Monthly Archives: February 2016

Top Tulip Festivals across the Globe

Tulips, apart from being one of the most colourful varieties of flowers are also among those flower species which can be found in most of the countries, across the globe.

flower

They are spring bloomers which makes people from various places believe, that these colourful flowers bring warmth and happiness. There are a large number of places which organise tulip festivals across the world to celebrate the onset of tulips and spring.

Keukenhof, Lisse, the Netherlands

(24th March to 16th May 2016)

Keukenhof is a spectacular tulip festival and involves the planting of seven million buds every year. The 32 Hectare flower park is located at half an hour’s drive from Amsterdam.  More than 800 varieties of tulips bloom during the spring season making the whole ambiance colourful and bright. If you are planning to buy tickets for Amsterdam in the holidays, visiting Keukenhof with the family is a must. Apart from the vast flowerbed, you can attend the amazing flower shows, exceptional artwork, inspiring gardens and splendid events.

Srinagar Tulip Festival, Kashmir, India

(7th May to 14th May 2016)

India’s Srinagar Tulip Festival is the largest tulip festival in South Asia and has been named after one of the former prime ministers of India, late Indira Gandhi. The festival starts during the spring to summer months of March to May. This year, the festival will start on the 7th of May at Siraj Bagh Chesmahsahi in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. This festival is a feast for the eyes. If you are planning to book tickets for India, this summer, remember to attend the beautiful festival in Srinagar.

Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa, Canada

(12th to 23rd May 2016)

Celebrated in Ottawa annually in the month of May, the Canadian Tulip Festival commenced in 1953 to celebrate and conserve the rich heritage of Canada and to commemorate the role of the country in liberating the Dutch Army at the time of the Second World War. Till this day the tulip remains the sign of friendship and springtime for the amiable and friendly people of Canada.

Tesselaar Tulip Festival, Silvan, Australia

(8th September to 4th October 2016)

The time of celebrating the festival arrives in September and October when it is springtime in Australia. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival is held in the cosy town of Silvan. It is about an hour’s drive from the city of Melbourne. A one-of-a-kind event, Tesselaar Tulip Festival draws a large number of local and foreign tourists.

Top 3 Festivals over February and March in Canberra, Australia

Being the capital of Australia, Canberra’s event calendar remains full with a plethora of different events and festivals throughout the year.

australia

From food to culture and art festivals, there is always something to look forward to in Canberra, apart from the usual sightseeing. Have a look at the upcoming February and March festivals in 2016.

National Multicultural Festival

12th -14th Feb 2016

The National Multicultural festival is a perfect blend of food, drinks and fun, all at one venue.  You will get a chance to interact with and know more about the different people living in the country. There are no entry tickets for the festival and you can try different types of cuisines in the food and wine stalls. This year the Friday night opening features the famous Australian band, The Black Sorrows. If you plan to visit Canberra any time during 12th to 14th February, we recommend, you attend this festival in order to get acquainted with the varied culture and traditions of the people living here. Some of the main highlights of the festival are circus-style acts, live music, street parties, food and wine stalls, performance art and comedy to name a few.

Enlighten

4th -12th March 2016

Celebrated as the main autumn festival of Canberra, ‘Enlighten’ is a great chance to see the mesmerising beauty of the arts and aesthetics. The Parliamentary Triangle of the national capital transforms into a colourful and vibrant arts and cultural precinct. Various international acts and brilliant street artists will provide free entertainment, performing against a picturesque backdrop of architectural projections. If you are on a family trip, don’t miss the celebration, which is free of charge and full of surprises.

Canberra Balloon Spectacular

12th -20th March 2016

If you are in Canberra between 12th and 20th March, you will see the skies dotted with colourful balloons. The Canberra Balloon Spectacular is held every year in autumn. It is a treat for the photographers who come here from all across the globe just to capture the beautiful spectacle of balloons floating over iconic landmarks. The balloons are of different shapes and colours and they adorn the skies, early in the morning for 9 days consecutively. You can book a balloon ride and drift across Lake Burley Griffin.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2016 – For the Love of Laughs

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is going to celebrate its 30th Anniversary from 23rd March to 17th April 2016. The preparations for the festival have already started. There are a number of reasons for booking tickets for a holiday in Melbourne during this time, if you love comedy shows.

australia

More than 550 shows by some of the best comedians from across the globe will be held. Most of the show ticket prices, average at $27. One of the main highlights is free entertainment for the whole family at City Square and Fed Square. Apart from this grand festival, Melbourne’s famous attractions and specialties include splendid wineries and scenic beaches. This festival is guaranteed to make your holiday full of fun and laughter.

