New Year's Eve Greetings for everybody

If it comes to the end of the year everybody goes crazy,in a way or another.No matter if they just chill at home with friends or go on a cruise or travel to places one can only dream about.
Either way each year a lot of charts are made by different websites,tv shows,magazines trying to figure out where it is best to party,best to chill,best to eat,best to travel and so on for New Year's eve.If you'd ask me I would answer that it doesn't matter where you are,but with whom you are,cause having the right people on your side will bring you the best time of your life no matter if you party in a basement,in an one room apartment or in a tent.
I'm sending all my friends from all over the world my best wishes.May the year to come be better then the one that passed,filled with love,money and health.
Get your friends together and make the best out of it...Here is a list of how u can say Cheers in 50 different languages..In Romanian you say Noroc!...
Afrikaans : Gesondheid! : (Ge-sund-hide)
Albanian : Gëzuar! : (Géschuar)
Arabic (Egyptian) : في صحتكم! : (Fee-sa-ha-tak)

Indian food

For all those who love spicy food,as I do,i think Indian food is the best choice.I had the chance to taste some home made Indian food and learn something about the condiments used and the way you have to cook it.The smell,the taste,the colors,everything makes you feel overwhelmed by this food.
If you want to try cooking it yourself i recommend you the following websites which contain a lot of recipes. The only thing that is difficult sometimes when preparing Indian food is finding all the condiments needed.Anyway,you will figure that out.Here are the links..
http://www.indianfoodrecipes.net/
http://www.indianfoodsite.com/
Good appetite!!I recommend Chicken biryani and Carrot cake:D

The Temples of Khajuraho,Madhya Pradesh,India

In this sleepy little town a long way from anywhere,a century-long burst of creativity during the dynasty of the Chandela kings,resulted in the construction of more than eighty-five temples of which twenty-two remain,decorated with long running friezes that intersperese day-to-day scenes with military precissions.Khajuraho is the most renowned,however,for it's profusion of sensual and erotic friezes and sculptures,in which celestial maidens pout and pose while other figures engage in the every imaginable positions of the Kama Sutra.These sculptures are great jubilant paeans to life,with an extraordinary explicitness that makes them as remarkable today as they must have been when they were first unveiled.

Forbidden city is now acesible for the disabled

Disabled tourists now have better access to Beijing's famous Forbidden City following extensive renovations. New facilities were opened yesterday, to mark National Help-the-disabled Day.

"This is an excellent example of how Beijing and China intends to advance accessibility for all people in the years to come," said Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

"Chinese people are making unbelievable efforts in Sichuan to relieve the suffering caused by the earthquake disaster. Paralympians from all over the world are with you, with all of the Chinese people."

The Forbidden City has numerous stone steps and thresholds, which are distinguishing features of traditional Chinese architecture, but had restricted access for disabled people.

The famous landmark now has three barrier-free tourist routes covering the main scenic spots. About 1,000 m long, the main route runs from Wumen (Meridian Gate) in the south to Shenwumen (Gate of Spiritual Valor) in the north.

With the help of the newly installed elevators, wheelchair-bound people can ascend Wumen Tower avoiding nearly 100 steps. At Taihedian, Zhonghedian and Baohedian, wheelchair stair lifts are available to help people with physical disabilities climb the stairs.

"The barrier-free facilities and the ancient architecture in the Forbidden City complement each other, which embodies the concept of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games - Transcendence, Equality and Integration," said Li Ji, vice-director of the Forbidden City.

China's golden girl of the torch relay, Jin Jing, who was attacked by protestors in Paris but refused to let go of the sacred flame, also praised the new facilities.

"I'm really looking forward to experiencing a barrier-free Forbidden City, and today is my first time to visit here," she told China Daily while walking with her crutch on Wumen Square.

All this is made out of humanity because people should be considered equal and should not be excluded out of any activity.

Short facts about China

- China has 1.3 billion people, a little over 20 percent of the world’s population.

- The Chinese New Year is the first day of the lunar calendar based on the cycles of the moon. The date varies from year to year but typically falls in January or February.

- The twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig, with each year represented by one of the animals. A full Chinese zodiac is twelve years. A complete calendar cycle is sixty years.

- The money used in China is called renminbi, meaning the people’s currency. The basic unit is the yuan.

- The Great Wall can be seen by the human eye from outer space.

