Seoul Walk

Seoul, South Korea | January 18, 2009: ExPatLit.com, a new online literary review for writers and travelers, has recently expanded its editorial board to meet the needs of its contributors.

“In a market in which many writers receive generic form letters in response to their submissions, we are committed to giving each contributor a thoughtful and detailed response,” says Heidi Charlton, Editor for ExPatLit.com. “We want our writers to understand our decisions; we want to work with them to improve their craft.

The publishing team at ExPatLit.com selected Michael Shirzadian, a student at Cedarville University in Ohio, and Zachary Sanderson, a student at Bradley University in Illinois, to serve as assistant editors. Mike and Zach will help with editorial decisions and copy editing.

The journal also selected Steve Fladda, a seasoned writer and traveler, to serve as an editor-at-large. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Steve presently resides in Germany, where he is involved in humanitarian work.

In addition, the journal promoted Camille Morse, a California ad copy/SEO specialist, to serve as marketing communications advisor. Camille will assist with advertising campaigns and general promotional efforts, along with editorial work.

“In the two months since we launched our Web site, we’ve received some great feedback and some really excellent submissions,” says Joe Dugan, Managing Editor for ExPatLit.com. “This staff expansion will empower us to give each writer the personal attention he or she deserves.”

The journal is currently accepting submissions for the spring issue, scheduled for online release on March 30, 2009. The journal is also hosting a contest with cash prizes for top submissions. Visit www.ExPatLit.com for additional information.

This is a good questions with an easy answer, yes! Thailand has had some political trouble recently but the good news is that most problems have mainly been concentrated in Bangkok. Also there have been no incidents which involved foreigners at all. The Thai people are undoubtedly passionate about the politics of their country but they are also one of the most respectful group of people in the world.

The Thai people respect foreigners and welcome foreigners to their country and this is regardless of whether there are protests or not. So yes this is a good time to go to Thailand and enjoy this wonderful country. Thailand has been for a very long time one of the favorite places for travel in the world and will continue to be for a very long time to come.

One of the most popular and safest destinations in Thailand is Chiang Mai. Located only one house flight from Bangkok it is a peaceful, beautiful and very welcoming destination. Chiang Mai for very good reasons is one of the most visited places in Thailand.

Chiang Mai is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand, and is the capital of Chiang Mai Province. It is located among some of the highest mountains in the country. Chiang Mai has become an increasingly modern city and has many attractions for the thousands of foreign visitors who come each year.

Chiang Mai International Airport receives up to 28 flights a day from Bangkok and also serves as a local hub for services to other northern cities such as Chiang Rai, Phrae and Mae Hong Son. International services also connect Chiang Mai with other regional centers, including Hong Kong (China), Jinghong, (China), Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Kunming (China), Luang Phrabang (Laos), Mandalay (Myanmar), Manila (Philippines), Seoul (Korea), Siem Reap (Cambodia), Singapore (Singapore), and Taipei (Taiwan).

Chiang Mai is a great place for an eco tour and a meaningful travel experience. The city and surrounding areas have so much to offer. The city itself is such a great holiday spot with many guesthouses and shops and the many temples spread around the city give the city its charm.

Around Chiangmai there are many opportunities for the responsible traveler such as volunteering, hilltribe homestay, trekking and adventure sports. There is so much to do which can keep you busy for a very long time!

What does it mean to be a responsible traveler in Thailand and join an eco tour ? Anyone can be a responsible traveler! Responsible travel or eco travel as it is mostly called means to go travel or join an eco tour that follows the eco way of travel.

The Eco travel way is the essence of responsible travel. Eco travel follows the principles of responsible travel which means a way of travel that conserves the local environment and benefits the well-being of the local people.

It means respecting the local people and environment by leaving the place as you found it, and even improving it by environmental work or volunteering. Mass tourism tends to leave a big footprint which harms the environment and also creates a lot of inconvenience for the local people. Also eco tours try to benefit the local people as much as possible by employing local tour guides and using locally owned and operated facilities.

Since July 2007, the U.S. sub-prime mortgage problems and the increases in credit spreads over government bonds have triggered concerns about a global credit crunch, and caused global stock market volatility.

However, financial institutions in Asia are in a relatively good position with respect to the credit crunch since they have less exposure to sub-prime mortgage instruments than those based in Europe or the US. Some foreign capital is being redirected to Asian property markets, seeking to benefit not merely from the natural appreciation of real estate in dynamic economies, but also from appreciation of Asian currencies against the US dollar, particularly the RMB.

Foreign investors have shown no sign of scaling back Asian real estate investment activity, especially given the relative scarcity of investment grade properties. The combined value of the quarter’s ten largest investment deals in Asia amounted to US$9.3 billion.

In Singapore, a total of S$15.69 billion worth of investment transactions was recorded in the third quarter, a y-o-y increase of 94%, reflecting continued strong local and global investor interest in office properties as well as Singapore’s positive economic fundamentals. The main market drivers were office transactions and continued activity by developers adding to their land banks. At S$40.95 billion, total investment sales in the first nine months of 2007 have already exceeded the total for 2006 as a whole by 34%.

Investment activity in the office sector more than quadrupled q-o-q in the third quarter, with the S$6.83 billion in transactions accounting for 43.5% of investment sales. With rents at an all-time high, REITs and foreign funds remained keenly interested in prime office properties. The sale of Chevron House (formerly Caltex House) to Goldman Sachs for S$630 million (S$2,783 psf) set a new benchmark for office transactions. The sale ranked tenth in the list of the top ten largest investment deals.

