Holidays to Burma: Important National Events

There is always plenty to do on holidays to Burma, from exploring ancient monuments to sampling the delicious wares of city teashops. But certain days of the year also bring their own experiences and delights. It is always worth finding out about Burma's national events, in part because public holidays mean that banks and many businesses will close and some forward planning might be necessary, but also because learning about important celebrations can help the visitor to better appreciate the country's social and cultural life - and depending on the nature of the event, to join in and have fun. For an overview of the most significant festivals and other events, read on.

Religious Festivals

The most important of all holidays to Burma's people is Burmese New Year's Day, which falls, in the Buddhist calendar, on the 17th of April. It is preceded by the water festival of Maha Thingyan, from the 12th to the 16th of April, during which the king of Nats (a group of spirits honoured alongside the Buddha in Burmese religion), Thagyamin, is believed to descend to Earth, bringing blessings for the year to come. The water-pouring ceremonies of old have been replaced in much of the country by lively but good-natured water fights, providing fun for anyone who wishes to participate, whether they be locals or visitors enjoying holidays to Burma. Other key religious events include the pagoda festivals held in March (known as Tabaung), in which the harvest is celebrated and decorative sand temples are built, and Kason, a festival commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha. Buddhist Lent runs from July 3rd to October 29th, a time for tilling and planting and religious observances. Deepvali, on October 30th, the start of Ramadan, and Christmas Day, on December 25th, are also public holidays.

Political Events

There are also a number of days marked in the Burmese calendar in honour of important historical events, starting on the 4th of January which is Independence Day, commemorating Burma's Declaration of Independence from the British Empire in 1948. It is observed with fairs and sporting activities. Other national events that visitors may encounter during their holidays to Burma include Union Day on February 12th, the anniversary of the Panglong Agreement between the government and leaders of minority groups, May Day on the 1st of May, held in honour of Burma's workers, Martyr's Day on July 19th, held on the anniversary of the assassination of revolutionary leader Aung San in 1947, and National Day, which commemorates the students' strikes of 1920 against the colonial education system. Beyond these nation-wide events, there are days held culturally or politically significant to the country's many ethnic minorities, including Mon National Day in February and Karen New Year on January 5th.

Information on Two of Scarborough's Museums

What might not be well known about Scarborough, however, is its penchant for the arts. Boasting an array of cultural institutions, it boasts a fun and educational day out the whole family can enjoy and is one of the biggest draws for visitors across the country.

Below are more details on just two of the fantastic venues to explore whilst enjoying a memorable break to the region.

The Rotunda Museum - Renowned for its stunning coastal views, vibrant night life and traditional values, Scarborough is a popular destination for thousands of British holidaymakers, who flock to the coastal resort throughout the year.

    boasting modern interactive displays that explores Scarborough's geological past, this fascinating institution has been billed by many as a 'remarkable space' and examines the role William Smith - renowned as the father of English geology - played in the pretty coastal resort. Wheelchair accessible with a shop full of a wide range of geology books and crafts for all, it represents a major attraction in the region.

    The Scarborough Art Gallery - Boasting a long and fascinating history, the Scarborough Art Gallery is the finest Italianate villa building is situated in the town's beautiful Crescent gardens, which were designed in 1823 as part of the massive building programme in Victorian Scarborough. Packed full to the brim with beautiful and poignant exhibitions, a permanent collection has been built up at the institution over the past sixty years, reflecting the eclectic cultural mix of the community and cultural heritage of the coastal resort. Featuring galleries on the ground floor and an attic tour that provides a great resource for art lovers and students alike, the Scarborough Art Gallery is a great place to broaden the mind.

If you want to find out more about the aforementioned institutions, come and enjoy a break in the resort whilst exploring some of the other delights available to the whole family.

With plenty of restaurants and bars to enjoy, you could build the perfect day out in the resort by combining a visit to the museums in the day with an amazing meal in one of the sensational eateries dotted around the town. There are also plenty of things to do with the children during the day, with plenty of family attractions around the area.

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your summer vacation to the region today and look forward to your surprisingly cosmopolitan break in Yorkshire.

Excuse Me Would You Mind Moving

"Excuse me would you mind moving?" is not too uncommon a question to be asked if you are a solo traveller.

As a frequent traveller I've been posed with this question when it is clear that I am sat alone. Often it is due to people wanting to sit with family or friends.

