Some Furry Friends

Next week there will be plenty of fun to be had in Suhl, Germany, as the 15th annual European Furry Convention takes place at the Ringburg hotel from Aug 26th to 30th.  Known as Eurofurence the event takes its name from the US event known as ConFurence, a event that spun off from sci-fi conventions in the late 1980s, but was dedicated to furry anthropomorphic creatures from a guy in a team mascot suit to cartoons of Buggs Bunny or similar. According to their website Eurofurence is the biggest annual European furry convention, an international gathering of people who share an extraordinary appreciaton for anthropomorphic animal characters, so it sounds like plenty of fun. Check out their site below.

Eurofurence Official Site

http://www.eurofurence.org/EF15/

The 2009 Munich Oktoberfest kicks off on September 19th and celebrates the 176th year of the world’s biggest party.  This year reservations are high, even the ‘Global Financial Crisis’ cant dampen the Oktoberfest spirit – so if you are planning to attend get in early and book your table, you don’t want to miss out.  This year beer will cost between 8.30 and 8.60 euro a litre or Mass and there is bound to be about 7 million litres of it served, along with half a million chickens, 150,000 sausages, 60,000 pork knuckles and over 100 oxen.    Construction of the huge tents are underway and this year there are some new rides and attractions making it bigger and more fun than ever.  Some of the services stats are incredible with nearly 1000 toilets needed, 800 metres of urinals, 27 of Munich’s daily water use and 14% of their electricity. About half a million people are expected to attend every day of the 16 day event.

For more beer and Oktoberfest stories visit our Beer Blog  http://www.hoppsy.com

Burning Man is only a few months away and a new doco about the massive festival is just about out too. Called Dust and Illusions, the documentry traces the history of the festival that has grown from 20 people in 1986 on a San Fransisco Beach to almost 50,000 people in the Black Rock Desert last year. If you can’t get to the festival make sure you check out the doco (the film’s trailer is above).

Our previous burning man story

Dust and Illusions film

Burning Man official site

With new years eve only a few days away we thought we would take a look at some of the celebrations around the world the week on tripandom. One of the most famous new year events is the Times Square Ball Drop where a large ball is dropped down a pole in a similar way as a time ball was once used to alert sailors of the time. The Ball Drop dates back to 1907 and has since become one of the most watched new year events around the world with the event televised across the USA and making the evening news in many other counties. Up to a million people go to watch the ball drop each year creating a bit of a crowd control issue for police in the areas around Times Square.

Christmas Gingerbread

The Christkindlesmarkt or Christmas Markets are in full swing in Germany and the biggest of them all is in Nuremberg where more than 2 million people flock to the Hauptmarkt to buy their goods from the more than 150 stalls. The stalls run for about a month, and close Christmas eve and are one of Europe’s most magical experiences. Snow, bud lights and beautifully decorated stalls, and not forgetting some great gifts. Crafts,wooden toys, ornaments, seasonal foods like gingerbread, Christmas cake and of course the warm Christmas wines. The markets are held in quiet a few centres around Germany including Munich,Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Berlin other European centres like Toulouse France, Salzberg in Austria and even Leeds in London and Birmingham have their own. Chicago and many US cities have them too.

When Halloween rolls around in Orlando, all of the amusement parks tend to get a little bit scary and gory for little eyes and ears. So, you can find it comforting to know that there are numerous activities that aren’t SO scary throughout the Orlando and Central Florida area for your family to have fun with! Walt Disney World, and SeaWorld Adventure Park, are just two of the parks offering Halloween options for little ones and those not wanting to get scared.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Disney’s Magic Kingdom is a perfect event for the entire family to enjoy. Held September 5 to October 31 (on select nights), guests to the park can come to the park in costume and ready to party with all of their favorite Disney characters! Trick-or-treat for candy with your children throughout the park, as you are still able to hop in line for all of the classic Disney attractions. There is also a Halloween parade, a special “HalloWishes” firework display, and tons of other fun activities and attractions. This event is not included with the Disney World ticket. In order to attend this event, you must have a separate admission ticket for the specific event.

Another great option for families is SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular at SeaWorld Orlando! Running on select days from October 4 to 31 and INCLUDED with park admission, you can enjoy tons of Halloween fun with Shamu and all of his friends. Come to the park in costume and trick-or-treat along the park path as you enjoy the fantastic rides and shows of the park. Friendly sea witches, mermaids, pumpkin fish, and other sea creatures will trick-or-treat right along with you, giving your children a memory they will never forget. There are tons of special activities, shows, and more throughout the park for the entire family to celebrate Halloween.

But, not only are not so scary Halloween events happening at these theme parks, but throughout Orlando, as well. The Orlando Outlet malls often present safe options for children to trick-or-treat. Trick-or-Treat will be held at the Festival Bay Mall at International Drive from 6 pm to 8 pm on Halloween, for example. There is even an event at the Central Florida Zoo called Zoo Boo Bash, where families can participate in fun Halloween activities with their admission to the zoo on October 18, 19, 25, and 26.

There are tons of fun family options for Halloween here in Orlando! So, why not take a break from the cool and crisp weather of the north and head south to Florida for Halloween! Spend Halloween with your family at Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and MORE!

The festivals are starting to kick of in Germany, and one of the premier events is the Stuttgart Cannstatter Volkfest. It’s Stuttgart’s answer to Munich’s Octoberfest and last year attracted over 4 1/2 million visitors and over half of them from outside Stuttgart. Now in it’s 163rd year the festival runs from the 26th of September until the 12 of October and is fun for the whole family. There are some great carnival rides and attractions plus plenty of beer, infact over on million litres of beer is served during the festival and over 700,000 meals.  This year the festival has a mascot, he is WasenHasi, who is a cute little bunny, the soft toy market is going to go crazy because he is so cute. Some of the huge tents this year include Grandls hofbrau Zelt, Stamer Hof, Furstenberg Zelt and Schwaben Brau Festireli. The festival takes up a huge 68,000 square metres and is open daily from lunch time to midnight.

