For two weeks of each year, in the middle of July, one can find themselves amid the most popular festival in Pamplona, San Fermin: “Encierro” (or as it is called in English: “The Running of the Bulls”). Pamplona, Spain has become internationally known for its annual Running of the Bulls festival that draws crowds of hundreds of thousands of people to watch an event that perhaps may not even last longer than ten minutes. Originally, festivities were solely in honour of the Patron Saint of Navarra: San Fermin. Every year on the 7th of July, the early morning sun greets the community of Navarra as they gather in the street to raise the statue of their beloved Patron Saint. This statue is a silver-plated wooden ...
As I stood on a tiny wooden platform, staring down into the impossible depths of the lush Costa Rican Rainforest, I began to reconsider my decision to try zip lining for the first time. After the first leap into the forest-abyss, overwhelmed and exhilarated from my jungle flight, I was hooked on Costa Rica zip lining. The small town of Montezuma, located on the southern tip of Costa Rica’s beautiful Nicoya Peninsula, is famous for it scenic waterfalls and coastline. A canopy tour in Montezuma is an unrivaled means of exploration, simply put, it is Costa Rica zip lining at its best. The Canopy Tour takes visitors across 9 cables and 11 platforms situated 1200 meters above the forest at different points along the Montezuma ...
When the month of April arrives in The Republic of Vanuatu, it brings with it a tradition people have begun to recognize the world over—albeit in a different form. New Zealander A.J. Hacket has done an amazing job popularizing what we now know as bungee jumping. However, on the island of Pentecost in Vanuatu it is still known as land diving or Naghol. As the rainy season draws to a close, villages far and wide come together for the yearly tradition of Naghol, so that they may give thanks and guarantee a bountiful harvest. Local materials of logs and vines are gathered from the bush and brought together to construct the towers that the land divers will jump from, looming an astonishing 25 meters high. ...
There is a reason why New Zealand is known as the “Adventure Capital of the World.” The country has invented countless audacious adventure sports and holds the first site of commercial bungee jumping. With all of the high adrenaline activities being pioneered here, it's no surprise that the Kiwis were also the first to climb into giant plastic balls and throw themselves down a hill, an activity known as Zorbing. Zorbing, or sphereing, is essentially a child’s dream (and many an adult’s nightmare). You enter a transparent sphere with a three metre circumference and get launched down a hill, either on a straight or zigzagged path. The sport came about in the 1990s, created by two Kiwis looking for a thrill. It has since grown ...
Nestled in the French Alps near the borders with Switzerland and Italy, Chamonix Mont Blanc is probably the most famous destination in Europe for skiing. It’s not hard to see why – this beautiful area has a host of scenic peaks plus a wide range of slopes. From beginner slopes to longer tracts including free-ride and off-piste, there’s something to suit all levels. The town’s three ski areas are: Brévent/Flégère, which has south-facing slopes with amazing views of the Mont Blanc peaks; the Grands Montets, high altitude slopes facing to the north; and the Balme area, wide open slopes atop Chamonix valley next to Switzerland. There’s also a sister resort at the other end of the valley called les Houches. If you’re an absolute beginner, ...
Towering more than 260 meters above Sydney, at almost six times the height of Niagara Falls, the Sydney Tower is nearly impossible to miss walking through the city. From atop the observation deck, striking views take you through the Harbour Bridge, over the Sydney Opera House, past sprawling beaches, to reach the soaring Blue Mountains in the distance. Great for kicking back and enjoying the scenery, or simply taking in a view found no where else in Australia, the Sydney Tower gives you a unique perspective over an exceptional landscape. Opened in 1981, after seven years of construction, visitors can reach the observation deck of the Sydney Tower by taking a 40 second elevator ride. For the more adventurous and fit, there is also the ...
Faro in southern Portugal is a great town to soak up the atmosphere of the Algarve. One of the attractions here is a visit to the Igreja do Carmo: a church in Faro famous for its Capela dos Ossos (“Chapel of Bones”). Located a short walk from the old town of Faro, you can see the Igreja do Carmo as you walk up the hill, in the middle of a plaza. It isn't open all day, and closes through the middle of the day, so time your arrival accordingly. At around 3.30 p.m. the Igreja do Carmo re-opens, and as you walk down the wooden aisle, the ominous creaking of floorboards builds the suspense for the main tourist attraction. Taking a right halfway down the ...
In many ways, the Iditarod is for winter what the Tour de France is for summer. Representing one of the cruellest and most challenging sporting events in the world, the dog race tests the will and strength of racers to the very limit. Not for the faint of heart, this sports event is certainly not just a snow day. Beginning in the early ‘70s, the Iditarod is a world-renowned race, pushing both humans and their dogs to the limit. Though the Iditarod race only dates back a few decades, dog sledding has a long history in Alaska. Named after the small Alaskan town of Iditarod, the race was originally meant to end there; however, races finished up in Nome, Alaska. The proper term for the ...
The Stanley Hotel creaks and groans like a hotel built in the early 20th century would. But it isn’t always the crooked doors or the old floorboards that are responsible for this. The Stanley Hotel is one of the most haunted buildings in the world. Several ghosts, from old housekeepers to young children, still call this beautifully refurbished turn-of-the-century building home. And whether you like it or not, you could have an uninvited roommate while spending the night in this charming hotel. Thousands check-in to the Stanley Hotel each year to spend a spooky, sometimes sleepless night. Stephen King, likely the most famous Stanley Hotel guest, was inspired to write his book, The Shining, in just one week after spending a night in the hotel. ...
