These are pictures of Vancouver, CANADA, Sydney AUSTRALIA, TASMANIA and MADAGASCAR - Ireto ny sarin`i Vancouver eto KANADA, AOSTRALIA, TASMANIA ary ny Nosin-tsika MADAGASIKARA

This section has been put in place for those who are curious about the different places around Vancouver. I also posted videos about Australia further down and if you want to see some images of my country, MADAGASCAR, feel free to scroll down to the bottom of this page!

There are even videos of a few Americans who speak Malagasy

CANADA

LET'S START WITH CANADA

Here you will find different videos and/or photos of the different areas that I have visited.

Now this is Brentwood, a famous CBD here in Vancouver, and I am taking this video right outside the Mall (commercial Centre); so in other words, the Mall is on the other side of this skytrain station. For us who are from Antananarivo Madagascar, please appreciate the fluidity of the road; and for those of coming from Paris or France, please appreciate the level of discipline most Canadians have.

This is in and around Burnaby, a famous suburb of Vancouver

This is a busy road (called Hastings street) that goes from downtown Vancouver to all of the suburbs located east of Vancouver (Burquitlam, Port Moody or Port Coquitlam); I have taken this picture at peak hours (heures de pointe ici au Canada), around may be 5 PM. For those of us from Madagascar, particularly Antananarivo, please enjoy the "relative fluidity" of the flow of vehicles; for some of you who are from some parts of Europe, enjoy the level of discipline as well as the relatively lower level of nervosity and anxiety (when driving a vehicle) that most Canadians display, compared to people in some parts of Europe.

These are photos of Vancouver (centre) and around; as you can see, from time to time, one can enjoy the sight of planes taking off and landing on the famous Burrard Inlet

For Malagasy speakers: Ity misy sarin'i tananan'i vancouver eto Colombie Britannique, Kanada; araka ny hitantsika dia ahitana fiara-manidina majinika izay mihainga avy eo amin'io toerana izay tsara ny manamarika fa en "centre ville" no misy azy

This is downtown Burnaby (Not downtown Vancouver). It is located about 12 kilometres from downtown Vancouver and also located 10 minutes by foot from where we live. As you can see, it is animated and has all the amenities that one need, from grocery store (Safeway) to hair salons, bars, restaurants and even schools.

This is a suburb of Vancouver, Canada; as you can see, it is really quiet and safe and one can enjoy the view as well as the fresh air! It is always pleasant to walk around

This is inside Brentwood Mall which opened its doors in 2021

Ity no centre commercial iray antsoina hoe Brentwood aty Vancouver; vao nisokatra vao haingana tamin'ity 2021 izy ity

This is a Simon Fraser University campus and it has gotten everything!

FOr Malagasy speakers: ity ny campus ny Oniversite "Simon Fraser", Aarka ny hitantsika dia isy ny rehetra Ilay campus io: misy toerana maro hisakafoanana, misy Starbucks, misy Supermarche ary misy koa aza fivarotana alcool (BC Liquor no anaran'ilay toerana), izay marihiko fa zavatra tsy courant any na etsy Etazonia, izay latsakan'ny 40 (efapolo) km atsimo any misy anay eto. Misy residence universitaires koa fa tena tsara ary misy ny equipements reyerta (sechoirs, machines a laver, fours derniers cris etc...).

Ny tenako manokana moa mitsangatsangana aty fotsiny miaraka amin'ny zanako fa tsy mianatra ato (ny finarako raha teo efa vita soamantsara tany Aostralia tamin'ny taona 2011)

Now, this is downtown Vancouver; it is being called Burrard

For Malagasy speakers: Ity no centre-villa etc Vancouver, Burrard no fiantsoina azy

This one is a place which is located about 30 minutes north of where I live. It is being called the 30-foot pool, in Lynn Valley (North Vancouver)

This is on the way to the famous 30-foot pool. For some of us coming from Madagascar, seeing such a luxurious vegetation and such beautiful trees surely is a different experience!

