Rock Music 4 ALL

The Spanish region of Murcia is located between Valencia and Andalusia in the southeastern part of Spain. This part of the country is in fact one of Spain’s least traveled regions, however with the increasing availability of cheap flights offered by low cost budget airlines to the area, Murcia is growing in popularity as a Spanish tourist destination.

Murcia Mini Guide

The city of Murcia is quite small, with around 300,000 inhabitants. It’s closest airport is actually located 17miles south of the city in the San Javier, however this is widely referred to as Murcia Airport, and is served by a number of budget airlines offering low cost travel options for thrifty tourists.

The city has a university, which gives it a young, trendy vibe, however overall the city is more quaint than cutting edge. It is an ideal and cheap city to use as a base for further exploration of the surrounding Murcia region. With cheap Murcia car hire, discovering the area at a low cost to suit your budget has never been easier. There is not a particularly extensive list of attractions and sights in Murcia, but it is a truly pleasant city with a laid back and relaxed ambience, an old quarter of narrow labyrinthine streets, beautiful gardens on the banks of the River Segura, and some wonderful food and wine.

Things to see/do in Murcia

Museo de Salzillo, Plaza San Agustin, is a museum dedicated to Murcia’s famous sculptor and artist Francisco Salzillo and is cheap to enter. The Archaeological Museum in Murcia is a very low cost attraction and offers an interesting journey back into ancient Murcia. The Cathedral de Santa Maria is a beautiful building with a baroque-style façade and a contrasting gothic interior. A tower here (302ft high) allows for some spectacular views over Murcia, and there is also a museum in the Cathedral. Budget travelers will have no problems visiting the Cathedral – in fact, a cultural tour of Murcia will prove to be a thrifty day out, ideal for those looking for low cost holiday attractions.

Murcia’s Casino is a must-see attraction in the city – an opulently decorated, beautifully regal building with each room adorned in a different style. There are some great low cost shopping opportunities in Murcia, with cheap markets being particularly good for bargains and discount produce. The fresh fruit and vegetables in Murcia are particularly good. For big spenders without budget worries, a walk down Calle Jaboneria should tantalize your shopping-sensors. Designer stores and exclusive fashions here are not cheap, so if your spending is to remain more thrifty than hefty, steer clear to avoid teasing yourself!

Eating out/Nightlife in Murcia

Cheap eats in Murcia are easy to find, particularly as there is a student population in the city that are catered for with plenty of casual and low cost restaurants and cafés. Budget dining options are not only easy to find in Murcia, but are generally of a good standard, particularly due to the abundance of fresh produce grown locally (the area is well irrigated and as a result has fertile and productive farmland). Homemade, hearty and comforting stews, fresh crispy salads, rustic roasted dishes and Spanish rice dishes all feature widely on Murcian menus and are generally quite cheap.

Murcia nightlife is not as crazily hedonistic as you would find in the other major tourist hot spots of Spain, however a fun and low cost night out is not difficult to find. Dinner is eaten late here (as is customary throughout Spain), and nightlife is correspondingly late with nothing happening before 11 o’clock in the evening. Try the KM Disco Garden, Rockerfellas Fun Club and Lennons for a good party, and for a romantic evening, El Perro Azul is a popular and ambient candlelit bar.

Events/festivals in Murcia

Spanish towns, regardless of size and population, are known for enjoying a good party and Murcia is no exception. Every year in May, Murcia hosts the Murcia Tres Culturas (Three Cultures) Festival which is a wonderful, inclusive series of performances centering on Judaism, Islam and Christianity with a focus on cultural tolerance and acceptance. San Javier hosts a Jazz Festival annually in June/July. Lorca is a short drive from Murcia and hosts and annual rock festival. The Roots Music Festival is held in September of every year in the Plaza de Romeo, featuring performances by groups and musicians from all over the region.

Every Saturday there is a traditional market on this square that sells arts and crafts as well as cheap, delicious local produce.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas is a little town only an hours drive away from Branson Missouri, the new capital of country music! Millions of visitors come to Eureka Springs to see The Great Passion Play, P. Nutt and the Ozark Mountain Hoe-Down, do a little shopping, or just to say “I do”.

Branson, Missouri has about 120 music shows, and a lot of country music stars now call Branson home. However, many people don’t realize that there have also been a lot of country music stars right here in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Did you know that Grand Old Opry star, Johnny Russell, built his theater here and performed six nights a week for many years? Rumor has it that he also wrote the song “Got No Reason Now for Going Home”, big hit for Gene Watson, in that theater, too.

