Heo Young-Saeng

Heo Young-Saeng (Hangul: 허영생; hanja: 許永生; born: November 3, 1986)is a South Korean entertainer and the lead singer and main vocalist of boyband SS501. He's also the leader of 'Double S 301'.

In 2010, Heo left DSP Media, who managed him as part of SS501, and moved to B2M Entertainment, with bandmate Kim Kyu-Jong, to pursue his solo career. His debut album as a soloist entitled Let It Go was released in May 2011. He then released several albums more in Korea and Japan, with the hit tracks "Crying", "The Art of Seduction", "Weak Child", and "1.2.3", among others. In 2012, Heo played his first acting role in KBS2's sitcom I Need A Fairy.

Heo has performed in musicals as well: he debuted in The Three Musketeers, playing the role of D'Artagnan during 2011, and appeared in 2013, the Summer Snow musical.

Since October 31, 2013, Heo is on active duty as a police officer as part of his mandatory, 21-month military service. He completed his military service and has officially been discharged on July 30, 2015. He also joined CI Entertainment.

In December 2015, Heo returned in theater to play the role of Han Minho in the musical "Haru". It's together with Hyung Jun. Also, it serves as the musical comeback of Heo after 21-month of hiatus due to military service.

In January 2016, Heo reunite with Kyu Jong and Hyung Jun and grouped as "Double S 301". CI Entertainment already released a photo teaser for their comeback.The group released an album entitled Eternal 5 on February 16, 2016. Also, they'll release a Japanese album entitledEternal S on April 20, 2016.

Early life

Heo Young-Saeng was born on November 3, 1986 in Gochang County Jeollabuk-do, South Korea. He is an only child.

He graduated in high school at Hyundai High School and graduated in college at Dong Seoul University.

He started as a trainee at SM Entertainment for about 2.5 years. He then joined DSP Media, formerly known as DSP Entertainment and trained for 3 months before debuting. He debuted as a member of SS501 on June 8, 2005.

2005–2009: SS501 debut

See also: SS501

Heo debuted as a member of SS501 on June 8, 2005, along with their debut album, Warning. Their second mini album, Snow Prince, was released in late 2005, five months after their debut. During this time, the band established their official fan club name, "Triple S", and its color, pearl green. The group earned instant popularity and won many rookie awards following their debut.

Heo hosted SS501's radio program SS501's Youngstreet on SBS along with fellow member Park Jung-min from May 1 to August 21, 2006. He was forced to leave the program due to a throat condition that required laryngeal surgery, and bandmate Kim Kyu-Jong took over as DJ.

SS501 soon promoted their first studio album S.T 01 Now. In late 2007, they expanded their activities in the Japanese market to challenge themselves outside Korea with the release of their Japanese single Kokoro, along with the establishment of "Triple S Japan". The single debuted at number 5. They had two more successful releases in Japan entitled Distance and SS501 The band received the Newcomer Award by Japan Gold Disc Award in January 2008; this was the first time Korean artists had received this award.See More on https://en.wikipedia.org....

What time does Strictly Come Dancing 2016 start this weekend? Plus all you need to know about the contestants

Series 14 of Strictly Come Dancing starts at 9pm Friday 23 Septembercontinuing on Saturday 24 September. The dancers will be split into two groups and will perform on either night. There will be no public vote until the following week. The couples will have had three weeks of training to get in shape and nail their first routine. 

Dodgy sci-fi themed opening sequence aside, the launch of this year’s celebrity dance contest was as joyful and energetic as ever – a triumph of wall-to-wall smiles, sparkles and enthusiastic shimmying. Will things be so upbeat for the first show, however, as the live shows start and we see how three weeks of training have tested our hopefuls? Given The X Factor’s inexorable ratings fluctuations, the only competition Strictly really has these days is itself and whether or not the latest line-up of stars can conjure a series to match past glories.

