Author Archives: Caliope Sage

BRIDE Dubai 2014 – A golden opportunity for soon-to-be-weds

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Scheduled from 2 – 5 April 2014, the largest and most luxurious bridal and fashion event of the Middle East is due to take place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, giving a golden opportunity to explore all those bridal fashion trends for all those who are planning on tying the knot. Book a Dubai hotel in advance in order to attend this festival hassle-free and a Deira hotel Dubai such as the Copthorne Hotel Dubai would be the ideal choice of accommodation for the event. Equipped with a whole host of wedding planners, designers, a jewellery pavilion as well as a VIP lounge, BRIDE Dubai 2014 is the perfect platform for exhibitors to showcase their latest products and services as well as for the soon-to-be-weds to explore their options for the big day. The BRIDE Dubai will also feature a number of glamorous performances such as the glamorous Catwalk Show and the Fashion Avenue, incorporating style and convenience under one roof. Planning your big day just got much simpler!

Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Calliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered.

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Naris Day: Celebrating the Birthday Anniversary of HRH Prince Narisaranuvattiwongse

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Throughout the course of time, many iconic events taken place over the years have shaped the manner in which the modern world celebrates various events. Events that are affiliated to religions such as Easter and Christmas are celebrated with vigour alongside holidays such as Boxing Day and various Independence Days. Such commemorative holidays are declared by Governments depending upon the event or its importance, as well as by notable organisations in order to raise awareness of or to celebrate an iconic moment in history. As a result, many organisations celebrate World Cancer Day, World Down Syndrome Day and World Tuberculosis Day while States celebrate events such as the International Workers’ Day and May Day. In the midst of such celebrations, Governments have also declared certain days as holidays in order to commemorate the achievements of a certain distinguished individual of society and the Prince Naris Day in Thailand is one of them.

Celebrated on the birthday of HRH Prince Narisaranuvattiwongse on the 28th of April annually, Prince Naris Day was celebrated in 2013 with a lecture by the Prince’s grandson, MR Chakrarot Chitrabong at the Siam Society. This lecture embodied details about the life of the Prince and his achievements which lead to his epithet “The Great Craftsman of Siam”. Alongside the lecture, a number of other events took place as well. These included the exhibition of some of the newly discovered work completed by the Prince as well while the family is planning on launching a book complete with all his designs as well as a selection private designs that were never seen by the public.

HRH Prince Narisaranuvattiwongse was a well known designer in his time and was the son of King Rama IV. His designs have endured even today and the best example is the ordination hall of Wat Rachathiwat. His private residence is now open for public viewings, but it is best to inquire from your City hotel Bangkok prior to visiting in order to confirm the time and dates on which it is open. Most Bangkok City hotels will happily make this inquiry for you. Visiting the shopping central of Thailand also means that you can opt to explore the shopping district after visiting Ban Plainern and what better place to reside in than in the heart of the shopping district at Atrium Bangkok.

 

Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Caliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered.

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Ride the Rapids of Bali – White Water Rafting in Bali

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Located between Java and Lombok is the popular Indonesian island of Bali. Considered to be one of Indonesia’s most famous tourist destinations, Bali offers a great combination of a tropical climate, stunning scenic beauty and a unique culture. Visitors of the island can enjoy its beautiful beaches, breath-taking landscapes and its many cultural attractions; inclusive of traditional and modern dance and arts.
Bali, being an exotic and tropical island, also offers a wide range of recreational and leisure activities to choose from. Of these one of the most exciting and exhilarating activities is white water rafting. White water rafting involves rafting through raging rapids and waves of rivers and is considered to be a truly adrenaline pumping extreme sport. If you enjoy riding the cool raging waters of tropical rivers with stunning tropical scenery in the background, then head on down to Bali and ride the rapids!
The island has many service providers and operators who offer white water rafting facilities, making it rather easy to plan our a day with the rapids. Bali has many famous white water rafting routes that travel through various jungles and other attractions, which give the white water rafting experience an adventurous aspect too.
Three of the best sites to engage in white water rafting in Bali are the Ayung River, the Telaga Waja River and the Melanggit River. One can experience the thrills of this sport at these rivers, as they all contain rapids which range from level 2 to level 4! Of these rivers the Telega Waja River is the most challenging and is sure to test your physical and mental strength. The white water rafting operators of the island are certified institutions and will ensure your safety while you engage in this exciting and thrilling activity, so you can go ahead and enjoy yourself to the maximum. So, for a thrilling and exhilarating experience in the area, ride the rapids of the rivers of this paradise.
Anantara Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa is one of the most sought after of Krabi resorts that one might consider staying at. The resort affords a variety of fine restaurants, spa therapies and recreational and leisure facilities making it one of the most ideal Trang Resort for a tranquil and soothing vacation.

Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Caliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered.

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Water-Splashing Festival – A great boisterous affair!