David Frizzell recorded hits such as “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” and “I’m Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorated My Home”, and in 1991, David also had his own show in Eureka Springs. Ray Charles played one of his very last shows here and what a show that was! Merle Haggard and the Strangers has rolled into town several times to sing me back home, along with Willie Nelson.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas was also the home for Joe Don Rooney for a few years before he made the move to Nashville in 1999. Joe Don performed at the Ozark Mountain Hoe-Down Theater before moving to Nashville. Teaming up with Jay DeMarcus and Gary LeVox, Joe Don became part of the #1 selling band, “Rascal Flatts”.

Doug Huffman is another great songwriter and drummer that worked at the Ozark Mountain Hoe-Down until 1990. He then went on to join the rock band “Boston”, one of my all time favorite rock bands.

In addition to music success stories, there have been many movies shot on location in Eureka Springs. The movie “War Eagle” was filmed in our little town during the summer of 2006. The Ozark Mountain Hoe-Down performed a song in the movie that songwriters Leslie Wright and Randall George, also from the Hoe-Down, wrote specifically for the movie!

Missy Crider, now an actress in Hollywood, was in a country music show here in the late 1980’s. Missy still comes back from time to time, and at times lives in our little town. This is not uncommon for most of the stars that were here before they hit the big time! There is something about this town in the hills that never leaves your memory once you’ve been here. This little town not only attracts visitors and tourists, but the award winning celebrities that still consider Eureka Springs “home”.

So, if you come to Eureka Springs for a visit, catch the Ozark Mountain Hoedown show, The Great Passion Play, do a little shopping or say “I do” to the love of your life. Make sure to get a picture with some of the folks here – next year they may be the next big thing in country music, rock-n-roll, or on the Hollywood screen!

In this country we might never know the value of what we have until we have all taken a tourist visit to Olumo rock. On Suday, 4th May, 2008 I took a firm and bold decision to visit Olumo rock in Abeokuta in Ogun state of Nigeria following the much interesting stories I had heard of the rock. Before this historic visit, I had only thought of Abeokuta as one small town with prominent illustrious sons and daughters many of whom have greatly contributed to the development of the country.

It was exactly 11.15am; I had chosen to go to see for myself that natural imposing wondrous rock called the Olumo rock which everyone has talked about except me rather than go to church that Sunday. I soon took a commercial vehicle from Oshodi to Abeokuta. My observation of the passengers in the bus showed that 12 out of the total 18 passengers in the vehicle were heading for a party in the town, I therefore began to wonder what the sight of Abeokuta could hold for me. Abeokuta indeed must be a party place I reasoned.

The bus soon set me down at a place called Kuto still in Abeokuta where I took another vehicle that stopped me right in front of Olumo rock. I had observed that Abeokuta itself is an ancient hilly town full of rocks. This Olumo rock is incredibly wonderful. We (with Patrick Bassey-Akpan) soon struck up friendship with a guide and photographer who would give us historical explanations about the rock and take several photographs of us using digital camera. Our first assignment was climbing the stairs (which I understood was artificially attached to the rock by the present Governor of the state, His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel popularly called OGD by his political Admirers in 2006 to boost the tourist arrangement of the rock) This exercise tired us out completely as we had to take a rest immediately we got to the top of veranda provided on the rock with a balcony.

Next we were shown the “Egba time Hide-out” which obviously were tiny natural caves with holes on the floor, we were told that the Egba warriors hid their wives children and in these caves while they engaged their enemies in the inter-tribal wars. This war is known as the Yoruba civil war in History. The holes dug on the floor were said to have provided a device for the grinding peeper, tomatoes, onions and other ingredients during the war.

We were also shown a tomb with an epitaph describing the name of the deceased as “Sonni” with the year of his final departure in 1956. The explanation for the interment here is that in the olden times the Egbas were often interred within their premises. We took note of a shrine said to be opened only once in a year perhaps every August 8, when the festival in veneration of the stone god which saved the lives of the Egbas is often held. We got to know that the festival itself attracts the Alake of Egbaland and several other dignitaries from within and outside the town.

We were stunned to discover some aged women still living on top of the rock. These Aged women simply said to be of the “7th generation” were indeed very pleasant and nice to meet. Our next mission took us to the very top of the rock. This gave us an amazing view of Abeokuta as almost every single structure in this town could be seen. Prominent amongst these were the Late MKO Abiola’s family house, the first mosque in Egbaland, premises of a once missionary school now said to be housing part of Ogun television House, the first church in Nigeria situated in Egbaland with the influence of Rev. Gollmer and Samuel Ajayi Crowther and other Saro Missionaries.

