Belgium travel

Travel Tour to Belgium
Tourism culture and History tour

Belgium travel overview

A pitcher of frothy beer, chocolate, paint and bureaucrats, Belgium off to a strong odor bourgeoisie. But if you are still looking for an 'artificial state' roughly made up two thirds of Flemings and Walloons from third. Divided by pride first and then by language, Belgian family shared a strong sense and an indomitable entrepreneurial spirit. And if the Belgian role in the European scene seems to be decreasing, it is because the people hardly boast of it. This country has more history, art, cuisine and architecture per square centimeter as many of its older and noisy neighbors.

best time to visit Belgium

It is usually difficult to find the extreme weather conditions in Belgium. From April to September are the warmest months, but we must not forget that regardless of the season can occur days, gray skies and wet streets. Arguably, the umbrellas and raincoats are almost the Belgian national dress.

Belgium vacation and Holidays

Apart from the traditional Catholic celebration, the festive months are July and August. The first Thursday of July is the Ommegang, a huge parade of nobles dressed in time. Belgian National Day is celebrated on July 21 and marks the opening of the Exhibition of Belgium, which lasts a month

Belgium attraction and places


Brussels is a modest town that combines magnificent buildings with modern skyscrapers classic to which many visitors have become accustomed. Since it is the capital of the European Union, is full of bureaucrats and officials who give the place an air of efficiency without it becoming a place of great animation. The city is built on a pentagon of boulevards known as the Petit Ring. In the center is the Grand Place, brussels which is said to be the Europe's most beautiful square. A twenty-minute walk leads to the area that houses the majority of accommodations in the city, will reach the majority of them by tram, bus or metro.
Near the Grand Place there are several museums, architectural gems and rarities. To the south, you can see the famous Manneken Pis, a statue of a boy doing pee in a street corner. To the north, Tintin lovers should not fail to visit the Comic Strip Center, located in an Art Nouveau building designed by Horta. To the east, near the Royal Palace, the Museum of Ancient Art and the Museum of Modern Art is complemented by brilliant.
In the Rue des Bouchers (street of butchers), near the Grand Place, are the majority of restaurants. In the area you can find specialties such as lobsters, crabs, mussels and fish waiting to be served in a restaurant after another. And none of Brussels sprouts.


The compact city of Antwerp, with a rich history, is one of the tourist resorts around the country side. Situated on the River Scheldt, is bordered by the 'Ring', a railway built in the sixteenth century a moat surrounding the city in a vain attempt to prevent the arrival of the Spaniards.Antwerp

It is one of the most important ports in Europe, has an international air but something left. However, after its humble facade hides the Jewish quarter of the diamond industry more prosperous. Few places combine the old with the (relatively) new one so accomplished. Besides eclectic mansions with art nouveau and neo-Renaissance villas are medieval castles provide a myriad of cafes and a touch of magic.

Antwerp, which houses the largest gothic cathedral in the country (Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Katedraal), and the birthplace of Rubens, is an ideal place for art lovers, architecture lovers and globetrotters aimlessly fixed. In the Royal Museum of Fine Arts you can visit a magnificent collection of paintings of the early Flemish painters. The Antwerp Zoo is also highly recommended for its collection of exotic beasts. Located some 40 km north of Brussels, Antwerp has airport also offers connections by bus or train to Brussels and the neighboring countries.

Bruges is the best preserved medieval city in Europe and the most visited Belgium. This "living museum" of the thirteenth century seems stopped in time since it closed its port. With two medieval centers, the Markt and the Burg, the city also boasts one of the best collections of art in the city. Groeninge Museum displays works by early Bruges Flemish painters and Stadhuis (City Hall) of XIV century contains excellent collections of paintings and furniture. For a spectacular view of the city, to climb the 366 steps to the belfry.
From Antwerp or Brussels can be rea ched this city from the northeast. Coaches from Antwerp and London route for Calais (France) stop at Bruges. Also recommended are visits a day from the city to the poppy fields of Flanders.


If it were not for Paris, Ghent is the largest city of medieval Europe. With a rich history, dominated by the spirit of revolt and industrious effort, is at the confluence of the rivers Scheldt and Lys. Was the scene of bloody battles, led by its citizens, who rebelled against the heavy taxes and restrictions on their civil liberties. Ghent is a city gray and somewhat less picturesque than Bruges, but more realistic. It also has a bell that is worth the climb and the Sint-Baafskathedral (Bavon Cathedral) houses a ghent masterpiece by Jan van Eyck, Adoration of the Lamb.
Situated between Brussels and Bruges, it is best to take the train or coach.

Travelers tend to overlook the far southeast Belgium, with many deep valleys and great forests. This area includes village hidden among the rows of the valleys of the Meuse and Lesse Ourthe or on top of green hills. Was the scene of the Battle of Bulge. There are many routes that allow the most visited cities in the region.
The town of Namur is the best starting point - with a station on the railway line leading to Luxembourg, also has connections to train or bus to some of more difficult access

Jeaneke Pis

You've heard of the statue of the young child is on track to Brussels but did you know that you have a sister? You can visit her in the Rue des Bouchers (street of butchers), where most restaurants in town.
Menin Gate

In the town of Ypres, in this memorial are written the names of 55,000 British soldiers killed in the trenches of Flanders during the First World War. Every afternoon, at 20 h sounds a bugle.
Museum of Fine Arts in GhentTongeren

After about 10 minutes walk to the northeast of the central station of Ghent, the Museum of Fine Arts is well worth a visit. It houses works of the early Flemish artists and a couple of scenes of demonic Bosch.

To the east, near the city of Liege, has the honor Tongeren (near Tournai) to be the oldest city in the country. Founded in the 15th century BC as a base for Roman troops, the city maintains an important collection of Gallo-Roman ruins and is surrounded by Roman walls and medieval

activities in Belgium

Lovers of the outdoors can be directed to the Bulge, the largest forest in the country. In this area you can ski in winter and practice kayak, excursions or out mountain biking, besides having a good network of forest roads. Another possible activity is to visit the prehistoric caves in the area (especially those who are near the cities of Han-sur-Lesse, Rochefort and Dinant), which are interesting for those who enjoy exploring the underground terrain

