece of this chicken you are initially met with a sticky, sweet, spicy red sauce. But then your teeth crunch through a triple cooked batter so crispy that you wouldn’t believe it possible. This then leads to the most incredibly moist and flavorsome chicken inside. This really is one of the most delicious Korean foods ever invented. In Korea there are many shops selling their own special version of yangnyeom tongdak and they deliver until the late house of the night. But home made is always better. This recipe is particularly good as it shows (because of the addition of ketchup) how Koreans are willing to adopt foreign flavors and use them to their advantage. You need to try this as soon as possible.

4 Japchae

Stir Fried Noodles – 잡채 [Recipe | Wikipedia]

Japchae is one of the most popular Korean dishes both inside and outside of Korea and when you taste it you will understand why. Originally japchae was made without noodles – it was invented for the King by one of his chefs and he loved it so much that it became famous across Korea. In more recent times the noodles were added and now they are an essential element to the dish. The noodles used are sweet potato starch noodles which give japchae its very distinct chewy texture. The vegetables are all lightly cooked so they retain all their flavor. This is definitely a great alternative to the typical (and often bland) stir fry we all cook at home when we want “Chinese”. If you like Korean pop music, here is an amusing video clip of Super Junior’s Eun Hyuk promoting japchae – his favorite Korean dish.

3 Bulgogi

Marinated Beef BBQ – 불고기 [Recipe | Wikipedia]

Bulgogi is an extremely versatile way of preparing beef and the one most westerners have sampled at Korean restaurants. Typically in the west we eat bulgogi on a korean barbecue – a hot plate in the middle of the table. But in Korea this is just one of many ways. It can be made into a stew (as in the recipe above) or as the basis for other dishes. It is such a versatile marinated meet that you could even use it to replace pulled pork in a western style sandwich. Bulgogi is very thinly sliced beef which is marinated in a sauce made from pear juice, garlic, soy sauce, and many other things. There are as many recipes as their are uses. The end result is a delicious sweet, savory, and soft slice of meat. My favorite way to eat it is to wrap it with a small amount of rice and dipping sauce in a lettuce leaf. It is also incredibly low fat and very healthy.

2 Bibimbap

Mixed Rice – 비빔밥 [Recipe | Wikipedia]

If you try only one recipe from this list – let it be bibimbap. In Korean, “bibim” means “mixed” and “bap” means rice. All of the ingredients except the meat (which is optional) are prepared in advance so you can add them at room temperature to the top of hot steamed rice. You then quickly fry and add the meat and a sunny-side up egg to the top. Bibimbap is usually served with a spicy sauce made from gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) which you can add to your liking – allowing you to control how hot it is. You then use your spoon (Korean food is always served with metal chopsticks and a spoon) to “bibim” it all until it is completely mixed together. The trick then is to see how much you can fit in your mouth in one go! Well, not really, but it tastes so good that that is invariably what happens at my house. This really is a taste sensation and it really is impossible not to fall in love at first bite.

1 Kimchi

Fermented Cabbage – 김치 [Recipe | Wikipedia]

Kimchi is the national dish of Korea. At first it can sound daunting to us westerners because of the word “fermented” but don’t forget that we eat a lot of fermented foods already – yoghurt and bread for example. In the case of kimchi the cabbage is coated leaf by leaf in a delicious spicy mix of hot pepper flakes, garlic, chives, onion, pear juice, and more. It is then able to be eaten right away (in which case it is fresh, not fermented) or you can leave it out of the refrigerator for two or three days to start the fermentation process. As it ferments it develops a rich and slightly sour flavor – true also of German sauerkraut (which means sour herb or cabbage). It lasts for months and is also used as the base for many other dishes such as kimchi stew and even as a filling for kimbap (Korean sushi). Kimchi is such an important dish in Korea that it is eaten with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It may not look pretty but it sure tastes good! And if you don’t have time to make it yourself (it can be a little time consuming) it is always available pre-made at your local Korean grocery.

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Top 10 Incredibly Beautiful Tree Tunnels

10. Cherry Blossom Tunnel, Germany

Each spring, a peaceful street, located in the German city of Bonn, transforms into an enchanting cherry blossom tunnel. Photographer Marcel Bednarz captured this stunning sight of cherry blossoms in full bloom. He explained to me that there are actually two streets in Bonn where cherry trees are planted, but the one you see in the above picture is called Heerstraße. As you may know, the average cherry blossom lasts only between 7 and 10 days, depending on weather conditions.

