Tokyo - Japan's current account surplus narrowed by 65.9 per cent in November to 581.2 billion yen (6.47 billion dollars), compared to the same month a year before, as goods trade fell due to a slowdown in exports, the Finance Ministry said Tuesday.

The balance of goods and services trade reported a deficit of 184.2 billion yen in November.

Japan reported a deficit of 93.4 billion yen in goods trade, down from a surplus of 907.6 billion yen a year before. Exports fell 26.5 per cent to 5.06 trillion yen.

Imports shrank 13.7 per cent to 5.16 trillion yen.

In services trade, Japan saw a deficit of 90.8 billion yen, down 20.4 per cent, as Japanese travelers spent less overseas.

Bangkok - A cold front sweeping in from China that has dropped temperatures to as low as 7 degrees celsius in parts of sunny Thailand has been blamed for three deaths, although alcohol may have contributed, media reports said Tuesday.

The high pressure system that moved into Thailand over the weekend was blamed for the death of a 71-year-old Buddhist monk in Ayutthaya province on Sunday and two men in northern Thailand on Monday, the Bangkok Post reported.

Police said Thanya Saeng-aroon, 37, who was found dead in his bed wearing only his underwear in Chiang Rai, 660 kilometres north of Bangkok, may have fallen asleep under the influence of alcohol, exposing his body to the harsh elements too long.

Cologne, Germany - The world's largest flower garden, the Keukenhof in The Netherlands, is marking the 60th anniversary of its birth with a US theme.

The festivities include a mosaic of more than 25,000 flowers in the shape of the Statue of Liberty, according to the Dutch tourist office in Cologne.

Keukenhof chose the theme as 2009 is the 400th anniversary of explorer Henry Hudson's arrival under the Dutch flag in present-day Manhattan.

The colony of New Amsterdam that was founded there later became modern-day New York.

Papeete, French Polynesia - If only they were not so far away, the dream islands of French Polynesia! Tahiti, Bora Bora, Rangiroa - their very names suggest white, South Sea sands under palm trees.

And that is precisely what awaits travellers to this paradise. First, though, they have to endure the long journey, which takes about 26 hours by air from Central Europe. No holiday destination is more distant for Europeans, actually. But the long haul is worth it. You can dive and snorkel, hike and trek, or simply soak up the sun once you get there.

Mercedes, Argentina - Part of the adventure was getting there. Our off-road vehicle jolted along the dirt road from the small city of Mercedes to the Ibera wetlands in north-eastern Argentina's Corrientes province. After 120 kilometres, plenty of potholes and even more patience, we reached the hamlet of Colonia Carlos Pellegrini, gateway to Esteros del Ibera, a vast amphibious nature reserve teeming with flora and fauna.

"In the language of the Indians, 'Ibera' basically means 'gleaming, glowing, shining water,'" said Jose Martin, our Argentine tour guide. From a gaucho family, Martin still speaks Guarani, the language of the region's aboriginal inhabitants. It is spoken deep in the throat and sounds somewhat gurgled.

Horta, Portugal - The island of Faial in the Azores is a small paradise where the Atlantic's foaming waves break upon a black volcanic shoreline.

There are just 13 communities on Faial, 12 of which lie right on the coast, and surrounding the island is an azure blue ocean with fertile green pastures the main feature of the interior.

With some luck, visitors to Faial will spot a whale at sea while standing upon one of the island's coastal roads that are lined by hydrangeas.

A short distance behind the main town of Horta, a farmer with hardly a care in the world, leads three, well-fed cows along a road a manifestation of the fact that Faial has more cattle than inhabitants.