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Travel Tips
Carnival around the World
Carnival is one of the most anticipated festivals of the year around the world. And it’s not surprising, since for one night everyone can whoever he or she wants to be, protected by a mask or disguise. Also, on the night of Carnival anything goes, so you’re guaranteed to have a good time. This ancient celebration of pagan origins became popular in Europe during the Roman Empire and made the leap to the New World with the help of Spanish and Portuguese navigators in the fifteenth century. Today, Carnival is celebrated around the globe in a variety of ways, having adapted some of the local folk traditions from each place. Are you ready to experience carnival around the world? Cue the song Viva el Carnaval (Long Live Carnival)! The first stop on our Carnival world tour is, of course, Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian metropolis holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest carnival. Year after year, the city’s sambódromo, designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer, brings together nearly 70,000 people in exotic carnival parades to the rhythm of samba. If you want to experience carnival in Rio de Janeiro, we suggest that you discover it while staying in an apartment near Copacabana beach, one of the most famous beaches of the city. We reach our next stop on our tour of the carnivals around the World without leaving American soil, arriving in New Orleans. The Mardi Gras here (Fat Tuesday) is an institution in the carnival world and has also been the scene of several film productions with its multitudinous and colorful parades during which they like to...
A refreshing dip in the saltiest seas around the world
One can choose fresh or salt water to bathe in. In this case, we’re giving you a mix. Let’s dive into the saltiest seas and lakes on the planet—the ones that sting after you’ve dipped just your foot in but have vast mineral and therapeutic properties. We start our journey at the Dead Sea and then follow with the Red Sea, and from there, the Don Juan Pond.
Carnival vs. Saint Valentine’s Day
February is a month of activity, especially in the second half. Between Valentine’s Day and carnival, opportunities to celebrate multiply. If you had to choose, which would you prefer? A colorful carnival party or a romantic, sweet-filled getaway? Here are some tips for both options. Get ready for a February that would suit everyone’s tastes: CARNIVAL The origin of carnival Have you ever wondered why Carnival dates vary from year to year? Although it’s always celebrated between February and March, this festival is subject to another holiday: Easter Sunday. Once this date has been set, one counts back forty days, which corresponds to the season of Lent, and the week before the first of these forty days is considered to be carnival week. Although it might seem like a convoluted mathematical exercise, everything has a reason. And as often happens in our Western culture, this reason is religious in nature. Although the origin of Carnival dates back to classical antiquity, and they can be identified with the consecrated celebrations to the god Bacchus (god of wine), it was with the spread of Christianity that it became popular and took its present name, which is derived from the vulgar Latin carne levare, which means “leave the flesh.” And it makes sense, since during this week Christians took advantage of most primal instincts to release their passions in the most wild and uncontrolled manner before beginning a period of complete withdrawal and abstinence. And it’s also not surprising that people should choose to protect their identities with costumes and masks during this explosion of sinful impulses. Carnival costumes It...
Deserts around the World
Even today, in the 21st century, there are still millions of people living in the most arid areas of our planet. The Bedouin in the Sahara or the Aborigines in the Australian Outback: “the people of the desert.” The landscapes are unique and infinite, but life there is anything but easy. Water is scarce and weather conditions are often extreme. Do you like adventures? We’re going to take you on a tour of deserts around the world.
