Mardi Gras, Usa
Mardi Gras in New Orleans is something else. Here, what should have been a harmless religious celebration has turned into one of the noisiest and most colorful carnivals in the world.
Throughout the holiday there are costume balls, parties, parades, and costumed processions. The most interesting of these are the Bacchus Parade, where each platform is dedicated to some vicious pastime – dating, drinking, cards, or whatever, and the Mardi Gras Indian Parade, with absolutely amazing costumes on the platforms. Mardi Gras entered first in North America via the French-Canadian explorer Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d’Iberville in 1699.
Carnival In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
All over the world, there are always many major festivals and holidays, attracting not only a huge number of locals but also a lot of tourists. This is quite understandable because it is difficult to think of a better way to fully absorb the atmosphere and culture of the country than to visit a traditional festival. Some of them are not only surprisingly large-scale but also unusual in their own right. We have compiled a list of such crazy and once-in-a-lifetime experience festivals below.
Kanamara Matsuri, Japan
The name of the Kanamara festival translates as “iron cock” and generally has no secret meaning, but directly refers to the object of the celebration. However, according to one version, it is simply a festival of fertility and procreation.
The celebration begins at a small temple in the city of Kawasaki, near Tokyo. The temple was built in the Edo era with donations from prostitutes and was intended for them to come and pray for protection from syphilis and other diseases that these girls risked contracting.
Semana Santa, Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala offers one of the most colorful and unusual Easter celebrations. The celebration begins on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and lasts for a week, during which processions and parades with figures of various saints parade through the streets of the city, strewn with flower petals and beautiful patterns of colored sand. Almost the entire town is draped in black crepe, and everywhere you can smell the incense. During the feast, there are performances illustrating the judgment and crucifixion of Jesus.
Palio, Italy
These grandiose horse races are held in the city of Siena twice a year – on July 2 and August 16.
The tradition of horse races in the city dates back to the 14th century. Their main feature is that they are held not on the racetrack, as usual, but right in the city, in the main square. Another peculiarity is that the concept of fair play is completely alien to these races. Racers push, shove and obstruct their rivals, which increases the excitement (and, unfortunately, the accidents) among the spectators.
Holi Festival, India
One of the most colorful festivals in the world, the Holi festival in India is celebrated in the month of March every year. It is an ancient Hindu festival celebrating the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated by throwing colors on each other derived from plants and turmeric. Everyone becomes equal on this day by throwing colors of love and distributing sweets.
