In the heart of Brazilian Amazonia is Manaus, the gateway to Amazonia, a huge swath of over 4,000 square kilometers, covering nine Brazilian states and home to most of the nearly 210 indigenous tribes in the country.
It’s an undeniable trait of the Spanish national character that most everyone loves a festival. You can safely say that approximately every other week (if not every week) there is a festival,feria, orfiestasomewhere in Spain – including copi
Unlike as is increasingly the case with Christmas, in Ibero-AmericaSemana Santa(Holy Week, aka Easter week and the last week ofLent), going on right now, is still an almost exclusively religious observance, largely sans the Anglo-Saxon-style East
Some things after 166 years are just old. Some things just keep getting better. The Fryeburg Fair, in the eponymous tiny town on the New Hampshire border (a bit over an hour's drive northwest of Portland), is in the latter category. And not only bu
London's world famous New Year's Eve fireworks were spectacular. The moment Big Ben struck midnight, 12,000 fireworks were set off from the London Eye on the south bank of the Thames to create a breathtaking display of gold, silver and coloured showe
When you think aboutBrazil, chances are it’s all aboutRio de Janeiro, perhaps with someAmazonandBahiathrown in (or just maybe even the futuristic architecture of capitalBrasilia). But all the way down south in the state ofRio Grande do Sul, t
In few countries are the goings on of All Hallow’s Eve such a big deal as in the United States, with various cities large and small pulling out all the stops in their public celebrations. Yes, the k
The Thornton Winery in Temecula, southern California is now hosting the 29th edition of its “Champagne Jazz Series,” and while I might seem like a relative “newcomer”, I have been fortunate to attend shows for the last seven years, enjoying jazz i
Another of the reasons I love living in Sydney is that there are events here all year round, many of them free to attend. If you are visiting the city this spring, there are some events on the calendar that you just can’t miss. You will have a fantas
As the diverse South American country of Colombia as a whole has pulled off an impressive comeback from the drug and guerrilla violence especially of the 1980s and 1990s (in the process creating a booming tourism industry surrounding its many co
Like migratory birds, more than 70 eminent authors and thinkers from across the globe just gathered in London this past May 20-21 for what has become an annual fixture, the Jaipur Literature Festival. The venue was different this year, because its
In the heart of Brazilian Amazonia is Manaus, the gateway to Amazonia, a huge swath of over 4,000 square kilometers, covering nine Brazilian states and home to most of the nearly 210 indigenous tribes in the country.
The memorable Takayama Matsuri takes place twice a year – October 9-10 and April 14-15 in central Japan's ancient city Takayama. Considered among the country's three top and most beautiful festivals (the others being the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and th
It's Carnival season! And in the Western Hemisphere, the annual pre-Lenten Carnival of Barranquilla, an hour from Cartagena, is second only to Rio de Janeiro’s in terms of size and extravagance (more than a half mllion participants), but is still les
"Living history" - that is, the ways and events of the past brought back to life through recreations and re-enactments - have an enduring appeal for travellers, which is of course why many historic sites have actors in period dress, and there are ent
Hello and get ready to enter the world of Fantasy Fest in Key West , Florida which I have sometimes referred to as "Mardi Gras on Steroids"....without the side effects.
Also, a question I get all the time are requests to find accomodations and I hav
This lovely Italian hill town has over the years become most famous for its summer "Two Worlds Festival," but it's worth staying on afterward (or even coming back) for the marvelous sites, culture, and atmosphere of Spoleto'sUNESCO World Heritage me
Brazil is famous the world over for throwing spectacular mass parties, and New Year’s Eve is near the top of the annual list. While the festivities on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach are justly reknowned, in many ways it’s Salvador, Bahia, that esp
Brazil is famous the world over for throwing spectacular mass parties, and New Year’s Eve is near the top of the annual list. While the festivities on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach are justly reknowned, in many ways it’s Salvador, Bahia, that esp
People go to Majorca in the summer in search of beautiful beaches and great weather, but if you are also looking for fiestas and local culture, summer is the perfect time to visit as there are all kinds of fiestas and events taking place on this bea