Viator Exclusive: Amsterdam and Tulip Fields Dakota Sightseeing Flight with Skip-the-Line Keukenhof Gardens

Combine a flight by historical plane over Amsterdam with skip-the-line entrance to the Keukenhof Gardens on this Viator Exclusive, available nowhere else. Travel back in time aboard a DC-3 Dakota World War II plane and take to the skies over Amsterdam’s canals, windmills and surrounding tulip fields. You’ll fly with the only operator allowed to fly over central Amsterdam! Then, enjoy priority entrance to the Keukenhof Gardens to spend time at leisure and have lunch at the restaurant of your choice. Upgrade to include an evening symphony and dinner at the Concertgebouw concert hall, home to the internationally acclaimed Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

We are currently working on 2015 rates, please check back at a later stage

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Highlights

• Enjoy fantastic aerial views
• Exclusive to Viator
• Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience

Start with a pickup from your Amsterdam hotel in the morning and travel to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to meet your pilot and crew. Enjoy a complimentary drink in the Sky Lounge and then take an exclusive tour of the historical airplane you’re about to fly in.

Built in 1944, the legendary DC-3 Dakota Princess Amalia was an Air Force plane that participated in World War II’s infamous Operation Market Garden, an Allied military operation fought in the Netherlands and Germany that was the largest airborne operation up to that time. After the war, the plane was acquired by Prince Bernhard and given its current name.

From the airport’s KLM Jet Center, board the 12-passenger plane and take to the skies on a sightseeing flight over Amsterdam and its scenic surroundings. You’ll fly in operation with the only operator allowed to fly over the Amsterdam city center!

Soaring at 1,400 feet (450 meters), enjoy views of Amsterdam’s canals, windmills and the unique ‘polder’ landscape — areas of low-lying tract of land that are reclaimed by the sea, and best seen from above. Pass over the tulip fields of the Dutch countryside, including the Keukenhof Gardens. The sound of the two 14-cylinder Pratt & Whitney engines, the professional service of the cabin crew, and the unique historical atmosphere of the cabin makes flying in this DC-3 plane a magical experience. Your flight lasts between 30 and 40 minutes.

Upon landing, your driver will whisk you to the Keukenhof Gardens for the next portion of your tour. Skip the lines and enjoy priority entrance to these world-famous tulip gardens, home to millions of blossoming tulips, daffodils, bluebells and hyacinths, filling more than 79 acres (32 hectares) of color and fragrance.

Take your time strolling the pathways on your own. Soak up the blaze of color that envelops the park and its greenhouses, brooks, shady ponds and winding paths, and enjoy lunch at one of the park’s restaurants with your provided meal voucher.

After your awe-inspiring walk through the gardens, relax on the drive back to your Amsterdam hotel.

Concert Upgrade:

Extend your experience with an evening concert at the world-famous Concertgebouw! Enjoy a 3-course meal with wine or beer, and then watch the symphony from the best seats available. Open since 1888, this concert hall is home to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, ranked as one of the top symphony orchestras in the world.

Moulin Rouge Show Paris

The Moulin Rouge is the number one show in Paris, if not the whole of Europe. No wonder it sells out quickly! Don't miss your chance to see the world-renowned showgirls and French Cancan dancers strut their stuff on the Moulin Rouge's historic stage. Highlights Choice of several departures throughout the day Free drinks included Likely to Sell Out Moulin Rouge Paris sells out months in advance. If you'd like to see the Moulin Rouge show "Féerie" (105 minutes), pre-book your 9pm or 11pm tickets (including champagne!) here. For 110 years, the most legendary French cabaret has welcomed millions of spectators who have come to admire the famous French Cancan. Book ahead of time to avoid disappointment. Le Moulin Rouge is world famous thanks to its French Cancan, and immortalized by the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The sumptuous shows at the Moulin Rouge feature feathers, rhinestones and sequins, fabulous settings, original music and of course... the most beautiful girls in the world. Many international stars have performed on stage at the Moulin Rouge including Ella Fitzgerald, Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra and Elton John. They have all put on exceptional shows, following in the footsteps of French celebrities such as Maurice Chevalier, Jean Gabin, Edith Piaf and Yves Montand. Moulin Rouge Paris sells out every night. By pre-booking tickets you'll lock in the price, secure seats and get the most out of your precious vacation time in Paris.

