Unpretentious Melbourne: Arts Heart of Australia
As so often in Australia’s history, Melbourne was founded through deception when adventurer John Batman, an Australian fluent in several aboriginal languages, made a “deal” with aborigines to lease land on behalf of speculators.
While offering the Aborigines any compensation at all was progressive in a colonial culture that preferred to simply run them off the land, the fact that the native people had little understanding of rents, leases or indeed, the concept that land was something to be bought, sold and leased at all, made his arrangements no less exploitive. In return for a long term lease of 240,000 hectares of the finest grazing land in Australia, Batman gave the aborigines axes, salt, flour, blankets and jewelry. The total value of the goods was said to have been around £200.
Colonial administrators later declared his leases invalid, claiming that the government, not the Aborigines, were the true owners of the land. After paying Batman compensation, they took over the lands and founded a settlement as the seat of regional government. The settlement became the city of Melbourne in 1837, named after Viscount Melbourne, the British prime minister at the time.
A strict town plan
Melbourne’s location was its strongest suit. While the “acquired” farmland was of excellent quality, the city’s location on the banks of the Yarra River and well protected Port Phillip Bay contributed to its rapid commercial development. The influx of energetic immigrants and eager investors from England were factors in the economic growth of the young city.
Once the city had 5,000 residents, city planners intervened and imposed a strict grid plan to check chaotic growth in every direction. Melbourne’s planners decreed that every main street would be exactly 30 metres wide, with perpendicular side streets one third that width. The strict grid plan has been in place ever since.
Melbourne became the capital of the new Victoria Colony in 1851. As luck would have it, miners in the outback came upon a rich seam of gold just four days later. Melbourne prospered like no other city on the continent, even after the gold rush waned.
A second boom was sparked by industrial development and immigration after World War II. Melbourne’s population more than tripled, and the plains around the Yarra River gradually grew crowded as 3 million people from 140 nations arrived to claim their piece of the Australian dream.
City planners again stepped in, authorising the construction and development of suburbs and satellite towns. In the downtown commercial districts, Melbourne began building upward and skyscrapers shot up on the horizon.
A rather unassuming city, Melbourne’s grand sights are few in comparison to stylish Sydney. Of course, there is still a great deal to see, including the Melbourne Museum, the State Parliament, the royal exhibition buildings, the Stock Market, majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Flinders Street Station. Freshwater Place is a luxury residential complex, with a striking, elegant design that makes it Australia’s thinnest building as well as one of its tallest.
Melbourne is well known for book shops, live shows and the arts. Many northerners desperate for culture travel south to Melbourne for their arts fix. Melbourne hosts a world class writers festival and comedy festival.
Melbourne is also renowned for sports. The annual Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix held at the Albert Park Circuit is famous around the world, but there are many more sporting highlights to experience.
The professional tennis season starts here with the Australian Open, drawing the best players in the world to compete in the first of four major tournaments. Local sports attract an even greater following.
When the Magpies, Bombers and Kangaroos take the field, life is frozen in time. Melbourne’s football players have always been their sports heroes, but cricket and rugby are also popular. The Grand Final of the Australian Football League (AFL) takes place each year at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. One of the eight Melbourne teams usually participates.
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Modest Melbourne: Australian Football Capital of Australia
As so often in Australia’s history, Melbourne was founded through deception when adventurer John Batman, an Australian fluent in several aboriginal languages, made a “deal” with aborigines to lease land on behalf of speculators.
While offering the Aborigines any compensation at all was progressive in a colonial culture that preferred to simply run them off the land, the fact that the native people had little understanding of rents, leases or indeed, the concept that land was something to be bought, sold and leased at all, made his arrangements no less exploitative. In return for a long term lease of 240,000 hectares of the finest grazing land in Australia, Batman gave the aborigines axes, salt, flour, blankets and jewelry. The total value of the goods was said to have been around £200.
Colonial rulers later declared his leases unlawful, claiming that the government, not the Aborigines, were the true owners of the land. After paying Batman compensation, they took over the lands and founded a settlement as the seat of regional government. The settlement became the city of Melbourne in 1837, named after Viscount Melbourne, the British prime minister at the time.