Similar tunnels can be found all over the world, so check them out if cherry blossoms are your thing:

-  Kungsträdgården cherry blossom in Stockholm, Sweden

-Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, Georgia: over 600,000 people travel annually to Macon, to attend the 10-day long festival. Nearly 240,000 Yoshino cherry trees have been planted throughout that city in the last 30 years. “They’re everywhere, absolutely everywhere,” exclaimed Carolyn Crayton, the festival’s founder and executive director. “ We've given them to anyone who wants them. We've even given them to washington

 -  National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, USA

9. Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho, Brazil

Number nine goes to Brazil’s green tunnel from Porto Alegre, Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho. According to a decree signed in 2006 by former mayor Joseph Fogaça, this beautiful street is part of the country’s historical, cultural, ecological and environmental heritage.

There are more than one hundred towering Tipuana (Rosewood) trees along Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho. The great shade trees stretch over three city blocks, which is a good thing for the city’s overall health. Did you know that trees, properly planted around buildings, can reduce air conditioning demands by up to 30%?

8. Autumn Tree Tunnel, USA

Photographed in glorious autumn colors by Kevin McNeal, this tree tunnel is simply astonishing! The picture was taken on the way up to Smuggler’s Notch, a Vermont state park.

The eye-catching foliage starts changing its color in the northern region, in response to many environmental factors, and spreads south as the fall season advances.

 

7. Ginkgo Tree Tunnel, Japan

Gingko biloba is a highly venerated tree in Japanese culture. Six ginkgo trees survived the Hiroshima bombing, continuing to grow despite facing so many challenges, and are still alive today. Therefore, the Japanese regard the gingko as “the bearer of hope”. It is also known as “the survivor” or “the living fossil.”

Around 65,000 ginkgoes grace Tokyo’s streets, gardens and parks today. According to some people who visited Tokyo, the tunnel you see in the above picture is located in the outer garden of Meiji Shrine.

6. Yew Tree Tunnel, UK

The medieval Aberglasney House features one of the most beautiful gardens in Wales, UK. They have been an inspiration to writers since 1470. The Yew Tunnel is a popular tourist attraction in this area. Believe it or not, it took nine years of pruning to restore this unique archway. “Years of neglect had left it unsafe and with a perilous future, as the once formally clipped structure had grown even higher than the top of the Mansion itself. It is so nice to see it looking invigorated and healthy again, I had every confidence that with careful restoration it would help its future longevity, but I have to confess that it did look drastic at the time,” declared Graham Rankin, one of Aberglasney’s directors.

The Yew Tunnel is thought to have been planted by the Dyer family of Aberglasney, during the 18^th century.

5. The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland

Tucked away in the county of Antrim, these beautiful beech trees are thought to be around 300 years old. According to local records, James Stuart planted the 150 beech trees in the 18^th century, to impress guests as they approached his splendid property, Gracehill House.

Legend tells that the spirit of a maid, who lived in a neighboring mansion and died in mysterious circumstances hundreds of years ago, haunts the country road. “Grey Lady” silently floats along the road and quickly disappears as she reaches the last beech tree.

Check out Pawel Klarecki’s galleries for more spectacular photos of the Dark Hedges.

4. Bamboo Path, Japan

The Sagano Bamboo Forest is located in Arashiyama, a nationally-designated historic site.  The pathway you see in the above picture is 500m long, and runs through one of Japan’s most beautiful bamboo forests. No wonder the Agency for Cultural Affairs declared Arashiyama a “Place of Scenic Beauty”. This forest is close to many famous temple and shrines, including the Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple.

The sound the wind makes, as it blows through the tall bamboo trees, has been voted by the Japanese authorities as one of 100 must-preserve sounds of Japan.

3. Tunnel of Love, Ukraine

The Ukrainian Tunnel of Love is actually a two-mile sector of private railway that serves a woodworking plant near Klevan, a small city located in western Ukraine. I read somewhere that couples pass through this romantic tunnel to make a wish. The myth goes that, if their love is strong and pure, the wish will come true.