Viator Exclusive: Amsterdam and Tulip Fields Dakota Sightseeing Flight with Skip-the-Line Keukenhof Gardens

Combine a flight by historical plane over Amsterdam with skip-the-line entrance to the Keukenhof Gardens on this Viator Exclusive, available nowhere else. Travel back in time aboard a DC-3 Dakota World War II plane and take to the skies over Amsterdam’s canals, windmills and surrounding tulip fields. You’ll fly with the only operator allowed to fly over central Amsterdam! Then, enjoy priority entrance to the Keukenhof Gardens to spend time at leisure and have lunch at the restaurant of your choice. Upgrade to include an evening symphony and dinner at the Concertgebouw concert hall, home to the internationally acclaimed Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. We are currently working on 2015 rates, please check back at a later stage Highlights Enjoy fantastic aerial views Exclusive to Viator Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience Start with a pickup from your Amsterdam hotel in the morning and travel to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to meet your pilot and crew. Enjoy a complimentary drink in the Sky Lounge and then take an exclusive tour of the historical airplane you’re about to fly in. Built in 1944, the legendary DC-3 Dakota Princess Amalia was an Air Force plane that participated in World War II’s infamous Operation Market Garden, an Allied military operation fought in the Netherlands and Germany that was the largest airborne operation up to that time. After the war, the plane was acquired by Prince Bernhard and given its current name. From the airport’s KLM Jet Center, board the 12-passenger plane and take to the skies on a sightseeing flight over Amsterdam and its scenic surroundings. You’ll fly in operation with the only operator allowed to fly over the Amsterdam city center! Soaring at 1,400 feet (450 meters), enjoy views of Amsterdam’s canals, windmills and the unique ‘polder’ landscape — areas of low-lying tract of land that are reclaimed by the sea, and best seen from above. Pass over the tulip fields of the Dutch countryside, including the Keukenhof Gardens. The sound of the two 14-cylinder Pratt & Whitney engines, the professional service of the cabin crew, and the unique historical atmosphere of the cabin makes flying in this DC-3 plane a magical experience. Your flight lasts between 30 and 40 minutes. Upon landing, your driver will whisk you to the Keukenhof Gardens for the next portion of your tour. Skip the lines and enjoy priority entrance to these world-famous tulip gardens, home to millions of blossoming tulips, daffodils, bluebells and hyacinths, filling more than 79 acres (32 hectares) of color and fragrance. Take your time strolling the pathways on your own. Soak up the blaze of color that envelops the park and its greenhouses, brooks, shady ponds and winding paths, and enjoy lunch at one of the park’s restaurants with your provided meal voucher. After your awe-inspiring walk through the gardens, relax on the drive back to your Amsterdam hotel. Concert Upgrade: Extend your experience with an evening concert at the world-famous Concertgebouw! Enjoy a 3-course meal with wine or beer, and then watch the symphony from the best seats available. Open since 1888, this concert hall is home to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, ranked as one of the top symphony orchestras in the world.

Amsterdam Super Saver: Zaanse Schans Windmills, Delft and The Hague Day Trip

Immerse yourself in the charm of the Netherlands with this combination of two best-selling tours at a discounted price. Take a morning tour from Amsterdam to see the famous Zaanse Schans windmills and the quaint fishing villages of Marken and Volendam. Then, continue your day trip from Amsterdam with visits to two don't-miss Dutch cities: Delft and The Hague. If time is tight and you'd like to travel beyond Amsterdam, this action-packed, full-day tour shows you the best of the Netherlands. Even better, you'll enjoy about a 10% discount when you buy these tours in this way. Highlights Excellent value for money Informative, friendly and professional guide All entrance fees included Explore the local streets on a walking tour of the city Zaanse Schans Windmills, Marken and Volendam Trip (Morning) Travel by coach from central Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans to see its famous massive windmills. Capture your share of windmill photos, see wooden houses and old-fashioned stores, and visit a maker of wooden clogs. Next, you'll drive to the quaint fishing villages of Marken and Volendam, where you can see locals wearing traditional Dutch clothes. To get from Volendam to Marken, take a 20-minute boat ride, with approximately 45 minutes at each stop (summer only). You’ll also stop at a cheese factory, where Dutch cheeses are still made in the traditional way. Delft and The Hague Half-Day Trip (Afternoon) Right after your morning tour ends, continue sightseeing with your afternoon tour. Head to the picturesque town of Delft to visit a famous producers of Delft pottery, the Royal Delft — the last remaining factory of the 32 that were established in this city during the 17th century. Witness the production process of this iconic blue-and-white pottery during a demonstration, and browse the museum to see a collection of earthenware antiques. You'll also see a reproduction of Rembrandt'sThe Night Watch artwork made from Delft blue tiles. You'll then have 30 minutes to explore the historic city center on your own. Highlights include Oude Kerk (Old Church), Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), the Oostpoort (Eastern Gate) city wall remains and the historic Waag (Weigh House). From Delft, continue to The Hague, the former capital of the Netherlands and its third largest city. Walk around the Binnenhof to see the Houses of Parliament and Noordeinde Palace, the 'working palace' of King Willem-Alexander, and continue aboard your coach to the Peace Palace, where you'll make a photo stop. Throughout your tours, listen to commentary about the sights from your expert guide and capture photos of the crafts, culture and traditions that define the Netherlands. End your 11-hour Super Saver tour of the Netherlands in central Amsterdam.

