Have you ever wondered where our Hallowe’en traditions came from? Why do we dress up in costumes? Why do we go door-to-door, asking for treats, and why do we give out candy? Why do we threaten to play a trick on people? Why do we carve pumpkins and put candles or lights inside them? Why do we decorate with skeletons and skulls, ghosts and witches? To find out, we have to look back, way back, to the days of the Celts and Druids.
It wasn’t until recently, as I began looking into my Irish heritage, that I learned our Hallowe’en here in Canada and the US has its roots in Ireland and the ancient, Celtic tradition of Samhain (pronounced Saw-win), dating back about 3,000 years.
The introduction by the church of All Saint’s Day and All Souls’ Day led to the celebration in Mexico and other Latin American countries, of Dia de los Muertos – Day of the Dead. A slight misnomer, it’s actually a two-day event, November 1st and 2nd, filled with festivals and lively celebrations, combining Indigenous Aztec rituals with Catholicism, brought to this region by Spanish conquistadores.
What would you do if you saw a 12,000 pound elephant Bull walking towards you? Run, cry, scream??
This past winter I had the opportunity to stay at the Snowhotel in Kirkenes, Norway. I stayed on December 1st for one night. The actual Snowhotel wasn’t quite finished construction yet, so we stayed in the equally unique Gamme Cabins, and they were fabulous!
When I was researching interesting things to see in Moscow, the Moscow Metro System kept on popping up. So I booked a metro tour before I left – and it certainly did NOT disappoint!!
If you are familiar with the world of Expedition Cruises, you have then heard the term ‘Zodiac Cruise’ before. Zodiacs or RIB boats are durable and easy to maneuver, rubber passenger boats which enable travellers to make landings. These boats are used both in the Arctic and the Antarctic for daily excursions. Disembarking procedures begin in the mud room, where you start by putting on your warm weather clothing and rubber boots. When ready, you will head to the gangway where an expedition leader will assist you into the zodiac. Getting in and out of the zodiac is always assisted using the army grip, and then once sitting, sliding your posterior along the side of the boat. Most zodiac’s comfortably fit about 8 – 12 passengers, plus the driver/guide.
I went to Ireland, both the Republic of Ireland in the south and Northern Ireland, with my co-worker Lois. We did a lot of really neat stuff on our trip around this gorgeous, green island. But, one of my favourite things was being a Warrior for a Day at Castle Ward and Demesne in County Down, just south of Belfast. We got to take part in the Winterfell Game of Thrones™ Experience, because this castle was the setting of Winterfell in the HBO™ series and many scenes were shot on the grounds there.
For people that know me well, they know that ‘Food’ is one of my very favorite things. And, one of the best parts of travelling, for me, is trying out the local cuisine.