Where do we go? Travels around the world

Michael Jackson Memorial Tribute in Rome on 25th of june 2010

2010-05-19T16:10:00.003+02:00

The next 25th of june will be the first anniversary of Michael Jackson's departure and all over the world celebrations and shows will remember "the King of Pop". In Rome some days ago has been presented the hugest and spectacular event: the MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL TRIBUTE in the Olympic Stadium. The italian capital has been chosen because of the Flaminio stadium of Rome was the first to see the debut of Jacko in Europe ad a solist singer in 1988...
It will be an incredible show that will tell about the beginning of the career till the last days during the tests for the concert in London. To do it, a lot of amazing 3D and 4D effects - for the first time ever - with the scenography and coreography cured by Travis Payne (the co-producer of the docu-film "This is it") and the dancers of the cancelled concerts of London.
The partecipation of Dionne Warwick, Marlon Jackson of the "Jackson's Five", Kim Karnes and Lee John of the "Imagination" is sure but two great international stars at least and the itlian singers Laura Pausini, Tiziano Ferro and Giorgia are supposed to be part of the show.
The price of the ticket is maybe a bit expensive (between 70 and 90 euros for 65.000 places; you can buy it on Ticketone and Greenticket) but there is a very good reason: the MJM Tribute will assign all the proceeds to humanitarian associations healing needy children.

Wandering in Genoa!

2009-12-12T15:16:00.005+01:00

A long time passed from the last time... but here I am again!
The new beginning starts with a post of Anna, an italian girl that writes about Liguria's beauties in the blog Liguria Bella - Beautiful Liguria. Enjoy the reading!

Hi everybody, I'm back and...It's fun time! Last Friday night I was in Genoa, in Piazza delle Erbe in a characteristic local with some friends (every Friday and Saturday night this part of the town comes alive and people meet in the square, in the alleys and in trendy or old pubs to be together and enjoy music, cabaret, etc..) and in that moment I thought that my next post had to talk about the most important events in Genoa and in some neighboring countries.

So here I go, I begin the 3rd part of Wandering in Genoa, the Movida part in which I will introduce you a list of the events that you can find in this Region.

Festival della Scienza (Science Festival) October-November's event

In various parts of the city, filled with young people, science and technology stands are giving a great show. This year, there was also Asimo, the famous humanoid robot. Here, have a look at the video:

Asimo at Science Festival in Genoa

Salone Nautico (Boat Show) October's event

One of the major events worldwide that is happening in Genoa is with the arrival of over 2000 boats which are coming from all over the world to meet in this Genoa's exhibition. In this website link: Boat Show is where you can find the event's list.

Suq in Genoa (Multiethnic Festival) June's event

Twenty-five countries are invited in Genoa and what happen in this meeting is a continual coming and going of shows, readings, cookery lessons, dancing, children's events, etc..Genoa meets the world! The website link is: Suq-Genoa.

Ghost Tour in Genoa

The first event is, a guided walk animated by actors through the alleys and squares of the city (note: a legend says that in one of these squares - Piazza Banchi 500 years ago a witch was burned alive and it seems that a tile of this square is always warm even in the winter).Look at this related Ghost tour's video which I have founded on facebook....brrrrr!

Halloween In Triora - an October's event

Another event, which I would like to suggest you is happening in Triora. This horror event attracts many people that dress up for this particular occasion. You can read more about it from my previous post in: Why do not live a real night of halloween in Triora's country withces?

Genoa Pesto World Championship - Next edition is in April 2010

Competitors from all over the world meet every 2 years in Genoa in trying to make the best pesto using only traditional authentic ingredients and the mortar, and also everyone can partecipate in this contest. During this event the restaurants from all over the city are creating different dishes using only pesto sauce. Here it is the Pesto recipe in case you want to partecipate in it. Let me know if you do, so that I will come to cheer you up.

Slow Fish - April's event

Slow Fish is another event which is happening in Genoa, also and it's a branch of the Slow Food event (a response to the spread of Fast Food and the frenzy of modern life). These events and initiatives, which are promoting the right to live an healthy life with genuine food as a pleasure.

