Something tells me we’ve surely done a post like this in the past, yet with each holiday season it never hurts to remind ourselves how individuals and families across the globe are spending their time on this very day. On this about.com page they list traditions from various countries which include Egypt, Argentina, Finland, and Papua New Guinea to name only a few. In the Philippines (the only Asian nation where Christianity is the religion chosen by the people), Christmas celebrations start up to nine days before with a mass called Misa De Gallo. The story continues and sounds pretty valid where some of the others seem a bit questionable, like Christmas in Micronesia and Iran. Who am I to say though? I’ve only celebrated the holiday in my home land, but I’d love to hear what traditions are practiced by our readers both near and far.
Oceania
Travel through Oceania by country:
Australia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
Travel through Oceania by popular city:
Auckland, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Wellington
Travel through Oceania by popular things to do:
Cook Islands, Sydney Opera House
Travel through Oceania with our writers:
In the Corner of the World, Work and Play in Queensland
Mental Floss Geo Challenge
So you think you know the world pretty well, do ya? You can say all the state capitols and you bedazzle your friends during bouts of Trivial Pursuit? Well, a little bit ago, Adrienne posted a link to the San Francisco Chronicle Geography Quiz. That was fine and dandy and some of the questions were quite tough, but it was just a list of questions followed by answers. You had to scroll way down to find out if you were right.
Pretty lame. You’d of thunk that Silicon Valley’s paper of record would have come up with something more interactive than that. Well, the good folks at the magazine Mental Floss have done just that. It’s not as deep and involved a quiz as the CF Chron one, but you’re going to have a tough time I think getting a perfect score on this one. I scored 70 percent. Not bad, I think. I confess I wasn’t sure where Benin was. Yes, I knew Africa, but I wasn’t sure where. Anyway, see how you fare.
SF Chronicle’s Annual Geography Quiz
My Monday morning hasn’t even gone into full swing yet and I’ve already managed to burn-out my brain. The coal from last night’s sleep still rests in my eyes and no, I didn’t wash my face yet, I roll out of bed and blog before all that happens. What I’m trying to say my friends is that I will be departing from providing you with any further travel related content to get some more shut-eye and then start my day all over again.
Anywho, somehow in my half sleep mode I made my way over to the San Francisco Chronicle and saw their 10th Annual Geography Quiz and then I decided to take it thinking there would be some multiple choice and I would score big during my dream state. Suddenly a buzzer sounds off in my head and I realize it is far too early and the questions seem far too difficult. Which lake separates Uganda from Kenya? Has anyone ever swam from the Scottish mainland to the Hebrides Islands? Yeah, it is too early for me to be taking this.
For those who find they can cross their T’s and dot their I’s just fine this morning go see if you know what happened on December 31, 1994 in the Republic of Kiribati that the Kirimati residents had never experienced before. Post your results here and I’ll be sure to get back to you with mine after another two hours rest.
Lonely Planet’s Blue List
Here at gadling, we’re all about finding new travel ideas. And equally, we’re about pointing you to places where those ideas are most abundant. Well, where abundance is concerned, I have just closed the covers on a cornucopia of ideas that, frankly, has me feeling a little exhausted right now.
Lonely Planet’s new edition of its Blue List series is a compelling page turner that, if you’re like me, will cause an immediate shortage of yellow post-its. Those post-its now cling to the inside pages of my Blue List guide, making it look a bit like a paper peacock flattened by a semi.
The Blue List guide, subtitled “The Best in Travel 2007” provides page after page of sumptuous photos and informative text about interesting places and things to do in them all over the globe. The ideas start off with a calendar section that groups together events by month. For example, December has the Festival of the Oases in Tunisia and the Hornbill Festival in India. Chances are, you’ll have to Google these for more info, but they’re a fine start.
Other recommendations in the book are broken out by activity, so if you are, for example, a fan of scuba diving, you can get a good idea of the top trips for bubble blowers. The books lists the Cocos Islands in Costa Rica and Chuuk lagoon in Micronesia among their top spots. Or let’s say you have long believed in UFOs and want to design a trip for you and your ET-loving friends? Well, you can do that, too, with their paranormal trips section.
Then savor my favorite section, called the Go List, which breaks out LP’s top picks for places to visit in the coming year. We’re NOT talking Florida and Vegas here. We’re talking about exotic, less-explored locales like Maluku, Indonesia and Gabon. Then there’s a section on gadgets and the best places to wed and dark travel and, well, more and more.
If I have any complaints, it that while the book really whets your appetite, you don’t leave feeling completly satisfied. In fact, you leave a bit hungrier than before. But as I say, maybe that’s what Google, or LP’s country-specific guides are there for. Either way, keeping to their fine tradition of helping you REALLY get out there, the good folks at Lonely Planet have done a fine job with this new book.
Culture in Sydney
Sydney, Australia is probably best known for its lovely beaches, hilly parks and, the glittering harbor. But the fact is, Sydney is a city rich in culture and history. Everyone is familiar, of course, with the shell-shaped Opera House. It serves as both a beacon to shuterbug tourists, but also serves as a locus of high-brow music and events. But more than that, for the visitor who just wants to wander all over, there are museums galore in Sydney, where you can experience a thriving art scene, and take in some science and history while there. A good place to start is the lovely Art Gallery of NSW, probably the best-known museum in Sydney. They are currently featuring an exhibit called Goddess: Divine Energy that takes a look at female expressions of divine female power (Barbra Striesand?). And there is also the Museum of Contemporary Art that is worth checking out. The Australian Centre for Photography is also a good place to check on after you’ev wated giga-pixels on the Opera House. And for natual hstory buffs, don’t miss the Australian Museum and the Historic Houses Trust of NSW.
Of course, you can also just sit on the beach and read a good book with a Fosters in your hand. Not a bad alternative either.