The website http://mishimatourism.jp helps with trip planning and actual travel as it carries a wealth of content including information on Mishima City’s tourist spots, handson tours, recommended model courses, seasonal picks, tours of surrounding areas, and restaurants.

Situated in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, this city is about one hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen bullet train and home to the historic Mishima Taisha Shrine, the Mishima Skywalk, Japan’s longest suspended bridge, and beautiful streams running through the city.

The number of foreign tourists visiting the city has been rising in recent years as the city serves as a gateway to neighbouring sightseeing destinations such as Mt Fuji and the Izu Peninsula. The cycling competitions for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in Izu City.

PASSENGERS flying with Singapore Airlines to Osaka and Perth next month will become the first groups to experience the advanced technology and revolutionary designs of the world’s longest Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner as well as the new cabin products on board.

The first of the 49 aircraft ordered by the Singaporean carrier was delivered in a 22-hour flight from North Charleston, South Carolina via Osaka.

The Boeing 78710 Dreamliner was greeted with a water cannon salute after landing at Changi Airport.

“This is an amazing addition to our fleet. SIA has always been committed to maintaining a modern fleet and being the launch customer of the newest variant of the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner underscores this,” SIA chairman Peter Seah says.

“The 787-10 is the longest Dreamliner variant stretching 68.3 meters. We’re confident that this new type will help boost our network and further develop the important Singapore hub. We’re the first airlines group that has all the Dreamliner variants in the 787 family – our subsidiary Scoot operates the 787-8 and 787-9.”

Powered by new Trent-1000 engines from Rolls-Royce, the 787-10 fleet uses innovative systems to neutralise the effect of turbulence for a smoother ride and new air filtration technologies for better cabin air quality. Cabin pressure and higher humidity are set to help alleviate symptoms of jet lag, fatigue and dehydration during travel.

Thanks to a new engine noise reduction technology, the 787-10 aircraft is friendlier for passengers in the cabin and ground crews on the land as well as communities living near the airports.

All business-class seats offer direct aisle access and convert into 76-inch fully flat beds.

The 787-10 has 337 newly designed seats in two classes – 36 seats in Business Class and 301 seats in Economy Class – to provide more flexibility, perfect for medium-haul routes of up to eight hours.

With a modern and luxury design, business-class customers will find a home away from home on comfy seats that can transform into a 76-inch, fully flat bed, ensuring total comfort even on the shorter flights.

Manufactured by Stelia Aerospace, they’re padded with alcantara – the same material is used to fit interiors of luxury sports cars and yachts – and arranged in a 1-2-1 layout to offer direct aisle access and equipped with adjustable dividers for a customised level of privacy.

The washrooms are fitted out with top-class toiletries by Penhaligon’s from London, among them Quercus hand lotion, cologne and facial mist in classic, white floral notes of jasmine, lily of the valley and cardamom to create.

The economy-class seats with a sixway adjustable headrest give passengers better neck support.

The economy-class seats in a |3-3-3 configuration are designed and built by Recaro using a palette of grey and blue to create a more stylish and fresher look. Guests will have better sleep, thank an ergonomically designed contour backrest with a six-way adjustable headrest and foldable wings for more neck support.

Other basic functions are a coat hook, USB port, in-seat power supply and personal storage space designed to be slimmer to give customers wider legroom.

“It’s a wonderful job for Singapore Airlines team. I can attest that Singapore Airlines passengers are going to love flying on it short-haul, long-haul, medium-haul, anything they want to do with this beautiful plane,” says Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Commercial senior vice-president for Asia Pacific & India sales.

“The seats are outstanding whether in economy class or the business class. With the large windows, you can sit in the middle row and see the horizon on both sides even you’re in the economy class.”

The award-wining in-flight entertainment programme myKrisWorld serves more than 1,000 movies, TV shows, audio programmes and games to enjoy.