Five Ideal Places to Enjoy the Snow in Italy
Do you feel like you need a vacation even after all the holidays? To enjoy winter to the fullest, you should take a ski holiday in Italy. Imagine: snow, a mug of hot chocolate and a warm fire after a full day of skiing. Whether with friends or your partner, you can be sure you will relax. To facilitate your search, we’re suggesting five perfect places for your ski holiday: Breuil-Cervinia, Valle d’Aosta “Land of many waters” this is the meaning of “breuil” in the dialect typical of this area. Breuil-Cervinia is full of lakes and streams, ideal for cross-country skiing. You won’t want to miss the magnificent Blue Lake, which reflects the Matterhorn and the Plateau Rosa (3550 m). Cortina d’Ampezzo, Veneto “The Queen of the Dolomites” offers a unique setting in its genre thanks to its pink mountains. You’ll find slopes here for everyone. Also, you can enjoy some very interesting thematic tours such as Il Giro de la Grande Guerra (an itinerary of places where Italians and Austrians places fought each other in World War) and the Skitour Olympia (the path of the athletes in 1956). Campo Felice, Abruzzo Located in the Apennines, in the province of L’Aquila, this ski resort is young and dynamic, surrounded by the Sirente-Velino Regional Park. There are over 30km of downhill slopes of varying difficulty. Abetone, Tuscany With 50 km of slopes and 22 lifts at 1388 meters altitude, at Abetone one can go hiking and cross-country skiing. Famous for its high peaks that make a real crown, they also offer people with disabilities opportunities...
Get Ready for a Different 2015
There comes a time to get serious and think about what are wishes for next year are. We know that in your list of resolutions, there’s space for places you’d like to travel, courses you’d like to take or vices you wish to leave behind. However, the best things in the new year will be those that cannot be planned. The things you encounter you could not imagine, those surprises that make your everyday more special. It’s the alternative routes that hold the greatest charm. Like when you are in a new city: while it’s important to visit the most emblematic sites in the city, the things you will remember most fondly are the times you decided to wander around some neighborhood without any great monuments. That’s when the journey becomes an experience and you start to understand the true spirit of the place. This is why we’re recommending some of the best alternative options. This list will make your travels in 2015 different and unique. 5 Alternative Places to Visit in Riga An Alternative Travel Guide to Tel Aviv Amsterdam: Beyond the Coffee Shops Unique Experiences in Amsterdam The Best Guide to Alternative Barcelona Indie Nights in Prague The Most Unusual Buildings in Budapest Best Rooftop Bars in London Cheap and Chic Cocktail Bars in Florence Bars and Terraces with a View in New York Top 5 Weird Cafés in the World Spectacular Urban...
In Search of Oneself
The arrival of the new year can be the perfect excuse to take stock of our lives. Sometimes, however, the results are negative, which is what happened to Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love. The writer woke up one day in her new home in the suburbs of New York and realized that she was not living her life as she would like to be and decided to do something about it. She then changed her life by traveling. If you think it’s time to take a break and set a date for the spiritual journey that you have always dreamed about, we have suggestions for your destination and all you’ll need to do is pack your suitcase. Spiritual journeys can be like therapy, allowing you not only to get away from everything around you but also to find that inner balance we all desire. India One of the destinations chosen by Elizabeth Gilbert for her journey was India, a country that is the definition of spirituality. Every year hundreds of travelers explore the country in search of themselves and make obligatory stops at places like the Golden Temple in Amritsar, which is located near the border with Pakistan. The Sikh shrine dates from 1601 and is considered one of the holiest places in the world. But spirituality in India does not end there. The birthplace of Buddha (Bodh Gaya), the city of Varanasi, and the banks of the River Ganges and Benares are sacred Hindu destinations that are also on the must-see list of places to find your inner balance. Stonehenge Far...
A Charles Dickens Tour and “A Christmas Carol”
Christmas is about being a child again. Feeling like a child full of wonder with a head full of hopes and dreams. It was precisely for such children that Charles Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” in 1843. You’re more than likely already familiar with the book. Are you a fan of Dickens? Want to learn more about him? He was so successful that after his death, many different versions of his most famous work created. To step back into his time period, the first thing we need to do is travel to London.
Snow Getaways 2014 – 2015
The summits of Spain are beginning to turn white. It is expected that this snow season will be especially long and intense. And you won’t have a lack of options. In this post, we intend to travel across Spain, from south to north: from the Sierra Nevada (Granada) to Grandvalira (Andorra), via La Molina (Gerona). Fans of alpine skiing, cross country skiing, snowboarding are in luck!