- Giant pandas are a national treasure in China. There areabout 1,600 pandas living in the wild today.

- The compass, paper, gunpowder and printing are called the Four Greatest Ancient Chinese Inventions. Other Chinese inventions include fireworks and ice cream.

- China is the homeland of tea, and its cultivation dates back two thousand years.

- Mount Qomolangma (also known as Mount Everest), the highest point in the world, is located
between China and Nepal.

- In China, a person’s family name comes first, followed by the first name. There is no middle name.

- The three most popular Chinese family names are Li, Zhang, and Wang.

- In ancient China, Chinese characters were written on animal bones, turtle shells, silk, or bamboo slices.

The Forbidden City-Beijing-China

The magnificent Forbidden City,so named because it was off limits to commoners for 500 years,was the imperial court for twenty-four emperors from the early days of the Ming dynasty in the 15th century until the fall of the Quing dynasty in 1911.It is the largest,most complete,and best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China,representing the work of battalions of laborers.Fires and lootings over the years have left a largely post 18th-century shell that mimics its original layout,and much of its storied wealth and opulent furnishings are long gone.Nonetheless,this vast complex of halls,pavilions,courtyards,and wall in a masterwork of architectural balance,monumental but never oppressive.A self guiding tape narrated by Roger Moore helps bring it alive,with tales of eunuchs,concubines,ministers,priests,court intrigues,and terrific excesses.Occupying more then 183 acres,the expensive complex earns the title of "city".It was not unusual for emperors and servants alike never to venture beyond the moat-surrounded 35-foot wall and formidable gates-ever.That they believed themselves to be at the cosmic centre of the universe is a fantasy visitors can readily appreciate today.
Where:also called the Imperial Palace(Gugong) or the Palace Museum,the Forbidden City is adjacent to Tiananmen Square,at the center of the city.
Best times:May to mid-June and late August to early November

Koh Phi Phi-Thailand

Although devastated by the tsunami of December 2004,Koh Phi Phi,remains a textbook version of the ultimate dream isle.It was Hollywood's pick for the Leonardo DiCaprio sand-seeking vagabond dud The Beach.Against a backdrop of steep,jungled limestone cliffs,a few simple bungalow resorts dot crescents of palm-shaded bleached-white sand.Day-trippers from nearby Krabi or Phuket are transported by boat to the beaches of Koh Phi Phi Don,while those who hop a long tailed boat can visit even more spectacular Koh Phi Phi Le.Here you can visit unspoiled coves,crystal-clear waters,and nearly undeveloped beaches;Maya Bay,surrounded by soaring cliffs,is particularly beautiful.Snorkling is excellent.About the only other thing to do,besides waiting foar a simple grilled fish lunch at an open-air beachside spot,is to visit the immense,cathedral-like caverns,where Sea Gypsies harvest edible birds' nests,a delicacy prized by Chinese gourmets for their nutritional value.The simple grilled-fish lunch sounds better and better.:D
Where to stay:Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island with 77 beachfront bungalows snuggled in a coconut plantation.
Contact and informations at:reservations@hitours.com or www.stayxs.com

Amanwana-Moyo,Indonesia

Located east of Bali,the tiny island of Moyo is inhabited almost exclusively by butterflies,crab-eating monkeys,and rusa deer-plus handful of cosseted barefoot visitors from this luxury nature camp,carved into a secluded cove amid lush jungle.The Amanwana gets its share of high-profile guests,but needn't be trying to elude paparazzi to relish being both a million miles from civilization and within hailing distance of an excellent kitchen,superb water sports,and a hotel staff that lives to serve you.The twenty beachfront "tent" accommodations are actually spacious,canvas-roofed,teak-floored bungalows replete with camouflaged modern amenities,where the absence of Tvs,telephones,and a daily newspaper will make reality seem like a bad dream.Most of the guests eventually set off on a series of nature walks inland,jeep trips to a waterfall,or boat excursions to pritine bays and secluded coral caves.Amanwana is one of Indonesia's prime dive resorts,and its 1000 foot vertical drop is home to giant lobster,turtles and white-tip reef sharks.At 5 o'clock,everyone's aboard the hotel's wooden outrigger for a sunset cruise on the Flores Sea,the evening sendoff to another fine day in paradise.
Cost:doubles from $725(includes all meals and some activities)
Acommodation:www.amanresorts.com