New Year Resolutions

Hello beautiful people! 2016 just started and everywhere around the social networks we pretty much see and read everyone's hopes and goals for this New Year. Moreover, let's face it, we also start seeing how many of them already started failing their acts of self-improvement.

Like many traditions, this one has religious origins from different cultures and time periods. In Babylonia, people used to promise their gods that they would pay all their debts. In ancient Rome, the promises of self-improvement were made to the god Janus (after whom the month January is named). In Medieval times, it was after Christmas when the knights had to renew their chivalry vows. 

In the case of Christianism, the period for good behavior and promises to god, has more to do with Lent, but it still talks about an annual reflection in order to improve oneself.

What is the most popular one? You all know it, weight loss and having a healthier lifestyle. Other popular goals have to do with money, career, social skills, traveling, family (getting married), spiritual world, etc...

This practice is more popular in the Western world, though it is also seen in Eastern cultures. I think it would be very interesting to compare both sides to see differences and similarities in goals.

Personaly, I love the good vibe and feeling surrounding the start of a year which inspires everyone to make resolutions, but I believe that the only way to fulfil your promises is to make them realistic and simple. On that note, of course I didn't escape the resolution list making this year, I just hope I get to fulfill at least one of them.

What is your most important resolution this year? Did you make any creative ones?

Oktoberfest Ist Here!!

Who would want to be in a party where you could drink the best beer in the world? I know that I definitely would!! In fact, travel to Germany during the Oktoberfest is part of my bucket list. As you can see, I haven't experienced yet, but nonetheless I wanted to do a little research and tell you some facts about this appealing tradition.

Oktoberfest takes place every year in München  (located in the south of Germany, it's the third largest city of the country) starting on the first Saturday after September 15th, it usually lasts 16 to 18 days. This year it started on September 22nd and will end on October 7th. 

The first Oktoberfest took place in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of King Ludwig I, where all the citizens were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields, specially the horse races that marked the end of the event and were the reason to continue the tradition (they stopped doing them in 1960). Since then, it has been canceled 24 times due to several reasons, including cholera epidemics and war.

In our days, the festival starts when the Mayor of München taps the first keg of beer at 12:00 o'clock. After that, visitors from all over the world can take a seat in the tents, enjoy the music, taste the food and drink the many different German beers that are offered.

The festival receives approximately 6.4 million visitors each year, who drink around 7,100,000 liters of beer in those famous big jars. Hopefully, I'll be one of them someday, and I will be able to tell you more about this cool German festivity.   

If you have more information regarding Oktoberfest or want to share your experience, please leave a comment below.

Cheers!!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oktoberfest, http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/.

IT'S MARDI GRAS!!

I'm sure that many of you have heard about the different Carnival celebrations around the world. The most famous ones take place in Venice, Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans (which I'm sure you know as Mardi Gras). But some people have no idea of the origins or meaning of these colorful parades, in fact, today someone asked me "why do they all take place at the same time?". Well, actually they are supposed to take place only in this time of year.

Like many occidental traditions, the Carnival finds its origins in the Catholic religion (though some carnival traditions may date back to Roman times), but in order to explain it better, I need to talk a little bit about Lent. Lent is a period in the Liturgical calendar that takes place during the 40 days before Easter (usualy starting on the last days of February). During these days, no parties or celebrations can be held, because for the Catholics this is a time of penitence and preparation in order to commemorate the Death and Resurection of Jesus Christ. Nowadays, for many people the penitence or sacrifice consists on giving up luxuries or some tipes of food or drinks.

So, before Lent all the delicious food and great drinks can be consumed, and a little excess is allowed, and that's what Carnival is all about. It is the last chance to have fun, to enjoy the parties and dance like crazy (only if you are Catholic, of course). That is why the last day of Carnival is called Mardi Gras, Martedí Grasso or Shrove Tuesday, meaning that it's a day of excess or a "fat" day.

One of the best examples is the Carnival of Venice (in italian, Carnevale). There are records of this celebration that go back to the year 1094. This particular Carnevale has a very interesting history to which I would like to dedicate another blog entry.

The duration and ways of celebrating the actual Carnivals may vary depending on the place. For example, in Mexico, places like Veracruz and Mazatlán organise colorful and cheerful parades similar to the ones in Brazil. On the other hand, were I live people just get together to dance and sing around the streets with a music band and a "torito" (bull-shaped ornament).

Though the Carnival of Rio is the biggest one in the world, I prefer the Venetian Carnevale, with the masks and romanticism that characterize the Italian city. What do you reckon?