Author Archives: pushpitha

Fun, thrills and surprises at the Dubai Summer Surprise

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With the Dubai Summer Surprises running in its 15th year, Dubai has been able to seal their place in the International Summer fun agenda.

Begun in 1998 in a bid to encourage friendly relations and added tourism revenue, the Dubai Summer Surprises is the summer extension of the Dubai Shopping Festival. During this Summer Surprise which runs for around 10 weeks each year, usually between the months of June and August, each week is dedicated to a different ‘surprise’ or theme.

These ‘surprises’ are varied and are decided by the government departments involved in the event. Some of these are the color surprise, art surprise, adventure surprise, heritage surprise, sweet surprise and the continuous finale – back to school surprise.

Whilst adults have shopping and other fun activities spread out across many of the malls in Dubai, the children have many exciting events lined up for them as well. This thought to provide events and programmes for both adults and children to enjoy, makes the Dubai Summer Surprise an ideal family event to participate in. The best aspect is that each day is an opportunity for a new surprise and new fun.

In fact the long standing mascot for the event is a giant smiley face named Modhesh which means amazing or exciting in Arabic. For the children, there is a special Modhesh Fun city located at the Dubai Airport Expo which is an area dedicated to fun surprises!

Since its inception in 1998, the Dubai Summer Surprise has grown in number as well as stature, bringing in over 4 million visitors as compared to the modest 600’000 visitors in its first edition. The event has succeeded in placing Dubai on the map as a summer destination which is ideal for the entire family.

If you plan to visit the city and are on the lookout for a Hotel in Dubai make sure that the Dubai Hotel you pick is conveniently located closer to the shopping malls, and entertainment areas. A look at the plan for the Dubai Summer Surprise event calendar for the year will greatly help. For luxury and comfort that is conveniently located the Raffles Dubai, UAE is an ideal venue.

Celebrate the Thai New Year at Songkran 2013

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Tipped to be one of the most colourful and engaging local festivals in Thailand, Songkran is an annual event of truly monumental cultural significance. Three months after the rest of the world celebrated the dawn of a new year, this vibrant festival harking in the new year in the month of April is one of the best reasons to head down to Bangkok this holiday season. Also known as the Thai Water Festival, the Songkran festival of 2013 is due to take place from the 13th to the 15th of April with the days declared a public holidays all across the great nation. Formerly calculated according to the Thai lunar calendar, the event is now marked according to the Georgian calendar and typically falls between the 13th and 15th of April every year.

Regarded as the most significant cultural event in the country, Thai residents around the country set aside these auspicious days to engage in conventional customs and rituals as well as enjoy one another’s company in an annual event that truly encapsulates the Thai spirit of togetherness.

Religious activities also hit an all time high during Songkran as Thais head to their local temples to pay their respects to Lord Buddha and bathe Buddha images as a mark of reverence. Cleansing Buddha images is also a practice that is common during this time of year while alms for Buddhist monks are also offered by pious devotees in temples or wats across Thailand. The street side water fights have also become an integral part of Songkran as a traditional ritual has transformed in to a national sport of sorts during the holiday season. In its heyday young Thais would pour water gently on elders to bless them and guarantee good fortune to the entire family for the coming year. This ritual has now evolved in to a larger than life street water fight with Thais hurling buckets of water on passersby and loved ones in the spirit of camaraderie.

Those visiting Bangkok this April can witness Songkran festivities at the national event in Rattankosin Island while the areas around Sanam Luang, Khao San Road and the Grand Palace also serve as focal points of the celebration. The statue of the Phra Budha Sihing will also be on show at Sanam Luang Park and visitors can join locals in bathing the famed image of Lord Buddha.

Travellers on the lookout for a stylish Sukhumvit hotel should look to the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok for all their accommodations. Ideally located in a picturesque landscape this Bangkok hotel is one of the finest rests in the Thai capital.