The Ogun River from which the state itself derives its name could also be sighted amazingly flowing from afar. The palace of Alake of Egbaland said to be full of historical antiquities could also be seen.

The total height of the rock was said to be 137 metres above the sea level and our guide pointed to a particular spot which he explained was the middle of the rock, not far from this spot is a long length of crack which completely splits the rock causing it to divide. According to our guide some Europeans hoping to find gold invaded the rock, a strike on this middle of the rock caused blood to gush from the rock and the long crack which the rock experienced. The result therefore was the death of the Europeans who died some of who also fled.

As we climbed down this magnificent rock, Series of questions struck my memory. I was simply imagining how trees which I saw on top of the rock could have grown without any access to the soil, and how the rock was said to have been discovered by a Hunter. Again I imagined how a Hunter could have discovered what may have been visible to everyone.

But there was a lesson I learnt from it all, that God is wonderful and greater than all. The Egbas may have also learnt this lesson many centuries ago before me.

In the decades after the first oil crunch of 1973, when the Arab world took different directions of development as a result of vastly improved oil revenues, Dubai opened itself to the cultural influences of the West. In consequence, Dubai became an amalgam of things Western in a Middle Eastern setting and background, a hodge-podge of Eastern and Western cultures. It is familiarly westernized, yet retains that delightfully quaint Mideast color and flavor. It is homogenous in its diversity, rather like an arabesque of harmonious colors, or the short skirt and the abayah coexisting in a symbiotic relationship.

As illustration, Dubai as a Muslim country celebrates Eid al Fitr, the last day of Ramadan, as a joyous occasion, but also welcomes the Dubai Shopping Festival that attracts more than four million visitors annually, with almost equal importance. During the festival, just exploring the giant malls like the Mall of the Emirates, BurJuman, the Ibn Battuta Mall and the Deira City Center can exhaust one’s energies in a week, but will certainly increase the appetite to shop for the myriad items of every form and value. The Dubai Summer Surprises, an event of entertainments, is as valued as the National Day, anniversary of the establishment of the United Arab Emirates to which Dubai belongs.

Dubai’s laissez-faire attitude towards life is exemplified by its cuisine. There is of course the Arabian food, which is famous and well-liked, and can be found in small cafes as well as luxury restaurants in many large hotels, which of course, will offer European, American and some Asian food as well. Arabian cuisine has a good following on top of ‘first-timer’ tourists sampling the preparations. What is significant is that Chinese cooking is also very popular, and so does the fast-food -or ready-to-eat- style of dining, in the emirate and city. This indicates cosmopolitan tastes in the locals as well as visitors.

Pork is not very welcome to the locals but is available to outsiders and tourists under certain terms and in specific places. So is alcohol, but to imbibe wines or liquor, a permit must be obtained from the authorities. Night clubs, bars and discos are mostly located inside the larger hotels due to the liquor restrictions. There are -and must be-limits, for after all, Dubai is still Arabian and Muslim.

For entertainment, Hollywood and Bollywood are both very much accepted; the annual Dubai International Film Festival enticing film personalities from the West to interact in a pleasant atmosphere with celebrities from the Arab world. For music, Santana, Celine Dion, Elton John, Phil Collins, Aerosmith, Diana Haddad and some others have performed in Dubai, aside from several metal and rock artists who performed during the Dubai Rock Festival.

Cricket and football are the most popular sports in Dubai, and that bespeaks of Continental influence. Tennis and golf are also played extensively, sometimes by world-famous figures.

So it is very reasonable for the New York Times, in a recent survey, to name Dubai as one most popular travel destination for 2008. Go to Dubai and see why it is very much justified.

It’s been a pretty amazing summer so far. The weather has been pretty good since as far back as April. Occasionally, we’ve had rain showers and thunderstorms, but much of the rain has actually fallen over night. The weather on the weekends has been great for the most part, perfect conditions to enjoy all the activities and festivals that the city has to offer. I decided earlier this year that I would be spending this summer in Toronto without any major travel assignments overseas. So this is my chance to focus on local explorations.

And the offerings are amazing: I already wrote detailed articles from my explorations at Toronto’s Doors Open architectural festival, my exciting day at the Dragonboat Festival on Toronto’s Islands, the Taste of Little Italy, Summerlicious – Toronto’s restaurant festival, the Celebrate Toronto Street Festival and Afrofest. There are simply not enough hours in the week to cover all my explorations since I have decided to head out and discover as many places and activities as possible right here in Toronto. Here is a little summary of some of the other activities I have participated in that I haven’t had a chance yet to talk about in detail.