Featuring more than 1,000 movies, TV shows, audio programmes and games, the award-wining in-flight entertainment programme myKrisWorld. Passengers on the new 787-10s can save and resume their media across flights, or create personalised playlist and check out media recommendations based on their preferences and viewing history for a seamless travel experience.

Also available is in-flight WiFi and high-speed GSM connectivity from Panasonic Corp that will help customers to keep in touch with their friends and family all the time.

FLYING HIGH

>>> In May, the new 787-10 fleet will start its service to Osaka, Japan and Perth, Australia, the first two confirmed destinations.

>>> Check out the schedule at http://www.SingaporeAir.com.

Organised as the pinnacle event to mark the 90th anniversary of the iconic Fullerton Building, now home to The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, it offers visitors a diverse range of activities and experiences that embody the building’s rich heritage and the brand’s passion for luxury hospitality and lifestyle, the hotel said in a press statement.

Anchoring the event will be a showcase of more than 90 vintage and classic cars, as well as supercars from around the world, taking visitors on a journey through time across The Fullerton Heritage precinct. Other highlights include gala dinners, live music performances, art and cultural exhibitions, workshops, family fun activities, luxury yacht displays and charity car convoys set against a panoramic view.

Cavaliere Giovanni Viterale, General Manager, The Fullerton Heritage, said, “As one of the most iconic colonial buildings in Singapore, The Fullerton Building has been preserved with the highest form of recognition for its national significance. Likewise, the Fullerton Concours d’Elegance represents the pinnacle in automotive heritage and excellence, celebrating the best in collector and car design. The event will be a fitting showcase that not only pays tribute to the heritage of the Grand Dame, but also celebrates the building’s continued relevance in bringing the community together and creating shared memories.”

The Fullerton Building was gazetted as a National Monument on December 7 2015 in recognition of its pivotal role in Singapore’s history. It previously housed the General Post Office, once the “most important post office in the East,” and served as “Mile Zero” from which all of Singapore was measured.

Today, the Fullerton Building serves as the cornerstone of The Fullerton Heritage precinct, which comprises seven key establishments: The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, The Fullerton Waterboat House, One Fullerton, The Fullerton Pavilion, Clifford Pier and Customs House.

Activities have been curated to ensure there is something for everyone. Highlights of the celebration include:

The preeminent Concours d’Elegance (competition of elegance) showcases some of the finest examples of pre-war and post-war collector cars in terms of history, craftsmanship, power and technology. Restored vintage cars from the 1920s, antique cars from the 1930s, classic cars from the 1970s, and modern marvels will be prominently displayed along the picturesque waterfront at Clifford Square and Clifford Pier, in the iconic Fullerton Hotel Singapore and at Fullerton Square.

Highlights include the classic 1934 Austin Seven Ulster Special, which boasts an aluminium body with no doors, a 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II from the hotel’s recently restored Rolls-Royce fleet, and the legendary Lamborghini Miura previously owned by Don Miura himself. Visitors will be the first in the region to see the 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge and 2018 Ferrari Portofino. Additionally, innovative electric car prototypes created by the students from Nanyang Technological University will be displayed at One Fullerton.

For the first time in Singapore, visitors can also view the largest display of cars owned by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, Sultan and Sovereign Ruler of the State and Territory of Johor Darul Ta’zim.

Cars will be judged on criteria such as originality and authenticity, restoration quality, design and styling, and elegance. There will be four competition classes: Pre- and Post- World War II, Open Top and Modern Classics.

Renowned vintage car enthusiast and President of the Malaysia and Singapore Vintage Car Register (MSVCR) Dr Ivor Thevathasan of Singapore will serve as Chief Concours Judge for the Fullerton Concours d’Elegance. Other Concours judges include Alain Li, Regional Chief Executive of Richemont Asia Pacific and J. Philip Rathgen, CEO of Classic Driver. A team of Honorary judges, including Larissa Tan, CEO of home-grown Vanda Electrics and Oliviero Bottinelli, former Managing Director of Audemars Piguet, Asia-Pacific, have also been invited to judge the cars.

