La Tomatina is a Spanish festival held in the town of Buñol, in Valencia, Spain. This is a festival wherein participants throw tomatoes and get involved in the tomato fight purely for entertainment purposes. Since 1945 it has been held on the last Wednesday of August.

The tomato fight event was created after two men, began throwing tomatoes at many people and places as a sign of their political protest. It was banned in the Spanish State period under Francisco Franco for having no religious significance.  In 1957, demand for the popular festival led to its becoming official, with certain rules and restrictions. La Tomatina returned in the 1970s and continues to this day, though more for enjoyment than protest.

In La Tomatina festival, the fight usually lasts for an hour, after which the town square is covered with tomato debris. In 2015, it is estimated that almost 145000 kg of tomatoes were thrown.

Due to the popularity of the event, set of rules and regulations have been implemented for everyone’s safety. No one is allowed to throw bottles or hard objects, also t-shirts should not be torn or thrown. Tomatoes must be squashed first before throwing to avoid hurting others. Participants should also keep a safe distance away from the trucks that hose down the streets after the fight. Everyone should stop throwing tomatoes after the second starter pistol shot. Lastly, everyone participating the event is expected to follow the instructions from the security staff.

Cycling or biking is a popular form of recreation for all ages. Cycling has also been a means of transportation for many places where the large vehicles cannot go through. Cycling is economical, environmental friendly and definitely a good form of exercise for the whole body. But one of the most interesting features of cycling is that it enables us to see a new destination. It brings us closer to the land and its people. It gives us the chance to see the places from a new perspective and explore them deeply through their more remote corners. In a mobile bike, we control the pace, so we are free to stop at anywhere, whenever we like.

Because of the convenience and benefits cycling offers, many places in the world, even big cities, has gave way for pedallers. Bike tours have also grown popular among local and international tourists. Nowadays, there are a lot of bike travel tours that can be found offering guided tour.

Let’s take a look at some of the world’s best destinations for a bike travel tour.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is regarded as the most bicycle-friendly capital city in the world. It has world-class facilities for cyclists – bike paths, bike racks, and several guarded bicycle parking stations which can be used for a nominal fee. It was in 2012 when cycling in the city has become tremendously popular. According to statistics; 490,000 cyclists take to the road to cycle 2 million kilometers a day. Over 60% of trips in Amsterdam are made by bike in the inner city and around 83% of Amsterdam residents are reportedly hopping onto their bikes at least once a week.

Montreal

Montreal is rated as the “North America’s premiere biking city.” The place is flat which makes it perfect for all types of cyclists, amateur or experienced.  The city is best explored on two wheels for its boasting 730 kilometers of bike paths. There’s plentiful of cycle rentals and guided bike tours suitable for any taste. Some of the city’s most scenic bike paths can be found in Lachine Canal, De Maisonneuve Boulevard, and the island of Parc Jean-Drapeau.

Vietnam

Vietnam is perfect for long-distance cycling. Through pedaling, one will see the city’s stunning coastline of broad sandy beaches, paddy fields, and vibrant streets. Exploring the city on two wheels offer unique, on-the-ground perspective of the beautiful country. Some of the best places to bike is the Hai Van Pass, Hoi Ai on Highway 1, and Ho Chi Minh Highway.

Barcelona

Cycling will let you see Barcelona in a different point of view, whether you’re a seasoned or a first time cyclist. The city has 200 kilometers bike path in and around the city. Barcelona’s most striking vistas are easily accessible on two wheels. The city is now increasing the number of cycle lanes and bike parking, to make the city a lot friendlier to cyclists. Best places to cycle includes Catalonia’s countryside and its rustic town, the route to Montjuic castle, and the coastline of Costa Brava.

San Francisco

Many parts of San Francisco is relatively flat, including some of the most densely populated areas. That enables cyclists to reach work, shopping and recreational destinations quickly and comfortably. About 128,000 bike trips are made by residents across 37 kilometers of bike lane each day. The city’s cycling culture is vibrant, comprising from distinct cliques, to races, and events. Some of its most popular events are the Bike to Work Day, Tour de Fat and the Bicycle Film Festival. Most guided tours officially start on the city-side of the Golden Gate Bridge.

San Diego Comic-Con International, a nonprofit educational corporation which create awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms through conventions and events; is held annually in San Diego California. Inaugurated as Golden State Comic Book Convention on March 21, 1970, it celebrates the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. It was founded by four San Diego natives namely Sheldon Dorf, an American comic book enthusiast; Richard Alf, an American businessman and former comic book store owner; Ken Krueger, an American publisher and retailer and Mike Towry, an American businessman. This four day event held from Thursday to Sunday, is the “largest convention of its kind in the world” according to Forbes; which drew 167,000 attendees in 2015.