On June 25, 2006 I headed out to Toronto’s Pride Parade, one of the biggest parades in Toronto, and one of the largest of its kind in the world. This year’s parade theme was “Fearless!” to indicate how far Toronto’s queer community has come and how far they still have to go. From its original roots as a protest event, Toronto’s Pride Parade today has become a real family affair with special events for families and children. The city has embraced this event and it has great support from the mayor, the police, various corporate sponsors and politicians from all political parties. The big events of Pride Week included the Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall, Pride Awards and a Gala Dinner, the Dyke March as well as the dazzling Pride Parade. Seven entertainment stages provided entertainment with about 650 artists, the Community Fair included participants from a large variety of community groups, and the Marketplace enticed the crowd with merchandise, clothing, and various accessories and treats.

Then on July 14 and 15 not only did I attend a street festival, together with my team we actually participated in the Salsa on St. Clair Festival. This festival was held for the first time last year and attracted more than 200,000 participants in its first year. Telelatino, Canada’s Latin broadcasting network, developed the idea for this festival and organized a huge street party. This year the crowd was even bigger than in the first year.

We had a table together with Skills for Change, a local immigrant settlement agency with whom we collaborate frequently. To jointly promote our two organizations we were holding a draw to give away a one-week adventure trip along the Inca Trail in Peru. The trip itself will be provided by G.A.P Adventures, the flagship sponsor of our Travel Story Contest, and a leader in environmentally sustainable and socially conscious travel. Over two days we spent almost 20 hours in the sweltering sun, interacting with the crowd, and many hundreds of people wanted to get to get a chance to explore the mysteries of Peru.

In between these special events I have also had a chance to explore the city by bike and on inline skates. A couple of weeks ago I cycled out to the Scarborough Bluffs and spent some time in one of my favourite Toronto spots: the Rosetta McClain Gardens. This is a beautiful public garden with gorgeous flower beds and serene sitting areas, perched high above Lake Ontario with great vistas of this peaceful expanse of water.

From there I cycled east through a variety of parks abutting the Scarborough Bluffs which are essentially cliffs formed from eroded packed clay soil. They stretch for about 14 km along Lake Ontario in the east end of Toronto, and at their highest point they rise 65 meters above the water. The most interesting formations can be found around Bluffer’s Park, a large waterfront park featuring a sandy beach, picnic areas, walks, lookouts, and berths for over 500 boats.

Toronto, with its location right on Lake Ontario, is a haven for cyclists and water sports enthusiasts, and the waterfront has numerous extensive parks right on the shoreline that are ideal for picnics, sunbathing and relaxing by the water. The Martin Goodman Trail is a multi-purpose recreational trail with a length of about 22 km along Toronto’s Waterfront and gives inline skaters and bicyclists a chance to exercise and soak up the sun right next to the water. Last weekend I strapped on my rollerblades and explored the Waterfront Trail along Toronto’s West end in Etobicoke, and the nicely paved trail continues into Toronto’s neighbouring cities Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington.

But serene nature experiences not only await at the waterfront, the City has several other spots that allow you to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Last week I spent a couple of hours exploring Riverdale Farm, Toronto’s Necropolis and the surrounding Cabbagetown Neighbourhood. Riverdale Farm is actually an early 20th century farm that has been turned into a learning opportunity for urban dwellers that exposes them to farm animals and a rural environment. The peaceful park outside Riverdale Farm is a favourite destination for school groups and adults who relax under the shady trees and cool off in the public fountains.

Right next to Riverdale Farm is the Toronto Necropolis, one of Toronto’s oldest and most historic cemeteries. Dating back to the 1850s, it houses a collection of Victorian buildings and sculptures and is one of the most picturesque locations in the city. The recently restored cemetery entrance, chapel and office are fine examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture and the Necropolis is a favourite destination for photographers year-round.

Both Riverdale Farm and the Toronto Necropolis are surrounded by Cabbagetown, a historic neighbourhood with a very interesting history. The name “Cabbagetown” dates back to the mid 19th century, when Irish immigrants decided to plant unusually large cabbage patches on their front lawn. Cabbagetown has one of the largest and most impressive concentrations of Victorian architecture in all of North America. Local residents take great pride in their properties and embellish their homes with well-tended front and back gardens and the area is a magnificent location for a relaxing stroll.

