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Cologne Carnival 2013
February is the month of carnivals, but to enjoy a party the god Bacchus would be proud of, you have to come to Cologne from the 7th to the 13th of. Anyone who thinks that Germans are boring will witness that this stereotype could not be further from the truth, since pretty much the whole city goes out to celebrate the carnival for seven days in a row. The parties normally start very early in the morning and go on until the next morning in the bars and clubs of the city. Each year the Carnival has a different motto. This year the motto is: “Fastelovend em Blot – he und am Zuckerhot”, which means Carnival in our blood – both here and in Rio. All the celebrations start on Thursday the 7th of February with the Women’s Carnival, in which women wear their best costumes and gather at Alter Markt. At 11:11 a.m. the carnival is officially inaugurated by three figures: the prince, the farmer and the virgin (who is usually a man dressed as a woman). This celebration is called the Women’s Carnival in commemoration of the washerwomen held for the first time in 1824. On this day the women of the city are entirely free to do whatever they want, and it’s quite common to see groups of women cutting the ties to men. It is also possible that women give kisses to all the men who they cross that day. At 1.30 p.m. the traditional play of Jan and Griet is performed at Severinstorburg, a play of unrequited love between a knight and a lady....
The circle of Tram number 2
Since the end of the devastating war that destroyed the old Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Belgrade has been regaining its previous magnetism as a favourite tourist destination and there are more and more tourists who decide to visit it in recent times along with its neighbouring Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Among them there are many young people who have many reasons to choose the Serbian capital as their holiday destination. However, it´s one of the most important cities of the ancient Danubian civilization, and both its privileged geographical location, right in front of the confluence of the rivers Danube and Sava, and its long, rich and multicultural history are more than enough reasons to justify more than one visit here. Often, travellers inevitably feel called upon to the city by memorable places such as the Cathedral of St Sava, the Genex Tower, Knez Mihailova Street, St Mark´s Church, the bohemian district of Skadarlija, the Serbian Accademy for Arts and Sciences, the National Museum or the Bajrakli Mosque. However, among them there is another activity that´s become more and more popular thanks to the word of mouth, an activity that´s as incomprehensible as it is changing and polyedric: a tram route. More specifically, the circular route of the Number 2 tram line of the city´s public tram system, popularly known as ´Riding the circle´. It´s a circle that starts and ends in the beautiful and evocative dock of Pristanište, tracing a circle around the heart of the city, as imaginary clock hands tick around its sphere all the way around, reaching the total of 60 minutes which is...
Useful expressions for your trip to Beijing
China is definitely a very exciting place to visit, it is a place that you have to visit before you die. However our trip could be challenging because of the language barrier. So, with the firm intention of helping you to overcome this difficulty, we have written this article. If your biggest concern when arriving in Beijing is to make yourself understood, there is nothing to worry, on one hand, Chinese people are very expressive and usually work hard to understand the foreign tourists. Moreover, many people speak English in Beijing. Are you still worried? We´ve compiled a list of useful expressions in Chinese (Mandarin) for you to be able to understand and make yourself understood, while you are traveling in Beijing. Ready? Take notes! *Just one more thing: the accents on some vowels are tones, but don’t worry, I´ll take care of this with an indication between brackets, so you know if the vowel is pronounced longer or shorter. Yī [y-i] – One Er [Ahr] – Two Shí [Sh-r] – Ten Er shí [Ahr-sh]– Twenty Yì bǎ [y-i paaa]– One Hundred Qing [ching]: Please Nǐ Hǎo [niiii jaaau]– Hi (The “j” is pronounced as “h” in English) Nǐ Hǎo ma? [niiii jaaau ma?] – How are you? Xiè xiè [sié sié] – Thank you Wǒ jiǎo ___ [wooo jiaaao ___] – I’m ____ Nì na? [niná?] – and you? Bù [Pu] – No Duì bù qǐ [Tuy puchí] – I’m sorry/ excuse me Zài jiàn [Tsái jién]– Goodbye Wǒ yào/ Wǒ bù yào [wooo yáu/ wooo pu yáu] – I want /I don’t want Wǒ zhī dào...