So far, the prospects look good. There are enough big personalities and potential talent (if not all household names) to give us a corking competition. Delightfully catty Judge Rinder, fabulous Lesley Joseph and game former MP Ed Balls should all be good value. Gymnast Claudia Fragapane, singers Will Young and Louise Redknapp, meanwhile, hint at some serious dancing chops.

Tonight sees six contestants enter the ballroom with their professional partners for the first time, with the remaining nine dancing tomorrow evening. No one gets eliminated  this week, however, so the pairs can find their feet as they begin their bid for the glitterball. 

The Strictly 2016 line-up announcement as it happened 

The Strictly launch show, when the celebrity and professional pairings will be revealed, was broadcast on Saturday 3 September. But who will lift the glitterball trophy from the hands  of last year’s winner  Jay McGuiness? 

Cancer patients sign up for trials of new drugs with too high hopes

Patients taking part in trials of new cancer drugs have unrealistic expectations that experimental treatment will save them, a study by the Royal Marsden has found. 
Research on more than 300 cancer patients asked about taking part in early-stage research found almost half believed their tumours would shrink, with hopes rising after they discussed the trials with their doctors. 
In fact, phase I clinical trials – which are the first experiments on humans following studies on laboratory animals, produce typical cancer response rates of between 4 per cent and 20 per cent. Enrolled patients, who often have advanced disease that is not responding to standard therapy, survive for around six months on average. 
The new study examined the expectations of cancer patients considering signing up to take part in trials. 
Overall, patients were keen experiment with new drugs, with up to 84 per cent of those taking part in research saying they would be willing to enrol.

But 47 per cent of patients were keen to do so, because they expected the research to shrink tumours, which had often failed to respond to any other treatment. 
Lead researcher Dr Udai Banerji, from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: "There is a positive message in this, which is that 84 per cent of patients are willing to participate in Phase I oncology studies after a discussion with clinical and nursing staff who lay out the conservative estimates of benefit and requirements of hospital visits. 
"This is good for current and future patients and cancer medicine in general." 
However, he added: "The high percentage of patients expecting their tumours to shrink was a sobering finding. This creates a challenge for healthcare professionals to manage expectations but to do so without being patronising or dismissing human hope."
The findings, published online in the American Cancer Society journal Cancer, point to the need to improve patient information and consent forms, said the authors. 
Phase I trials are designed to assess the potential of new treatments that have never before been tested on humans and tend to focus on safety rather than effectiveness. 
The trials start with low doses of a treatment which are increased until a recommended dose for a next stage Phase II trial is established. 
Healthcare professionals are duty-bound to ensure that patients are properly informed about the risks and benefits of taking part in a Phase I trial. 
Some patients taking part in research will experience significant improvements, with extraordinary results revealed in some US cancer studies earlier this year. But the research suggests many patients expect this to be the norm.

Wanda steps up rivalry against Disney in China with second park

China's Dalian Wanda has stepped up competition with Walt Disney, opening its second theme park in the country.

On Saturday, the company welcomed the first visitors to the new 34bn yuan ($5.1bn; £3.9bn) park in Hefei which also has hotels and a shopping mall.

The firm plans to build as many as 20 more such parks across China by 2020.

Dalian Wanda has been outspoken about its rivalry with US firm Walt Disney which opened its first theme park in mainland China in June.

In May, Wanda launched its first theme park in Nanchang just weeks before Disney launched its Shanghai park.

At the Nanchang opening, Wanda owner and China's richest man, Wang Jianlin, said he wanted to move away from Western imports and to establish a global brand based on Chinese culture.

Analysis: Robin Brant, BBC News, Shanghai

Walt Disney wants to go very big in one place in mainland China: Shanghai. Dalian Wanda is going for a smaller, cheaper presence in many more places. The two firms have very different strategies in the country.

Disney's $5.5bn gamble in Shanghai is a behemoth of an entertainment complex.