Visitors can take part in the judging process by voting for their favourite car on the Fullerton Concours d’Elegance website. All qualified votes will be entered into a lucky draw on 1st July and three winners will receive dining vouchers at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore.

The Fullerton Concours d’Elegance brings together a passion for cars with the opportunity to raise funds for the President’s Challenge. Car clubs such as Malaysia and Singapore Vintage Car Register (MSVCR), Ferrari Owners’ Club Singapore and Lamborghini Club Singapore, will participate in four charity convoys with beneficiaries of the President’s Challenge. Proceeds from a silent auction at the closing ceremony gala dinner will also be donated to the Challenge.

Families and children can discover the rich heritage of the precinct through various art, music and cultural activities. For example, acclaimed local musical group TENG Ensemble, known for their East-meets-West sounds, will perform at the opening ceremony. Watch enthusiasts will be delighted by museum timepieces on display alongside select vintage cars, and there will also be specially commissioned car art pieces to commemorate the occasion. Photography buffs can immerse themselves in exhibitions of portraiture and classic cameras, and participate in photography workshops to hone their skills.

A special concoction created using local ingredients, the Fullerton Concours Cocktail will tantalise the taste buds with a refreshing mix of fruit and citrus. The gin-based cocktail consists of cherry liqueur, strawberry, pomegranate and honey syrups, tipped with fresh ginger and calamansi juice, infused with dried sour plum and topped with club soda. The cocktail will be featured at Post Bar at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, and Lantern at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore.

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore Culinary Team will also work closely with award-winning chefs to offer a bespoke dining extravaganza of perennial Singapore favourites and Peranakan delights, reflective of the city state’s cosmopolitan melting pot of cultures.

In addition to the visual spectacle at the event, visitors will be able to sample food from various Kombi food trucks located throughout The Fullerton Heritage precinct.

Admission to the Fullerton Concours d’Elegance starts from S$9.90 for a Single-Day Pass. Gold Passes are also available for access to VIP areas and the after-party at Lantern in The Fullerton Bay Hotel. Children under five years old will enjoy free admission.

KNOWN FOR its luxury five-star casinos and hotels, Macao has long been popular with fortune hunters who dream of becoming millionaires overnight. But away from the glittering Cotai Strip, the territory clings on to its traditional roots, with venerated sanctuaries, historic churches and beautiful colonial buildings paying testament to the unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese culture.

This special administrative region at the estuary of the Pearl River was under Portuguese colonial rule between the mid-16th century and 1999 and served as a major port on the Silk Road, connecting traders from the West with the South of China.

Today, it is divided into four major neighbourhoods or parishes– downtown Macao, Taipa Island, Coloane village and Cotai.

The Taipa Houses illustrate the daily lives of Macanese families.

Taipa is a mere five-minute drive from Macao International Airport, and is home to a complex made up of five colonial mansions built in 1921 to serve as residence for senior civil servants. In 1992, they were designated as buildings of architectural value and in 1999 converted by government into a museum.

Two years ago, the complex underwent a major renovation and now boasts a living museum, art galleries, a souvenir shop and reception house that reflect Macanese culture – “Macanese” referring to descendants of the Portuguese, who married Chinese, Malaysian, Filipino or Indian residents.

The two-storey Macanese Living Museum is just like a home, with classic wooden furniture, paintings and antiques depicting the daily life of the Macanese family. The ground floor has a living room, workroom, kitchen and dining area, while the upper floor features a master bedroom with a connecting living room that was mainly reserved for children and for meeting close relatives and friends.

Another bedroom houses an iron bed adorned with laced netting to protect against insects and facilitate ventilation. Next door is a huge bathroom, trimmed with black-and-white tiles and completed with a tiny washbasin, a vintage bathtub and a flush toilet.

Nostalgic House hosts occasional exhibitions about the Macanese community and the development of Cotai district. Here visitors can learn about the native culture, lifestyle, religion, architecture, and cuisine through magnificent artworks. Another must-visit is the adjacent Exhibition hall, where veteran and young artists from around the world show their contemporary art creations.

