Anzac Day, 2.721 New Zealand and 8.000 Australian Soldiers Were Killed at Gallipoli

25 April is the anniversary of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) at Gallipoli in 1915. Over 8.000 New Zealand soldiers were wounded at Gallipoli and 2.721 were killed by Turk soldiers. The Australian army also suffered heavy casualties: 26.111 were injured and 8.141 were killed.

The first Anzac Day took place on 25 April 1916. As time went on, the ceremony of remembrance was extended to the soldiers of the Second World War. It honours all New Zealanders and Austarlians who served in a military campaign.

When war broke out in 1914, Australia had been a Federal Commonwealth for only thirteen years. In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of an Allied expedition that set out to capture The Gallipoli Peninsula, under a plan by Winston Churcill to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The objective was to capture Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire nd an ally of Germany. The ANZAC force landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish Army commanded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

What had been planned as a bold strike to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stale-mate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915, the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian and more than 2,700 New Zealand soldiers died. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.

Though the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Istanbul and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand troops' actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an "Anzac Legend" became an important part of the national identity in both countries. This shaped the ways their citizens viewed both their past and their future.

Jalan Malioboro (Malioboro Street), Yogyakarta Indonesia

Jalan Malioboro (Malioboro Street) is a major shopping street in Yogyakarta, Indonesia; the name is also used more generally for the neighborhood around the street. It runs north from the Yogyakarta kraton (palace) towards the roads that lead to either Surakarta to the east, or Magelang to the north, as well as Mount Merapi.

This is in itself is significant to many of the local population, the north south orientation between the palace and the volcano being of importance. The street is the centre of Yogyakarta's largest tourist district; many hotels and restaurants are located nearby. Sidewalks on both sides of the street are crowded with small stalls selling a variety of goods. In the evening several open-air streetside restaurants, called lesehan, operate along the street. Less obvious to the tourist, but more for the local population, side streets, lanes and structures that lead on to Malioboro are as important as the street itself. The street was for many years two-way, but by the 1980s had become one way only, from the railway line (where it starts) to the south - to Beringharjo markets, where it ends.

The largest, oldest Dutch era hotel, Hotel Garuda, is located on the street's northern end, on the eastern side adjacent to the railway line. It has the former Dutch era Prime Minister's complex, the kepatihan, on the eastern side.

For many years in the 1980s and later, a cigarette advertisement was placed on the first building south of the railway line - or effectively the last building on Malioboro, which advertised Marlboro cigarettes, no doubt appealing to locals and foreigners who would see a pun with name of the street with a foreign product being advertised.

It does not reach the walls or grounds of the Yogyakarta palace, as Malioboro ceases in name adjacent to the very large market Beringharjo (on the eastern side as well). From this point the street changes name and has on the western side the former Governors residence, and on the eastern side the old Dutch Fort Vredenburg.

Source http://en.wikipedia.org

Kasimbar Beach, Central Sulawesi

Kasimbar is the little village in Parigi Moutong regency. It is beautiful village, mainly the beach and the coast line along the village. We have not to pay to visit there, it is free. The taste of the fish baked/roasted is one of the culinary experience that we have to try, very spicy and tasty.

Palu is the capital city of Central Sulawesi. The distance between Palu and Kasimbar are about 154 kilometers, it will take about two hours trip by renting a car in Palu. In Durian season, we can buy, eat and take away durian from the local farmers around Kasimbar.

Bunaken Island, North Sulawesi Indonesia

The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists.

The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27-29 C) and harbor some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken.

The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this to a mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found.

On the island you have the choice amongst a number of homestays, with rates starting at around Rp. 80 000 per day and person incl. fullboard. If you only go for the cheapest option don't complain afterwards if the water in your mandi (bathroom) doesn't get filled up regularly, or food isn't quite as nice as you had hoped for. Life in North Sulawesi in general isn't as cheap as in other regions of Indonesia, and most things on Bunaken have to be brought in from Manado. Depending on the season even fish can be pretty expensive. Better think twice before you try to bargain down prices which are already cheap; for the locals it could mean the difference between being able to eat 3 or only 2 meals a day, or buying school books for the children or not.
Some of the dive operations on Bunaken are offering more upmarket accommodation, even hot showers (Living Colours, Cha Cha Nature Resort).

Original sources: Please visit this website if you like to go to Bunaken Island, http://www.sulawesi-info.com.

Mount Ungaran, Central Java Indonesia

Mount Ungaran (Gunung Ungaran) is one of the most famous interesting mount in Semarang area. Located in Distric of Ungaran, very close to Semarang city. From Semarang, the trip to go to Mount Ungaran is about two hours by car. We also can go there by bus.

Gedong Songo Temple is the reason made Mount Ungaran become famous. The temple was built at the midle of the mount.

There are nine interesting temples that was built in Midle Ages. Accomodation surrounding this mount also provided, cheap and very close with the temples.