Although Wanda's chief Wang Jianlin has made much of his desire to take on Disney at its own game, his offering is quite different. There's less of an overall "experience" - fewer rides with some animated characters and hotels and retail on a smaller scale.

Wanda's sell seems to be a cheaper- but just as much fun- day out.

So far, Disney still has a significant lead in the key part of this equation - intellectual property. With Star Wars and Marvel's array of characters to add to Mickey Mouse it has much to entice families.

Wanda is now looking to develop something similar with its vast cinema chain and the well established independent US production firm Legendary Entertainment,which it bought earlier this year.

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In an interview in May with state-run broadcaster CCTV, Mr Wang said in May that Wanda wanted "to ensure Disney is not profitable for 10-20 years in this business segment in China".

Disney's Shanghai park is its sixth theme park and its fourth outside the United States after Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

A number of further Wanda theme parks are currently under construction, with one in Harbin slated for opening in 2017 and the next in Qingdao, Guangzhou and Wuxi in 2018 and 2019.

A Wanda movie park in the city of Wuhan was opened in 2014 but at the end of July unexpectedly closed for renovation.

The rivalry between Dalian Wanda and Walt Disney comes as China's slowing economy affects domestic consumer spending. At Wanda's cinema arm, ticket sales were up by only 12.8% in the second quarter compared to 61% in the first.

Tiny 'teacup' puppies bred in South Korean puppy mills and sold worldwide on Facebook

The RSPCA has warned British dog buyers about purchasing dogs from fashionable 'teacup' puppy services, after being made aware by The Telegraph that US companies are working with South Korean puppy mills to sell the tiny dogs over Facebook.
These puppies are immensely popular online, with some puppy 'boutiques' garnering over 75,000 likes on Facebook.
Teacup puppy pages advertise the puppies weigh far less than their breed usually weigh, reaching on average 2-5 pounds when fully grown.
However, the RSPCA has warned intensively breeding dogs to be small can cause health problems, and that potential dog owners should never buy from puppy mills, or services when you don't see the breeder or the environment the puppies were raised in.
An RSPCA spokesperson said: "We always encourage people thinking of getting a dog to first consider adopting one from one of the many rescue organisations working in England and Wales. There are so many wonderful dogs patiently waiting for their home in kennels and foster homes.
"We do understand that sometimes, for whatever reason, people want to buy a puppy from a breeder. It's very important when searching for a breeder and a puppy to do lots of research and take time over choosing the right dog for your family and circumstances.
"Use the RSPCA/AWF puppy contract online to avoid becoming a victim of the puppy trade.

Who took the gold in archery at '2016 Idol Star Athletics Championships'?

Idol stars competed for the gold in archery on the September 15th MBC Chuseok special '2016 Idol Star Athletics Championships'!

Of all the groups that participated in the competition, it was G-Friend, EXID, MONSTA X, and GOT7 that made it to the final rounds. In the female competition, reigning champions EXID went head to head with unexpected competitors G-Friend. They were able to shoot very similar scores, but due to one error by G-Friend, it was EXID who reigned supreme.
As for the male idols, MONSTA X beat BTOB and GOT7 took down BTS to advance to the finals. In an amazing streak, MONSTA X member Minhyuk scored 10 points with 3 succeeding shots, giving MONSTA X the gold medal over GOT7.
In the end, EXID took gold, G-Friend took silver, and Lovelyz took bronze home, while MONSTA X took gold, GOT7 placed 2nd, and BTS placed 3rd. Congrats to EXID and MONSTA X!

