 |
| Where did I put my passport? |
Festivals in the month of May bring out the sublime and the ridiculous in a way that many other months cannot. May is an inbetweener. Winter has long gone, summer is on its way, Cricket is replacing Football and the first cases of sunburn are in evidence. How then to celebrate the Merry Month of May?
 |
| The Red Leicester is in front! |
The UK’s cultural contributions are Morris dancing and rolling cheese down the rather steep Coopers Hill in double Gloucestershire (on 30th May this year.)
Alternatively you could dress up to impress your online friends for Star Wars Day on the May the Fourth. Celebrated for the first time just 35 years after the original film, you can now join a fully immersive Disney cruise. This refers to your fellow passengers not jumping overboard, however tempting that might be.
 |
| May be not. |
But don’t despair, as there are weird and wonderful events happening elsewhere so let’s look at some of the other festivals you can escape to this May.
 |
| Cocullo: Snakes on a Saint |
I say escape to but you may prefer to escape from the Festa dei Separi which takes place in the town of Cocullo in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. This annual festival involves a procession carrying a statue of the town’s Patron Saint covered with snakes. Whether the snakes look forward to this event as much as the locals is uncertain but they are all released into the countryside afterwards so it’s probably a good idea to keep the hotel doors and windows shut.
TRAVEL: The Abruzzo region is in central Italy. Fly to Rome or Pescara. Enjoy the sights and food in the former and the beach and food at the latter.
 |
| Jerez: A Sherry isn’t just for Christmas |
Of course no month could pass without a Spanish fiesta and May is the turn of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucia. Famous for sherry production, the first week of May brings the Feria de Caballo - the horse festival. Better than it sounds, this event combines horses, flamenco and sherry (what could go wrong there then?) all under the hot sunshine of southern Spain. Horse riding is not compulsory but eating, drinking and dancing most certainly are.
TRAVEL: Fly direct to Jerez. Explore nearby Cadiz on the Costa de la Luz. Or fly to Malaga and include Seville, Cordoba and Ronda on a tour of the best of Andalucia.
 |
| Cannes: A great place to spill red wine |
If you are looking for somewhere that’s much more expensive with a chance to visually mingle with the stars then head to France's Cote d’Azur between 11-22 May for the 69th Cannes film festival. Oozing class and sophistication, you will be able to enjoy paying premium prices whilst not seeing much or getting in anywhere. But at least you can say you were there!
 |
| Monaco GP: the full Monte Car-lo |
If you are reluctant to leave the glitz and glamour of Cannes (or stuck due to a French air traffic controllers strike) then just make the short trip along the coast to Monaco which will be hosting the 2016 F1 Grand Prix on 29 May. Standing tickets for the Grand Prix are in the £100-£150 range. Multiply that by four for a seat. Add a visit to James Bond’s favourite Casino if your finances are suitably robust - and if you are lucky, there are Panamanian style institutions in which to deposit your winnings.
TRAVEL: Cannes and Monte Carlo are reached from the nearest airport Nice or can be explored from Marseilles or Genoa (Italy) along the coast. Alternatively join one of the cruise ships that visit town during the Grand Prix weekend. Relax on deck in the sun to the background of Lewis Hamilton & co tearing up the streets of this unique and spectacular venue.
 |
| Vanuatu: 1..2..3..Tree Vine! |
Finally, if you happen to be passing through the South Pacific then stop by Vanuatu for a chance to see Naghol, the land diving festival. The what? Each Saturday in May, young men from the local villages tie tree vines around their ankles and jump off health and safety-free wooden towers. They calculate the correct length for their hair to touch the ground thus blessing the forthcoming yam harvest. The tradition started after a village trip to New Zealand where they witnessed bungee jumping. Or was it the other way around?
 |
| Vanuatu: Water diving is more enjoyable |
TRAVEL: To get somewhere that involves flying via New Zealand is always going to take a while so make sure you have plenty of annual leave available. Flights to Port Vila operate from Auckland or Fiji which is accessed from Los Angeles or Sydney. Naghol takes place on Pentecost island, a short flight from Port Vila. More enjoyable pursuits around the islands of Vanuatu include the Pacific beaches, reefs and rainforests.
Maybe, just Maybe?
David Sutherland
EyeLine Travel
8 April 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment