Festivals around the world this June
siddlobo
29 May, 2009 16:26
The sun's shining, the parties are getting longer, the skirts are getting shorter and the fun is tuned up all the way. Here are some popular festivals from around the world this June.
Glastonbury Festival, UK
24th – 28th June
Glastonbury Festival is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. This tented city offers entertainment to match everyone’s taste. From frenzied rock to more laid back jazz, whatever your choice of music, you can be sure there’s a tune that’ll be music to your ears.
June Bonfire Festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13th – 29th June
This is a New World twist on an old European tradition. The feasts of St. Anthony (13th June), St. John (24th June) and St. Peter (29th June) are celebrated with great pomp and tradition in the city. In streets, squares and public places, stalls are set out to resemble village market places and are decorated with streamers and lanterns. Fires are kindled in open spaces, mock country weddings are performed where couples follow the old tradition of leaping over flames. Eating, dancing, music, fireworks and festivities set against the backdrop of bonfires is the order of the day.
Beer Festivals, around the world
Throughout June
Beer lovers rejoice! June is beer month with festivals dedicated to that special ale cropping up all over the world. From Montreal to Jacksonville, Leipzig to Tokyo, head for the one that’s closest to you. Click here for the beer festival calendar for June 2009.
Download Festival, UK
22nd June
This is not for Kenny G fans. With a lineup including, Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Faith No More, this is one of UK’s loudest festivals. One to join if you’re a rock or metal fan.
Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago, USA
12th – 14th June
This is for those who prefer their music softer. The Chicago Blues Festival is the largest free blues festival in the world and remains the largest of Chicago's Music Festivals. During three days on six stages, more than 640,000 blues fans prove that Chicago is the "Blues Capital of the World." Past performers include Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor.
World Rose Festival, Vancouver, Canada
19th -21st June
If you’re a rose lover, this is the place to be. As the name suggests, this is the ultimate experience for those interested in discovering more about one of the most popular flowers in the world. With world class rose shows, rose gardens, rose workshops, rose markets, rose artwork, rose culinary treats, this is your chance to get rosy.
Midsummer Festivals, around the world
Around 24th June
Midsummer festivals are popular across Europe and are celebrated on or around the summer solstice. They are particularly important in Northern Europe - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden - but are found also in Ireland, parts of Britain, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, the Ukraine, other parts of Europe, and elsewhere - such as Canada, the United States, Puerto Rico, and also in the Southern Hemisphere (Brazil), where this imported European celebration would be more appropriately called Midwinter. Celebrations include bonfires, dancing, feasting, maypoles, fireworks and parades depending on where you are.
Top 5 adventure activities in and around Dubai
siddlobo
25 May, 2009 18:54
Dubai has transformed itself from a barely inhabited desert to a top tourist destination. While the sun and the sea attract well heeled travelers looking for a chance to grill on the beach, the city has a number of exciting outdoor activities that are quite unique to the region. From camel riding to hot air ballooning, sand skiing to falconry, here are some thrilling options for the more actively inclined.
Desert Safari
This is an action packed adventure that includes dune bashing, camel riding, sand skiing and a number of other activities in one evening. As the name suggests, dune bashing is just that. Expect an adrenaline packed ride where your 4x4 crashes through dunes and kicks up a storm of sand around you. If you’re attempting your first camel ride, here’s a tip that’ll come in handy. Fight tooth and nail for the seat at the back. It’s far more comfortable and there’s a much lesser chance of falling off from here. Sand skiing is a new rage in Dubai. You basically get to the top of a dune and ‘ski’ down the dune. If you love skiing the traditional way, i.e. on snow, you’ll find this a pretty unique way of enjoying your favourite sport all year round. http://www.desertsafaridubai.com
Hot Air Balloon Rides
This is the best way to enjoy some of the most breathtaking views the desert has to offer. Like an early morning sunrise breaking out on the horizon, a stray camel walking along the desert or a gazelle running off into the distance. This is ideal for those who'd like to enjoy the majestic beauty of the desert. Relax and watch the endless dunes pass by beneath you as life takes on a surreally peaceful tone. Find out more with the ballooning specialists in Dubai at http://www.ballooning.ae
Falconry
Here’s another uniquely Arab outdoor experience. Falconry has long been a part of the local Arab culture. At the Al Sahra Desert Resort, you can experience one of the world’s most ancient sports from the comfort of a shaded camp. If you’d like to be more hands on, you can also get involved with training these amazing birds. http://www.shaheenxtreme.com/index.html
Quad biking
If your idea of fun is driving through the constantly changing dunes, quad biking is for you. Outdoor adventure enthusiasts will enjoy revving up quad bikes and blazing trails through the desert. The quad bikes are fully automatic and easy to ride. Minimum age is 15 years. Find out more at http://www.arabiahorizons.com/Quad-Bike-Safari
Wadi bashing
This is for the truly adventurous. Wadis are dry river beds that follow the course of seasonal streams in rocky valleys. As these riverbeds weren’t made for driving, wadi bashing can be quite a back jolting ride. Not for the faint hearted.
