Sunday, October 24, 2010

Museum Geologi Bandung

Museum Geologi didirikan pada tanggal 16 Mei 1928. Museum ini telah direnovasi dengan dana bantuan dari JICA (Japan International cooperation Agency). Setelah mengalami renovasi, Museum Geologi dibuka kembali dan diresmikan oleh Wakil Presiden RI, Megawati Soekarno Putri pada tanggal 23 Agustus 2000. Sebagai salah satu monumen bersejarah, museum berada di bawah perlindungan pemerintah dan merupakan peninggalan nasional. Dalam Museum ini, tersimpan dan dikelola materi-materi geologi yang berlimpah, seperti fosil, batuan, mineral. Kesemuanya itu dikumpulkan selama kerja lapangan di Indonesia sejak tahun 1850. Kami dari selera wisata sering berkunjung ke museum ini saat membawa rombongan pelajar, museum ini kami jadikan tujuan lokasi study tour dengan lokasi wisata bandung utara yang lainnya.
Sejarah Museum
Masa Penjajahan Belanda
Keberadaan Museum Geologi berkaitan erat dengan sejarah penyelidikan geologi dan tambang di wilayah Nusantara yang dimulai sejak pertengahan abad ke-17 oleh ahli geologi dari Eropa. Setelah di Eropa terjadi revolusi industri pada pertengahan abad ke-18, mereka sangat membutuhkan bahan tambang sebagai bahan dasar industri. Pemerintah Belanda sadar akan pentingnya penguasaan bahan galian di wilayah Nusantara. Dengan jalan itu diharapkan perkembangan industri di Negeri Belanda dapat ditunjang. Maka dibentuklah Dienst van het Mijnwezen pada tahun 1850. Kelembagaan ini berganti nama jadi Dienst van den Mijnbouw pada tahun 1922, yang bertugas melakukan penyelidikan geologi dan sumberdaya mineral. Hasil penyelidikan yang berupa contoh-contoh batuan, mineral, fosil , laporan dan peta memerlukan tempat untuk penganalisaan dan penyimpanan, sehingga pada tahun 1928 Dienst van den Mijnbouw membangun gedung di Rembrandt Straat Bandung. Gedung tersebut pada awalnya bernama Geologisch Laboratorium yang kemudian juga disebut Geologisch Museum. Gedung Geologisch Laboratorium dirancang dengan gaya Art Deco oleh arsitek Ir. Menalda van Schouwenburg, dan dibangun selama 11 bulan dengan 300 pekerja dan menghabiskan dana 400 Gulden, mulai pertengahan tahun 1928 sampai diresmikannya pada tanggal 16 Mei 1929. Peresmian tersebut bertepatan dengan penyelenggaraan Konggres Ilmu Pengetahuan Pasifik ke-4 (Fourth Pacific Science Congress) di Bandung pada tanggal 18-24 Mei 1929.
Masa Penjajahan Jepang
Setelah Pemerintahan Hindia Belanda kalah dari pasukan Jepang pada perang dunia II, keberadaan Dienst van den Mijnbouw berakhir. Dengan masuknya tentara Jepang ke Indonesia, Gedung Geologisch Laboratorium berpindah kepengurusannya dan diberi nama KOGYO ZIMUSHO dan setahun kemudian berganti nama CHISHITSU CHOSACHO.
Pada masa pendudukan Jepang, laporan hasil kegiatan di masa itu tidak banyak yang ditemukan, karena banyak dokumen (termasuk laporan hasil penyelidikan) yang dibumihanguskan tatkala pasukan Jepang mengalami kekalahan di mana-mana pada awal tahun 1945.
Masa Kemerdekaan
