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Home ยป Travel ยป Further Afield ยป Bucket List: 10 fabulous places to travel to, including cultural festivals in Asia

Bucket List: 10 fabulous places to travel to, including cultural festivals in Asia

21 January, 2017 by Michelle Wonderland 6 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/bucket-list-10-fabulous-places-to-travel-to-including-cultural-festivals-in-asia/

Thereโ€™s no doubt Iโ€™m a wanderluster; itโ€™s what has inspired our familyโ€™s thirst for expattery around the globe this past decade. But no matter how many international countries and world cities we move to, the thrill of new cultural adventures abroad always beckons. Iโ€™m a big believer in manifestation, so this year, Iโ€™m throwing my new yearโ€™s resolutions wish list out to the Universe in hopes that The Dude abides my bucket list of spectacular places to travel to this year

bucket list, travel, festivals in 2015, cultural tourism, bagan, myanmar, burma, family travel
I believe I can fly! Balloons over Bagan’s hot air balloon flights look amazing

 

January: Ballooning in Bagan, Myanmar

I first said mingalabar to Burma two years ago, yet what I really want to do is take a balloon flight over hundreds of ancient temples along the Irrawaddy. Hubby says itโ€™s time to finally have breakfast champers while hovering over history, so we have our fingers crossed for this opportunity in 2015. Popular hot air balloon over Bagan operators are Balloons Over Bagan and Oriental Ballooning, both offering premium and classic flights.

February: Karma yoga โ€“ volunteer teaching in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

As one of Asiaโ€™s poorest countries, Cambodia suffers from high rates of child trafficking, and many of Phnom Penhโ€™s orphanages struggle to educate and protect children from this fate. Instead of taking another leisure holiday to Cambodia sipping Pastis by the pool and playing tomb raider at Angkor Wat, itโ€™s time to open our hearts this year. Ethical project organizations like Projects Abroad offer opportunities to give, as well as working with charities such as First Hand.
 

Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival
Rising up in a blaze of glory, Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival

March 5 โ€“ 15: Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, Pingxi District, Taiwan

Held typically after the fifteenth day of the first month in lunar new year, the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival sees nearly 200,000 fiery lanterns blaze the night sky.ย  Located an hour north of Taipei in a rural, mountain town, Pingxi is reported to be one of the most awe-inspiring launch sites for new year dreams.

April 13 โ€“ 15: Songkran, Chiang Mai, Thailand

The worldโ€™s biggest water fight awaits in northern Thailand. During Songkran (Thai New Year), the 700 year old city of Chiang Mai hosts one of the biggest (and longest) water festivals in Thailand.ย  Perfect for the family, side trips can include learning the skills of becoming a mahout for a day, and foodie tourism highlights of Esarn-style Northern Thai cuisine.

 

Expat living Editor
Today in the Expat Living office: Hey, Universe, doesn’t Online Editor Michelle look so very deserving of these trips in 2015?


May 16: Great Wall Marathon Fun Run, China

Though I completely ditched out on the Expat Living team Commando Challenge last year (I had a fever, hey!), Iโ€™d really like to tackle the Great Wall Marathon. But knowing that my genuine steam-blowing stamina limitations canโ€™t face a full marathon, Iโ€™d opt for the (manageable) 8.5km Fun Run instead.

Castle Hotel
Fun fact: Dalian has some of the cleanest air in China. And there’s this cool Castle Hotel too.

 

June: Castle Hotel, Dalian, China

Ever since we read about the sweetheart seat flights on China Airlines to Starwood Luxury Collectionโ€™s Dalian Castle Hotel in HK Mag, we knew we had to get planning. This Bavarian-style castle mock up features nearly 300 rooms in a city with some of the best air quality in China! It might be a bit cheesy, but thereโ€™s a certain Mandarin-speaking-5-year-old who will be giddy at the opportunity to chat with locals and boss her parents around in a foreign language, all while living like a princess.

 

Elena Brower yoga retreat
Can you hear the ohmmmmm already?