This is a place called Deep cove, in Lynn Valley, and as you can see, it is a pleasant place to visit or to do some sporting activities! You can also just wonder in those pristine forests or walk along the shores of this lagoon! I went there with my wife and son that day and took this picture!

and for those of you who want to see downtown Vancouver, well, here it is

and here is another video of the centre off Vancouver, this one is very close to "Canada Place"

I took this video of an Italian community living in Canada and despite being here for many decades for many of them, they do speak their own language and are able to preserve their own cultural identity. As I have explained in my article, some Malagasy who live in Europe tended to forget their values and their identity once they arrive in France

Ho antsika Malagasy: Ireto misy Italiana efa nipetraka taona maro taty Kanada; efa tamin'izahay tonga teto no efa manao an'izao fivoriana izay ry jareo isan-taona ary na dia efa taona maro aza izy ireo no nihaiana taty amin'ity faritra Anglohone Kanada ity (Kanada andrefana moa izany fa mazava ho azy fa tsy Quebec), dia mbola miteny Italiana izy rehetra no sady mbola mitazona ireo fomban-drazany na aty an-tanin'olona hafa aza! Efa noresahiko tao @ article moa io fa jerevantsika fotsiny ireo Karana ao Madagasikara, efa generations maro izy ireo no nihaina tao kanefa jerevo fa mbola mitazona ny fombany ary ny teniny! Jerevantsika koa ireo acteurs Amerikana fa "from Italian origin" sahala amin'i Robert de Niro na Al Pacino, izay olona "Integre"" Tsara any Amerika kanefa tena mbola mahay ny tenin-drazany tsara. Tsara somary mieritreritra isika Malagasy sasany satria misy moa ny olona sasany vao lasa 1 taona na any Frantsa, dia sady tsy lasa mahay manoratra no sady tsy manaiky miteny Malagasy intsony ary manambany mihitsy aza ny maha Malagasy azy. Ny loza dia na ao Madagasikara aza, dia maro ny Malagasy samy malagasy mbola miteny Frantsay. Jerevo fotsiny ireto Italiana ireto aty Kanada miteny Anglisy ity fa teny Italiana ihany no mbola hifampiresahiny. Jerentsika koa ilay video farany manaraka ireto mampiseo vahiny Amerikana mahafehy tena Malagasy ! Mila fadinihina isika rehetra...

This is a video (from a third party) which shows an American guy explaining about the Malagasy language

and this other one shows two American guys speaking Malagasy. I have to say that when I saw this video for the first time, I was just stunned as their accent is so perfect and so close to then way real Malagasy people pronounce words! even the tones are typically Malagasy!

This other ne will talk about explaining Malagasy proverbs. it is also made by an American who speaks Malagasy

AUSTRALIA

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

THIS IS AUSTRALIA (most videos were taken around 2007 2010), which explains to lower resolutions.

This is Sydney harbour seen from the ferry which was heading to Manly Beach.

This is a view of downtown Sydney from the Sydney Tower. I went there with my in-laws when they came straight from Madaagscar to visit us in Australia in 2009.

This is the campus of Macquarie university in Sydney (where my wife studied).

These are Austraian aborigines playing music right at Circular quay (not far from the Sydney opera house)

These are images of downtown SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, close to Central station from where departs trains to Sydney suburbs and Inner New south Wales. it is also where a few times a week, departs the famous Indian Pacific Train which runs to Perth, more than 4,000 km from Sydney!

This is Market place, sydney

This is darling harbour, Sydney

This is Quakers Hill AUSTRALIA: This is where I used to live when I first arrived in Sydney. IT is located about 30 km west of Sydney and it took me about one hour of train to get to Downtown Sydney

The Sydney Subur train entering Quakers hill station

Western Sydney

Strange colours that are unique to Australia (shots taken from our apartment in Green square, SYDNEY AUSTRALIA in 2008)

And this is inside and around UTS (the University of Technology Sydney)

This is a view of Central station as well as Sydney downtown. From Central station, many trains depart to Sydney's suburbs but as astonishing as it may sound, the INDIAN PACIFIC train also departs from Sydney central and rides as far as Perth, Western Australia, more than 4,000 kilometres from Sydney!

Here are some pictures of SYDEY HARBOUR BRIDGE AS WELL AS SOME PICTURES OF THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

Federal Square, Melbourne, 2010

Downtown Melbourne

Melbourne and its tramways

melbourne from afar

The Inner part of the state of Victoria

The wine fields of the state of Victoria, Australia

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY (2006)

The Australian Parliament, canberra

Inside the Australian Parliament, Canberra (Yes, in fact, we can visit it..at least I could visit it in 2006 when I came there)

The Old parliament House

The new parliament seen from the entrance

TASMANIA (2008)

TASMANIA (ILE DE TASMANIE), AUSTRALIA - Nosy atsimon an'i Aostralia no misy azy ary "province" manokany izy.

It is an island located south off the coast of Australia and happens to be an island state of Australia.