A strict town plan
Melbourne s location was its strongest advantage. While the “acquired” farmland was of excellent quality, the citys location on the banks of the Yarra River and well protected Port Phillip Bay contributed to its rapid commercial development. The influx of energetic immigrants and eager investors from England were determinants in the economic growth of the young city.
Once the city had 5,000 residents, city planners intervened and imposed a strict grid plan to check chaotic growth in every direction. Melbournes planners decreed that every main street would be exactly 30 metres wide, with perpendicular side streets one third that width. The strict grid plan has been in place ever since.
Melbourne became the capital of the new Victoria Colony in 1851. As luck would have it, miners in the outback came upon a rich seam of gold just four days later. Melbourne prospered like no other city on the continent, even after the gold rush waned.
A second boom was sparked by industrial development and immigration after World War II. Melbournes population more than tripled, and the plains around the Yarra River gradually grew crowded as 3 million people from 140 nations arrived to claim their piece of the Australian dream.
City planners again stepped in, authorising the construction and development of suburbs and satellite towns. In the downtown commercial districts, Melbourne began building upward and skyscrapers shot up on the horizon.
A rather unassuming city, Melbournes grand sights are few in comparison to stylish Sydney. Of course, there is still a great deal to see, including the Melbourne Museum, the State Parliament, the royal exhibition buildings, the Stock Market, majestic St. Patrick s Cathedral and Flinders Street Station. Freshwater Place is a luxury residential complex, with a striking, elegant design that makes it Australias thinnest building as well as one of its tallest.
Melbourne is well known for book shops, live shows and the arts. Many northerners desperate for culture travel south to Melbourne for their arts fix. Melbourne hosts a world class writers festival and comedy festival.
Melbourne is also renowned for sports. The annual Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix held at the Albert Park Circuit is famous around the world, but there are many more sporting highlights to enjoy.
The professional tennis season starts here with the Australian Open, drawing the best players in the world to compete in the first of four major tournaments. Local sports attract an even greater following.
When the Magpies, Bombers and Kangaroos take the field, life is put on hold. Melbournes football players have always been their sports heroes, but cricket and rugby are also popular. The Grand Final of the Australian Football League (AFL) takes place each year at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. One of the eight Melbourne teams usually participates.
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Magical Taipei: Capital of Taiwan
After climbing 508 metres up the Taipei 101 tower, the highest structure in the world, it can be seen easily from anywhere in the city, one can look down on the genuine Taipei amidst all the modern buildings: temples, markets, the National Palace Museum and in between them, the many old streets and lanes where everyday life in Taipei actually happens.
First steps
There was a swamp at the site of Taipei about 300 years ago, right where one of Asia’s most modern cities now stands. Only the Pingpu, the original inhabitants of Formosa, who lived in the higher lying regions around the Taipei Basin, were able to reach this area by canoe.
Han Chinese from China came later to fish and exchange goods, but they stayed on the banks of the Tarsui River and did not travel into the area of modern Taipei. In 1709, a Chinese farmer named Chen Lai Chang from Chuanchou laid the cornerstone of a farm house in Takala, which is now central Taipei. From then onwards, the number of residents continually increased. The original settlement was known as Manka.
From Manka to Tataocheng
The administration of Manka and the surrounding region was mainly handled by immigrants from various parts of mainland China. Because of differing views regarding the future of the administrative structure, tensions between the residents soon escalated. The violent confrontations that resulted came to an end in 1823.
One of the groups that was defeated fled from Manka, on the bank of the Tamsui River, to Tataocheng. There they began to make the land arable land laid the foundations for a flourishing community. Tataocheng surpassed Manka in the nineteenth century, and became the centre of Taipei Prefecture in 1875.
Fast development
When the Japanese colonised Taipei in 1895, they built their main district in Taipei, and the city continued to develop steadily thereafter, even after the departure of the occupiers in 1945 and after the break with mainland China. Within a hundred years, the once rural district had developed into the administrative, economic and cultural centre of Taiwan.