History of Belgium

The residents of this country, France, Germany and the United Kingdom (across the North Sea) will soon set in Belgium as a nice place to kill each other. Conquered by Germanic tribes, Christianized in the seventh century and divided during the French rule in 1100, much of the country experienced a golden era of prosperity and grand_place_brussels-brussels flourishing of the arts under the French Duke of Burgundy during the fourteenth century. During this period saw the rise of the Flemish towns of Ypres, Ghent and Bruges, principally engaged in the textile industry. With the death of Bruges due to competition from the British and the closure of the river, Antwerp became the first European port.
The golden age began to go into decline in the mid-fifteenth century when the Netherlands were inherited by Spain, and began a long struggle against Spanish domination. Philip II sent the Inquisition to be adhered to Catholicism. Thousands were imprisoned and executed before the outbreak of war in 1568.
Revolt of the Netherlands took 80 years and ended when the Netherlands and the provinces allied to the Spanish thrown. Belgium and Luxembourg remained under Spanish dominion. The defeat of Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo led to the creation in 1814, the United Kingdom of The Netherlands, including Belgium and Luxembourg to the territory of the Netherlands. But the Catholic Belgians rebelled and became independent in 1830.
Despite the neutral position of Belgium, the Germans invaded in 1914. In 1940 the country was again attacked by the Germans, who were with the territory in three weeks. Questioned the rapid capitulation of the king Leopold III led to abdicate in favor of his son, King Baudouin, whose popular reign ended with his death in 1993. By not having children, what happened on the throne his brother Albert II.
The Kingdom of Belgium after the war was marked by economic growth that is later promoted to be designated headquarters of the European Union (EU) and Organization of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO). Belgium today is a country that houses an army of diplomats, with whom he has come a wave of internationalism. While the capital was dedicated to working for the rest of Europe, the rest of Belgians remain unconcerned, the true spirit of the Belgians will continue to emanate from its people and its past.menin-gate
In 1999 Crown Prince Felipe married a speech speech with both ball like flamenco roots.
In 1996, the Belgian government was accused of incompetence in the investigation into a case of pedophilia. This prompted 300,000 Belgians to protest in the streets of Brussels. In 2004, Marc Dutroux was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of several adolescents.

In 2003, Belgium agreed to restrict the law of war crimes. These arrangements were carried out under U.S. pressure. Among those charged are George J. Bush Sr. and former Secretary of State Colin Powell

Belgium culture and people

The origin of the diversity of languages in Belgium dates back to the time of the Franks, who was sent to the Celts and Gauls to the southern regions, while the north remained a form of Dutch. Currently, the French is the language of the south. Brussels is one of the few officially bilingual capitals. Most Belgians are Catholics, and despite not practicing, religious traditions still existing in the country every day.
The first Belgian artists credited with the invention of oil painting, so it's no surprise the amount of artwork that has produced the country. The painter Jan van Eyck was pioneered in the fifteenth century, Pieter Brueghel followed with his scenes of peasant life in the sixteenth century, and Pieter Paul Rubens dominated in the art of the early seventeenth century for his use of light during the Baroque. In Antwerp, Rubens has opened a production workshop of painters who left their magnificent religious allegories famous Christ on the cross.
At the end of the twentieth century, originated in Brussels the sinuous Art Nouveau architecture of the hands of Henri van de Velde and Victor Horta. Horta is known for its interior, which prevents the straight lines - the roofs became an extension of the curved walls. The windows and wrought iron were very used to accentuate their creations in the form of coup whip.
The comics are other strengths of the Belgians, and while there are many local artists, Hergé, creator of the reporter Tintin is the best known.
Belgian food is very good reputation throughout Europe. Can be defined as a mixture of French and German, the main ingredients are meat and seafood. The Belgians have invented swear frits (french fries), and judging by their abundance, few dare to discuss. And although it did not invent beer or chocolate, could well have done

Belgium map

Philippines travel

Travel Tour to Philippines
Tourism culture and History tour

travel in Philippines overview

best time to visit Philippines


Philippines Vacations and Holidays


Philippines attraction




Other points of interest


Remote islands



Lake Sebu


Philippines Hotels and activities


History of Philippines

island of- Boracay


island of Boracay





Philippines culture


Philippines map

Belize travel

Travel Tour to Belize - British Honduras
Tourism culture and History tour

Belize travel overview

Belize , (British Honduras ),, bathed by the Caribbean Sea, is closer to its neighboring islands to the elevating of the rest of Central America volatility. In this tiny country, speaking English, Creole and inherently free with a history of coups, has a calm and relaxed.
Traveling in Belize can be difficult with only three paved roads, the prices are high and hotels and short distance between them. But while in Belize can only be one brand of beer, these difficulties with some of the most exceptional sites for scuba diving, Mayan ruins overlooking the jungle and out of hotels for the adventurous ecotourism more sedentary.

best time travel to Belize

The travel to Belize best time of year to visit the country cover from November to May, the dry season, but these months are also more conducive to winter sports, with higher prices and full hotels. It is cheaper to travel in summer (July-November), but we must bear in mind that this is also the season of hurricanes.

belize vacations

The major national holidays are dictated by the Roman Catholic calendar, but other events include Baron Bliss Day (March 9), in honor of a noble British philanthropist who fell in love with Belize and his death bequeathed his fortune to the people. The Belize National Day (September 10) commemorates the battle of St. George Cay; festivities stretch until Independence Day (September 21). Other important dates are the Columbus Day (October 12) and the Garifuna Settlement Day (November 19), which recounts the arrival from Honduras in 1823, the Garinagus (black Caribs) on board canoes carved trunks. The ideal place to attend this event is the tiny town of Dangriga

Belize Attraction

Belize City

The former capital of Belize can be considered the only relatively large population of the country. Tropical storms that often ravaged the city in the nineteenth and early twentieth century still appeared occasionally, damaging their ramshackle homes of wood, but also clearing the open sewer that crosses the entire city. When there is no storm, Belize City is known for its bustle, heat and humidity. Few come here to holiday or visit their points of interest, but as the nerve center of trade and transport in the country, travelers are likely to be spending some time on it. Belize City can be quite dangerous, especially at night.Belize_City
Haulover Creek, a tributary of the Belize River, divides the commercial center of the northern suburbs. South of Bridge Swing Bridge are various areas of interest, such as Battlefield Park, always bustling with vendors, swindlers and idlers, the Cathedral of St. John (1847), the oldest Anglican church in Central America and important, and the Bliss Institute, the cultural heart of the city. North of the bridge is the Paslow Building, a wooden building that houses the central post office. To the south are located the Image Factory Art Foundation, with exhibitions of artists from Belize, and before reaching the tip of the peninsula, the Belize Audubon Society, a good source of information on national parks and nature reserves of the country.
North Front Street on the north shore of Haulover Creek, is stocked for accommodations. Luxury hotels at the end of the peninsula on the north coast. Albert Street, Regent, King and Orange are the main shopping


290 km long, the reef of Belize to be the longest in the Western Hemisphere. To the west are numerous cays reveling in warm waters up to 5 m deep. The two are the most visited Caye Caulker and Ambergris Cay. The first is considered the island ideal for travelers in economy class, while the latter has a higher grade of hotel complexes.
The Cay Caulker (800 inhab.), 33 km north of Belize City, up to 7 km in length and only 600 m at its widest point. In fact, Caulker was split into two islands, north of the belize population, after Hurricane Hattie in 1961. Mangroves cover much of the coast, shaded by coconut palms. The reef is just a short boat ride from the eastern shore and is ideal spot for diving, scuba diving and fishing. The visibility of the water can reach 60 m depth, being able to perceive the presence of corals and tropical fish. It is inadvisable to swim from the beach to the reef due to the danger of the propellers of ships.
The Ambergris Cay (2,000 inhab.), 58 km north of Belize City is the largest in the country with its 40 km long and its northern end with slash Mexico. As in Caulker, the atmosphere is relaxed, despite the emerging blocks of apartments and other tourist buildings. The reef is located 1 km east of San Pedro, the largest population in the key. Can be made many excursions to places suitable for snorkeling and diving practice, and to turn to other keys in the region, as the Blue Hole, the Half Moon Cay and the Turneffe Islands, the only three coral atolls in the western hemisphere.


