Archives for category: Culture

From the end of November until the end of December there are loads of Christmas activities in Berlin. Here is a short overview:

Weinachtsmarkt Mitte – This Weinachtsmarkt in Mitte is small, but very cozy. The Christmas stalls are built around a carousel and a Ferris wheel, so it seems more like you are in a cozy village located in gigantic Berlin. A train paves its way through the magical forest and along the giant Christmas tree.

Weinachtsmarkt Spandauer Altstadt – From cookware to homemade candles, you can find it all here! With around 150 stalls during the week and 450 during the weekend the emphasis lies on handmade

Potsdamer Platz

Potsdamer Platz

products. Also for children there are special events. They may, for example, pass on their Christmas wish list to Father Christmas.

Fairytale forest  on Alexander Platz – Especially for the young visitors to the Christmas market, there are 6 fairytale rooms and a 15 x 30 meter long ice-skating lane where you can rent skates.

Christmas Surprise on Potsdamer PlatzOf course an ice skating lane can’t be missing between all the Christmas markets. That is why the largest mobile ice lane in Berlin can be found on the Potsdamer Platz. Along the Potsdamer Strasse, near the ice skating lane are the traditional Christmas markets.

There are many more Christmas markets and activities all over  Berlin during this period.

On the first Sunday of November (November 2nd), it is time again for the popular New York City Marathon. This marathon was first organized in 1970. It starts at Staten Island and goes over the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to Brooklyn.

Amateurs and also professional athletes run for more than 6 million dollars worth of price money. Or maybe even for the 2 million viewers that standing are along the track and screaming and shouting the contestants

NYC marathon in the USA

NYC marathon in the USA

to the finish line and they expect that 315 million viewers will be watching in front of their TV.

Most people say that it is a great marathon to compete in or even as a bystander to watch it. For more information please visit: www.nycmarathon.org. For NYC holiday apartments, Holiday Velvet will be providing accommodation.

Who doesn’t get overwhelmed by the Spanish temperament, and one of most passionate dance know to the world; Flamenco. It was last year during the summer when I went travelling to the south of Spain and made a visit to Seville where I saw for the first time Flamenco danced by true professionals. It is debated to what place may actually call themselves the birthplace of Flamenco, between Seville or Jerez. One thing is certain however, the roots originate from western Adalucia.

Flamenco as a wide range of styles and influenced by many music styles over the years. While some modern ones are: “Flamenco-Fusion” and “Flamenco Rock”, I will always prefer some of the traditional like: Alegrías, Bulerías, Malagueña and Sevillanas.

I decided to see my first flamenco show in the Tablao (Location where you can see a professional and choreographed flamenco shows) in El Arenal. The locations is a beautiful 17th century building, renovated, cozy, and a perfect place to enjoy the show while you are having dinner and/or drinks. I recommend it to everyone, as it will always be a great first impression.

Although the Flamenco history can be traced back hundreds of years, one thing is certain about its original form. The first form of Flamenco was only the voice, a primitive cry or chant to be accompanied by a rhythm that was beaten on the floor by a wooden staff or cane. Probably the oldest style knows is the Toña, what represent a family song. Later the flamenco can be made up in four elements: Voice, Dance, Guitar and the Jaleo which is hard to translate but it sort of means “hell raising”. With this is refered to the intense handclapping, foot stomping and the shouts during the dance. While I was watching the show everyone in the audience got really into it and began clapping along on the beat of the palmeros ( the professional that were clapping during the dance), and truly creates an amazing ambience and spectacle. One thing is for sure, I have to go back once to that wonderful and passionate place.

For vacation rentals in Spain you can try Holiday Velvet.

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