Finding The Best Places To Stay In Lanzarote
May 20, 2010 by admin
Filed under Travel and Leisure
The Internet has made it easy for tourists to eschew the services of travel agents and tour operators and book their own breaks direct online. Creating an upsurge in independent travel to popular holiday destinations such as Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Where tourists have been enjoying the year round warm climate for over forty years.
Lanzarote is the third most popular of the Canaries – the island chain located off the coast of Africa that became synonymous with package tourism during the 1980´s. But the days of Club 18-30 and full English breakfasts all round are long gone. As the islands also offer more upmarket alternatives these days.
There is a plentiful choice of accommodation available here and although independent travellers often choose private Lanzarote villas or one of the extensive and varied choice of self catering Lanzarote apartments, more discerning travellers are now looking at hotel accommodation.
On Lanzarote for example there are now six good quality 5 star hotels for visitors to choose from. With the Sol Melia group boasting two of these establishments. One, the Gran Melia Volcan is located in Playa Blanca in the south of the island – right next to the Rubicon Marina. Whilst the other, the chains flagship on the island, the Gran Melia Salinas is situated in Costa Teguise. And is still widely regarded as one of the best hotels in Lanzarote.
The Arrecife Gran Hotel is located in the island capital of Arrecife and occupies the only high rise building on the island. This was constructed in contravention of island planning laws during the 1980´s and as a result lay vacant and derelict for many years. Until the island government decided to allow this eyesore to be transformed into a smart 5 star hotel. Which gives guests great views across Lanzarote from its 17th floor rooftop restaurant.
Visitors seeking four star hotel accommodation will find a wide array of choice in Playa Blanca. As here four-star establishments line the shoreline. Giving guests direct access to the delightful seafront promenade that unites the three main beaches and bays of this fast growing resort. During the winter months hotels in Playa Blanca such as the Hesperia Playa Dorada are especially popular as the weather here is better at that time of the year than elsewhere on the island.
For those who prefer self-catering accommodation there is also a huge selection of villas in Lanzarote available for rent. For anyone who has holidayed in a private property on islands such as Ibiza the prices will also come as a welcome surprise. As it is usually much cheaper to rent a villa here than in many other Spanish sunspots. Whilst apartments in Lanzarote offer an even cheaper alternative for anyone planning to visit the island on a budget.
Discovering the Jewish Calendar
It was Hillel II who created a standarised Jewish calendar and leap year. It meant that holidays could be celebrated on the same date every year for Jews.
Rather like the most conventional calendar used, the Jewish one has months that are 29 or 30 days long and 12 or 13 months per year. Beacuse it actually takes 12.4 lunar months to complete a yearly cycle (365 and a quarter days), a year does not divide neatly into 12 months. The earliest Jews relied on seeing the new moon to judge when the beginning of the month would be.The Sanhendrin will declare the first of the month, also called rosh chodesh once the people observed the new moon. The agricultural cycle also has something to do with the number of months in each year.Adar Bet or the additional month is added on the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 19th year of the whole 19 years cycle for the Jews.
The Hebrew Calendar
The name for the official Israeli calendar is the Hebrew Calendar. As soon as the new moon is seen, a new month will begin. Months in the Hebrew calendar are called: Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, Elul, Tishrei, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat and Adar.The leap year in Jewish calendars makes it possible that each holiday is celebrated on the same season every year.
Festivals
Festivals in the Jewish calendar are still widely observed, and accordance with tradition is usually quite strict.They are already part of the customs of the people and they have been mirrors of the national life of the Jews.
Jewish Holidays
Jews place a great deal of importance on celebrating the holiday dates in the calendar. Each holiday provides a good opportunity for people to reflect on their life and the year that has passed.These holidays promote the sense of being one with fellow believers. The day of rest is the Shabbat (or Sabbath) and is the most important day of the week. There are other days during the year when working is not allowed, and they are centred around festivals of Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot. Also, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipper are kept as days of rest.
Jewish days start during sunset so in celebrating the holidays, usually some confusion arises.Some still follow the ancient practice of adding an extra day to their holidays while others stick to having the holiday just for a day. Usually, festivities start on the evening before the main day’s events occur.
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2010 Jewish Festivals: Hanukkah
This year, Hannukah will commence on the evening of 1st December. Though Hannukah is frequently compared to the Christian Christmas festival, it actually commemorates a different event – that of the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek/Syrian leaders of Jerusalem in around 164BCE. The temple was “rededicated” at this time and famously, a single day’s worth of oil was able to burn for eight days.