Ideally when families or travellers are booked together when tickets are bought I think the airlines should seat them together. From experience this often does not happen and it can be a race to the check-in desk to get seats together.

Some airlines (typically of the discount airline nature) charge you a premium to reserve a specific seat or to sit together.

I know the stress it can cause when travelling with my partner/colleague and you want to be sat together.

On a recent flight the guy sat across the aisle from me was asked "Would you mind moving?" In assessment it was a fair request of the person asking to want to sit beside his wife. Added to the fact that the people asking were Muslim made it even more important. As someone who spent close to a year and a half in Saudi Arabia I know how important it is for a Muslim woman not to be sat beside a male stranger.

The thing that gets me is why did the guy have to move rather than the lady?

The guy asked to move was in a seat at the front of the cabin, effectively a bulk head seat. There was plenty of leg room and it is a desire-able seat to have.

For me the question should have been asked at the accompanying seat to where the husband was sat. That would mean the wife would move back in the cabin and the person who would move to accommodate her would benefit from hypothetically a better seat.

On this occasion the guy who was asked to move delayed his decision saying that he would wait until boarding was complete and then assess the availability of any free seats.

As someone who can take numerous flights each month I am not unfamiliar with the "Excuse me would you mind moving?" question. At times I do sometimes decline the invitation. Not to be spiteful but I get sick of it sometimes.

I am someone who has a preference over the type of seat I want to sit in; if on the rare occasion I get a seat that I like (not too often) then I don't want to give it up.

The one thing worse than being asked to move is being forced to move. As a frequent traveller who's flown most months over the last 12 years I have boarded planes to find someone already in my seat. When I point out that they are in my seat they say they know but they are travelling together and want to be together.

I've found people saying it in a non-compromising way too. Travelling can be stressful enough without these unaccommodating individuals.

This scenario is made even more frustrating by people who could be described as "pushing in" during queues.

Recently whilst walking to passport control a couple were split up as she was delayed for something with her luggage. I ended up between him and her in the queue.

Granby CT: Best Communities For Your Home In Connecticut

Granby, Connecticut is a charming rural residential community about 14 miles north of Hartford on the north central border with Massachusetts. Granby is home to many urban professionals working in Hartford's insurance and financial industry.

Connecticut Magazine ranked Granby the #3 overall Connecticut small towns (population 10,000-1500) to live in and #1 small town in Hartford County. The combination of Granby's rural character together with its close proximity to major metropolitan centers makes Granby one of Connecticut's best cities for your home and family.

The community we know today as Granby was a wilderness when it was first settled by a handful of hardy Puritans in 1680 that came over the Talcott Ridge from Windsor and called the area "Salmon Brook".

Because they were on what was at the time the frontier of English civilization, these "outlanders" as they were called settled together for mutual support and defense between the branches of the Salmon Brook - several miles from the main Simsbury settlement and separated by "a large extent of barren pine plain." The soil was rocky and the beautiful stone boundary fences that give the town such charm today was hard work clearing the fields of glacial rocks to be able to till the land.

One of the community's early defining incidents in 1707 was the capture of Daniel Hayes, aged twenty-two by three Native Americans when he went out to check his horse in the meadow. The capture was witnessed by other settlers and a rescue party went after them in hot pursuit but couldn't overtake the captors.

He was taken all the way to Canada over a month long journey tied up each night, then forced to run the gauntlet. Near the end of the gauntlet, he ran into a wigwam to avoid the blow of a club.

The woman of the wigwam had recently lost her husband and son in war, she confronted the attackers declaring her shelter sacred, and adopted Hayes as her son. For several years he took care of the woman and was eventually sold to a Frenchman.

The Frenchman made him a deal and Hayes earned enough to buy his freedom after two years. He then returned to the area from which he had been taken seven years earlier, settled down on a farm in what is now Granby and became prominent in the community's early affairs.

By 1709 eleven families had settled in what today is Granby, but during certain periods was deserted when Indians where a threat and kept the growth of the community slow. As the aging population of the first generation of settlers grew older they resented the requirements of the long travel to church in Simsbury each week and finally received the right to form their own church society in 1736.

They remained an independent spirited community, and during the Revolutionary War resisted sending their townsmen to fight in the Continental Army, insisting on serving in their own militia companies. In 1786, Salmon Brook and Turkey Hills separated from Simsbury and became the town of Granby.

Today, The Salmon Brook Historical Society maintains the 1732 Abijah Rowe house, the 1790 Weed-Enders house, the 1870 Cooley School and the 1914 Colton-Hayes Tobacco Barn & Museum, with many exhibits of 18th and 19th century life.

Housing in Granby is mainly older colonials and single-family homes of traditional designs, although there are also condominiums and new constructions. Along with several small businesses, there are also a few family-owned farms and orchards that still operate along winding back roads.

Granby's educational system, which provides public schooling for about 2,200 students and a full range of academic programs, also offers evening classes for adults.

The McLean Game Refuge is 3,400 acres and is shaped by glaciers, providing outdoor activities like nature study, hiking, cross-country skiing and picnicking. Enders State Forest has a group of hiking trails to six waterfalls. A 72-mile stream consisting of two branches of the Salmon Brook and a major tributary of the Farmington River flow through the town.

Recreation amenities include tennis courts, a playground, ball fields, a swimming pond, a summer day camp and a youth center. An exhilarating Memorial Day road race attracts runners and spectators from Granby and neighboring towns.

Located within about a 25 minute drive from both Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts, Granby is served by State Routes 10, 20, 189, 202, and 219. Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks is six miles to the east on Route 20.

The combination of Granby's rural charm and colonial homes, together with it close proximity to major metropolitan centers makes Granby one of Connecticut's best cities for your home and family.

How To Choose Condos For Rent For Vacations

After long days of hard work and stressful activities give yourself a break! You deserve a vacation. Experience Philippine travel, one of the top tourist destinations in the world. The whole country is a tourist spot due to its geographical location. It is blessed with all the gift of nature such as long white sand beaches and crystal clear water, marine resources, waterfalls, hot springs, rivers and unique species of animals and above all, the warm hospitality of its people.

The Philippines consist of three main islands, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Each of them has its own unique beauty of nature and amazing places to see.

Luzon

Metro Manila being the center of commerce and industry of the Philippines is on the top position having numerous tourist destinations such as Rizal Shrine, Fort Santiago, Plaza San Luis, Mabini Shrine, Malacañang Palace, Manila Bay, Manila Zoo, Manila Oceanaruim, Nayong Pilipino and Intramuros aside from these historic places, the night life is alive all over the place. On daytime you can see different skyscrapers in Makati District and super malls located in different cities around Metro Manila. Going Luzon, there is Tagaytay and the famous Taal Lake and Taal volcano, Pagsanjan Falls, Puerto Gallera, Mayon Volcano, Heritage of Vigan, Hidden Valley Spring, Hundred Islands, Baguio City, Pagudpod Beach, Balwarte and Palawan underground river.

Visayas

Visayas has many best places to visit as well, in fact some top tourist destinations in the world can be found here. Among of the top places that you must see are Boracay, Bohol, Guimaras, Bantayan and Siquejor Islands. These places are famous for its white sand beaches, crystal clear waters and marine resources. Cebu being the center of commerce in the south has a lot to offer as well. It has many historical places like Lapu-lapu Monument, Magellan cross, Mactan and many more. Negros island is another place that must see when came to visit the Philippines. Its mountains and shores turn out to be the most exciting and relaxing place to visit like Mambukal in Negros Occidental.

Mindanao

Mindanao is the second largest island of the Philippines. Places like Davao, Zamboanga, Misamis, Surigao Del Sur, Surigao Del Norte, Lanao and Cotabato belong with this island. The most common destination is Siargao, famous for its unique waves that is given surfing enthusiast a wonderful experience. In Dapitan City, you can visit the museum of Dr. Jose Rizal and the famous Dakak Beach Resort.

Top activities in Philippines

Activities that you will surely love when visiting the country are diving, snorkeling, island hopping, caving, trekking, mountain climbing, swimming and many more. Philippines is the country of festivities, every towns and cities, big or small have their own way of celebration. Some of these festivals are Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City, Ati-atihan Festival in Kalibo Aklan, Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City, Sinulog Festival in Cebu City, Masskara Festival in Bacolod City and Kadayawan Festival in Davao City.

Visit the Philippines and discover its wonders.

Philippine Travel - The Best Vacation Option This Summer

After long days of hard work and stressful activities give yourself a break! You deserve a vacation. Experience Philippine travel, one of the top tourist destinations in the world. The whole country is a tourist spot due to its geographical location. It is blessed with all the gift of nature such as long white sand beaches and crystal clear water, marine resources, waterfalls, hot springs, rivers and unique species of animals and above all, the warm hospitality of its people.

The Philippines consist of three main islands, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Each of them has its own unique beauty of nature and amazing places to see.

Luzon

Metro Manila being the center of commerce and industry of the Philippines is on the top position having numerous tourist destinations such as Rizal Shrine, Fort Santiago, Plaza San Luis, Mabini Shrine, Malacañang Palace, Manila Bay, Manila Zoo, Manila Oceanaruim, Nayong Pilipino and Intramuros aside from these historic places, the night life is alive all over the place. On daytime you can see different skyscrapers in Makati District and super malls located in different cities around Metro Manila. Going Luzon, there is Tagaytay and the famous Taal Lake and Taal volcano, Pagsanjan Falls, Puerto Gallera, Mayon Volcano, Heritage of Vigan, Hidden Valley Spring, Hundred Islands, Baguio City, Pagudpod Beach, Balwarte and Palawan underground river.

Visayas

Visayas has many best places to visit as well, in fact some top tourist destinations in the world can be found here. Among of the top places that you must see are Boracay, Bohol, Guimaras, Bantayan and Siquejor Islands. These places are famous for its white sand beaches, crystal clear waters and marine resources. Cebu being the center of commerce in the south has a lot to offer as well. It has many historical places like Lapu-lapu Monument, Magellan cross, Mactan and many more. Negros island is another place that must see when came to visit the Philippines. Its mountains and shores turn out to be the most exciting and relaxing place to visit like Mambukal in Negros Occidental.

Mindanao

Mindanao is the second largest island of the Philippines. Places like Davao, Zamboanga, Misamis, Surigao Del Sur, Surigao Del Norte, Lanao and Cotabato belong with this island. The most common destination is Siargao, famous for its unique waves that is given surfing enthusiast a wonderful experience. In Dapitan City, you can visit the museum of Dr. Jose Rizal and the famous Dakak Beach Resort.

Top activities in Philippines

Activities that you will surely love when visiting the country are diving, snorkeling, island hopping, caving, trekking, mountain climbing, swimming and many more. Philippines is the country of festivities, every towns and cities, big or small have their own way of celebration. Some of these festivals are Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City, Ati-atihan Festival in Kalibo Aklan, Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City, Sinulog Festival in Cebu City, Masskara Festival in Bacolod City and Kadayawan Festival in Davao City.

Visit the Philippines and discover its wonders.

Exploring Camden

Camden is a fabulous place waiting to be explored whilst staying in cheap hotels in London. Part of central London, Camden is easily accessible from many areas all over the width and breadth of London on the tube or by bus or taxi. Known for its fantastic market area and eclectic range of shops, Camden is the perfect place for any shopaholic or tourist looking for an 'unconventional' London. Home of Amy Winehouse and many other rock stars alike, this fantastic hub of delight is waiting to be explored. This area of London is fantastic as it covers a whole range of budgets from pocket change to hundreds of pounds.

Shopping Delights

Camden's foremost speciality is its shopping. With many cheap hotels in London close by, families and couples alike can easily find time to spend a day or afternoon here shopping. As you enter the main high street from the underground, the tourist will be amazed at the variety of shops. From the traditional high street stores such as 'All Saints' 'Boots' and HSBC banks, head north and you will find everything from tattoo parlours independent boutiques. Further down the road comes what Camden is most famous for, its market. Unlike traditional markets, the market running on the left of the river is undercover and is filled with beautiful and unique stalls selling everything from incense, phone charms, handmade jewellery, crafts, ornaments, printed clothing and more. There is a vast variety of items for every budget and Camden is fantastic for finding really unique items that are not mass produced. Whilst you are visiting London, Camden is a fantastic place waiting to be explored.

Street Food and Eating in Camden

One of the things Camden and its shopping area is most famous for is its fantastic variety of street food. Right in the hub of the market lies a fantastic variety of food stalls just waiting to be explored. In the mix there is a vast variety from Chinese, Thai, Italian, Mexican, Japanese and more. As you walk past the various street sellers there are many samples for you to try attempting to lure you in and buy the delicious food. The smell is mouth-watering and the fantastic deals will definitely tempt you to take a break and have a bite. Purchase your box of heaven and view the stalls as you eat. If you are looking for more of a sit down meal though, there are many independent cafes and restaurants dotted around the streets of Camden as well as the famous Starbucks coffee house that can all be enjoyed whilst staying in cheap hotels in London.