Friday, 3 June 2016

Brawn on the Fourth of July - Festivals for the Brave!

America: Colourful 
It’s officially Summer and the Events are coming thick and fast. In the UK we have music festivals where you can enjoy your favourite acts in torrential rain, sporting events where you drink too much & forget whats going on and village fêtes which remind you why you moved to a city. 

 July is peak Summer time for the northern hemisphere. In the United States, traditional celebrations involve anything (and usually everything) red, white and blue for Independence Day on the 4th July. In France, Bastille Day is on the 14th July and is traditionally celebrated with an extended bout of industrial action.



France: Striking
There are however other less well know festivities that involve a degree of bravado - and usually idiocy to enjoy. Let’s take a look at where you could be celebrating in July this year for a change.


Austrians: Overcome with Emulsion
The World Body Painting Festival (WBF) kicks us off between the 1-3 July at Pörtschach, near Klagenfurt in Austria. It’s where the worlds of painting of bodies combine. 

 Clothes are optional but the Austrian DJs are not. Prizes are awarded for the best undressed - let’s just hope the weather warms up a bit and you remember not to try putting anything sharp in your pockets...


 HOW: Pörtschach is in Carinthia, southern Austria on the shore of Lake Wörther. Fly to Salzburg and it’s 2.5 hours by road. Clothes are advisable for the journey there and back.
Trouble and Strife: Where’s the nearest Weightwatchers?
That same weekend, 2-3 July if you are looking for a fully dressed and more physical challenge and are married then head north to Finland and the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajärventie. 

 Continuing to evade political correctness, the contest now in its 23rd year features contestants from around the world who carry their wives over their shoulders on a cross country circuit cheered on by people drinking vodka who forgot to book a summer holiday.

 HOW: Fly to Helsinki or Tampere and Sonkajärventie is about 5 hours north by road. Don’t worry about driving at night because there isn’t any up there and if extension seatbelts are required for the flight over, perhaps reconsider your participation.
Pamplona: Shock and Gore

If you prefer danger combined with heat then head to Pamplona in Festival stalwart Spain between 6-14 July for the Festival of San Fermin - aka the Running of the Bulls. 

 This is the ideal place if you like drinking wine in the sun and then trying to outrun lots of angry bulls through narrow cobbled streets.  There are several races, multiple injuries and often fatalities so be careful what you wish for!

 HOW: Pamplona is in north western Spain. Fly to Madrid or Barcelona and take the AVE high speed train in 3-3.5 hours. Bring fast shoes with a very good grip and practise jumping over walls before arriving.
Darwin: Couldn’t give a XXXX about the Crocs Mate!

The Southern Hemisphere is an unusual destination for July as it is technically winter but our final port of call is Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The weather is subtropical so you will not get cold here. To stay cool, you have to drink a lot of cans of beer - Darwin is reputedly the highest beer consuming city per head in the world. 

 What to do then with all of the empties? That’s where the sophisticated sounding Darwin Beer Can Regatta comes in. The 17th July sees a flotilla of boats made out of empty tinnies head out (not very far) to sea. What’s so hard about that? Just remember the area around Darwin has the highest concentration of salt water crocodiles (they’re the big ones) in the world. A bit of competition for the sharks then...

 HOW: Darwin is a long way from anywhere so combine with a trip from Sydney (4h15) or Bali (2h45). Join in the drinking contests and make sure there is a slower swimmer than you if you take to the water.



Thailand: it has boats and sun

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Your fête is in your hands...



David Sutherland
EyeLine Travel 
3 June 2016   
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