Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a country in the east Caribbean Sea, associated with the United States of America. It represents the island of Puerto Rico and for a few more islands and islets, among which stand out from Vieques, Culebra and Mona. Its capital is San Juan.

Puerto Ricans often call the island Borinquen, derive from Borikén, its indigenous Taíno name. The terms boricua and borincano and Borinquen respectively, and are commonly used to identify someone of Puerto Rican heritage. The island is also popularly known as "La Isla del Encanto", which translated means "The Island of Enchantment".

It was a spanish colony. When Christopher Columbus arrived in Puerto Rico during his second voyage on November 19, 1493, the island was inhabited by a group of Arawak Indians known as Taínos. They called the island "Borikén" or, in Spanish, "Borinquen". Columbus named the island San Juan Bautista, in honor of Saint John the Baptist. Later the island took the name of Puerto Rico (Spanish for "Rich Port") while the capital was named San Juan. In 1508, Juan Ponce de León became the island's first governor to take office.On July 25, 1898, during the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico was invaded by the United States with a landing at Guánica. As an outcome of the war, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, along with Cuba, the Philippines, and Guam to the U.S. under the Treaty of Paris. From that point it became an U.S. colony.

Puerto Rican culture is a mix of four cultures, African (from the slaves), Taíno (Amerindians), Spanish, and more recently, North American. From Africans, the Puerto Ricans have obtained the "bomba y plena", a type of music and dance including percussions and maracas. From the Amerindians (Taínos), they kept many names for their municipalities, foods, musical instruments like the güiro and maracas. Many words and other objects have originated from their localized language. From the Spanish they received the Spanish language, the Catholic religion and the vast majority of their cultural and moral values and traditions. From the United States they received the English language, the university system and a variety of hybrid cultural forms that developed between the U.S. mainland and the island of Puerto Rico. The University of Puerto Rico was founded in 1903, five years after the island became part of the U.S.

Much of the Puerto Rican culture centers on the influence of music. Like the country as a whole, Puerto Rican music has been developed by mixing other cultures with its own unique flavor.
Early in the history of Puerto Rican music, the influences of African and Spanish traditions were most noticeable. However, the cultural movements across the Caribbean and North America have played a vital role in the more recent musical influences that have reached Puerto Rico.

Thailand

This picture shows one of several martial arts I practiced before. The Muay Thai which is also known as Thai Boxing, it is the national sport of Thailand. Consist of a martial art created there more than thousand years, it is thought one of the mightiest struggles of world, for the explosion of blow and of agility. Also it is known like " The Art of Eight Members ", since it is characterized for the use of the elbows, knees and violent blows with the shin and feet, besides the fists, in counterpoint of arts that use to punish the four members, only the feet and the hands.
Thailand is a country located southeast of Asia, being limitrophe with Laos and Cambodja, at east; Myanmar at west Malasia, at south. The country's official name was Siam (Royal Thai General System of Transcription: Sayam). The word Thai is not, as commonly believed, derived from the word Tai meaning "free" in the Thai language; it is, however, the name of an ethnic group from the central plains (the Thai people).
However that may be, the locals seem to have also accepted the alternative meaning and will verbally state that it means "Land of the free" when generally people refer about this country and habitants (thai culture, thai language, Thai habitants, etc).
The northern region of the country presents mountain relief, the highest point is mount Doi Inthanon, with 2576m. Northwest there is an elevated area known as Khorat Plateau which is, at east, rounded by Mekong river, one of the biggest in the world, draining an huge area of the asian continent. However, due it's variations in flux and having waterfalls, that river is not sailable. Other important river is Chao Phraya, with 370 km extension, that cuts the country north to south, crossing the capital Bangkok. In the south region of the country the relief is lower, without many elevations.
Thailand is located in the climatic Tropical zone, so the climate is quite hot and characterized by monsoons. The vegetation is characterized practically by tropical forests. There are hundred years behind, the forests were serving also of home for thousands of elephants that, unfortunately, due to the devastation and the hunting, today the population of elephants is of approximately 5,000. In 1989 the government began to build natural parks to protect the elephants and animals that were in the same situation.
The population of the Thailand is relatively homogenious: 85 % of the population shares the same culture and language, thai, what is the language taught in the schools and used in the government. English is the most well-known second language. The most following religion is the Buddhism.
Thai culture is one of the richest of the world, known by the special art of his kitchen, very appreciated. You can see a good example here. It is a stir-fried with baby sweetcorn and mushrooms. In the ingredients you can see: red pepper and mushrooms on the left and Chinese celery, baby sweetcorn, garlic cloves and carrots on the right. This mixture of flavour is appreciated well, leaving any one wishing to taste.
Well, I have to to say goodbye, we will see ourselves again soon!