Wandering Christine

 

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Trivia about Halloween - it’s the second biggest occasion in terms of spending (#1 is Christmas!) Halloween is just around the corner - the pumpkins are out, the Sarah Palin costumes are worn, and almost every where, the Halloween spirit roams free (and yes them zombies are starting to crash political rallies!). Although Halloween is spent largely in the US by trick treating, or holding Halloween parties, there are a few practices you might want to try this Halloween.

Halloween in Transylvania - yes you read that right! The Transylvanian Society of Dracula will hold their annual Halloween party in Sighisoara - the best preserved 15 century-walled town in Europe, the birth-place of Prince Vlad the Impaler, and the site of many witch trials. Everybody is encouraged to wear their spookiest costumes and hopefully the ladies will vie for Miss Transylvania.

Hop-Tu-Naa is a Celtic festival celebrated every 31st of October in the Isle of man. It’s a similar event to Halloween as kids dress up as scary being asking for sweet or money, but instead of a pumpkin, they carry turnips!

Teng Chieh in China - Food and water are placed in front of photographs of departed loved ones, and lanterns are lit to light the path of the spirits as they descend upon the earth. Japan has a similar event, only it is called Obon Festival.

No knives Halloween in Germany - during Halloween night, Germans hide or put away their knives so as not to risk harming the returning spirits. Scary tradition!

In Czechoslovakia, families remember the dead by eating special cakes, drinking cold milk (it’s supposed to cool the souls roasting in purgatory) and placing chairs by the fireside. Halloween is mostly spent remembering the deceased relatives and ancestors. Most families spend their time in cemeteries.

In the Philippines, Halloween is as commercial as it gets - although in earlier times, kids pretending to be the souls of the dead, sing a song for Halloween from one house to another, hoping to get food, or money, or well - any kind of treat. Pranks are pulled on houses that don’t give any.

Sweden sounds like a lot of fun! Alla Helgons Dag (Halloween to them) is celebrated from Oct 31 - Nov 6! How cool is that! Imagine trick or treating, partying, or just having some spooky old fun for 1 week!?

Now if you’re in Belguim, it would be wise to avoid a black cat no matter how cute it is! Belgians believe it is unlucky for a blac cat to cross one’s path and even more unluckier if it travels with you ona ship or enters your home. No lolcats for now!

There are so many things going on during Halloween -and whether you’re a kid or young at heart, I encourage to celebrate! Whatever way you want to spend it, I wish you a ghostly good time this Halloween. Hoping you get all the treats you want, and no tricks!

Source

wikipedia.org

Halloween in Transylvania

Learning another language can be quite tough. You have to learn a lot of words, then form those into coherent sentences. That in itself can be very difficult if the sentence structure is very different from your primary language. Example, you are an English speaker then you have to learn Japanese which has a different sentence structure from English. There are ways to make it easier though and most of them involve practice, practice, practice.

Learn from mistakes - While learning a different language, you will make mistakes. There’s no doubt about it. Making mistakes can be embarrassing, of course. But by making mistakes it will be easier to remember after being corrected. Afterwards, when you try to say the same thing again, you will remember what you said wrong and say it correctly. Try to avoid making the same mistake twice, though.

Put it into writing - The most basic method of learning a language is to write it first. It is often easier to remember what we wrote than what we said. So by writing what you learn, it will be easier to remember in the future. Of course, you also won’t learn just by writing so do both - say it and write it down. It’s also a good thing to write it as how it is written, like Chinese characters for Mandarin for example. You’ll be able to learn a lot from that.

Talk to yourself - There are times that we don’t have anybody to talk with. In that situation, try using your imagination. Imagine talking to yourself and try to speak as fluently as possible. Think of a topic, and then just keep talking about it. Since there’s nobody there anyway, you wouldn’t look like an idiot. So don’t be embarrassed!

Share what you learned with others - If you know someone you can talk to, try using some of the words you learned during the conversation even if they don’t know what you are talking about. Afterwards, tell them what the words mean. It is something I frequently do when I try to learn a foreign language so I can remember it easily. Just make sure to tell them what you are trying to achieve or they’ll think you are simply messing around. It happened to me once. Also, make sure you are telling them the correct things or that would be embarrassing if they found out you were wrong at some point.

