2011年12月22日星期四

Leave your favorite club bing shirt at home for this one

Day of the Dead Festival Where: Mexico When: November 1 and 2 It'll throw a whole new perspective on your view of theafterlife. Many of us might find the idea of death and a festivalbeing somewhat incongruous but to many Mexicans it makes perfectsense. The festival stems from the indigenous peoples of Mexico whobelieve that the souls of their dead relatives return every year tolive the high life once more. On the first day (often referred toas All Saints Day) the souls of children and infants areremembered. Graves are often decorated with colourful balloons ortoys. The second day (All Souls Day) is reserved for honouringadults who have died. It may sound a touch morbid but the festivalvibe is far from downbeat. Locals spend days preparing favourite dishes, which will laterbe spread across flower-strewn altars. As the sun goes down,graveyards throughout the country become venues for raucouscelebration. Food stalls will be erected, bottles of tequilacracked open and people in costumes will dance long into thenight. Rio Carnival Where: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil When: February to March (from the Saturdaybefore Lent to Shrove Tuesday) This is probably the wildest carnival on the planet. The precisedetails are hazy, however, it's commonly believed that the origins of this event date back to pagan celebrations in ancient Rome or Greece. Today the focal point of the festival is the much loved Samba Parade, which often lasts for several weeks surrounding themain Carnival. The parade dates back to the s and is broadcaston TV in several countries. Unfortunately, the tickets can Rosetta Stone French bepricey but the incredible costumes, intricately decorated floatsand electric atmosphere make it an awe-inspiring experience. Inaddition to the Samba there are dozens of costume balls, freestreet parties and the largest gathering of transvestites anywherein the world. Unaccustomed visitors might consider attempting the"Mick Dundee test" before heading home with a stranger for thenight. Burning Man Where: Nevada, US When: First Monday in September Everyone should experience this madness in the desert at leastonce in their life. This increasingly popular event takes its name from the ceremonial burning of a 40-foot wooden man on the Saturdaybefore Labor Day. The act is supposed to symbolise the renewal of life but alsocreates a great opportunity for people to dance like lunaticsaround a roaring fire. A fairly new addition to the world festivallist, Burning Man began in 1986 and was conceived by artist Larry Harvey. Initially it was hosted on a San Francisco beach with only ahandful of people in attendance. It has since become something of an annual pilgrimage to the desert for arty, alternative types. Visitors to Burning Man should be prepared to sweat it out inintense heat and can expect to see anything from neon painted firetwirlers to mock battles in Mad Max type-domes. Not for thefaint-hearted. Hogmanay Where: Edinburgh, Scotland When: December 29 to January 1 It'll be one new year's celebration that won't end indisappointment. Although this shindig takes place all over Scotland, the country's capital is arguably the best place to seein the new year. Celebrations start a few days before New Year's Eve and are known to continue long into January. The festival is thought to date back to pagan times and wasoriginally part of the celebrations to mark the wintersolstice.

0 评论:

发表评论

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More