Taipa Food Street offers all kinds of local delicacies and desserts.

A popular stop on any tourist route is the colourful Taipa Food Street on Rua do Cunha Road, which offers all kinds of enticing local delicacies, sweets and refreshing drinks.

Among the most popular venues judging by the long queue outside is Pastelaria Koi Kei, which is known for its barbecued pork jerky, crispy pork belly and crispy golden curls. The Bitter Sweet specialises in Serradura pudding, the Estabeleoimento de Comidas Pui Kei offers freshly baked walnut cakes and the Seng Cheong does a great congee with crabmeat.

 Pao Kung Temple is home to a collection of 60 wooden statues of Tai Sui, the God of Destiny.

Feng shui master Tossaporn “Chang” Sritula is our guide for the second day of our visit, and teaches us the correct way to pay homage to Chinese deities. Our walking tour begins at the Pao Kung Temple and Temple of Divinity of Medicine, where those born in the Year of the Big Snake, Dog, Ox and Goat gather in front of Tai Sui, the God of Destiny, to ask for protection.

The two temples were built in 1889 and 1893 after plague swept through Macao downing many of its residents to ward off disease and protect them and their families.

Pao Kung Temple is named after an honest and upright official of ancient China and home to a wooden statue of the God of Justice, while the adjacent Temple of Divinity of Medicine houses 60 wooden carvings of Tai Sui, the God of Destiny, in different postures, representing the elements of earth, water, fire and wind.

“The 35th Tai Sui – the God of the Earth element known as Tien Boo Tai Tien Kung – is responsible for looking after the Chinese zodiac year of 2018. Those born in the Year of the Big Snake, Dog, Ox and Goat can pay their respects with three large incense sticks and a basket of silver-and-gold paper. This is not a way to ward off bad luck, but to pray for keeping us in Tai Sui’s sight,” master Chang explains.

“Other pilgrims can use nine normal incense sticks to pray for happiness and fortune from their birth year’s deities.”

Standing behind the St Paul’s Ruin is the Na Tcha Shrine, which was originally built in 1888 then reconstructed in 1901. This small building in the heart of the principal Jesuit parish has become a popular place for couples praying for a child.

The narrow Patio de Chon sau street has undergone gentrification in recent months and attractive graffiti covers the walls between the boutiques. Benches are available for those wanting to take a brief rest or pose for selfies.

Tap Seac Square is home to some beautiful colonial architecture.

A short walk takes us to the ancient Kuan Tai Temple in St Dominic’s Market, once home to an old Chinese bazaar. Built between 1723 and 1795, the temple houses sacred wood statues of Guan Yu (the God of Loyalty), Cai Shen (the God of Wealth) and Tai Sui.

Sought out by pilgrims wanting fortune, protection and good health, it also serves as a confessional of sorts with women who have undergone abortions coming here to ask for forgiveness in front of the statue of Ti Tsang Pusa Bodhisattava.

Kun Iam Temple opens the doors to welcome pilgrims overnight on Guanyin Treasure day, which falls a month after Chinese New Year.

At the Kun Iam Temple, oversized incense sticks make another appearance, this time as offerings to Guanyin, the God of Mercy. Constructed in the 13th century, this is one of the biggest and richest temples in Macao, featuring three halls, a huge entrance gate and roofs adorned with porcelain figures.

The main hall has a shrine to a highly revered Guanyin statue, dressed in embroidered silk with a fringed crown, which is changed every year. Next to the deity is a statue of the Vairocana Buddha, revered for upholding health and longevity as well as dispelling disease.

“One month after Chinese New Year, pilgrims will come here to pay homage to Guanyin. According to legend, it’s the day on which Guanyin will open her treasures and give out money and gold. Visitors will offer incense sticks and write their name and birthday on sheets of silver and gold paper to pray for wealth, good luck and success,” master Chang says.

Our next stop is Coloane village, which is famous for its seafood. Like the food street in Taipa, it’s a popular dining spot with open-air restaurants and cafes filling the spaces between historic churches and Chinese shrines.