Festival del Mediterraneo e Goa-Boa Festival (Mediterranean Festival and Goa-Boa Festival) July's event

The first one (Mediterranean Festival) is dedicated to the mediterranean's music and to the world in general. Instead the second one: the Goa-Boa Festival is dedicated to the rock and hip hop music.

Festival Internazionale di poesia (International Festival of Poetry)
a June's event

The biggest and most prestigious event happening in Genoa is dedicated to the Italian Poetry. The Website link is: Festival Internazionale di Poesia.

Euroflora - Next edition is in April-May 2011, every 5 year

Plants and flowers come from all over the world transforming the ehibition area of Genoa in a huge garden filled with colors, scents and beautiful scenaries.

Circumnavigando Festival - a December's event

It's an International Festival of street theater and circus. Street theater companies and single artists come in Genoa from around the world to perform during daytimes in the squares and in the evening in small theaters. In this website link: Circumnavigando you can find some pictures of this particular event.

Sagra del Pesce in Camogli (Fish Festival in Camogli) and Focaccia of Recco Feast May's event

In the first feast (Fish Festival in Camogli) a platform is erected near the port of Camogli and freshly caught fish is cooked all day in a gigantic frying pan. There are people coming from every part of Italy and world.

In that month, there's also another festival (Festa della Focaccia di Recco) where you can taste the famous focaccia and particularly the one with cheese (focaccia di Recco)...very yummy!

Sanremo Festival - every year in February - March at Ariston Theater

It is the most famous festival of italian songs where celebrities from all over the world are invited in there to perform.

Genova Tango Festival a May - June's event

The Genoa Tango Festival is a long weekend of shows for all the appassionated of tango dances and for those who want to attend some of the most spectacular performances by talented dancers from the world.

Oktoberfest in Genoa - September's event

Yes, the first official Oktoberfest in Italy is situated in Genoa. Culture and bavarian food land in Italy. This is Oktoberfest in Genoa website link.

The little fun break is finished and I hope you will come to enjoy one of these events!

Next: Wandering in Genoa - 4° part.

Incredibile opening of Atlantis Hotel in Dubai

2008-11-23T11:53:00.009+01:00

Shrugging off the global financial crisis, Dubai overnight toasted a new luxury hotel with a 20 million dollar bash attended by film stars and sporting greats and marked by a spectacular fireworks display.
More than 2,000 world celebrities were invited to the event, which began Thursday night and continued into Friday.

Among those who showed up for what the local press described as the "party of the decade" were Hollywood stars Robert de Niro, Charlize Theron, Mischa Barton and Wesley Snipes. Other notables who walked the red carpet at the 1.5-billion-dollar "Atlantis, The Palm" hotel included singers Kylie Minogue, who performed before the fireworks display, and Shirley Bassey, Hollywood star Priyanka Chopra and catwalk model Yasmin Le Bon.

Located at the trunk-top of the Palm Jumeirah, one of three palm-shaped islands, Atlantis occupies the entire central part of a huge breakwater. The 1,539-room hotel is made up of two pale rose towers, which are linked by a bridge which houses a 35,000-dollar-a-night suite.

The bash cost a hefty 20 million dollars, said Sol Kerzner, the South African billionnaire, hotel and gambling tycoon, who organised the party. "We built something that’s quite extraordinary. We’ve got to tell the world about it," Kerzner told AFP about the lavish hotel. The hotel opened unofficially on September 24 and has had an occupancy rate of 80 percent, Kerzner said. "We don’t know how long it’s going to take for the economy around the world to take off again," he added. The Dubai hotel is inspired by the original Atlantis that Kerzner built in the Bahamas but is not an average 5-star hotel.

It boasts the largest waterpark in the Middle East and a gigantic aquariumin which 65,000 fish, along with an enormous whale shark, swim in 11 million litres of water.