These Mayan ruins, only partially excavated and restored, are located in its own archaeological reserve near the settlement of Indian Church. Its 60 major structures include a building height of 34 m from the end of the pre-period, a small temple and a ball. Lamanai (submerged crocodile) was already populated in 1500 BC and became an important ceremonial center with its huge temples long before most Mayan sites. Caracolcaana Aboriginal people lived in their Lamanai until the arrival of the Spaniards, nearby, the ruins of two churches that testify Indian still in Maya to be evangelized. The 90 minutes journey by boat up the river from New River in Orange Walk to Lamanai is an adventure in itself. The boat passes through the Mennonite community of Shipyard and provides the opportunity to see many birds and crocodiles.


Xunantunich (girl rock) is the pride of archaeological Belize. Built on top of a flattened hill, near the Belize River and the Guatemalan border, Xunantunich controlled the road along the river that originates in the hinterland to the Caribbean coast. The population flourished as a ceremonial and, apparently, was abandoned after an earthquake that struck around the year 900 AD Much of the ruins have not been Xunantunich Belize restored, although its tallest building, the impressive castle stands with its 40 m high above the jungle.


Perched at the southern end of a long narrow sandy peninsula in Southern Belize, this quiet beach town justifies each of the jolts and bumps that are felt to run through the tracks of land that are directed to Placencia. The whole business was done by sea, so the main street of the population is only a narrow paved path that does not reach the meter in width. The main attraction of this site focuses on its beaches and water sports, but also offers the option to go fishing, watch birds and manatees, camping on remote cays and take trips to different rivers that run into the jungle or the Reserve Natural Cockscomb Basin, home to jaguars, pumas, ocelots, margays, agouti, anteaters, armadillos, boa constrictor and numerous bird species.
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
This forest reserve of 800 km ², anchored in the West virtually virgin terrain, with numerous waterfalls and orchids, parrots, toucans and other exotic species of flora and fauna. In the wet season, the tiresome routes through the forest are insurmountable, but it is this inaccessibility that makes the area remains unexplored, is an ideal location for exploring on foot, horseback or canoe. These tours include the Rain Forest Medicine Trail, a walking trail through the jungle on medicinal herbs; Danakosko Chechem Ha, a Mayan cave full of newly discovered objects and ceremonial pottery; Caracol, a large Mayan city without restoring immersed in the jungle , Thousand Foot (Hidden Valley) Falls, a waterfall 300 m silver is precipitated into a misty valley, and Barton Creek Cave, a cave Maya increasingly popular, but less visited than Chechem Ha, with skulls and bones and fragments of ceramics.
Sanctuary in Bermudian Landing community Mandrel
Sanctuary in Bermudian Landing community Mandrel The black howler monkey is found only in Belize, and this is the ideal location to discover one. The villagers of Bermudian Landing have established a reserve in the jungle close to their population (about 30 miles west of Belize City), with a visitor information center, where exhibitions of this endangered species and two hundred species of animals and birds that inhabit the reserve

Belize activities

The keys and theGreat_Blue_Hole reef of Belize offers all possibilities for swimming, diving, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing and fishing. It is also possible to canoe down the rivers Macal, Mopan and Belize, around San Ignacio and caves along the river Chiquibul. The best routes for hiking are in the Forest Reserve Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve and the Cockscomb Basin Natural. Birdwatchers can go to rivers, swamps and lagoons of Crooked Tree Nature Reserve, halfway between Belize City and Orange Walk, where flocks of migratory birds arrive between November and May

History Of Belize

Maya and Carib Indians were the first inhabitants of Belize, a territory that was part of the Mayan empire which stretched through Guatemala, southern MexicoCoat_of_arms_of_Belize and parts of Honduras and El Salvador. The classical period of greatest splendor of that civilization began toward the second century AD, reached its splendor between the ages VI and VIII and began its decline in the fourteenth century. When the Spanish arrived in the sixteenth century, many cities were deserted.
Colonizers Belize only appreciated its timber, for the manufacture of dyes. While the country depended on the Spanish governor of Yucatan, it lacked an effective government. This vacuum government with the security provided by the reef that protects its shores attracted English and Scottish pirates during the seventeenth century. When piracy began its decline, many saqueaderos were introduced in the timber trade. Belize was a British tradition and sympathy and when British forces expelled in 1798 for the Spanish Navy's Cay St. Georges. In 1862, while United States was immersed in civil war and unable to comply with its Monroe Doctrine, United Kingdom colonized Belize, which should be known as British Honduras.
After World War II, its economy is weakened, leading to an agitation for independence. Formed political parties and democratic institutions, and in 1964 the nation gained independence. The government decided to build a new capital at Belmopan in 1970, the former capital, Belize City, had been razed after Hurricane Hattie in 1961. Guatemala, which claimed the territory, threatened to declare war in 1972, 1975 and 1977, but British troops are facing in the country to secure a diplomatic solution. Independence was achieved in September 1981 when he became British Honduras Belize, a member of the Commonwealth. During the volatile 1980s, Belize remained stable and pro-United States, thanks to the entry of substantial U.S. aid. In 1991, the new Guatemalan government recognized the country's territorial integrity. The British garrison was withdrawn in 1994, at present, Belize has a regular army of only a few hundred soldiers.George_Cadle_Price
Since the fall of General Noriega in Panama, Belize has become an important port of call for the United States for cocaine from South America. There is also widespread cultivation and smuggling of marijuana.
Belizeans take 20 years fighting for the reinstatement of the indigenous culture. Many Belizeans had to leave the country to make a fortune and send money to support his family.
Prime Minister Said Musa, in power since 1998, has overseen the transformation of the economy of Belize. The services sector especially tourism, now prevalent in places where before prevailing farming, logging and fishing. Belize is hispanizando through its approach to other countries in Central America. Is exposed to the fury of hurricanes in late summer, as Keith and tested hurricane Iris in 2000 and 2001, respectively
The Maya built impressive temples, following the movement of celestial bodies. Although technically it is a culture of the Stone Age, also developed sophisticated mathematical and astronomical calendars in addition to measure time. The Spaniards built churches stone sober but modern architecture is based on the British Caribbean.
The official language of Belize is English, but the Creoles (the largest ethnic group) speak it with their own dialect. Spanish is the language most used in the North and some towns in the West. Also, minorities who are in Maya, Chinese, German Mennonite, Lebanese, Arabic, Hindi and Garifuna (the language of the Garinagu Stann Creek District).
The majority of the population professes Catholicism, and the British influence has made a considerable and varied Protestant congregation, including German and Swiss Mennonite. Mayan practice of Catholicism is marked by a fusion of shamanism, animism and Christian rituals.
Belize has never developed a true national cuisine. Its cuisine is inspired by the British, American, Mexican and Caribbean. Its basic ingredients are rice and beans, often eaten with chicken, pork, beef, fish or vegetables, coconut milk and bananas fried dishes to add a truly tropical taste. The recipes include traditional exotic meat armadillo, venison and fried paca, a rodent similar to a brown guinea pig