Watch movies or read novels - A language teacher told me to do this while learning. By watching movies in a foreign language, not only will you learn new words but also the correct way of saying them. Also, most of the dialogs in those media can be used in casual conversations. So by doing that, not only are you learning the language itself, but also learning how to use it in a casual conversation. It’s also good practice since you will be forced to keep up with trying to understand what the characters are saying.

Be enthusiastic - This not only applies to learning foreign languages but also learning stuff in general. By being enthusiastic about learning something, you will have that positive vibe that will help you learn quickly and easily. Again, don’t worry about making mistakes. It happens to everybody so don’t let those affect you.

Learn with a partner - Or go the full mile and get yourself a girlfriend or boyfriend. Just kidding, although that was half meant. I remember a language teacher saying that the best way to learn another language is to get a lover. Another student took it a step more and said “The best way to learn another language is in bed”. He got bonked on the head promptly by our teacher.

When somebody says lagoon, I’m sure a picture of a body of water comes into mind instantly. A lagoon is just that - it is a shallow body of salt or brackish water that is separated from the sea or ocean either by coral reefs or sandbanks. The word lagoon may have originated from the Venetian word laguna meaning “empty space”. With that definition, the waters in the middle of a barrier reef or atoll reefs like the ones in French Polynesia would be considered as lagoons.

Usually, lagoons formed by the growth of coral reefs make the lagoon quite pretty with the water turning bluish and the surrounding area, green. here are some of the most beautiful lagoons I’ve seen.

Christmas Island - Kiritimati is a Pacific Ocean atoll in the northern Line Islands and is known to be the island that has the greatest land area of any coral atoll. The island is also the first inhabited place on Earth to experience New Year’s Day each year. A funny fact is that although the name Kiritimati sounds Polynesian, you just have to replace “ti” with “s” and it sounds a lot like Christmas.

Lagoa dos Patos - Lagoa dos Patos is located in Rio Grande do Sul in Southern Brazil and is the second largest lagoon in Latin America. It is seperated from the Atlantic ocean by a sand bar around 8 kilometers wide. Apparently, it is the the remains of an ancient depression in the coastline.

Balos Lagoon - Balos Lagoon is located at the western coast of Crete, Greece near Kissamos. It is also recognized the one of the most beautiful spots in the area. It’s a few minutes away from Gramvoussa by boat but its warm turquoise waters is something that you won’t forget for a long time.

Blue Lagoon - A geothermal spa in Iceland and one of the most visited attractions in the country. The lagoon itself is fed by the water output of a geothermal power plant near it keeping the bathing and swimming area of the spa at around 40 degrees celcius. The water is rich in silica and sulfur. The spa is known for treating skin diseases like psoriasis.

Bora Bora - I have to admit that this well-known island still has the most beautiful looking lagoon I’ve ever seen. Bora Bora is an island located in French Polynesia and is surrounded by a barrier reef and lagoon. Many species of sharks inhabit the waters around it and snorkeling or diving is still one of the best activities for this destination. Over-the-water bungaloes have become a standard feature of most resorts in the area since three decades ago when Hotel Bora Bora started the trend.

If you have plans to visit the perfectly aged country of Spain, you should be there in time for the annual pandemonium. You have to make sure that you don’t have any agoraphobia. You need to have the stomach to run fast or strength to throw. Yes, Spain takes pride on its yearly crazy festivals.

The first one is the Pamplona Bull Run in San Fermin. It takes place in the balcony of the Casa Consistorial in Pamplona. Thousands of people, both local and tourist, are waiting in the square for the bull to chase them all. If you want to be there and get that Spanish high from running, you have to take note of the following:

• The event starts on July 7 every year.
• The run begins at 8:00 A.M. Be there around 7:30 or earlier.
• The bulls will be coming from the corral at Santo Domingo.
• The distance of the run is 825 meters, which lasts 3 minutes.

Also, don’t forget some other precautions.

The La Tomatina Festival in Buñol, Spain is the second Spanish crazy festival. Every year this so-called tomato fight happens near Valencia. The occasion is actually the highlight of the Spanish summer festivities. It’s a chaotic affair that rockets off the local population from 9,000 people to 30,000, including the visitors. You should remember:

• The Spanish fiesta is held every last Wednesday in August.
• The tomato fight happens between 11 A.M. and 1 P.M.
• Get a train ride from Valencia to Buñol at 8:08 A.M., 9:08 A.M. or 10:08 A.M.
• Change your shirt before riding back to Valencia, there are no public showers in Buñol.