These are wallabies ( not kangaroos) and unlike kangaroos, they are much smaller and lighter (they just weight about 20 kgs maximum against 90 kgs for kangaroos)

This animal makes Tasmania famous, they are being called "Tasmanian devils", and one can see why. They are totally inoffensive though!

This is another video of wallabies sitting next to a kangaroo

These are pictures of of the city of Hobart, TASMANIA AUSTRALIA (2008)

This is a short video of downtown HOBART, TASMANIA (2008)

This is a view which i took in 2008 from the top of Mount Cook in Hobart, TASMANIA

As you can see, There is SNOW in AUSTRALIA

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA (2006)

MADAGASCAR

These are pictures of ANTANANARIVO, the capital city of MADAGASCAR - Just to you know, those pictures are not mine but have been borrowed from other sources, including google images and Madagascar pages on Facebook

Below are pictures of the famous "Palais de la Reine" or "Queen palace". The interior was actually built by a man named Jean Laborde and the stone architecture was built by a Scottish Architect by the name of James Cameron in the 19th century.

Below are "Merina" type of architecture and are widely found in the highlands of Madagascar. Those architectures were not brought by the Europeans, but were a direct heritage of the Indonesians who came to Madagascar more 1,000 to 1,500 years ago

This is a modern "Merina" type of architecture

THESE ARE IMAGES FROM THE COASTAL AREAS OF MADAGASCAR

This is the famous "pain de sucre" located in the bay of Antsiranana, in northern Madagascar

This is Isalo National Park, in southwestern Madagascar. It is a labyrinth of limestones which used to be underneath the sea millions of years ago.

This is the "massif du Makay", a very unusual geological formation in western Madagascar

and this is the famous TSINGY OF BEMARAHA in western Madagascar

This is the famous "Allee des baobabs" near Morondava; just for your info, Madagascar has at least 5 species of baobabs when Australia and Africa have just one species of their own.

SOME VIDEOS ON AFRICA (THE CONTINENT)

JUST TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DROP A IDEO OF HOW AFRICAN CITIES LOOK LIKE

This is the Africa that some medias (not all fortunately) in Europe and in North America as well as Asia do not want to show you too often.

Another video of East African cities

and a video of Brits settling in Africa because this continent offers them opportunities!

And this interesting video about how one day Africa could eventually rival China

This is about African past civilizations, long before Europeans came!

I have also chosen to include this video showing 6 projects that are being undertaken in Rwanda, Africa, this continent that still many believe to be synonym or poverty, misery and famine!

This is another video showing towns in kenya

MADAGASCAR FOOD

These are the types of foods that you will find when visiting Madagascar! Again, those are images from third parties, not mine (unlike the images from Canada or Australia, which I have taken myself)

We., these are lobsters fresh from the sea

This is Pork legs with bambara beans, a very famous dish in Madaagscar, particularly in the Merina region where I come from (the bambara beans are originally from Africa and are found in a few Merina dishes even though the latter are mainly influenced by Austronesians or Indonesian cultures)

This is braised beef

the famous "cuisses de nymphe" or frog legs; This dish is neither African nor it is Indonesian or Javanese ; the Malagasy eat it because of the French influence and it is actually found and eaten in France too, inlcuding in some famous restaurants in Paris)

This is the tail of a cow and it is also simmered for hours to make it tender; it can be cooked with beans or leafy vegetables (heritage of the Indonesian culture about 1,500 years ago)

This is Beef tongue which is simmered for many hours to make it tender; I used to love this dish when I was there and I miss it now!

The zebu steak served with rice and a broth of beans

DISHES THAT WE EAT IN MADAGASCAR BUT WHICH ARE FROM FRANCE!

And these are the foods I used to eat while living in Madagascar. Unlike the ones above (which are typical Malagasy and Merina food), the ones below are actually FRENCH!

This one is the famous FOE GRAS DE CANARD, which is "FAT Duck liver"

This is called "FROMAGE DE TETE" and it is mainly made of pork head! It has a consistency of gelatine whole tasting a bit like ham!

This is what they call "TERRINE DE FOIE" which my mum used to make when I was a kid (and a teenager) and she used to use chicken liver with pork and FRENCH Cognac!!!This dish is cooked in oven using the famous "Bain Marie" method

and this is the very famous "ESCARGOTS" (Snails) which many Anglo-Saxons are not used to but happens to be a very famous dish in France as well as in Madagascar Island!

THE famous COQ AU VIN (Rooster cooked in wine and "flame" with some rum!!!!); another dish (from Eastern France )that I used to eat when growing up in Madagascar!