Belize map

Travel to Indonesia

Travel Tour to Indonesia

Tourism culture and History tour in Indonesia

Indonesia overview

The islands of the Indonesian archipelago, genuine emerald floating over the centuries have attracted people with very varied. Chinese traders and Indians, European settlers, missionaries proselytizing, intrepid adventurers, mining companies and mass tourism, all at one time or another, have felt trapped by the sandalwood and spice breezes, their way of life and Bali Hai its magnificent beaches, mountains and volcanoes.
But another frequent visitor to the nation is a war correspondent, who came to report on the latest uprising, disturbance or coup d'etat. The stereotype of paradisiac lucky country for its natural resources is often compromised because of the deep racial and religious, despotic autocracy, government corruption, economic mismanagement and natural disasters. Recent developments of sectarian violence and military have made Indonesia a problematic destination for most Western travelers.

best time travel in Indonesia

Although you can travel during the rainy season for most of the country, the time may be an impediment for some activities and by driving muddy roads in less developed areas is complicated. In general, the best time to go to Indonesia coincides with the dry season between May and October.

Christmas holidays attract waves of Australians, and there is an even bigger tourist rush during the summer in Europe. The main Indonesian holiday period is the end of Ramadan, a period in which some resorts are crowded and the prices astronomical amount

Mean Events and Holidays in Indonesia

With its great diversity of ethnic groups, Indonesia has abundant cultural events throughout the year. On Sumba, mock fights, dating back to the era of wars of mutual annihilation, are held in February and March. On the eve of caka Balinese New Year (March-April) sea bathing in the icons of the temples, while the drums to scare away evil spirits to return to their spiritual habitat. During the festival of Galungan Balinese (dates variable), even the gods descend to earth and join the earthly joy. It organizes a spectacular procession on Easter Island Larantuka, duels with whips in Ruteng (Flores) in August, and funeral feasts are held in Toray Celebes (Sulawesi) Central, mainly between August and October. Like most Indonesians are Muslims, many events follow the lunar calendar, so dates are often delayed for about ten or eleven days each year.

attraction and tourism in Indonesia

Bali Indonesia

Bali may seem like a decoration: the terraces of rice paddies climb the hillsidbali_-indonesiaes like giant steps, volcanoes rise beyond the clouds, tropical forests are characterized by their exuberance and the beaches are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. But the brightness of the idyllic paradise is the work of the international tourism  sector and not the Balinese themselves, which even have a word for paradise in their language and does not reflect the harsh reality of life in the capital, which currently suffers the impact of economic crisis and the collapse of its currency.

Java Indonesia

This island is the political, geographic and economic Indonesian archipelago. Java is a relatively small (about as England) but it inhabit 112 million people, 55% of the population. His silhouette, long and narrow, is surrounded by a chain of volcanic  mountains that make your spine. It was in Java where the Hindu and Buddhist empires reached their best, producing architectural wonders such as Borobudur and Prambanan. When Islam was introduced in the island in the fifteenth century, absorbed the local cultures, rather than cancel, so that Java has a great mix of historical and religious influences. The strong presence of the ancient beliefs and mystical thought in the current Java represents a bulwark against widespread modernization.

Lombok Indonesia

The site consists of empty beaches and quiet countryside, and is dominatedLombok Indonesia by the spectacular Rinjani volcano. The people profess, most of Islam (the sasak), but remain isolated Balinese Hindus. The remarkable sasak culture is characterized by interlocking  their dances, bright and spectacular, and his struggles based on ostentation and rites. Balinese culture survives in Lombok - a vestige of when the Balinese princes controlled the island - and most of the tourist shops are run by Balinese.

Sumatra Indonesia

The island of Sumatra has abundant natural resources and life, remember that huge muddy river Amazon, and some important works of architecture. Its size is almost four times higher than neighboring Java, but hosts less than one quarter of its population. Duri ng the Dutch, supplying large quantities of global oil, rubber, pepper and coffee.  These resources, seemingly inexhaustible, yet maintain the economy indonesia. Sumatra is the home of many races and peoples: the former head hunters and cannibals batak regions of the Muslim culture minangkabau (maternal transmission line) and of the primitive clan Mentawai islands

Komodo and Rinco

These two small islands located between Sumbawa and Flores (East Nusa Tenggara), have achieved fame due to their four-legged inhabitants: Heavy Comodo Dragons. Variable size komodo  indonesia(from a 20 g lizard real monsters to 130 kg), could Enraged. Visitors little apprehensive to attend their banquet organized walking trails and observation by Comodo Dragon, but can be somewhat staged and bloody. If you want access to an alternative less-planned, it should be addressed to Rinco, where spaces have been installed on the intake and look where Lizards depend on luck. Comodo is mountainous and desolate, while Rinco has more life, there are several monkey colonies, wild water buffalo, deer, eagles and wild Turkeys. It has enabled a service for Comodo ferry from Sape (Sumbawa) and Labhuanbajo (Flores). To reach Rinco, should charter a boat.

Flores Island

Nggela, Wolojita and Jopu belong to the island of Flores are renowned for their beautiful ikat sarongs and Shawls. The population of traditional whaling Lamalera in Lembata (in Alor and Solor Archipelago, east of Florida) offers the opportunity to browse among the stranded boat and watch the men make spears. The remaining villagers as whalers, so they are exempt from the international ban on whaling.
Tricolor lakes of Keli Mutu has become the most prominent attraction of Nusa Tenggara. flores The waters of the three volcanic craters are rare habit of changing color in recent times prevail turquoise blue, olive green and black, but a few years ago tended to color teal, maroon and black. Nobody has to explain the origin of the colors and their changes only suggest the hypothesis that in each lake are various dissolved minerals. According to local legend, is that the lakes are home to the souls of the dead. The souls of the young decantarían by the heat of the green lake, those of the turquoise older, more milk, and of Thieves and Murderers of the black lake.
The only moment of the day on which you can see the lake from the upper rim (1.600 m) is the volcanic crater at dawn, before the lower clouds. Visitors entering on the path of 13 km from the nearest town, Moni, can travel on foot, riding a bus or rent a SUV. If you rent a horse to cover the trip, you should check the health of the animal and ensure it is saddle.