Argentine COntact

By phone You can get a prepaid Movistar / Claro / Personal SIM card for a few pesos / free at phone shops , all you pay is about 20 Pesos (about 7 US-Dollars) for your initial credits. Inserting the SIM card into your unlocked American or European mobile phone should work, although to register the SIM you have to enter your passport (or any 9 digit) number - you then have your personal Argentinean phone number, which is very useful to keep in touch with other travellers, either by calling or by writing text messages. Calls cost around 1 Peso per minute. Receiving calls is usually free, except for international calls, and some cross network / inter-city calls - hence buying a SIM card purely to keep in touch with people overseas may not be worth it. To reload you can buy small cards with secret numbers at many kiosks. Dialing *444, pressing 2 followed by 1, and entering the secret number does the trick. Not related to mobile phones, there are similar cards with credits for international calls. You get them at so called 'locutorios', where you can also use the phone booths. You dial a free number to connect to the service, then your secret number for the credits, and then the international phone number you want to call. Using these cards, a one-hour call to Europe will cost about 10 Pesos (3 US-Dollars). Don't call without such cards or even from your hotel - it will be way more expensive. The phone numbering plan in Argentina is hopelessly complicated for unexpecting foreigners. Do check out the Wikipedia article about it to find out more. Directory Listing (The White Pages): 110 International Operator: 000 National Operator: 19 Collect National Calls: 19 from regular phones, *19 from public phones Mobile phone numbers start with 15 Regional code for Buenos Aires: 11 Other useful phone numbers include: Official Time: 113 Consumer Defense: (011) 5382-6216/17 All 2 and 3-digit numbers are free, except the official time service (113). All 0800 numbers are toll-free numbers. Long Distance Calls From Argentina: You may use calling card, 0.18 Peso/min or 5.90 ¢/min for calling from Argentina to USA. Internet With a Movistar GSM SIM card you can get online for 10 Peso for one day max 1GByte [16] In Capital federal (Buenos Aires), if you have a notebook, you can go to mcdonald's and ask to use internet (in some mcdonald's there are already notebooks).

TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN IN JAPAN

Japan for Kids Japan is an incredible spot to go with children. The normal worries that folks have about wellbeing and nourishment are essentially not concerns in ultrasafe and spotless Japan. Rather, your greatest test will presumably be keeping your children entertained, as the exact things that numerous mature people come to Japan to see regularly bore kids senseless. Utilize your creative ability and parity your eating regimen of sanctuaries with a couple of child agreeable highlights.

Part of the Japanese history

To get it together on the historical backdrop of Japan, attempt thinking about the historical backdrop of the British Isles, yet envision that those islands were altogether further from the terrain. While there has been contact between Japan and terrain Asia, division from the territory was urgent in permitting Japan to develop into the one of a kind nation you discover today.