So many other neighbourhoods beckon to be explored: I have spent some time at Harbourfront and recently took a walk through Toronto’s main Chinatown and the adjoining Kensington Market where exotic fruits and unusual foods can be purchased at reasonable prices. The sheer variety of Toronto’s neighbourhoods is mind-boggling and it feels like you are doing a virtual trip around the world by just walking a few blocks or hopping on the subway. I have made several forays into the Victorian serenity of Riverdale and the adjoining hustle and bustle of the Danforth, one of my favourite neighbourhood hangouts.

These past few days have been busy too. On Friday, my entire crew at the office and I went to a local Pakistani restaurant in Toronto’s Thorncliffe Park Neighbourhood. The entire neighbourhood is perched on a hill overlooking the Don Valley and was developed with numerous high-rise buildings in the 1950s and 1960s. Today Thorncliffe Park is one of the most densely populated and most multicultural neighbourhoods of Toronto with a large proportion of recent immigrants from Muslim countries. We had an absolutely delicious dinner with a selection of Pakistani dishes at Iqbal Restaurant. Several of my co-workers are from Pakistan and we have had a great introduction to Muslim foods and traditions. Toronto offers so many great opportunities for cross-cultural connections. We shared six different delicacies including chicken, lamb, beef and chick pea dishes and had a wonderful time sampling this varied cuisine.

After our truly delicious dinner all of us headed down to Queen Street East where the Beaches International Jazz Festival was being held. This festival is now in its 18th year, and has become a crowd favourite since its 1989 inception. We started at Woodbine and right away ran into our favourite: Dr. Draw, a highly energetic Moscow-born electric violinist surrounded by a team of dedicated musicians. This band produced a highly eclectic, unusual type of music with a diverse mixture of beats with modern and classical elements thrown in. In addition, Dr. Draw has a highly physical performance style and it makes you wonder how he plays the violin so well while jumping up and down. We saw several other rock and reggae bands, and a 3-person group named Johannes Linstead entertained us with virtuoso flamenco rhythms. Incidentally, this group won the Best World Album in 2004 and has top ten charting albums. In total the Beaches Jazz Festival featured over 30 performers in its StreetFest and ten headliners on the Main Stage.

I dropped by at the Beaches Jazz Festival again with two friends yesterday, and at the north end of Kew Gardens we saw Toronto’s Mayor David Miller being photographed with members of the crowd. Mayor Miller makes appearances at many community events and is very approachable. So we decided that we too would get our picture taken with Toronto’s mayor.

We then strolled over to the Main Stage and checked out some of the ecclectic clothing, jewellery and art on sale in the various booths that were located throughout Kew Gardens. People were getting henna tattoos, others were getting readings by psychics, and the majority of people were relaxing on the grass, enjoying the music. Some folks were also getting their surprisingly accurate portraits done…

On the Boardwalk we enjoyed the hot Spanish rhythms of Puente del Diablo before we checked out the action at the beach volleyball courts. One of my friends is a visitor from Austria, so this was her first introduction to Toronto while my other friend is a fairly recent immigrant who doesn’t yet know the city very well either. I quite enjoy taking new arrivals around the city, introducing them to all my favourite spots. As a city on a lake that looks like an ocean, the waterfront is a great attraction, and it’s a really cool place to hang out.

To explore more we then hopped into the car and decided to pay a visit to the Distillery District, a former distillery dating back to 1832. This complex encompasses more than 40 historic buildings that make up the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in all of North America. The Distillery District has been restored recently and has become one of Toronto’s hottest entertainment areas with its restaurants, cafes, galleries and artists’ studios, a brewery, theatres and retail outlets. Every Sunday the Distillery features a farmers market and numerous festivals draw huge crowds throughout the year.

Our “Introduction to Toronto” driving tour continued and I took my friends downtown on Front Street and showed them the Gooderham Building – Toronto’s own triangular Flatiron Building. Then we admired Old and New City Hall, the classical splendour of Osgoode Hall, the imposing Richardson Romanesque structure of Queens Park – seat of Ontario’s provincial government, and the Neo-Gothic splendour of the University of Toronto campus. After a brief tour through Chinatown we had a sneak peak at Little Italy and ended up for dinner in the picturesque Annex neighbourhood on Bloor Street West, just west of Spadina. Along the way we drove through Portuguese, Ethiopian and Korean neighbourhoods.

Finally we had a lovely dinner at the Country Style Hungarian Restaurant, a neighbourhood institution for decades, which impresses with its tasty authentic European meals, reasonable prices and huge portion sizes. All three of us enjoyed a Wiener Schnitzel and to top off a delicious meal we enjoyed “Palatschinken”, a mouth-watering dessert featuring a crepe filled with apricot jam.