August 1 โ€“ 7: Elena Brower Yoga Retreat, Como Shambhala Retreat by Uma at COMO, Paro, Bhutan

Meditating in the Kingdom of Gross National Happiness? Check. Pranayama in the Himalayas? Check. Practicing the art of attention through love and gratitude? Check. Luxe digs? You betcha. Yoga is, well, itโ€™s my life. So when I came across this weeklong yog-stacy, I let out a girly squeal. Led by yoga expert Elena Brower and held at luxury hotel Como Shambhala Retreat by Uma at COMO, this Bhutan yoga retreat is the kind that yoginis like me dream of.

Pushkar Camel Festival
How many humps will we be able to count at the weeklong Pushkar Camel Fair?


November 14 โ€“ 21: Pushkar Camel Fair, Rajasthan, India

We want to watch the desert come alive this year! An annual, five-day camel and livestock fair, Pushkar Camel Festival draws in tourists far and near to experience the cultural apex of Rajasthan. As the worldโ€™s largest camel fair, other highlights include a massive market hawking local wares and competitions for the longest moustache and bridal competition. To fully experience the spectacle in action, weโ€™d plan to stay at Bliss Camp, a glamping company that organizes not only tour packages for Pushkar Camel Fair, but also offers a host of other luxury-tented desert camps in Rajasthan throughout the year.
 

Carp street
Look for the “KAPR” signs; there are tubs o’carp around every corner. Photo credit: 52insk.com

December 20 โ€“ 23: Live Christmas carp, Holiday markets in Prague, Czech Republic

I was fortunate to be a student in Prague when it was hailed as the Paris of the โ€˜90s, and proclaim the truth that the โ€œdear little mother has sharp clawsโ€. I vowed that when I had a family of my own, I would share the spectacle of Christmas glory only found in the Czech capital.

Carp bathtub
Your new pet is part of an age-old tradition. Photo credit: Hedgie.org

Not only does the whimsy of Wenceslas Squareโ€™s holiday markets truly make it feel festive, but there is something so uniquely Czech about the sale of live Christmas carp in late December. As tradition goes, just before Christmas time, youโ€™ll notice large tubs of carp on each street corner. If you stick around, youโ€™ll get used to the โ€œthwackโ€ of fishmongers preparing these fish to take home for traditional holiday meals. Do as the Czechs do; the other option, which would be more entertaining for the kids, is to bypass the quasi-violent thwacking and take your live carp home to live in the bathtub for a week.

Santa Tours
Meeting Santa Claus live and up-close in the Arctic Circle defo ticks the box

 

December 24 โ€“ 28: Meeting Father Christmas in Lapland, Finland

Letโ€™s face it, we parents will only be able to get away with sustaining the belief in Santa Claus for a limited time. So, to keep the dream alive in our five-year-oldโ€™s mind, we would like to meet Father Christmas himself in the Arctic Circle. Budget tour operators like Thomsons organize yearly tours to Finnish Lapland, whereas other specialty operators such as Nordic Experience and Canterbury Travel give families options for meeting Santa on his home turf. Note: the afore-mentioned tour operators are UK based.


Stay tuned to see if I get lucky enough to tick all the boxes on my bucket list this year!

Categories: Further Afield Newsletter Short Breaks Things To Do Travel Travel News & Offers Tags: Adventure Holiday Cambodia Charity Work China Cultural Festivals Holiday Destinations Prague Travel Santa Claus Taiwan Thailand Yoga

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Thanks Julianna for this delicious 
Easy Blueberry Oreo Cheesecake to start the weekend!
Serves 4, or 2 if you're hungry๐Ÿ˜‰

Preparation time: 15 mins Ingredients:
โ€ข 6 digestive biscuits
โ€ข 50g butter 
โ€ข 250g cream cheese (1 brick) 
โ€ข 6 Oreo biscuits
โ€ข 125g blueberries (1 box)
โ€ข 100g milk or whipped cream 
โ€ข 5 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:
For crust:
1. Crush digestive biscuits in a big bowl and add melted butter.
2. Press together at the base of the cake mould.
3. Set aside to cool.

For filling: 
1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and milk or whipped cream on medium speed in a bowl until it is smooth and creamy. 
2. Add crushed Oreos and beat until they mix evenly. 
3. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
4. Freeze for two hours and top with blueberries!๐Ÿซ
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#1 Decide on a Theme:
Every momentous Christmas feast begins with a stunning table-scape. Whether youโ€™re going for the classic red and green pairing or a contemporary setting, pick a theme that you can go all out with! 
 