Most travelers visit the rugged mountains of Tanatoraja (in central and southern Celebes), and the population of Rantepao attracts many of them. The inhabitants of the region are the Toray, rice farmers, pig breeders and lovers of water buffalo. This town has focused the attention of tourists thanks to its elaborate ceremonies, and burial areas for the traditional houses.
Toray most important ceremonies are related to travel beyond the dead. Without the funeral rites for the deceased's spirit will cause misfortune to their families. The funeral can be extended several days, with hundreds of guests and the sacrifice of many buffalo. The festivities, dances and songs can be supplement with cockfights, sisemba (struggles with your knees) and even buffalo fights, in which animals, very excited by the inclusion of Chile in its rear hook their horns and measured forces.
If the visitor is invited to a ceremony, you should dress respectfully and provided for sharing of gifts, should not sit in areas for the hosts or family members. You can take pictures, but in moderation. The best time to move to embrace Rantepao March to May, although most funeralbunakentrip1 ceremonies are held in the holiday season, July to September. During July and August high season, hotel prices rise with immoderation.
The prosperous city of Manado in northern Sulawesi (Sulawesi), appears as the starting point for discovering the amazing coral reefs offshore, near Pulau Bunaken. There are numerous accommodations, modest but comfortable in Pulau Bunaken, diving instructors and many offer their services, but the best diving is found on the main island of Sulawesi. The coral that inhabit the waters of Bunaken has suffered the neglect of ship traffic, but can be accessed by swimming to the closest point of immersion, which remain intact.
It is possible to rent canoes or small motorboats to reach the most isolated reefs surrounding the islands nearby: Manado Tua, Siladen and Pulau Pulau Mantehage. There is also a daily ferry service between Pulau Bunaken and Manado. In addition to its treasures under the sea, the culture is fascinating to Manado, a hybrid cultures of Indonesia, the Philippines and in southern California, with some very interesting local dishes (also fried field rat) and spectacular volcanoes.


The image of half-naked and covered dayak tattoo skipping through the streets of Balikpapan and Pontianak is unreal, the first impressions of Borneo (Kalimantan) will provide the oil refineries and mills. Timber and mining interests have venture into the forests and mountain ranges that wiped out at an alarming speed, pollute the rivers and leaves of indigenous cultures to the social and economic intrusions of the twentieth century.

The well-known representations of Borneo originate in exaggerated stories of the early European explorers, but the stories about the island of Kalimantan and the Dayak peoples of ethnicity provide interesting ideas for captions: tattooed head hunters, tribes and exotic wildlife disappeared. Samarinda is the best starting point for navigating the river by boat to small towns such as Tanjung Isuy, Muara Muntai, Malacca (with its forest of orchids in 20.234 km ²) and Long Iram. Unfortunately, in some Precincts tour packages are offered for groups of visitors seeking a true picture of life for dayak and pay by the hour to see the primitive cultures. Tanjung Putting National Park in Borneo (Kalimantan) Central houses a wide variety of flora and fauna: alligators, binturongos, Orangutans, monkeys and dolphins.Bali_Indonesia_Water_Palace

The appropriate time to approach the equatorial river city of Pontianak, on Borneo (Kalimantan) West coincides with the sunset when the lights are the floating houses on the majestic river. It is advisable to move the channels to go through the city and soak up the atmosphere Chinese-Indonesian. In the afternoon, in the rickety wooden Piers on the southern shore, meet many young people to fly kites huge role. The most notable sites include the current mosque Mesiyi Abdurrajam schooners and Javanese style and celeb Pinisi port. The pristine beaches of Pasir Panjang is located in the vicinity and the city is an ideal starting point for trips to the Kapuas.

The thousand islands of Maluku (Maluku) have become legendary for its spices, which attract merchants Indian, Chinese, Arabs and later Europeans, who demanded Cloves, mace and nutmeg, spices that grow here. At present, these islands, divided by a vast ocean, offering a tropical landscape with a Polynesian atmosphere, exotic birds, old forts, towns and beautiful beaches, dive sites suitable for ... without any pollution or sellers. Most travelers heading to Ambon, Ternate and the bands, taking as a basis to access the many tiny islands away from the tourist circuit. But the violence shook Ambon in 1998 and 1999, as a result, fled tens of thousands of refugees and the island has disappeared from the tourist routes. If you travel by boat, it would take at least five weeks to recognize the islands, and a minimum of three weeks if you are traveling by plane.
Irian Jaya

This island can be considered one of the last wild corners of the globe. Papuans, who share the island with its eastern Papua New Guinea, are related, culturally and ethnically, with the Papuans of New Guinea, and are similar to the Melanesian South Pacific. Living in one of the most rugged land of the globe (from snowy mountains to mangroves), with fantastic jungle scenery, equatorial glaciers, birds and animSumatra Indonesiaals in abundance and ideal for trekking. It should be stressed Baliem valley, with its unique culture and numerous walking tracks, Sentani, travel by boat around Lake Sentani and Kota Biak for access to the immersion. One should not underestimate the size of West Irian or time or money going to cost displacement, there is no one road to the major cities, and ships are slow and irregular, so the air is often the only option. Incorporation into Indonesia, migration and indiscriminate logging and mining dislike the Papuan indigenous: it has formed a guerrilla movement fighting for a free Papua for nearly thirty years. Requires permission from the local to move many areas.

activates in Indonesia

There are places suitable for diving (with or without tube) in the waters of Bali (Nusa Dua, Sanur, Padangbai) between Comodo and Labuhanbajo in Florida and around the islands of Banda and Pulau Biak, off the northern coast of Irian Western (Irian Jaya). The sea gardens of Sulawesi, particularly around Manado, are legendary. The most popular sites for surfing is located in Ulu WATU (in Bali), Grajagan (in Java) and Nias (opposite Sumatra), but you can enjoy this sport on the southern coast of most of the islands Nusa Tenggara. Windsurfing enthusiasts will enjoy the beaches in the south of Bali. Rafting appears as a new activity for the moment that you can practice on the river Ayung Bali.
Sumatra has attractive walking tracks through the jungle, especially in the Gunung Leuser National Park. Berastagi and Bukit Lawang are also popular for trekking in Sumatra. In the jungles of Borneo and West Irian this is an adventure. For those who want to reach the highest, Mount Bromo in Java and Bali Agung can climb in a day, Gunung Rinjani, the volcano that dominates Lombok, deserves an exhausting trip of three days.