2. Jacarandas Walk, South Africa

Over 10 million trees keep South Africa’s largest city green. According to several unofficial sources, Johannesburg is home to the world’s largest man-made forest.

There are at least 49 species of Jacaranda, most of them native to South America (particularly in Uruguay, Brazil, Peru & Argentina), and the Caribbean basin. The tropical trees were imported to South Africa over one hundred years ago.

October is the month when the flowers of thousands of Jacaranda trees are in full blossom.  This spectacular tree tunnel is located either in Johannesburg or Pretoria, the Jacaranda City where 70,000+ Jacarandas add vivid splashes of purple-blue to the urban landscape.

1. Wisteria Tunnel, Japan

As soon as the cherry blossom season ends, the gorgeous Wisteria flowers, that hang in grape-like clusters, take their turn on the Japanese floral calendar. The Fuji Matsuri, or Wisteria Festival, is celebrated each spring in Tokyo, Shizuoka, and Okazaki.

The Ashikaga Flower Park is one of the best places to admire different varieties of wisteria, including double-petaled wisteria, giant wisteria and yellow, white, light pink or purple variants of wisteria.

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Top 10 Male-Dominated Places (That Are Ruled By Women)

10. Sahrawi Muslims Of The Western Sahara

In 1975 Morocco invaded the country of “Western Sahara”. Ever since the Moroccan invaders marched across the border, there has been a low-level War for Independence against the occupiers. These fighters, called the Sahrawi National Liberation Movement, or Polisario Front, continue their struggle to this day.
While both Morocco and Western Sahrawi share Muslim cultures, the Sahrawi brand of Islam is much more liberal than the conservative Moroccans. In Sahrawi culture, the women holds the power in the marriage and, if her husband displeases her, then she can divorce into becoming a revered member of Sahrawi society. Divorced Sahrawi women are revered and much sought after by male suitors, moreso than an unmarried virgin.

9. Western African Countries And The Akan People

Western Africa has probably the highest concentration of nations in the world, and many are ranked among the worst in the world for women’s rights. Yet, mixed among these chauvinistic cultures, are minority populations of the Akan. Although modern forces are changing their culture, the Akan people are historically a matrilineal culture, where inheritance and power falls in the women’s hands. When a man has children, they aren’t his; rather, they are his wife’s families’ children.

8. Sworn Virgins In Albania

Before Communism  relaxed the intense traditional chauvinistic culture of Albania, the region lived under the law of Kanun: a medieval set of rules that tightly restricts women’s rights, going so far to state that “a woman is a sack made to endure.” Yet, in Albanian culture, there still remains a unique cultural aspect called the Sworn Virgin. Rural Albania is plagued by blood feuds that often last for generations. Many times, all the men in a family will be killed in revenge for something their great-grandfather did. Since all power rests with the men in this society, a women has to take their place to keep the family running. Called Sworn Virgins, these women basically become, and are seen by other Albanians as, men. They dress and act like men, but are immune from a blood feud and, with their elevated status as a “man,” equal to any other man they serve as the family’s legal guardian.

7. Young Women In Amish Culture

The Amish are a strict Christian sect that frown upon any technology or concept that distracts from family unity and God. Living much like we did 200 years ago, the Amish shunning of modern technology means they still drive their famous horse-drawn carriages, and sit at home in the dark with no electricity, and only candles to keep the nightlife from being totally pitch-black. The women’s role is seen as the homemaker, and she traditionally spends her time in the kitchen and at home. Yet the Amish have a unique aspect to their culture: Rumspringa. Roughly translated in English as “running around,” Rumspringa is when Amish teenagers are allowed to live by whatever rules they want, under the concept that, after experiencing outside culture, they eventually renounce it and come back into the fold by being baptized into the Amish church. During this time, the Amish girls are given free reign to do what they want, until they make the choice to return to the church.

6. Iroquois

Iroquois society, or the Iroquois League, is famous for inspiring the American Revolution against the tyrannical British King, and many of the League’s tenants made it into the American Constitution. One thing they don’t talk about is the role of women in Iroquois culture. Women held the power, and all wealth, passed through the mother’s side. After marriage, the man moved in with the wife’s family and, if the marriage didn’t work, he would be pushed out. While the Iroquois nations were ruled by chiefs, they could be removed and replaced at any time by a council of women elders. The League still exists today, straddling the Eastern border between Canada and America.