History and Development of the Mid-Autumn Festival

The term "Mid-Autumn" first appeared in the book Rites of Zhou (周礼), written in the Warring States Period (475–221 BC). But the term only related to the time and season; the festival didn't exist at that point.
In the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), it was popular to appreciate the moon. Many poets liked to create poems related to the moon when appreciating it. There is a legend that Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty visited the Moon Palace in his dream and heard a wonderful song.
In the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127 AD), the 15th day of the 8th lunar month was established as the "Mid-Autumn Festival". From then on, sacrificing to the moon was very popular, and has become a custom ever since.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD) and the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912 AD), the Mid-Autumn Festival was as popular as Chinese New Year. People promoted many different activities to celebrate it, such as burning pagodas and performing the fire dragon dance.
Worshiping the moon entailed placing a large table in the middle of the yard under the moon, and putting offerings, such as fruit and snacks, on the table.
Nowadays, many traditional activities are disappearing, but new trends have been generated. Most workers and students regard it as a public holiday to escape work and school. People go out traveling with families or friends, or watch the Mid-Autumn Festival Gala on TV at night.

Stories of 3 Origins — Sacrificing to the Moon, Parties at Night, and Eating Mooncakes

Sacrificing to the Moon — Earliest Origins of Ancient Worship moon worshipMoon worshiping
Ancient Chinese emperors worshiped the harvest moon on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, as they believed that the practice would bring them a plentiful harvest the following year.
The custom of offering sacrifices to the moon originated from worshiping the moon goddess, and it was recorded that kings offered sacrifices to the moon in fall during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1045–770 BC).
The sacrificial offerings include apples, plums, grapes, and incense, but mooncakes and watermelons (pomelos in the south) are essential. The watermelon's (or pomelo's) skin is sometimes sliced and opened up into a lotus shape when offered as a sacrifice.

Lee Min Ho burdened by Hallyu star status?

Actor Lee Min Ho is not much accustomed to the idea of Korean Hallyu star status. Instead, the 29-year-old believes that the responsibility to entertain fans comes from within and not with any social position.
In a recent interview with Xports News, when asked about his Korean wave status and if he feels burdened, the Gangnam Blues actor responded: "I think the title of 'Hallyu star' was added to my name very suddenly. I'm very honored and grateful, but I am still unused to it. As for responsibility, I always felt it even without the Hallyu star title."
Min Ho, who gained widespread fame with Boys Over Flowers in 2009, is a rising star in China as well. The actor is reportedly receiving quite many offers after the grand hit of his first Chinese movie, Bounty Hunters, where he acted as a lead. He shared that his involvement in varied projects has rolled in love and support from the audience, not in Korea, but from other places as well.
When asked about the real power of the Hallyu wave, the actor-turned-singer stated: "I feel it not only with my productions, but also when dramas, movies, and other media content becomes a big issue overseas. When I run into fans who study Korean to watch Korean productions, and even come visit the country despite the difference in language and culture, I realize that this must be the power of Hallyu."

Meranti: Strongest super typhoon of the year barrels toward China, Taiwan

Hong Kong-(CNN)Hundreds of people have been evacuated in southern Taiwan and China has issued a red alert as the region braces for the impact of the strongest storm of the year.
Super Typhoon Meranti is barreling down on Taiwan, bringing wind speeds of up to 230 miles per hour (370 kph), faster than a Formula One race car, and torrential rains.
Schools and offices across the south of the island have closed and dozens of flights have been canceled, according to the official China News Agency.
Four people have been injured, and more than 70,000 households have lost power in counties across southern Taiwan, according to the Taiwan Red Cross.
As of 7 a.m. local time Wednesday morning, around 1,500 people had been evacuated from the affected areas, Li Wei-sen, of the Taiwan Central Emergency Operating Center, told CNN.
Almost 4,000 military and police personnel have been deployed to the region to prepare for potential future evacuations, but he said authorities are not expecting major damage or destruction.