Indonesia History

It is likely that the first inhabitants of the Indonesian archipelago originated in India or Burma. In 1890, there were fossils of Java Man (Homo erectus), some five thousand years old, in East Java. Later, around 3000 BC, the Malays of southern China and Indochina populated archipelago. Java and Sumatra appeared stronger communities, such as the Buddhist Srivijaya empire and the Hindu Mataram kingdom at the end of the seventh century. The last Hindu kingdom of importance was the mayapahit, founded in the thirteenth century. In the fourteenth century, the expansion of Islam through the archipelago mayapahit the people forced to retreat to Bali in the next century.indonesia history
At that time, had already formed a strong Muslim empire based in Melaka (Malacca), the Malay Peninsula. His influence was short-lived and fell under Portuguese domination in 1511. The Dutch displaced the Portuguese and launched raids into Indonesia. The Dutch East India Company, based in Batavia (Jakarta) dominated the spice trade, and controlled Java in the mid eighteenth century, when it was in decline. The Dutch dominated the early nineteenth century and included in their domains across the archipelago, including Aceh and Bali in early-twentieth century.
Among the growing nationalism and the Japanese occupation of the archipelago during World War II, the decision of the Dutch broke, and finally transferred sovereignty to the new Republic of Indonesia in 1949. Achmed Soekarno, the main advocate of the self since the beginning of the 1920s, was named president. In 1957, after a period of parliamentary democracy aimlessly, Sukarno dissolved the parliament, declared martial law and initiated a more authoritarian style of government, which defined the euphemism of guided democracy. And command, Sukarno consolidated his power through the construction of monuments and the socialization of the economy, a decision that increased the gap between rich and poor and left much of the population to the brink of starvation. Rebellions broke out in Sumatra and Sulawesi, Indonesia and Malaysia are dangerously close to a direct confrontation and instability increased. In 1965 there was an attempted coup (purportedly by a Communist group) threatened to remain in power Sukarno.

The president came out victorious in this situation, but was defeated when General Soeharto, who is responsible for crushing the coup, he seized the presidency in 1966. Soeharto introduced a proposed policy changes, but the promises of economic reform and greater transparency in government soon degenerated into a nepotism, cronyism and excessive costs, coupled with the brutal massacre of East Timorese nationalists in Dili in 1975. In March 1998, Soeharto was totally isolated from the people and announced that only five years would remain in office. Therefore fail to meet in late May of that year, his post was occupied by Vice President Jusuf Habibie.

Habibie, who had never enjoyed great popularity, reiterated the same promises of reform, and even seemed likely to grant independence to East Timor. The uncompromising stance with regard to this land led to a chain reaction and sectarian violence, student protests and increased demands for independence were reproduced in Ambon, Borneo (Kalimantan) and West Irian (Irian Jaya). Several groups of offenders, controlled and financed by the Indonesian army as the general belief was revealed in East Timor after the referendum of 1999, concluded with an overwhelming majority vote for independence. Local police forces and the army were sent to crush rebellions other; student protesters were killed in the streets and the country became an inferno.






After several acts of international diplomacy, the United Nations and Australia were involved: the United Nations sent a symbolic number of troops to show their disapproval of the methods in Indonesia, while Australia sent a contingent of his army to East Timor. Indonesia considered it an act of aggression and interference in its domestic politics and the situation reached a high degree of tension. And veiled threats were launched contraamenazas, but none was implemented. Finally, when the atmosphere calmed down, East Timor had received the self so fresh from the ruins of their own country; Habibie had withdrawn from the scene, held the power D. Abdurrahman Wahid, the first democratically elected president, had resigned, General Wiranto, head of the Indonesian army, paramilitary groups were again mixed with the residents of Jakarta, the rupee remained volatile and the relations between Indonesia and Australia remained tense and intermittent but improved slightly. On July 23, 2001 the parliament deposed Indonesian president Wahid for incompetence and corruption, and was replaced by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Sukarno. Megawati, social stability and economic growth. However, he could not fight corruption legislation.

Indonesia Culture & people

Over time, social norms and religious have been refined into a code of behavior called adat or traditional law. Islam, religion in the archipelago, coexists with elements of Hinduism, Buddhism, adat and animism. Especially in Java where there are hundreds of sites, it is believed, has the spiritual energy that can absorb the faithful. Despite the long colonial period, the missionaries succeeded in converting only a small population groups indonesia: the Batak of Sumatra, Sulawesi and the torakos of 95% of the population of Flores are notable examples.312-459~Yali-People-Dancing-at-a-Ceremony-Membegan-Irian-Jaya-New-Guinea-Indonesia-Posters

In the archipelago more than three hundred languages spoken, and most part of the Malay-Polynesian language group. Within this family there are many regional dialects and speeches. The lingua franca of the archipelago, Bahasa Indonesian, Malay is very similar, with many foreigners, shows the time that Indonesia has been in  contact with other cultures. In recent years, teenagers have turned Bahasa Indonesian in a new vernacular and own the latest trends called Bahasa prokem quite incomprehensible to the previous generation.

Batik fabrics are manufactured (method is to apply wax to the fabric and then some color with colorful designs and spectacular) in Indonesia, but the center of production is in Yogyakarta, Java. Other crafts include indonesia ikat, a form of weaving with dyed yarns, and songket, a silk fabric embroidered with gold thread or silver, and Kris, designs often decorated with jewels. Guignol with the Javanese Wayang (puppet) and gamelan (hypnotic music composed mostly of percussive instruments) are also popular artistic forms.

Many Indonesian dishes reflect Chinese influences, but there are others, like those from Sumatra Padang cuisine, typical of the area. The sale of snacks such as potato, nuts, candy, cookies or fruit is widespread. Rice is the basis of every meal, whether it is as if the soup is blended in an assortment of spicy and highly seasoned dishes, salad and pickles. The Nasi goreng (fried rice) can be considered the most common dish, among other highly prized are the sate (skewered meat with peanut sauce and spices), the Gado-Gado (vegetables and beans with peanut sauce) and seafood. This land has a variety of tropical fruits: cherimoya, durians, guavas, bread fruit tree, mangoes, papayas, rambutan and carambola.

Indonesia Map


Botswana Travel

Travel Tour to Botswana
Tourism culture and History tour

Botswana overview

Botswana is the protagonist of one of the richest histories of Africa. This country has long been a neglected British protectorate, became independent in 1966, and immediately found three of the richest diamond mines of the planet. At present it enjoys a relatively enlightened government, and health standards, educational and economic on the continent can be compared with those of South Africa.
Beyond the narrow eastern corridor, which concentrates most of the people, Botswana is a land wild and barely communicated by road, consisting of savannas, deserts, wetlands and salt marshes. To ensure the preservation of the natural heritage of the nation, the government has adopted a policy to encourage only the elite of tourism and low impact. This is a destination for intrepid travelers and affluent.

best time traveling Botswana

The winter (May to August) is a good time to visit Botswana, as the days are usually mild and wild animals are never away from water sources. In any case, should be considered that also coincides with school holidays in Europe, Northern America and South Africa, so it can accommodate many visitors. In general, June, July and early September are the least busy months. This season is not conducive to touring the secondary roads, enjoy the contemplation of the wildlife or explore the Okavango, as the persistent rain could disable the sandy roads and animals disperse when water is abundant.