Manka, Tataocheng and Chengnei have all lost their original appearance, but a number of historically important sites have been preserved, including the Lin Family Villa and Garden, once the home of a very influential clan in the nineteenth century, as well as the Peace Park and the 1919 Presidential Palace.
Modern city with established traditions
Today, all glass office high rises, luxury condominiums and modern shopping districts are situated along wide, tree lined boulevards. Elegant restaurants, stylish nightclubs and appearances by international stars are all part of people’s lives. Yet the traditional culture and way of life carries on below the contemporary surface.
Everywhere you go, you stumble on timeless scenes: believers praying to their gods in ancient temples, long religious processions winding their way through the streets to the accompaniment of firecrackers, and little shops offering herbal medicines that have been relied upon for millennia. Clearly, this is one of the oldest cultures in the world.
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Beautiful Vilnius Lithuania: City of Churches
The Lithuanian city of Vilnius exudes southern charm under the northern sun. Nestled in the natural amphitheatre of the surrounding Lithuanian hills, Vilnilus has much to offer Australian tourists besotted with historical architecture.
Vilnius, which can look back on a thousand years of Lithuanian history, boasts one of the largest historical town centres in Eastern Europe. Among its almost 1,500 buildings are representatives of nearly every European architectural style and historical period. Vilnius has wonderful examples of architecture from the Gothic, Renaissance, baroque, neoclassical and Jugendstil periods, all of which are located within easy walking distance of the town centre. The uniqueness of the Old City of Vilnius led to its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.
Heathens and Christians.
After most of Europe had adopted Christianity and prayed to a single God, the people of Vilnius continued to pray to their pantheon of heathen deities. For centuries, it mattered little. Founded in the eleventh century as a walled fortress at the convergence of the Vilnia and Neris Rivers, the city has always been well protected from invaders.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t until Vilnius became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania under Prince Gediminas in 1323 that other nations took an interest in its economic potential. The German confederation, Poland and the Russian czar all cast their greedy eyes on Vilnius, each wanting a share of its wealth and prosperity. Merchants, businessmen and priests arrived in their hundreds, and with them came Christian missionaries. Soon afterward, most Lithuanians finally became Christian.
The Jesuits in Vilnius.
As a result, unlike many of the other cities in the Baltic region, Vilnius became an eastern outpost of the Roman Catholic Church, and a multitude of glorious baroque churches and buildings greets visitors today. In the wake of the Reformation, a period of intense building activity was begun under the patronage of the Jesuit order.
Jesuit activities were also at the heart of Vilnius’ intellectual revival, as the first Jesuit University was founded in 1579. Today, the University Quarter is recognized as a one of a kind architectural ensemble. Its buildings were inspired primarily by the styles of the early Italian baroque. Its courtyards, the church of St. John the Baptist, the clock tower, the observatory and the library are unparalleled anti City of churches. Vilnius lost its political significance following the union of Lithuania with Poland in 1569.
From this point onwards, rulers and occupying forces came and went. The city suffered greatly, again and again bowing to the will of more powerful nations. The construction of churches, however, continued unabated and Vilnius became known as “the Rome of the East”, a city noted for its abundance of churches and cloisters. Rapid growth continued to attract craftsmen, artists and labourers to the city, and by the beginning of the nineteenth century, Vilnius was the third most populous city in eastern Europe: only Moscow and St. Petersburg were larger.
Vilnius today.
After fifty years of occupation by the Soviet Union, Lithuania gained its independence in 1990, and Vilnius was made the capital of the modern, democratic state. Lithuanians are busy restoring their city today, in full recognition of the weight of history.
More than buildings need to be restored; the very identity of Vilnius needs to be restored as well. As the Lithuanian government proudly proclaims, “here we are not only repairing the facades, but also the foundations”. The president of Lithuania resides in a residence near the towers of the university, in the midst of the lively Old City. An office and business quarter has recently been established nearby, on the opposite bank of the Neris River. Vilnius, already a growing tourist destination, has set its sight on once again becoming the economic centre of the Baltic.
