Trinidad & Tobago Carnival 2015 to kick off on February 16-17

An explosion of colour, music, revelry, and creativity, Trinidad's Carnival has spawned similar celebrations around the world - including our very own Goa. But nothing can rival the abandonment, euphoria and stunning spectacle of the one celebrated in T&T!

The annual festival will take place this year on February 16-17, 2015 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Each year at 4am on Monday, Carnival begins under a cloak of darkness. Fuelled by exhilaration and the energetic rhythms of the soca music, revelers take to the streets for the predawn party of J'Ouvert. 

J'Ouvert (from the French 'jour ouvert' or 'day open') is almost ritualistic in its celebration of the darker elements of the island's folklore and history. Bathed in chocolate, mud, oil and paint, bands of revelers depict devils, demons, monsters and imps! J'Ouvert is a time for the loosening of inhibitions.

Come daytime, the J'Ouvert revelry clears and massive costumed bands of 'Pretty Mas' players flood the street with riotous colour. A cast of thousands take to the street 'jumping up' and 'wining' (gyrating of the hips) to the sound of soca blaring from speakers piled on music trucks.

The excitement is at fever pitch, but Carnival Monday is only a warm-up for Carnival Tuesday, which begins promptly at 8am. Thousands of masqueraders are in full costume, ready and impatiently awaiting their chance to strut in front of the television cameras as bands cross the main judging points. Each band has its own historical, mythological or tropical concept with various sections depicting aspects of the main theme. Bands are judged in three categories: small, medium and large and winners are announced after all the bands have crossed the stage. The Champion Band is crowned 'Masquerade Band of the Year'.

While Monday and Tuesday are officially the main days for Carnival, celebrations for Carnival begin right after Christmas, right up until Carnival Sunday. It is during this post-Christmas period that calypso tents open their doors to the public and cultural shows, from Limbo competitions to massive soca concerts, begin. 

Radio stations begin to play the latest soca hits and many masquerade bands launch their new themes. Steelbands begin intense preparations for Panorama, the annual competition for steel pan bands. Preliminary contests are hosted at panyards throughout the country during the six weeks leading up to Carnival. Panorama finals are the ultimate test of musical skill. Representing the best of the best, selected bands compete before judges and thousands of spectators the Saturday night before Carnival officially begins.

So... do you have an unparalleled stamina for partying? Then Trinidad's the place to be.

Take a dive at Barren Island, Andaman

Scuba divers are in for a special treat this season starting from February to April as the India’s live-aboard super-yacht - Infiniti - will do special scuba-diving trips to the legendary Barren Island in the Andaman Islands.

While there are many diving destinations in the Andamans, the most elusive and beautiful is Barren Island. Diving the surrounding waters of this remote island with the only active volcano in all of South Asia is simply stunning! With superb visibility, lush and fast growing coral gardens, manta rays and other pelagics, varied marine life, unique underwater stone and lava formations. This is scuba-diving at its most sublime!

There are several stunning dive sites here such as Purple Haze, Coral Paradise, Manta Bay, Auditorium, Gallery and many more. Read more about dive sites of Barren Island here. 

Barren Island

Barren is a remote island, about 135 km from Port Blair. This isolated island in the middle of the ocean hosts the only active volcano in South Asia. While the island itself is interesting with the volcano consistently blowing ash and smoke, black sand beaches and mysterious population of wild goats (nobody knows how these goats came to be on the island, but the speculation is that the British had left them there and somehow they have adapted to surviving on salt water) – the main attraction is the absolutely stunning diving in the waters surrounding this remote island.

It is accessible only via a live-aboard. Hence until now it was nearly impossible to experience the legendary diving here. The Infiniti Live-aboard has confirmed schedules for taking divers on this amazing adventure to this remote volcano. Owing to the remoteness of the island and the topography, trips to Barren Island can only be undertaken for a short period between February to April. 

The Infiniti has announced confirmed trips between these months, ranging from 5 nights to 9 nights. 

Visiting the Andaman Islands really is a special adventure. These islands are among the last places in the world with a minimum human footprint - only 26 of these 572 islands are inhabited. Until the beginnings of colonial rule, the islands were populated mainly by indigenous peoples. Today, the majority of population is mainland settlers who live in and around Port Blair.

Only a few diving destinations in the world feature more than a single major attraction. Andaman islands is one place that offers it all.

The Infiniti Live-aboard

The Infiniti is a 39m superyacht with four decks, and multiple relaxation areas including an indoor lounge, an outdoor lounge, a dining room and a huge sundeck. 12 guests are accommodated in six spacious and nicely furnished guest rooms on the main deck and upper deck. 

The Infiniti was custom designed and built in Thailand in 2013 under complete supervision of RINA 2 & is certified for unrestricted navigation in the open sea and also IRS 3 certified for Indian registration and operation in all waters of India. It is a PADI dive boat and is

authorized to teach diving & issue PADI certifications.