Setelah Indonesia merdeka pada Tahun 1945, pengelolaan Museum Geologi berada dibawah Pusat Djawatan Tambang dan Geologi (PDTG/1945-1950). Pada tanggal 19 September 1945, pasukan sekutu pimpinan Amerika Serikat dan Inggris yang diboncengi oleh NICA tiba di Indonesia. Di Bandung mereka berusaha menguasai kembali kantor PDTG yang sudah dikuasai oleh para pegawai Indonesia. Tekanan yang dilancarkan oleh pasukan Belanda memaksa kantor PDTG dipindahkan ke Jl. Braga No. 3 dan No. 8 Bandung pada tanggal 12 Desember 1945. Kepindahan kantor PDTG rupanya terdorong pula oleh gugurnya seorang pengemudi bernama Sakiman dalam rangka berjuang mempertahankan kantor PDTG . Pada waktu itu, Tentara Republik Indonesia Divisi III Siliwangi mendirikan Bagian Tambang, yang tenaganya diambil dari PDTG. Setelah kantor di Rembrandt Straat ditinggalkan oleh pegawai PDTG, pasukan Belanda pun di tempat itu mendirikan lagi kantor yang bernama Geologische Dienst. Di mana-mana terjadi pertempuran, maka sejak Desember 1945 sampai dengan Desember 1949, selama 4 tahun kantor PDTG terlunta-lunta pindah dari satu tempat ke tempat lain. Pemerintah Indonesia berusaha menyelamatkan dokumen - dokumen hasil penelitian geologi sehingga harus berpindah pindah tempat dari Bandung – Tasikmalaya - Solo – Magelang - Yogyakarta, baru pada Th 1950 kembali ke Bandung.
Daa_f_lasutlam usaha menyelamatkan dokumen - dokumen tersebut, pada tanggal 7 mei 1949, Kepala  Pusat Jawatan Tambang dan Geologi,  Arie Frederik Lasut, diculik dan dibunuh tentara belanda dan gugur sebagai kusuma bangsa di Desa Pakem Yogyakarta.
Sekembalinya ke Bandung, Museum Geologi mulai mendapat perhatian dari pemerintah RI, terbukti pada tahun 1960 Museum Geologi dikunjung oleh Presiden pertama RI , Ir. Soekarno. Pengelolaan Museum Geologi yang tadinya dibawah PUSAT DJAWATAN TAMBANG DAN GEOLOGI (PDTG) berganti nama menjadi: Djawatan Pertambangan Republik Indonesia (1950-1952), Djawatan Geologi (1952-1956), Pusat Djawatan Geologi (1956-1957), Djawatan Geologi (1957-1963), Direktorat Geologi (1963-1978), Pusat Penelitian dan Pengembangan Geologi (1978 - 2005) , Pusat Survei Geologi mulai akhir tahun 2005 sampai sekarang.
Seiring dengan perkembangan jaman, pada tahun 1999 Museum Geologi mendapat bantuan dari Pemerintah Jepang senilai 754,5 juta yen untuk direnovasi. Setelah ditutup selama satu tahun, Museum Geologi dibuka kembali dan pembukaannya diresmikan pada tanggal 20 Agustus Tahun 2000 oleh Wakil Presiden RI waktu itu Ibu Megawati Soekarnoputri yang didampingi oleh Menteri Pertambangan dan Energi Bapak Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Dengan penataan yang baru ini peragaan Museum Geologi terbagi menjadi 3 ruangan yang meliputi Sejarah Kehidupan, Geologi Indonesia serta Geologi untuk Kehidupan Manusia. Sedangkan untuk dokumentasi koleksi tersedia sarana penyimpan koleksi yang lebih memadai diharapkankan pengelolaan contoh koleksi di Museum Geologi lebih mudah diakses oleh pengguna baik peneliti maupun grup industri. Mulai tahun 2002 Museum Geologi melalui Kepmen ESDM Nomor: 1725 tahun 2002 statusnya menjadi Unit Pelaksana Teknis Museum Geologi dilingkungan Balitbang ESDM. Mulai akhir 2005 Museum Geologi berada dibawah Badan Geologi bersama dengan terbentuknya Badan Geologi sebagai Unit Eselon I yang ada di lingkungan Departemen Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral. Untuk menjalankan tugas dan fungsinya dengan baik Museum Geologi dibentuk 2 seksi dan 1 sub bagian yaitu Seksi Peragaan dan Seksi Dokumentasi serta Subbag Tatausaha. Guna lebih mengoptimalkan perannya sebagai lembaga yang memasyarakatkan ilmu geologi, Museum Geologi juga mengadakan kegiatan antara lain seperti penyuluhan, pameran, seminar serta kegiatan survey lapangan untuk pengembangan peragaan dan dokumentasi koleksi.

