The Traveler Source

Guide to the World’s Best Carnivals

admin — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:45:04 +0000

Carnival time in certain cities of the world means days of drinking, dancing, frolicking and dressing up in costumes while following a parade. Carnival is typically a circus, masquerade ball and public street party rolled into one. People make a point of dressing up in masks and fancy dress costumes during the festivities.

With each boasting its own traditions for costumes, music and letting loose, here are four of the globe’s most over-the-top Carnival celebrations, all of them well worth a visit:

Brazil

The country that contains most of the Amazon rainforest is home to the biggest Carnival celebrations in the world, with Rio de Janeiro’s version of the fete widely considered by far the best. Dubbed the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ by the Brazilians, Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival is officially a competition between the city’s many samba schools. More than 70,000 people pack the Sambódromo to watch the 3-day parade of dancers and floats while listening and pulsing to samba, a music deeply rooted in Afro-Brazilian culture.

Italy

Carnival, a word that comes from the Latin for ‘removal of flesh’, is known as Carnevale in Italy. In Venice, during the festivities you will find masked figures packing St Mark’s Square and the rest of the city’s main piazzas. Carnevale revellers here traditionally attend fancy dress balls and street parties. The month-long carnival of Viareggio, however, is considered one of the best in Europe and is characterised by its parade of floats and caricatures of popular figures. In 2001, the city built a ‘Carnival citadel ’ for carnival parties, which usually include cheap fancy dress parties and even pirate fancy dress fetes.

Canada

Quebec’s Winter Carnival, held in late January/early February, is the world’s largest winter-themed carnival. It depends on good snowfalls and freezing temperatures in order to keep its ski trails snowy and in good condition. Here, Quebecois build snow and ice sculptures as big as real-life castles, and on the last day, they race canoes on the St Lawrence river.

Germany

Although party season in Germany officially begins on 11 November at 11:11am, Carnival itself begins on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday and ends on the later date. Cologne Carnival is the biggest and most famous of all of Germany. On Carnival Thursday — known as Women’s Day or Old Women Day — women storm city buildings, cut men’s ties and often kiss any man nearby.

Enjoy !

Dont Let Volcanic Ash Ruin Your Summer Holidays

admin — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:56:42 +0000

Few who had to travel anywhere in Europe in May can forget the inconvenience of grounded planes after the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajoekull. While the ash produced some of the clearest skies seen in a long time in places such as London by preventing carbon dioxide emissions, it remains a serious worry for people as they start making travel arrangements for their summer holidays. Images of all the affected travellers on standby in London hotels make us all wonder: Is air travel the best option for me?

If we are reluctant to take to the skies with the birds, fearing those ominous, billowing grey clouds,
perhaps we should look to the example set by the fish. We have all heard of cruises on mammoth boats skipping from port to port, but have we all considered the positive aspects of travelling by ferry to our holiday destination or even going on holiday in a canal boat or on a long-distance sailing excursion?

Ferries are inexpensive and a relatively green travel option. Most journeys last for a couple hours and can take you to neighbouring locations that you may not have explored before. Ferries leave from the UK for all over Europe, not just France, and can cost less than 100 pounds (comparable to an Easyjet flight). They don’t involve the hassel of long queues for security or checking in baggage either. Travelling on ferries, you can take in the sights and landscapes and move about freely instead of being cramed into small plane seats like sardines in a can.

There are also many companies throughout Europe willing to lease their boats to excited individuals eager for an alternative holiday. Some holiday packages will offer an onsite crew to assist with the more complex aspects of travel, such as operating a sailing boat. Others will simply let you take their boats out on the open water, leaving you nothing but an emergency number and an instructional guide for assistance.

These trips are varied in their design and depending on what you want out of the holiday, you may end up sleeping anywhere from a cabin onboard to one of the many luxurious hotels in Rome. Best of all, this kind of trip can begin in your own country, so a quick car or train trip will get you to the port, and flying can be avoided altogether.