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A fascinating festival welcoming the New Year, the Water Splashing Festival is a much looked forward to event amongst the Chinese.  Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa is a preferred hotel in Yunnan among those who flock to the city in time to witness the festivities as this hotel Yunnan has to offer is placed ideally in the middle of all the happenings so as to not miss anything. The water-splashing Festival is considered to be the most important festival of all by the Dai ethnic community. Held during the sixth month of the Dai calendar, the festival falls mid-April and is also known as the Festuival for Bathing the Buddha. In the Dai language, the festival is also known as “Shanghan”, “Jingbimai” or “Hounan” and lasts for three days in total. The first day sees the people bathing and changing into new cloths to go and worship the Buddha and engage in religious activities. Devotees flock together on temple grounds to make a tower with sand after which they listen to Buddhist scriptures sitting around the sand tower. Afterwards, the Buddha statue is carried out and splashed with water by the village women as a part of ritual. Initially, people gently sprinkled water on each other as a sign of respect as part of a cleansing ritual welcoming the New Year but since the festival falls during the hottest month in South East Asia, people generally end up dousing vehicles and even strangers with water as part of the merrymaking.

 

Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Calliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered.

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The Airport Show 2014 – The Future of Middle Eastern Aviation Industry

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2014 looks like a very busy year for the city of Dubai with many exciting events such as the Design Days Dubai, Middle East Film and Comic Con and the Airport Show taking the centre stage during this period. All of these events are organized in order to make plans, enhance productivity, maximize utilization of resources, reduce living cost and to increase the quality of life of the citizens of Dubai and Middle East as a whole.

The Airport Show 2014 is a major airport and aviation based exhibition which sets the stage for businessmen and business related parties to engage in B2B sales pertaining to airport related products and services. The 2014 Airport Show will take place from the 11-13 May 2014 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. With a forecast of nearly 400 million passengers passing through the GCC regions by 2020, massive development projects are to be discussed in this convention in order to ensure that seamless and safer aviation services reach its customers. With the unstoppable changes that take place in technology, the aviation industry too is in constant competition to be the best amongst the best. When one airline introduces a new Airbus with luxury comforts and ultimate safety, another airline introduces something better than the former. In a time like this, it is very much appropriate that conventions such as these are held in order to make stakeholders aware of the changes to be made and what to expect in the future.

With many Dubai airport hotel venues near the Dubai International airport vicinity, one can choose a suitable lodging place as they please. Starting from many a 5 star hotel Dubai is famous for to somewhat ordinary hotels, the choices are so vast. Since the hotels are closer to the airport, travelling is very much hassle free too. The Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai is much more than an ordinary hotel. Being awarded as the Middle East’s Leading Airport Hotel at the World Travel Awards 2013 it is truly a place where modern technology is combined with the contemporary lifestyle in grand splendour.

Travel Catering Expo 2014 – Culinary Delights on Air

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Running parallel alongside the Airport Show 2014 which is to be held in Dubai from 11-13 May 2014, the authorities have also organized a Travel Catering Expo to take place at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, formerly known as Dubai World Trade Centre; same dates, same venue, two different experiences.

With an estimation of over 400 million air passengers to Dubai by 2020, there is certainly much planning and preparation to do in order to provide superlative customer services, care and attention in all areas related to air travel and hospitality. A main feature of a world class airline together with unparalleled customer service would be the food and beverages served on air. We all would love to have a taste of a home cooked meal, nutritious and fresh, especially when one is off miles and miles away from home. Therefore this Travel Catering Expo 2014 is all about enhancing the quality of the technology, techniques, kitchen appliances used, food packaging and storing in order to ensure that the final product, which in this case would be food and beverages served to air passengers in Middle Eastern flights, the very best. Participating in this event will definitely create lucrative business deals for caterers, chefs, procurement managers, purchasing managers, cutlery providers, manufacturers and solution providers. Altogether around 30 exhibitors and over 1000 trade buyers are due to be present at the exhibition representing numerous food and beverage companies, catering services, hospitality and travel / aviation industries.

Dubai’s neighbouring Abu Dhabi is another colourful city in the UAE. Accommodation at Abu Dhabi hotels can be expensive since the city itself is known as one the most expensive cities in the UAE. But the Abu Dhabi city hotel complexes built facing the Arabian Gulf Sea with a panoramic view of its beauty and hotels complexes that are in the city closer to all major business entities and shopping complexes will be worth the price paid. Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi, located just 500m away from Abu Dhabi’s main business district and shopping malls is a luxurious hotel belonging to the world renowned Millennium Hotels and Resorts Group.

