Events and Festivals - Best Places of Interest

June 3, 2016Events and Festivals, International

Vivid Sydney

The Sydney Vivid festival is a fantastic way to spend a Winters evening (Ideally if it’s not raining). See Sydney’s landmarks transformed into moving images and amazing colours during the festival.

From around 6pm – 11pm each night in Late May / Early June spend a few hours strolling around Circular Quay, the botanical gardens, and Martin Place, with other displays in the Rocks and places in the CBD. The displays are amazing and very entertaining. Not forgetting it’s all absolutely Free, which is a bonus these days.

I would suggest trying to avoid the weekend evenings if possible as it’s very busy, but that’s the downside of a great event.

Vivid Sydney is an annual festival of light, music and ideas. It has become the premier winter event in the city. It is gaining a reputation for being among the world’s leading creative celebrations. This year the festival is on from 27 May – 18 June 2016.

To experience VIVID in different ways, there are events that take place every day throughout the city. The simplest way is to arrive in the city at nightfall and wander around until the installations light up your eyes. Maps are available to guide visitors through everything.

Another great way to experience it all is to book a specially created tour for the event. You can take a cruise around the Sydney Harbour and see the lights from the water, or go behind-the-scenes at the Sydney Opera House while the outside is lit up!

Vivid Sydney cruises — Vivid Festival banner
Image credit- www.captaincook.com.au

Vivid Lights Sydney Harbour Cruise– This cruise around Sydney Harbour is a 1-hour evening boat excursion. The spectacular light displays of Vivid Sydney festival is an unforgettable experience as you admire the artworks that light up iconic structures including Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay among others. Your cruise ends at Darling Harbour where you can explore more.

Darling Harbour– There are many attractions for tourists here. You can meet animals and sea life, climb aboard submarines and destroyers, see science in action, touch a giant 3D movie or a waxwork movie star, ride a carousel, catch a flying fox in the Darling Harbour Playground, roll the casino dice, pull up a deck chair on the Village Green, or escape to a blissfully tranquil garden.

9D Action Cinemas– 9D Action Cinemas brings you the latest technology in a dynamic, multi-dimensional, small theatre movie entertainment, suitable for both children and adults.

Your senses will be overwhelmed with the stimulating and exciting 3D movies with surround sound, coupled with ‘active motion’ luxury seats and dramatic effects such as rain, fog, lightning, wind, snow, touch, feel and more. You will enjoy this genuine ‘action cinema’ experience like you have never had in traditional movies. For more details, follow this link.

ADVENTURE CRUISING WITH FANTASEA

If you want to see Sydney from the water, Fantasea is the way to do it. Do follow this link for more details.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

The Maritime Museum promises a great day out for the family with enthralling exhibitions and a must-see collection of vessels. For further details, please follow this link.

CHINESE GARDEN OF FRIENDSHIP

Feel the sun on your face in your own secret garden in Darling Harbour’s Chinese Garden of Friendship. The Chinese Garden is a place to escape. It recreates the philosophy of a traditional Chinese garden with waterfalls, lakes, exotic plants and hidden pathways. Chinese Garden Highlights tour.

Cockle Bay Wharf

It is located on the CBD side of Darling Harbour. Enjoy Sydney’s most stunning waterside location by taking advantage of the various dining options. A variety of restaurants and cafes with menus that will make your mouth water, fresh seafood, authentic Italian dishes, and hawker-style Malaysian cuisine, to modern Australian – each venue offers a truly unique experience.

Celebrate @RBGSydney‘s 200th Birthday as it illuminates from 6-11pm until 18 Jun. #VividSydney

📷speakerphone (IG) pic.twitter.com/0HpBvuX734
— Vivid Sydney (@VividSydney) June 2, 2016

Plan ahead for your #VividSydney adventure. Check changes to traffic and transport: https://t.co/vcsVVjaG8T pic.twitter.com/smrnIGMo4D
— Vivid Sydney (@VividSydney) June 3, 2016

References: Darling Harbour

Vivid Sydney

May 6, 2016Events and Festivals, India

COLOUR ME “SAFFRON”

Once in 12 years, Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh , India explodes in the colour SAFFRON as it is home to the “SIMHASTHA KUMBH”.

The Gulmohar Trees ( Hindi), Flamboyant ( English) , and Delonix regia ( Scientific name) join the celebration of Faith in the Month of May and explode in the colour of the season, Saffron.

The Kshipra River In Ujjain is seen through the Flamboyant Saffron flowers of the Gulmohar Tree.

The Trident or “Trishul”is the Symbol of the Ruling Deityof Ujjain, “Mahakaal” or Lord Shiva.

The Trishul rises over the flamboyantly flowering Gulmohar Trees and the Saffron Bridge across the Kshipra River during the Maha Kumbh Festival.

Saffron bridge across the Shipra river — Saffron bridge across the Shipra River

The Ghats of the River Kshipra turn Saffron too as the River is worshipped in celebration of the Life-giving Powers of Water.

Millions will bathe in the River during the Month long festival ” Simhastha Mahakumbh” held once in 12 years during a time determined by the Planets and Stars. The Sun enters Aries and Jupiter the constellation of Leo symbolizing the timing of this explosion of Faith and the colour saffron.

The “Dumroo” or Drum, held by the Saffron Sadhu,is another symbol of Lord Shiva.

The reverberating and enchanting sound of the “Dumroo” symbolizes the healing Power of Sound.

Be Enchanted by the saffron colours in Ujjain as I take you through the Heart of India during a Festival of Faith.

A recent update of this site

Six die as storm hits Kumbh Mela. Lightning and thunderstorms hit the site of the ongoing Simhastha-Kumbh Mela in Ujjain. Four devotees and one sadhu died when a pandal collapsed due to strong winds. A woman pilgrim died after being struck by a bolt of lightning. Squall, coupled with rain, suddenly hit the area, uprooting several camps of sadhus.

Source: Mukul from Enchanted Forests and news sources.

April 6, 2016Events and Festivals, India, International

Tulip festivals around the world

Tulips are considered the harbinger of Spring. A tulip festival allows locals to see them as well as tourists enjoy the attraction. Following are some of the Tulip festivals from around the world. Which one is your favourite?

ASIA

Srinagar, India– Tulip festival in India is celebrated usually in the month of April at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden. {Refer my previous post…Beautiful landscape of Srinagar}

EUROPE

Tulip Festival – the Flower of Lake Geneva– 26 Mar- 8 May

The delightful flower of Lake Geneva is yours for the picking! Every year, Morges greets the return of spring with more than 120,000 tulips decorating the flower banks in Parc de l’Indépendance. In the subsequent months, the gardens of Château de Vullierens present a fabulous collection of irises and lilies. In addition, there is unique exhibition and sale of dahlias on the town’s lakeside streets. For more details, follow this link.

3. Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands March 20th – May 17th– -Keukenhof, the best day out among the flowers! Over 7 million bulbs in bloom with around 800 varieties of tulips. You can enjoy spectacular flower shows, surprising inspirational gardens, unique artwork and wonderful events. For more details, follow this link.

4. Spalding England Flower Festival May– Spalding is a warm Georgian town in Lincolnshire Fens. The town stands on the banks of the River Welland. During spring, hyacinths, daffodils and tulips carpet the area with a glorious blaze of color. For more details, please visit this link

USA & CANADA

Skagit Valley Tulip festival – April 1- 30 April – The Skagit Valley Tulip festival is designed as a driving tour. The fields are located in the valley between La Conner and Mount Vernon with events and activities all around Skagit Valley. For more details, follow this link

Canadian Tulip Festival – May 8th -May 18th – When you visit the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa, remember this… All of those beautiful blooms belong to you. They are a gift to all Canadians from the Netherlands for Canada’s role in helping the Dutch during the second world war. Join us this May!

For more details, check out this link

AUSTRALIA

Tesselaar Tulip Festival Australia September 8th -October 4th – Tesselaar Tulip Festival held in Silvan, Victoria (near Melbourne, Victoria). For more details, please follow this link