Location

You can rent a car in order to travel as it is much easier and cheaper than a taxi. The Secure Parking officials at the venue are offering pocket-friendly deals on the ‘Weekend and Evening Parking’ for the patrons of Comedy Festivals. Alternatively you can also choose V/Line trains for travelling which will take you to the different parts of Melbourne. Your V/Line ticket also gives you the option to travel on buses, trains and trams, without paying anything extra.

Event Details

Given that it is impossible for an individual to cover all the events in the festival, you can choose the ones which suit your sense of humour. To make it convenient for the attendees to plan, the shows are divided into various categories such as One Off Shows, Kids and Family Shows, Sketch Comedy, Cabaret Comedy and Films and musical comedy to name a few. You can check the schedule along with the performers’ list on the festivals official site. We also recommend you to check some of the performances on YouTube to choose your favourites.

Tickets

Tickets are available on the official website of the festival and also over the phone through booking agents. Most of the shows are sold through Ticketmaster. You can buy tickets for the shows sold by Ticketmaster through Ticketmaster outlets, Trades Hall Box Office and Melbourne Town Hall Box Office. Alternatively, you can also buy the tickets at the door of most of the show venues.

Mardi Gras Celebrations in USA

Mardi Gras also known as Fat Tuesday, marks a holiday in various regions of the USA and features a number of big and small celebrations.

orlando

It is often also called Shrove Tuesday which marks the last day of celebrations and festivals, before the fast for Lent starts. If you are planning to book tickets for a holiday in the US during February, the best time would be between 5th and 8th February.

History

Mardi Gras was held in the US for the first time in 1703 when it was still a French colony. The present custom of celebrating Mardi Gras by hosting an elaborate parade was started by the Cowbellion de Rakin Society in 1840, who assisted another group to set-up the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans in 1857. Mistick Kreweof Comus was the foremost carnival society, which participated in the coordination of the event, the same year.

Present Day Celebrations

Shrove Tuesday is celebrated on the final day before the fast for Lent across the country. Have a look at some major cities across USA where Mardi Gras is celebrated with great zeal and zest.

New Orleans

The famous parade during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana is celebrated by masquerades and revellers dancing on the roads. The main highlights of the parade are the King of the Carnival, the Monarch of Merriment and Comus (known as the God of Revelry). On that day, the revellers can be seen in colourful and extravagant costumes. A magnificent ball is organised on the occasion.

Orlando

Orlando is said to host the best Mardi Gras celebrations in the country after New Orleans. Orlando’s Universal Studios Mardi Gras has something for people of all ages. Famous musical performances, Cajun food such as shrimp gumbo and jambalaya, and live concerts are all part and parcel of the celebrations.

Mobile

The Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile started in 1703 as the first and the oldest Mardi Gras carnival celebration in the US. With traditional parades, huge crowds and marching bands; the most unique aspect about the Mardi Gras celebration in Mobile, is the fact that people from different religions and cultures, including Swedes, Americans, Creoles, Africans, Britons and Spaniards celebrate it.

Public Life

Louisiana marks a state holiday on Mardi Gras. It is also a holiday in the Mobile and Baldwin counties exclusively in Alabama. The county of Mississippi or other governing authorities have the liberty to declare Mardi Gras as a public holiday, that can replace any legal holiday apart from the Birthday of Martin Luther King combined by the Birthday of Robert Lee.

Book Your Tickets for Byron Bay Bluesfest-2016, Australia

If you are in New South Whales from 24th to 28th March, and are an ardent lover of good music, you must head over to the Byron Bay Bluesfest. It is the leading contemporary Blues & Roots music festival in the whole of Australia.

australia

The annual festival features some of the best music from across the globe and is held at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, which is located just about north from Byron Bay, New South Whales. More than 200 performances are held at this venue, and around 6,000 attendees camp here. The festival also has children’s entertainment area, beer gardens, food courts and market stalls.

History

Being an award-winning festival, over the years it has started gaining so much national and global fame that it can now be said to be synonymous with Byron Bay itself. The festival began in 1990, about 26 years ago with a humble crowd of 6,000 and now attracts an audience of more than 100,000. It is also considered to be one of the leading festival destinations in Australia and is credited to be one of the safest and family-friendly events.

