My Global Hustle

9 places to party YG Style

Here are some of the world’s best parties/festivals that you must participate in at least once in your life……

Junkanoo
Nassau, the Bahamas

 

The picture above is one of the customs that was used for a past Junkanoo. Howl into a conch shell or ring a cowbell and take to the streets with half the island population on New Year’s Day (plan now for next year) & Boxing Day. This celebration dates back to the 16th century, when plantation slaves were given a few days off to whoop it up. The excitement of extravagant costumes and colorful, mile-high headdresses is intensified by West African drumbeats and brass bands. So whether you are rooting for the Saxons, Valley Boy’s or One Family…..you will have a blast at this celebration. junkanoo.com

Carnival
Port of Spain, Trinidad

 

Order your costume for Feb. 19 and 20 and join the steel bands and bikini-clad masqueraders marching in the streets. Rio is still the grand-daddy of them all but,Trinidad is the biggest rum-soaked celebration is the biggest in the Caribbean. ncctt.org

 

Las Fallas
Valencia, Spain

 

This festival, March 12-19, originated with the ancient tradition of carpenters welcoming spring by burning the wooden candelabras used to light their shops in winter. Thia party is a true spectacle with firecrackers and bonfires and the fallas themselves — hundreds of doll-like effigies are carried on the final day in a parade and put to the torch. fallasfromvalencia.com

 

São João Festival
Porto, Portugal

 

This coastal city celebrates its saints’ day (São João, or St. John, is the most important) each year on June 23. Fireworks, bonfires and roaming bands of hammer- and leek-wielding lunatics keep the crowds entertained on la playa,You can visit Porto riverfront the next day and watch the regatta, a race of low wooden boats used to transport wine. www.portoturismo.pt

 

Queen’s Day
Amsterdam, the Netherlands

 

Already known as a party paradise, A-dam has an all-nighter on the queen’s birthday, April 30. Lots of drinks and that magical “piff” to aide in your enjoyment. Get a boat on the canal or just watch from the comfort of a nearby bridge. holland.com/amsterdam/gb/queensda.html

Monaco Grand Prix
Principality of Monaco

 

People-watching is as much fun as this May event that draws the world’s elite. Raise a glass of crushed vino with the high rollers at the Hotel de Paris bar. Come dress to impress, especially if you want gamble at city-state’s famous casino. It’s hard but not impossible to get seats for the race (May 27), but either way once you touchdown in Monaco you will have a blast. yourmonaco.com/grand_prix

Wine War
Haro, Spain

 

Wear your favorite”icy” white outfit and bring a water gun, then fill it with free wine, compliments of the city council, for this super-soaker event. Held at the end of June (my bday month), it’s a modern-day remnant of the feuds between rival towns of this wine-producing area in which everyone drenches everyone else in vino. Later, bulls that are released into the plaza take off for the bullring, adding a final touch of drama to the day.

Caribana
Toronto, Canada


This event held annua during the first weekend in August is truly a wonderful experience. You can do everything from people watch to taking in one of the many free concerts during this festival. Street vendors provide patrons with yummy snacks to help you get over that hang over. The actually carnival itself makes your feel like you are at an island paradise and not in Canada. caribana.com

La Tomatina
Buñol, Spain

 

On Aug. 29, truckloads of tomatoes are unloaded in the square, a rocket is fired and thousands of festive food-fighters reduce the fruit to a juicy explosion of seeds, skin and pulp. It’s the one fiesta at which you can say that you’ve painted the town red. Now you can see why Spain is one of my favorit countries to visit. cyberspain.com/life/tomatina.htm

 

 

Share |

2 Comments

  1. Comment by New York Hotels on January 9, 2007 4:35 am

    I love travelling and nice pics u’ve got there!

  2. Pingback by Carnival Music « MY GLOBAL HUSTLE BLOG on January 24, 2007 2:13 pm

    […] to Trinidad for Carnival? Here is a website that features all the BIG TUNES making waves during Carnival in Trinidad (ThxNikechia). Now you can shake your booty in your cubicle like you were in the Port of […]

Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI

Leave a comment