One Planet Travel Blog - london tag

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:32:00 GMT

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

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:29:00 GMT

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)

Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:11:00 GMT

Millions of Indian nationals have been celebrating the anniversary of the birth of Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi, one of the greatest figures in Indian history. This great personality was a key figure in terms of society, culture and politics in India, and throughout the world he is known as the “Great Soul” for his endless charisma.
Born on October 2nd 1869, Gandhi moved to London to study law following the death of his father. In 1893 he relocated to South Africa, where he began to practice law at an Indian firmvish. It was at that time that he took notice of the discriminatory laws against Hindus, dedicating himself to fighting injustice in a peaceful manner.
Gandhi returned to India in 1915, upon which he became leader of the Indian Independence Movement. Inspiring the first Satyagraha revolutions, Gandhi led the push for Indian independence from Britain.
Gahdhi was involved in many peaceful protests, yet he was imprisoned on numerous occasions. Nevertheless, he stood bravely against the political powers before and even after the independence of India. This was what made him a leader of non-violence and a national hero, with many social and political objectives achieved through his doctrine. The independence of India owes itself to this great man.
With this aside, Gandhi lived a humble life, fighting for peace for his country and people, and striving for a united India where Hindus could live together in peace and harmony.
On January 30th 1948, Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu radical. Yet his legacy, philosophy and deeds will live forever.

“There is no path to peace. Peace is the path.” Mahatma Gandhi