Divine aromas drift out from the Lord Stow Bakery, which is known for its freshly baked egg tarts, and we are quick to succumb to the temptation.

Religion dominates our last day in Macao and we are up early for a pilgrimage to the Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre on the Outer Harbour, where a 20-metre-tall bronze statue of the God of Mercy standing on a lotus-like dome protects Macao from evil.

We visit the exhibitions of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism and learn that if we can find the number 8 hidden in three spots, we will be rewarded with good luck.

AMa Temple houses the Goddess of Seafarers.

Known as the heavenly empress, A-Ma Temple is home to the Goddess of Seafarers who helps bring success in business. Situated on the western slope of Barra Hill, the original Hall of Benevolence was erected in 1488 and expanded its compound in 1688 and 1888 to incorporate the Gate Pavilion, the Memorial Arch, the Prayer Hall, the Hall of Guanyin, and Zhengjiao Chanlin (a Buddhist pavilion). Adjacent to the Guanyin shrine, there are giant rocks engraved with poems about Macao’s history and culture on view.

Before heading to the airport for the flight home, we spend a little time admiring the colonial era at Tap Seac Square. Surrounded by beautiful buildings painted in vivid colours, the site was once a stadium but is now home to the Macau Central Library, the Cultural Institute, the Macau Historic Archives, art galleries, chic teahouses and shops.

The writer travelled courtesy of the Macao Government Tourism Office.

IF YOU GO

AirAsia and Air Macau operate six flights a day between Bangkok and Macau.

What do a dream wedding in New York, an adventure through the mountains of Sri Lanka and a family’s search for their roots in Scotland all have in common? All saw a hospitality professional going out of their way to make or save someone’s trip.

Following thousands of submissions via social media, Booking.com have selected the three most touching and inspiring accounts of hospitality professionals going above and beyond to create unique and unforgettable travel experiences for their guests. The customers were then flown back to surprise their heroes in person and to say thank you for making (and saving) their trips, with all the emotional reunions caught live on camera.

These stories are now available for the world to see. The characters are a B&B owner in Scotland who helped a Canadian customer find the house where his father was born before emigrating to North America; a hotel receptionist who came to the rescue and saved a Belgian bride’s dream photo shoot in Central Park; and a pregnant host about to give birth in Sri Lanka who kept her homestay open to care for an injured hiker from the Netherlands.

The Booking Hero winner rewarded with 25,000 euro (Bt960,000) in travel credit on Booking.com goes to the story of Karen, owner of Blackburn Villa B&B in Ayr of Scotland, that is nominated by David and Virginia from Canada. The touching story can be seen at https://youtu.be/qtQiC2CnBiA

One runner-up, who receives 5,000 euro in travel credit are Sudarshi, owner of Tunnel Gap Homestay in Ella, Sri Lanka, nominated by Harry and Nienke from the Netherlands. Go to https://youtu.be/syDo8QjI-14 for the story.

Another runner-up who also receives 5,000 euro (Bt190,000) in travel credit on Booking.com is Alina, receptionist at citizenM Hotel in New York City, nominated by Els and Kevin from Belgium. Visit https://youtu.be/pDKOOB8MUxs to see what happens.

“These stunning stories are testament to the incredible dedication, commitment and passion that our partners put into creating truly memorable experiences for travellers day in and day out,” said Pepijn Rijvers, CMO of Booking.com. “They beautifully demonstrate that an amazing trip is about more than simply finding the right destination or the perfect accommodation – it’s also about the people you meet along the way which truly make for an unforgettable journey. And that’s what travel is all about.”

According to recent research conducted by Booking.com across 25 markets last year, a personal connection is essential for many travellers with 29 per cent saying that an accommodation feeling like home is key and 24 per cent sharing that a welcoming host is a make or break factor during the first 24 hours of their trip.

