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Last posts

Carnival in Catalonia – Three hidden destinations

Hans Barcelonian, Only-Be, Things to do in Barcelona

Carnival, or Mardi Gras, is celebrated in a huge variety of ways around the world. Each autonomous community of Spain celebrates in its own unique way, and as the big festival approaches once again, we turn to a very different sort of Carnival celebration in Catalunya. Let’s have a look at three towns where carnival is an adventure to experience. Vilanova i la Geltrú This little city lies just south of Barcelona, and its Carnival celebration is deeply rooted in ancient tradition. The city comes out en masse to celebrate, and if you can make it to Vilanova i la Geltrú, it’ll be an unforgettable experience. What makes Carnival in Vilanova i la Geltrú so unique? Here, Carnival is celebrated with candies. Food fights erupt seemingly spontaneously, and quickly turn sticky as revelers throw mountains of meringues and other sweet treats. Celebrations begin on “Maundy Thursday” (Jueves Ladero), the Thursday before Lent, and carry on for several days; however, Saturday’s La Meringada (meringue wars) and street parades are definitely a highlight. Of course, revelry starts early in Vilanova i la Geltrú. The Saturday before Maundy Thursday, a pre-carnival taster is held, accompanied by a traditional Shawl Dance. This event gets everyone in the Carnival Spirit as the celebrations get rolling. Things are in full swing by Thursday, as the whole city celebrates and partakes of the “Xatonada”, a traditional Lenten meal consisting of salad and codfish served in a sauce of red peppers, almonds and garlic. Once the meal is over, the meringue tossing begins. “Arribo” or Arrival begins on Friday, as the Carnival King, “Carnestoltes”, is greeted by... read more

Valentine’s Day in Tokyo

Sepelaci Do you like travelling?, general-en, Travel Tips

The great city of Tokyo has, like almost every city in the world, some important dates when its inhabitants celebrate a normal day as it were something really special. Included among these is February 14, Valentine’s Day, a date when lovers celebrate each other. Thousands of gifts are exchanged on this day, expressing the love that each part in a couple has for the other. And things are no different in the Japanese capital. But gifts there take a different form. Gifts are required as in any other place in the world, but here they are very specific. On Valentine´s Day the girls give the boys a chocolate. Yes, only the girls give the gift, and not only to their partners, but also to all the males they work with, including their colleagues and even the boss himself. This type of gift is called giri-choko, while if the gift is for the couple it’s called honmei-choko. It’s a sweet gift that like everything else stems from a company interested in selling their own products. This celebration has been taking place for about 55 years. And the city’s stores shelves are decorated with black chocolate delights, ensuring that no girl will forget to buy a gift for her beloved … and her coworkers. Everything from allegorical figures to cakes and all sorts of products made with this succulent food are displayed in all the major stores in Tokyo as well as the pastry shops and any other place. The demand is so high that they have started importing chocolates from other countries, including Spain, in... read more

The best of Vienna

Alexa Ray Rankings, Travel Tips

Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in the whole of Europe. Despite being considerably smaller than other European capitals, the beauty and elegance of the centre of Vienna are quite simply unique. In this old part of the city, you can find architecture that will make your jaw drop, beautiful palaces, theaters and museums. It´s an area that, as you can imagine, is quite popular amongst tourists. Naschmarkt Perhaps the best time to visit it is early in the morning or late in the evening. However, don´t be put off by the affluence of visitors, there is still plenty to see and do around the city centre. Among the attractions in Vienna we find the Naschmarkt, where many locals go in search for delicious and exotic food. In this market not only can you enjoy excellent food but also go shopping in the flea market that it turns into on Saturday evenings, where you can find the most diverse and sophisticated items. Steirereck And when it comes to sophistication at dinner time, we recommend the famous restaurant Steirereck, highly recommended by the prestigious association Les Grandes Tables du Monde. In this important restaurant you can enjoy the best Austrian cuisine. After your meal, you can walk around the park where the restaurant is in. Another restaurant that we recommend for a romantic dinner is Palchutta, where they serve the best tafelspitz in the whole of Vienna. If you want to go somewhere nice for lunch, Cafe Central is the perfect option: of course, as well as the delicious coffees and hot chocolates, the best traditional food is... read more