Holiday traditions range from weird to downright strange—from cockroach races in Brisbane to monster hunts in Gambia. Read on to discover how your counterparts around the world spend their holidays. 1. La Tomatina: SpainThis fantastically exciting festival is held every August in Bunol near Valencia and thousands of participants throw tomatoes at each other resulting in a pretty messy afternoon. However, no matter how popular it becomes you have to admit – an entire town having a tomato fight is a little weird. 2. Bathing in Beaujolais: Hakone, Japan Enjoy a dip in a mix of wine, sake, green tea, and coffee while your own sommelier pours wine all over you and into your mouth. This inviting spa may look like liver- suicide, but if experts say a glass of red wine a day is good for your health, well then surely bathing in a pool of it must do wonders? Apparently, the Queen of Egypt herself, Cleopatra, loved to relax in the red wine, as its rejuvenating properties are excellent for the skin. 3. ‘Ninki-nanka’ Monster Hunts: Jungles of GambiaJoin expert cryptozoologists from The Centre for Fortean Zoology on a quest to prove the existence of the ‘Ninki-nanka’, a monster which these experts are convinced roams freely throughout the jungle-clad mountains chomping on unsuspecting people like bar snacks. 4. Cheese Rolling: EnglandThere is a fine line between adrenaline inducing fun and plain stupidity. England’s Cheese Rolling at Coopers Hill is certainly teetering close to downright dangerous. The event takes place on a ridiculously steep hill every year in May. 5. The Battle of the Oranges: Ivrea, Italy The battle of the Oranges is an event that takes place at the Carnival of Ivrea, when a load of stupidly dressed locals, chuck oranges at each other. The competitors (up to 10,000) all wear brightly colored, loose fitting V-neck tops, in which they stash their oranges. They line the streets, and chuck oranges at other men on horse-pulled trucks who roll past. 6. Tinku “Punch Your Neighbor”: Bolivia The Tinku Festivals aren’t just people beating other people into a mushy pulp for fun. Instead, it’s an old religious festival based in pre-Hispanic times whereby the earth Goddess Pachamama demands blood to ensure a good harvest. 7. Paris Salon du Chocalat: FranceThe who’s who of the chocolate world descends on Paris every October to attend this wonderful event. Paris Salon du Chocalat promises ‘everything chocolate’ from chocolate pens to chocolate underwear. 8. Basel Fasnacht: SwitzerlandThousands of revelers march through Basel’s streets in vibrant, elaborate costumes to the rhythm of drums. Participants are expected to cover their faces and bodies with their bizarre cartoon like costumes. The Carnival of Basel is the largest in Switzerland and takes place between February and March each year. 9. Cockroach Race: Brisbane, AustraliaWatch as hundreds of roaches scuttle about while sipping a cold beer, tasty food off the Barbie, live music, and an enthusiastic crowd. 10. Stiletto Run: AmsterdamGlamour’s Stiletto Run was held in Amsterdam earlier this month with a hundred runners sprinting 100 metres in high heels, not an easy feat for anyone. The winner enjoyed a wad of cash, not to mention the glory that comes with winning such a prestigious event. bryok14@yahoo.com
