What governmental/cultural holidays or observances have you experienced while traveling?
When I was working in S Korea, there was Children's Day (when children are celebrated, which I thought was quite sweet), Chuseok which is a bit like Thanksgiving/Harvest but kids receive presents like Christmas, the New Year holds a very different meaning -- as if everybody is having a birthday (sans the presents).
On the less spirited side, my in-laws visited once when we lived in San Francisco, very excited to visit the famous Muir Woods. Alas, the government decided to shut down, which mean the managed parks were all shut down as well. Thankfully, my in-laws got to visit another redwood forest which was also gorgeous, but I hope that kind of break/"holiday?" won't happen again. 😉
Also watching the observance of Ramadan in Malaysia was quite interesting.
Rat on the Road mentioned the recent tragic passing of King Bhumibol in Thailand, which would be a very rare observance and has had a profound affect on how Thailand might usually be experienced, and also such insight into a different culture.
Please share what you've experienced!
Reply to this Great topic Auspicious...I was in Tanna Vanuatu for childrens day..which is where they celebrate..children..so I blew bubbles and we all laughed a lot and the kids had swimming races, being surrounded by ocean means the swimming races are from the back of the weekly barge to a rock lol. They had a special service (deeply religious people other than the people who still live the traditional way like the Yakel) and being somewhat fluent in Bislama I got to translate the service for the other tourists on the island. I went diving in the afternoon and the kids watching from the rocks up above thought that was hilarious.
Reunion Island on Valentines Day is Stupid! I did my usual stuff up a nights accomodation which is why i dont prebook accom any more other than the night of arrival - and every single room on the island was full of people who had flown from Mauritius and South Africa to have a romantic weekend. Restaurant charges that are already exhorbidant went up 300%.
Ive been in Ternate and Makassar in Indo throught a few Ramadams being a non drinker its kind of a non issue for me - having said that though ive always been on dive boats or in transit so have not observed the ceremonies.
A few months ago in Prague it was Students day where they remember the Prague Spring and the Velvet Revolution. I went out for a wander in the afternoon and the streets were dead quiet but when i tried to go out in the evening Wenceslas Square was blocked off, helicopters were hovering overhead, a few thousand people marched with a sizeable amount of very serious czech riot squad either side of them peacefully but it was an amazing contrast. Suddenly Prague didnt feel like Prague within an instant. When I went back outside after seeing a performance of a recently passed away Leonard Cohens work in the Jewish Ghetto in the Spanish Synagogue the protesters had passed through the square and were down on Charles Bridge making their way to Parliament so it was strangely back to being Prague again. Everyone was just going about their business drinking hot red wine and it was a peaceful protest but I learnt a lot about the uprisings through eastern europe after seeing the Students Day protest.
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