Posted by Jilly Bowen on Thu 16th July 2009 at 11:40 AM, Filed in Europe, July
A wonderful week celebrating the history of Whitstable, its heritage – and of course Oysters!
This year’s festival starts on Saturday 18th through to 25th July; and to whet your appetite I’ll start with its history.
As far back as Norman times fishers and dredgers held and annual ceremony to give thanks for their survival and the harvest. It was always held during the closed season for oysters so their business was not interrupted. It was considered a ‘Holy Day’, when the townsfolk attended a formal church ceremony and then the rest of the day passed with feasting, dancing, playing games and contests. The festival was reintroduced in the 1980’s (the industry was almost wiped out in the 1920’s due to disease and over fishing).
Here are a few more facts:
- Whitstable harbour was the world’s first railway connected port.
- The oyster is both male and female, but never both at the same time.
- Spawn is emitted from an oyster in immense quantities, like a puff of smoke, estimated to contain from 800,000 to some millions of organisms.
- The oyster’s worst enemy is the five-fingers (starfish), which can force an oyster shell open.
- The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway - known locally as the Crab & Winkle line, produced the world’s first railway season ticket.
- The sea diving helmet and suit were invented in Whitstable.
- The Whitstable Divers travelled around the world salvaging sunken ships, including the Mary Rose.
- 400 years ago the lower areas of Whitstable were swampy salt marshes - The Sea has tried to take them back several times.
- 2000-year-old oyster shells found in Italy have been proved to have originated in Whitstable.
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For 2 days every July since 1979 truck lovers are able to indulge in one of the biggest and best trucking events. Just outside Iowa on highway 80 (exit 284) at the aptly named Iowa 80 truck stop hosts the Annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree as a thank you to the truck drivers of America for delivering goods across the country.
In 2009 this will take place in 9th and 10th July and some 175 exhibits are anticipated. One of the best times to visit will be the first night when there is a large firework display and the ‘Lights at Night’ competition when all the super trucks light up the evening with their impressive customised lighting. In fact this is a gathering of some of the most amazing customised trucks you can see together in one place. Many of them are works of art with thousands of dollars spent on their paint jobs and chrome. They are mobile works of art and to enter the competitions they also have to be road-worthy.
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This is arguably on of the largest Buddhist celebrations in the world, and over one million people attend annually (July / August) – so it will be crowded! Kandy’s Temple of the Sacred Tooth was built on the edge of Lake Kandy specifically to house the left canine of Buddha that was allegedly salvaged from his funeral pyre. It is said to be the most revered Buddhist object and in 1988 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Kandy Temple
The original wooden temple was built between 1687 and 1707 but it was destroyed during the colonial wars in the 18th century. It has since been replaced by a stone temple. The tooth now rests on a gold lotus flower within jeweled caskets (so it can’t be seen) and is ‘protected’ by two elephant tusks. During the festival the tooth use to be paraded around Kandy but today it remains within the temple and a replica is paraded. The procession today still has elaborately decorated elephants, fire dancers, torchbearers, jugglers, musicians, acrobats and more.
The Parade
On the last night of the festival (10th day) millions enter the temple holding candles and circumnavigate the shrine to pay their respects making a very photogenic sight.
Posted by Jackie Hewett on Sun 27th July 2008 at 12:20 PM, Filed in Far East, July
On the 11th to 13th every July Mongolia holds its ‘national games’ (also known as ‘Eriin Gurvan’) showcasing Mongolia’s three games of men (horse racing, archery and wrestling). Some say the festival stared in the 1920’s whilst others claim it is centuries old. Whilst celebrations are held throughout the country the main games are held in Ulan Bator and on the open steppes just outside the city.
Details of the games:
- Opening Ceremony – where monks, soldiers and athletes parade in colourful Genghis Khan style costumes
- Wrestling – Mongolian wrestling is similar to sumo wrestling and is the only actual all male event. The bouts are not timed and a competitior loses if they touch the ground
- Archery – men shoot over a distance of 75meters and women over 60 meters.
- Horse Riding – this event dominates day 2 and Mongolians are renowned horsemen (and children). The races are broken down into different ages of horse. The youngest horses (1 year olds) race 15km whilst the older horses race over 30km. There are around 400 participants in every race and the horses reach speed of up to 80 km per hour. Riders are all children, some as young as 5 and it said that Mongolian children learn to ride before they can walk!
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Posted by Jackie Hewett on Sun 20th July 2008 at 03:58 PM, Filed in Europe, July
This festival could be called ‘son of the Burning Man’ as it adheres to the same principles (see Burning Man Article) – nothing is for sale there (‘no commerce’ – although bartering is encouraged), you have to bring your own food, drink etc (radical self reliance) and leave no trace of your camp (you have responsibility for taking away your own rubbish). It is held in a Northern Spanish dessert / windy mountainside early in July so be prepared for a fairly hostile environment – temperatures of 30C plus are common and 48% humidity.
Camp
Participants are encouraged, even expected to bring their own art installations and join in the ‘radical self expression’. Mere spectating is discouraged. However, participation comes in many forms, you could provide the gift of manicures or massage, even singing or other performances would count. If you don’t feel you have any such skills to contribute you could offer help in the set up and / or clearing away of camp.
Nowhere participant
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