Check the rest of the festival rules.

Events like these are perfect for those who clamor for wild crowds and scary exhilarating experiences. In fact, most road junkies in Europe head to those places during such time of the year.

Even in the age of all out girl power and other feminist advocacy, there are still countries that conceive women as second class citizen. It’s not just about how they are treated or abused. They also barely have access to education, health care and even the simplest form of human freedom. According to the United Nation, these are the countries where it is not healthy to be a woman.

In HAITI, rape has not been a criminal offense until 2005. However, rape only becomes a crime if the victim is a virgin. Sexual assault and rape are part of Haitian woman’s life. According to the United Nation, it is not culture or tradition that put local females in jeopardy, but it is poverty. The limited value of women also pushes them to take their selves for granted. After all, they don’t have those rights like the men. Some of them even exchange sexual favors for money. Others just submit because of helplessness.

In MOLDOVA, Trafficking women for prostitution is a daily business. This small country located between Romania and Ukraine is the worst country to be a woman in Europe. Women are recruited and promised with a good salary and better self worth. Ironically, women can keep up with men in terms of getting a job in Moldova. However, it is their weakness that makes them vulnerable. They rather rely on their male counterpart for financial support. Domestication is the “only” job for women. Also, Moldovan culture says that when the man abuses his woman, it means that he loves her.

In NEPAL, A woman’s word is only half true. Females have no economic rights. Their only legal role is to become a wife and a mother. They actually marry at very young age. A marriage also means complete surrender to the man. Nepali women lack the basic emancipation and education. As a result, they cannot function normally without any aid from their husband. Also, it is hard to give birth in Nepal. It is one of the deadliest countries to bear a child. Only 1 out of 5 babies survives.

In PAPUA NEW GUINEA, traditional attitudes and customs dictate that women should be lesser than men. They don’t have enough access to information as well as basic health care in order to improve themselves. What’s worse - women are often accused of sorcery. If someone becomes sick or dies in the village, a woman is blamed. She will then be beaten, raped and even killed in some instances. Not to mention, women with HIV are growing in number in PNG. Its society does not believe in safe sex.

In SIERRA LEONE, women are only expected to live in their 40’s. The United Nation reports that the country has the worst gender inequality. It is also a normal fact that in every eight women giving birth, one always dies in the process or even during the pregnancy. Aside from deprivation, one third of Sierra Leone’s women have been sexually abused and raped. Such incidents have heightened during the civil war. Just lately, the government has recognized this issue. A law has been passed making wife-beating a criminal offense among others. However, enforcement is still in question.

In YEMEN, women have to be married even at the age of 12. This ultimately results in very poor health for babies and their mothers. Children are expected not to live long. Women, on the other hand, live a very restricted life. They have to ask their father’s or husband’s permission before doing anything like traveling.

Although international programs are pushing through to promote woman empowerment, it is still very hard to beat the local system. The greatest enemy is social belief, culture and tradition. If the women themselves will not change their minds, then the unfortunate drama will continue throughout generations.

When the rich and the famous go vacationing, you only need to think of one place and one place only – Saint Tropez right in the heart of the Côte d’Azur or French Riviera. People tag the renowned tourist destination as the Marbella of France. See, Marbella is a resort in Spain that is also a beloved place of the affluent elites.

If you’re in St. Tropez expect that:

Everything is expensive. Don’t go looking for a cheap hotel to stay. You’ll be just upset. Affordable hotels…? So scarce there. Spend it all from where you are staying; what you are eating; and even, what you are doing.

Everything is famous. The beaches top the St. Tropez list with the people that roam on the sweet sand. You can barely see someone who’s not famous. It’s a great place to go celebrity sighting. There are 40 magnificent beaches with too many stars to count.

Top beaches to check out: Bouillabaisse Beach, Caneliers Beach, Salins Beach

Everything is happening. Besides the annual regatta event in St.  Tropez bay, famous people usually go wild in this place. They party hard like there’s no tomorrow. No wonder that the Paparazzi are also having their vacation in this part of France. It’s actually the place of scandals and all what nots. Everyone famous is allowed to be crazy in St. Tropez.