Here some aother pictures and the original article

Luminaria in Pisa

2008-06-07T21:01:00.003+02:00

Every year on the night of the 16th of June the enchantment of the Illuminations of Saint Ranieri is renewed on the streets running along the river Arno (the so-called Lungarni). In fact, following an ancient tradition the Pisans celebrate their patron saint, St. Ranieri, of the following day. There are about seventy-thousand wax candles which at every edition are meticulously set in smooth and white glasses and fixed then onto wooden white-painted frames, modelled in such a way as to exalt the outline of the palaces, of the bridges, of the churches and of the towers reflecting on the river.

The exceptional appendix to this scenery is the leaning tower, enlightened in the same old fashion with oil lamps, set also on the crenulations of the city walls in the area encircling the Piazza dei Miracoli. After the lighting, because of the reverberation of the myriad of trembling lights on the Arno and because of the candles that are left floating on its waters, the event offers the visitor a unique feeling impossible to describe thanks to the ecstatic enchantment that since antiquity makes the Pisan nights of the 16th June magic. On the 25th of March 1688, the urn containing the body of Ranieri degli Scaccieri, patron saint of the city who died as a saint in 1161, was placed inside the chapel dedicated to the Crowned Virgin in the Cathedral of Pisa. Cosimo III De Medici asked that the old urn containing the relic was changed with a more modern and richer one.
click to zoom in

The translation of the urn was the occasion for a memorable feast, from which, following the tradition, started the three-year illuminations of Pisa, first called Illumination and that then during the nineteenth century took the name of "Luminara"(or Luminaria).

The idea of celebrating the feast by enlightening the town with oil lamps was still not conceived at that time, but it was an ancient habit gradually consolidated during particularly solemn and joyful events having nothing to share with the worship of the patron saint. There is clear evidence of this tradition: on the 14th of June 1662 (before the translation of Saint Ranieri’s body) the Illumination was made in honour of Marguerite Louise, princess of Orléans and wife of Cosimo II, who passed through Pisa on her way to Florence. There is also evidence of some previous editions such as the one organised in honour of Victoria della Rovere on occasion of the night feast for the carnival in 1539.

Started as illuminations of the windows of the houses during parades or procession, the Luminara, following the new scenographical fancy of the time, in the XVIII century it became a free enlightened architecture placed on buildings, of which progressively they redesigned the outline creating strange shapes that transformed the city and especially the banks along the river. In some cases the illuminations still underlined the real structure of the buildings. The history of the Luminara constantly followed the one of the city. It was abolished in 1867, then restored in 1937 on occasion of the resumption of the Gioco del Ponte and then suspended during the Second World War. In 1952 the Luminara of Saint Ranieri was resumed and the tradition lasted until 1966.

In November of the same year the violence of the floods of the river Arno caused the collapse of the Solferino bridge and of long stretches of the banks along the river. The Luminara was then suspended again, and finally revived in June 196

from www.comune.pisa.it

The Palio of Ferrara: the most ancient of the world!

2008-05-23T15:31:00.002+02:00

The Palio of Ferrara is the most ancient one in the world and in addition to this is peculiar for its kind of ride that is joyful and so different from other warlike palii. In these last there are always enemy that you have to fight with the lance.
This is a very important moment for the city: all the Contrade participate wearing dress of different colours to gain the “palio”, but also and over all, to make party and to remember the Renaissance, a period in which Ferrara was really a capital.

