One Planet Travel Blog

Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Every year on the 12th of December more than six million people come together at the Basilica of Guadalupe to celebrate the day of their patron saint.

This is considered the most important religious festival in Mexico. And on this day the entire country will express the strong pride that they have in their patronage, their history and their traditions.

The traditional parades will begin the day before, and people from all ends of the country will arrive to see them, coming by car, bus, bike or even on foot. Some people even travel over hundreds of miles to see their "Virgen Morenita."

On the night of December 11th some of the country's most popular singers will come together at the altar to sing Las Mañanitas, a Mexican song that is usually sung on birthdays.

Dance groups will perform in front of the shrine all day long, and the spectactors will participate in masses and processions, singing, dancing and making offerings to the saint.

The Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a celebration full of joy and thanksgiving, and is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in Mexican culture.

Read more about Mexico at www.oneplanettravel.com

Paris International Boat Show 2007

Discover this year's latest models in the sailing world at the Salon Nautique International de Paris, one of the most important sailing exhibitions in France and Europe.

More than 271,000 spectators are expected to attend the event, which will feature more than 1200 exhibitors and 1400 brands, all representing around 25 countries.

The annual show has expanded this year to accommodate new exhibitors, leaders in the sectors of motorboating, fishing and diving.

There will be many stands with something for every visitor, including sailing boats, motorboats, equipment, surfing, children's activities and much more. Each themed stand will present a list of exhibitors, as well as the best attractions, special events and conferences related to each theme.

Read more about Paris at www.oneplanettravel.com

Estrella Damm Primavera Club 2007

Estrella Damm Primavera Club 2007 is one of the biggest and greatest music festivals of the winter, scheduled to take place from December 3-8 at the Apolo and the Parc del Fòrum Auditorium in Barcelona.

Electronic music is the main genre at this festival, and the talent featured will be a mix of emerging artists and cult legends at both national and international level.

This year's programme will feature the following artists; Ainara LeGardon, Her Only Presence, Parts & Labor, Albaialeix, Jet Lag, The Ponys, Bishop Allen, John Vanderslice, The Right Ons, Bracken, Joseph Arthur , ruizpantaleón, Castanets , Kode9 & The Spaceape , Sanjosex, Crystal Castles, Lagartija Nick, Schwarz, Deerhunter , Le Jonathan Reilly, Stars Of The Lid, Earth, Liars, Thurston Moore, El Guincho, The New Pornographers, Von Südenfed , The Ettes, Nisei, Fanfarlo and No Age.

(Photo by blogefl)

Read more about Barcelona at www.oneplanettravel.com

WOMAD Canarias, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) is making its next stop at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, bringing four whole days of national and international music, art and dance to everyone.

Peter Gabriel, the founder of the festival and its organisation, envisioned an event of joy and appreciation between cultures. Around 30 artists from all corners of the globe will be present at this huge multicultural festival, decorating the stage with their traditional art and colour.

Just as in the past eight years, the venue will be the Parque de Santa Catalina, situated in the city centre only 200 metres from Las Canteras beach. Entrance is free and open to the general public.

The music will begin on the Santa Catalina stage at 7.30pm. In the Miller Building you can take part in interesting workshops and sessions, including the “Sabores del Mundo” (Flavours of the World) workshop. Many nighttime shows and DJ sessions will also take place on the Guagua Stage, also taking place on El Boulevard on Friday and Saturday. Other attractions include the Global Market, where you can buy all kinds of crafts and gifts, as well as the Procesión de Niños (Children's Parade), which will take place on Sunday afternoon.

(Photo by Timothy Lloyd)

Read more about Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the other Canary Islands at www.oneplanettravel.com

Words and Music Festival, New Orleans

Every autumn the Words and Music Festival takes place in the colourful city of New Orleans. And every year between 75 and 100 new and established authors, students, editors and artists are present at this big literary event.
Among the festival's many activities, workshops and sessions are led by experts in the literary field, in which they share their knowledge and experience in the art of writing. Topics covered include fiction, non-fiction, and the latest styles within communication and literature.
Photographers are also present to exhibit their work at the festival, as well as film-makers, dramatists, poets, musicians and dancers. Visitors will also have the opportunity to sample the renowned New York cuisine.
The festival is promoted by Pirate's Ally Faulkner Society Inc., founded in 1990 by men and women dedicated to good books and literary arts. It is also a fine opportunity for writers to promote their latest works.
It is also worth mentioning that the city of New Orleans has inspired numerous well-known artists such as William Faulkner, O. Henry, Tennessee Williams, Ernest Hemingway and John Kennedy Toole.

Read more about New Orleans at www.oneplanettravel.com

International Franz Schubert Choir Competition

One of the most important international events on the choral calendar is currently taking place in Vienna, having started on November 14th and lasting until November 18th.

The International Franz Schubert Choir Competition brings together choruses from all over the world to compete in a wide range of levels and categories; mixed choirs, men, women, children and youth, chamber choruses, and groups specialised in Christian music.

The concerts at the event serve as an ideal opportunity for performers to discover new styles and techniques. Not everyone, however, is at the competition to compete- some performers choose to take part in various exhibition concerts in honour of Franz Schubert, the great composer himself.