A diving package for a 5-night live-aboard trip to Barren Island on the Infiniti is

priced at Rs 1,09,000 + taxes and includes:

* Twin-share accommodation 

* All meals 

* Diving with expert dive guides (including night dives)

* Airport transfers at Port Blair

* Journey to Barren Island & other dive sites as per itinerary

* Barbecue night

* Scuba equipment 

Doing South Africa with Jonty Rhodes

Former South African cricketer, Jonty Rhodes, who is also the brand ambassador of South African Tourism in India recently hosted four Indians to his country. 

The four lucky winners of #TakeMeToSouthAfrica contest spent two beautiful weeks in the country with the adorable Rhodes as their host and guide. 

Jonty got the winners to experience the Atlantis Dunes in his adventurous style with the dive. The aftermath was an adrenaline filled sand-boarding day out in the dunes.  

As the tour guide, Rhodes donned the Chef’s hat and did wonders with it. He shared his secret pizza recipe and got all four winners to bake the perfect pizza for him. While the boys struggled to get the basics right, the girls went on to win the competition and Jonty’s heart with their delicious snack. 

Rhodes takes Indian tourists on a ride. 

He invited the contest winners on a high-speed jet boat ride down the iconic and vibrant V&A Waterfront precinct into the endless pristine blue marine. What followed was an adrenaline filled one hour ride of fun and exhilaration trying to spot the seals, sharks and dolphins. Advice: This stroll is not for the faint-hearted.  

Jonty Rhodes shared his love for vineyards and wine. 

He hosted the Indian group on a tour of the stunning Cape Winelands to some of South Africa’s best Wine Estates. Travel junkies explored this magnificent part of South Africa's Western Cape province and enjoyed sampling its magnificent wines and brandies with Rhodes. Wine-tasting, wine-making tours, excellent cuisine and magnificent scenery collectively create an irresistible attraction for international and local travellers alike. 

You can witness this two-week trip on Discovery Channel in the next few weeks.   

Goa's Carnaval will see Cupids shooting love arrows this year

Goa's annual carnaval coincides with Valentine's Day this year and this will reflect in the Carnaval too. One of the themes will therefore be 'Cupid and Love'! 

The four-day event scheduled to be held from February 14 to 17, 2015. King Momo will pronounce his reign over Goa at the first parade in Panaji on Saturday, 14 February with his entourage following him.

The spectacular traditional Carnaval float parades in other cities of Margao, Vasco, Mapusa and Ponda will be held as well. Cultural  programs and dances will also be organized across the state and tourists alongside Goans will be able to feel the Carnaval spirit flowing through their veins. Literally, even!

The  Goan Carnaval  was introduced  by the  Portuguese  who ruled  Goa for over four centuries and the festival is a legacy of several hundred years of Portuguese rule. From quiet  celebrations about seven to eight decades ago, the Carnaval has grown over the years to be India’s biggest cultural event drawing lakhs of tourists to Goa.

Brass bands, colourful décor, and Carnaval caricatures will be prominently displayed at all parade venues. 

The annual Food & Cultural Festival is also scheduled from February 13 to 17, 2015 and this will showcase some culinary heirlooms of Goa alongside modern cuisine in the state. Cultural programs, music, dance performances and Goan folklore will be prominently   showcased during the Food & Culture Fest.

The year of 'Thainess'

The Thai government has declared 2015 as the 'Discover Thainess' year.

What is 'Thainess'
Thai people are remarkably resilient in their way of life under the 'sanook' (fun) and 'mai pen rai' (don’t worry about it) attitudes to not get stressed out and to be kind and hospitable towards others. 

The spirit of 'Thainess' is a blend of traditions and beliefs. Everything is interconnected. For example, Thai boxing incorporates the Thai way of life in the wai kru dance as a way of paying respect to the trainer, the Thai fun in the enjoyment of the crowd, the Thai wisdom in the techniques and training handed down over centuries, and the Thai wellness in the many techniques used to treat wounds. 

The hill tribe of Chiang Mai

The everyday life of the Thai people can boast a similar mix of culture and traditions that epitomises 'Thainess'.

With this in mind, Thailand wants to encourage tourists to experience the distinct entity and characteristic of the Thai people and the nation’s cultural assets or 'Thainess' which can be characterised in seven unique aspects: Thai food, Thai arts, Thai way of life, Thai wellness, Thai festivals, Thai wisdom and Thai fun. 

As part of these seven aspects, Thai culinary experiences, traditionally made (not necessarily traditional-looking) Thai silk and visits to strongholds of Thai art such as temples, home-stays, holistic wellness, participation in key festivals, meditation over ancient Thai philosophies and interaction with the Thai people are being promoted as key experiences.

