WorldWide Travels of a Common Man
Publisher: Lulu
Published: 2007
Table of contents: title: Chapter 1 Behind the Iron Curtain; title: Chapter 2 In and Out Of Africa; title: Chapter 3 Land of the Vikings; title: Chapter 4 Land of the Rising Sun; title: Chapter 5 Islands of Paradise and Fantasy; title: Chapter 6 Western Europe; title: Chapter 7 North America; title: Chapter 8 Central Asia; title: Chapter 9 The Middle East; title: Chapter 10 South East Asia; title: Chapter 11 Meso-American Territory; title: Chapter 12 South America; title: Chapter 13 The Australian Outback; title: Chapter 14 In and Around the Indian Ocean; title: Chapter 1; title: The first chapter describes the early years of the journey behind the Iron curtain in; title: Poland, Berlin and the Soviet Union. The political and historical events such as the rise of; title: the Solidarity Union in Poland as well as the collapse of Communism with the falling of; title: the Berlin Wall are chronicled into the draconian descriptions of living and working in; title: Eastern Europe. An account is also provided of some of the magnificent architecture; title: encountered along the way.; title: Chapter 2; title: Chapter 2 covers the southern Africa continent as the writer describes life in post colonial; title: Zambia and travels to Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe; title: (formerly Rhodesia), Zanzibar and the Zaire Congo. Particular details are portrayed about; title: the magnificent scenery and the game parks and how tribalism is still a part of everyday; title: life even as the countries have gained their independence from colonial powers over the; title: last thirty years.; title: Chapter 3; title: Land of the Vikings traces the history of Scandinavia over the last 1000 years by; title: detailing the authors travel through the most historic cities and historic sites of every; title: country in the region. The many myths surrounding the Viking era are discussed and; title: dispelled as many of their ancient artifacts are gradually uncovered and their nomadic life; title: reconstructed.; title: Chapter 4; title: Land of the Rising Sun is totally devoted to travel to the major cities and tourist; title: attractions in Southern Japan with references that illustrate the history during the last; title: millennium. Of particular interest are the three ancient capitals and how they compare to; title: the massive metropolis of arguably the World's most modern city, Tokyo. The unique; title: facets of Japanese society are addressed in some detail as the country has developed over; title: the years since World War II.; title: Chapter 5; title: Islands of Paradise and Fantasy provides an account of world wide renown resort islands; title: where people eagerly venture to find their own "Shangri La". From the many beautiful; title: but unique Caribbean islands that extend from the Bahamas to the Venezuela coast and; title: onwards to the Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Oahu then Bali and La Isla Bonita, off the; title: Central American coast, each place has its own charm, beauty, history and story to tell.; title: Chapter 6; title: This chapter details a journey around many of the two dozen countries in Europe while; title: addressing its complex history. From Portugal in the far -West to Greece in the East the; title: uniqueness of each countries, sometimes breathtaking scenery is described. The; title: architecture and its people's culture are also illustrated and highlighted in many of; title: Western Europe's most visited cities. The last one thousand year history is well; title: documented in its relation to society lifestyles in the present day.; title: Chapter 7; title: The massive North American Continent is described through its contrasting landscapes; title: wondrous National Parks and the most important cities. The Social-economic issues in; title: the USA are also related as the chapter progresses from city to city including the major; title: differences between Canada and the USA. For one common language and few varieties; title: of religious beliefs, no one continent possesses such a diversity of life in its short history; title: in time.; title: Chapter 8; title: Central Asia as one of the world's unstable places, which stretches over 7000 miles east; title: from Turkey to the depths of Soviet Sakhalin Island at the doorstep of Japan, is; title: characterized by poverty and a constant decline in many city infrastructures.; title: The region is a volatile boiling pot of many different religions and cultures that are; title: examined in some detail in an area that evolved along Marco Polo's Silk Road and the; title: infamous exploits of Genghis Khan.; title: Chapter 9; title: This description of the world's Holy Land region is chartered through Saudi Arabia, the; title: richest oil nation and its changing way of life, particularly among women, the United; title: Arab Emirates and the tranquil island of Bahrain. The life and society of this land of; title: continuous conflict that was immortalized by Thesinger is more than any other continent; title: dominated by the religious beliefs of its people; title: Chapter 10; title: This chapter begins in Indonesia, the world's longest archipelago on the Pacific "Ring of; title: Fire", with 17 active volcanoes and traverses north through the lush Malay peninsular to; title: the "Super State " of Singapore, Bangkok, the "City of Angels" and the nerve center of; title: South East Asia, Hong Kong. The earth's most diverse array of language, religion,; title: culture and beliefs is highlighted while traveling through the region.; title: Chapter 11; title: Central America's complicated history and development has been heavily influenced by; title: the USA to the north, South America and the conquistadors from Spanish Europe. This; title: subject that spans almost 700 years is related while traveling extensively in Mexico and; title: down to Belize. In particular, the beauty of the Mexican Riviera, the Yucatan Peninsula; title: and its Mayan heritage are compared to the polluted, bewildering Mexico City metropolis; title: and other industrial cities.; title: Chapter 12; title: The character and Latino spirit of South America is conferred with visits to a surrealistic; title: but unstable Colombia, a humble conservative Bolivia and the unpredictable Brazilian; title: outback. Its sometimes turbulent history and Hispanic influence has produced a people; title: whose passion for life, festivals and celebrations is not experienced anywhere else on the; title: planet. The region has therefore produced many martyr's and liberators such as Che; title: Guevara and Simon Bolivar.; title: Chapter 13; title: The Australian outback is a narrative that traces the origins of the Aboriginees, their; title: habits and culture, and the first arrival of the British and the penal colony. Specifically; title: the North West region of the country around Darwin is described including the famous; title: and unique home of Crocodile Dundee, Kakadu National Park; title: Chapter 14; title: The Rim of the Indian ocean and its interior is blessed with many of the world's exotic; title: places including the Seychelles, Zanzibar, Sri Lanka and India. The chapter relates the; title: natural beauty in contrast to the ethnic struggles that have raged there over the last twenty; title: years. How the history and culture of people on the mainland has influenced the islands is; title: captured during a journey through the region.