The highlight of the event will be the presentation of the Franz Schubert Choral Prize.

Read more about Vienna at www.oneplanettravel.com

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs

The treasures of Tutankhamun are returning to London after an absence of more than 30 years.

From November 14th this year until August 30th 2008, the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs exhibition will be taking place at the London 02 (the former Millenium Dome), organised by the Supreme Council of Egyptian Antiquities.

More than 130 objects belonging to Tutankhamun and his family will be on display, treasures that date back more than 3,000 years. Unfortunately the only thing that will not be on display is the mask of Tutankhamun, since it was considered too fragile to be safely transported to London.

The main item of interest will be the bust of Tutankhamun, made of gold and adorned with precious stones and placed upon the head of the mummy when it was laid to rest. Other items of interest include wooden ornaments covered in gold, as well as a mirror case inscribed with the work Ankh, meaning "life."

Most of the proceeds from the exhibition will go towards the building of a museum and the maintainance of current exhibits.

The exhibition will also see the unveiling of a room dedicated to the British archaeologist Howard Carter, who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.

Read more about London and Cairo at www.oneplanettravel.com

Guy Fawkes Night, UK

Britain is a country that many tourists talk about, notably for its horrendous weather, cream tea, and of course the British "stiff upper lip." Yet over this weekend nothing will dampen the moods of its residents, because the annual Guy Fawkes Night celebrations will be taking place at venues all over the country.

Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night or Fireworks Night, is an age-long British tradition celebrating the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to assassinate the Protestant King James I of England. Led by Robert Catesby, a group of Catholic conspirators planned to implant and detonate a series of explosives in the Palace of Westminster on the evening of November 5th 1605, when the King and most of the English Parliament were inside the building. Guy Fawkes, the protagonist of today's festival, was in charge of preparing the explosives. However, the plot was discovered at the last minute and Fawkes, with many others, was tortured and executed. November 5th, what would have been the day of the assassination, is nowadays a night of celebration and fireworks for the British, although many events take place on the weekend surrounding this date.

The night itself involves firework displays and the building of a bonfire (hence the forementioned names), on which a dummy known as the guy (after Guy Fawkes) is burned, to the cheers of the crowd. Toffee apples and other bonfire treats are traditionally eaten, and the children are also given sparklers to wave around, carefully supervised by adults. You may even see children sitting around with a guy in the run-up to the event chanting "Penny for the guy", yet this is rarely seen nowadays.

Many British households hold their own bonfires with their family and friends, yet organised displays with fireworks and funfairs will be taking place all over the country, including London.

(Photo by Scanroaches)

Tokyo Motor Show 2007

In the last few days, motor buffs have been arriving in Tokyo in their tens of thousands, as the 40th Tokyo Motor Show has returned to the Makuhari Messe in Chiba City, 40km from the Japanese capital. This event, one of the most important on the motor industry calendar, is a showcase of the latest and most dynamic machines of the future.

The show is hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) and is a recognised international show by the industry's leading body, the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles. It is a showcase of new cars currently in production and recently designed concept cars, yet the latter is more frequently seen at this event. In recent years, however, the Tokyo Motor Show is becoming widely renowned for displaying more flamboyant designs of concept cars, such as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, as shown in the photo.

Special events are also organised at the show, making it a fun day out for all the family. These include test ride programmes on certain cars, so that spectactors can live and breathe the excitement of driving their dream cars. If you are lucky enough to be there, don't forget to look out for these prototypes; the Honda CR-Z, Honda Inspire, Nissan GT-R, Nissan X-Trail and the Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

(Photo by baku13)

Official website: www.tokyo-motorshow.com

Read more about Tokyo at www.oneplanettravel.com

San Telmo Fair, Buenos Aires

San Telmo is one of the oldest districts in Buenos Aires. It was originally inhabited by the richest families in the city, who built wonderful architectural masterpieces as their homes. But in 1870 an outbreak of yellow fever forced them to seek residency elsewhere, and their mansions were converted into conventillos (boarding houses for the poor), with each one housing up to five families.

Nowadays you can still appreciate the beauty of this colonial-age architecture, and many of the buildings are now occupied by artists and craftsmen. In fact, it is the lively atmosphere and tango of San Telmo that attracts tourists from all over the world.

Sundays are usually the best time to discover the essence of this wonderful district, since the traditional Feria de las Antigüedades (Antiques Fair) will be taking place in Plaza Dorrego. This fair has been held every Sunday for more than 35 years.

The list of products on offer is endless. Music lovers can find records, gramophones, fonographs and record players. Lovers of antiques are in for a treat, for here you will also find, among many other things; lead soldiers, old stamps and coins, fans, toys, early-20th century glass and china, clocks, radios, mirrors, cameras and even perfume bottles.

Also worth mentioning are the many street artists that perform during the fair, among which include tango dancers, human statues and actors portraying immigrant families that have come to Argentina.

This fascinating district is without a doubt an exciting passage back in time.

(Photo by Juliana Piuma)

Read more about Buenos Aires at www.oneplanettravel.com