CapitaLand divested its interest in Wilkie Edge, a mixed development including office space, to Capital Commercial Trust for S$182.7 million. CapitaLand also acquired the remaining 50% stake in One George Street and The Adelphi from its partner in Eureka Office Fund Pte Ltd for S$715.75 million. K-REIT and Suntec REIT each paid S$941.5 million for one-third stakes in One Raffles Quay. The deals took number 6 and 7 in the list of top ten investment deals in Q3 2007.

In the second quarter Japan’s real GDP growth fell 1.2% y-o-y, entering negative territory for the first time in three years. However, the consensus opinion is that the negative growth is largely a reaction to the high pace of expansion over the previous two quarters, and the economy is likely to expand at a moderate pace. Although the US subprime crisis influenced the Bank of Japan’s decision to keep the overnight call rate at 0.5%, the BOJ remains optimistic about the economy in most regions.

Despite some volatility resulting from the potential global credit tightening, investment market sentiment remained largely positive in Hong Kong, supported by strong economic fundamentals. Local investors continued to dominate the market while institutional players value the market’s transparency and liquidity. Notable en bloc office transactions in the third quarter included the sale of Oterprise Square for HK$2.07 billion and a 45% stake in AIG Tower in a structured deal.

Investment interest in Seoul’s major districts remained intense in the third quarter, with many investors seeking properties through transactions due to the limited supply of buildings on the market. However the sales of Seoul City Tower and Daewoo Center, both located in the CBD, established new benchmarks for capital values. With the steep rise in capital values in major districts, investors increasingly considered opportunities in secondary areas including Sangam Digital Media City, Pangyo IT Valley and Bundang-gu.

The series of macro-economic and regulatory measures introduced to curb investment activity through the end of June 2007 did not lead to any significant reduction in interest among overseas investors in China.

In Beijing, Singapore-based serviced residence management firm Frasers Hospitality bought a luxury residential project, Tower D of OFFICE PARK, located in the core CBD from Sino-Ocean Land Holdings for RMB 980 million. Czech real estate investor ECM bought the 768,485 sf Metropolis Tower, which is Tower C of the Zhongguancun Financial Centre, for RMB 1.06 billion.

Despite additional government measures to curb foreign investment in real estate, Shanghai’s investment market remained buoyant in the third quarter. China Real Estate Opportunities invested approximately US$708 million to acquire a portfolio of mixed-use projects including City Centre in Changning and Central Plaza in Huangpu, and Hong Kong-listed Tian An China Investments and Capital Strategic Investment established a JV to acquire Novel Plaza for US$105 million. Other major deals included Grosvenor’s acquisition of 28 duplex apartments at the Lakeville Regency and Pacific Star and SEB’s purchase of Cross Tower.

Despite continuing macroeconomic control measures, positive sentiment prevailed in Guangzhou’s investment market in the third quarter. Attractive investment yields underpinned investor interest in the city’s office and retail sectors. Increased overseas participation in land acquisition and development and the growing financial strength of domestic companies have resulted in escalating land prices, as record accommodation values were paid in a number of districts over the quarter. A villa project adjacent to Nanhu Lake was reportedly transacted for RMB 2 billion on an en bloc basis.

As the capital and largest city in South Korea, Seoul is a financial and cultural center of Asia. The population of the city is over 10 million, making it one of the largest cities in the entire world. The entire metropolitan area includes a population of over 24.5 million inhabitants, the second largest in the world. This accounts for nearly half of the entire population of the country. Seoul is also a strong political force in Asia, administered by a the national government directly and separated into a system of 25 districts. Located on the Han River, the city lies approximately 50 km from its neighbor, North Korea.

The name of Seoul has changed dramatically over the years. Other names for the city include Wirye-seong, Hanju, Namgyeong, Hanseong, Hanyang and Gyeongseong. The modern name comes from the Korean word meaning “capital city.”

The city is believed to have been established in 18 BC as a small settlement. It soon became part of the Joseon Dynasty, eventually becoming the capital in 1394. During Japanese occupation in the early part of the 20th century, the city went through a historical and cultural upheaval. Many of the traditional design elements were modernized or destroyed. During the Korean War following Japanese defeat, most of the city was razed through fighting between U.N. and Communist forces. The city was rebuilt very rapidly, however, during the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1990s, the Joseon dynasty’s royal palace of Gyeongbokgung was restored to its previous splendor.

In 1986, Seoul hosted the Asian Games. This was followed by a successful presentation of the 1988 Olympic Games. It also hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup, at which time the city constructed the amazing Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Culturally, Korea has a long tradition with its national sport, Tae Kwon Do. The city houses the Kukkiwon, where the World Tae Kwon Do Federation is headquartered. The city also features three baseball teams, two basketball teams and a football team.

Seoul is recognized as the fifth most expensive city to live in the world and the second-most in Asia. Its investments in high-tech digital technologies has made it a business leader throughout the world. Over the past few years, the country of South Korea has invested billions of dollars in development opportunities to keep the city at the height of global success.

The city offers one of the most well-developed and advanced transportation systems in the world. It is a global leader with a modernized train and rail system including and extensive subway infrastructure. It also offers environmentally friendly busing and supports two international airports.

Tourism is also one of the largest industries in the city. A variety of historic sites including the Hwaseong Fortress and Jongmyo Shrine, both world historical sites. A number of museums, parks and recreational options have also been created. Entertainment is quickly becoming one of the largest exports of Seoul and South Korea in general. A fledgling film industry as well as music and theater continue to make headway throughout Asia and the world, reaching European and American audiences and festivals to much acclaim.

For more information on Seoul, Korea visit http://seoulmicroblog.com and http://koreamicroblog.com