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Unforgetable Vienna: History and Profile
Located in the very heart of Europe, Vienna is both a bustling city and a city famous for its coffee houses, historic districts, beautiful parks, elegant squares and romantic courtyards.
Vienna means cafe culture, music and wine. Where else can one so happily spend all day sitting in a cafe, reading a magazine, sipping a Viennese coffee or drinking a glass or two of wine?
Roman Vindobona, founded in the year 15 CE, was completely destroyed by the Germanic migrations of the fourth and fifth centuries. With the Roman legions long gone, only a small settlement remained. The name Vindobona is likely a version of the Celtic “Vedunia”, which means “torrent”, a reference to the settlement’s location on the banks of the famous Danube River.
Vienna was a city of doubtful reputation at the end of the twelfth century. Its ruler, Duke Leopold V, was complicit in the abduction of the English king, Richard Lionheart, on his way back from the Crusades. The two noblemen had clashed during the Third Crusade.
Forced to stop in Vienna, Richard was recognised and arrested. A huge ransom was paid for his freedom, roughly twenty five tons of silver, an enormous sum for those days. The duke used the silver to found a mint, the vast profits from which enabled him to grow the city and build new fortifications. Although Emperor Henry VI had given his blessing to the duke’s illegal activities, the pope had not, and in 1194 Leopold V was excommunicated.
The first version of Vienna’s cathedral was completed in 1147 as a small parish church, and was actually too large for the tiny population of Vienna at that time. The city would not become important for another decade, after it was named capital of the Duchy of Austria. A hundred years later, the original church was replaced by one built in the Romanesque style. Its facade, known as the Roman Towers, was preserved when construction of a Gothic church began in 1340.
In 1359, Duke Rudolf IV placed the cornerstone for the soaring Gothic nave, which was completed in 1474. Vienna’s early dukes had not been successful in elevating the town to a bishop’s see, which was necessary for St. Stephen’s to be declared a cathedral; it had always been simply a church within the diocese of Passau. It did not become the seat of a bishop, and thus formally a cathedral, until 1469. St. Stephen’s has undergone many changes since then. As tastes changed, the interior and exterior were altered to reflect the times. Recent restoration has uncovered traces of older versions of Vienna’s beloved “Steffl”, as the church is known locally.
The sixteenth century was very much focused on rebuilding Vienna’s fortifications, which had been damaged during the Turkish siege of 1529. Work was not quite finished when the Turks returned in 1684. They were stopped just outside Vienna, the gateway to Europe, and never got that far again. Bombardment from Turkish positions in what is today the Wienerwald (”Vienna Woods”) left the city badly damaged in the wake of the Turkish retreat.
Rebuilding Vienna brought a large number of baroque architects to the city. The most beautiful buildings from that time are noble and royal residences, including the Schonbrunn, Liechtenstein, Schwarzenberg and Belvedere Palaces.
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Visit Goa and be Amazed by it’s Historical Wealth and Beauty
Goa may be Southern India’s smallest state, but it’s also one of the country’s most popular travel destinations, and historically, culturally and socially it offers a lot.
The former Portuguese colony has beckoned travellers for many years with its palm-fringed beaches, liberal attitudes and tourist-friendly locals. Times are changing for India’s laid-back holiday destination, though.
Central government laws banning rock music in public spaces after 10 pm have curtailed the famous all-night rave parties, while the increase in charter and package tourism has resulted in raging development at many of the once-pristine beach resorts.
Away from the tourism, Goa has a character quite distinct from the rest of India and offers much more than just the hedonism of sun, sand and sea. Despite four decades of ‘liberation’ from Portuguese colonial rule, Roman Catholicism remains a major religion in Goa, skirts far outnumber saris, and the people display an easy-going tropical indulgence, humour and civility.
Glowing, Portuguese-style white churches, paddy fields, dense coconut palm groves, and crumbling forts guarding rocky capes make up the Goan vista. Markets are lively, colourful affairs, and siesta is widely observed during the hot afternoons. Goans love to celebrate and this is reflected in the huge number of feasts and festivals.
