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I am generally planning on being in South America through March and then in Europe from April to August.
I’ll have a blast no matter what, but I’ll have even more fun if my time some of my trip to coincide with festivals, events, and other parties.
For instance, I would have had a blast in Brazil in June no matter what, but I had 10x the fun because I was there during World Cup.
Before I go into the guidebooks, I’ll go the infinite wisdom of my readers. What should I not miss over that time frame on those continents. The stranger and more obscure the better.
This post was inspired by One Mile at a Time’s Asian Festival Bucket List.
Ultra Music Festival in Buenos Aires in February. and there are a few different Lollapaloozas across South America in March.
I got to see some great shows in Argentina in March 2013. I think it was the Pepsi Music Festival and a week before that was The Killers.
I’ve been dabbling in the points game for only a couple years, and I have four kids under 9, so overseas travel isn’t so easy… but my first big points redemption was this summer to Lisbon (with my then-6-month old). We just happened to be there during Festas Lisboa (Lisbon Fest). It’s an all-night party in the streets where people sell grilled sardines, play music & dance in the streets, and generally have a massive party! It’s a remarkable city in itself, and to be there during the Fest was amazing! June 12 is the main night.
If you go, check out the Rewind Cities app, too https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pt.itpeople.rewindcitieslisbon
This isn’t exactly obscure, but it looks like you’ll be in South America for Mardi Gras/Carnaval. Rio’s is the biggest, but apparently Barranquilla’s is huge as well, and made it to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List, which might serve as inspiration for other possibilities: http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?lg=en&pg=00011
This is definitely off topic, but what do you do to stay in shape? Lookin pretty trim and toned. Seriously, with all the travel and lounges and onboard meals, how do the pounds not catch up with you? You got a daily routine, some philosophy when it comes to food, special breed of probiotics? Let us know Scott lol
Scott, the Cricket World Cup is coming up in Australia/NZ this Feb. It runs from Feb 15 till March 29, 2015. It will be a fantastic experience to be in the thick of things, given that it is the largest congregation of cricket fanatics in the world and it only takes place once every four years. You can expect lots of world cultural events, beach parties, moomba food festival in Melbourne etc. Highly recommended (if you haven’t already attended a cricket world cup)!
Check for independence day or liberation day events in your countries in Europe. We accidentally were in Italy for Liberation Day (the day they booted out the fascists) in April, so there were free events and parades all over. Paris goes all out with tons of free events for Bastille Day – my best memory is having a picnic on the Champ de Mars with a free concert followed by fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. People were sharing stuff from their picnics with each other.
That’s awesome. I love a good Eiffel Tower picnic as is.
I know you have been to cuzco times before, but the Semana Santa festivities are amazing, especially the parade with “Senor de los Temblores” Seeing the church surrounded by hundereds of police before they take the cross of the black Jesus around the city is impressive… http://www.unsettledmeliorist.com/senor-de-los-temblores/
Also, Christmas Eve in Cusco is Santuranticuy, or “Selling fo the Saints” where many artisans and local campesinos come into the city to sell many of the miniature figures that Peruvians place around their Christmas “nativity” scenes (I have seen carton characters, lions, seals, baby dolls, etc…)
And picnicking with the locals on the weekend up at Sacsayhuaman is always fun…..
Have a great time…..
Thanks for the tips.