Movimiento Travel

In Cheung Chau, an island of Hong Kong, every year a festival is held very original: the Festival of the buns. Everything about the festival is part of its history: a dark age in which it was believed that the island was cursed. To cope with the curse, the inhabitants made several sacrifices and rituals and scaring the demons and ghosts.

In the memory of these rituals comes this event today has become one of the most important of all China. Discover an unusual event full of color and pastries.

In late May of each year, residents of Cheung Chau and many curious passengers in the streets of the city to enjoy this event so special.

The festival is held on the island of the same name, which historically was the hideout of dozens of pirates. The islanders, when asked, mentioning two origins for the festival: a report that is to placate the ghosts of the victims of pirates, while others say the festival commemorating the survival plague 200 years ago in the domains of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when Cheung Chau was devastated by a storm. This disaster was followed by a great plague that took the lives of many. Believing that the island was cursed, people began to practice ceremonies and sacrifices to appease the wrath of the gods. The festival is of extraordinary dimensions and coincides with the birthday of Buddha. For all this, it is a unique event of its kind and an ideal opportunity for travelers to discover the essence of Chinese traditions and beliefs more remote.

In celebration, which lasts seven days, you can see rituals, dances, taste traditional local dishes, listen to Chinese songs and have fun. At this time also loves to Pak Tai, the Taoist god of the Sea, with a ritual procession in a march to the music of gongs and drums, all accompanied by adults and children dressed in many colors.

During the first three days, the entire island becomes a vegetarian. Even fast-food outlets offer meat: the menu changes drastically for veggie burgers and even hot dogs vegetarians.

Cheung Chau is a community that depends almost entirely on the sea for their life, since fishing is the main activity. In addition, motorized boats are prohibited on the island. This means that the port is filled with small boats bobbing peacefully ancient oriental style … It is an ideal place to relax and also to celebrate.

The towers of buns
No doubt the main attraction of this festival is climbing so-called “towers of buns.” These are huge bamboo structures, filled with sweet pastries like fruit hanging from tall trees. The towers of buns are located in front of Pak Tai Temple, the god who is devoted to the festival, built in 1783.

There are several temples in Hong Kong that honor to this god, who according to legend, the prince of evil began to heaven. Of greater importance to the residents of Cheung Chau is however its role as an advocate before the pirates who had released a series of attacks against the island. According to the myths, the attacks ceased once the temple was built.

The towers are built with bamboo to a height of 18 meters and then are filled with sweet buns. Since all the buns are blessed, once people climbed the tower to get their buns, but in 1978 one of these towers collapsed causing hundreds of injuries, so that until recently was banned climbing. However from 2005 onwards were established some very strict rules and this activity was glad that both the people was restored.

Furthermore, if the festival has even more flavor, buns are distributed to those attending the festival for free after the closing ceremony. Of course you can also buy these cakes in local bakeries.

The climb to the towers of buns
It is a strange and fascinating tradition: the sound of the gong competition starts, where the twelve participating climbers must climb the tower of cakes and breads to collect as many as possible, the higher are the rolls are worth more points. Now: they have only three minutes to get there. For added security, now the tower is now metal and the contestants wear a harness.

Win the challenge the climber to collect more points. How do they do? Some say it is easier to collect as many buns as possible, while others prefer those that are higher than are those with the highest score … Competition is not just an amazing show to win the game is quite an honor. Tradition determines that the family belongs to which contestant will be very lucky during that year, as it will with the blessing of the god Pak Tai.

Other gods
The festival not only dedicated to Pak Tai. The second of the deities who participated in this event is the highly revered Goddess Hau, who is the protector of the seas, fishermen and their boats. This goddess is worshiped to provide warnings of impending storms and save the lives of fishermen, as many of the islanders live from fishing.

Two gods complete the heavenly altar involved in the great celebration: Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy, and Hsing-the terrifying god of the south, who with his beard hideous face of horror to all his opponents.

You can see in different parts of the city temples and festivals dedicated to these gods, you can always enjoy free.

Aerial Dance
The week’s festivities culminate with spectacular processions in which smaller clothes and walk the streets dressed as mythological figures, held aloft by hidden bars that give the appearance of floating above the heads of the crowd.

This is how you will see a “flyover” of small figures dancing in the air. Parents consider it a great honor that their children are part of the parade, so usually the preparation of the costumes is time and dedication of each family.

A company of musicians accompanying the procession fascinating, beating gongs and drums to scare the ghosts of old pirates and their victims. The pilgrimage is led by a spectacular image of Pak Tai, who directs the imaginary battle against the spirits.

Rome is one of the major religious tourist destinations of Christianity. The Cultural Heritage of the beautiful Roman churches is invaluable: its meaning spiritually, for its exquisite art and its remote history of more than 1500 years. We invite you to visit some of the major Catholic churches in the city.

The story of the strong link between Rome and Catholicism begins with his appointment as the official religion of the Roman Empire in the fourth century AD C. From there began the building of churches. At first, the Roman churches arose in relation to places of worship of the time when this faith was banned (as catacombs or private homes).

In Rome, in the V century AD, the construction of churches had an intensity that would be repeated until the seventeenth century. The city soon became the center of Christianity, especially when the Pope’s residence. Then, medieval churches emerge from these Roman buildings. Many vestiges remain in outer walls or groundwater.

By the Renaissance, many ancient temples began to decline. Others were built, which brought out the new styles of art. Where the seventeenth century, we find-maybe-the ultimate expression of Christian architecture: the Basilica of St. Peter, designed by Pope Urban VIII, and by Bramante, Bernini, Raphael and Michelangelo among other great art history.

Today we’ll tell the story of the longest dry square of the ever-beautiful city of Paris, capital of France. It covers an area of 84 thousand square meters. We are talking about the famous Place de la Concorde. The Concordia is known worldwide for having sheltered here conscientious several celebrities. Undoubtedly the most important was what happened during the course of the French Revolution. The square was occupied by the guillotine, at whose feet rolled the heads of prominent figures in the history of France among them: King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette.

Returning to the present time, we mention that the Place de la Concorde, in octagonal shape, is crossed by various Parisian avenues that separated into several sections. Share important buildings around the perimeter of the square. Among them are: the Hotel Crillon and the Admiralty. Both were designed by the same architect who designed the diagram and place: the renowned Gabriel. It is also important to note that the actual name of the Place de la Concorde comes from the era of the Directory. He named it for the purpose of calling into oblivion both political controversy.

Finally, we note that today the center of the Plaza is occupied by one of the most striking of the city of Paris. It is the Egyptian obelisk from the Temple of Luxor. This monument 34 centuries old has a modern hieroglyphic writing. On the pedestal that holds gold played in the process of installation. Two sources in its complement the architectural side.

Many battles were fought on European soil. Today the battlefields are some of the most beautiful places on the continent. For those who want to make a historical journey through the European wars, then we leave a list of sites which can not be lost.

Hastings (14 October 1066)
The Normans won a decisive victory at Hastings and this is the last time England was to be successfully conquered. The defeat of William I, who ruled the country at the time, meant an enrichment of the language of the country and had an important impact on other aspects of culture. You can visit the Abbey of the battle that serves as a museum and take part in the festivities of l Oct. 14.

Agincourt (October 25, 1415)
Here the English knights defeated a French army that was supposed to 3 times more numerous. The village of Agincourt is a clearinghouse of information on Medieval History which travelers can visit to find out more about the history of this battle and its landscapes.