Robert Frost once said: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.” Frost’s point is clear – the journey is just as important as the destination. Early explorers such as Christopher Columbus and even travellers of the early 20th century no doubt recognised this fact, but the point has resonance for the contemporary traveller too, especially in the wake of the recent volcanic activity, which threatens to continue intermittently throughout the summer. Boats provide a less-travelled route for holidays, making the hours passed in transit just as important as those on the beach on the other side.

Enjoy!

Route 66: The Perfect American Road Trip

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:53:14 +0000

First created in the early 20th century, Route 66 has become an icon for the United States, representing the journey to prosperity and small town, middle America. The highway in addition to being recognized by the Smithsonian as one of the fifteen most endangered world treasures has been immortalized through film, music and literature.
If you are considering taking a road trip on Route 66 here are a few of the most famous locations along the highway.
The Wigwam Motel
Built in 1949, the wigwam hotel resides in San Bernardino, California. The motel was masterminded by Frank Redford whose patented wigwam design has brought him much fame. The motel complex is composed of several individual wigwams buildings. The hotel boasts BBQ facilities, a kidney shaped swimming pool and a historic experience. This is a must see if you are doing a Route 66 road tour.
The Cozy Dog Drive In
This cute place is the home of the first hot dog on a stick! The Springfield, Illinois drive in was the idea of Ed Waldmire Jr. who after receiving some interesting baking flour from a former student to batter hot dogs with decided to turn a small cooking recipe into big idea. Not only does the restaurant sell dogs on its premise but they will also send their flour mixture to those who seek to make this fairground treat at home.
Meramec Caves
These caves made are the largest caves on the west side of the Mississippi. They were made known to the wider world after the French explorer, Phillipp Renault, was shown to their entrance by the Osage native American tribe in 172. Their history is a varied and interesting one. They were filled with large potassium nitrate deposits, an essential ingredient in gun powder, and were heavily mined. In the late 19th century these caves, oddly enough, would be the site of many parties as some of the caverns were large enough to hold ballroom-sized occasions, providing a cool escape from the hot summer months. And a series of cave discoveries eventually led to the finding of Jesse James hideout and the financial success of one of America´s greatest treasures!
Foss- Ghost Town
This is one of the many ghost towns along Route 66 that grew in population to take advantage of the heyday of the highway. It cycled through population sizes, in the early 20th century boasting an opera house, but shortly died in the 30´s after the construction of the interstate highways and the loss of Air Force revenue from the neighboring installation in Burns Flat. The ghost town is near a Foss State Park which has camping grounds, hiking trails and a lake.
Route 66 has many stops, not just the ones mentioned here that are worth visiting. The highway, going from Illinois to Los Angeles County is a historic stretch of road that should be a part of any road trip adventure.

Caribbean Cruise – Make Some Real Choice

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:44:14 +0000

If you are planning for a cruise vacation, then first you need to decide for the right cruise service provider. In this regard Caribbean cruise can bring you more fun and many benefits during your tour to the tropical paradise – Caribbean Islands. When selecting the Caribbean cruise for your next cruise vacation you will supplied with a list for the ports that you want to visit during your tour to the Caribbean islands. Well, in this regard you can compare two Caribbean cruise sections and these are:

• Eastern Caribbean cruises
• Western Caribbean cruises

Well, comparing these two Caribbean cruise section will allow you to find out the best one that best suits your budget and requirements for the whole trip. There are several things that you can compare among these two Caribbean cruise sections like, the length of your tour, excursion facility, the weather condition and few more aspects.

All you need to find out the cruise lines that deal in both eastern and western Caribbean cruises. There are few Caribbean cruise lines that can bring you more good results in this regard and these are:

Royal Caribbean
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Princess Cruises
Carnival Cruise Lines

Look for the most convenient port where you can reach easily to catch your Caribbean cruise. For the eastern Caribbean cruise there are stops like:

The Bahamas
St. Maarten
St. Thomas
Grand Turk Island
St. John and Tortola

And for the western Caribbean cruise the stops includes:

Belize
Cozumel
Havana
Key West
Roatan and

Caribbean Cruise – Boasting Entertainment

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:13:43 +0000

If you are choosing Caribbean cruise for your next vacation, then you are about to feel sheer fun and entertainment onboard. Caribbean cruise section is known for its provision for entertainment and real sophisticated facilities for the passengers on the ship. These are the dream ferries that you love to use when trying to cross the deep blue sea to have your next holiday in the Caribbean islands. Caribbean cruise will not only take you for the Caribbean islands but also these ships can help you in exploring several other places that use to coming the way for the Caribbean islands. These cruises will halt at those places and you can grab some pictures as memories of the tour.
These Caribbean cruises are designed to boast entertainment for the passengers onboard. There will be pools where you can take your bath and there will be decks where you can take rest under the sun after a long bath in the pool. Ensuring maximum comfort for the passengers seems to be the prime objective for caribeban cruises. This is the exact reason why these cruise service providers are now adding up high-end yet comfortable features for the passengers. If you are looking for luxurious amenities, then it’s the Caribbean cruise that can bring you anticipated result during the cruise vacation. All these things have been added for the Caribbean cruise in order to make it more comfortable, popular and accepted among the customers.
If you love to have entertainment in either way, then you can go for the nightly shows and the bars that are well arranged for the Caribbean cruise.

If you are a sport enthusiast, then Caribbean cruise can offer you more games onboard through which you will draw more fun and at the same time you can fulfill your heart’s desire.

Caribbean Cruise – Look for the Class of the Ships

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:58:10 +0000

Caribbean cruises are drawing enough popularity across the globe. It’s their unique kind of cruise services and sophisticated amenities that are exactly drawing more number of passengers for the Caribbean cruise section. There are many leading cruise agencies that are now operating Caribbean cruise for the Caribbean islands. If you are also anticipating for a memorable vacation, then you need to book your ticket now with the Caribbean cruise. Caribbean cruise can bring you no barrier for age, and these are the ferries that have been designed to offer passengers more fun while cruising along the deep blue sea. There are different classes of cruise that you can select in this Caribbean cruise section. Among all the Caribbean cruises, it’s the Royal Caribbean Cruise that is generating more and more popularity across the globe. This cruise line is known for its amazing travel experience, quality cuisines and enough entertaining activities onboard. Passengers are not going to feel anything miserable about their long tour while choosing the Royal Caribbean Cruise for their next trip to the Caribbean Islands.

As far the classes for ship is concerned, you can select any class that best suits your budget and requirements. As per the present scenario Royal Caribbean Cruise can bring you six different classes for its ship. Among all these classes, the Oasis class is the newest one, which includes ships like Oasis of the Sea, and the Allure of the Sea. In the Freedom class you are going to come across ships like the Freedom, the Independence and the Liberty.

If you want to draw a perfect cruise vacation, then you can book your ticket now and move for the Caribbean region with ease.

Bora Bora Island Tourism

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:20:01 +0000

The French Polynesian island groups do not share a common history before the establishment of the French protectorate in 1889. The first French Polynesian islands to be settled by Polynesians were the Marquesas Islands in AD 300 and the Society Islands in AD 800.

European discovery began in 1521 when the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan sighted Pukapuka in the Tuamotu Archipelago. Dutchman Jakob Roggeveen discovered Bora Bora in the Society Islands in 1722, and the British explorer Samuel Wallis visited Tahiti in 1767. The French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville visited Tahiti in 1768, while the British explorer James Cook visited in 1769. Christian missions began with Spanish priests who stayed in Tahiti for a year from 1774; Protestants from the London Missionary Society settled permanently in Polynesia in 1797.

King Pomare II of Tahiti was forced to flee to Moorea in 1803; he and his subjects were converted to Protestantism in 1812. French Catholic missionaries arrived on Tahiti in 1834; their expulsion in 1836 caused France to send a gunboat in 1838. In 1842, Tahiti and Tahuata were declared a French protectorate, to allow Catholic missionaries to work undisturbed. The capital of Papeete was founded in 1843. In 1880, France annexed Tahiti, changing the status from that of a protectorate to that of a colony.