Tickets

This year, the ticketing system has become more sorted with various different clubbing categories, which includes single-day passes, 5 day and 3 day tickets per person, 5 day and 3 day family tickets and couple tickets at discounted prices.  Apart from this, you can also camp out throughout the duration of the festival or just for one day.

Services & Facilities

The event will have 5 stages for performances, while one stage will be for busking. There will also be several facilities and amenities, including five licensed bars, free car parking facility for day card holders, phone charging facilities, food stalls, merchandise shops, market stalls, coffee tent with seating, food courts with seating and many more. The festival has dedicated diaper changing and breast feeding areas. Besides, there are provisions for first aid, facilities for the differently abled, toilets and parking areas. There is an information stall which can help and assist you regarding any queries or issues.

Winter Fun in New Delhi, India

Many people in the UK have a notion that Delhi is a very hot place and they are not wrong, as the mercury does rise drastically during the summer months. But many overlook the fact that during winters, the temperature can dip remarkably low, resulting in cold and dry weather. However, winter

delhi winter

is welcomed in India with great enthusiasm. If you are thinking of visiting Delhi in this season, here are some of the things Delhi has to offer, that you can do to beat the chill while having fun.

Eating Hot Momos

While it is not clear how or when Momos became an integral part of Delhi’s fast-food cuisine, most the people are thankful that it is available in the streets of Delhi. Traditionally Momos are steamed or fried dumplings served with a tangy spicy chilli sauce, making it a perfect comfort food during

delhi

winters. They were said to have been brought by the Buddhist monks. For traditional Momos, we’d recommend you to go to “Majnu ka Teela” situated in the northern part of Delhi.
Tip: You should definitely try the improvised “tandoori momos” that suit the palettes of the locals, at Satya Niketan market near the South Campus of Delhi University.

Fun and Frolic by a Bonfire

The joy of sitting together for a bonfire-session on the terrace, porch or garden is slowly fading away with time. In the age of central heating systems and radiators, people in a metropolitan city rarely engage in the tradition of bonfire parties which involves singing, storytelling, dancing, eating and a lot of party games. Luckily, Delhi is among the few cities where this culture is still alive and people often host bonfire and barbecue parties. You can ask locals as well as various expatriate groups about getting an invite to bonfire parties.
Tip: You can host your own party at an open space; all you need are some friends, a bonfire and good food.

Going on Picnics

If you are planning to go sightseeing with your family, remember to pack a picnic basket, as most of the heritage sites have an open area where you can relax and picnic with your family. The best part is, unlike some countries where you have to buy tickets to reserve picnic sites, several monuments in Delhi, such as the Hauz Khas complex and Lodhi gardens are free for the public.
Tip: If you are travelling alone, you should definitely spend a day out in the lawns, basking in the warm and pleasant sunshine with a book and some munchies.

Enjoy The BaliSpirit Festival

As the BaliSpirit Festival prepares for its 9th year, people from all around the world have started making flight enquiries to attend the 5-day extravaganza of music, dance and yoga.

bali

Like every year, world famous musicians, dancers and yogis from different parts of the world are going to attend the festival. Over the years, the BaliSpirit Festival has become a melting pot for students, yogis and yoginis, and music lovers.

History

The festival was started in 2008 when the whole planning, set-up and execution took merely 3 months. It was a big achievement for the founders of the festival. They shared a dream of bringing people together, by building and supporting a community by combining the brilliant field of Yoga and the abundant range of dance and music from across the globe.

Events

Located in the magnificent grounds of Purnati Center for the Arts at Batuan which is about a ten minute drive from Ubud, The Dharma Fair along with the Daytime Workshops are held in an open-air location known for its unique and inspiring tropical beauty.  The different yogic variations, asana and styles include Qi Gong, Poi, Capoeira, Silat, Ashtanga, Anusara, Power, Juggling, Laughter, Yin, Vinyasa Flow, and Hatha. The dance forms are inspired from Indian, Mandala, Balinese, West African and Javanese cultures. The evening concerts of the “One World Stage” will take place at the outdoor stage of Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) at Ubud which offers convenient access to visitors as well as the locals.  The unique line-up of concerts interweaves the contemporary and traditional music of Bali and greater Indonesia with various artists from different genres from across the globe. The BaliSpirit Festival is a celebration of culture, nature and harmony among people from different nations.