JAPANESE CUISINE

Those acquainted with Japanese cooking ( nihon ryōri ) realize that consuming is half the fun of going in Japan. Regardless of the possibility that you’ve attempted some of Japan’s better-known specialities, you’re liable to be astonished by how delectable the first is when served on its home turf. All the more essentially, the bold eater will be pleased to find that Japanese nourishment is much more than simply sushi, tempura or sukiyaki. Without a doubt, it is conceivable to use a month in Japan and specimen an alternate claim to fame restaurant consistently. Except for shokudō (all-round restaurants) and izakaya (pub-eateries), most Japanese restaurants focus on a forte food. In this section we talk about the principle sorts of restaurants you are prone to experience and we give test menus to each one sort. Assuming that you acquaint yourself with the fundamental sorts of restaurants and what they serve, you’ll have the ability to get the most out of Japan’s extraordinary culinary scene. Obviously, you may baulk at charging into a restaurant where both the dialect and the menu are prone to be limitless. Those bashful of heart may as well take comfort in the way that the Japanese will head off to exceptional lengths to comprehend what you need and will help you to request. To aid you further, consuming audits in this book propose particular dishes for restaurants in which no English menu is accessible. In the event that there is an English menu, this is demonstrated in the survey with the image . In this aide, restaurant postings are organised by value class, demonstrated by the images $ (plan), $$ (midrange) or $$$ (top end). Plan alternatives cost ¥1000 or less; midrange dinners take between ¥1000 and ¥4000; and top-end suppers will require more than ¥4000. Consuming IN A JAPANESE RESTAURANT When you enter a restaurant in Japan, you’ll be welcomed with a generous ” irasshaimase ” (Welcome!). In everything except the most cool places the waiter will next ask you ” nan-mei sama ” (what number individuals?). Reply with your fingers, which is the thing that the Japanese do. You will then be directed to a table, a spot at the counter or a tatami room. As of right now you will be given an o-shibori (a hot towel), some tea and a menu. The o-shibori is for wiping your hands and face. When you’re finished with it, simply move it up and abandon it alongside your spot. Right away comes the crucial issue: requesting. In the event that you don’t read Japanese, you can utilize the romanisations and interpretations within this book to help you, or immediate the waiter’s consideration regarding the Japanese script. In the event that this doesn’t work, there are two expressions that may help: ” o-susume wa nan desu ka ” (What do you suggest?) and ” o-makase shimasu’ (Please choose for me). When you’ve got done with consuming, you can motion for the bill by traverse the other to structure the indication of a ‘x’. This is the standard sign for ‘Bill, please’. You can likewise say ” o-kanjō kudasai’ . Recall there is no tipping in Japan and tea is for nothing out of pocket. Normally you will be given a bill to take to the clerk at the front of the restaurant. Just the greater and more universal spots assume all the acknowledgement cards, so money is dependably the surer alternative. The point when abandoning, it is well mannered to say to the restaurant staff ” gochisō-sama deshita ‘, which signifies ‘It was a true dining experience’. Yakitori Yakitori (sticks of charcoal-barbecued chicken and vegetables) is a prominent after-work dinner. Yakitori is less a full dinner but rather more a backup for brew and purpose. At a yakitori-ya ( yakitori restaurant) you sit around a counter with alternate supporters and watch the gourmet specialist barbecue your determinations over charcoal. The most ideal approach to consume here is to request a few mixed bags, then request seconds of the ones you truly like. Requesting in these spots could be a touch of confounding since one serving frequently implies a few sticks (be cautious – the cost recorded on the menu is normally that of a solitary stick). In summer, the drink of decision at a yakitori restaurant is brewskie or frosty purpose, while in winter its hot purpose. A couple of beverages and enough sticks to top you off might as well cost ¥3000 to ¥4000 for every individual. Yakitori restaurants are normally little places, regularly placed close prepare stations, and are best distinguished by a red light outside and the emanation of barbecued Soba & Udon Soba (slight tan buckwheat noodles) and udon (thick white wheat noodles) are Japan’s reply to Chinese-style rāmen . Most Japanese noodle shops serve both soba and udon in a mixed bag of ways. Noodles are typically served in a vessel holding a light, bonito-flavoured juices, yet you can likewise request them served icy and heaped onto a bamboo screen on top of an icy stock for dipping the noodles (this is called zaru soba ). In the event that you request zaru soba, you will furthermore gain a little plate of wasabi and cut spring onions – you place these into the container of soup and afterward consume the noodles by plunging them into this mixture. When you have completed your noodles, the waiter will provide for you some hot soup to blend with the extra sauce, which you drink like a sort of tea. Similarly as with rāmen, you may as well don’t hesitate to slurp as uproariously however you see fit. Soba and udon spots are generally very modest (about ¥800 a dish), however some extravagant spots could be altogether more costly (the ornamentation is a great sign of the cost). Okonomiyaki Frequently depicted as Japanese pizza or hotcake, the similarity is in structure just. Really, okonomiyaki are different manifestations of player and cabbage cakes cooked on an iron. At an okonomiyaki restaurant you sit around a teppan (iron hotplate), outfitted with a spatula and chopsticks to cook your decision of meat, seafood and vegetables in a cabbage and vegetable player. A few restaurants will do a large portion of the cooking and carry the almost completed item over to your hotplate for you to season with katsuo bushi (bonito drops), shōyu, ao-nori (a fixing like parsley), Japanese Worcestershire-style sauce and mayonnaise. Less expensive spots, notwit