The Palio of Ferrara was institutionalized by Ferrara’s Commune in 1279. The statutes of 1287, first real group of rules promulgated by Ferrara’s Commune, decided that the Palio had to be ride two times a year: the 23rd of April as tribute to San Giorgio that is the patron of Ferrara, and the 15th of August as tribute to the Saint Virgin.
The rides of horses, donkeys, women, men for which everybody could participate under registration, had to take part in those days and under the eyes of the authorities of the city.
The prize for the winner was the “palio”, a cloth; for the second and to the third classified the prizes were a salami and a cock.
The traditional Palio of San Giorgio generally took place all along the Via Grande (today called Via Ripagrande-Via Carlo Mayr) parallel to the shore of the river Po, starting from the village of the Pioppa up to Castel Tedaldo (that today is the zone of the aqueduct). Associations of the city used to offer to the owner of the horse the cloth as symbol of triumph. Other rides used to take place at the “delizie” estensi, together with hunting, merry-go-round and tournaments.
In 1391, when the Marquis Alberto d’Este come back from Rome (where Pope Bonifacio IX gave him the “Rosa d’oro”, symbol of distinction from the Santa Sede, and the note called “In supreme dignitatis” that was the permission to open an University in Ferrara), were organized as tribute for him, three rides of horses, one of donkeys, two of men and one of women. In history remained important also the parade and the Palio of 1471, tribute to Borso d’Este that come back from Rome after having obtained the title of duke of Ferrara from Pope Paolo II.
We have to underline again the rides that took place during the period of the duke Ercole I (1471-1505) and of his wife Eleonora d’Aragona: this last made proclaim the Palio if Ercole wasn’t in Ferrara. In that period there were also rides in occasion of births, marriages, important guests and other particular events.
The memory of the ancient rides of the Palio is still alive also thanks to the paintings into the Salone dei Mesi at Palazzo Schifanoia. Here we can find represented men, women, the duke Borso, the court, ladies and noble knights on their balconies of the palaces, and a great party in the background.
In the course of the Renaissance the rides of Ferrara were very famous also because many noble families took part in these with their own horses. In 1466 king Ferdinando di Napoli would try the speed of his horses in Ferrara; in 1475 the Gonzaga’s family, marquises of Mantova, participated to the Palio with 19 horses and won the prize; the second place, in that same competition was of Isabella d’Este’s horse. In chronicles we can read that the prize for the ride of the horses in 1481 was a golden cloth together with a crest.
The traditional rides at the Palio were a great popular party, being these opened to everyone who wanted to participate. In times, other rides were add to the traditional ones (especially during the dukedom of Ercole I), but these new ones were more aristocratic, and had place in the area of Barco the nearest to the city: the “Barchetto del duca”.
Talking about the putte’s rides – that took place from Santa Maria delle Bocche (at the corner Gioco del Pallone) up to the gate of Gusmaria – we can refer just to an edit issued by the duke Ercole I. This document was an invitation for every person of every village of his city to send “putte” of 12 years old to participate. For the first classified there would have been a green cloth and to the other 15 the duke would have offered new fussiness. That 23rd of April had ride 57 girls.
The men’s ride took place from the corner of San Pietro up to the gate of Gusmaria, instead the donkeys’ ride took place from the gate of Sotto up to the gate of Gusmaria.
During the XVI century the rides were move in the widest streets of the “Addizione Erculea” (created by Biagio Rossetti) and so from Corso della Giovecca along Via degli Angeli (today Corso Ercole I d’Este) and up to Via San Benedetto.
After the assignment of the Stato Estense to the Santa Sede (1598) some parties went on, but were more similar to the happy atmosphere of the carnival. Real rides become more and more rare, there were instead many dances and masks. In the first half of the IX century there were still some horses’ rides, but soon substituted with “sedioli’s rides” until the 1860.
In 1930 Guido Angelo Facchini took again the estense’s tradition, but this was restored just in 1967.

Today the rides take place the last Sunday of May as tribute to San Giorgio, but the real meaning of that particular date is to remember the famous edition of 1471, ride in honor of Borso who became duke of Ferrara. The chronicles and the statutes have handed down to us the four palii: the green one dedicated to San Paolo for the putte’s ride, the red one of San Romano for the putti’s ride, the white one dedicated to San Maurelio for the asine’s ride and last but not least the yellow or golden one of San Giorgio for the horses’ ride.
Opponents for the achievement of the palii are the four quarter that all have territory inside of the walls: San Benedetto (white-light blue), Santa Maria in Vado (yellow-violet), San Paolo (white-black), Santo Spirito (yellow-green) and the four village: San Giacomo (yellow-blue), San Giorgio (yellow-red), San Giovanni (red-blue) and San Luca (red-green).
There are also competitions of flag-wavers and musicians that represent the eight Contrade in seven different speciality: traditional single, traditional double, little team, big team, musicians and assignation of the “combinata” (sum of the best scores gained).

