Tag Archives: culture

50 States Road Trip – North Dakota

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North Dakota is a state often forgotten by most of America and the rest of the modern world. Nothing particularly life-changing or significant seems to happen there, it didn’t birth any global geniuses, and it hasn’t suffered any huge tragedies like earthquakes or hurricanes. But North Dakota is a pretty awesome state. Why? We will tell you.

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Teddy Roosevelt

When studying at Harvard University, Theodore Roosevelt was a frail, weak young man and was told by his personal physician that he didn’t have long to live. He spent three years living in North Dakota, where he gained weight, became stronger and got a fabulous tan. Later he was reported as looking as ‘hearty and strong enough to drive oxen’. So don’t sweat North Dakota, because it’s awesome!  It helped heal a future President of The United States of America!

National Park

As well as a number of national parks, make sure to visit the Teddy Roosevelt national park, if just for the Painted Canyon Overlook. The view is intensely beautiful, showing a stunning vista of the plains and the badlands of North Dakota. In contrast, The Teddy Roosevelt national park is also home to Peaceful Valley, a gorgeous valley filled with native wildflowers and butterflies. Previously a horse ranch, it is now one of the most scenic spots in the National park.

Fairs and Festivals

North Dakota is also known for taking great pride in its many Fairs and Festivals. North Dakota is home to countless Festivals and Fairs, from fairs about kites and polka dots to Mardi Gras to a 3 day long barbeque. One of the biggest festivals in North Dakota is the Scandinavian Norsk Hostfest. Held annually in the autumn season (or fall in the USA) it is the largest Scandinavian festival in North America, attracting tens of thousands of people from all over the world every year.

swedish-food-festivalFounded in 1978, Norsk Hostfest provides a host of world class entertainment, Scandinavian cuisine, handcrafted merchandise and bric-a-brac for sale and on display, plus a selection of purchasable foods inspired by the cultures of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland among others.

The Festival occurs over 5 days from the 30th September to the 4th October 2014, and offers on site accommodation for those wishing to stay for more than one day or for the entire trip.  With a variety of accommodation to choose from, you can stay in a hotel, in a private house or even camp out for the full festival experience! The Norsk Hostfest is located along route 83, and is right next to Minot’s town centre.

Next on our 50 states road trip by hired car we will be visiting the state of Minnesota, humble home of the Green Giant, Scotch tape and masking tape! Ho ho ho!

Visit the Barcelona Christmas Market

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Christmas is so close we can almost hear those sleigh bells ringing. The leading retailers have been fighting for the most heart-warming advertisements on the telly and all the old, cheesy and adorable Christmas films are showing every evening. So what else can we expect in the lead up to Christmas?

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Why not take a trip to Fira de Santa Llúcia in Barcelona, one of the most renowned Christmas markets? Normally active between 25th November and the 23rd December, this prestigious Christmas fair has been running for over 200 years, first established in 1786!

It is situated in Avinguda de la Catedral and is home to more than 300 stalls selling a variety of merchandise and foods both traditional and contemporary. The Avinguda de la Catedral is located near the city centre and takes around 25 minutes by hired car to get to from Barcelona Airport, or only 5-10 minutes from any hotel located in the city centre.

Fira de Santa Llúcia also hosts a variety of parades, contests, exhibitions and traditional dancing and more, so for a real traditional experience with a modern day twist, there will be something there for the whole family. There is even a Nativity Scene production on at various evenings throughout the holiday season starting at 19:00 that runs for an hour and a half.

The fair’s named is derived from Saint Llúcia or the Saint Lucy, and so the best day to visit the fair is on the 13th December; the Day of Saint Lucy, where a variety of colourful performances will be on show, plus the reading of traditional Christmas stories.

log pinata fira de santa lluciaOne of the most popular stalls the Fira has to offer is the Caga Tió what looks like a giant humanoid log, complete with smiley face, hat and Christmas blanket. The tradition is that children will ‘feed’ a smaller version of the Caga Tió that they have at home with sweets, and then attack it with sticks on Christmas day until it bursts, showering them with candies and gifts. It’s sort of like a mix between a Pinata and a Stocking.

With four huge sections to explore; Simbombes, Greenery and Plants, Crafts and Nativity and Figurines, and with a wealth of traditional and cultural performances showing, a trip to the Fira de Santa Llúcia is not to be missed.