China braces for impact

While the 23 million people in Taiwan are likely to be buffeted and soaked by Meranti, the main brunt of the storm will fall on mainland China. The storm is expected to make landfall in Guangdong or Fujian provinces during the day on Thursday.
Authorities in six south-eastern provinces as well as Shanghai have initiated emergency response measures as the storm approaches, according to state run news agency Xinhua.
If the storm makes landfall in eastern Guangdong, it could be the strongest to hit the province in 47 years, Xinhua reported.
"It only took nine hours for Meranti to grow into a super typhoon from a typhoon," Guangdong meteorologist Zhang Dong told the news agency.
"Packing winds between 202 to 220 kilometers per hour, it is interacting with another storm, Malakas, 1,000 kilometers away, and the route could be hard to predict."
China's National Meteorological Center issued a red typhoon warning at 6 a.m. local time Wednesday, while authorities warned that waves eight to 13 meters (26 to 42 feet) high could be expected in the northeastern part of the South China Sea.
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Discovering the Mystery of Preah Vihear

Prasat Preah Vihear is an ancient Khmer temple in Cambodia situated at the top of 525 meters cliff in the Dangrek Mountains. Preah Vihear province is about 320 km from Phnom Penh.

This temple was constructed to dedicate to the Hindu God, Shiva and it is the first temple in the early 9(th) century. We can find inscription at the temple about sacred rituals, celebrations, religious festivals and making gifts of Suryavarman II.

Phreah Vihear temple was selected by UNESCO World Heritage as the world’s greatest landmark. The architecture of this temple was adapted to the natural environment and religious function. The design of buildings and their materials express well values of the property.

Preah Vihear temple is unique in its style of architecture with an overwhelming view of the province atop. This temple has four courtyards and levels comprising five Gopuras.

On the first level Gopura is Greek architecture style and each doorway adorned by stone lions. Moreover, Nagaraj Courtyard is made from a single solid stone that had seven headed snakes called Ngu Suang. The front stone stairway is a large stone located on the first and second steps with stone signa statue. Third level Gopuras was the place where the king prays to the God, and the two wings on its side were the shelters for the pilgrims.

The best time to see the beauty of Phreah Vihear is in the morning and evening. In the morning time, one can watch mountains bathed in sunlight while unwinding in fresh cool air from surrounding mountains and forests. Evening is also a great time, where clouds and thick fog spells cold ambiance. Picture taking is good at this moment as sun sets in.

The Mysteries of Angkor Wat

Deep into northwest Cambodia is the capital of the ancient Khmer Empire, a great site dedicated to the god Vishnu. It was built by the King Suryavarman the Second (Shield of the Sun) of the Khmer Empire sometime between 1100 and 1150 CE, and its name means ‘The City of the Temples’. It spans more than 400 acres and is full of many different buildings, making Angkor Wat one of the largest and most complex religious monuments ever constructed in the history of mankind.

The temples became known to the Europeans around 1860 through French Missionaries. Henri Mahout , a French botanist who did extensive research at this time, initially thought that the temples of Angkor Wat were built by another race and not by the Cambodians.

During the 12 th century the Khmer ruled most of Southeast Asia. It was during this period that Angkor Wat was built, over a period of approximately 30 years. According to archaeologist Charles Higham , Suryavarman wasn’t just a man, but a demigod. In all depictions he appears large and muscular with everyone seated around him. According to legends, Suryavarman the Second killed his uncle in order to become king.

The city of Angkor was a city of 1,000,000 people, with a complex irrigation system, paved roads and beautiful buildings; however, within 200 years the Khmer civilization collapsed with no apparent reason. Scholars suggest that an environmental collapse may have played a major role in the Khmer civilization’s disappearance.

The temple is an enormous three level pyramid built on a floating rectangular piece of land surrounded by water. It consists of nine towers, each more than 60 meters high. It was built to represent the ‘home of the gods’, Mount Meru , a mythical sacred mountain in Hindu mythology which is considered to be the residence of the god Brahma and the Devas. It was referenced to be approximately 1,000,000 km high. Similar descriptions of such a mountain also appear in Javanese legends and other mythologies around the world. Isn’t it possible that what they refer to is a place that would have been so far from Earth as to be considered the place where the gods came from?