This year’s comic-con which marks the 48^th year for the show  will commence with Preview Night on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. The main event at the San Diego Convention Center will run Thursday, July 20, until Sunday, July 23, 2017.

Some of the activities lined-up for the San Diego Comic Con International 2017 are the following:

Anime screenings – Comic Con 2017 will once again feature Anime screenings in a complete 4-day schedule.

Art Show – This features original works for sale by amateurs and professionals. This is open to public who are looking for drawings, paintings, sculpture, jewelry and more.

Autograph – The Autograph Area which is the place to go for a special memento from a variety of artists, authors, and actors from every area of popular culture, will be opened from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm Thursday through Saturday and from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Sunday.

Children’s Film Festival – This is a day-long programming of some of the finest short films for children of all ages.

Games – The Games Department previously featured board, card, and dice games; new, classic, role-playing games, and live action role playing games or LARPs. There were also tournaments, demos, and a huge game library to check out games for free.

Maquerade – Comic-Con’s Saturday night showcases the Masquerade. This is a unique evening of amazing costume creations and imaginative and entertaining ways to present them. Awards and special prizes await the winners from various categories.

More activities will be revealed a week before the actual convention.

How about you? What are you most excited for the Comic Con’s 48^th celebration this July?

French National Day is more commonly known as Bastille Day. It is celebrated every 14th of July each year. In France, it is called la Fete nationale, which means The National Celebration and le 14 julliet, meaning the fourteenth of July.

The holiday is a commemoration of the Storming of the Bastille on June 24, 1789, a turning point of the French Revolution; and the celebration of the Fete de la Federation, a festival honoring the unity of the French people on July 14, 1790.

Bastille Day is celebrated by a military parade. The Bastille Day Military Parade is held on the morning of July 14 each year, in Paris since 1880. This popular event and the oldest and largest regular military parade in Europe, passes down the Champs-Elysees – an avenue in Paris where Arc de Triomphe is located, to the Place de la Concorde – the largest square in the French capital. The celebration will not be complete without the world-famous spectacular fireworks display in the Eiffel Tower.

Bastille celebrations in other countries

Belgium

The celebration of Bastille Day in Belgium is held in Liege, a major city in Belgium. It started since the end of World War 1. It is held with an extravagant fireworks display at the Congress Hall.

India

Bastille Day in India is held in Pondicherry, a former French colony. The celebration is marked by the French and Indian flags flying side by side in the military parade. This is also a celebration of the mixture of the Indian and French cultures and heritages. Cancan dancers perform next to Bollywood dancers during Bastille Day.

Ireland

Several events are organized around Dublin, Cork and Limerick for Bastille Day, which includes evenings of French music and tasting of French food.

South Africa

Bastille Day in South Africa is held in Franschhoek, one of the oldest towns in South Africa which was settled by the French refugees in 1688. Champagne and croissants are popular during the day. It is celebrated with a barrel-rolling competition and a dance competition with the grand prize of a week-long vacation in Seychelles.

USA

New Orleans, Louisiana has the most French flair celebration of Bastille Day in the United States. The celebration is filled with live music, kids’ crafts and oodles of beignets. A French Dog Competition is held, in which dogs are judged based on their costumes and overall Parisian air.

The United States Independence Day is referred to as the Fourth of July. It is a federal holiday in the US commemorating the Declaration of Independence 241 years ago, on July 4, 1776. It’s the day when the United States of America was declared as a new nation and was no longer part of the British Empire.

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were the Founding Fathers of Independence Day and signers of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams later served as the second President of the United States while Thomas Jefferson served as the third President. Coincidentally, both of them died on the 50th celebration of Independence Day, on July 4, 1826.

The celebration of Independence Day is marked with extravagant displays of fireworks, parades, carnivals, fairs, concerts, old fashioned picnics and barbecues, family reunions, lots of outdoor activities, political speeches and ceremonies. Since this is a national holiday, most families gather for a long weekend vacation.

One of the most famous activities during this day is the Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Contest in Brooklyn, New York. Anyone who eats the most hotdogs and buns in 10 minutes will be declared as the winner and will take home the prize money and the Mustard Belt. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California, has won the title nine times (2007-2014 and 2016) and also holds the world record for eating 73 hot dogs. Miki Sudo from New York is the current title holder for the women. In 2016, she won the title by eating 38.5 hot dogs.

An Independence Day celebration will not be complete without a grand fireworks display. In 2009, New York City had the largest fireworks display in the country, with more than 22 tons of pyrotechnics exploded. Major displays are held in New York on the East River, in Chicago on Lake Michigan; in San Diego over Mission Bay; in Boston on the Charles River; in St. Louis on the Mississippi River; in San Francisco over the San Francisco Bay; and at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The whole world is surely excited for what the United States of America has prepared for its next celebration of their independence.