Ruang Peragaan Museum Geologi Bandung terdiri dari 3 ruang peragaan, yaitu:
1. Ruang Geologi Indonesia (Sayap Barat - Lantai 1)
DSC00078Peragaan diawali dengan proses terjadinya bumi, dilanjutkan dengan perkembangan pembentukan kepulauan Indonesia yang terkait dengan teori tektonik lempeng, di mana Indonesia terletak pada pertemuan tiga lempeng yaitu Lempeng Eurasia, Lempeng Pasifik, dan Lempeng Indo-Australia.
Geologi Indonesia terbagi ke dalam 5 pulau besar dan kepulauan Maluku. Setiap bagian menggambarkan fenomena geologi dan tektonik yang spesifik, antara lain terdapatnya sabuk gunungapi, sesar aktif, dan gempabumi. Batuan tertua dijumpai di Irian Jaya (Papua) yang berumur Pra-Kambrium (604-790 juta tahun yang lalu). Tiga Ruang lainnya memperagakan batuan dan mineral, gunungapi, dan kegiatan penyelidikan geologi di Indonesia.
2. Ruang Sejarah Kehidupan (Sayap Timur - Lantai 1)
trex Di ruang Sejarah Kehidupan digambarkan perkembangan kehidupan dari waktu ke waktu yang didahului oleh awal terbentuknnya bumi sekitar 4,6 milyar tahun yang lalu. Jejak kehidupan paling primitif yang pernah ditemukan adalah Stromatolite.
Selanjuntya kehidupan berkembang pada Masa Paleozoikum ditandai dengan adanya fosil trilobit, krinoid, dan tumbuhan jenis paku-pakuan. Masa berikutnya, yaitu Masa Mesozoikum, adalah masa keemasan hewan raksasa yang disebut Dinosaurus. Di Museum Geologi terdapat replika fosil dinosaurus Tyranosaurus rex. Pada Masa ini Indonesia sebagian besar masih berada di bawah laut yang ditandai dengan banyaknya fosil amonit dan beberapa jenis fosil invertebrata lainnya.
Kepulauan Indonesia baru berkembang pada Masa Kenozoikum yang ditandai dengan berkembangnya hewan invertebrata seperti moluska, foraminifera, dan lain sebagainya. Pada Akhir Kenozoikum barulah berkembang hewan vertebrata seperti Stegodon dan lain-lain yang diikuti kemunculan manusia purba (Homo erectus) pada Zaman Kuarter.
3. Ruang Geologi dan Kehidupan Manusia (Sayap Timur - Lantai 2)
gfhlBagian ini menggambarkan cara penambangan dan pengolahan mineral serta minyak dan gas bumi yang telah menjadi sumber pendapatan dan devisa Negara, juga pendayagunaan sumber dan cadangan air bawah tanah yang amat besar manfaatnya bagi manusia.
Selain Mengandung manfaat, kondisi geologi suatu daerah dapat pula menjadi sumber bencana, misalnya letusan gunung api, gerakan tanah, dan gempa bumi. Dampak bencana alam dapat dikurangi dengan melakukan kegiatan mitigasi bencana alam geologi.
Sumber http://museum.bgl.esdm.go.id
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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Lalbagh Flower Show - Orchids

At flower show in Lalbagh Gardens at Bangalore on August 2010 there were exclusive collection of Orchids on display. The colors were amazing.

There were more than 25 variety of Orchids on disp
lay. The color combination and designs on each of them were beautiful.