ARTS & ARCHITECTURE

Abstractions Customary Visual Art Painting From 794 to 1600, Japanese painting acquired from Chinese and Western methods and media, eventually converting them into its own particular tasteful closures. By the start of the Edo period (1600–1868), which was stamped by the energetic support of an extensive variety of painting styles, Japanese symbolization had come totally into its own. The Kanō school, started more than a prior century the start of the Edo period, kept on being popular for its delineation of subjects joined with Confucianism, legendary Chinese animals or scenes from nature. The Tosa school, which accompanied the yamato-e style of painting (frequently utilized on spans throughout the Heian period, 794–1185), was likewise kept occupied with requisitions from the respectability, who were anxious to see scenes re-made from classics of Japanese writing. The Rimpa school (from 1600) not just assimilated the styles of artistic creation that had gone before it, however advanced past well-worn meetings to transform a strikingly beautiful and gently shaded manifestation of painting. The showstoppers generated by a trio of remarkable craftsmen from this school – Tawaraya Sōtatsu, Hon’ami Kōetsu and Ogata Kōrin – rank around the finest of this period. Calligraphy Shodō (the method for composing) is one of Japan’s most esteemed abstractions, growed by nobles, ministers and samurai much the same, and still examined by Japanese school-youngsters today as shūji . Like the characters of the Japanese script, the craft of shodō was foreign from China. In the Heian period, a liquid, cursive, particularly Japanese style of shodō advanced that was called wayō, however the Chinese style remained prominent in Japan around Zen clerics and the literati for quite a while. In both Chinese and Japanese shodō there are three essential sorts. Most regular is kaisho ( piece style script). Because of its clarity this style is favoured in the media and in provisions where meaningfulness is key. Gyōsho ( running hand), is semicursive and regularly utilized as a part of casual correspondence. Sōsho (grass hand) is a positively cursive style. Sōsho truncates and joins the characters together to make a streaming, dexterous impact. Ukiyo-e (Woodblock Prints) The term ukiyo-e signifies ‘pictures of the gliding scene’ and infers from a Buddhist illustration for the transient universe of temporary delights. The subjects picked by specialists for these woodblock prints were characters and scenes from the cheap, vivacious ‘skimming world’ of the excitement quarters in Edo (last day Tokyo), Kyoto and Osaka. The gliding scene, centred on delight areas, for example, Edo’s Yoshiwara, was a topsy-turvy kingdom, a reversal of the regular social progressions that were held set up by the force of the Tokugawa shōgunate. Here, cash implied more than rank, while performing artists and specialists were the referees of style, and whores hoisted their specialty to such a level, to the point that their fulfillments matched those of the ladies of respectable families. The vivid colours, novel organization and streaming lines of ukiyo-e brought about incredible fervor in the West, starting a vogue that one French craftsmanship pundit named ‘Japonisme’. Ukiyo-e turned into a key impact on Impressionists (for instance, Toulouse-Lautrec, Manet and Degas) and post-Impressionists. Around the Japanese the prints were scarcely given more than passing attention – millions were generated yearly in Edo. They were frequently discarded or utilized as wrapping paper for earthenware. For a long time, the Japanese kept on being confused by the distinct fascination outsiders took in this fine art, which they recognized of transient worth. Ceramics Ceramics are Japan’s eldest fine art: Jōmon earthenware, with its unique cordlike ornamental examples, has been gone back approximately 15,000 years. The point when the Jōmon individuals were uprooted by the Yayoi individuals, beginning around 400 BC, a more refined style of ceramics showed up on the scene. While Jōmon stoneware was an indigenous Japanese structure, Yayoi earthenware had clear Continental impacts and methods. Mainland procedures and even artisans kept on dominaing Japanese clay abstractions for the following centuries or all the more: around the fifth century AD Sue Ware earthenware was presented from Korea, and around the seventh century Tang Chinese ceramics got compelling. In the medieval period Japan’s extraordinary clay focus was Seto in Central Honshū. Here, beginning in the twelfth century, Japanese potters took Chinese structures and acclimates them to Japanese tastes and requirements to process a positively notable earthenware style known as Seto Ware. One Japanese term for ceramics and porcelain, setomono (actually ‘things from Seto’), plainly infers from this even now flourishing pottery focus. Today, there are more than 100 stoneware centres in Japan, with scores of artisans generating everything from restrictive tea utensils to keepsake legends animals. Outlet chains normally organise shows of ceramics and offer the opportunity to see some of this fine work up close. Shikki (Lacquerware) The Japanese have been utilizing enamel to secure and improve the excellence of wood since the Jōmon period (13,000–400 BC). In the Meiji time (1868–1912), lacquerware got to be extremely well known abroad and it remains one of Japan’s best-known items. Referred to in Japan as shikki or nurimono, lacquerware is made utilizing the sap from the finish tree (urushi), a nearby relative of toxic substance oak. Crude enamel is really lethal and causes serious skin disturbance in the individuals who have not created resistance. Once solidified, nonetheless, it gets idle and remarkably sturdy. The most well-known colour of finish is golden or tan, however added substances have been utilized to prepare dark, violet, blue, yellow and even white veneer. In the better pieces, different layers of enamel are meticulously connected and left to dry, and at last cleaned to an extravagant gleam. Contemporary Visual Art In the years that accompanied WWII, Japanese craftsmen battled with issues of