5. Polyandry In The Himalayas

Polyandry, or the practice of one wife having several husbands, used to be quite common in the Himalaya region that now makes up Northern India, Nepal, Bhutan and China. As the more mainstream, male-dominated, cultures creep into these formerly-remote regions, the practice is slowly dying out. Sometimes, the practice is forcefuly removed by cultures who feel threatened by women’s rights. Even now though, you can still find little clusters of Polyandry communities alongside the world’s tallest mountains.

4. Minangkabau In Indonesia

Indonesia has more Muslims than any other country in the world. Many areas of Indonesia follow strict Islamic law, which limits the rights of women. However, in Indonesia, the Minangkabau people, the largest matrilineal culture in the world, thrive. At the age of seven, boys are sent off to live in a religious school. When they are of age, they are encouraged to go out and explore the world and make their riches, before returning to settle in their homeland. With no men, this leaves women to take care of the home and economic life of their communities.

3. Mosou People In China

Sexuality was so suppressed in China, due to its traditional male-dominated culture and eventual Communist policies, that China has a unique mental condition called Shen Kui, or sexual-frustration-sickness. This is not the case with all of the people living in China though. One ethnic group living in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces in China, close to the border with Tibet, revolves around the empowerment of women. In Mosou culture, there is no concept of marriage. Rather it is the women who, depending on who suites her fancy, asks a man to come to her house for, well, liaisons. Any children that result from these encounters are raised by the mother’s extended family.

2. Meghalaya In India

In the Meghalaya culture of India, there is a problem not encountered very much anywhere else in the world. In Hindu culture, where women’s rights are always under threat, with the Meghalaya people they have the opposite problem: men’s rights. In their culture, women have all the sway: wealth, the family name, and most of their culture’s power, which passes from woman to woman with little or no say from the menfolk. Recently, Meghalaya men have been organizing to fight for equal rights with women.

1. Kalash People In Pakistan

In Pakistan, where half the country is run by the seemingly anti-woman Taliban, there lives a small minority group where women have more rights than even women living in the West. The Kalash people live in Northern Pakistan’s Chitral Valley, close to the Afghan border. Rumored to be decedents of Alexander The Great’s conquest of Afghanistan, around 3000 people live in their little valley Utopia For thousands of years, this women-centered culture has left them peace-loving and virtually crime-free. In Kalash culture, women choose their partners and, if the men don’t keep them happy, they can be discarded, with no repercussions, for a new man.

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Top 10 Surprises About Being Outsourced to the Philippines

10.  Pay Attention to “Air Con” And “No Air Con”

Something that gets vitally important while in Asia during their summer is the concept of electronically-cooled air. Electricity, gas, and the money that supplies these things can be at a premium. Therefore, there are helpful signs all over the place telling you whether the establishment or vehicle you get into supplies “air con”. As the name implies, Air Con is air conditioning. If a place or vehicle says “air con” on the outside,  it will generally be a little more expensive. However, your chances of dying by heat stroke may be a little reduced as well. Modes of transportation get cheaper and more dense if they’re “no air con”. Don’t even ask what a “jeerpney’” is.

9.  You Can Get Food Delivered From Almost Anywhere

When I was in Manila, places that I never thought would engage in food service delivery were happy to send someone at all hours. I am talking about McDonalds, Burger King, TGIFridays, and KFC. They would often also deliver to your residence at all hours of the night. If this happens to sound  like something you can joyfully abuse, that is because it is and you can. The method of delivery was almost always a small moped, which you would often see weaving dangerously in and out of traffic.

 

8. You Can Buy And Drink Alcoholic Beverages Almost Anywhere

If you are in the United States, please imagine the following impossible scenario. You walk into your local 7-11. In that local 7-11, you buy a cold beer as if you were buying a Pepsi or Coke. Outside, there are places to sit (often with a canopy), where you can crack open a cold one and drink it right in front of the 7-11. If need be, you can stagger back into the 7-11 and repeat this process as many times as you feel necessary. Police will never bother you about the open container or seemingly public intoxication.