There were stalls selling the Orchids plants outside the flower show. The price ranged from Rupees 600 to 1200 depending on the variety.

For closer look at the Orchids: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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Tanah Lot Temple Charm: Bali Rock in Temple

" Bali Island of Thousand Temple ", a phrase or term is not a mere hoax. In some places in Bali there are some places praying / temple that is very big and special. Each - every temple in Bali is identical with the history of the formation of communities in the area. Many spiritual circles to make Bali as one of the places to visit (tirta Yatra), because the magical aura of Bali itself (maybe one of them caused by a would - be listed here.)

In relation to tourism, would - be it the main attraction for tourists, both foreign and domestic. Not infrequently they were amazed culture and ordinances praying Hindus in Bali. One of the temple which is visited by tourists is Pura Tanah Lot. Pura Tanah Lot is located in Tabanan regency, around 20 km from Denpasar. Tanah Lot in Bali language means "Land in the middle of the ocean", if we look at the position of Pura Tanah Lot is jutting out to sea. This temple stands on a rock boulder, where nature has been fashioned in such a way that it becomes a form of a very beautiful and unique.

Perhaps the story of this temple was founded by "Dang Hyang Niratha" in the 15th century. He was impressed by the aura of sanctity of this place, so that eventually ask people about to set up a "pelinggih" here. In addition to Pura Tanah Lot, in this location there is a "sacred serpent" decent attention. Many visitors curious to see and touch the sacred snake, which is said to provide blessings and salvation.

To get into the area of Tanah Lot, subject to cost Rp. 5000 per person. Along the road leading to the temple area, there are many souvenir hawkers and Balinese food. In addition because of the beauty of its temples, Tanah Lot is also famous for sunsetnya a very beautiful, and it turns out Tanah Lot is also one surf spot in Bali, though not as famous as Kuta, Dreamland, and other beaches. But, there is a new warning to couples going together, you have to be careful - careful if you come here, because according to myth, the relationship you will be going to last long.

Well for you who want to see another side of Bali, boring with the noise of Kuta Beach, and want to find a new nuance, Tanah Lot, a goal worthy alternative. Enjoy the sunset with a can of soft drink, cheeeers !!

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Friday, October 22, 2010

Halloween….in Costa Rica. A Happy Holiday? or Pagan Capitalist Celebration?


Well, it’s almost that time of year again, October 31st, when countries like the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, France and many other countries around the world celebrate Halloween. A mostly unfamiliar tradition in Costa Rica, it’s hard to explain to another culture why we would want to teach our children to dress up in costumes, go to strangers houses demanding candy, and if they don’t give it to you you should play a trick on them. Isn’t that pretty much against everything we teach our children these days?

Nonetheless, if you grew up in my day (many moons ago, trust me) when it was much safer to walk the streets at night, when knocking on strangers doors didn’t get you kidnapped, raped or killed, when we weren’t so concerned with childhood obesity, etc, we used to count down the days until our favorite holiday arrived…….Halloween! Decked out in our costumes and carrying our largest pillow case to hold our loot, as soon as the sun set, we literally ran from house to house yelling “trick or treat” and filling that pillow case (bags weren’t big enough!) with as much candy as we could possibly collect over the next few hours. When we arrived home, we spent hours, even days, carefully sorting through our treasure trove and stuffing the sweet stuff in our mouths….our sugar high lasted for months!!

In Costa Rica, Halloween will usually be celebrated with small private parties or used as a marketing opportunity by Costa Rica Hotels, as well as local Restaurants and Bars looking to attract customers during their notoriously low tourism season. Most Costa Ricans know little of Halloween and those that do often consider the holiday a celebration of satanic beliefs and definitely find little logic in encouraging their kids to beg for candy from strangers.