EARLY TOKYO BLOSSOM REPORT

Began off the day with looking at the early blooming sakura mixtures, to be specific the Okanzakura and the Kanzakura sorts in Ueno Park. It was sunny with blue skies and very little frosty wind, making for an immaculate day out. Ueno Park is home to numerous sakura trees, making it a prominent spot for cherry bloom seeing when the blooms are in blossom. Accompanying the pathway from the passageway of the recreation center, we strolled under numerous maturing cherry trees. At the end of the cherry tree pathway, there are two espresso puts on either side of the pathway and the passageway to Ueno Zoo on the left. We turned left toward the zoo, and went to Ueno Toshogu Shrine, a short distance far from the zoo. Ueno Toshogu Shrine has been under remodel works for as far back as five years and work was at long last finished in December 2013. The holy place, that is committed to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the author of the Edo Shogunate , is currently generally secured in gold foil, with recently lacquered wooden shaft helps. Passage into the hallowed place grounds takes 500 yen for grown-ups and 200 yen for kids matured 6 to 12 years. The altar grounds are open from 9.30am till 5pm in the night. There is likewise a peony arrangement by the side of Ueno Toshogu Shrine. Induction into the peony arrangement is not included in the sanctum concession value, and is a divide charge of 600 yen. Lamentably for us, the peonies must be seen in winter (January to mid February) and spring (mid April to mid May). From Ueno Toshogu Shrine, we headed down the steps towards Bentendo. Bentendo is placed on an island in Shinobazu Pond, and is committed to Benten, the goddess of favorable luck, riches, music and information. There are cherry trees planted around the sanctuary too, making it pretty when the cherry blooms are all in sprout. There are likewise swan oar vessels accessible for rent behind Bentendo to investigate a piece of Shinobazu lake and perspective the cherry blooms from the water. Notwithstanding, as a large portion of the trees are just sprouting, it will be a couple of additional weeks before the zone will be loaded with a blast of shades from the blooms. Leaving the Ueno Park territory, we strolled towards Yushima Tenjin Shrine (otherwise called Yushima Tenmangu) a short stroll from Ueno, in the Okachimachi zone. Yushima Tenjin Shrine is an exceptionally famous plum bloom review spot and a well known sanctuary around understudies as it worships the lord of grant. Entering the place of worship grounds, we were welcomed by a lot of people plum blooms. There were distinctive mixtures, and they made a dazzling aroma of the plum blooms circulating everywhere. There is additionally segment of the grounds where numerous celebration sustenance stalls are situated up, offering different types of luscious treats. Not to be diverted by the tempting emanation of nourishment, we pressed on and went to Koishikawa Korakuen close Iidabashi. The enclosure, Koishikawa Korakuen, used to be a piece of the Tokyo living arrangement of the Mito limb of the decision Tokugawa gang. There is an exceptionally quiet and tranquil feel about the arrangement, making it an exquisite spot to take a walk or paint on the enclosure grounds. The highest point of Tokyo Dome can likewise be seen peeping over the trees in the western border, making a juxtaposition of old versus present day painted scenes. There is a plum woods in the northern segment of the arrangement and the sum of the trees were blooming recently. We likewise saw retirees drawing and watercolouring excellent pictures of the plum blooms. Note that there is remodel works as of now progressing in Koishikawa Korakuen, with a few zones cordoned off, that may influence your delight in the arrangement and blooms.

HERITAGE

Japan values its growed conventions and practices to the extent that it values staying in contact with what’s to come. If grounded in history or in religion, Japanese traditions are still broadly honed right up ’til the present time. There are numerous ways explorers can encounter genuine Japanese legacy without needing to use a lot of cash. A visit to a place of worship, sanctuary, or palace might give incredible knowledge into Japan’s various history and how Japanese social order has created. Furthermore, Japan holds celebrations year adjust that symbolize different parts of society and convention, which are held in high regard by Japanese individuals. For anybody looking to dig further into Asian history and legacy, look no more distant than Japan.

