Monday December 7, 2009
Christmas in Russia is celebrated on January 7, which means that Russians will have already celebrated the New Year once Christmas rolls around. Christmas in Russia is marked with church attendance by some, and special traditions may be observed even by those who do not attend Christmas mass. However, other Christmas-related events, like visits from Ded Moroz and Snegurochka, happen on New Year's Eve. In recognition of these holidays, public decorations light up cities like Moscow at night, and winter festivals give those who might not be spending Christmas with family members at home an opportunity to partake in Russian celebrations of the holidays and winter.
More Russian Culture Monday
State Department Store on Red Square photo credit: iStockphoto/next999
Sunday December 6, 2009
A basic overview of Prague's highlights are a must for any first-time traveler to the Czech capital, and one of the best ways to get this overview is by taking a tour. You can tour Prague in several ways: you can join one of the daily tours of the city that don't require prior reservation; you can book a tour of Prague; you can follow the route outlined in a guidebook; you can wing it, following a map and your instincts; or you can download an audio walking tour.
If you like the idea of a self-paced audio tour that you can download to your iPod Touch, iPhone, or other device that plays mp3 audio files, Walki-Talki.com's audio walking tour may be what you're looking for. This informative tour includes 17 stops around historic Prague and a map to keep you going in the right direction. You can stop and start the tour according to your own schedule and you won't have to worry about keeping up with a group of fellow travelers. The tour can be downloaded for $8.99 at Walki-Talki.com.
Saturday December 5, 2009
In some parts of East and East Central Europe, children enjoy a visit from a local incarnation of St. Nicholas, whose day is celebrated on December 6. Some children, like those in Hungary, place their shoes or boots on the windowsill on the night of December 5 so that "Mikulas" can fill them with candy or small toys over night. On the Night of St. Nicholas in Prague, actors dressed up as the gift-giving saint, angels, and devils go in search of children to reward with small treats for good behavior.
Shoe filled with treats for St. Nicholas Day photo credit: iStockphoto/Scrofula
Wednesday December 2, 2009
Pecs, Hungary, accepts the title of European Capital of Culture in 2010. If you're planning to travel to Hungary in the coming year, consider making Pecs one of your stops. Pecs offers a lively nightlife, art galleries and museums, an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and more. Pecs is also located in one of Hungary's wine regions. You can read more about the wine and culture of Pecs in the article Explore Pecs, Hungary by Dale Lovell, who recently visited Pecs to discover what Hungary's fifth largest city is all about. The accompanying slideshow of Pecs is also worth checking out.It shows images of Pecs architecture, wine cellars, folk culture, and countryside.
