National Anthem: Tibet

One last national anthem. Tibet isn't an independent country but I really like their anthem and I love the sound of it!

So no info this time, but just listen and enjoy.

National Anthem: Mongolia

The tenth and last national anthem and I choose Mongolia.

Over the past 100 years, Mongolia had several national anthems. The first one was used between 1924 adn 1950. It was called the Mongolia Internationale. It is significantly different from the well known "Internationale" from Russia.
in 1950 there was a new anthem chosen and in 1961 again.
In 1991 most of the anthem of 1950 is used again, but the second verse (praising Lenin, Stalin, Sukhbaatar and Choibalsan) has been removed.

Here's the lyrics and translation of it.
 

Mongolia Дархан манай тусгаар улс Даяар монголын ариун голомт Далай их дээдсийн гэгээн үйлс Дандаа энхжиж, үүрд мөнхөжнө Хамаг дэлхийн шударга улстай Хамтран нэгдсэн эвээ бэхжүүлж Хатан зориг, бүхий л чадлаараа Хайртай Монгол орноо мандуулъя Өндөр төрийн минь сүлд ивээж Өргөн түмний минь заяа түшиж Үндэс язгуур, хэл соёлоо Үрийн үрдээ өвлөн бадраая Эрэлхэг Монголын золтой ардууд Эрх чөлөө жаргалыг эдлэв Жаргалын түлхүүр, хөгжлийн тулгуур Жавхлант манай орон мандтугай

English Our unwavering independent nation All Mongols' sacred ancestry All world's good deeds Always stable, forever continue With all honest nations of the world Strengthen our bonds With all our will and strength Let's develop our beloved Mongolia Our great nation's symbol blesses The peoples' fate supports Our ancestry, culture and language Let's forever cherish and prosper Bright peoples of brave Mongolia Have freedom and happiness Key to happiness, column for prosperity Our great country prosper

National Anthem: Russia

We travel on and go to Russia, a country that actually is part of two continents, Europe and Asia.
Most people however live in the European part of Russia so that's why I consider it European.
More about that in an other blog later.

In the past 100 years Russia had actually had many different national anthems.
In 1944 Russia repaced its anthem (used since 1902) for the Soviet anthem because it was more Russocentric.
After 1956 the anthem was used without lyrics because it referenced to former leader Joseph Stalin. It was only in 1977 that a new lyrics was introduces by Mikhalkov. This new lyrics was placing less emphasis on the Great Patriotic War and more on the victory of communism.

in 1990 Russia sought a new anthem after the collepse of the Soviet Union. The lyric-free "Patrioticheskaya Pesnya", composted by Mikhail Glinka was officially adopted that same year.
in 1993 the government sponsered a contest to create lyrics but non of the enteries were adopted. This resulted in Presedent Vladimir Putin's restoration of the Soviet anthem.
Eventually the goverment sponsored a contest to find lyrics to a compositon by Mikhalkov. The new anthem was adopted in alte 2000. This is the same anthem as they use now adays

National Anthem: Indonesia

The 7th national anthem is from Indonesia.
The song was 'born' long before Indonesia was again an independed country after successon of the Dutch East Indies.

The song was introduced in 1928 during the Second Indonesian Youth Congress in Batavia by it's composer Wage Rudolf Supratman. It marked the birth of all nationalis movements in Indonesia that suported a single Indonesia rather than spliting in several colonies.

Later the song was chosen at national anthem in 1945 when Indonesia proclaimed it's independence.

This is the first piece of the lyrics:

Indonesia tanah airku,
Tanah tumpah darahku,
Di sanalah aku berdiri,
Jadi pandu ibuku.

 

Indonesia kebangsaanku,

Bangsa dan tanah airku,

Marilah kita berseru,

Indonesia bersatu.

 

Hiduplah tanahku,
Hiduplah negeriku,
Bangsaku, Rakyatku, semuanya,
Bangunlah jiwanya,
Bangunlah badannya,
Untuk Indonesia Raya.

 

Refrain :

Indonesia Raya,

Merdeka, merdeka,

Tanahku, neg'riku yang kucinta!

Indonesia Raya,

Merdeka, merdeka,

Hiduplah Indonesia Raya!

National Anthem: North Korea

No#5 a national anthem we hardly ever hear because the contry is very closed-up, the national anthem of North Korea.
I choose this anthem because it is so unfamiliar. North Korea adopted this song in 1947 and is called "Aegukka".
There isn't much known about the North Korean anthem.

A lyrics has little use for we can't read the North Korean letters. But in the video clip the text is subtitled in English.




You should also watch this video clip

DIY: Asian paper dolls

I like to make paper dolls. They are cute, easy to make and colorfull. I've been looking for nice coloring pages to use for my paper dolls and I found many cute ones.

Today we're making paper dolls of Asian people.

What you need to make these is:
- printed coloring pages
- coloring pencils
- scissors

First print a few coloring pages. Then you and your kids can start coloring them. When finished, cut them out.
I lamineted them but you can also gluw them to a piece of cardboard.

To remember from which country they are, write it down on the back side of your paper doll.

Here some of the coloring pages I used, but there are many more on the internet.

DIY: Felt Sushi

A while ago I found these pictures online of flet sushi and I thought, "I want to make those too".
I remembered I had some felt up in my hobby storage so I could get started right away.

What you need to make these is the following:
- felt in a few different colors but at least white and black or brown
- scissors
- needle & thread

 For each sushi roll you need a stroke of black and white felt and some smallers pieces of color. The one i'm make here is a crab sushi roll. For the crab I used red and some pieces of white.
Cut all pieces in the hight you want.

I placed the pieces of white on half of the red piece and folted in half then rolled it up.

The white piece is the rice in you sushi roll. I used special scissors to ruffel one side of the piece.

Roll it as tight as possible around the 'crab' piece, like this.

Now roll it all into the black piece.

I used a needle and thread to make sure the sushi can't be unrolled. Make sure to use the right color of thread.

Offcourse you can make all kinds of sushi rolls with different colors inside. Give it a try and be creative.

Continent box Asia #1

Hi everybody,

Today we're visiting Asia. It's one of the continent I have not been to, but hope to visit in the future. It's a big and diversive continent with high mountains, ice cold climates, hot, desert like climates, Islands, big cities and many cultures and religions.

So there are lots of things to collect in my continent box.
Here a few of the things I have so far.

A small Menora (seven lampstand) from Jerusalem, a chinees bamboe candle, a peacock feather,
Tibaten prayer flags, a painted hand fan from China, a Chinees tea cup and three spoons from Indonesia

Felt sushi, a tiger, chopsticks, incense, tea bags and a origami flower.

A budha statue, a chinees bottle and vase, a tiny water pipe (without the tube)
and four wooden arabic poppets.

Fruit: Kaki fruit

Fruit nr#2 Kaki fruit.

Last week I bought a kaki fruit (also called Sharonfruit). It looks like a big orange tomato but when slicing it in half it doesn't look like a tomato at all. It's 'flesh' is the same color as it's skin and feels like a peach or mango. the fruit however doesn't taste like a peach. It tasks more like a pear combined with a abricot. But if you really want to know how it tasts, you have to try it yourself.

Fruit: Pomegranate

So, in the next 10 weeks I will be eating a new piece of fruit. I will choose fruit that is exotic in The Netherlands and that I have never eaten.

 

Today I'll tell you about the pomegranate. Pomegranates are origianlly from Iran (Persia). Now a days it's widely cultivated throughout the Mediteranean eara (Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Middle East) and further.

 

Last week when shopping groseries I walked through the fruit and vegetables corner and noticed there was only one pomegranate left. It wasn't to expencive so I placed it in my shopping basket.

I had pomegranate once before, on a holiday in Egypt. I liked the sour taste and the little bite because of the seed in it.

 



Arriving home I settled down at my table to find out how to 'open' the pomegranate. Using a small sharp knife I cut out a quarter, but only cutting through the 'skin'. Then I pulled the piece open.
I pealed the seeds out and so I peeled the whole pomegranate.

Tasting the seeds they seemed less sour than they were in my memories. I was wondering how to eat them and looked for some recipies. I found one with couscous and decited to make couscous for dinner later that day. Till then I put the seeds in the fridge.

When eating the seeds with the couscous the seeds tasted like i remembered, sweet but sour and I liked it.

 

What do you like about the pomegranate? Tell me.