Getting off your plane only to stand at a baggage carousel waiting for luggage that doesn’t show is no way to start a vacation or any kind of trip. According, to the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2012, for every 1,000 passengers there were 3.09 mishandled bags. While, there’s not much you can do to completely prevent lost luggage there are steps you can take to reduce the risk.
Why not go ahead and combine all the traditions this year? Glue a coin to the sidewalk, sneak up on the unsuspecting person trying to pick it up, attach a paper fish to her or his back and then loudly yell “April, April!”
Cherry blossom season in Japan draws tourists from all over the world for an event that captures the ephemeral nature of beauty. Throughout the country, cherry blossoms erupt in astonishing color in the spring for a very short time, and tourists flock to various cities from January to June to view the cultural event that Japanese citizens have celebrated for more than a thousand years.
Wind, weather and temperatures affect the dates when trees begin to blossom. Forecasts for 2013 include the following dates provided by the Japanese Weather Association:
|
Location |
Begins |
Best Viewing Dates |
|
Aomori |
April 24 | April 29 to May 6 |
|
Fukushima |
April 10 | April 15 to April 22 |
|
Hiroshima |
March 24 | April 1 to April 9 |
|
Hakodate |
May 1 | May 5 to May 12 |
|
Kanazawa |
April 2 | April 8 to April 15 |
|
Kyoto |
March 25 | April 1 to April 10 |
|
Nagoya |
March 24 | March 31 to April 8 |
|
Tokyo |
March 25 | April 1 to April 10 |
Hanami is the Japanese custom of taking time to view flowers, and cherry blossoms in full bloom create one of the world’s most spectacular tourist attractions. Retirees, frequent travelers and professional couples can enjoy viewing the blossoms at different times in various Japanese cities, rekindling romances, taking part in a world-class celebration of the arts and enjoying the company of similar people who take an interest in the finer humanistic disciplines.
You can choose from formal tours, personal travel or pick a favorite hotel to combine festival visits, trips to tourist attractions and cherry blossom viewing activities to get the most from your vacation. In fact, you need not worry too much about exact dates because fast train rides can get you quickly to the best areas for viewing.
Popular festivals sites include Asukayama Park, above JR Oji Station in Tokyo, and Koishikawa Botanical Garden near Hakusan and Myogadani Stations, and both events take place in early April in 2013. Popular areas to consider for your trip include Marunouchi and Shinjuku Tokyo
and the Ginza hotel.
The Golden Route of Japan tours of Tokyo and Kyoto offer visits to cultural landmarks, shopping destinations and flowering gardens amidst historical shrines, temples and Japan’s unique architecture.
Trips to see the flowering cherry trees in spring make very romantic honeymoons and wedding anniversaries, and arts aficionados will enjoy the astonishing array of festivals, parades, cultural events and gallery showings. Blossoming cherry trees have carved their place as an enduring symbol of Japanese beauty and artistic expression.
Every year, the Jewish community celebrates Passover to mark the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. In the Hebrew calendar, Passover begins at sunset on the 15th of Nisan and lasts 8 full days. (The Seder, or traditional Passover service and meal, is held on the first and second nights.) Although the corresponding Western date changes every year, it usually starts in March or April. Passover is a time for both celebration and reflection, and as is the case with most holidays of any faith, traditions vary around the world.
In Poland, Hasidic Jews use their living rooms to recreate the crossing of the Red Sea. Once they reach the seventh day, each Jewish family starts the reenactment by pouring water on the floor and hiking up their coats. As they walk through the water, they name each town that they would have passed during the crossing. In addition, they also give thanks to God for helping them reach Poland.
The Jewish people who live in Afghanistan have a unique tradition involving whips. During the holiday, they use scallions to whip themselves gently. The whipping process symbolizes the way Jewish people were treated by Egyptian slave drivers. Many Afghan Jews now live in Queens, New York; so, this unique holiday tradition is expanding.
Jewish celebrants in Gibraltar crush a small section of a brick into their charoset – a sweet dish of diced apples, dates, and spices served during the Seder feast and used to symbolize the mortar used in construction by Jewish slaves in Egypt. Sometimes, people also add olives to the Seder plate (shown in the photo above) to represent their wishes for hope in the Middle East. Nowadays, some activists add an orange to the middle of their plate to symbolize the need for better inclusion of women, gays and lesbians into Jewish rituals.
During the Seder feast in Spain, Sephardic Jews have a unique tradition involving the first-born son. Each family has their first-born son consume a roasted egg. The son does this to show appreciation for being spared during the 10th plague, the slaying of the first-born.
Wherever you are, a Seder is a wonderful way to celebrate Passover, or to learn about it for the the first time. Let us know how you plan to celebrate Passover by leaving a comment!
Some hotels can be hard on your wallet, but no hotel should ever be hard on your heart. February is National American Heart Health Month, so consider giving your ticker a little TLC and visit these hotels that are doing their part to keep you happy and healthy.
