Being an avid traveler, the first spot that I seem to gravitate towards at any destination is a market. Markets I believe help you ‘get your finger on the pulse’ on any destination as they are usually busy and bustling places of commerce which are full of exciting sights, sounds and smells. Here are some of the world’s famous markets which are also considered to great tourist attractions.
The Scottish capital city of Edinburgh really knows how to throw a party so much so that it hosts almost a dozen festivals every year. The citizens of Edinburgh are very passionate about art and culture and they, along with visitors to the city, really enjoy the various performances, spectacles and events which feature in these festivals. The bulk of Edinburgh’s festivals however, seem to be held in the month of August. These festivals which are usually six in number, are collectively known as the Edinburgh festival and this year they kick off on the last day in July with the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival.
Fringe Poster- Photo Credit:theedinburghblog
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.
The city of Chicago has been making news headlines in recent times. The reason for its new found fame is its association with the current President of the USA, President Barack Obama. President Obama, who is the first African-American to hold this post, spent many years working and teaching in the city of Chicago which is also known as the Windy City. He was based in Chicago during the three terms that he served as an Illinois Senator and continued to live and work there until he was elected to the post of the US President in November 2008. This monumental event evoked much interest all over the world so much so that sightseeing tours in Chicago now concentrate on sites that are associated with the President as people are intensely curious about this 44th President of the USA. Many of the sites that these tours visit also include the various Chicago restaurants that were frequented by the President when he lived there.
In fact, this large Midwestern city has long been associated with great foods. Certain popular treats like Italian beef (roast beef) and the Deep Dish Pizza were actually invented in Chicago. Other famous Chicago foods include the Chicago style hot dog which is a boiled or steamed all beef hot dog that was invented in Chicago during the depression era at its famous Maxwell Street Market, Polish Sandwiches, Chicago Steaks and Chicago style Barbecue foods.
If you have only heard of Chicago’s rich culinary heritage and have always wanted to sample these mouthwatering delights, you should perhaps plan to attend the upcoming Taste of Chicago 2009. Taste of Chicago is one of the biggest annual events in Chicago and the world’s largest outdoor food festival which has been known to attract more than six million people every year. This year this foodie extravaganza is to be held from Friday 26th June to Sunday, 5th July.
If you have ever visited New York City, you are probably aware that it is a city which has many diverse neighborhoods. Moreover each of these neighborhoods or ‘nabes’ as they are often called have their own inimitable character. One such prominent New York City neighborhood, is an area that is located in Midtown West, which is known as ‘Hell’s Kitchen’. The Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood encompasses an area that stretches from 34th Street to 59th Street from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River.
This neighborhood was known for its gritty, rough and tumble character as it has been home for years to a largely Irish-American working class population. The character of the neighborhood changed somewhat in the 1950’s when the district came to be occupied by Puerto Rican immigrants as they tended to get into violent skirmishes with the original inhabitants of the neighborhood. Today however this neighborhood like much of the Manhattan has undergone a rapid gentrification as old buildings have given away to shiny condominium apartment buildings which house young professionals and several actors who ply their craft in the nearby theater district, though some old time residents still continue to reside in the older buildings of this lively neighborhood which is now a major entertainment, transportation and infrastructure hub in modern day Manhattan.