GOURMET

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One of the significant attractions of going all through Japan is attempting diverse neighborhood cooking styles in every town you visit. While sushi is truth be told an extensive piece of Japanese legacy, horde flavors from all as far and wide as possible have helped Japan’s strong foodie society, drawing in more culinary figures worldwide to attempt the new eastern problem area. It ought to in this way shock no one that Tokyo is positioned the most obvious nourishment city by Food and Wine magazine, also the way that Tokyo has a bigger number of stars in the prestigious Michelin Guidebook than another city on the planet. From noodles to sashimi to gourmet French food, Japan has the sustenance to fulfill the most observing of palettes, and the strictest of plan. Gourmet Navigator is a site that permits you to hunt down restaurants in Japan. You can tight down data by zone, sort by food and value section, and acquire plentiful data on menus and coupons. Before you visit Japan, hunt down your most loved restaurants here.

JAPAN TRAVEL GUIDE

Japan is swathed in characteristic magnificence, from the snow celebrations and lavender homesteads of the northern isle of Hokkaido to the sun-soaked shorelines and turquoise waters of the subtropical islands of Okinawa. Whether climbing volcanic Mount Fuji, meandering the pine woods of Mount Koya, taking in the springtime excellence of the sakura cherry blooms or the stupendous maple leaves in the harvest time, an excursion to Japan is an abundance of life-changing common scenes. As of late, the fine snow of Japan’s ski fields has likewise been drawing in universal guests. Socially, Japan offers a special and energizing combination of the conventional and the present day. The rate at which new mechanical improvements are acknowledged in Japan is as noteworthy as the life span of conventional artistic expressions and traditions. Whilst it is no more the financial powerhouse it was for most of the twentieth century, Japan is still a world pioneer in creative outline and mold, and keeps on offerring radiant client administration, clean and reliable trains and carefully ready and introduced cooking. Japanese society grasps the new while commending the past. It’s not irregular to see kimono-clad geisha singing karaoke in downtown Kyoto, or completely robed Buddhist friars whizz by on motorbikes in focal Tokyo. ‘Cool Japan’ has turned into an universally perceived aphorism for Japan’s well known society, and Japanese manga, anime and feature recreations have never been more prominent. Advanced construction modeling in Tokyo, and other significant Japanese urban areas, is decently respected for fashioning radical new styles and utilizing smart blends of glass and cement, which allude to customary compositional structures yet offer moderate advancement. On the other hand, antiquated manors, barometrical Buddhist sanctuaries, Shinto altars and captivating celebrations are never far away. In spite of never having been colonized, the nation’s own particular settler desire in Asia amid the first piece of the twentieth century had pulverizing outcomes, climaxing in the dropping of the first nuclear shell on Hiroshima. Japan has additionally needed to manage a helplessness to tremors and torrents that has brought about across the board regular debacles all through its history. The latest incorporate the capable seismic tremor that hit Kobe, a port city in Western Japan in 1995, and in March 2011, when a monstrous quake and tidal wave off the bank of North-eastern Japan created the nation’s greatest death toll since WWII, and brought about one of the world’s most noticeably awful atomic mischances at the Fukushima Dai-ichi atomic force plant. With incredible difficulties of modifying and revitalisation ahead, the flexibility of the Japanese individuals is ended up being fundamental to recuperation. More prominent attention is constantly set on fiasco readiness and natural issues. Replenished exertions to pull in worldwide guests mean there has never been a finer time to visit wonderful and captivating Japan.

China’s food scares show the system is bust

Our lives – and the safety of our food – are determined by the structures we live in, writes Tang Hao. Without systemic reform, there’s no point increasing enforcement powers.

СУРТАЛЧИЛГААГ MOUSE-3 эсвэл CTRL+MOUSE1 ДАРХАД КИНО ГАРЧ ИРНЭ /

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The Chinese people have had their imaginations challenged by a series of food and drug safety scares. In a little over a decade, we have seen alcohol which is actually methanol; seafood soaked in formalin; the Fuyang milk-formula scandal, the Sudan Red scare, the melamine scandal, “gutter oil”, and gelatine rendered out of used shoe leather. Now even the capsules used to deliver drugs have been found to contain toxins.

None of us can be certain that any foodstuff or drug is safe, from baby milk powder through to cooking oil. Nor can we be sure that any company – be it a backstreet workshop or a big state-owned firm – is producing safe food and drugs. Consumers were originally shocked. Now, they are simply numb. It seems the Chinese have got used to poisoning each other. 
It is the nature of the problem itself that has allowed it to become so widespread. China’s food and drug safety problems are structural, caused by a number of different factors and actually exacerbated by the system. No single response to any one incident will provide a solution. 
First, let’s take the economics of food safety. We must ask the most basic of questions: why do companies manufacture and use toxic foods and drugs? Why do even officially registered companies, even those of considerable size, do so? The answer lies with our overall economic structure. 
In China, sectors such as energy, heavy industry, chemicals and communications, often very profitable, have high barriers to entry in order to protect the interests of state monopolies. There is little space left for private firms and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – and when too many companies chase the limited opportunities remaining, excessive competition results.

