Author Archives: pushpitha

London Literature Festival – Literature brought to the limelight

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The event is scheduled to be held between May and July at the South Bank Centre and gathers many celebrated authors, poets and critics and speakers who are well versed in this wonderful art of creative expression and fans can look forward to an excellent combination of events from book readings to speeches to exhibitions that spans throughout a week. The series of five lectures by the celebrated author Claire Tomalin is going to provide much interest to the lovers of old classics as the lectures are going to be based on the works of Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen. Fans of the bestselling authors Barbara Kingsolver, Lioner Shriver, James Salter would need to do much to contain their excitement as their idols are going to be present in person, discussing their work. Yet another highlight of the event will definitely be the prize book reading of the nominees for the Man Booker of the year which includes a reading from the Israeli writer and Holocaust survivor, Apharon Applefeld’s work. The festival will include ten such readings from works of the ‘world’s 10 best writers’ which are all contending for this prize. Giving a slightly different and glamorous touch to the event is the guided tour around London’s famous jewellery garden- Hatton garden by author Rachel Lichtenstein. In addition to the renowned authors, the celebrities joining the discussion on their love of literature will be designer Tom Dixon, actor Rupert Everett and fine artists Cornelia parker and Gavin Turk. A more sentimental touch to the event will be added by the singing of some Pablo Neruda’s love poems by one of the visiting musicians.

It takes quite a lot of effort and excellence to be an Award Winning Hotel in a city where the hospitality trade is extremely competitive. This is achieved by the COMO Hotels and Resorts whose presence in London is a definite relief for travellers who are unwilling to settle for mediocre standards in their residential options. This Luxury Hotel Group already has an untarnished image and reputation which it continues not only to maintain but to upgrade with each passing year leading to the immense satisfaction of its patrons and clients throughout the years.

Tap your toes at the Timbre Rock & Roots Festival

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Music makes everyone lose control. Be it babies or bold tattooed muscle men, it can get anyone’s feet tapping, hips swaying and mouth unconsciously singing along known and unknown melodies, making up words as you go along. Almost everybody has their favourite song; a tune that gives them goose bumps, lets you relive memories, wipes away the ones you want to forget making you feel very much at ease. The Timbre Rock & Roots festival celebrates all of these and more.

A 2 day event held in Singapore, it features some of the biggest names in the music industry. Even Grammy Award nominees have performed at this festival and famous artists include The Fray, Imogen Heap, Wind & Fire, Bob Dylan, Buena Vista Social Club and even John Legend.

Held at Fort Canning Green, this year’s festival saw an energy ridden crowd of 11,500 celebrate music with led Zeppelin, Paul Simon, Bonnie Raitt and Robert Pant. Unlike other music festivals where food and drinks are priced heavily, Timbre Rock & Roots lets you bring your own food and other items. Picnic baskets, foldable chairs and blankets are a common sight here.

The 2013 event held on the 22nd and 23rd of March held true to the festival’s aim of capturing the diverse flavours of music. It also included some never before heard artists who are more popular in their own region; this enabled Singaporeans to be introduced to expand their playlists with more fresh musicians. 64-year old Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff had everyone grooving to reggae tracks, like never before.

They say that your taste in music reflects who you are, and f you are someone with a penchant for classy then Studio M Hotel Singapore is perfect for you. ThisSingapore hotel is located in Robertson quay close to Orchard road, Changi international airport, Central Business District and many other popular as well as convenient locations. Singapore hotel accommodation can be tricky to find, especially if you are looking for something that isn’t way too expensive but also offers luxuries. Studio M is then the perfect choice for you.

Royal Ploughing Ceremony – A grand affair

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Marking the traditional beginning of the rice growing season, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony also known as Lehtun Mingala or the Mingala Ledaw is a grand affair indeed. Accommodation Bangkok would not be much of a hassle during this season as Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor Bangkok conveniently located amidst all the acitivity harbours some of the most sought after Sukhumvit apartments located within the city. The festival is celebrated in both Cambia and Thailand and traditionally takes place at the beginning of the Buddhist lent in the Burmese month of Waso which usually falls on the 11th of May. On the day of t6he ceremony, two sacred oxen are tied to a wooden plough after which they are made to plough on a ceremonial ground. After the ploughing, rice seeds are being sown on the ploughed land by court Brahmins and the oxen that ploughed are offered grand feasts of various cereals, grass and rice whiskey.

 

SongKran Festival – sawatdi pi mai!

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Say sawatdi pi mai! at the Songkran Festival at Thailand this year! The Songkran Festival, also known as the Thai traditional New Year is celebrated between the 13 to 16 April every year. Beach Hotels Hua Hin Thailand are quite abuzz during these days, actively participating in all the festivities. Anantara Hua Hin Thailand Resort is one of the Hua Hin hotels that are known to delve into the very depth of the festival and celebrate the Songkran in style. The most remarkable feature of this festival is perhaps the good natured water throwing that takes place in the streets during this period so be prepared to be drenched to the bone if planning to take part in the New Year. Buddha statues are paraded through the cities on decorative floats and these statues are bathed in water as they roam the streets amidst the veneration of the passersby. Also enjoy feasts prepared specially for the occasion and tantalize your taste buds with no reservation at this festival of renewal, joy and goodwill.

2013 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair – A World designed for the Reader

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The United Arab Emirates is a hub for endless opportunity; be it in entertainment, career, or showcasing a new skill, you can do it all in this vibrant and cosmopolitan city in the Middle East. Every year this city hosts a very popular book fair; The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. A major business initiative of the KITAB; (an organization who thrives on enlightening the world of reading), this fair lives up to its standards and the visions of its organization in every way. It is a platform for writers, editors and publishers and for the visitor it is an affair with a book kingdom.

