Tiberias, Israel

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A wide hilltop vista with the Sea of Galilee in the background on the right

Tiberias (/taɪˈbɪəriəs/; Hebrew: טְבֶרְיָה, Tverya, Tiveria  (audio) (help·info); Arabic: طبرية‎, Ṭabariyyah; Greek:Τιβεριάς Tiberiás, Modern Greek:Τιβεριάδα Tiveriáda ) is a city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee (also called the Kinneret), Lower Galilee, Israel. Established in 20 CE, it was named in honour of the emperor Tiberius.^[2]

Tiberias has been venerated in Judaism since the middle of the 2nd century CE^[3] and since the 16th century has been considered one of Judaism‘s Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Hebron and Safed.^[4] In the 2nd-10th centuries, Tiberias was the largest Jewish city in the Galilee and the political and religious hub of the Jews of Palestine. It has historically been known for its hot springs, believed to cure skin and other ailments, for thousands of years.^[5]

Source: Wikipedia

Miyako-jima, Japan

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A mystical spot on the tiny island of Miyakojima, in Okinawa Japan.

Miyako-jima (宮古島^?, Miyako: Myaaku (ミャーク^?); Okinawan: Naaku (ナーク^?)) is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako-jima is administered as part of the City of Miyakojima, which includes not only Miyako-jima, but also five other populated islands.^[1]

Miyako-jima lies approximately 300 kilometres (190 mi) southwest of Okinawa Island and 400 kilometres (250 mi) east of Taipei, Taiwan.^[1] With an area of 158.70 square kilometres (61.27 sq mi), Miyako is the fourth-largest island in Okinawa Prefecture.^[2] The island is triangular in shape and is composed of Ryukyuan limestone.^[1] Miyako-jima is subject to drought and is frequently struck by typhoons.^[1]

Miyako-jima is well known for its beauty, particularly the Eastern Cape (東平安名岬 Higashi-hennazaki^?), which is considered by many as one of the most beautiful spots in Japan. Other notable locations include Maehama beach, the German Cultural Center, Painagama Beach, and the sights on Irabu-jima. There are two islands close by which are connected by bridges to Miyako-jima Ikemajima (池間島 Ikema-jima^?) and Kurimajima (来間島 Kurima-jima^?). The Miyako language, one of several Ryukyuan languages, is spoken here.

There is a unique festival called Paantu (パーントゥ), which occurs in the ninth month of the old (lunar) calendar. Three men dressed in grasses and mud go about smearing it everywhere. They carry sticks in one hand and a simple but scary mask in the other. Those people who have been dirtied by the Pantu will have a year of protection. Owners of new homes will also invite Pantu to give a ‘blessing’ to their homes.

Miyako has its own version of soba. Otori is a custom of drinking Awamori, a distilled beverage native to Okinawa Japan. It is performed by people sitting (usually around a table). One offers a toast, drinks from a small glass, and then offers some to each person at the table making a round, and usually going to the right. When the toaster makes his way back to his spot the person who passed the Otori before pours him another glass. He then announces “TSUNAGIMASU” and drinks his second glass. After a brief interval, it is then the turn of the next person to pass the Otori, which continues until the celebration is ended.

Source: Wikipedia

Hobart, Tasmania

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In the 7th grade I did a geography report on Tasmania, and thus gained a fascination with the island that I’ve never quite lost.

Tasmania (abbreviated as Tas and known colloquially as “Tassie”) is an island state, part of the Commonwealth of Australia, located 240 kilometres (150 mi) to the south of the Australian continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania, the 26th largest island in the world, and the surrounding 334 islands.^[8] The state has a population of 507,626 (as of June 2010), of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart precinct. Tasmania’s area is 68,401 square kilometres (26,410 sq mi), of which the main island covers 62,409 square kilometres (24,096 sq mi).^[9]

Tasmania is promoted as the natural state, the “Island of Inspiration”,^[10] and A World Apart, Not A World Away owing to its large and relatively unspoiled natural environment. Almost 45% of Tasmania lies in reserves, national parks and World Heritage Sites.^[11] The island is 364 kilometres (226 mi) long from its northernmost to its southernmost points, and 306 kilometres (190 mi) from west to east.

The state capital and largest city is Hobart, which encompasses the local government areas of City of Hobart, City of Glenorchy, and City of Clarence, while the satellite town of Kingston (part of the Municipality of Kingborough) is generally included in the Greater Hobart area.

The northernmost terrestrial point of the state of Tasmania is Boundary Islet, a nature reserve in Bass Strait which, due to a quirk of history, is shared with the state of Victoria.

The subantarctic Macquarie Island and its surrounding islands are also under the administration of Tasmania as a nature reserve and part of the Huon Valley Council local government area. The Bishop and Clerk Islets, about 37 km south of Macquarie Island, are the southernmost terrestrial point of the state of Tasmania, and the southernmost internationally recognised land in Australia.

Source: Wikipedia

Phuket, Thailand

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I’m not sure the Phuket Tourism Board would be happy with this photo. But I like it.

From Wikipedia:

Phuket (Thai: ภูเก็ต, pronounced [pʰūː.kèt]), formerly known as Thalang (Tha-Laang) and, in Western sources, Junk Ceylon (a corruption of the Malay Tanjung Salang, i.e. “Cape Salang”),^[2] is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga and Krabi, but as Phuket is an island it has no land boundaries.

Phuket, which is approximately the size of Singapore, is Thailand’s largest island. The island is connected to mainland Thailand by two bridges. It is situated off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoys a rich and colorful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign ship logs of Portuguese, French, Dutch and English traders. The region now derives much of its income from tourism.