World’s Strangest Festivals

~ I recently received a bunch of photographs from a friend depicting images from a unique – to say the least – annual Japanese festival.

Yes folks, it is the colloquially named Japanese ‘Pen!s Festival’.

Here is what that wonderful online resource, Wikipedia has to say about the event.

The Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) is an annual Shinto fertility festival held in Kawasaki, Japan in spring. The exact dates vary: the main festivities fall on the first Sunday in April.

The pen!s forms the central theme of the event that is reflected everywhere — in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables, decorations, and a mikoshi parade.

The Kanamara Matsuri is centered around a local pen!s-venerating shrine once popular among prostitutes who wished to pray for protection against sexually transmitted diseases. It is said that there are divine protections also in business prosperity and the clan's prosperity, easy delivery, marriage, and married couple harmony.

There is also a legend of a sharp-toothed demon that hid inside the vag!na of a young girl and castrated two young men on their wedding nights with the young girl before a blacksmith fashioned an iron phallus to break the demon's teeth, leading to the enshrinement of the item.

Today, the festival has become somewhat of a tourist attraction and is used to raise money for HIV research.

Information courtesy of Wikipedia...

NOTE: Sorry to seem like a prude by misspelling the word pen!s, but I don't want to get this blog flagged as offensive, and have the Blogger thought police closing my account!

The King is Dead – Long Live the King!

~ Elvis fans rejoice.

Tickets are now on sale for the 11th annual Tupelo Elvis Festival, which will take place June 5 through 7 with headliners Jason Michael Carroll, Lucero, tribute artists Donny Edwards, Shawn Klush, Victor Trevino and Travis LeDoyt, and youth tribute artists Demi Downing and Nick Gutierrez.

Other activities include the third annual Tupelo Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition, the Elvis parade, the Ladybug’s Children’s Activities, the Sunday Gospel Show and free music on Broadway Street.

Oh, and who would dare to miss the Elvis-Look-A-Like Pet Parade? No, really.

“This is one of our most exciting events of the year,” said Linda Johnson, executive director of the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau (she was talking about the Festival in general, not the Elvis-Look-A-Like Pet Parade!).

“Elvis was born and spent much of his early life in Tupelo, and we are so lucky to have that history and be able to celebrate someone who made such a positive impact on so many people,” Linda said.

At the Lyric Theatre in historic downtown Tupelo, 24 tribute artists will compete this year for a chance to win the grand prize of $2,500 cash, represent Tupelo in the Ultimate Elvis® Tribute Artist Qualifying Rounds in Memphis during Elvis Week in 2009, lodging for three nights in Memphis, a commemorative plaque, a guitar from Tupelo Hardware and a feature performer at the 2010 Tupelo Elvis Festival.

Music that influenced Elvis or was changed by his style will be performed on the Fairpark Stage Friday and Saturday. Artists include AllyeriA, Jamie Davis & Soul Gravy, Spunk Monkees, House Rockers, Drew Chapman and the Kevin & Bethany Paige band. The gates open at 4:30 pm Friday, June 5 and Noon Saturday, June 6.

Sunday afternoon at the First United Methodist Church of Tupelo, fans can hear gospel music Elvis sang throughout his career. Headliners are Travis LeDoyt, the Foyer Boyz and the Landmarks.

10 things you should—and shouldn’t—do abroad

~ Forbes Traveler dot Com has a fascinating online story detailing some of the many things you should do or not do while travelling abroad.

Here are the opening paragraphs:

"When Iraqi journalist Muntadher al-Zaidi threw his shoes at President Bush during a press conference in December, 2008, news outlets scrambled to explain the incident to American viewers. Al-Zaidi hadn’t intended to hurt the President; he meant to demean him. In Arab countries, the soles of feet are unclean, so you never throw a shoe at a person. For his gesture, al-Zaidi was given three years in prison.

You travelers probably won’t toss a shoe across a crowded room, and not every insult—intended or otherwise—will lead to jail time. But whether you're abroad on business or pleasure, knowing the local etiquette is crucial for every traveler.

Consider the case of Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors. In July, 2008, the British couple were arrested for engaging in romantic activities on Jumeirah beach in Dubai. At first, it's hard to feel sympathy for such loutish behavior, but according to The Times, the Brits were convicted not just for indecency; they were given three months in jail for "having sexual intercourse outside marriage." Even off-the-cuff, seemingly harmless decisions can land foreigners in hot water. In Sudan, British teacher Gillian Gibbons faced 40 lashes for blasphemy in 2007. Her offense? Naming the classroom's teddy bear Mohammed. Gibbons was ultimately pardoned after eight days in custody, but she had to leave the country."

Visit the Forbes Traveler site...
You can read the full article here...
You can see a slideshow of Travel Taboos, Do's and Don'ts here...