http://www.middleeasthub.com/dubai/things-to-do/wadi-bashing.html
Sidd Lobo
Freelance copywriter based out of Munich
Fast facts on Swine Flu (type A H1N1 virus)
siddlobo
16 May, 2009 12:20
Read the news and chances are that you’ll find yourself staring at the photo of a pig or a swine flu victim. At the time this article is being written, 33 countries have reported more than 6,600 cases of swine flu worldwide, with less than 70 deaths in total. The figures are based on tallies provided by national governments and WHO. According to the global body's pandemic alert level, the world is at phase 5 — out of a possible 6 — meaning that a global outbreak is "imminent." Whether or not this happens, it’s good to brief ourselves on some of the basic facts about this pandemic. Here are some frequently asked questions as answered by CDC, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is swine flu?
Swine flu (swine influenza) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.
How many swine flu viruses are there?
Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.
How does swine flu spread?
Influenza viruses can be directly transmitted from pigs to people and from people to pigs. Human infection with flu viruses from pigs are most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur. This is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
What are the symptoms of swine flu in humans?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?
No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.
How can human infections with swine flu be diagnosed?
To diagnose swine influenza A infection, a respiratory specimen would generally need to be collected within the first 4 to 5 days of illness (when an infected person is most likely to be shedding virus). However, some persons, especially children, may shed virus for 7 days or longer. Identification as a swine flu influenza A virus requires sending the specimen to CDC for laboratory testing.
What medications are available to treat humans with the infection?
There are four different antiviral drugs that are licensed for use in the US for the treatment of influenza: amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir. While most swine influenza viruses have been susceptible to all four drugs, the most recent H1N1 influenza viruses isolated from humans are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine.
What can you do to prevent the spread of swine flu?
Here are some simple steps to bear in mind. Firstly, avoid contact with ill people. If you sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue. Throw the tissue away into a trash can. After you sneeze, make sure you wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand gel.
To round it all up, we don’t know if swine flu is ever going to become a global pandemic on the scale of SARS. What we do know is that we can take some common sense steps to protect ourselves. Like avoiding unnecessary travel to swine flu hotspots, avoiding farms and livestock fairs and cooking pork till it’s well done. While there are 70 reported deaths from swine flu, remember that there are 300,000 deaths in the world each year resulting from common influenza. The trick is to carry on with life, just a little more carefully.
For more detailed information on swine flu, click here.
Sidd Lobo
Freelance copywriter based out of Munich
Dubai’s real estate icons
siddlobo
12 May, 2009 10:27
Iconic, ostentatious, innovative, outrageous… love it or hate it, Dubai’s real estate developments have put the city on the world map. It’s estimated that 25% of the world’s cranes can be found in Dubai. A mere 20 years ago, this was a little known desert town - its centre marked by four buildings. Now, this buzzing city has been dubbed by a number of lofty nicknames- ‘Vegas on the Gulf’, ‘City of Gold’, ‘The Desert Miracle’ to name a few. While the economic downturn has caused a slowdown in its building frenzy, parts of the city still look like a massive construction site. This article takes a look at some of the most famous real estate developments in Dubai.
Burj Al Arab
This iconic building, designed to resemble a billowing sail, dominates the Dubai skyline. At 321 metres (1,050 ft), it is the second tallest building in the world used exclusively as a hotel. The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. At night, this impressive structure is illuminated by beautifully choreographed lighting.
Burj Dubai
At 818 metres, this is the tallest man-made structure ever built, despite being incomplete. Construction is expected to be completed by September 2009. The estimated building cost is US$1 billion. Here are some more interesting facts. The Tower’s external surface is the size of 17 football fields, the concrete used is the weight of 100,000 elephants and the water system will supply about 250,000 gallons of water per day. http://www.burjdubai.com
The Palm Islands
The Palm Islands are designed to be the world’s largest man- made islands. In order to increase the number of beachfront properties, the islands were designed in the shape of a palm tree instead of a traditional circle. The three Palm projects, the Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali and the Palm Deira are set to become one of the world’s most iconic housing and tourism projects. http://www.thepalm.ae
The World
Where in the world will you find a real estate project in the shape of the world? Located four kilometres off the coast of Dubai, The World comprises of 300 man-made islands clustered into the shape of the world map. From private islands to commercial properties, this project is truly out of this world. http://www.theworld.ae
Atlantis
A super luxurious hotel set on the Palm Jumeirah, it also boasts of the world’s largest open air marine habitat with over 65000 marine species, an exciting water park, a dolphinarium (the dolphins were brought in from Australia along with their trainers), private beaches, spas and world class restaurants. http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/theresort.aspx
Dubailand
At 186 million square metres, which is twice the size of Disneyworld in Florida, Dubailand is set to be one of the largest developments in the region. The project once completed is expected to have 50 themed leisure attractions and hotels. Themes include Dubai Sports City, Motor City, Aqua Dunia, Golf City and lots, lots more. http://dubailand.ae
Find more information about expat life in Dubai on Easy Expat.