Because of this, the theme of light is important and the festival is often referred to as the ‘festival of lights’ or ‘feast of lights’. A 9-candeled candelabra is lit to commemorate the miracle, one new candle being lit on each subsequent night of the festival.
Sticking with the oil theme, food fried in oil is also traditionally eaten at Hannukah. Pancakes are quite often eaten – the traditional recipe containing potatoes and served with apple sauce.
As a nod to the other big festival at this time of year – Christmas – it’s now becoming more and more popular to give gifts.However, it is not normal for gifts to be exchanged with anyone but other family members.
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Cambodian Ancestors’ Day – all the facts!
Cambodia respectful on Ancestors DayCambodia Ancestor’s Day: September 24,2009
This religious holiday is celebrated in Cambodia.
In Cambodia, respect for older people extends further than holding the door for old ladies. The Cambodians even have a whole day dedicated to respect for their deceased relatives, called the Festival of the Dead. The other popular name for this festival is Spirits Day, although it can also be called the Festival of the dead. Ancestors’ Day is always celebrated on the 15th day of the 10th month of the Khmer calendar. The idea is that dead elders ancestors come to walk the earth again on this day, and need to be given sustenence during their visit. This year’s festival falls on 24th September.
Understanding the history of Dead Spirits Day
Cambodia has 80 percent Buddhists population and according to Buddhist beliefs, the lives that we live after death, are predicated by the actions that we took when we were living. If for instance, a minor sin is commited in life, this will be punished with a relatively small punishment in the afterlife – such as being given a small mouth as a ghost.With a small mouth, it is hard to eat.Other, more severe, punishments could include being crippled or having no mouth at all.
General belief puts it that during this period, the Demon (King of hell) will release all the spirits ( the dead that cannot make their way to heaven or to reincarnation) to roam the world.These spirits are very afraid of light. Due to their not being allowed into heaven, the spirits have suffered terribly and are rather ugly by this stage.
For fifteen days, the spirits will roam around looking for food – they can usually find it in Pagodas where such food is left for them. Because the Spirits do not like to share, they will only eat what has been left for them. If nothing has been left for them, the family of the relative can expect a curse or spell to be cast on them. The curse could result in bad luck for a whole year, or worse! It’s incentive enough to make most Cambodian families leave some kind of offering for their deceased loved ones.
Traditions and customs
People of Cambodia celebrate this day in a very unique way.The first 14 days of the festival is called Dak Ben.During Dak Ben, the neighborhood of a pagoda is divided into 14 groups. The community then shares the duties of maintaining the Pagoda for this time with one party responsible for a separate area.Despite the division, crossing from one group to another is still allowed and welcomed. Those responsible on the day will bring sticky rice and coconut milk as an offering for the spirits.The last day Pchum Ben is the most auspicious day of the event where everyone celebrates, meets and has fun.
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Guy Fawkes Day: November 5, 2009
January 1, 2010 by admin
Filed under Travel and Leisure
Among a few of the lesser known festivals centred in the British colonies is the Guy Fawkes day. The event is celebrated to commemorate a foiled plot to overthrow the government by blowing up the houses of parliament. Guy Fawkes was the lead of a group of Catholic conspirators. The plot was to kill James I – then King of England – and blow up the houses of parliament. However, the group was discovered before the plot could be executed.The festival since then has been a celebration of what England was and what it has been since the event had occurred so many centuries ago.
History of Guy Fawkes Day
The plot of this foiled gun powder incident can be in detail seen in the movie V for Vendetta that actually made the premise of the entire plot more interesting and brought to focus the entire nature of such an act.The act was viewed as treason and the men were punished by death. A visionary, Guy Fawkes inspired a group of people to commit the crime, and despite being killed is still held to be something of an inspiational figure.The plot itself is remembered by its day, the 5th of November, the starting lines of the “Remember, Remember the 5th of November…” poem.
The Custom of Guy Fawkes Day
The main event during Guy Fawkes Day is that of fireworks display. Large bonfires are also lit in towns across Britain. Other commonwealth countries also celebrate this festival includeing Canadar and South Africa. Australia also sometimes commemorates this day.
Owing to a fireworks ban, some other territories no longer celebrate the day – including Barbuda and Antigua. In Canada, the festival has a particular following in Newfoundland and Labrador. The night is often abuzz with the smell of fire and smoke at night. England naturally puts on the large displays! Quite often, large fireworks displays are put on to commemorate the festival, and municipal bonfires are lit.The festival which is Over 400 years still seems to have its followers all over the world. With an idea that could last forever, Guy Fawkes Day continues to be celebrated on the 5th of November annually.
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