But if you are not famous and not that rich, just be prepared to shell everything out if you want to go elbow to elbow with the stars in this world-class local district.

The common excuse is that, “I’m on vacation. I don’t need any rules when I’m on vacation.” It might not always be the case. You still have to follow rules of the places where you plan to go. However, if you intend to lose it all, you have to find the right place. You need a break. It means you also want to get away with whatever you want to do. Although these places still have rules, you can somehow bail yourself from the situation. So where are these places?

South America – It’s the nearest from the United States. It does not cost that much too, if you want all the way fun.

Rio de Janiero always highlights everything with their annual street party.

There is also Cancun, the infamous spring break destination. Get naked and drunk all you want.

Argentines always know how to treat their guest with utmost fun and exposure.

The Netherlands – It is just the perfect place to exercise your liberty in all its essence. Drugs and sex are free if not that cheap. You can even get an abortion while on vacation there. It’s the only country that allows recreational drugs, homosexuality, prostitution, abortion and euthanasia.

Southeast Asia – It’s almost the Netherlands if you come to think of it. Maybe because it’s easy to get some “illegal” fun as long as you can bribe the authorities. Well, you still be careful because not all countries and not all people in the authority tolerate bribery. If you do so, ask some of the locals to do it for you. That’s what most naughty vacationers do.

Aside from its posh vicinity, the parties in Hong Kong are all the way. They stop at nothing.

Thailand is known for its open prostitution. Some people would dub it as the sin city of Asia. If you want real kinky honey, this is your right spot.

It’s okay to behave beyond your lucid state. However, you have to make sure that you can go back to your hotel safe and sound. Safety is still the priority during vacations. Always put a limit with everything that you plan to do. Always remember that it’s not easy to be imprisoned in some foreign countries.

So before you get high, wasted or laid, be sure that:

1. You inform your hotel of your whereabouts.

2. You don’t bring everything, like money, credit cards and important documents when you go parties.

3. You always tag along a buddy or a group. There should be a designated sober or normal person. Someone to be on the look out.

4. You have to stay away too local scenes. It will make you vulnerable to robbery.

5. You have to be sexually safe. Put adult vaccination on your pre-travel list. And yes condoms are necessities.

Now remember that fun is the goal, but you don’t have to lose yourself completely. You should have a little reservation. Reality might not be very kind to you after the vacation.

Forget about those horrible monsters in movies and on TV. Real terrifying creatures don’t really show themselves in wide open. In fact, some of them are quiet believable, perhaps because they resemble usual animals, except for that they have extra added strength and an exceptional craving for human flesh and other animals, or at least people think so.

Modern time may already accept the existence of ghosts, goblins, vampires and even zombies. Thank the film industry for that and their colorfully frightening presentation. Somehow the general idea of monsters is limited to these mythical and supernatural beings. Well, except for the zombies, which are just pure fear motivation. Like, where or what are they exactly?

Most of us miss a thing or two about the monsters that have shocked a particular town or place. There are urban legends and sightings that really keep people on the look out when the dark strikes. Question is, are they really monsters? Maybe it is just the excitement of being afraid and people would like to reflect their fear in these creatures.

Lake monsters. The infamous example is the Loch Ness giant in Scotland, and then there is Storsie in Sweden’s Lake Storsjön, Champ in New York’s Lake Champlain and Selma in Norway’s Lake Seljordsvatnet. Think dinosaurs that could swim. Is there really a point of calling them as such? Obviously, these monsters might have descended from those huge animals million years ago. In fact, it got some scientists attention even with only a blurred picture to prove it.

The Jersey Devil and the Chupacabra. Although they are different in physical appearance, they only have one purpose in mind – attack animals, massively kill them and leave horrific marks of mutilation. The twist of these monsters is they specifically target a certain place. While the Jersey Devil keeps its small territory of scaring the people of New Jersey forests, the Chupacabra on the other hand, has a bigger area. It covers or frightens South American countries. If mass animal murder happens in Mexico, Chile and all other Latin American places, blame it to the little creature. However, aren’t they just hungry animals that prey on other animals? Maybe their features are just results of genetic mutation.