Riding the horse is the interesting experience that we can find around the temple. For this service, we only pay about US $ 10 perhours. Spent one or two night and sleep inside the tent is the best experience that we can do here.

Gunung Merapi (Mount Merapi), Java Island - Indonesia

Mount Merapi (Gunung Merapi) is the most active volcano in the world, the meaning of the name is fire. This mountain located on the border between Central Java and Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. It has erupted regularly since 1548.

Although smoke can be seen emerging from the mountain top at least 300 days a year, several eruptions have caused fatalities. Hot gas from a large explosion killed 43 people in 1994, mostly in the town of Muntilan, west of the volcano.

Another large eruption occurred in 2006, shortly before the Yogyakarta Earthquake. In light of the hazards that Merapi poses to populated areas, it has been designated as one of the Decade Volcanos.

Around the mountain there are many interesting places. Kali Kuning and Kaliurang is one of the most places that visited by many people from Indonesia, but if the mountain cough and smoke come out from the peak of the mountain, this places will be closed.

Mount Taranaki, Taranaki New Zealand

Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont is an active, but equiescent stratovolcano in Taranaki region on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island. The height of this mountain is 2518 meters. This mountain in one of the most symmetrical volcanic cones in the world. There is a secondary cone, Fanthams Peak, on the south side. Because of its rsemblance to Mount Fuji, Taranaki provided the backdrop for the Movie The Last Samurai.

Taranaki is geologically young, having commenced activity approximately 135,000 years ago. The most recent volcanic activity was a moderate ash eruption, of the size of Ruapehu's activity in 1995/1996, that occurred about 1755 and possibly in the early 1800s, and the last major eruption occurred around 1655.

Recent research has shown that over the last 9000 years minor eruptions have occurred roughly every 90 years on average, with major eruptions every 500 years.

Source: www.wikipedia.com

Wellington Mosque, Kilbirnie New Zealand

Wellington Mosque is the central of moeslem activities in Wellington, New Zealand. This mosque located at 7-11 Queens Drive, Kilbirnie, Wellington. If we live or stay in Wellington, we can go there by bus about 20 minutes trip from Wellington City.

Every Friday there are many nationalities doing Friday Prayer in this mosque such as Arab, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and many nationalities that have Islam as religion. We can connect each other with many nationalities differences.

After Friday Prayer, most of the moeslem buy what they needed in Pake n Save, Woolworth, and some of the department store around the mosque.

Goa Terawang (Terawang Cave), Blora - Central Java Indonesia

It is a set of caves that consist of 6 caves in one area. The whole area has a 13ha in size with 1 (one) main cave, 1 (one) lake, and 5 (five) smaller caves as the attractions.

These caves are located 32km to the west of Blora downtown or 107km from Semarang. The road access going there is smooth and well asphalted. It can be reached from Semarang-Purwodadi-Wirosari to Kunduran and right in the intersection of Puskesmas (Health Clinic Operated by Government) Kunduran take a left turn for another 8km.

Another way to reach this caves are taking a minibus Blora-Todanan route (easy to find during day time) Terawang Cave has a cool, fresh air and beautiful forest scenery. During the dry season its temperature are 21 celcius degree while most part in Java is already climbed up for exceeding 35.

This cave diameter is range from 3 to 18 meters. It is quite a long cave and the length even almost 600 meters long.

Sources: www.javatourism.com

Botanical Garden, Wellington NZ

Karori Sanctuary, New Zealand

Colossal Squid, The Biggest Squid in Wellington

During the few weeks of summer in 2007, Antarctica fisherman caught a colossal squid, the largest ever discovered. This provided the very first opportunity for scientists to study the oceans most elusive predator, by freezing the specimen until they can get to New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa. Getting the Squid there is only part of the journey as they also have the massive task of de-frosting it correctly in order to be able to ultimately study the first in tact sample of a colossal squid! Join the team of specialists as they prepare to undertake the first scientific investigation ever of an adult colossal squid.

The 2007 female colossal squid is the most massive invertebrate ever discovered, weighing in at 495kg. It is 4.2 metres long and holds the record for the world’s largest eye measuring 27cm in diameter. The colossal squid was landed by the New Zealand fishing vessel, the San Aspiring, in the Ross Sea in 2007 and gifted to Te Papa by the Ministry of Fisheries. Stored for a year in a freezer in Te Papa’s Tory St facility, it was defrosted in April 2008 and examined by a team of international scientists, with marine biologist Dr Steve O’Shea (Director, Earth & Oceanic Sciences Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology and Colossal Squid expert), leading the way.

The only colossal squid exhibit in the world (www.tepapa.govt.nz/squid) is now open at Te Papa in Wellington. The 495 kilogramme, 4.2 metre female colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), the most massive invertebrate ever examined, will be on display at Te Papa for three years. Admission to the exhibit is free.

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