Sidd Lobo
Freelance copywriter based out of Munich
How to Arrange Your Own Study Abroad Program (5/5)
audrey
06 May, 2009 18:14
This is the last article of a series of 5, explaining how to arrange your own study abroad program.
First article: Decide Where to Go
Second article: Determine When to Go
Third article: Language Problems and Programs
Fourth article: How to Pay for It
Practical Matters
After you've made the difficult decisions concerning where to
conduct your study abroad program, when you want to go and have
arranged to pay for it, it's time to get down to nuts and bolts of
making the final arrangements to go. It's a good idea to keep a
checklist and mark each task when it is completed.
If the program you have chosen provides accommodations for its
students, either on campus or in the area, it's wise to take advantage
of it. The accommodations will almost always be safe, clean and
accessible to campus or to transportation, even if they are not always
luxurious. If you are very familiar with the area (through prior visits
or friends and family in the region), you may be able to obtain cheaper
accommodations on your own, but again, allow sufficient lead time. If
the program does not provide accommodations and you don't have insider
information, ask about recommendations from the program staff or
administrators. This is one area where it is unwise to rely on Internet
searches alone. Never take a room or a flat sight unseen unless it is
issued or recommended by someone you know or your study abroad
program. If all else fails, make arrangements to arrive early and stay
at a hostel while you search for accommodations.
Shipping a car overseas is almost never advisable unless you are
relocating permanently, and sometimes not even then. The costs are
prohibitive, and in some instances, your vehicle may not be allowed in
the host country. Car rentals may also be very expensive as well, with
restrictions on who is eligible to rent. An International Driving Permit
is inexpensive and may make it easier to obtain a rental car overseas.
It also serves as a good form of identification to carry with you
instead of your passport, which should be kept in a safe place while
you are abroad.
In many urban areas especially, public transit is a safe,
inexpensive form of transportation, although possibly confusing to a
newcomer. In other areas, this is very risky, especially for women
travelling alone. This is a subject where asking the staff of your
institution (or friends in the area) for advice is a very good idea. .
Many public transit systems have their own websites which are at least
partially translated into English. Check them out, and obtain schedules
and maps ahead of time and study the routes you are most likely to take
during your study abroad program.
You should also ask the staff of your institution about practical
matters such as shopping, banking, and currency exchange. One easy way
to obtain local currency is through an ATM (automated teller machine),
even though there are usually fees involved. Nonetheless, the
currency exchange rates are usually good, and many bank debit cards, as
well as Visa or MasterCard debit cards, can be used worldwide. Check
with your home bank about the procedure involved before you leave. In
addition, you should study the official government and tourist websites
for the country, city or local region as well as the website for your
study abroad institution for transportation information, local laws and
customs, as well as other pertinent information. The more familiar you
are before you arrive, the better.
Be sure your passport is up to date and valid, and allow plenty of
time to obtain a visa and/or residence permit if you need one or both.
Some countries require that you have at least six months validity on
your passport after the end date of your planned stay. Whether you need
a visa will depend on your home country and/or how long you plan to
remain in your host country. Check with your institution and with the
embassy of the country you are visiting. If you do need a visa, ask
your institution (or volunteer organization) to provide you with a
letter of introduction to present along with your visa application.
This will almost always be provided without question, although you may
need to pay all applicable fees beforehand.
If you are travelling to or from the developing world, you may need
immunizations. Again, check with the official government information or
tourist website for your host country. It's also a good idea to check
out the health care facilities for your host country, especially if you
have health issues. You should also check whether your present
insurance coverage will be valid in your host country. It not, you
should purchase travel insurance, which may be required by the host
institution or the country you choose to visit, and is highly advisable
to have in any event.
You should also obtain an international calling card as well as an
inexpensive GSM phone with a prepaid SIM card for the country or
countries you are visiting. International roaming charges can be
outrageously expensive. Telestial
offers a variety of products and offers excellent service. In the
scramble to take care of all these details, be sure you don't forget to
put a temporary hold on your mail, newspaper and other deliveries,
especially if you will be overseas for more than two weeks. Having
someone look in on your house or flat is a good idea as well. If you
have food in your refrigerator, you should dispose of it or give it to
a friend. If you have pets, you should arrange for their care.
The main point (which cannot be stressed enough), is to allow
sufficient lead time to make all the necessary arrangements to ensure
that your study abroad program is a success. Although the process can
be somewhat complex, it is possible for nearly anyone to be able to
study abroad if the desire is strong enough, and the rewards are
definitely worth it. Once all the pieces are in place, all that's left
is to pack up and go!
Useful Links
The links below are for embassy offices worldwide, as well as
further information on international driving permits, travel insurance,
mobile phones and related resources.
Embassy Listings (For Visa and Residence Permit Information)
International Driving Permits
Other Practical Information
Audrey Henderson
Freelance writer based in Chicago
