Weird & Wonderful
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The Commemorative Ceremony for Mevlana, the great Sufic saint (1207-1273), is one of the world's greatest spectacles. More than a million people descend on Konya, the ancient Seljuk capital…
More than a million devotees process to the Batu Caves, a spectacular holy temple outside Kuala Lumpur, to celebrate the annual Hindu festival of Thaipusam. The event marks Lord Murugan's…
During Hadaka Matsuri bare-bottomed men ensure their good luck by crowding the streets of Inazawa City in the hope of touching a naked man! Since 767 BC the Naked Man, aka Shin-otokoa, has…
King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament
Around 30 elephants and their trainers compete at the King's Cup Elephant Polo tournament, held at the Anantara Resort in the Golden Triangle. Follow the parade, feed the elephants and watch…
Scoppio del Carro - Explosion of the Cart
Every year on Easter Sunday, perfectly sane Florentine citizens gather in Piazza del Duomo to watch a dove-shaped rocket, called the "Colombina", fly out of the famous Duomo. It then ignites a…
Prepare to get soaked with the crowds on Khao San Road and elsewhere in the city at the traditional Buddhist New Year festival of Songkran. The watery celebrations go on all night and through…
A tradition since the 14th century, for the people of Siena the Palio horse-race is a matter of life and death. Ten bareback riders clash in a frenzied 90-second dash around the huge Piazza del Campo.
A tradition since the 14th century, for the people of Siena the Palio horse-race is a matter of life and death. Ten bareback riders clash in a frenzied 90-second dash around the huge Piazza del Campo.
Burning Man is an annual gathering of some 25,000 people in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. Named after the effigy burnt on the final night, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the brave, the…
Naga Fireballs at Nong Khai Province
The Mekong River is home to a strange, beautiful and baffling phenomenon - the Naga Fireballs. On the full moon night of October, coinciding with the end of the Buddhist Rains Retreat…
Mexico's famous commemoration of the dead - el día de los muertos - is both a joyous and touching celebration. In Oaxaca, the people remember their ancestors by decorating the cemeteries…
This bizarre little statue of a peeing boy is the most popular tourist attraction in Brussels, just off the Grand'Place. Famously touted as a glorious example of Belgian humour and capacity…
Don't miss the chance to see one of the best free shows in the heavens as the Taurids Meteor shower falls magnificently over Hawaii. The Taurids are a favourite with astrophotographers due to…
Created by the late Jefferson Davis McKissack over a period of 23 years, The Orange Show is a monument to folk art and free thinking. Maze-like in design, it includes an oasis, wishing well, a…
Dress warmly for the Mummers' Parade, one of the most extravagant events in Philadelphia. Over 10,000 people come out to welcome the New Year in outrageous fashion and thousands more line the…
Each January, the Parkes Elvis Festival celebrates the King of Rock 'n' Roll's birthday with numerous activities and swarms of impersonators. The festival programme is jam-packed with events…
The ritual Wakakusa Yamayaki burning of the grass on Wakakusa Hill, Nara, during which the whole 342-metre hill is set ablaze, is surely one of the most stunning sights of Japan's festival year.
Bikaner Camel Festival in Rajasthan begins with a fantastic procession of these magnificent animals, bedecked with stunning Rajastani textiles in brilliant colours. The camels engage in…
The Lerwick Up Helly Aa is a magnificent fire festival, incorporating the burning of a Viking galley and a torchlit parade. Nearly 1000 people dressed as Vikings or in other fancy dress take…
Florida Sports Park welcomes 70 fearless racers for its tri-annual Swamp Buggy Races, to challenge the world famous "Sippy Hole". Swamp Buggys were born out of necessity, there being no other…