The experience 'Thainess' calendar
Opening ceremony (14 January at Siam Discovery and Ratchaprasong Intersection, Bangkok) Thailand Tourism Festival 2015 (14-18 January at Lumpini Park, Bangkok)
The Golden Kinship Celebration (19-20 February at Chinatown, Bangkok)
A Muay Thai festival (14-17 March, Ayutthaya Historical Park) 
Songkran - Thai New Year (10-15 April, nationwide) 
The Thailand Music Festival (22-23 May, in Phetchaburi) 
Thailand Grand Sale (June until 15 August)
The ASEAN Music and Arts Festival (17-18 July, Chiang Mai) 
A ‘Queen of Silk’ festival - one of the Queen’s brainchildren for uplifting key arts (14-16 August, in Bangkok) 

September beckons all food-lovers with the Thailand International Food Festival (18-20 September), October (24-26, in northern Thailand) will be all thrills for road-trippers and bikers at the Thailand Time Trial, on 25 November Thailand turns ethereal as Loy Krathong is celebrated nationwide and in December In Royal Melody will showcase the beautiful compositions of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is also an accomplished musician. 

The experience 'Thainess' map
Thailand is showcasing a few hidden gems for fans of Thailand to explore. These are locations that even those who return year on year from India, are yet to visit. These include serene Lampang, Phetchabun with its mist-shrouded mountains of flowers, Nan, the most romantic province in Thailand, Buriram where ancient Khmer and modern Thai civilisations meet; Loei to revel in the mountains; Samut Songkhram to witness the glory of mighty rivers; arts capital Ratchaburi; the islands of dreams, Trat; the fruit capital, Chanthaburi; all things exotic (even underwater weddings!) in Trang; untouched emerald isles in Chumphon and unspoiled nature combined with distinct religiousness in Nakhon Si Thammarat. 

Are you attending Goa's Grape Escapade?

Goa's popular wine festival is here again with a bigger variety of wines, cuisines and entertainment. In its tenth year, the  Grape Escapade 2015 will be held from January 23 to January 26, 2015 at the D. B. Bandodkar Grounds, Campal, and Panjim.

The festival is being organized by Goa Tourism and will bring together restaurateurs, hoteliers, wineries and lifestyle brands, all under one roof. More than 20 wineries will pour wines, while around 15 restaurants and catering companies will offer a range of gourmet food including barbecues, Continental and Oriental cuisine. 

The Grape Stomping, which is a tradition at the festival, is the fun part. Wineries participating this year include Diageo Malaya Wines, Bohemia Wine, 4 Season Wine, Sula, Chateau Indigo, Howling Wolves, Big Banyan Wine, Mandalavalley Wine, Zampa Wines, N.D. Wines, Nira Valley Wine, Vinsura Wine, Berkmann Wine Cellars India and Vintage Wine. Wine-tasting sessions will be conducted on all four days. 

Restaurants will include Mum's Kitchen, Vasquitos, Bottle Bay, Zeebop and Khanasutra. This year's edition will also have fashion shows, live music and dance performances.

Yeats: An Irish icon

If you are even remotely into poetry, you will have heard of Yeats, if not read him. 

I chanced upon his writings when i was just discovering Wilde in an old forgotten library about a decade ago. I loved him instantly, although i must admit that Wilde still remains my favourite. 

As an Irish lad, the country he was born in made sure that no one forgot him. And so com this June, Ireland will start a year-long celebrations of cultural and artistic events to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Irish Nobel Prize-winning poet William Butler Yeats.

'Yeats2015' will present a local, national and international series of exhibitions, performances, educational events, festivals, concerts, readings, talks and screenings in celebration of the literary icon, the first time Ireland will honour any one individual in such a way.

The cultural events, centred on Sligo, Galway, Dublin, London, and in counties across Ireland, will be echoed in a diverse international programme.

Highlights include a worldwide celebration of the poet on Yeats Day (13 June), an exhibition of John Yeats paintings at the National Gallery, a music and poetry weekend at the National Concert Hall, an expanded Yeats Summer School in Sligo, theatre and dance performances at national arts festivals, and widespread literary and poetry events throughout the year.

The National Library Dublin will also host a series of events at its award-winning exhibition, the Life and Works of William Butler Yeats, as will the City Museum in Galway and The Model in Sligo.

International elements will include a series of events in London, including a poetry event at the British Library in London, exhibitions at Ireland’s embassy network and at international library locations facilitated by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Yeats received the Nobel Prize for Literature in December 1923, the first Irishman to do so, and was cited by the Nobel Academy as having ’given expression to the spirit of a whole nation’.

The poet’s love of Ireland and of places that were of particular inspiration to him – Sligo, Galway and Dublin – will be integral to the Yeats2015 programme.

Several Yeats trails in Ireland take in key sites and experiences related to the poet, including one that runs from the Dublin Writers Museum to sites in Galway and Sligo.

His graveside, in a churchyard in the village of Drumcliff in County Sligo, still forms a pilgrimage for thousands of poetry aficionados and culture seekers as part of a tour through ‘Yeats Country’.

No visit to the area would be complete without a trip on the Rose of Innisfree tour boat for a sail around the Isle of Innisfree, so inspirational to one of Yeats’ – and Ireland’s – most popular poems.

The Lake Isle of Innisfree
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

- W.B. Yeats