When winter slowly departs, carnival revelers live it up in the Upper Rhine Valley. This is when witches, devils, and other bizarre characters celebrate the fifth season. With bells, jingles, and elaborate costumes, they parade through the lanes on Shrove Tuesday to drive away the spirits of winter. In contrast to the Rhenish carnival, the Swabian-Alemannic custom reminds people of the local sagas and stories. The guilds follow strict rules here. Whether at the Morgenstraich procession, on Shrove Tuesday (Fastnacht, also called Schmotzigen Dunschdig), or on Ash Wednesday: The cities and towns are in an exceptional state for almost a week. Colorful parades attract a costumed audience that hopes for bonbons and sweets, which the carnival revelers throw into the crowd. Wearing disguise...
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When it comes to a perfect vacation, given a choice, people all over the world would love to travel with their dream partner. Yatra.com in their recent survey on winter holidays, asked travellers which celebrity they would want to be accompanied by for their dream holiday. The 31 year old, 6ft plus youth icon, Ranbir Kapoor, recognised for his versatile acting abilities and his passion for cinema, came out on top for being the most desirable male celebrity to holiday with stealing 19% of the votes. Interestingly, Ranbir played a role of a travel show host in his recent film 'Yeh Jawani Hey Deewani'. Following closely with over 25 years of acting behind him, the most sought after hero, one of the hottest hunks of Indian Cinema, and termed as the most bankable actor of all time, Salma...
Read MoreThere is one more International award coming to Indian hotels' way. A luxurious boutique hotel in Rajasthan, ‘Mihir Garh’ has been crowned as the ‘World’s Best Boutique Hotel’.The property was awarded this honor at the award ceremony organized by the supreme international body that gives away these awards. ‘Mihir Garh’ was competing against a few of the finest hotels from across the world, and has brought home this coveted title. The Boutique Hotel Awards is the world's first and only prize dedicated exclusively to luxury boutique properties, providing a global arena in which hotels can showcase their unique excellence. Above all, the World Boutique Hotel Awards looks for hotels that are undeniably, irrefutably unique. Mihir Garh - the ‘Fort of the Sun’, the dream project of hus...
Read MoreIf Switzerland is a dream for any traveler around the world then traveling in Gornegrat Bhan can be its epitome. Indians jusst love their Swiss experience. The train to Gornergrat is the highest open air cog rail in Europe, the Kulmhotel is the highest hotel in the Swiss Alps and Gornergrat peak offers a fantastic view to the Matterhorn and 28 other snow and icee covered mountain peaks. A night at Kulmhotel Gornergrat on 3000 m, in the middle of mountain peaks and glaciers is a once in a lifetime experience. For more than 100 years the Gornergrat Bahn is climbing its way up to Gornergrat around the year. The train crossses impressive bridges, galleries, and tunnels in the midst of idyllic forests, alpine meadows and rocky gorges. In order to make it easier for foreign travelers to...
Read MoreBelgium, has always been the very essence of one of the great homelands of chocolate on the world stage. Brussels is therefore very proud to be hosting the first “Salon du Chocolat” to be held on Belgian soil, from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th February 2014, at Tour & Taxis (Shed 1-1 b). Praised by all chocolate lovers and market experts, the Salon du Chocolat represents an international label. With more than 20 worldwide editions behind it, (from Paris to New York, not forgetting Salvador da Bahia, Tokyo, Seoul, London …) only one destination was missing from its roll of honour: the capital of Europe. For this first Brussels edition, more than 60 exhibitors, mostly Belgian but also from the international scene, will display their talents. Through its landmark events (demonstrations, fashi
Read MoreGoa now has its first and only Micro-brewery. SinQ Beach Club, the most happening party hot spot in GOA has announced 'SinQ Brew', the first ever micro-brewery in Goa. SinQ Brew is an in-house brewery at SinQ, launched in association with HouseBrew.. SinQ Beach Club at Candolim, North Goa, is a complete party haven for food, dance, music and leisure lovers. SinQ Brew is the first ever Micro Brewery in the world that doesn't require ETP (Effluence Treatment Plant), making it one of the finest breweries in the world. All of the popular beers will be brewed in the HouseBrew system from a premixed package. These packages will require only the addition of water and the appropriate brewer’s yeast for the desired style and flavor. All the guests at SinQ can come taste a batch of Dark Ale. ...
Read MoreAs if winning World’s Leading Heritage hotel (World’s leading Heritage hotel again – The Raj Palace) award and World’s Leading Luxury Hotel (Read: Oberoi Gurgaon is World’s Leading Luxury Hotel) award as well as World’s Leading Tourist Board (Incredible India) was not enough, India has one more award in its kitty at World Travel Awards (WTA). This one was for World’s Leading Luxury Train to The Maharajas Express. Just as India has a host of luxury heritage hotels lined up, it also has some of the best luxury trains to offer. Palace on Wheels and Royal Rajasthan on Wheels had been popular among travelers for decades. But there are many to more offer. Owned by IRCTC, Maharajas Express is often dubbed as India's equivalent to the Orient Express of Europe. With its 5 tastefully craf...
Read MoreIndian hospitality industry seems to be having a good time. Alongwith The Raj Palace being named as World's Leading Heritage Hotel for seventh year in running (Read: World's leading Heritage hotel again - The Raj Palace), The Oberoi, Gurgaon (very close to national capital New Delhi) has been voted World’s Leading Luxury Hotel, for 2013 by the World Travel Awards. This was announced at the Grand Final Gala Ceremony held in Doha, Qatar. The 2013 World Travel Awards Grand Final was hosted at a glittering ceremony at La Cigale Hotel in Doha, Qatar on 30th November 2013. Oberoi, Gurgaon too has won this award for the third consecutive year. In 2011, it became the first Indian hotel to win the coveted prize. In December 2011, CNNGo also named it amongst, "11 Indian hotels to visit in 2012"...
Read MoreThe top domestic destination choices for Indians this season include Goa, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar islands. Indians are still keen to travel this winter in spite of there being no respite from high airfares or the rupee valuation. Findings from a survey by Yatra.com, among India’s leading online travel portals has revealed that 69 per cent Indians are still keen on travelling this winter. India is the most preferred destination this winter season with three fourths of the respondents willing to take their year-end holidays within the country. Rest one-fourth respondents would like to plan their vacations abroad to destinations like Dubai, Europe and South East Asia. While about 59 per cent of the respondents are looking forward to a relaxed holiday at some exotic location (wit...
Read MoreBeing awarded in World Travel Awards (WTA) is no fluke and for getting awarded in same category for years in running (seven times precisely), one has to be something special. The Raj Palace in the heart of Pink City- Jaipur in Rajasthan in Western India has seems to made this its habbit and also the habbit of its connoisseurs of luxurious life. It has been once again selected as World's Leading Heritage Hotel at WTA. Rajasthan is so rich in heritage hotels, that no other place in world can perhaps be. From Neemrana to Samode to Umaid Bhawan to Devigarh to Shiv Niwas, palaces turned into hotels are all queued up. A stay at Raj palace in Jaipur will make you feel like a real king, with one of the most hospitable and colourful culture of Rajasthan at one's service. For example wha...
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