Surf and European heritage in Chile

Chile’s European heritage is pervasive, meaning that Western travelers here are less conspicuous than in neighboring Peru and Bolivia. For centuries, the Paris education of many Chilean intellectuals influenced the country’s art, music and architecture. Important art galleries, museums and a thriving theater scene are the result. The country’s art, literature and music have been influential internationally. Chile has spawned the Nobel Prize-winning poets Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda and, until the military coup of 1973, its cinema was among the most experimental in Latin America. Folk music has been an especially important outlet for the country’s oppressed, and was frequently performed overseas by exiles during Pinochet’s reign. Over 90% of the population is Roman Catholic, though evangelical Protestantism is becoming increasingly popular. The country’s Catholic architecture is impressive and ubiquitous, from grandiose colonial churches to roadside shrines, some of which are extraordinary manifestations of folk art. Spanish is Chile’s official language, though a handful of native languages are still spoken. In the north, there are more than 20,000 speakers of Aymara, and in the south there are perhaps half a million speakers of Mapuche. The most intriguing linguistic minority is the 2000-plus speakers of Rapa Nui, the Polynesian language of most of Easter Island’s population  

Read more : http://www.donquijote.org/tourist/profiles/paises/chile/culture.asp and http://www.visit-chile.org/index.php?content=destinos&z=desierto&d=arica

Add comment March 25th, 2010

This is Vancouver

Aboriginal participation is a key element of our sustainability mandate and is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the value it brings to the Olympic Movement.

We’re working closely with our partners, including the Four Host First Nations, to encourage Aboriginal people across Canada to participate in as many areas of the 2010 Winter Games as possible, be it as athletes, volunteers, employees, entrepreneurs, artists and performers, spectators or cultural ambassadors.

In 1999, the IOC adopted Agenda 21: Sport for Sustainable Development, which includes the objective to “strengthen the inclusion of women, youth and Indigenous peoples in the Games.”

“One of our greatest challenges is that Indigenous participation is relatively new to the Olympic Movement – there is no template we can follow – no clear indicators for how we measure our success. Indigenous participation in past Games, such as Calgary and Salt Lake City, has focused primarily on ceremonies and cultural programs. We plan to go beyond that, to set the bar higher, with the hope that future Organizing Committees can be inspired and learn from our experience.” – Gary Youngman, Consulting Director, Aboriginal Participation  

Read more : Read more: http://www.vancouver2010.com/paralympic-games/

Création sites internet | Domain name registration and on-line web product store

Add comment February 22nd, 2010

South Africa Day Hikes

If you instantly form a picture of backpacks and tents the moment someone mentions hiking, then you are in for a pleasant surprise! Day hikes are a big feature of the South African outdoor landscape with many venues and destinations catering to walkers who want to get out of the city for a few hours and breathe the soot out of their lungs.

Day hikes are generally within the city limits themselves, or just a short drive away so that urban residents can still get home before dark. The Magaliesberg, just outside of Johannesburg is a perfect example of a day hiking destination. A mere 45-minute drive from Johannesburg, this mountain range has a number of day hikes and caters specifically for the day visitor.

In Cape Town, Table Mountain is another excellent example. Overnight camping is prohibited within the reserve, which means that all of the 500 odd trails on the mountain are in fact day hikes that you can try out 

Read more: http://www.southafrica.net/

Add comment September 3rd, 2009