The neighborhood of the Old City of Jaffa, Tel Aviv
The neighborhood of Jaffa has a very ancient history, about 5000 years of antiquity to be exact. In ancient times it was one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean, it was even spoken of in the Old Testament as to this the port cedar of Lebanon to build the Temple of Solomon arrived(for this reason, the cedar of Lebanon is also called Solomon cedar). The city of Tel Aviv was born around this ancient maritime core, but it was in 1954 when Jaffa became part of the municipality of Tel Aviv, so now both cities are known by the name of Tel Aviv-Yafo. Today, the neighborhood of the Old City of Jaffa is fully integrated into the urban fabric of Tel Aviv, while still maintaining the charm belonging to ancient times and the reflection of its ancient history. Today this neighborhoods nightlife is endless, including restaurants, bars, beach bars and clubs, this area has become the most frequented one by tourists visiting the city. Here you will find the largest flea market in the city, the Jaffa Flea Market, also known as Shuk Hapishpeshim. The main street of this market is Olei Zion and to leave here empty-handed is practically impossible. There´s something for every taste: typewriters used cars, shoes, toys, videos, furniture, etc. etc. The Shuk Hapishpeshim is open Sunday through Friday from 8:00 am to 19:00 pm, Friday being a more chaotic day Art lovers will appreciate another market: Banyamin Nahalat street, which is open every Thursday and Friday throughout the year, from 10:00 h to 17:00 h. Here the works of about 200 artists...
10 things to see in Beijing (Part II)
If you have the chance to see the streets of Beijing, it´s not a bad idea to have a few tips on things you can do there. We habe already seen five interesting tips and now is the time for five more, to make our stay in Beijing a unique adventure. Here we go! 6. Emperor Rooftop Bar The Emperor Rooftop bar in Beijing is an amazing place situated in a privileged location, right in front of the gate of the Forbidden City. There we can have a drink whilst enjoying the best views of the city. The cocktails here are original and sophisticated, and the feeling that you get from up there will not be one you will forget anytime soon. 7. Jingshan Park Spending part of the morning in this park in Beijing is a great idea. Jingshan Park, which means coal hill park, is a lively park with plenty going on. It´s located right behind the Forbidden City and there we can feel like another element of nature, in between many trees and flowers. Like its name indicates, it´s a hill (one of the few we can find in Beijing), so we can make the most of it and enjoy the great views that it offers of the palace. 8. Nanluoguxiang One of the most typical attractions for tourists is shopping, so if we want to go shopping in a nice area full of shops, we need to drop by the hutong (narrow street typical of Beijing) Nanluoguxiang, in the Gulou district. There we can find many shops, cafes, shopping galleries, etc. Everything that you need...
Kalma Saun in Tallin
Visiting a spa and enjoying a sauna is always much more rewarding in a place where it is cold. That´s why It was in the northern European countries where these facilities were used for the first time. Over time, spas have been modernized and its facilities have been adapted to the needs of contemporary society, but there are some that have undergone renovations and have managed to maintain the look and charm that characterized them and granted them such popularity. The best of those old health spas are in the Estonian capital of Tallinn and the oldest is called Kalma Saun. Kalma Saun was the first public spa built in the city, opening its doors in 1928. If you are looking for a state of the art spa ¡perhaps it would be appropriate to find another because ¡Kalma Saun offers an authentic Estonian experience. Here you can enjoy body treatments with heat, hot stones, cold baths, saunas and hot and warm in the old-fashioned way: sitting naked sitting on benches with other customers. But fear not. If you get a little shy enjoy the sauna in a towel, you even have private saunas you can use. There is also a pool where you can swim and cool off after the hot sauna. The building itself speaks volumes about the place. Its facade seems more of a Soviet official Institution than a building of a spa, but the interior is much more comforting, which is an indicator of a genuine Baltic sauna. At reception you will receive a towel, a plastic mat and a birch branch to gently whip yourself...