Cheap goods and fake food
In the food and drug sectors, the financial and technical barriers to entry are low. This creates a structural problem: companies tend to be small, scattered, of low quality and unable to innovate. And so they compete dishonestly. Excessive competition leads to a race to the bottom, with costs being cut through fakery and inferior products. Any firms that actually care about safety become less competitive and eventually go under. 
Not only does the bad money drive out the good, food and drug manufacturers are under a massive tax burden. From ordinary taxation (higher than in other nations), to more China-specific costs including road and bridge tolls, business registration and inspection fees – profits are wrung out at every stage of the food industry. Before a food or drug reaches the consumer, huge additional costs are incurred for raw materials, transportation, production, distribution and retailing, preventing both manufacturers and retailers from growing. With food and drug supply chains becoming more complex and the market more open, those burdens are passed onto the consumer by fair means (increased prices) or foul (cheap but toxic products). Most countries monitor food safety at the farm and the factory. But in China food safety issues can arise anywhere. 
Second, there’s government regulation: a developing market economy and continued government involvement in that market mean greater government ability to obtain income. But ability to manage has decreased. There have been obvious legislative successes: the Food Safety Law, the Drug Control Law and the Regulations on Supervision and Management of Medical Equipment have all been promulgated, and a number of national standards are now in line with international practice. 
But these ever more detailed laws have failed to improve food and drug safety. The problem is implementation. Several government departments are responsible for food safety, and powers and responsibilities are fragmented. The Ministry of Health is in charge of overall coordination and risk evaluation; the Ministry of Agriculture covers agricultural products; the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine monitors imports, manufacturing and processing; the Drug Supervision Administration is in charge of medicines; while food products on the market are mostly the responsibility of the industrial and commercial authorities. 
This leads to two problems. One, overlapping supervision increases costs for the companies. And two, when problems arise, the authorities pass the buck. Fees are taken – but not responsibility. Both of these problems make it harder to guarantee food safety. On a trip to America, former premier Zhu Rongji paid a visit to the US Food and Drug Administration, a powerful government agency that has been in existence for a century. On his return to China, Zhu set up a similar body in China, but for various reasons it failed to play its hoped-for role and was broken up. 
Major design flaws at the top worsen problems with implementation at the grassroots. Laws and national standards are not, generally, strictly enforced. Local officials lack motivation to enforce these rules and often act on behalf of dishonest companies as much as on behalf of the state. National law becomes the basis on which those officials draw benefit from business – in exchange, laws are laxly enforced, or simply ignored. This extra cost for the companies may then be passed on to the consumer in the form of lower-quality products.

Better food regulation needed
Local officials become part of the low-quality food chain and share in the profits. Naturally, they have no interest in eliminating the problem. This is not just apparent in the food and drug sectors. The recent cases of pyramid scheme fraud in Beihai and Nanning, the sex industry in the Pearl River Delta – these sorts of problems are also  tied up with the interests of local officials. Government aims and objectives are not implemented and so governance fails. Worse, with this culture already entrenched, strengthening enforcement in any one area actually gives officials more power to extract benefit – creating the opposite effect to that intended. The more invested in enforcement, the more power the officials have, and the less effective governance becomes. 
Finally, there’s consumer and public oversight. China’s particular policy and legal environment cannot meet the political needs of a modern society and citizenry. Media supervision and public participation are limited, non-governmental supervisory groups cannot act, self-regulation by industry groups is underdeveloped and public law suits against food and drug firms fail to get through the courts. The food and drug industries lack the pressure of social oversight, and so the final and most direct line of defence is lost – and safety problems just get worse. 
Our lives are determined by the systems we live in. In China food and drug safety isn’t just a question of economics. It is also a matter of regulation, and more, a matter of our political and legal system. Management of these structural issues without overall reform, with just the blind expansion of enforcement powers, will be useless. 
Changing this system through economic, administrative, social and legal channels needs the continued participation of the victims – the citizen as consumer. And this participation must extend beyond supervision and enforcement in the food and drug sectors into all other areas: demanding economic justice, breaking up monopolies and widening market access; shutting down production, pursuing criminal liability, and demanding huge punitive damages; seeking judicial independence, improving law and regulations, expanding legislation, and promoting the rule of law; launching citizen movements, establishing NGOs, and promoting political reform. 
Only widespread participation and overall reform can provide hope for a complete resolution. This will be no easy path to take, but when it comes to structural problems there are no short cuts. 


Tang Hao is deputy professor at South China Normal University, a Fulbright scholar and a columnist.