Masi Magam festival – A festival of colour and devotion

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When the Magham star of the Vedic sky falls upon the fullmoon day in the Tamil month of Masi, it is the time for the Masi Magam, one of the most important festivals in the Hindu almanac. Seek Pondicherry accommodation in a suitable Pondicherry hotel during this time to feel the full swing of the festivities and Hotel Atithi is a recommended choice which is ideal for the purpose. Held between February and March, the Masi Magam Festival is celebrated with much pomp and fanfare in the French corner of India Pondicherry attracting large throngs of devotees and tourists each year.  It is quite a vibrant festival, with people getting dressed up in the most colourful cloths and attending the proceedings with so much enthusiasm. During the festival, temple idols of Hindu gods from all over India, particularly idols of Goddess Shakhti, Lord shiva and Lord Vishnu are carried to the sea in a colourful procession of loud chanting and worshipping and bathed in sea water as a part of the ritual. After the bathing ritual, the idols are once again escorted to the temples and various poojas are performed. In the meantime, a rice pudding made with milk and sugar known as payasam is prepared in homes on this day and is offered to Lord Chandra which in turn will bring good health and long life to devotees.

Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Calliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered. Google+

Kandyan Dance – Embodying Sri Lankan Pride

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Colourful costumes overflowing with grandeur, energetic movements and thudding drum beats characterize this lively yet elegant dance portraying the proud and rich heritage of the Sri Lankan nation. Originating from the central hills region of the country, there are plenty of hotels Sri Lanka amongst which Hotel Hilltop is amongst the hotels Sri Lanka in which one can lodge in while exploring this ancient art. It is said that the origins of the dance lies in the Kohomba Kankariya, originally performed by Indian shamans who came to the island to cure a king who had a recurring dream. The Kandyan Dance is a venerated art form and follows a tradition of its own. In the olden days, this dance was performed by dancers who belonged to a separate caste who dedicated their entire lives to the Kandyan Dance but now, it is more widely spread and is practiced as a performance art form.

The costume of the Kandyan dancer is vibrant and elaborate and also consists of a head dress and heavy anklets that make a heavy rattling sound to the rhythm of their dance moves. This costume is referred to as the Ves costume. In the olden days, only the males were allowed to train as dancers but over the years, more and more female dancers have made their way into this glorious art form that is a way of expression on its own. The dance is performed to percussion music only and the most popular instrument used for this is the Geta Beraya while a small pair of symbols known as the thalampota is also used to keep rhythm. The scope of Kandyan Dance is rather vast and there are several types of popular dances that fall under the category of Kandyan Dance. The most popular of these are perhaps the Vannams, fashioned after the characteristics of different animals; peacock, elephant, monkey and the cock to name a few.

Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Calliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered. Google+

Singapore Writers Festival 2013 – an outstanding literary event

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The much anticipated Singapore Writers Festival is a delightful experience for anyone interested in the field of literature. Having completed 15 years of successful existence, the yearly event has secured a strong reputation as one of Asia’s most significant literary extravaganzas. Having evolved into being one of the mainstays of the international literary calendar this event attracts many notable writers from across the globe.

The festival has featured notable literary personalities like Steve Levitt, Michael Chabon, Bi Feiyu, Neil Gaiman and Gail Simone. The engrossing organised events like lectures, workshops and other features combined with the cosmopolitan ambience of Singapore make this extravaganza a unique experience.

Initially the event commenced as an offshoot of an arts festival and a springboard for local Singaporean writing talent. However the event has developed into a truly international occasion which draws the attention of literary aficionados the world over. A noteworthy aspect of the event is that it is multi-lingual, with English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil panels and the necessary translations available. The festival is also significant for its diverse topics and themes which make it appealing for a broad cross-section of readers and writers. The extravaganza encompasses various genres such as highbrow concerns, cookery writing, sports writing and children’s fiction just to name a few.

This is also an excellent venue for aspiring writers to show off their work and if fortune favours them, to leave the event with an agent’s attention or even a book contract. Aspiring writers should take the opportunity to attend features like lectures, workshops and symposiums which will explain how to develop a novel, biography, screenplay or poem from a mere idea to completion and publication. It is even possible to have a meal with your favourite author and discuss literary matters.

Although this is unquestionably a premier literary event many of the events are modestly priced while others are free of charge. Anyone with an interest in books will be enthralled by this splendid event.

Visitors to the city seeking hotels in Singapore will find an exemplary choice in the Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Singapore. These fine Singapore hotels offer well-appointed interiors and an array of amenities.

Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Caliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered.

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Christmas Celebration in Maldives – Tis the season to be jolly

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Christmas in Maldives is truly a joyous one. Maldives luxury resorts celebrate it best but for a more intimate and sublime celebration, choose a Maldives villa such as the Baros Maldives. The whole archipelago clothes itself in Christmas attire for this glorious festival in colourful strings of fairy lights, tinsel, various baubles and decorations. The streets are busy as natives go out to buy gifts for their loved ones to gift to one another on Christmas day. Embellished pine branches and Christmas fir trees decorate households during this time of the year which is usually filled with much joy and laughter. Another popular activity that goes on at this time is the purchasing of new cloths for going to midnight mass on Christmas day. Many families go out and enjoy as families on Christmas day and engage in family activities, various games and pastimes, making Christmas day into the joyous family event that it indeed is.