The program

FRIDAY 23th and SATURDAY 24th MAY - PIAZZA ARIOSTEA - 6 p.m.
Mandatory horse-race trials

SUNDAY 25th MAY - PIAZZA ARIOSTEA - 4 p.m.

THE PALIO'S RACES

Corsa dei Putti (Boys' race) - Palio of San Romano.
Corsa delle Putte (Girl’s race) -Palio of San Paolo.
Corsa delle Asine (She-ass race) - Palio of San Romano.
Corsa dei Cavalli (Horse race) - Palio of San Giorgio.

The Canadian Tulip Festival

2008-05-09T11:09:00.005+02:00

With attendance of over 500,000 visitors annually, the Canadian Tulip Festival claims to be the world's largest tulip festiva.
This major cultural event is held annually in Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada, generally on three weekends in May, concluding with the Victoria Day long weekend.

These are the dates of this edition: May 2 to 19, 2008.

Although tulips are displayed throughout the city, the most extensive tulip beds are to found on the shores of Dow's Lake, at the south end of the Ottawa section of the Rideau Canal.

Major's Hill Park will also host a new spectacular addition to the Festival in 2008 - the Tulip Festival Mirror Tent. Coming from Belgium, the Tulip Festival Mirror Tent recreates the renowned European art nouveau days with lavish interiors of carved wood, polished mirrors, crystal, leadlight and luxuriant furnishings. The Tulip Festival Mirror Tent will host the 2008 Celebridée - Celebration of Ideas program, as well as five food and music Cabaret Nights and will be the home of the 2008 Tulip Ball Reflections! on Saturday, May 10. Open daily for lunch and snacks, the Tulip Festival Mirror Tent will be a highlight of the 2008 Canadian Tulip Festival.

Tickets for all Tulip Festival Mirror Tent events can be purchased at the on-site Box Office, open from 11am to 11pm daily or Capital Tickets.

A kaleidoscope of more than three million tulips is the focus in Canada's Capital Region each spring as the Tulip Route follows the historic Rideau Canal to the Parliament buildings and Major's Hill Park and then across the Ottawa River to the Outaouais.

All tulip events are free at the 'festival without fences'!

Commissioners Park at Dows Lake showcases 300,000 tulips in cascading tulip beds and is the primary spectacle of the Official Gardener of Canada's Capital, the National Capital Commission. The park also features the NCC's Tulip Legacy, the story of the Gift of Tulips and Music in the Tulips where school bands and choirs play throughout the Festival. Artists in the Tulips demonstrate their talents and sell their paintings in the Tulip and Art Boutique. Buskers in the Tulips entertain on the weekends.

Parliament Hill, where the Gift of Tulips were first planted in 1945, presents a stunning array of tulips in front of Canada's majestic Parliament Buildings and the Peace Tower. Across the street, Capital Infocentre will provide visitors with all they need to know to make their excursion to the Festival and the Capital truly memorable.

The Canadian Tulip Festival seeks to preserve the heritage and character of its 55-year-old history around its original founding idea, International Friendship. In 2007, the tremendously successful International Pavilion featured the Embassies and community groups of 15 participating countries, attracting a record 125,000 visitors to Major's Hill Park in just 11 days. In 2008 we will extend the Free International Pavilion to the full 18 days of the Festival with over 25 countries participating and featuring enhanced international entertainment at noon hours and selected weekend evenings.

Countries with Embassies and community groups participating include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, European Union, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Thailand and Turkey.

International Pavilion Passport

Visitors will be able to enjoy a-taste-of-the-world experience by purchasing an International Pavilion Passport that will include food sample coupons that can be used throughout the Pavilion.

Major's Hill Park features several stunning tulip beds as well as the collection of 150 five-foot tulips, each of which is a work of art painted by Ottawa and area visual artists. Music in the Tulips and Artists in the Tulips are also presented in Major's Hill Park and Buskers in the Tulips perform on weekends.

www.tulipfestival.ca

Big bang part II

2008-04-17T12:30:00.000+02:00

Hello and welcome to the english version of GIROVAGATE, my italian website all dedicated to travels and what is around them.
I'll try to follow and traslate all the ideas of my italian blog as much as I can... happy travel!