Holidays & Festival in Botswana

The holidays are summarized on the following dates: 1 and 2 January, Easter, Ascension Day (in April or May), the President's Day (over two days in July) and Independence Day (30 and September 31 ). To these must be added the three-day holiday for Christmas and covering 25, 26 (the date on which gifts to employees at Christmas) and December 27.

Botswana attraction & places


It is almost inevitable to go through the capital to go to the sites of greatest interest in the country. In this city, the distances are long, the traffic, intense, there are hardly any sidewalks, and people are in suburbs and agglomerate floors of buildings. Nor has a business district, the most relevant and focuses on the rides outside. The traveler who likes to enjoy Gaborone Los Angeles, although it lacks the charm of the American metropolis.botswana

Among its main attractions include the National Museum and Art Gallery, which offers a collection of historical artifacts and stuffed animals. The exhibits on the culture san presented a comprehensive view of desert dwellers, while other facilities offer panoramic views of various ethnic cultural communities of Botswana. Small National Gallery combines his background in traditional and contemporary works from Africa and Europe, including some pieces san.

The Book of Animal Gaborone can be seen as a safari tour. This park, 1 km from the capital, has some antelopes next to a white rhino cages. Travelers who prefer to explore the territories with more freedom, you can hire a horse safari in the forest area that lies to the northwest of the city. Gaborone has few options for accommodation and budget travelers. The capital is located near the southeastern border of Botswana with South Africa.
Okavango Delta

The Okavango, called the river that never finds the sea, disappear into a maze of lagoons, canals and islands 15,000 km ² in northwestern Botswana. Delta is the larger interior of the planet, and he lives in an intense wildlife. The presence of many birds, elephants, zebras, buffalo, Nus, giraffes, hippos and Kudus, a kind of antelope. At the heart of the Delta is the Moremi game reserve of which extends over 3,000 km ², cordoned off to protect their residents. Outside this protected space sparse fauna, but also tourists, and maintains the beauty of the landscape.

After about 60 km southwest of Maun Moremi is placed, the administrative center of the delta and its main runway. The eastern part is the most economical. Most guides and skippers are independent and have no license.

If you want to stay close to the wildlife, there are several campsites in Moremi. Camping elsewhere may pose a great danger. Similarly, in other areas of the delta and is located in Maun plenty of campsites and other accommodations, since they have enabled a transport service to Okavango. You can also move by air or bus from Gaborone, some 600 km southwest of Maun, and join a safari. The best way to discover the delta is mokoro (canoe), led by experienced guides with the aid of poles. The most pleasant time to visit the area extends from July to September when water levels are high and weather drier.
Chobe National Park

11,000 km ² surface Chobe harbor the greatest variety of wildlife in Botswana. Kasane, on the northern tip of the park, is your gateway and administrative center. The population does not in itself offers many attractions, but it represents a good base camp for quick visits, besides being the place of arrival if you fly to Chobe.
For tourists with limited time, there is a boat or car by the river, which gathers the majority of animals in the park. The main attraction is the 73,000 elephants grouped in herds of more than five hundred copies and contemplate the consequences of its passage through the area: it seems as if they had bombed. It also means a great opportunity to see lions, cheetahs, hippos, buffaloes, giraffes, antelopes, jackals, wild boar warted, hyenas, crocodiles, otters, zebras and numerous species of birds.

Depressed Mababe-a remnant of a vast lake that once covered northern Botswana-hosts another of the great attractions of the park, the mud of Savuti. Its plain and rugged landscape hosts an extensive wildlife, particularly elephants. Lions, hyenas and Licaón lurking around huge herds of Impala, Nus, buffalos and zebras, as well as an unimaginable amount of antelope. Ngwezumba do not have hordes of animals that inhabit the margins of Savuti, but the clay basins and mopane forests of the area hosting buffalo, elephants and several species of antelope, including the rare oribi.

Kasane, the northernmost point of the country, is located about 800 km north of the capital. You can fly there from Maun, Gaborone and the Victoria Falls, and buses depart Nata, some 250 km south. Once there, travelers will need to make an all-terrain vehicle tours through the area. There are campsites and other accommodations in many areas of the park.

Located about 250 km from Gaborone, in the eastern part of Botswana, Serowe chaotic, with nearly ninety thousand inhabitants, is the second most populated city in the country. Capital ngwato people since King Khama was established there in 1902, houses the headquarters of the Botswana Brigades, a movement that since 1965 has made education a career, most remote areas of the nation.

The Khama III Memorial Museum tells the story of the house, village leaders ngwato. Leapeetswe Khama donated his house, the house red as the seat of the museum. The samples are the personal effects of King and his descendants, as well as manufactured objects illustrating the history of Serowe. It also has an exhibition of natural history, which includes an extensive collection of African insects and a variety of snakes in the region.
botswana travel
In the real cemetery, located on a hill in the town center, you can see the tomb of Khama III and his family next to the ruins of a settlement of the eleventh century. About 20 km to the northwest is the Khama rhino sanctuary, populated by 7 of the 16 rhinos in Botswana.

Tsodilo Hills

Like Uluru, in Australia, these solitary rocks rise abruptly in the middle of an area of undulating wilderness. Are loaded with mythology, legend and spiritual significance for both Makoko to the san dzucwa, which classifies as a place of creation. South African writer Laurens van der Post Tsodilo immortalized as the "slippery hills" when he visited their house is jammed, their recorders failed and he himself was attacked by swarms of bees, apparently because he had offended the spirits of Tsodilo. Thirty-five thousand years, the ancestors of the San lived in Tsodilo, which houses paintings from 3500 years ago. These works were minimalist animals, people and geomorphic designs. Most ocher or white in color, and is probably due to the San peoples, and the later, to the Bantu. Among the most important paintings include a zebra, a whale, a penguin, a rhinoceros and a family of dancers sexually excited. The San peoples mbukushu or have no shops or other services, but it is possible to camp at the base of the hills, where you can dispose of water from a well. It is building a visitor center and several campgrounds. These mountains are located in the north-west, about 800 km from Gaborone, and can be reached by plane or by road in very poor condition but unforgettable.
And Makgadikgadi Pan National Park Nxai

These two areas, located about 100 km east of Maun, were established at the same time and at a practical level, they are considered as a single protected area. Animal Makgadikgadi Reserve in the south, lies between basins, and a beautiful savanna grassland which occupies 4000 km ². The wildlife is overwhelming, although not as dense as at Chobe. Living in the reserve antelopes, lions, hyenas, cheetahs, hippos and a wide variety of birds, but not elephants or buffaloes. The enclave has a campsite with toilets, cold showers and drinking water. To get a road vehicle is required.

