The Best Spring Festivals of 2014 from Around the World

Spring restivals in 2014 Holi Festival in India Also known as festival of colors, the Holi Fes- tival is celebrated in India and Nepal and starts on 17th March: the Spring festival starts with the Holika bonfire on the night before Holi. The next morning people chase and color each other with dry powder and coloured water in parks and streets. Las Fallas and the Holy week Spain in The well-known Fallas are a five-day extravagan- za linked to a traditional celebration held in com- memoration of Saint Joseph in Valencia. This year Las Fallas will start on March 15 through the 19 with fireworks, feasts, and parades. Also the Semana Santa (holy week) in Saragoza is an im- portant celebration in Spain held from April 12 to April 19: the religious celebration counts a 700 history and has been declared of Touristic interest. Water Festival in Thailand The Songkran festival, also known as the water festival, marks the start of Thailand's traditional New Year and water is thrown upon others in order to wash away the past and the bad luck. The biggest celebrations happens on Khaosan road, in Bangkok, from 13 to 15 April, although all the Country celebrates. Chalk and water is also used as monks often use it to mark blessings. Cherry blossoming Japan in Cherry trees (that are called sakura in Japanese) blossom is called Hanami ("flower viewing") in Japan and it is a very serious matter: all the Coun- try organizes around it – as Japanese people are very devote to nature – and there is even a website keeping track of the timing for each area of the Country so to gather in time in Parks to watch the trees. This period goes from the end of March to early May and from the first of February in the Okinawa Island. Water Festival in China In the Yunnan province the Dai ethnic group which is one of the 55 ethnic minorities in China celebrates spring with a water festival on April 13th and the cele- bration takes about 3 -7 days. On the first day people race dragon boats and light up fireworks: by doing so they hope to have good luck in the next years. The next day, Dai people get together to dance, and pour water on others to bring them happiness in the next years. On the last day young generations will get to- gether to exchange their gifts and date their mates. The festival attracts thousands of tourists every year from all over China. TRAVEL CENTER RE-DEFINING THE WORLD OF TRAVEL UK.co.uk 0207 612 7222 [email protected] IATA 3517 OTECTE Source : http://www.earthtraveling.com/top-10-spring-festivals-in-2014/