This sentiment is echoed the winner. “As I am welcoming people into my home, I want them to feel relaxed and able to ask anything of me. To be recognised as a Booking Hero is the ultimate confirmation that I am doing things right! But nothing compares to seeing the joy on Dave and Virginia’s faces when I was able to help them with their research and connect them with their Scottish roots. They’re more than just guests now, they’re friends,” she says.

Running through April 5, the Hong Kong International Film Festival is one of Asia’s most reputable platforms for filmmakers, film professionals and film-goers to launch new works and view fresh features. Over 250 titles from more than 50 countries will be shown in major cultural venues across town.

With a focus on unearthing local new talent, the festival showcases the best of Hong Kong and Chinese cinema, as well as premiering world-class international works. This year, two independent films from Thailand are featured. “Die Tomorrow” by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit screens on March 30 and “Samui Song” by Penek Ratanaruang shows on March 28 and 30.

Taste of Hong Kong 2018, which continues through Sunday (March 25), sees restaurants at Central Harbourfront, featuring 60 mouthwatering dishes prepared by world-renowned chefs based in Hong Kong.

Get a chance to sample food from the city’s hottest new restaurants such as BlackSalt, Haku, Forbidden Duck, Frantzen’s Kitchen, and New Punjab Club, as well as other Hong Kong favourites including One Harbour Road, Pici and Chachawan.  Visitors can enjoy Michelin star cuisine from Bo Innovation and Caprice, both of which are showing off new tantalising dishes. Asia’s Best Female Chef of 2017 May Chow of Little Bao will feature her mouthwatering baos and neo-Chinese dishes at friendly prices.

Dishes start at Bt200, and each participating restaurant will offer a choice of four dishes including at least one Taste Festival Exclusive and one limited edition “Icon Dish.”

Art lovers should not miss the street and cultural event HK-Walls running until April 1 at Central and Western district. The public will witness live mural painting and an exhibition featuring a mix of up-and-coming and established artists, both from Hong Kong and abroad.

The commendable effort to create public art spaces all over Hong Kong will surely bring lots of colour and new dimensions to the streets. The event provides a platform showcasing best-in-class artists. Admission is free.

Keep updated at http://www.DiscoverHongKong.com.

Named among the world’s best 10 festivals in 2018 by Travel Magazine, this 1,200-year-old event will feature a parade with more than 100,000 floating lanterns from the Dongdaemun neighbourhood along Jongno street, all the way to Jogyesa Temple.

As the lantern parade finishes at the Jonggak intersection, people will gather for the post-parade closing ceremony called Hoehyang Hanmadang, where they will all enjoy the traditional Korean circle dance known as ganggangsulae.

The following day, another cultural event will take place at Jogyesa Temple. More than 100 booths will provide visitors a chance to experience Korea’s traditional culture, such as making lotus flowers, traditional lanterns and ceramics, and drawing Buddhist patterns and folk paintings.

The temple also offers meditation programmes and traditional performances as well as local delicacies. Visitors are welcome to take part in the lantern-making contest.

Find out more by emailing idia@buddhism.or.kr.

ONCE UPON a time – exactly half a century, to be precise – the audacity of hope bloomed in the Prague Spring. In the heady first seven months of 1968, a noble if naive resistance in Czechoslovakia’s government and civil society prodded at the forces that wanted the Iron Curtain kept drawn.

The likeminded citizens advocating for a freer society would finally triumph in the Velvet Revolution of 1989, which sparked to life in the same sacred space where the Prague Spring had occurred.

The Old Town Astronomical Clock tracks various rhythms, including Old Bohemian Time when days dawn at dusk.

Wenceslas Square commemorates the legacy of the Czech state’s patron saint of royal lineage, also known as “Vaclav the Good”.

“Havel to the castle!” shouted the demonstrators alongside Prague Spring vets a generation older. Within a year, playwright Vaclav Havel, a dissident who had come to personify the pent-up demand for change, went from civilian to prisoner to president, taking up residence in Prague Castle.