For all of you who love reading, the Abu Dhabi international book fair is nothing short of paradise. Over 500,000 titles are on display giving you a variety you have never seen before. You would see authors you have never heard of and experience writing styles like never before. The KITAB works in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Authority for culture and heritage and the Frankfurt Book Fair. Reading is not as prioritized as it should be in this city and the other Arab Emirates are no better. The KITAB recognizes this and strives to create awareness and change in the society. The Fair attracts the most creative talent and showcases works of such caliber. This year it is scheduled to be conducted between the 24th and 29th of April and is gearing up to be bigger and better than ever. It is a firework with words in the book fair and just like everything else in this nation it is designed to awe and astound you.

Abu Dhabi is a city that is captivating in all levels imaginable. You can learn so much, do so much and experience so much. Even a month in this city sometimes does not feel like enough, for the wealth of attractions you find here are almost endless. Take your time and leisurely stay at the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara. Being the finest of luxury hotels Abu Dhabi has you can be sure to be treated like royalty here. This fact and more makes this the most popular of Abu Dhabi hotels.

Take part in the Beijing Daxing Watermelon Festival

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Ascott Beijing is one of the leading Beijing Accommodation providers. These Luxury Apartment in Beijing are modern, affordable and comfortable and would suite both travel and business visitors. The history of watermelon in China dates back to 1000AD. The Watermelon Festival held in Daxing is one of the most fascinating events that you would come across in the city.

You would be able to witness this fascinating event if you are in Beijing during the month of May. Each year on the 28th of May the festival takes place. The guests get to witness the watermelon crops ripening and also experience many cultural events. There are many competitions, performance shows and trade fairs organized to entertain and educate visitors. Take a tour in this festival and taste some of the most juiciest and mouthwatering Beijing watermelons.

Printemps des Musees (Museums day) in Paris

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Le Royal Monceau Paris is one of the most elegant 5 Star Hotel Paris. The modern facilities combined with the touch of the Parisian culture makes this hotel stand out from the other Luxury Hotel Paris. Paris is a hub for many interesting things.

The wide number of museums scattered around the city provides an educational value as well as entertainment. Most of these museums cost a fortune, but there is a special day in Paris where visitors get the opportunity to enter these amazing museums for free. Known as the Printemps des Musees (Museum Day), this is held on a Sunday in spring. This event was initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Communication French in 1999. Take advantage of this amazing offer and visit all the informative and creative museums in Paris.

Trip to Shanghai International Flower Festival

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Somerset Xu Hui Shanghai is one amazing place if you are in search of Shanghai Executive Apartments. This Shanghai Serviced Residence is modern and provides all the necessary amenities for a very comfortable vacation. Enjoy a lively Chinese experience in this relaxing and cozy environment.

There are many events that you will be able to witness while in this bustling city. The Shanghai International Flower Festival is one such interesting and colorful event. This is normally held every two years at the Changfeng Park. Lose yourself amidst the beautiful and colorful flowers that would be spread in a large area. The sweet fragrance of the flowers could be smelt ahead and would transport you to the world of flowers. You will be able to see flowers from around the worlds and some very rare species too are included in the broad collection. Enjoy a truly perfect time with nature.

Visakha Bucha

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Travellers to Thailand should always make it a point to explore its rich religious heritage. Being based at Bangkok serviced apartments ensures maximum convenience in doing so and Sathorn apartments at Ascott Sathorn Bangkok make for an ideal option. A holiday celebrating Gautama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing, Visakha Bucha, more commonly known as Vesak is celebrated in most of the Asian countries including Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and India. The date of Visakha Bucha varies from year to year. Usually it falls on either May or April and sometimes even June. Celebrated on a full moon day, it is the most important day for Buddhists.

Vesak Festival, a Buddhist highlight

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The Vesak Festival is an important occasion for Sri Lankan Buddhists, who join other Buddhists around the world in celebrating this event which falls on the day of the full moon in the month of May. For the Buddhist faithful this religious event has become a cultural occasion as well, with many interesting customs and traditions being associated with it.

Vesak Day has a threefold significance for Buddhists. According to Buddhist scriptures the birth of the Buddha occurred on such a full moon night in May, when Queen Mahamaya gave birth to the future Buddha. The second momentous event which took place on this day is the Enlightenment of the Buddha who thereby became omniscient and the Supreme Being, all-knowing and free of all defilements. Finally the death of the Buddha (Parinibbana) took place on this day.

Many unique activities are associated with Vesak in Sri Lanka. Bodhi Poojas venerating the sacred Bo tree and taking strict vows of ‘Sil’ on this day are strong traditions amongst the faithful. Devotional songs are sung and publicly aired and many homes prepare their own Vesak lanterns, specially made for the occasion. A much looked forward to aspect of the celebration is the colourful pandols which are constructed for the occasion; these are huge creations featuring vivid illustrations and hundreds of light bulbs, depicting a ‘Jataka’, a story of a former incarnation of the Buddha, which typically have an inherent moral.

As one might expect on this holy day the local temples are inundated with devotees, who take ‘Atasil’ vows, listen to sermons delivered by monks, give alms, offer flowers, light lamps and incense and cultivate wholesome thoughts.

Many people get together to set up a ‘Dansala’, a stall offering free food or drink to anyone who passes by. During the sacred week, the selling of alcoholic drinks is prohibited and the sale of fresh meat is halted. Slaughterhouses are closed and many devotees refrain from eating any kind of meat.

Visitors to Sri Lanka desiring a hotel in Sigiriya will find an excellent choice in Hotel Sigiriya, one of the fine hotels Sigiriya offers. This outstanding accommodation provides comfortable rooms and courteous service.