World Travel Guide: Holiday attractions and events - |
|
Travel Guide (Home) |
In the mid-1950s the shops in Regent Street, London, decided to entice more customers to the area (and into the shops) by having a lavish display of Christmas lights. They were motivated by an article in the Daily Telegraph in late 1954 which stated that London was "drab" despite it being Christmas time.
The first Christmas Lights were little more than lanterns on the fronts of the buildings, but with the passage of time (aided by technology) the lights have become more and more extensive, elaborate and sophisticated.
Despite the success of the lights in attracting people to the area, in 1971, the economic downturn saw them discontinued and it was not until 1978 that they returned.
The fact that they were a success was not lost on the shops in Oxford Street (which meets Regent Street at Oxford Circus) and the traders there, in 1959, launched their own Christmas lights.
Since those early days, lights at Christmas time have spread to other areas of the capital, especially the West End, where up-market traders and theatre-land merge. So, in 2006, Christmas lights also featured in the street decorations of Covent Garden Market and Bond Street, as well the area around the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square.The lights now are not just fixed to the facades of buildings. They stretch across the road, suspended above the traffic, and follow an increasingly sophisticated (and commercial) series of themes.
There is often intense competition to get a "hot" popular entertainer or celebrity to perform the "switch-on" each year, and now the events resemble a concert, often with the roads closed to traffic, live singers, bands and musicians, or big screens showing excepts from stage shows or recent movies.
The main beneficiaries of the display, the traders themselves are no longer having to bear the whole cost - which has been heavily criticised in recent years as being anti-environmental - as they are getting the "man in the street" to sponsor individual bulbs, and large corporations to sponsor huge tableaux.
From early November until early January, the lights are a major attraction in themselves – 24 hours a day in Oxford Street, from 2pm until 2am in Regent Street and at various times elsewhere. Some 40 million people are estimated to view the lights in London (2006 figures) which are estimated to stretch for over 2 miles.
Although Carnival has almost universal appeal wherever the Roman Catholic Church has a substantial presence, the level and extent of celebration varies enormously, ranging from hugely popular, highly developed, commercially supported, tourist-inspired events down to small celebrations within a locality which may only involve a few small villages or a small town.
Some of these events are Carnival in its traditional sense, but many have elements of local folklore integrated. The event in Sydney is a Gay & Lesbian Carnival. Some are promoted as Mardi Gras, although not necessarily limiting themselves to the day before Ash Wednesday. Most start two weeks
Read this article in full
Torrevieja is one of the most important summer holiday spots in the province of Alicante, about 50 kilometres from the city of Alicante and making up what is known as the Costa Blanca in Spain. Torrevieja and the town of Pilar de la Horadada are in the southern tip, the last towns before you head into the province of Murcia.
When making holiday plans, if you are to arrive there by plane, the closest airport would be the one in Alicante called the Altet. It has great flight combinations with the rest of Europe, especially when flying in from England.
Read this article in full
The West Country Carnival has its origin in a bonfire at the Cornhill in Bridgwater. This was built from a large wooden boat, filled with about 100 tar barrels and whatever other flammable rubbish was available. It is said that this tradition ceased because of a lack of suitable old boats - and the revellers' determination to maintain the custom by turning to good boats as a source of fuel!
There is still a bonfire at the Cornhill each year - but using more sustainable fuel sources. Effigies of the conspirators were traditionally paraded through the streets before being cast onto
Read this article in full
Can't wait to shop in Shanghai? Well then, which are the best places to shop in this consumption-crazy city in China?
Shanghai is well known for some of the best shopping experiences you'll find among major cities in China. When visiting Shanghai you'll surely pass through the city's two major commercial streets - upscale Nanjing Xi Lu (Nanjing West Road) and bustling Huaihai Lu (Huaihai Road).
But there's a lot more to shopping than these two obvious places. Indeed, you'll find streets big and small full of shopping centres. You'll be able to plan a full day of shopping if that's
Read this article in full
 |
Download free Falls of Clyde Screensaver | |
 |
Travel Guide store | |
 |
Travel News | |
 |
Subscribe to News Feed [Disclaimer] |
We support this site using affiliate marketing as a way to earn revenue. All the ads, and many of the links mentioning other products, services, or websites are special links that earn us a commission when you use or pay for their product/service.
Please do not use our site if this alarms you.