The Loveland Lizard. Specifically found in along the river of Loveland, Ohio. According to witnesses, it really does look like a lizard except for its humongous size. In some occasions, they say that it also look like a giant frog. Wait a minute, maybe it belongs to some amphibian species that to be discovered.

Sasquatch and other man-like or animal-like monsters. There’s the popular Bigfoot that is commonly found in cold regions. Second thought: perhaps they are the last of the Neanderthal or the ape people. Even then, it has been so big for its people. Don’t the humans owe this monster some apology? Yes, it maybe hairy, big and smelly. Remember hygiene is not a really big thing eons ago. But then again, it just might be something that proves the reality of evolution.

The Mothman or that humanoid with wings and said to have high frequency qualities. It is said to have disturbed around Point Pleasant, Virginia. It usually kill, if not mutilate large dogs. Maybe this is just some mysterious human prankster who puts on a real insane costume. And yeah, it really hates dogs. Large dogs, particularly. What a fetish…

Dover, Massachusetts has its own version of scary, the so-called Dover Demon, which is quiet really small to make someone scream. The monster has been reported by teenagers. Perhaps they just have mistaken some wild animals for it. Talking about being young and imaginative. Some UFOlogists even think it has something to do with aliens. Again, the mind is such a brilliant creation of nature.

The Kapre of the Philippines. The so-called monster is a very huge and very dark man. He is known to be sitting in some big trees while puffing his cigar. Consider it a larger and simpler version of some guy killing time outside a non-smoking building on wee hours. What’s so scary about that? The piercing bloodshot eyes? Stoner.

There are still many versions around the world that stir fearful commotion. But then again, human thinking has the tendency to go beyond the ordinary. These monsters might be just products of that thoughts. People love to rationalize what they do not see clearly. Worse yet, they are just making some excuses to evade a situation or an issue. Hey, blaming others is not really new. Too bad for these monsters.

It is a common thing to look like tourists when you are on vacation. I bet the first idea that would come into mind would be shorts, belt bags, cotton shirts with the hat and the map. Well, at least that’s how we picture most of the American tourists. Have you ever thought about how other tourists travel? Like for instance, Koreans. Have you happened to bump into them in the airport? It’s actually easy to notice them. Of course except for their skin color and little eyes. But then again, you have to tell them apart from other Asian tourists like the Japanese or the Chinese.

Here’s a checklist so you would know which travelers are Koreans:

1. Travel in couples. It’s always two for a company, usually lover birds. You can’t blame them because traveling in great places becomes even more exciting if shared with someone, especially your significant other.
2. The matching outfit. So they travel as couples, that includes their clothes and accessories. They have to match for some reason. Perhaps it’s so they’re easy to track when lost from the group. Considering the language barrier, it is easy to point on a shirt and somehow ask “Have you seen someone with the same shirt or hat?”
3. Standing near the information booth. Again, it really has something to do with the language. They always double check the flight schedule and the gate, asking the staff every 10 minutes.
4. The souvenirs. Yeah, they tend to wear and carry anything that has been from the place. Although, it is still applicable with other tourists, Koreans are just into it. It’s amazing actually.

Koreans really take their vacation very seriously, especially if they are going for a luxurious trip. They somehow stick to the organized schedule. Maybe it’s their culture or something else, but they are really serious even in having fun. Wow!

You intend to go on a cruise. However, you really have that funny feeling that the ship might sink for some reasons. But then, you still want to go on a cruise because you have planned to have a vacation for the longest time now. You just have to go, although your mind is crowded of what to do and what to wear in case there will be that inevitable Titanic moment.

A little advice on what to wear if you already have your cruise paranoia ahead of you:

1. Light clothes – This is in lieu of packing light. It is indeed an all-time favorite travel suggestion. You only bring those things needed within the time frame of the trip. Forget about those flashy and “tourist-y” clothes. Bring those ones that do not require ironing, and please wear darker clothes, preferably black. See, they will come handy when everything goes haywire, especially if the next thing you know is that you are getting to know the sharks.
2. Black socks – It’s still a shark thing going on. Sharks don’t notice your feet kicking in the water when you want to stay afloat.
3. Bikinis or trunks – Admit it, it is easier for everybody to swim with them. And if you have washed into some deserted island, at least you are still in your best outfit. Plus, they quickly dry.