#2 Organise Your Linen:
Generally speaking, a crisp white linen table-runner will do. But if youโ€™re looking to up the ante this year, go for one with subtle prints on it. 
 
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 A beautiful Christmas centrepiece is the fastest way to add cheer to your party. Itโ€™s also a great excuse to show off your creative flair to friends and family. 
 
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When it comes to tableware, most people play it safe with crystal glasses and porcelain plates. Why not take it up a notch by throwing a set of gold cutlery into the mix? Itโ€™s an instant pop of luxury that exudes warmth to traditional red and green themes. ๐Ÿด
 
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Jazz up your dining area with these pretty picks!โšก๏ธ

Companies tagged in the photos for more details๐Ÿช‘
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Get ready for Christmas, CNY and beyond with these fab treatment packages now available at @amooma.spa โœจ

#1 BUBBLE & SPARKLE
A package for two, including an aroma steam shower, deep sleep tourmaline crystal massage, sparkling champagne facial and a glass of champagne ๐Ÿฅ‚

#2 HO! HO! HO! ITโ€™S ME-TIME!
Designed for one person, this me-time includes a ling organic forbidden rice scrub, ling nourishing body wrap, AMOONA signature blend and knesko gemological face mask ๐Ÿง–๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ
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How good do these look ๐Ÿ˜ New recipe from @charissa_and_co_wellness. You can try a free sample by scanning the bar code on our online articles ๐Ÿ’œ

Recipe: Flourless Pecan Cranberry Brownie

Ingredients

Brownie base:

2 servings of Nuzest Clean Lean Chocolate Protein
1.5 cup of pumpkin puree
1 cup of hazelnut butter or almond *
1/2 cup of raw dark cacao powder
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1/3 cup of dehydrated cranberries
2 teaspoons of Manuka honey ** Optional
White chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons of Erythritol
Dark chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
3 tablespoons of raw dark cacao powder
1 teaspoon of Erythritol
Instructions

Brownie base:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Grease a square baking tray with coconut oil and line tray with parchment paper.
In a large blender, mix all the brownie ingredients together until smooth.
Pour the brownie mix into the pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Once cooked, allow the brownies to cool on a rack.
Chocolate drizzle:

You will need two separate mixing bowls for the white and dark chocolate drizzle.
Melt the cacao butter at low temperature and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Pour the chocolate drizzle over the cooled brownies.
Pop them in the fridge to set or enjoy them as warm brownies.**
Optional: Sprinkle some fresh pomegranate and dried cranberry seeds onto the brownies (after cooling in the fridge for 20 minutes).
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TGIF ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒฟ

๐Ÿ“ท @lailasophiashah
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Good morning! Weโ€™ve got another delicious recipe from @charissa_and_co_wellness ๐Ÿ’•

Recipe: Persimmon Vanilla Chia Porridge

Serves 2

Ingredients

PERSIMMON-VANILLA-CHAI-PORRIDGE.jpg
Chia Vanilla Milky Layer:

1/2 cup of chia Seeds
1.5 cup of coconut milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 servings of Nuzest Clean Lean Protein Vanilla 
1 tablespoon of tahini paste
2 Medjool dates
2 slices of fresh persimmon
Persimmon Coconut Porridge Layer:

1 whole persimmon chopped
1/2 cup of coconut yoghurt
2 tablespoons of coconut flakes
1 teaspoon of almond butter
Instructions

Chia Vanilla Milky Layer:

Blend all the ingredients together apart from the chia seeds.
Once the mix is well blended, add the chia seeds and mix well. Place in a glass jar and leave overnight in the fridge.
Persimmon Coconut Porridge Layer:

Blend all the ingredients together until creamy and smooth. Place in a glass jar, leave overnight in the fridge.
The next morning you can enjoy your porridge by layering your chia porridge with the persimmon porridge.
Optional: Add in between crunchy texture by sprinkling some raw buckwheat groats already activated or quinoa puffs
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