The Charles Bridge over the Vlatva River captures the spirit of this fantastical city best. Amid artisans selling curios, statues of saints peer from their perches, as they’ve done for centuries.

Bohemian buskers make music along the iconic Charles Bridge.

Legend has it that, when danger looms, the stone likeness of King Wenceslas atop a horse in Wenceslas Square will leap to life. The mounted statue is said to thunder down to the bridge and stumble over a stone, revealing beneath it the hidden sword of Brunvick.

The beloved king’s destination is an army sleeping under Mount Blanik, which, upon learning the time has at last come, will re-emerge into life as well, ready to do battle against enemies foreign or domestic.

Further stoking the city’s endemic sense of drama are enthused musical bands that perform evergreen classics and modern tunes like the “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme. The rousing soundtrack seems designed to remind the lives trapped in statuary that it’s time to wake and join the resistance.

One of the many saints lining the Charles Bridge.

You might think of the Jolly Roger flag again when gazing at the Orloj – the Old Town Astronomical Clock. Visitors gather there to witness the arrival of each new hour, heralded by a parade of the Apostles and other colourful figurines twirling in time. Among them is a skeleton seen as a sign of hope, death, or some mix of the two.

The complex mechanism of the clock, like a miniature planetarium, began ticking in the 1400s. It tracks the conventional time, lunar cycles, sunrises and sunsets, star time and Old Bohemian time, when the new day starts at sundown. That’s “beer o’clock”, and the Czech Republic boasts some of the world’s smoothest beers – as well as world-beating consumption rates.

Recently, the clock stopped, though only for a seven-month tune-up that should be completed by August. Still, by tradition, the oracle-like Orloj is regarded as a barometer of the nation’s wellbeing. When it stops, grave uncertainty begins.

Wandering in and out of mediaeval venues in the Prague Castle complex.

Regardless, the last century is easy enough to track with precision. One hundred years ago, the country was formed in the aftermath of World War I. Fifty years ago came the Prague Spring’s fleeting experiment with openness. And 25 years ago marked the consequent Velvet Divorce and the creation of the separate Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Prague somehow seems steeped in dreams and destiny, a reflection of Czechoslovakia’s transition from authoritarianism to democracy at the end of the Cold War, the only Eastern European country to do so, and it was done with relative ease.

The air of conviviality is catching in a town that has long bustled with foreign visitors. The locals mostly congregate in riverside parks, where there are concerts in the summer. They laze and they gaze on the Vltava, perhaps contemplating the Republic’s subtle national character. You don’t sense any of Hungary’s sadness cloaked in joy or the frankness of the Austro-Germans.

On the greener pathways that converge at Prague Castle, the town’s soothing nature works its charms.

Segways come in handy traversing the hilly Czech capital.

Golden Lane was once a warren of writers’ hovels, artists’ garrets, goldsmith shops and watering holes. An historical sign piques interest in medieval life: “The taverns in Golden Lane were really lively. Often wandering jugglers and musicians would meet here. When the merriment erupted, there came to the pubs smejdiri – peddlers or hawkers – and various swindlers luring people with their dice or cards.

“Although, according to the magistrates of Prague, the tavern businesses were operated only by men of integrity, complaints and accusations of moral debauchery had no end.”

Paddleboats are perfect for absorbing the beauty of Prague.

While history often melts into happy endings in this roguishly blessed city, which at times can feel like one big sprawling fun fair, the Charles Bridge has been the scene of sheer cruelty. Criminals were publicly executed here, lowered into the river from its ramparts in wicker baskets.

Wencelas Square similarly reflects both Prague’s spirit of the possible and its darker currents. It’s where philosophy student Jan Palach burned himself to death in 1968, in one of the catalysts for the Velvet Revolution and for Havel’s last period of imprisonment in the breathtaking lead-up to his presidency.

Magicians attempt to persuade onlookers of a special relationship with gravity.

While the action is non-stop at the city’s main international entranceway, Vaclav Havel Airport, the Vaclav Havel Library is in a quiet, less-visited lane near the theatre district. Computer screens and wall displays tell his story. His police mug shots are shown alongside more flattering portraits, some featuring other celebrated history makers, and you can see and hear excerpts from his plays.