Another distinct feature of the temple of Angkor Wat is its containment of the portraits of 1796 women in stone in the centre of the city. Each portrait is unique in some way, and researchers are still puzzled as to the purpose of these women. Certainly they must have been very important to be portrayed in the most significant temple of the Khmer civilization.

The myths say that the temple was constructed mathematically to be in harmony with the universe, and the distances and sizes in Angkor Wat are related to the Indian mythology. In her work "Angkor: Celestial Temples of the Khmer Empire", Eleanor Mannikka suggests that Angkor Wat was also used for astronomical purposes. Scenes from the Hindu sacred book, the Mahabharata, can be found curved on the outer wall in eight different panels.

Impressive and massive, Angkor Wat is an intriguing place to visit that once again will question our prevailing belief that our civilization is more advanced than civilizations that existed in the past.

Vainglory

Vainglory is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game by Super Evil Megacorp for iOS and Android. Designed for mobile platforms, it is a simplified version of the PC-based genre wherein two opposing teams of three players fight to destroy the enemy base by controlling the path between the bases, which is lined by turrets and guarded by enemy minions. Off the path, players battle for control points that supply extra resources. The game was released for iOS on November 16, 2014, after being soft-launched for over half a year. The Android version was released on July 2, 2015. The game's development began in 2012 when Super Evil Megacorp was formed by a team of game development veterans to design and build a MOBA for tablet devices. The game was unveiled at Apple's September 2014 iPhone 6 announcement event to demonstrate the platform's Metal graphics API. The team sought to make a game that would entertain players for thousands of hours and encourage in-person multiplayer experiences similar to that of a LAN party.

Vainglory received generally favorable reviews. Critics praised the game's graphics, characters, and level design, but criticized its lack of team communication features. Reviewers disagreed on the game's degree of accessibility to newcomers. The Guardian named Vainglory the "best" iOS game of 2014.

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Samsung recalls Note 7 flagship over explosive batteries

Samsung Electronics is recalling its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone and said that battery problems were behind phones catching fire.
The decision follows reports in the US and South Korea of the phone "exploding" during or after charging.
The South Korean company said customers who had already bought the phone would be able to swap it for a new one.
Samsung said it had been difficult to work out which phones were affected among the 2.5 million Note 7s sold.
"There was a tiny problem in the manufacturing process, so it was very difficult to figure out,'' the president of Samsung's mobile business Koh Dong-jin told reporters.
"It will cost us so much it makes my heart ache. Nevertheless, the reason we made this decision is because what is most important is customer safety," he said.
The firm said it would take about two weeks to prepare replacement devices.
According to Samsung, the phone has been launched in 10 countries so far but with different companies supplying the batteries.
The recall comes just one week ahead of an expected presentation of a new iPhone model from its main rival Apple.
What makes lithium batteries catch fire?
Analysis: Zoe Kleinman, BBC technology reporter
This is an extraordinary decision for a tech giant to make based on so few reported incidents - Samsung says it is aware of only 35 cases worldwide.
It's bad timing so soon after a big product launch and especially given that Samsung's rival Apple is understood to be preparing to unveil a new iPhone.
However, the firm says it has discovered a problem with the battery cell and is halting sales while it inspects its suppliers.
People who have already bought the device - which is only available to pre-order in the UK - will be issued with a replacement.
Stories about exploding smartphone batteries do make the news from time to time - lithium ion batteries are flammable but very widely used.