Shopping in Porto
Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal and famous for its export of port, the fortified wine that is popular as a pre- or post-dinner drink. In addition to its great food and wine, there’s plenty of shopping to be done in this modern city. Today, we’re going to tell you where you can find locally made products and hand-crafted items as well as where you can find some quality wine and port to take back home with you. A Vida Portuguesa To start out our tour, we’re going to A Vida Portuguesa, at 20 Rua Galeria de Paris. Located in a beautiful, sunlit space on the second floor, this unique store if full of items that have survived the test of time. It was started by journalist Catarina Portas, who sought out Portuguese products that kept their original style and packaging over many years. You can find great gifts and souvenirs here as well as household items, ceramics, stationery, and retro toys, all of which are made in Portugal http://www.avidaportuguesa.com/ Portosigns Another store specializing exclusively in products made in Portugal, Portosigns actually refers to two different stores. The first store, which is named TRADITION, is located at 17 Rua da Alfândega, opposite the “Casa do Infante”. It exhibits and sells items that are of genuine Portuguese origin and more traditional than its sister store. Of especial interest are the bags, hats and ties made of cork and the ceramic and metal rooster sculptures. They also have original, locally designed t-shirts. Stop by to see one of their ongoing exhibitions featuring ceramics, paintings, photographs, and more. INNOVATION is...
Night of the Museums in Dubrovnik
In recent years, Dubrovnik has joined the European initiative of the Night of the Museums. As part of this, the galleries, museums and cultural institutions will open their doors for free to the public from 6 pm to 1 am on the last Sunday in January. They will also offer special events on this magical night; readings, workshops and other surprises await visitors. The offerings are so diverse that we have selected a few of the most interesting museums for you which you will be able to visit on Jan. 27 in Dubrovnik without spending a single euro. Museum of Cultural History The former Rector´s Palace is now home to this museum which has a fine collection of objects originating from the period of the Republic of Dubrovnik, Ragusa. Its paintings, ceramics, clothing, ornaments, jewelry and photographs cover a period in history from the 15th century to 20th century (Knezev dvor 1). Sponza Palace One of the most beautiful buildings in Dubrovnik is the Sponza Palace. Built in 1522 and featuring both Renaissance and Gothic styles, it has always been a public building where intellectuals and artists of the time held social gatherings in its stately halls. Now, the municipal archives preserves and organizes exhibitions and recitals regularly. One of its rooms is dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the war of 1991. In their gift shop, you can buy replicas of some of the documents in their collection. Ethnographic Museum This museum is located in the old granary of the city, one of the most important buildings in the history of Dubrovnik that dates from 1590...
The Carnival of Venice
In many people’s minds, the city of Venice is practically synonymous with life, revelry and fun. At no time is this more apparent than during Carnevale. Every year the city of Venice throws a major bash over a number of weeks, culminating in a final hurrah on Shrove Tuesday (also known as Fat Tuesday or Marte di Grasso). If you’ve never been to Venice, this is the time to visit – and if you know the city well, you’ll already know that Carnevale is the quintessential Venitian experience. A little history The carnival originally was created to celebrate the victory of Serenissima (old Venice) over the Patriarch of Aquielia in 1162. Every year, the city would gather in honor of the victory, celebrating with song and dance. Over time, the festivities grew and during the Renaissance, the festival became an official event. Though Carnevale went into decline during the 18th century, the tradition was resumed in 1979 and today, over 3 million visitors flock to the city to celebrate. The events Carnevale in 2013 promises to be another fabulous affair. Events range from historic throwbacks to modern celebrations. From ice skating on Campo San Polo to musical spectaculars, from traveling theatrical performances to costume competitions, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Of course, there are a few events that you absolutely cannot miss. Whether you’re short on time and just catching the highlights, or you just want to take in the very best of Carnevale, here are our recommendations for the top Carnevale activities in 2013: The Beautiful Mask Competition This is one of the mainstays of...