Farming, fishing, tourism and mining form the basis of the economy, although the last two sources of income are sometimes at odds with the first. Mining has caused damage to paddy fields, and the five-star tourist resorts, with their swimming pools, have placed a heavy strain on water supplies. Even the popular beach shack restaurants may be under threat, as rising rent and taxes are making it difficult for small business owners to make a living.
History
Goa’s history stretches back to the 3rd century BC when it formed part of the Mauryan empire. Later it was ruled by the Satavahanas of Kolhapur with control eventually passed to the Chalukyas of Badami from AD 580 to 760.
Goa fell to the Muslims for the first time in 1312, but the invaders were pushed out in 1370 by Harihara I of the Vijayanagar empire. whose capital was at Hampi. Over the next 100 years Goa’s harbours were important destinations for ships carrying Arabian horses to Hampi to strengthen the Vijayanagar mounted army.
Blessed as it is by natural harbours and wide rivers, Goa was the ideal base for the seafaring Portuguese, who arrived in 1510 aiming to control the spice route from the east. They also had a strong desire to spread Christianity.
Jesuit missionaries led by St Francis Xavier arrived in 1542. For a while, Portuguese control was limited to a limited area around Old Goa, but by the middle of the 16th century it had grown to encompass the provinces of Bardez and Salcete. The Portuguese wielded power with a high degree of religious zeal.
The Inquisition arrived in Goa in 1560, and for two hundred years its tribunal brutally imposed its will, outlawing the practice of Hinduism and murdering Christians who were suspected of being morally corrupt.
Despite this climate of fear, the fortunes made from the spice trade led to Goa’s golden age, and the colony became the seat of the Portuguese empire of the east. It’s difficult to understand these days that Portugal was a super-power. But competition from the British, French and Dutch in the 17th century led to a decline.
The Marathas almost removed the Portuguese in the late 18th century and there was a brief occupation by the British during the wars of Napoleon Wars in Europe. But it was not until 1961, when they were ejected by Indian forces under the orders of Prime Minister Nehru, that the Portuguese finally slunk away from Goa.
In 1967, Goans voted against being merged with Maharashtra, and Goa was officially recognised as India’s 25th state in 1987. For the past decade, political instability has plagued the Goan government. There were three changes of government in 1999 alone, along with a four-month period of President’s Rule, during which the Indian central government assumed power.
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Vanuatu and Tonga - Hidden Treasures in the Pacific
Vanuatu consists of more than eighty islands, located about 2000 kilometres north-east of Queensland. The largest island, Espiritu Santo, is 4010 square kilometres. Australia is a mainly a flat land, but most of Vanuatu’s islands are dominated by mountainous regions. The highest peak, Mt Tabwemasana (1880 metres), is on Espiritu Santo. The Earth beneath Vanuatu is unstable, and there is volcanic and earthquake activity.
Vanuatu has been inhabited for more than 3000 years. Separate communities developed, but trade between islands was common, and canoes were used to move people and produce.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to come to Vanuatu, in 1606. Next I came the French in 1768, then the British led by Captain James Cook in 1774. Cook named the islands the ‘New Hebrides’. During the 1840s, traders and missionaries made contact.
From 1887 to 1980 control over the New Hebrides was shared by France and Britain. During World War II, the New Hebrides were a key base for the Allies in the battles to prevent the Japanese taking control of the South Pacific and Australia. Vanuatu gained independence on 30 July 1980.
About 200 000 people live in Vanuatu, the same number as in Hobart. Most people live on the islands of Efate, Espiritu Santo, Malakula and Tanna. Unlike Australia, 95 per cent of people in Vanuatu are indigenous. They are known as Ni-Vanuatu, and like Aboriginal Australians they have a special relationship with their land.
The remaining five per cent consist of French, Australian, New Zealand, Vietnamese and Chinese people, as well as other Pacific Islanders. Three main languages are spoken — English, French and Bislama (a form of pidgin English).