Each one of these experiences deserves its own article, but there are just so many things to see and do in Toronto, I just can’t keep up with the stories. But I am hoping this little medley of stories will give you an idea of Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods, culinary offerings, exciting festivals and things to do during a great long hot summer.

For the entire article including photos please visit

http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/toronto_hot_summer.htm

Festival Survival Tips

Thinking of going to a Music festival this year? Then get those wellies at the ready and read on to make sure you’re prepared! Here’s our top ten tips…

1) Well I may as well say it now. TAKE WELLIES. It may seem like common sense to most but Field + Rain + 100,00 people trampling around = lots and lots of mud! You may think that you can cope without them or that you don’t want to look like a saddo, but when it’s pouring down and the mud’s up to your ankles, you’ll be glad you took my advice!

2) Take sun cream. Ok I know what you’re thinking, “wellies and sun cream? Ae you a moron?”. Well I’m sure anyone who’s braved a music festival will tell you, if it’s not p**sing down, it’s baking hot, there really is no happy medium so be prepared for all evantualities.

3) Get there as early as possible. Unless you want to be camped 38 miles from the main stage get there as early as you can.

4) Choose your spot wiseley. There’s a fine line between a great spot and an awful spot. Close to the fence may be a good idea because it gives you easy toileting but you could find that everyone around you has the same idea and you get a river of pee flowing beside you. Don’t get there early and take up a vast area for your encampment, you’ll return from your ‘lets go have a look around’ on the first day to find every man and his dog pitched right in between you and your mates. Keep it tight, leave enough space in the middle for the bbq and mark your territory (not like that!)

5) Don’t take too many clothes. One set and one spare set normally does the job. It’s going to be a trek from the car park to the campsite (and I’m talking hours rather than minutes) so the lighter the load the better!

6) Be sensible with the food you take. A typical festival burger costs £65.90 and a portion of chips will set you back £92 so taking some food is always a good idea. Be careful not to take anything that can go off (your tent will be like an oven) and nothing that’s too heavy (remember you have to carry it).

7) Take some toilet roll. It’ll save your life and you can sell it for a small fortune if you get stuck for cash.

Go and see a band you’ve never heard of. I’ve discovered some of the best bands by just randomly rocking up to a tent or stage in the early afternoon, believe me, it’ll change your life.

9) Memorise the way back to your tent. In the pitch black after 10 pints of the good stuff, it all looks the same! And those green portaloo’s really don’t make for a good night’s sleep.

10) Have fun, be safe spead some love and bring some back for the rest of us!

Edinburgh features four major cultural annual events annually between June and August, and after a couple of unappetising summers which put a number of potential visitors off this one promises to be a scorcher, hopefully persuading millions of visitors to return to Scotland’s capital city.

In chronological order first up is the Edinburgh International Film Festival which runs from the 17th to 28th June; only the second time in its 62 year history that it will take place in June. Although not as prestigious as Cannes or the Sundance Film Festivals the shindig in Edinburgh gives filmgoers the chance to experience international premieres and also put questions to leading actors, directors and producers from the world of film at the film study part of the Festival named Scene by Scene.

Just a month later it’s the turn of musicians to take centre stage for the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival which runs from the 31st July to 9th August. Large, small, indoor and outdoor venues all over the city are taken over to showcase the best artists of this musical genre, packing 120 concerts into the ten day festival. The climax of the 2009 event will see Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra take to the stage at the Edinburgh Playhouse for the grand finale. They will be joined onstage by special guest star Dave Edmunds and talented vocalists Ruby Turner & Louise Marshall. But, before that the Mardi Gras – billed as ‘an explosion of music excitement’ – will rock the historic Grassmarket, a popular entertainment and shopping district situated in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.

Flights to Edinburgh during August will be carrying many participants and spectators on their way to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Renowned for drawing visitors from all over the world since it was first staged in 1950, the 2009 event will host a triple celebration. Not only will The Tattoo celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national bard, Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns, it will host Scotland’s first ever Homecoming Festival, and also celebrate its own 60th staging of the event.

The last big event of the summer is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which starts on the same day as the Tattoo, but extending to the end of August. A hotbed of British comedy, many well-known comics and actors, and those unknowns hoping to break it big, put on a variety of performances all over the city.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

If you’re looking to take a holiday in Asia, Japan is an excellent choice. It’s a land of many contrasts with ultra modern lifestyles juxtaposed against ancient traditions, and rural communities set against sprawling metropolises. A single holiday in Japan can take in many conflicting aspects of life in the country.