When Sri Lanka welcomes the Sinhala & Tamil New Year in April

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The period of transit from the last star sign to the first is supposed to be one of defame and bad luck and nothing auspicious is started during that period. In contrast, people try to engage in various religious activities or games and play items abstaining from their usual work, or studying or even for housewives their important household work.

The onset of New Year becomes visible even in the weather, as the days grow longer and warmer and sunnier while the mangoes and fruits like Cashew nuts become rounder and riper, their aroma drifting through the villages. The flower called ‘Erabadu’ is one blossom that fills the trees during this particular season and the faithful and timely crowing of the Cuckoo bird is also a sign that heralds the New Year.

A foreigner visiting Sri Lanka at this time around would do well to walk through the remote villages to find many of the authentic games and traditions of the island still being practiced diligently while a great number of games, from ‘Chak gudu’ to smaller games like ‘Pancha’ can be seen conducted by the young and old. At the end of the auspicious period, there are a number of auspicious times, to commence one’s important duties and a time to cook the first meal and a time to consume it together with the family. The aroma of sweet meats that are inherent to the New Year can be experienced coming from many a household. Sweetmeats like ‘Kevum’, the cracker like ‘Kokis’ the starchy sweet ‘Aluwa’ are just to name a few. There is a lot of sharing of food in the neighbor hood and children go around worshipping their elders while they give gifts for the children.

In Sri Lanka, Kalutara is a fairly village like yet rather urban town, where the practices of New Year are diligently performed. So many a Hotel in Kalutara also shares the festivities of the New Year with its patrons. Avani Kalutara Resort enjoys a spectacular location with one side overlooking the endless serenity of the Indian Ocean while the other side glances over the soft waters of the Kalu River. From among the many Beach Resorts Sri Lanka Kalutara, this is one that enjoys this privilege of being placed in this exotic location while providing contemporary conveniences and superb residing options to an international clientele.

Weddings in Hua Hin – A Magical Experience

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If you want to experience paradise on earth visit Hua Hin, one of the oldest towns that Thailand has. Hua Hin is absolutely beautiful and is known by many both locally and internationally as one of the most romantic destinations to host a wedding.

Hua Hin is a very small town. The town having a population of only around 70,000 gives it an authentic and un-spoilt charm. Way back in history Hua Hins unique beauty and serene ambience was recognized by royalty. King Prajadhipok somewhere in the early 1900 built his summer citadel in Hua Hin and named it the ‘Wang Klai Kang Won’ which is translated to ‘Far from Worries’; a perfect description to the tranquility one feels in Hua Hin. Whoever stayed in it, fell in love with it and hence it earned the reputation of love; a place, rather a paradise where one can celebrate the marital commitment of love. Lately having weddings in Hua Hin has become a trend. People from all around the world fly over to this quaint little town in Thailand to exchange their vows and celebrate the bonds of matrimony. Weddings in Hua Hin are like marrying in fairy land. The backdrop of nature is so blissful and the soothing ambience gives one the perfect foundation to a lifelong commitment in love. Hua Hins popularity gave rise to some of the most exotic hotels and resorts within the five mile immaculate beach. This gives couples the added advantage of luxurious banquet halls if you are more interested in a royal setting. The resorts also make a perfect honeymoon destination. After exchanging your vows at the hall or the perfect beachside, check into one of the resorts and experience the magic of love, luxury and comfort all in a single location.

Among the many magnificent Hua Hin hotels the Anantara Hua Hin Thailand Resort tops the charts. The setting in this resort is simply unmatched. It is exquisite, luxurious and perfect for romance. Guests at Anantara fall in love with the place as it stands proudly as the finest of all Beach Hotels Hua Hin Thailand has.

Sinhalees & Tamil New Year – The Time to Celebrate

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The month of April is the most celebrated month in the Sri Lankan calendar. It is a month for holiday, tradition, unity and pure cultural fun; the month of the renowned festival in the entire calendar; the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. A lot of astrological belief stands behind the significance of this festival. The period of the festival falls at the time when the sun moves from the House of Pisces to the House of Aries. On April 14th the sun stands directly above the island of Sri Lanka. The festival -known as Aluth Avurudu in Sinhala and Puththandu in Tamil- marks the end of the harvest season and commemorates the beginning of a new year in the Saka Era.