The northern part of the park, Nxai Pan, took over 4000 km ². The southern fringe of this complex is composed of small saline. It is one of the few important areas of Botswana during the rainy season, when huge flocks swooped on the grassy pastures of Nxai. Figures can be achieved amazing: thousands of Nus, zebras and Gemsbok (a kind of antelope also known as oryx), along with large groups of antelope and giraffes. Lions, hyenas and Licaón come to hunt, but also one of the few sites where you can see the otoción, a large fox ears. In southern Nxai Pan, Baines of the baobabs have a rich concentration of these trees in 1862 immortalized by the painter Thomas Baines, a member of the expedition of Livingstone. To get to the campsites of Nxai Pan, lack of infrastructure, an all-terrain vehicle. The national park is about 500 km north of Gaborone.
Cuevas Gcwihaba botswana-

These caves, also known as cave Drotsky, have an extensive system of stalagmites and stalactites that reach heights and lengths of up to 10 m. Have been formed thanks to the constant flow of water and the dissolution of the dolomitic rocks, mineral deposits and building decoration of the cave from the roof and floor. The people taught kung first Europeans to these caves, Martinus Drotsky in the mid-1930s. The legend says that this complex is a hidden treasure from the late nineteenth century.

There are two entrances to the caves, but they have no guidelines, lighting and signaling pathways. As the natural light does not penetrate into them, cavers must be provided with adequate lighting systems. Along the way various sections appear particularly dangerous, as any abrupt precipice. However, most of the route is a fairly easy walk through large rooms and passages with seductive side alley. The cave houses many species of bats, including a nose in the form of sheet (hipposideros commersoni). The surroundings provide an ideal setting for some camping, but has no infrastructure. Has not enabled any public transport to Gcwihaba and requires a road vehicle fuel tanks with long range and water to make the journey safely. The caves are located about 650 km northwest of Gaborone, near the northern border with Namibia.

Botswana Activities

Most visitors to South Africa planned at least one safari (journey, in Swahili). It is the ideal way to contact the spectacular wildlife of the region. In general, the tourists made the safari vehicle at an all-powerful, but it is also possible on horseback. Many journeys include the Okavango Delta excursions to islands covered with palm trees, while the Tsodilo Hills are attractive for hiking through the jungle. In the Okavango is possible to fish.

Botswana History

It is believed that the San people (Bushmen) lived in Botswana for thirty thousand years. Followed the Khoi-Khoi (Hottentot) of cattle culture, and later the Bantu, who migrated from regions in northwest and eastern Africa between I and II century AD and settled along the Chobe River. Until the eighteenth century the various Bantu groups, such as tsuana, grouped in small communities coexisted peacefully in the Kalahari. Disputes advocating separation by mutual agreement.

By 1800, the pasture land along the Kalahari were occupied by pastoralists, and peaceful separation was no longer a feasible solution to the dissension. Moreover, the Europeans had arrived in Cape Town and is spreading north. After the union of the Zulu tribes in South Africa in 1818, settlers attacked the villages scattered tsuana, enhancing their vulnerability. In response, regrouped and their society was structured in a complex: a hereditary monarchy tsuana regulate each nation and the people living in towns and villages centralized satellite.

The order and structure of tsuana society impressed the Christian missionaries, which were introduced in the early nineteenth century. Failed to evangelize the vast majority, but managed to advise them, sometimes wrongly, in their dealings with Europeans. Meanwhile, the Boers began the great migration (Great Trek, 1834-1844) into the Vaal, crossing the territory and imposing tsuana Zulu and Western law. Many Indians working in the Boer farms, but the rebellion and violence led to the failure of this partnership work. In 1877, the animosity had grown so that the British intervened to annex the Transvaal, triggering the first war of the Boers. After the 1881 convention Pretoria Boer pressure decreased, but returned the following year to land tsuana, who returned to claim the protection of Britain.

The intervention of United Kingdom led to indigenous people to accept its conditions. The lands south of the Molopo River became known as the Crown Colony of British Bechuanaland, while the area north became the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland (now Botswana). Not counting the years when Britain ceded control to the South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes, dominated the country until 1966. Nationalism had developed extensively during the fifties and sixties. After the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, formed the Bechuanaland People's Party, whose aim was focused on independence. In 1965 general elections were held, and Seretse Khama was elected president. On September 30, 1966, the Republic of Botswana gained independence.

With the discovery of diamond mines near Orapa in 1967, Botswana was economically transformed. Although most of the population belonged to the poorest, this mineral wealth provided the country huge foreign exchange reserves, and the polish has become one of the major African currencies. But in 1999, the international diamond market slumped, and the first budget deficit in 16 years in Botswana. In any case in relation to the rest of the African continent continues to enjoy great stability and wealth. The government is considered pro-Western and pragmatic, although there is some concern about the increasing military spending on infrastructure. Currently, the country's biggest problems are unemployment, the influx of rural population to the cities and the high birth rate.

At present, the major problems in Botswana are unemployment, AIDS, population exodus to the cities and an unstoppable birth rate, which has begun to slow in recent years by the spread of HIV and AIDS in age for having children. The country suffered a devastating flood in 2000 that left 70,000 homeless, while droughts in recent years have caused great suffering, especially in the west. In 2004, the rate of HIV infection and AIDS in Botswana was 37.5%, and the country attended a dreadful migratory influx of refugees from Zimbabwe. Despite these challenges, Botswana remains a peaceful nation.

Botswana Culture & people

In the primitive religions of Botswana tribal chiefs of the clans headed family issues from the underworld. Among the rites of initiation ceremonies highlighted the male and female and rituals to bring rain. Practiced polygamy, and property inherited from a man the children of his first wife. Folklore San (Bushman) is very rich, and provides explanations of supernatural events earthly N_odima orchestrated by the good, and Gcawama, the mischievous trickster. The missionaries went almost all the traditional customs and Christianity is now the dominant doctrine in the country. The English is the official language, but speech is the most used tsuana, a Bantu language means that approximately 90% of the population.

The artisans of the Botswana primitive aesthetics applied to individual instruments and utensils of daily use. Pottery, fabrics and tools were his most important contributions. The baskets have exquisite designs such evocative names as Tears of the Giraffe, a trace of rust in front of the bull or the zebra. Since there was no writing in indigenous languages, the country does not have a significant literary tradition. The ancient myths and religious poetry of Aboriginal was passed on orally, and was not transcribed until recently. The best-known contemporary literary figure was Bessie Head (1937-1986), originally from South Africa, who took refuge in Serowe, and her novels focus on the beauty of rural life.

In traditional society, men tend the herds and subsisted primarily for meat and milk, while women gathered and consumed wild fruits and vegetables. Currently, millet and sorghum porridge form the basis of gastronomy Botswana, but are being replaced by imported maize meal. The people of remote areas supplement their diet with morama, a tuber, and an edible mushroom known as the Kalahari truffle. You can also find dishes cooked with the mopane worm, a larva similar to a caterpillar that can be cooked in hot ash, boiled in salt water or dried and fried. Among the highlights traditional drinks palm wine, strong and illegal, but tolerated, and kgadi, a distillation of brown sugar or mushrooms. Among the laws include bojalwa, a sorghum beer economic

Botswana Map