Mumbai, India

Mumbai faces a large slum problem.



The water that they do have access to in the slums is often polluted.


Here in Mumbai, they seem to have a bit of a problem with their urban development. Particularly, they have had a problem with slums. Since 1950, the number of slums has risen dramatically, most of which is due to Mumbai's rising population. Before 1950, slums were mostly around mills, and the health problems of these people were generally ignored by head policymakers. From 1950 to 1968, the amount of slums increased by 18 percent, and by 1980 slum dwellers made up half of the city's population. Today, about 60 percent of Mumbai's 17 million people is made of of slum dwellers. The people in these slums live in horrible conditions. They often have to face issues like lack of water, constant migration., pollution, lack of public transportation, and housing shortages. Also, the rate of infant mortally in Mumbai is very high, and the hospital they have there are often overcrowded. Most people in the slums have to rely on private doctors that do not have any formal training or qualifications, or they have to go without medical care. Slums can also be knee deep in water when the monsoon season comes, making the risk of water-born diseases even greater than it is normally.


Sources:
http://www.macalester.edu/courses/GEOG61/espencer/slums.html
http://www.mumbai77.com/pages/mumbai-slums/


Picture Sources:

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/1526900.jpg

http://media.nowpublic.net/images//06/2/0620e25f3288c7ee4a9feb28ee406975.jpg

Beijing, China

The Emperor's throne, inside the Forbidden City.


Tienanmen Square, entrance to the Forbidden City

Beijing is a city that has so much history! I saw this throughout the city in a blend of old and new as the city modernizes with new buildings and a new lifestyle. This is easily shown in
Beijing's skyline. The city has upgraded its infrastructure so much in the past years, and there always seems to be new construction projects going on. Although there are so many new buildings going up in Beijing, the most famous structure of buildings is the Forbidden City, the palace that was constructed in the Ming dynasty by Emperor Yongle. It served as the palace for 14 emperors of the Ming dynasty and 10 emperors of the Qing dynasty. This is the most famous site in Beijing, and it was made a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. Another important part of Beijing's history is their transition into a new era of leadership and policy. In 1911, the Qing dynasty collapsed and China fell prey to the Northern Warlords and the Kuomintang. But on January 31, 1949, the Chinese People's Liberation Army entered into Beijing, and on October 19, 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China, with Beijing as its capital. This started the communist regime in China that is still present today.

Sources:

http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/feature_2/BJNowThen/default.htm

http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/beijing/30785.htm

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/forbidden.htm

Picture sources:

http://www.hereischina.com/City/beijing/images/mustsee/Qianqinggong-01.jpg
http://z.about.com/d/architecture/1/0/I/p/TiananmenSquare.jpg

Tokyo, Japan 東京,日本

Tokyo, a city rich in pop culture. (They even have Starbucks!)

The store Radio Kaikan in Akihabara, Tokyo that sells anime-related goods and electronics.

Konnichiwa from Tokyo! While I was visiting this amazing city, I just was astounded by the abundant amount of pop culture they have here. From sushi to sumo to anime, pop culture is everywhere here in Tokyo. One of the places in Tokyo that this is really evident is the region known as Akihabara (Akiba for short). Known by many as "Electric Town", this area of Tokyo sells electronics and anime-related goods at discount prices, and it even has stores called "Duty-free shops" that sell tax-free electronics. These shops usually have staff members that speak English, as well as other languages, so it is very easy for a foreigner to shop at one of these stores. One of the great things about this city is that many locals will go out of their way to help you if you seem lost or have questions. Also, foreigners aren't expected to follow many of the Japanese customs that are common among local citizens to make it easier for them to travel in Japan. I really recommend traveling to this fascinating city.

Sources:

http://www.tokyo-top-guide.com/Tokyo_Facts.html

http://akihabara-tour.com/en/index.htm

Picture Sources:

http://thewhereblog.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html

http://z.about.com/d/gojapan/1/5/q/n/akihabara-radiokaikan11.jpg