Tickets

There are different categories of tickets to choose from, such as the VIP passes which include amenities such as VIP Cocktail Party and VIP Gift Bag etc; Full Passes, which cover 5-days; and Weekend Passes available for both regular and VIP categories. Visit their official website to book the tickets and for more information about the festival.

The Grand Palace, Bangkok: As Grand as it Gets

The glittering and glorious Grand Palace is an attraction that you simply can’t afford to miss, while visiting Bangkok. Located in the heart of Bangkok, Grand Palace is a fascinating maze of historical buildings, halls, open lawns and courtyards, which are considered among the finest examples of Thai architecture.

The-Grand-Palace

Thousands flock to this marvellous palace to get awed by its intricate details and grand historical importance. Here, we offer a quick rundown of the key highlights of the Grand Palace.

Temple of Emerald Buddha

For an unforgettable cultural and spiritual experience, head to this 18th century shrine dedicated to the Lord Buddha. Here, you can pay homage to the highly revered Emerald Buddha, a dark green statue in a standing form. Carved from a single jade stone, the statue is a potent religio-political symbol of Thai society. The external decoration of the main shrine and the surrounding portico are also a fine display of Thai craftsmanship. Visitors must remove their shoes before entering the temple.

Royal Reception Halls

You cannot help but be awed by the impressive interiors of the Royal Reception Hall. Boasting spectacular architecture and ornamental décor, the hall is now used for important ceremonial occasions. Visit the large European style reception room to closely admire its elaborate detail and historical importance. There is also a museum that houses scale models, Buddha images and several other objects depicting the restoration of the Grand Palace.

The Outer Court

Situated in the northeast of the palace, near the entrance, the Outer Court was once the seat of the royal government and is now a popular attraction inside the palace complex. It houses a number of government offices, and other important buildings including the barracks for the royal guard and headquarters of the Grand Palace. You can also visit the museum here that showcases Regalia, Royal Thai Decorations, ornaments used in the royal courts, and the ancient Thai coins.  Entering the Phimanchaisri Gate will take you to the Middle Court that has many impressive buildings such as Phra Maha Prasat group.

Boromabiman Hall, Amarinda Hall, and the Hall of Justice are a few other must-visit sites inside the Grand Palace Complex. It is noteworthy that the palace is a revered site and you must be dressed modestly. No see-through clothes, shorts and sleeveless tops are allowed. Women must cover their head while entering the temples and pagodas inside the palace. Tickets are sold between 08:30 and 15:30.

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Top Cultural Events in India Scheduled to take Place in February, 2016

February in India is a pleasant and cheerful month when people start coming out of their homes, after a cold winter spell. Another reason why the month brings cheer to everyone is because it starts a year-long chain of exciting festivals.The year 2016 brings India’s top three annual festivals with new and exciting events and festivals. Have a look at the three best annual events in India.

Surajkund International Crafts Mela (Delhi)

This year, Surajkund International Crafts Mela is going to celebrate its 29th anniversary. The fair is an international affair, where different states of India participate by bringing the best and finest of handicrafts, handlooms, accessories, furniture and metalwork.

mela

More than 400 artists and artisans come together to demonstrate and display their art and skill from all over the country. The fair will commence on the 1st of February and will run till the 15th of February.

Goa Carnival (Goa)

The vibrant and famous Goa Carnival, which initially started as a local feast before Lent by the Portuguese settlers in the eighteenth century, has become one of the most famous events of the state, and perhaps the whole country.

goa

Every year, revellers from far and wide join the festivities with floats, parades, music and dance. The carnival starts with the Food and Culture Festival in Panaji whereas the festivities end with a formal ball held in Panaji. This year the carnival will run from 6th to 9th February.

Sufi Sutra International Sufi Music Festival (Kolkata)

Celebrating the amazing spirit of Sufi music for the 6th year, Sufi Sutra International Sufi Music Festival is all set to play host to a number of international and local Sufi musicians from various places such as Turkey, Scotland, Portugal, Hungary, Burkina Faso and Brazil to name a few. Sufi is known and revered worldwide as the music of the soul and is often used as the instrument to transcend from the physical realm to the spiritual depths. Apart from the concerts in the evening, there will be various music workshops and an exhibition during the daytime. The Festival will be inaugurated on the 5th of February and will end on the 7th of February. To attend, one needs to book the tickets/passes.