Just a Lickle Water

Have you ever had a Chinese fortune cookie?  Did you know that it was not invented in China?  At least two people have claimed to have invented it, and they are David Jung and Seiichi Kito.  Both of them claimed to have invented it while living in America.   Additionally, this cookie is not widely sold in China.  

In August 2018, Chile became the first country in South America to ban plastic bags for commercial use.  If a business breaks this law, it can face up to a $370 fine. It is reported that out of the 3.4 million plastic bags used in the country, only about 10% of them were recycled. Note: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45066268

Chad, named after what was once the largest freshwater lake in Africa, has Camel Racing as a sport. The Toubou tribe hosts the sport.

There is no hiding from the fact that the Central African Republic (CAR) has been struggling with violence, pain and suffering for a long time now.    Countries are advising their citizens against travelling to this country, and the daily news coverage about the country is more than enough to cause tender hearts to break and tears to flow. Nevertheless, in 2016 the country elected a new president, Faustin Archange Touadera, who said, “We’re going to make CAR a United country, a country of peace, a country facing development.”  Additionally, the country still has a continuous supply of diamonds, uranium and land in its possession. 

Cape Verde has one of the largest population of nesting loggerhead turtles.  The female of these turtles lays an average of 80-100 eggs every time they nest.  They usually nest between June and October, and hatching occurs between mid-august to December. Note https://conserveturtles.org/information-sea-turtles-loggerhead-sea-turtle/

In Montreal, you can be fined $444 by the police for “excessive noise.”  A couple who were each charged $444 claims that the “excessive noise” was laughing and conversing loudly at around 10 a.m. in the streets.   Note https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-couple-ticketed-888-for-excessive-noise-accuses-montreal-police-of-racial-profiling-1.4630259  

Cameroon’s official languages are French and English, but this is not surprising due to France and Britain’s past. Nevertheless, like many other countries, this country is also packed with many different languages. Additionally, at one point, German was its official language.

Have you ever heard of the official language of Cambodia?  Well, the country’s official language is Khmer and here are a few words in Khmer. How are you? = Sok sabay, Sorry = Som toh, Goodbye = Lee Hai, Welcome = Svakom, Excuse me = Som toh Notes https://www.evaneos.net/cambodia/holidays/survival-vocabulary/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHdRJoIrXbY

Burundi is one of several countries that have changed their capital city.  In January of this year, the Burundian Parliament made it official for the country’s capital to move from Bujumbura to Gitega.  The city’s capital is moving from a location that is said to have about 333 thousand people, it has a little over 23 thousand people.  However, in 2007, the present president, Pierre Nkurunziza, promised the people that this move was going to take place. Note http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/burundi-population/ https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/Burundi-names-Gitega-as-new-capital/4552908-4906718-ckc120/index.html

Many countries around the world are advising their citizens not to visit Burkina Faso, at this time, unless it is an essential trip. It is mainly due to the unrest in the country. The is a country faced with many troubles. Citizens and visitors alike are being killed, yet travellers ignore these government-issued advisories and go headlong into the country.  In December 2018, the government here declared a state of emergency for specific places in the country. And earlier this year, they extended this emergency by six months. In January 2019, the Prime Minister and his cabinet quit. Notes https://www.reuters.com/article/us-burkina-security/burkina-faso-extends-state-of-emergency-in-north-by-six-months-after-attack-idUSKCN1P526H

Did you hear about Penka, the Bulgarian pregnant cow who wandered away from the rest of her herd and ended up in Serbia?  This happened back in June of last year.  Well, because Penka did not enter Serbia with the required veterinary health certificate, she was ordered to be destroyed.  However, Mr. John Flack, Conservative Eastern Region MEP, in England, was having none of it, and in the end, Penka and her unborn calf was spared from an untimely death.  To quote Mr. Flack concerning the verdict, he said, “I’m delighted common sense and compassion have prevailed.  He also said, “the original decision lacked all humanity and sensible judgement.” Let me just end by adding that many people throughout the world who heard about this situation in Bulgaria was not pleased with the original decision.  Perhaps Mr. Flack has expressed in what was quoted above some of what many people were thinking. Note https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-444419...

Brunei is governed by a monarchy. However, in September 2004, after twenty (20) years of being closed, the Sultan of Brunei reopened parliament.  Parliament was disbanded in 1984 after the country became independent from Britain. Notes http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3688860.stm https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-12990560