Culture comes alive during the auspicious time of this festival. Houses are cleaned and oil lamps are lit. Women adorn themselves in traditional attire, the colors of which are decided by the astrologers. In some areas of the island the Raban drum is given a big significance. Women from one neighborhood congregate in a single location and play upon the raban, traditionally this took place to bring awareness of change in the year. Fire is lit and Kiribath is prepared. Kiribath or Milk Rice is a traditional breakfast prepared in Sri Lanka on the morning of any auspicious occasion. It is certainly a must try for those visiting the island. The season of the festival also brings to the table an array of other local delights and sweets. These include Kavum, Kokis, Aluwa, Vali Thalapa and many more. By evening families leave their homes to visit friends and relatives. The New Year is one of the most unique and auspicious time for both the Sinhalese and Tamil race. They make business deals at this time, they start new resolutions and they celebrate. Sometime during the second and third day of the celebration ‘the avurudu Utsavaya’ takes place. This involves a lot of traditional games, competitions and fun.

Sri Lanka’s traditions come alive in different ways in different parts of the island. Shanti Travel Sri Lanka offers experience an exemplary quality of Sri Lanka Tour Packages. These holiday packages Sri Lanka has enables you to cover all there is to see in this beautiful island.

Songkran Festival – Be prepared to be douched in water

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Wreathed in festivities, colour and joy, the Songkran Festival celebrates the dawning of a new year in great ardour. Originally calculated according to the astrological charts, the dates have now been fixed between tyhe 13th and 15th of April. Visiting Thailand during this time of the year can be a unique experience and one of convenient Bangkok serviced apartments available within the area would be the ideal accommodation choice. Citadines Sukhumvit 11 Bangkok is a one of the best Sukhumvit serviced apartments available within the area conveniently located in the middle of all the hustle and bustle so that the visitors would not miss out on any of the fun. However, be prepared to be douched by buckets of water if one intends to roam the streets during this time as hurling bucketfuls of water at each other is a tradition fondly practiced by the Thais during this time of the year.

Ramadan Festival Maldives – The festival of the moon

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Also known as Rorda Mas, the Maldives Ramadan Festival is one that carries quite a lot of importance in the lives of Maldivians. Maldivian Muslims fast right through the month of Ramadan which falls on the 9th month of the Muslim calendar. This cultural event can only be fully experienced if the visitors lodge in one of the Maldives island resorts that are being raved about quite a lot. Naladhu Maldives is a Maldives Hotel that is popular among the many visitors that visit the country with the aim of participating in the country’s many colourful cultural events.

The festival begins with the occurrence of the moon and lasts till the appearance of the next moon. Right through this period, Muslims fast during the day time and due to this reason, all restaurants and eating places are closed during this time. Even working hours are altered during this time of the year for the convenience of the fasting Muslims.

 

Sinhalese & Tamil New Year – Festivel Fun in Sri Lanka!

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A cultural celebration that brings together two ethnic races, the Sinhalese & Tamil New Year offers visitors a chance to experience some unique traditions and fun festivities when in Sri Lanka. Those planning to travel by car around the island during this time can make use of a Sri Lanka car rental company such as Malkey Travel & Tours. Travellers in search of airport transfers Sri Lanka has to offer can also make use of the services offered by this company which has an impressive fleet of vehicles.

Taking place during the month of April, the Sinhalese & Tamil New Year is a traditional festival that takes place at the end of the harvesting season. During this time people engage in such activities as cleaning their houses and preparing family meals. Many people visit their villages during this time and get-together with their families, while it is also customary to prepare certain traditional foods as milk rice and such sweetmeats as “kavum”. During this time it is also customary to hold a variety of games that provide plenty of fun for young and old alike.