What to expect on Halloween
Halloween is celebrated yearly on October 31. Its roots date back to the Celtic Harvest Festival of “Samhain”, and it is often related with the Christian celebrations of “All Saints Day” and “All Souls Day”, though today Halloween is considered more of a secular celebration with less religious connotations involved. Some of the more common Halloween activities include “Trick or Treating” dressed up
in costumes, attending costume parties (mostly adults), playing tricks on people, bobbing for apples, carving pumpkins, visiting haunted houses (usually decked out for the occasion, not just naturally haunted houses), telling ghost stories and watching scary horror movies, as well as decorating your home or office with Halloween inspired decorations for the holiday (usually scary, bloody and gory stuff).

Happy Halloween or Pagan Holiday?
Halloween is believed to have originated with the Celtic festival of Samhain, roughly meaning "summer's end" and considered part of the celebration of the Celtic New Year. The Celtic culture at the time was ruled by a government that consisted of pagan priests, called Druids. The Druids were considered to be Satanists who controlled the lives of their followers through fear and intimidation, developing a culture wrought in death, sickness, and widespread destruction. The ancient Celts believed that the line between this world and the “other side” became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both good and bad) to pass from one world to the other. Developing yearly rituals around this belief, family's deceased ancestors were to be honored during this time, while harmful spirits were to be warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off those harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks to scare the bad spirits away, as well as the carved and lit “pumpkins” that were placed in front of houses for this same purpose.
As the Druids made their way from house to house on the night of October 31st demanding strange foods to not only eat themselves, but to also offer later at the “festival of death” (or the house would receive a “trick”). They would carry with them a large turnip type tuber, carved hollow inside with a candle that lit the carved face found on the front of the tuber. This was meant to give the Druids more power, scare away other bad spirits, as well as it served as a lantern to light their way as they frightened villagers with their demands for “treats”. When this practice arrived to the United States in the mid 19th century, pumpkins were more readily available, not to mention easier to carve and they quickly became the recognized symbol of Halloween. “Jock” was the name the Druids had given the demonic spirit that inhabited the tuber/pumpkin warding off all other evil spirits, which in America soon took on the more common name of “Jack”, or as some folks refer to it to this day, “Jack ‘O Lantern”. The actual name of Halloween, morphed from the original Christian feast known as “All Hallowmas” which over the years came to be known as “All Hallows Eve”, then “All Hallowed Eve”, and finally known today as….. “Halloween”.
Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock in preparation for winter. Bonfires were a common part of the festivities, as there were many customs that went with the large fires. For example, all other village fires were doused and each family lit their home hearth from the communal bonfire, bonding the families of the village together until the next year. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames and generally there were two bonfires built side-by-side so the town folk and their livestock (the ones not slaughtered!) could walk between the fires serving as a cleansing ritual. Obviously the focus for ancient Halloween was not on how much candy a kid could collect in a few hours!

Is Halloween Celebrated in Costa Rica?
The more popular day of celebration that time of year in Costa Rica is November 2nd. Known as “Dia de Los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) throughout most Latin American countries, this day is more of a show of respect when family members visit cemeteries to leave flowers and other offerings for their deceased loved ones. This annual celebration is generally connected with the Catholic holidays of “All Saint’s Day” (November 1) and "All Souls Day" (November 2), though it is still felt by many to hold certain pagan connotations, so many Catholics and Christians prefer to commemorate the faithful departed by celebrating in the name of “All Souls Day”.

Most Costa Ricans wisely do not choose to celebrate Halloween at all due to its history of satanic beliefs and relation with bad spirits, as well as this holiday’s promotion of unnecessary consumerism wrapped around strange values of begging and threatening strangers. It does seem quite strange when you stop and think about it!

For those of you that still enjoy the dressing up, the practical jokes, the CANDY, there are still many opportunities for festivities. Check out the link below, or your nearest Expat community where there’s sure to be some bar full of costumed partiers, or just head to your nearest market and you can just buy a sack of candy and satisfy all those sugar urges in the safety of your home!

For Halloween Celebration Information within Costa Rica, click here!