The literacy rate in Vanuatu is {poor|low}, and most students do not attend secondary school. But, in Port Vila, there is a technical college and a campus of the University of the South Pacific.
The economy is centred around farming, and major agricultural exports are beef and cocoa. Most people are involved in subsistence agriculture. There is also a large timber industry, and tourism is important to the economy, providing work in tourist areas, such as Vila.
The Country of Tonga
Tonga lies about 650 kilometres east of Fiji. It consists of 150 islands, and 40 of them are inhabited. The capital city is Nuku’alofa, which is on Tongatapu, the main island.
Polynesians first settled in Tonga about 3500 years ago. Captain James Cook made several visits during the 1770s and named the islands the Friendly Islands. Tonga gained full independence from Britain on 4 June 1970, but remains a member of the Commonwealth. Kings and queens have ruled Tonga for more than 1000 years. The reigning king is Taufa’ahau Tupou IV.
The population of Tonga is approximately 110 000, which is similar to the population of Cairns. Most people are of Polynesian descent, and they speak English and Polynesian. They are committed Christians with the main denomination being the Free Wesleyan Church.
The economy of Tonga revolves around agriculture and fishing, with pumpkins, coconuts and bananas being major crops. Education is important in Tonga, and school is compulsory for children between the ages of six and 14.
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Piazza San Marco - One of Venice’s Most Beautiful Squares
One of the world’s most beautiful squares, Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) is the heart of Venice, a vast open space bordered by an orderly procession of arcades marching toward the fairy tale cupolas and marble lacework of the Basilica di San Marco.
Perpetually packed by day with tourists and fluttering pigeons, it can be magical at night, especially in winter, when mists swirl around the lamp posts and the Campanile.
If you face the basilica from in front of the Correr Museum, you’ll notice that rather than being a strict rectangle, this square opens wider at the basilica end, creating the illusion that it’s even larger than it is.
The Piazza was paved in the late 13th century with bricks laid in a herringbone pattern. Bands of light stone ran parallel to the long axis of the main piazza. These lines were probably used to help set up market stalls and in organising frequent ceremonial processions. This original pavement design can be seen in paintings of the late Middle Ages and through the Renaissance, such as Gentile Bellini’s Procession in Piazza San Marco of 1496.
On your left, the long, arcaded building is the Procuratie Vecchie, built in the early 16th century as offices and residences for the powerful procurators of San Marco. On your right is the Procuratie Nuove, built half a century later in a more grandiose classical style.
It was originally planned by Venice’s great Renaissance architect, Sansovino, to carry on the look of his Libreria Sansoviniana (Sansovinian Library), but he died before construction on the Nuove had begun. Vincenzo Scamozzi (circa 1552-1616), a neoclassicist pupil of Andrea Palladio (1508-80), completed the design and construction. Still later, the Procuratie Nuove was modified by architect Baldassare Longhena (1598-1682), one of Venice’s baroque masters.
When Napoleon entered Venice with his soldiers in 1797, he called Piazza San Marco “the world’s most beautiful drawing room” and promptly gave orders to redecorate it. His architects demolished a 16th-century church with a Sansovino facade in order to build the Ala Napoleonica (Napoleonic Wing), or Fabbrica Nuova (New Building), which linked the two 16th-century procuratie and effectively enclosed the piazza.
Piazzetta San Marco, the “little square” leading from Piazza San Marco to the waters of Bacino San Marco (St. Mark’s Basin), is a landing that was once the grand entryway to the Republic. It’s distinguished by two columns towering above the waterfront.
One is topped by the winged lion, a traditional emblem of St. Mark that became the symbol of Venice itself; the other supports St. Theodore, the city’s first patron, along with his dragon. Between these columns the Republic traditionally executed convicts.
It takes a full day to take in everything on the piazza thoroughly; so if time is limited you’ll have to prioritize. Plan on one to two hours for the Basilica and its Pala d’Oro, Galleria, and Museo Marciano. You’ll want at least two hours to appreciate the Palazzo Ducale. Do take time to enjoy the piazza itself from a cafe table, or on a clear day, from atop the Campanile.
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