Reported 'explosions'
Over the past few days, several users have reported their phones catching fire or exploding while charging, and Samsung said it had confirmed 35 such cases.
A YouTube user uploaded a video under the name Ariel Gonzalez on 29 August of a Galaxy Note 7 with burnt rubber casing and damaged screen.
He said the handset "caught fire" shortly after he unplugged the official Samsung charger, less than a fortnight after purchasing it.
Further images of a burnt Galaxy Note 7 were uploaded to Kakao Story, a popular social media site in Korea, on 30 August.
A user wrote: "There was another explosion of the Galaxy Note 7. It was my friend's phone. A Samsung employee checked the site and he is currently in talks over the compensation with Samsung. You should use its original charger just in case and leave the phone far away from where you are while charging."
Flagship phone
The phone was only launched on 19 August and has since then been generally well-received by critics and consumers.
The Galaxy Note 7 model is the latest of Samsung's series of so called phablets - smartphones with very large screens.
Samsung also added an iris scanner to the Note 7, which lets users unlock the phone by detecting patterns in the eyes.
In July, Samsung beat expectations with record earnings in the latest quarter with strong smartphone sales helping the firm post its best quarterly results in more than two years.
Samsung had predicted continued increase in demand for its smartphones and tablets in the second half of the year.

144-Year-Old Wisteria In Japan

These stunning photographs, which look like a glorious late evening sky with dashes of pink and purple, are actually pictures of Japan’s largest wisteria (or wistaria, depending on whom you ask) plant.
This plant, located in Ashikaga Flower Park in Japan, is certainly not the largest in the world, but it still comes in at an impressive 1,990 square meters (or half an acre) and dates back to around 1870 (the largest, at about 4,000 square meters, is the wisteria vine in Sierra Madre, California). Although wisterias can look like trees, they’re actually vines. Because its vines have the potential to get very heavy, this plant’s entire structure is held up on steel supports, allowing visitors to walk below its canopy and bask in the pink and purple light cast by its beautiful hanging blossoms.

125+ Year Old Rhododendron “Tree” In Canada

When reddit user smartforever posted this magnificent picture of an old rhododendron (from Ancient Greek rhódon “rose” and déndron “tree”) on reddit, he probably made it the most famous rhododendron ever. Most rhododendrons are considered shrubs, but this one definitely could pass for a tree – it’s over 125 years old! You can find it on Google maps (unfortunately, Google Street View car photographed it in the wrong time of the year).

Blooming Cherry Trees in Bonn, Germany

Nature is a wonderful artist. Throughout the world sometimes mundane and otherwise ordinary things come together to create something so striking and beautiful that beholders have no other option but to stand and stare. One specimen of this phenomenon can be observed every spring in the stunning Cherry Blossom Street (locally known as Heerstraße ) in the old town of Bonn, Germany.

Bonn is a quaint little town in Germany that has he proverbial old world charm about it. The cobbled stone pathways, streets shaded with pink cherry blossoms, old houses and a characteristic old world feel make this place a warm destination. Bonn used to be the old capital of Western Germany and hence one can conclude without mistake that the town is rich in historic legacy. Moreover it is from this town in Germany that the Musical Genius Beethoven hailed. The three storied house from where hailed Beethoven is open for public view and visitors from distant parts come here to pay their tributes to the Maestro. One can opt for a traditional German meal at the Bonn market square for an authentic culinary experience.

The thing about Bonn is its tranquility that pervades the spirit of everyone in the town. It has Neo Classical style buildings with colourful facades lining the streets. The city is immaculately maintained and that adds to its charm. Bonn sits on the Rhine River and is about 30 minutes by train south of Cologne. Bonn is much smaller in area than Cologne and is home to about thirty thousand people. The old town is called Alstadt and can be navigated on foot.

Bonn is in its natural best in the spring season when the overwhelming number of Cherry Blossoms lining the city streets are in full bloom. Cherry Blossoms are beautiful pink blossoms that have a soft exuberant presence about them. The Japanese cherry blossom is called Sakura. When the blue of the sky plays peekaboo with a thick cover of pink-purple cherry blossoms in full bloom, it is a wonderful sight. It is astounding how nature and man made architecture can beautifully blend in together to create visual poetry, the beauty of which can hardly be justified with words.