7. Say Good-Bye To Any And All Traffic Signs

Are you familiar with the red octagon that says “Stop” on the front of it? What about the yellow triangle and that helpful little word, “yield”? Maybe you have seen, once or twice, a helpful sign that reminded you there might be a penalty for exceeding a certain speed in your vehicle. There are also some silly ones that inform you that people, or possibly deer, will be crossing in certain areas. None of that is seen over there. I could sit and watch traffic for hours and marvel at the fact that there were no accidents. I never saw so much as a fender bender, or any one get hit. I did learn, however, that honking meant the vehicle would rather kill me than slow down.

6.  Your Sporting Events Are No Longer Important

When I was in the Philippines, the relatively minor event (in their eyes) that was college football’s National Championship game was only announced after all of the English Premier League scores that day. Sportscenter Asia would merrily feature Asian Games and fencing, over the scores to the NBA. The Super Bowl? That’s a pretty big deal, so that was obviously aired…on ESPN, at about six in the morning. Manila does have a professional basketball team, but even they are called the Beermen.

5. If You Work In A Call Center,  You Are Working An Overnight Shift

A lot of people complain about outsourcing calls to call centers in places like Manila or Mumbai. One of the major reasons for this is that there is a language barrier, but everyone forgets about the time zones. In order for the time zones to sync up with callers from the United States, virtually all calls over there are taken overnight. I fielded calls over there at four in the morning.  I not only sounded tired, but I also got to the point where I no longer sounded like I was from America. The most amazing part to me was that they had classes on how to speak better English to an American. All of these classes, on conversational American English, were actually taught by Filipinos.

4.  Television Will Feature Things You Never Saw Before

The addendum to this is that there are things on television that you would not believe are legal. When I was over there, you could watch cock fighting, right on television. The cock fighting was in a stadium-type atmosphere and is often sponsored by beer companies. There is also the unbelievable popularity of  Korean soap operas, which take the tradition of soap operas and the popularity of anime (albeit live action), and mix it into dramas that have to be seen to be believed.

3.  You Can Get A Shave… And A Massage

I simply wanted a clean shave and a hair cut. A friend of mine suggested a place called Bruno’s. The barber did not speak English as well as he probably could have. He was also armed with a blade that was whipped against a strap first. When he started asking questions, that blade was against my neck. I just shook my head in agreement at everything he said. At some point, I agreed to a full-body massage after the shave. I still had clothes on, but that barber touched me in ways no man ever had before or since.  The barber had a wooden vibrating device, which he actually rubbed over every inch of my body.  When I was done, my face was clean, my hair was cropped, and I kinda felt used. The barber could’ve called the next day at least.

2.  You Have Absolutely No Idea What A “Mall” Is

I was around the corner from what was known as the “Mega Mall.” They were not kidding around about this name either. Mega Mall had five floors when I was there, and has expanded since then. Located in the Ortigas district, Mega Mall is in constant competition with massive places, such as The Mall of Asia, to win the right to be considered the Philippines’ largest. Mega Mall has nearly 500,000 square-meters of space and, for good measure, includes a bridge between its two main buildings. I am fairly sure there was a place to buy coffee on every level.

1.  Lets Dish About Cuisine

Every one knows that foreign cuisine can be considered a little bit odd. I am sure that American food is equally odd to people in other cultures, as their food is here. However, you (or I at least) would consider some things to be relegated to higher dining. If you have never heard of it, there is a food called “Balut”. This is an unborn duck fetus, cooked inside of its own egg. It is then eaten, right out of the egg. I mention this because Balut is sold as fast food in Philippine malls. You can literally get a slice of pizza at Sbarro, and then get your cooked duck egg at the Balut Hut right next store. I also heard a lengthy discussion on whether brown or green iguana was the better delicacy.

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TOP 10 MOST POWERFUL COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

n 2012.

10th TOP TEN:TURKEY

Turkey  known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is Eurasian country located in Western Asia (mostly in the Anatolian peninsula) and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe.Turky is the 10th most powerful country in the world 2012.It has great scenerio to take it the 10th spot in the world.It achieved great economical growth.It is rapidly developing country.It has most powerful conventional forces.It has great defence power.

GDP RATE  AS PER JAN 2012-1.7 %

GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)-$14,742.269

INFLATION RATE-10.45 %

TURKISH LIRA EXCHANGE RATE(USDTRY )-1.92 %

                                  9th TOP TEN:BRAZIL

Brazil is the 9th most powerful country in the world.It appears as a big economy power. Its economical      power is growing day by day.Brazil officially the Federative Republic of Brazil  is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people.It is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the largest lusophone country in the world.It has great defence power and multiple plan to make it powerful.

