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Martin Malik
Bunker

My name is Martin and this is my story. I travel because it is fun and a great way to continue self-education which enriches the worldview and opens my eyes to unnoticeable things, both in the distant countries and the closest ones. Let's get to know other cultures but let's also respect and defend our own.

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The Politics of Truth

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Trips to Asia

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A few words from the author

Whilst travelling from the Christian remains of Constantinople and the ancient sands of Persia, through the Himalayas, the Great Wall of China and the dense jungles of Borneo, I realized that the world must have its order. Therefore despite my beautiful adventures and experiences I always remembered which culture I myself belonged to, and I also appreciated the beauty and values of our beautiful - White Christian civilization.

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Curiosities

Curiosities are articles about specific topics and events from Asia. These can be political changes, ecological disasters and historical events. Some Curiosities are about famous sights, symbols, natural ways of building, and all the things that can interest readers.

Curiosities

The real map of China

By: Martin Malik
Every time I look at a map of the People`s Republic of China I wonder how much of that land would remain in China if we left only what is truly Chinese. In the same way after the collapse of the Soviet Union we could see how many countries the Soviets occupied and how many they lost. Maybe one day the People’s Republic of China will also collapse and then it would become a relatively small country, more or less of the size of France.
Curiosities

The national games of Kyrgyzstan

By: Martin Malik
The first game is called Ulak-Tartysh which is a combination of polo and rugby, although the "equipment" is more diversified. There are two teams and the players try to snatch a dead goat, with a head and legs cut off to its knees. Then the corpse of the goat is supposed to be brought to the marked place.
Curiosities

Rock building in Tajikistan

By: Martin Malik
Over time the rock settlements and fences look even better because each rock has its natural colour which blends well with the mountainous environment and even with the weather. If it rains the rock colours change and whole villages made of rocks exist in a beautiful harmony with the mountains. After some time they are covered with moss and grass and birds build nests inside the cracks.
Curiosities

The Aral Sea Ecological Disaster

By: Martin Malik
The Soviets were so greedy that when the plan was created environmentalists were threatened by the Soviet Communist Party and forced to inform that the Aral Sea was only the nature's mistake and it was not needed. In the 60's the Soviet regime decided that the rivers of Syr Darya and Abu Darya will be diverted to water cotton plantations ("the white gold").
Curiosities

100 ways of using a coconut

By: Martin Malik
Breastfeeding mothers should also add at least 3 teaspoons of coconut oil a day to their daily food supply to ensure a better milk production for their babies. However it is also good for women to soothe their nipples with coconut oil as it gives them a relief whilst breastfeeding and it is tasty for infants.
Curiosities

Swastika for luck

By: Martin Malik
In fact, swastika is the oldest cross and symbol in the world. It consists of four letters "L" which mean luck, light, love and life. Swastikas of different arrangements were found in ancient Rome, excavations in the Greek cities, the statues of Buddha, and other Buddhist sculptures and temples.
Curiosities

The dark side of Thailand

By: Martin Malik
It has been calculated that the criminal industry of Thailand (prostitution, fake currencies, counterfeit goods, human trafficking, piracy of all kinds) is estimated to be worth about $14bln a year. Corruption, arms trade and gambling are apart from beautiful beaches also a specialty of Thailand. Based on the intelligence supplied by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Europol the drug dealing business is worth about $435bln a year, and only the cocaine business is worth $84bln a year.
Curiosities

Irrawaddy dolphins

By: Martin Malik
Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) are a rare species closely related to killer whales. They live mainly in the Bay of Bengal and in South - East Asia and the largest population of as many as 90% live in India and Bangladesh. In other parts of the world, such as Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Burma they are a critically endangered species.
Curiosities

Snake charmer

By: Martin Malik
When I was India I saw "a charmer" who had cobras in his basket and played a flute. Cobras were in a threatening position and when they looked at me the people around were horrified. The owner of the cobras took handled one so I did too, but very securely at first as these snakes do not constrict their prey. These are deadly venomous.
Curiosities

The Stalin museum in Gori

By: Martin Malik
Stalin's Museum in Gori is an intrusive and downright pathetic attempt to present a wolf in sheep's clothing as well as unpleasant proof of the hypocrisy of the Georgian government that openly tolerate these lies.

The traveller’s zeal

"Existence itself is not enough to call it life. Life is a constant struggle without mercy for weakness, which leads to the goal that we have chosen. All the rest are just blank pages from our book of existence. "
Marcin Malik
Curiosities

The Khmer Rouge regime

By: Martin Malik
According to the UN the Red Khmers killed between 2-3 million people, while UNICEF set that number at 3 million. Another 650.000 Cambodians starved to death between 1979 and 1980 as the direct result of the Khmer Rouge policies. A lot of mass graves have been found in Cambodia with buried remains of 1.5mln executed victims. These are the work results of the communist mass-murderers.
Curiosities

The Polish-Pakistani Air Force

By: Martin Malik
As soon as independent Pakistan was created in 1947, the new government in Karachi asked the British RAF to recommend them the most experienced and trusted pilots who would be able to build the air force of Pakistan. After the Second World War the British RAF and other European air forces were destroyed, which is why the British recommended Poles to Pakistan. In 1947 a young officer Władysław Turowicz and Polish pilots under his command landed in Karachi to set up the Pakistan Air Force.
Curiosities

Petra – the desert city of Jordan

By: Martin Malik
Petra is a desert city of Jordan, which has been included in the new 7 Wonders of the World. Among the sands of Arabia there are interesting rock formations and temples built by the Nabatean Kingdom. To this day, survived structures carved in rocks, as well as theaters, religious altars on top of the mountains, and streets perfected by the Romans. Petra is not just one temple known from the Indiana Jones series, but an ancient city in the desert, which was full of life and it had commercial significance.
Curiosities

Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia

By: Martin Malik
The temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia are the national pride of this country. Until the mid-nineteenth century this lost city was considered only a myth, and an unattainable relic of the past, lying deep in the jungle. Even more so, when the temples of Angkor were finally discovered, the surprise was endless. The temples of Angkor Wat were built by the Khmer Empire as Hindu temples, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, but from the twelfth century they were converted into Buddhist temples.
Curiosities

The exotic fruits of Asia

By: Martin Malik
Europeans usually think that in their well-stocked countries there isn't such thing that they wouldn't try. This approach is very wrong, because when travelling in the Philippines, Borneo, Cambodia or Thailand, I tried many fruits which are unknown in Europe. Asia is very rich in that respect, because it can enchant white travellers with gifts of nature. Wealth, prosperity, peace and health - are not always synonymous with money.
Curiosities Travel reports

Khyber Pass in Pakistan

By: Martin Malik
Khyber Pass is a road leading through mountains from the city of Peshawar in Pakistan to Afghanistan. This dangerous section is the main trade route to Afghanistan, which has a reputation of being outside of the Pakistani law, and it is a place of many surprises. This strategic trade route is a place of constant fight for influence between the forces of the Pakistani government, the Taliban, and the local Pashtun tribes.
Curiosities

The Tree of Life in Bahrain

By: Martin Malik
Article about the Tree of Life in Bahrain is versatile because I combined not only a desert adventure with the passion for travel. It is my first article about botany, although a very Interesting element is the way of seeing a tree in different cultures, religions and philosophies throughout history.
  • Animals
  • The beach files
  • Interesting people - unforgettable faces
  • Burma (Myanmar)
  • Armenia
  • Tadżykistan