Tsechu Festival – A Vibrant Cultural Display

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Bhutan is a hidden treasure that borders India and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and is a nation over pouring with richness ; richness in endless expanses of lush scenery and richness in culture. For many, Bhutan is still being unearthed, its secrets are slowly reaching every curious ear which are now craving for a sneak peak, a moment in this incredible country.

wangdue-phodrang-festival

What borders beautiful Bhutan are the snow capped mountains of the Himalayas. It starts with that and expands into lush forests and sparkling lakes that are adorned by plenty of monasteries and historic forts. It is tranquil and un-spoilt in the most literal sense. It has been known as the happiest country in Asia and the Last Shangri La alive. Just one step into this nation and you will only second this statement. Apart from Gods gifts to Bhutan, man itself has made Bhutan a haven in itself. The rich Bhutanese culture is definitely something, with an array of colours, it has a vibrant edge to it. The Tsechu Festival in Bhutan marks the epitome of the beautiful Bhutan culture. Tsechu literally means day 10 and is celebrated every year somewhere in October. It is a Buddhist festival and is primarily centred around a notable figure in the philosophy of Buddhism. The Tsechu Festival is an affair with colour. Dancers adorn themselves in flared colorful costumes and intriguing masks and perform a cultural fiesta. The festival goes on for a total of 4 days and has such a buzz around Bhutan that people from all over the nation come together to a single place to enjoy the celebrations of the Tsechu Festival.

bhutan_tsechuBeautiful Bhutan is nothing short of tranquilizing. The vast stretches of exotic landscape can keep you glued to this nation for weeks on end. Stay at the Uma Bhutan for a wholesome experience of a Bhutanese holiday. To attain ultimate bliss a comfortable good night’s rest is Pivotal and you can certainly expect all this and more in this Paro hotel. The Bhutan hotel culture focuses a lot on hospitality and in Uma Bhutan you can experience the finest of everything that this nation is so famous for.

Visit the IT Show 2013 Singapore for the Newest and the Best Technology!

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The rapid development and evolution of modern technology is an iconic feature of the 21st century where stagnant technical know-how and expertise has progressed in leaps and bounds resulting in a global phenomenon of new technologies being introduced almost every day. Consumers now live in an age where different firms vie for the prime spot in the industry by improving existing technology and competing with one another to promote theirs as being the best.

In such a day and age, the IT Show 2013 due to be held from the 7th to 10th of March this year in Singapore, is a natural result of the need to expand the consumer base and also to allow consumers to have a wide range of selection when it comes to choosing the gadgets that would make their lives infinitely more convenient.

The purpose of the IT Show, which has been conducted extremely successfully for decades, is to create connections within the industry that would allow innovative technology to thrive and introduce these novel improvements to the domestic and global markets. The Show this year anticipates the attendance of a stunning 830 exhibitors including high flying brand names such as Acer, Apple, Audio-Technica, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba and many more. At the IT Show 2013, consumers will have the rare and convenient opportunity to meet representatives of these brands personally and to consult them for information and valuable guidance on purchases.

This year’s Show will be held on Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 of Suntec Singapore and is organized by Exhibits Inc. Private Limited. Being Singapore’s largest such Exhibition featuring Mobile, IT and Consumer electronics, this year’s venture anticipates over 700, 000 guests. The Show will be open to the public from 12 to 9pm on all its exhibition dates and as an added bonus, for every $100 paid during the show, guests will stand to win a number of cash prizes. With 12 such amazing cash prizes up for grabs, this show is a must visit for all those technology whizzes out there.

When planning your visit to the IT Show 2013, pay attention to your accommodation needs and of course, transportation possibilities. While Suntec is accessible conveniently via transport, accommodation in luxury hotels Singapore must be carefully considered. Opting for one of the 5 star hotels Singapore would give you the opportunity to truly relax and enjoy yourself during your stay in this city state and if shopping is high on your agenda, choose to reside at The St. Regis Singapore whose location on Orchard Road will make all your shopping dreams a convenient reality.