Author: Kimberly Barron, originally from Malibu, California has lived in Parismina and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica for 20 years. Starting as a certified tour guide, she spent 15 years managing fishing lodges on the Caribbean Coast and later 4* & 5* Hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Currently semi-retired, Kimberly still works as the Marketing Director for Byblos Resort & Casino and Hotel Makanda by the Sea.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dia_de_los_muertos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Souls_Day
http://www.cristinaacosta.com (photo credit)
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Petra Jordan

The Petra Great Temple | Welcome
Brown University professor emerita Martha Sharp Joukowsky is at present directing the archaeological excavations of the Great Temple at Petra, Jordan. ...
www.brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/Petra/

Petra-Jordan Photo Gallery by Mansour Mouasher at pbase.com
Over 200 photographs of the monuments, area and people.
www.pbase.com/mansour_mouasher/petra

Petra - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Petra (Jordan). English Français · Login | Not a member yet? ... Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with ...
whc.unesco.org/en/list/326

Petra Jordan

Petra Jordan
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/geology/nehru/rocks.html

Petra (Greek "πέτρα" (petra), meaning rock; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Batrāʾ) is a historic and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that has rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans [1], it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited tourism attraction[2]. It lies on the slope of Mount Hor[3] in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Petra was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007 and a World Heritage Site since 1985. Petra was chosen by the BBC as one of "the 10 places you have to see before you die".

The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced to the West by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in a Newdigate Prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra


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Hong Kong Map Kowloon

hong kong info map
map of hong kong, info on travel, airport, hotel, street, transportation, food, ... There are 4 districts -- Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories and ...
www.vectormap.com/eng/english.htm

Kowloon City Map | Hong Kong Google Satellite Maps
Kowloon City google map. Satellite image of Kowloon City, Hong Kong and near destinations. Travel deals.
www.maplandia.com/hong-kong/kowloon-city/

Kowloon Map - Hong Kong Maps
Kowloon Map: Maps of Hong Kong. ... Novotel Nathan Road Kowloon Hong Kong. Photos of the Novotel Nathan Road Kowloon Hong Kong ...
www.asiawebdirect.com/maps/hong-kong/kowloon-map.htm

Hong Kong Map Kowloon


View Larger Map



Map of Hong Kong
Map of Hong Kong and travel information about Hong Kong brought to you by Lonely Planet.
www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/asia/china/hong-kong/

Maps Hong Kong - Map of Kowloon area
Maps Hong Kong - Kowloon maps The word Kowloon comes from the Cantonese words "gau lung" meaning "nine dragons" which refers to the eight hills of Kowloon ...
mapshongkong.com/areas/kowloon.php

Road Map of Kowloon, Hong Kong (Kowloon, China) - Aaccessmaps.com
Kowloon, Hong Kong Road Map of Kowloon, China Kowloon major locations and attractions: New World Center, Kowloon Park, Natural History Museum, Coliseum,
www.aaccessmaps.com/show/map/cn/hongkong_kowloon

Hong Kong Travel Guide - Map of Kowloon and Central District
2 Oct 2008 ... Hong Kong Travel Guide -> Map of Kowloon and Central District ... INM Asia Guides Hotels in Hong Kong! Sightseeing in Hong Kong ...
www.inm-asiaguides.com/hongkong/ehkgmap.htm

Hong Kong Hotels: Tsim Sha Tsui Map
Map of Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong S.A.R., China ... There is a covered walkway between Kowloon Park and China Hong Kong City. Shopping ...
www.hong-kong-hotels-network.com/hong-kong-maps/map-tsim-sha-tsui.htm

Hong Kong Kowloon Maps, Map of Kowloon Peninsula
Maps of Hong Kong Kowloon Peninsula with most detailed and comprehensive information, making tourists get a clear idea about its location, geography, ...
www.chinatouristmaps.com › China City Maps › Hong Kong

Hong Kong travel guide
Hong Kong is divided into four main areas - Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands. Kowloon and the New Territories are on ...
www.world66.com/asia/northeastasia/china/hongkong
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Thursday, October 21, 2010