The Year of the Rabbit. The Chinese New Year begins on Feb 4 this year

The Year of the Rabbit conjures images of fluffy bunnies, but fortunetellers in Asia predict that the coming year on the Asian lunar calendar will be anything but cuddly.



Among key predictions for the new year beginning Feb. 3: terrorist threats, continuing tensions between China and the United States, natural disasters around the world and wobbly global markets.

Even Hollywood celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie is not immune from the grim predictions. Both were born in Rabbit years, and one fortuneteller sees their longtime relationship coming under increasing strain as the year wears on.

As the Lunar New Year approaches, Asians from Hanoi to Harbin put great stock in the soothsayers' predictions using feng shui - the traditional practice of foretelling events through dates and classical texts.

In feng shui lore, the Year of the Rabbit is associated with the natural elements of metal and wood. This is a likely recipe for conflict, according to Hong Kong-based feng shui consultant Raymond Lo.

Taipei-based colleague Tsai Shang-chi goes even further.

This year the West will suffer from a vicious energy and will be prone to more terrorist attacks," Tsai said. "The East will also be affected by a negative energy, reflected in ongoing tensions on the Korean peninsula."

While Tsai and Malaysian prognosticator Rev Yong offer assurances that the problems between North and South Korea won't escalate into all-out war, Yong is less sanguine about the chances for avoiding an onslaught of natural disasters. He foresees severe flooding around the world, a powerful earthquake in Japan and the emergence of a number of worrisome new diseases.

One of the upshots, he says, will be big problems for the global economy and the possibility of a major stock market plunge toward the middle of the year.

"People think the rabbit is very gentle, but it's not going to be a mild year at all," Yong said. "It won't be a good year. There will be a lot of world conflicts."

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From The Editor

We are proud to bring you the Inaugural issue of itravelindonesia. The young team felt that it was time to go beyond just booking your discounted hotels and Indonesian domestic flights. So here we are.

In this Animal issue, we take a close look at my favourite destination in Indonesia, the Seminyak district in Bali. For our funky jilbabbers, Islamic fashion makes waves in London’s fashion week.

For the hordes of Indonesians flying to Singapore to shop and visit the doctors, we say there is more to Singapore than just Takashimaya and Mount Elizabeth.

Indonesians are the happiest people in the world. We look at a recent Norwegian survey that tells us that Indonesians smile more than anyone else on the Planet.

It is a modest start for us. In the next year, we will bring together articles that we hope will entertain, inform and bring you back. We hope that you will be a frequent visitor to itravelindonesia. As always, send us your feedback, kudos, and brickbats to cs@itravelindonesia.com.

Happy holidays.
Delis Elias
www.itravelindonesia.com

Mount Bromo - Remind The Characteristics Reminiscent Of A Moonscape

Source of legends and mystic tales, the natural beauty of Bromo is inspiring.
It is deservedly the principal attraction of East Java, in the district of Tengger.
Bromo is an active volcano 2392m above sea level.
The ancient caldera of Tengger contains Gunung Kursi and Gunung Batok.
These three peaks stand in a sea of sand that is the floor of the caldera
that stretches over 10 km.
For dramatic effect, nature uses this vast crater wall as the foreground of yet another peak, Gunung Semeru. The scene at dawn is surreal

Mount Bromo (from Sanskrit / Java Kuna: Brahma, one of the Main Hindu god), is a volcano that is still active and most famous as the tourism in East Java. As a tourism, Mount Bromo to be interesting because of it's status as the volcanoes are still active.



Bromo has a height of 2,392 meters above sea level will be in four areas, namely Kabupaten Probolinggo, Pasuruan, Lumajang, and Kabupaten Malang. Mount Bromo body form of mesh between the valley and the canyon kaldera with sand or sea area of about 10 square kilometers. Mount Bromo crater has a diameter of ± 800 meters (north-south) and ± 600 meters (east-west). While the danger area a circle with fingers 4 km from the center of Bromo crater.

For the Bromo, Tengger tribe, Gunung Brahma (Bromo) to be as holy mountain. Once a year the community holds a ceremony Tengger Yadnya KASADA Festival or Kasodo. The ceremony is held in a temple which is located under the foot of Mount Bromo and proceed north to the top of the Mount Bromo. The ceremony was held at midnight to early morning every full moon around 14 or 15 months in Kasodo (tenth) according to the Javanese calendar.



With it's last eruption in 2007, Mount Bromo is an active volcano in East Java, Indonesia. Although not the highest, it is the most famous peak inside the Tengger Caldera. The picturesque vision of a mountain with belching white sulphurous smoke and a top that has its edges tinged with sulphur is simply breathtaking. The gray volcanic sand inside the caldera often known as the sea of sand only contributes to the scenic imagery of the sight.

The uniqueness of the area is said to be the characteristics reminiscent of a moonscape. The legend behind Mount Bromo is also said to be one of the reasons as to why this eruptive mountain seems to be more famous than others. The legend goes that the mountain gods who were denied the sacrificial 25th child of the 15th century princess named Roro and her husband Joko, sent fire and brimstone to consume the child while demanding an annual ceremony to be performed to pacify the gods. It is said that the performance of the ceremony can be seen up to date.

Apart from the main sight, Mount Bromo it self, Mount Semeru, the tallest mountain in Java and one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia is a must-see when visiting Tengger Caldera. At the foot of the mountain is a Hindu temple that also attracts many visitors. Mount Batok, situated at the northern centre of the caldera is yet another sight that is worth a visit. Its growing vegetation such as the cemara trees that thrive in volcanic ash is of particular interest to most.

Mount Bromo As A Tourism Area



Bromo in the holiday season is busy enough. Climbing in the evening peak hours is very busy by the visitors who waited for sunrise scene. Queue motor HARDTOP jeep and make a small parking area is very limited. There are many rental Jeep with skilled driver. There is an 200-jeeps ready take up rate of 150,000 pp Cemoro Sewu to Bromo crater and climbing round trip.

Quite nervous for the first time, such as the release to the top of the jet Coaster. This course is only fitting for a local driver and I was downright large mental. Difficult for most people to imagine in the case must meet narrow bend, hang up half a clutch stop, explore avoid rift, because room number other than the canyon if possible make a mistake. Surely not enough "confident" for to do so. But afterwards, the entire spektakular to plateau at the top of the Tengger peak reward is high enough.

From here, Mount Bromo, coconut shell, chairs and small Widodaren visible in the background of Mount Semeru. Climbing was most easily reached from the direction of Pasuruan, Tosari with it's normal climb. After climbing to the top of the Bromo forwarded with the sea sand. Aside from the horse, the vechicle can be approached only 500 meters from the beginning of the undakan and forward with a walk, before climbing 223 stairs up to the crater edge you are still quite active. A motorcycle with a local Honda GL type seen in the park on the edge of Bromo crater, a driver of expertise you are able to reach this place.



After the Bromo and climbing, it's my chance, if not used continuously for around Tengger mountains, up to the lake Ranu Pane at the foot of Mount Semeru. Travel directed to circumnavigate South kaldera Tengger route through the east side. Tengger mountain ranges of temperature 10 degree C, and can reach zero degrees at night in the dry season.

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