Who Does it Best But Vacation Rentals in Oahu – Hawaii’s Secret Villa

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:08:26 +0000

Exploring a fresh abode is added agitative than activity to usual, frequently visited spots. For a altered getaway, leisure time rentals in Oahu anchored at a two acre hillside with a breathtaking appearance of Kaneohe bay will absolutely spell captivating. Oahu leisure time rentals accomplish vacationers’ admiration for article different, article added like a bounded experience. So if you’re activity on a leisure time with ancestors and friends, demography a blink at the abstruse ancillary of the burghal of Hawaii will absolutely accord you a memorable leisure time of a lifetime. On it, agents and administration of the alcazar allotment contiguous accounts, recommendations, and tips in exploring the place. It’s like visiting Hawaii with a acquaintance who knows the ins and outs of Oahu. For added advice about Oahu leisure time rental, here’s a briefing of some of the things to apprehend in the place:

1. Discounted allowance ante – When you anticipate of a leisure time rental in Oahu, you apparently brainstorm a acreage that’s big on appearance and price. Yes, they may be big in agreement of appearance but prices are negotiable and at discounted ante abnormally during low season. Now you’ve got a abode confined up that aforementioned artist ambient and ambient yet with cheaper allowance ante to boot.

2. Perfect for weddings and honeymoons – Kailua Leisure time Rentals additionally action bigger venues for appropriate occasions, if you’re apathetic of the accepted bells setup, acrimonious Kailua leisure time will absolutely transform your dream bells or amusement to a added private, intimate, and adventurous event.

3. Baptize sports and added activities – Kailua nests at the windward beach of Oahu. So if you’re in for some baptize sports, anatomy surfing and ankle boarding are the best baptize activities to conquer. Not to mention, arcade and dining adventures the Kailua and Oahu way are additionally one of the best bets in the place.

Dubai Hotels- A Great Booming Sector

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:15:41 +0000

Dubai has nowadays become a hot center for business as well as huge center in world tourism too. So with the increasing and rushing number of traders and business people towards Dubai as well as the huge hike in the number of tourist flocks getting populated there the Dubai hotels have become a huge marketing sector lately and are in a super run so far. Dubai is a very rich and developed nation of the world standing out to lead in its own way and so is the trafficking of colonization to Dubai. No surprise is it to find the uniqueness of the infrastructure the country has. And so is the existence of the hotels in Dubai. Dubai has a wide range of the world-class hotels including the best-listed brand of hotels all over the globe. Not 3 or 4 but there you can find a sum of 5 star hotels, 6 star hotels as well as a good number of 7 star hotels too.

Dubai is land of skyscrapers and the cities are high in their luxury level. And similarly the business peoples and the traders making their way to Dubai are also some big buck flock. Thus the hotels in Dubai naturally need to be that luxurious, comfort providing and high in class in order to suit the city’s standards as well as suit the expectations of the high class customers. Even if you don’t stand in the big buck bandwagon you will not find it any difficult to find a hotel of your price range and your choice of standards because there are hotels of every range of price and luxury to suit every kind of costumer.

So if you are at Dubai, just find one that fits you and enjoy your stay in Dubai. Start your hunt now and book your tickets well in advance.

I would never want to live anywhere but Baltimore.

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 00:08:52 +0000

I would never want to live anywhere but Baltimore. You can look far and wide, but you’ll never discover a stranger city with such extreme style. It’s as if every eccentric in the South decided to move north, ran out of gas in Baltimore, and decided to stay.
– John Waters, Shock Value

BALTIMORE is among the more enjoyable stops on the east coast, and its closely knit neighborhoods and historic quarters provide an engaging backdrop to many diverse attractions, especially those along its celebrated waterfront, like the Inner Harbor’s National Aquarium and the Pier 6 Concert Pavilion and Power Plant entertainment complex. The city also boasts top-rated museums, like the Walters Art Museum and the child-oriented, interactive Port Discovery, which cover everything from fine arts through black history to urban archeology.

That Baltimore has been home to such diverse figures as writers Edgar Allan Poe and Anne Tyler and civil rights activists Frederick Douglass and Thurgood Marshall goes some way towards explaining its sometimes bizarrely varied character, but it’s still hard to pin down exactly what makes it such an engaging city to visit, and to live in.