If you’re looking to absorb the culture, or simply to find some outstanding entertainment for your stay, you could do a lot worse than timing your visit to coincide with one of the many popular festivals that the country is host to. Here are some of the more memorable ones:

Sapporo Snow Festival

The Sapporo Snow Festival will be entering its 60th year in February 2009, and you can expect the event to have an extra special feel to go along with its landmark year. The festival, based in Sapporo – the capital of Hokkaido – takes place over a week and includes the construction of hundreds of snow statues and ice sculptures throughout the town. Each year you can expect around 400 immaculately sculpted ice structures displaying everything from instantly recognisable landmarks to famous celebrities. If you’re planning a winter holiday in Japan, then it’s well worth joining the 2,000,000 people expected to attend this legendary festival.

Nagasaki Kunchi Festival

If you’re taking your holiday in Japan in Autumn, the Nagasaki Kunchi festival is a must. Started in the 16th century to celebrate the harvests, the festival has now grown to become one of the most popular in Japan. Visitors to the country will be able to see traditional dancing, huge floats decorated like river barges or Chinese boats and the legendary ‘dragon dance’. To give you an idea over how well planned the whole thing is, preparations for the annual festival begin as early as June 1st.

Kyoto Gion Matsuri Festival

The Gion Festival is another famous one, this time held annually in Kyoto. Unlike the previous entries, this one is on for the entire month of July, but the legendary parade (Yamaboko Junko) is worth being there for on the 17th. Those wanting to get an insight into how Kyoto residents live will also want to visit at this time, as the customary Byobo Matsuri (folding screen festival) means that many residents will open their homes for others to visit. An unparalleled opportunity to get off the tourist trail and see how people live on your holiday in Asia.

Nebuta Matsuri Festival

The largest festival in the Tohoku region is the most popular ‘nebuta’ event in the country with tourists, and that should be enough to convince you to visit on your holiday in Asia. Nebuta festivals involve the float of brave warrior figures carried around the city, accompanied by dancers moving in time to the famous Rassera chant. It has an atmosphere like no other, and is definitely worth seeing.

Sanja Matsuri Festival

Although Sanja Matsuri is celebrated nationwide, Tokyo is without doubt the place to be for it. The main festivities take place at the Sensoji Shrine on the third weekend of May and some 2 million people come to enjoy the huge parades, traditional music and dancing. Those who dislike crowds need not apply, but it is an unusual experience that everyone with an interest in Japanese culture should try.

Takayama Matsuri Festival

One of Japan’s most popular festivals, the Takayma Matsuri festivities take place both in Spring and Autumn. Both festivals welcome the changing seasons and involve colourful floats moving through the Takayama streets and huge crowds. The Autumn version is on the 9th and 10th October, while the Spring version is held on April 14th-15th. Accommodation can be hard to come by, but tourists looking to see it should be able to find something in the neighbouring towns of Furukawa and Gero Onsen.

Fuji Rock Festival

It may not be a traditional cultural experience like the others, but if your idea of a good music festival is a muddy field in England, Fuji Rock may just change your expectations completely. Hosted at the Naeba Ski Resort (it was moved from Fuji in 1997, but retained the name), it is the cleanest mainstream music festival you’ll likely ever see. Alongside quality food and drink, the acts are impressive too – past years have attracted the like of The Cure, The Chemical Brothers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beck and The Foo Fighters.

Whether you’re interested in music, arts or just absorbing the country’s history and culture, there is a Japanese festival for you. By timing your luxury holiday in Japan to coincide with one of these festivals, you’re guaranteeing yourself memories that will last a lifetime.

Northern Cyprus hosts a variety of interesting festivals, ranging from classical music, to jazz and contemporary pop, as well theatre and food festivals. Spaced across the year, you can pick a festival to incorporate into your holiday in Northern Cyprus.

International Famagusta Culture and Art Festival

If you’re on holiday in Northern Cyprus during July, you will be there in time for the International Famagusta Culture and Art Festival. The ancient Salamis amphitheatre hosts the event, making for spectacular open-air summer concerts. This historic site could originally seat over 15,000 people, and it can still accommodate a large audience.

A range of different performers will entertain you. An extremely interesting performance set was held in 2006, where Turkish performer Sertab Erener, also the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest gave an excellent show. Also performed was a reggae concert and tango show. One of the more interesting performances of the year was entitled ‘Beatles go Baroque,’ which proved to be a highly enjoyable performance. With such a varied line up, attending the festival on a Northern Cyprus holiday will be an immensely entertaining experience.