The library movingly relates the marvels that a spirit of service and compassionate sacrifice can accomplish. This was demonstrated for decades by a public servant who shunned publicity and forewent the Nobel Peace Prize so that Aung San Suu Kyi could have it instead, so that light would be shed on the sufferings of the Burmese people.

Stained glass in the resplendent St Vitus Cathedral within the Prague Castle complex.

Havel was the first leader of a nation to meet the Dalai Lama. The library’s modest size is fitting for Havel, who died in 2011 soon after receiving final blessings from the exiled Tibetan leader.

“Consciousness precedes being, and not the other way around, as the Marxists claim,” Havel once wrote. “For this reason, the salvation of this human world lies nowhere else than in the human heart, in the human power to reflect, in human meekness and in human responsibility.

“Without a revolution in the sphere of human consciousness, nothing will change for the better in the sphere of our being as humans.”

Places for contemplation are plentiful in Prague, as are excellent vantages for people-watching in the plazas. Near the Havel library is a former hangout of Velvet Revolution activists.

The Reduta Jazz Club is casual, intimate and historically charged. Bill Clinton, when he was president of the United States, blew some tunes here on the saxophone Havel gave him during a 1994 visit.

A wonderful room for appreciating what Miles Davis called “the space between the notes”, the dimly lit Reduta, like Prague, provides ideal conditions for allowing the soul to breathe – and for drinking in all that smoothness.

Taking place in the 2.4-hectare fields of the Fuji Motosuko Resort, the festival features 800,000 flowering plants in full bloom – and snow-capped Mount Fuji towering in the background. CNN declared the spot one of Japan’s 34 most beautiful places.

This year’s highlight is a Mount Fuji mound carpeted with pink and white shiba-sakura blossoms and the Pink Sea of vivid McDaniel’s Cushion blossoms.

The festival will be showcasing ground-hugging moss phloxes that overflow with flowers, while sakura cherry trees are in bloom. Visitors can feast their eyes on wide-ranging blossoms from cherry trees, eight varieties of shiba-sakura and nine other species of flowering plants.

Female visitors from abroad can further increase their enjoyment by wearing a rented kimono between April 28 and May 6.

During the day, visitors can soothe their tired feet in the healing waters of the Panorama Footbath and fill their tummies with local foods, Japanese sweets and other photo-worthy dishes at the Mt Fuji Delicious Foods Festival set up in the same venue.

The Mt Fuji Busking Festival will also be taking place on the premises with talented street performers providing hours of entertainment on certain days. Express buses will run directly to the venue from the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal in Tokyo during the festival. Tickets are Bt600 yen for adults and 250 yen for children.

Find out more at http://www.Shibazakura.jp/eng.

The festival opened with a drone matrix performing in the air and fireworks that drew more than 38,000 visitors. A dragon lantern stretching nearly 200 metres is the highlight and is surrounded by 51 other huge lanterns that turn the whole park into a wonderland.

The lanterns are spread over six zones inspired by traditional Chinese culture. At the gate, revolving palace lanterns, large and small, send out New Year blessings and the Tower of Long Days boasts a 22.5-meter-high lantern stacked into the clouds. Lions on four sides weighing 15 tonnes are full of arrogance and expected to set a Guinness world record for the highest festive lantern on the planet.

Also on view are smaller lanterns featuring Peking Opera figures and antique vases as well as a dozen dog-shaped lanterns spread over the park to bring best wishes to children for the Lunar Year of the Dog.

Designed to promote traditional Chinese poetry and local culture, the poems and Chinese characters are cleverly planted in every lantern. This year, visitors can enjoy a water curtain laser show and three-dimensional projection enriched the experiences, while robot tour guides standby to answer questions patiently and nicely.

There’s also a Taiwan food carnival to spice up the atmosphere, with over 50 stalls serving 110 different snacks from the island.