Food lovers all over the world tend to agree that French food is perhaps the best cuisine in the world. The French themselves tend to believe this wholeheartedly as they think that their many culinary delights are indeed superior to those that are offered by other global cuisines. It’s no surprise then that French restaurants and French Chefs are regarded quite highly in culinary spheres, as they are sought after by good food lovers everywhere. Unfortunately, British cuisine, which tends to suffer from quite a stodgy image doesn’t enjoy this same appeal, as many people dismiss it as being awful and lacking in flavor. I happen to travel to England quite a lot as my better half’s family resides there and over my many visits across the pond, I have grown to know, love and enjoy the many oddly named but quintessentially British foods which are in fact quite delicious.
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Music festivals have long been associated with the summer and several cities all over the world host raucous summer music festivals as a celebration of the arrival of balmy weather. These music festivals usually feature several big name artists whose presence serves as crowd pullers for these festivals. Apart from music, these festivals also feature several other forms of entertainment to the delight of the hordes who usually buy tickets to these much anticipated festivals months in advance.
England’s Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, which has been in existence since 1970, is often regarded as the mother of all music festivals. The festival is usually held over the last weekend in June on a working 1100 acre farm called the Worthy Farm located at Pilton near Glastonbury in the county of Somerset, England. The Festival is run by a local farmer called Michael Eavis who has nurtured the festival since its inception . This year, the Glastonbury Festival which has already sold out will be held from Wednesday, 24th June to Sunday, 28th June. read more
Summertime around the world is associated with a plethora of events, festivals and other happenings as people like to be out and about rather than cooped up at home like they are during the winter months. Accordingly, several European cities will host major contemporary art exhibitions during the summer of 2009 which are bound to enthrall and delight the hordes.
These art fests usually feature many allied local events and boisterous parties as the entire host city comes together to celebrate its art appreciation event.
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The Derby festival which is traditionally held over the first weekend in June at the Epsom Downs Race course located in Surrey, England is one of the most important events on the annual racing calendar. The Derby stakes (pronounced as “dar-bee”) or the Epsom Derby is a prestigious flat race for thoroughbred horses and ranks up there with other similar races like the Kentucky Derby, the Breeders Cup, the Dubai World Cup and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe amongst others.
This event which is held at Epsom Downs race course is a two day affair which not only features exciting horse racing but much fun and great fashion. This year, the Derby festival is to be held on Friday, 5th June and Saturday, 6th of June. The festival kicks off with the Derby Ball which is held at the Royal Automobile Club in Woodcote Park (Epsom) on the night before the race days. This year, the ball is to be held on Thursday, 4th June. The first day of the festival is always ‘Ladies Day’ and it features the Epsom Oaks race,while the second day of the festival is Derby Day. During the Derby festival, a festive atmosphere prevails at Epsom Downs as nearly 100,000 people gather at the various enclosures to take in the racing as well as the various picnics and barbecues which are held during the event. read more
The Belgian city of Ypres is an ancient town which is located in the Flemish Westhoek or the Belgian Province of West Flanders. This historic city which is also known as Ieper in the Dutch language was an important city for cloth production and cloth trading during the Middle Ages.
Apart from the cloth trade, Ypres is also well known as a locale where many of the fierce battles during the First World War were fought. These battles in fact completed flattened the city though today Ypres has been totally rebuilt in a manner so as to reflect its medieval heritage. However it has several historic sites like the Menin Gate which bear testimony to its violent past. The Menin Gate is a memorial which was built to honor the several hundred British and Commonwealth soldiers who lost their lives at the battles of Ypres Salient during the First World War.
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