The International Cyprus Theatre Festival

This festival marks the end of summer, and is held at various venues across Northern Cyprus. Holidaymakers can attend shows in Nicosia, Famagusta and Kyrenia. Shows are also held in the ancient Salamis amphitheatre, which can be great on warm evenings. The performances are made up of a range of local and international performances, all providing excellent evening entertainment.

The Kyrenia Jazz Festival

Jazz lovers on holiday in Northern Cyprus will love this addition to their stay. The festival occurs in December, just in time to add to the Christmas spirit. It attracts international jazz musicians from around the world, who provide an excellent source of entertainment for their audiences.

The festival is hosted by the Rocks Hotels, providing an excellent venue to enjoy the music and get into the spirit of jazz. Each year, the festival grows in popularity, and it is increasingly becoming popular with tourists on their Northern Cyrus holidays.

Bellapais Music Festival

Bellapais Abbey hosts one of the finest classical music festivals in the world. Each year, the Bellapais Music Festival is held in the Abbey’s beautify Refectory Hall, with excellent acoustics making for superb concerts. If you’re on a Northern Cyprus holiday during April and May, attending some of the concerts is a must.

The festival plays hosts to some of the most talented classical musicians in the world, and fine performances from both soloists and international ensembles can be expected. Classical music lovers on holiday in Northern Cyprus will be impressed by the festival’s music and atmosphere, with the architecture and lighting in the hall adding to the overall effect.

Food Festivals

If culinary delights take your fancy, there are a number of food festivals for you to visit when on your holiday in Northern Cyprus. Featuring delicious local cuisine, you can satisfy your stomach at the Guzelyurt Orange Festival, the Watermelon Festival and the Karpas Grape Festival. These festivals will give you insight into the culinary world of Northern Cyprus, providing a selection of tasty treats for you to try.

You may be planning your holiday in Turkey to coincide with one of the country’s many cultural events; you may stumble upon a festival while you’re already there. However you come across one of these exciting festivities you may just find it the highlight of your holiday to Turkey. Here’s a guide to some of the festivals coming up in Turkey in 2009.

Turkish Festivals of 2009

There are festivals of every kind awaiting you on your holiday in Turkey, and the Spring is a particularly busy time. Upcoming events boast expositions from the worlds of film and music as well as more traditional cultural pursuits. Here’s a break down of just of few of the highlights coming up in the next few months.

If it’s film that you’re looking for then you may be interested in the international film festivals set to take place in both Istanbul and Ankara. Ankara’s version is due to start of the 12th of March and runs on to the 22nd, the Istanbul festival runs throughout April, meaning that attending both is a possibility on a single holiday to Turkey! Both festivals will feature a wealth of international entrants and attract similarly diverse crowds. Previous winners of Istanbul’s international ‘Golden Tulip’ include both 1984 and A Cock and Bull Story, and in the past 20 years this festival has attracted over 2 million attendees, if this gives you an idea of just how well respected an event it is. Both festivals are a great place to see the very best of Turkish cinema that you might otherwise miss.

The music festivals of Turkey are equally well respected, with an eclectic selection available to the interested traveller. Istanbul has hosted the Efes Pilsen Blues Festival, which has attracted bluesman old and new such as John Lee Hooker and Watermelon Slim. Those of you looking for an even more urbane holiday in Turkey could pursue the Istanbul International Jazz Festival which is held in venues all over the city throughout July. This really is one of the world’s premier music festivals, and has been running for roughly the same length of time as the city’s film festival. Previous attendees include Miles Davis, Björk, Eric Clapton, Pat Metheny and even trip-hop acts such as Massive Attack. If this line-up isn’t quite red-blooded enough for you then you’ll be glad to hear that Turkey is host to a wide variety of rock and metal festivals that should satisfy any craving.

Equally, if you are looking for more of a cultural connection from your Turkish festival experience then you’ll not need to look far. Istanbul is also home to festivities theatrical, artistic and choral. However, if you’d like something more idiosyncratic of Turkey then the Manisa Mesir Festival could be just the ticket. As the story goes, Ayse Hafsa Sultan, mother of Suleiman the Magnificent, was stricken with a terrible illness following the death of her husband. Pleas were sent to Merkez Muslihiddin Efendi who was known to be producing medicines from a small hospital next to the theological school. Mixing together a paste from 41 different spices and herbs he was able to save her from her affliction. These days thousands of people gather in front of the Sultan Mosque in Menisa to catch the Mesir paste as it is thrown from the Mosque’s rooftop. If you find yourself in Mesir in March during the Spring festival of Newroz then you’ll find it difficult to miss!

Here’s hoping you manage to coincide with one or all of these exciting festivals and that they form some unforgettable memories of your holiday in Turkey.