For more information: http://www.cannstatter-volksfest.de

While on my recent trip to Las Vegas, I got the opportunity to see one of the hottest Las Vegas shows on the Strip: Le Reve. Le Reve was a refreshing change of scenery from the other Las Vegas shows. The show was riveting, romantic, funny, and delicately done.

As I entered the theater, I was shocked to find how intimate the theater really was. At a Las Vegas performance, you would expect to find yourself as one among a humongous crowd, but this was not the case. The round theater surrounds all of the action and is only about 16 rows high, so there is NOT a bad seat in the house. We were a few rows above the Splash Zone. The Splash Zone gets its name from being so close to the water stage. The entire stage is made up of water, and platforms rise and submerge into the water like magic throughout the show.

As the lights dimmed down, it was if we were taken into the private imagination of a young woman. As the young woman lies down to go to bed, her bed submerges into the dark water and we are taken along with her into her dream world. The audience is immediately immersed in her dream world of swimming, diving, flying, and dancing characters. The synchronized female swimmers dancing to a tango in the water was AMAZING! Seeing athletically fit legs with fire-engine red heels pop in and out of the water, set to music, was such a neat effect to watch. I also loved the death-defying 80+ foot plunge by both female and male divers into the pool. Artistic elements really made this show! The little touches like the red high heels, lighting, interpretive break dancing, and sounds of water made the show what it was! But, I was expecting a dramatic performance the entire time. This was not the case. There were bits of humor thrown in by four angels who floated in and out of the young girl’s dream. The humor added that bit of comic relief that is refreshing to see at such an artistic and interpretive performance. The entire performance is the artistic interpretation of Picasso’s painting, Le Reve (which means the dream). It is fascinating to see how the director took his favorite elements of the painting and the emotions evoked from those elements and formed it into an entire artistic display for all to see.

I don’t want to give away ALL of the elements of the show, but you MUST see this show if you are ever in Las Vegas. It one of the best shows in Vegas! Le Reve is held in the Le Reve Theater at the Wynn Las Vegas. If you are going to Las Vegas, buy your Las Vegas show tickets ahead of time! You don’t want to miss it!

Halloween Horror Nights seems to be this country’s best kept secret when it comes to Halloween festivities. It is a huge local event at Universal Studios Orlando, as well as Universal Studios Hollywood. Thousands of horror fans are drawn in to this annual event. Now in its 18th year, it is said to be scarier than ever!

For over 75 years Universal Studios has been making horror films that have stood the test of time. Universal Studios reflects their expertise in horror with their annual interpretations of Halloween Horror Nights. Each year leads a different theme and scare-tactic. This year, Universal Studios Orlando plays on the imagination of a child. Everything that scared you when you were younger has come back to haunt you at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights. Bloody Mary, the Boogie Man, twisted Fairy Tales, and, of course, Jack the Clown. But there is a major twist to this year’s party there is no where to hide! Usually at Halloween Horror Nights, there are safe-zones where you can peacefully walk without having anything jump out at you. But, this year, there is none of that. You are completely immersed in the horror experience.

With terrifying haunted houses, stomach-curling scare zones, and spooky live shows and experiences you are sure to turn white as a ghost with terror. Nightmares lurk around every corner. The only escape routes you may find from the terror are by going on the rides. Some of the park’s rides will remain open, as a terror-relief. Other ways to avoid the terror may be to check out the Rocky Horror Picture Show Tribute or watch the amazing magic show of Brian Brushwood. Brian Brushwood has been acclaimed by celebrities and audiences alike, with his intense, entrancing, and, even, disturbing feats of magic.

Halloween Horror Nights may be too intense for young children. The event features gory and horrific, costumes, make-up, scenes, scenarios, and more. Costumes are not allowed to be worn in the park by guests. The country’s premier annual event will be held September 26 & 27, October 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 22-26, 29-31, and November 1 at Universal Studios Orlando. Your ticket admission to Halloween Horror Nights also grants you admission to most of the CityWalk nightclubs, as well. What better way to have a spook-tacular Halloween?! There are even combo tickets where you can get admission to either Universal Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios Orlando, as well as admission to Halloween Horror Nights. Buy your tickets today! Tickets tend to sell-out on popular nights!

Every year around February tens of thousands flock to New Orleans to let their hair down and party at the annual Mardi Gras celebrations. People come to watch the parades which feature amazing floats which are the centrepiece of the carnival. Although you need to be in the Crescent City during the Mardi Gra to soak up the unbelievable atmosphere, visitors can see some of these beautiful floats all year round. Just over the mighty Mississippi from the city in Algiers is The Blaine Kern Mardi Gras world. Here dozens of the amazing floats and costumes are on display in all their glory. Some are huge there’s the 140 foot long sea monster Levithan and an even bigger 240 odd foot long Captain Eddies SS Endymion which includes tens of thousands of tiny fibre optic lights. Blaine Kern has been making parade floats for over 60 years, and the company even makes floats for some other cities and even Universal Studios where they are used in their Florida theme park’s street parades. Visitors to Mardi Gras world will see how these magnificent sculpture and figures are produced by very talented artists and trades people. Mardi Gras world is a must for anyone visiting beautiful New OrleansFor more information: http://www.mardigrasworld.com