Avoiding the Olympics: Alternative Things to Do in the Britain This Summer

Julius — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:06:54 +0000

As the Olympics is just around the corner and the anticipation has begun to cross the entire United Kingdom it would seem that there is little else to do apart from allowing oneself to get swept up by the ensuing mania. However, for some people, sitting by the television watching the upcoming games might not exactly represent their idea of fun so, for those staying in the British isles looking for alternative activities to partake in, here is a list of other things to do:

St Mary’s Abbey, York, UK by Mrs Logic

Ghost Hunting in York

One of the UK’s most beautiful cities, York features an array of buildings left over from times of yore – including the castle which looks over the city – and is home to some fantastically spooky nooks and crannies. Going on one of the ghost walks throughout the city is a fantastic way of learning a bit of British history.. whilst also being scared out of your wits!

Culture at the Edinburgh Festival

Once per year Edinburgh is flooded by tourists looking to soak up as much culture as they possibly can as the Scottish town becomes one of the liveliest places on earth. With shows on all day, every day in more locations than it is possible to count there is everything from cutting edge comedy through to new media debates and much, much more.

Notting Hill Carnival

Why not hit the streets and lose yourself in the atmosphere of Notting Hill carnival? As raucous, lively, vibrant and bold as anything in Rio, the London based carnival features a fiesta atmosphere and a procession of eye catching spectacles.

Notting Hill Carnival, UK by extrageographic

Go Running

Why just leave it to the Olympians to partake in sporting activities? Like most sports, running is much more fun to do that it is to watch and this can be made even more interesting if you decide to jog in some of the UK’s more scenic destinations. From Hampstead or the New Forest through to the Yorkshire Dales, running is much more fun when done in an aesthetically pleasing surrounding. It would be advisable, however, to cast aside the latest trend for barefoot running if you don’t know your surroundings and to invest in a pair of running shoes. An alternative to this is to hire a bike and take that out for a spin instead.

Visit The National Media Museum

Based in Bradford, Yorkshire the National Media Museum is a must stop destination for fans of film. With one of the world’s few remaining functional Cineramas, a giant IMAX and screens playing host to the crème de la crème of world cinema, there is always something to keep the burgeoning cinefile entertained. On top of this the museum boasts an archive of rare film and television memorabilia and has new exhibitions and displays from artists around the world. For those looking for something less high brow, the museum also boasts an arcade of retro games such as Street Fighter and Tetris which are ideal for wiling away the hours on.

Kieron is a UK based fashion writer and blogger who is looking forward to spending the summer avoiding the Olympics. He is particularly looking forward to jogging in his Skechers around Ogden whilst avoiding watching Discuss, Javelin and a host of other events.

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Palio di Siena – horse festival in Italy

Julius — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 14:52:33 +0000

The city of Siena is composed of 17 different neighbourhoods. Twice a year, on July 2nd and August 16th, a resident from each of the 17 neighbourhoods competes against one another in the historic Palio di Siena. The seventeen neighbourhoods represent the medieval contrade armies that were created in order to defend the city of Siena after having declared independence from the control of Florence.

Twenty days prior to the July 2nd race, a total of 10 contestants will be draw to compete in the first event of the year. The remaining 7 contestants will participate in the second event on August 16th; along with the top three contestants from the July race. Three days before each race, the contestants are assigned the horse that they will be running in the race.

The Palio di Siena is considered to be one of the most famous and historic of festivals in the whole of Italy which takes place every year in the Piazza del Campo square; a fan shaped earthen race track. The actual festivities of the event start on June 29th and will continue on until August 13th of each year.

Horse race, Palio di Siena, Tuscany, Italy by Janus Kinase

On race day, there is a special mass held in Siena where the contestants and their horses are blessed before the start of the competition. Trial runs are held until around 3 in the afternoon; after which a procession makes its way throughout the historic town center of Siena. The procession ends at the Piazza del Campo just in time for the 4:30 official start time of the Palio di Siena competition.

The race is composed of three laps around the Piazza del Campo which is roughly 1,000 meters in all. The winner wins a victory flag for their neighborhood known as the palio. It is a huge honor to win the Palio di Siena.

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