GDP RATE-3.37 %

GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)- $12,320.792

INFLATION RATE-6.5 %

BRAZIL EXCHANGE RATE-1.92 %

            8th TOP TEN:INDIA

      

India is the 8th most powerful countries in the world .India officially the Republic of India  is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by    geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world.It has world second military power.Its economic power rapidly growing day by day.The government of India applies multiple plane to make  it world leading economical power.

 GDP RATE-7.25 %

 GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)-$3,892.752

 INFLATION RATE-6.5 %

 INDIA EXCHANGE RATE-9.34 %

7th TOP TEN:UNITED KINGDOM(U.K.)

United Kingdom is the 7th powerful country in the world.The United Kingdom of Great Britain and    Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain) is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands.It has great defence power and economical structure. The UK is currently thought to retain a weapons stockpile of around 160 operational nuclear warheads and 225 nuclear warheads in total but has refused to declare the exact size of its arsenal.

                                           

GDP ANNUAL GROWTH  RATE (2011-12)-2.33 %

GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)-$36,731.807

INFLATION RATE-  4.2 %

BRITISH POUND EXCHANGE RATE-1.92 %

6th TOP TEN:JAPAN

Japan is the 6th most powerful country in the world.Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.  This was the first time a nuclear emergency had been declared in Japan, and 140,000 residents within 20 km of the plant were evacuated. The total amount of radioactive material released is unclear, as the crisis is ongoing.The Economy rapidly growing day by day.Its defence power is great in the world.

GDP ANNUAL GROWTH  RATE-  0.7 %

GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)-$35,907.131

INFLATION RATE- -0.5 %

JAPAN POUND EXCHANGE RATE-5.97 %

5th TOP TEN:GERMENY

Germany is the 5th most powerful country in the world.Germany  officially the Federal Republic of Germany   is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe.It economic structure is growing rapidly day by day. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With 81.8 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member state and the largest economy in the European Union. It is one of the major political powers of the European continent and a technological leader in many fields.Nuclear power in Germany accounted for 23% of national electricity consumption.

 GDP ANNUAL GROWTH  RATE-   2.1 %

 GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)-$38,815.316

 INFLATION RATE- 3.67 %

 GERMENY POUND EXCHANGE RATE-3.67 %

4th TOP TEN:FRANCE

France is the 4th powerful countries in the world.The French Republic commonly known as France is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans.It has powerful economical infrastructure. It has great defensive power.Nuclear power is the primary source of electric power in France. In 2012, 425.8 TWh out of the country's total production of 540.6 TWh of electricity was from nuclear power (78.8%), the highest percentage in the world.

GDP ANNUAL GROWTH  RATE-   1.6  %

GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)-$35,804.821

INFLATION RATE- 0.10  %

FRANCE EXCHANGE RATE-3.67%

3rd TOP TEN:RUSSIA

Russia is the 3rd powerful country in the world.Russia officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects.It is one of greatest defence power.It implements most benificial plans to develope the country.Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity.

GDP ANNUAL GROWTH  RATE-   1.6  %

GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)-$17,904.352

INFLATION RATE-  7 %

RUSSIA POUND EXCHANGE RATE-2.24 %

2nd TOP TEN:CHINA

China is the 2nd largest powerful country in the world.China  officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is the most populous state in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres (3.7 million square miles). It is the world's second-largest country by land area, and the third- or fourth-largest in total area, depending on the definition of total area.

 GDP ANNUAL GROWTH  RATE-   1.6  %

 GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)-$9,157.407

 INFLATION RATE-  8.5 %

 CHINENSE YUAN EXCHANGE RATE- 4.28 %

1st TOP TEN:UNITED STATE OF AMERICA(U.S.A.)

The United States of America is the 1st powerful country in the world 2012.The United States of America (also called the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district.It is the  powerhouse  of the world.Its economic powerful increasing rapidly.

GDP ANNUAL GROWTH  RATE-   1.6  %

GDP RATE PER CAPITAL( AS PER JAN 2012)-$9,157.407

INFLATION RATE-  8.2 %

USA  EXCHANGE RATE- 4.23 %

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