Post Tagged with "France"

From our contributors: week of November 7

We continue with our bi-weekly roundup of articles written by some members of our contributors team on their personal blogs.

Anu, our contributor from India, writes about a visit to the Corbett National Park, a wildlife sanctuary  in Uttarakhand -India- and her search for “the elusive tiger”.

“At present, the reserve extends over more than 1300 square kilometers, including about 500  sq Km of core area, and about 800 sq Km of buffer area. The dense moist deciduous forest mainly consists of sal, haldu, pipal, rohini and mango trees, and these trees cover almost 73 per cent of the park. 10 per cent of the area consists of grasslands. The sanctuary is home to around 110 tree species, 50 species of mammals, 580 bird species and 25 reptile species. However, the main attraction here remains the elusive and endangered Bengal Tiger.”

DeeBee, our contributor from France, writes about All Saints Day celebrations in France.

“In France, the Toussaint – All Saints Day (November 1st) and the Jour des Morts – Day of the Dead (November 2nd) have become one celebration during which French people honour their dead and put chrysanthemums on their graves…  In the Language of Flowers the chrysanthemum is the symbol of Peace and Resurrection.”

Jenna, our contributor from Poland, describes the celebrations of All Saints Day in Poland.

“November 1st in Poland is a day for cemetery visits. The tradition is inextricably linked to All Saints’ Day, a significant holiday in the Christian (and particularly, the Catholic) Church. The holiday, followed by its companion All Souls’ Day, is designated as time to reflect on the lives of the Saints and to remember all who have died. Different ways of celebrating and honoring deceased ancestors manifest themselves in communities around the world. The colorful masks and skulls associated with the Day of the Dead in Mexico is one example that comes to mind.”

 

Read more

Travel Tales from Kerala, India
Bastille Day celebrations
Christmas in Wroclaw, Poland

Picture Postcards: Graffiti in France

Today’s Picture Postcard was taken by our contributor, DeeBee, who mentions on her blog that,

In the last two decades, graffiti have started to be recognised as a “proper” form of art and we should more refer to it as Street Art then Graffiti.

Read more:
Catching the Tour De France in Brittany
Summer Solstice Celebrations in France
Always Evolving: Some Languages of the World and Where They Come From

Aligot of Aubrac

What is Aligot?

Mashed potatoes with dairy cream, garlic and Laguiole, a cheese that is similar to Cantal cheese and is essentially produced with milk from cows of Aubrac, an area located in the Aveyron department in the south of France.

Laguiole cheese can be eaten with a slice of bread like any other cheese, but it is also used in the preparation of the Aligot, the regional dish of Aubrac and one of the flagship specialties of Aveyron. (more…)

Bastille Day Celebrations

A little bit of history first.

The first stone of the Bastille Fortress was laid in 1370 in the extension of the already existing city walls. The heavy rectangular building was flanked by eight 24 metre high round towers and surrounded by 25 metre wide moats.

It ceased to be a military fortress in the late 16th century and was converted into a state prison. A simple letter signed by the king was enough to send a man inside its cold walls.

Seven prisoners were still imprisoned in the Bastille on 14th July, 1789 when it was seized by the revolutionaries who saw in it the symbol of royal power and absolutism. (more…)

Catching the Tour de France in Brittany

Tour de France Dinan-Lisieux stage on 7 July 2011

The Tour de France is one of the most popular sporting events in France.

First staged in 1903, the annual cycling race covers over 3600 km in 21 days.

Departure Dinan-Lisieux stage

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How do Turkish people greet older relatives?

This week’s cultural expertise quiz question comes from Sinan, our contributor in Turkey.

You’re a young Turk and you visit your grandfather. When you first see him you bow toward him, hold his hand lightly with his palm facing downward, kiss it and then touch your forehead on his hand as a sign of respect.

True or false?

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