Tokyo

Tokyo is often thought of as a city but is commonly referred to as a "metropolitan prefecture". The Tokyo metropolitan government administers the 23 Special Wards of Tokyo (each governed as an individual city), which cover the area that was formerly the City of Tokyo before it merged and became the subsequent metropolitan prefecture. The metropolitan government also administers 39 municipalities in the western part of the prefecture and the two outlying island chains. The population of the special wards is over 9 million people, with the total population of the prefecture exceeding 13 million. The prefecture is part of the world's most populous metropolitan area with upwards of 35 million people and the world's largest urban agglomeration economy with a GDP of US$1.479 trillion at purchasing power parity, ahead of the New York metropolitan areain 2008. The city hosts 51 of the Fortune Global 500 companies, the highest number of any city.[8] The city is considered an alpha+ world city, listed by the GaWC's 2008 inventory[9]and ranked fourth among global cities by A.T. Kearney's 2012 Global Cities Index.[10]In 2012, Tokyo was named the most expensive city for expatriates, according to theMercer and Economist Intelligence Unit cost-of-living surveys,[11] and in 2009 named the third Most Liveable City and the World’s Most Livable Megalopolis by the magazine Monocle.[12] The Michelin Guide has awarded Tokyo by far the most Michelin stars of any city in the world.[13][14] Tokyo hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1964 and is scheduled to host again in 2020 Tokyo was originally known as Edo, which means "estuary".[16] Its name was changed to Tokyo (Tōkyō: tō (east) + kyō (capital)) when it became the imperial capital in 1868,[17] in line with the East Asian tradition of including the word capital ('京') in the name of the capital city.[16] During the early Meiji period, the city was also called "Tōkei", an alternative pronunciation for the same Chinese characters representing "Tokyo". Some surviving official English documents use the spelling "Tokei".[18]However, this pronunciation is now obsolete. Tokyo still sees new urban developments on large lots of less profitable land. Recent projects include Ebisu Garden Place, Tennozu Isle, Shiodome, Roppongi Hills, Shinagawa (now also a Shinkansen station), and the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station. Buildings of significance are demolished for more up-to-date shopping facilities such as Omotesando Hills. Land reclamation projects in Tokyo have also been going on for centuries. The most prominent is the Odaiba area, now a major shopping and entertainment centre. Various plans have been proposed[29] for transferring national government functions from Tokyo to secondary capitals in other regions of Japan, in order to slow down rapid development in Tokyo and revitalise economically lagging areas of the country. These plans have been controversial[30] within Japan and have yet to be realised. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that devastated much of the northeastern coast of Honshu was felt in Tokyo. However, due to Tokyo's earthquake-resistant infrastructure, damage in Tokyo was very minor compared to areas directly hit by the tsunami,[31]although activity in the city was largely halted.[32] The subsequent nuclear crisis caused by the tsunami has also largely left Tokyo unaffected, despite occasional spikes in radiation levels.[33][34] On September 7, 2013, the IOC selected Tokyo to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. Tokyo will be the first Asian city to host the Olympic Games twice.

Beijing

Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China, is the nation's political, economic, cultural, educational and international trade and communication center. Located in northern China, close to the port city of Tianjin and partially surrounded by Hebei Province, Beijing also serves as the most important transportation hub and port of entry in China.

Beijing, Jing for short, is one of the six ancient cities in China. It has been the heart and soul of politics and society throughout its long history and consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to delight and intrigue travelers as they explore Beijing's ancient past and enjoy its exciting modern development. Now it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with about 140 million Chinese tourists and 4.4 million international visitors in a year.


Beijing is an important transportation hub in northern China. Radiating skyways, roads and railways make it easy for visitors to reach the city. Strolling in Beijing, visitors will find the star-studded skyscrapers, crisscross streets and an endless stream of traffic make it much the same as any other great metropolis elsewhere in today's world


Interested in trying the local food? Beijing Roast Duck and the Imperial Court Food are highly recommended. Nowhere else on earth will you find such a variety of gourmet Chinese restaurants offering the very best of the eight different styles of Chinese cuisine as well as western style dishes. Quality restaurants abound in the city, each offering the highest standards of service and convenience.


Whether you plan to buy curios and tourist souvenirs with traditional Chinese flavor, or you are keen on seeking quality products from world famous brands, you will find Beijing is truly a shopper's paradise. The most famous and popular commercial circles and commercial pedestrian streets in Beijing are predominantly located near the Yansha Shopping Mall, Tiananmen Square and Wangfujing Street, Guomao Shopping Mall, Qianmen Street and Xidan Street, etc.


After a day's Beijing tours, nighttime can hold other surprises for you. These can vary from traditional performances such as the Beijing Opera, acrobatics and martial arts to modern ones including concerts, ballroom dancing, pubs and clubs. Each and every one has its individual enchantment for the tourists. Tianqiao Area and Laoshe Teahouse are good venues for tourists to enjoy Chinese folk culture; while Sanlitun Bar Street and the nearby embassy area is an ideal choice if you are a party-loving night owl.

Singapore

This strategic island called Singapore was first inhabited by regional fishermen and pirates, to later become part of the Sumatran Empire of Srivijaya. European control of the Malaysian area began in the 16th century, and in 1819, Singapore was founded as a British trading colony, and was once the site of one of Britain's most important naval bases. Malaysia itself was formed in 1963 when Singapore and the states of Sabah and Sarawak joined the Peninsular Malaysia Federation, however, Singapore left in 1965 to become a separate nation. This modern economic powerhouse's is one of the busiest in the world, and Singapore has become a major worldwide banking, ship building and petroleum center. In the last few decades, this melting pot of cultures has moved on to the "A List" of international travelers, and is today one of the most sophisticated tourist destination on the planet. A bridge and causeway connect Singapore to the Malaysia mainland, and speaking of land, because of the aggressive current patterns of the Strait of Singapore.

Batam City

Batam City

In 1970 Batam had no cars and roads (98% forest); population was 7,000. McDermott's Batu Ampar yard was Batam's first industrial project, started in 1968. Batam today is a major logistics base for many of the world's major contractors, including Bechtel, Shlumberger, McConnel Dowell, Global Industries, Saipen, Ballast Nedham, Halliburton, Weatherford, Nippon Steel and Hyundai. Over 700 foreign companies have manufacturing or logistics operations on the island.
Electronics is Batam's largest economic sector, followed by oil service/construction, ship repair. The city has grown at 30% per year for each of the past 11 years. Growth in 2002/2003 was closer to 32% per year. Few places in the world are expanding this fast. Despite negative reports in the foreign media, Batam is actually a safe place for the 1.2 million foreign visitors who come each year. Very few ever have a problem. Batam is Indonesia's wealthiest city. Almost no one in Batam comes from Batam. Well over half the 1 million population is single, aged between 20 and 30.
The first thing many notice about Batam is that, even though it is part of Indonesia, in many ways it is a separate entity. Whilst other places are effected by the political and economic climate, Batam remains a constant with none of the the violence or problems located elsewhere. In fact, the economic condition here is more closely related to that of Singapore.
VV

E-mail: lionvoe@yahoo.com.sg