Year of the Dragon in Malacca, Malaysia

This Friday January 31st, it will be time to ring in the Chinese New Year. It is under the sign of the Horse, which is apparently a good thing as it is a symbol of luck.
Dublin is celebrating this event with a festival for the 7th year, evidence that the Chinese Community holds a place close to the Capital’s heart. And as it is the year of the horse, it will also be the opportunity to reflect on the role this animal plays in Irish culture.
The festival will be held over a period of two weeks with a plethora of events such as lectures, storytelling, exhibitions, concerts, dumpling tastings, sport tournaments, workshops, etc…
The star of the show will undoubtedly be the carnival taking place in Temple Bar this Sunday, with traditional lion & dragon dances.
It will be my first time checking out the Dublin Chinese New Year Festival so I’m pretty pumped. I actually meant to go last year but it was raining cats and dogs, so let’s hope that the luck of the horse keeps the clouds away this week-end!

Practical Information

Chinese New Year Festival 2014
from January 31st to February 14th
For more information and the full schedule of events, check out the Festival website.

Highlight:
Chinese New Year Carnival
February 2nd, 12pm – 5pm,
Meeting House Square/Temple Bar 

Dublin is one of these cities that just suits the Christmas spirit, just like London or Vienna. The cobbled stones, the red-brick buildings, the Georgian doors, … it all looks a bit Dickensian this time of year. If you’re in Dublin during this Holiday season, there’s a ton of things to do and enjoy. That is if you can tear yourself from the warmth and cosiness of all the sparkly pubs. To make things easier for you, here’s a round-up of festive events I think you shouldn’t miss.

The Christmas Markets

There are so many Christmas markets around the city that one can get dizzy at the prospect of making a choice. This weekend is your ultimate chance to visit the ones you have missed so far as Christmas is literally on our doorstep. Last-minute shoppers, this is for you!
If you’re a foodie, Farmleigh Christmas market should be your number one destination.
If you’re into your crafts, check out the markets in the Dame District, Trinity Bar & Venue, the Dublin Castle and Dun Laoghaire.
If you like your Christmas shopping mixed with a bit of funfair fun, The Docklands, Winterfest and Christmas Wonderland are calling your name.

Seasonal Fun

As mentioned above, the ultimate winter entertainment can be found at Christmas Wonderland, the Docklands and Winterfest where you can get a bit of ice-skating action and all the thrills of the attractions!
Also today is the Winter Solstice and Dublin is putting on a show to welcome the darkest day of the year in true Celtic spirit with parades and fire ceremonies (it starts at 6pm).

New Year’s Eve celebrations

Ha who needs the Time Square Ball drop when you can watch fireworks over the picturesque Dublin Bay?! They will be fired from Dun Laoghaire pier (at midnight, but also at 6pm on the 31st of December, so the young ones can also ooh and aah before their bedtime).
If you’re in the Dublin city centre, catch the People’s Procession of Lights. The parade will start at 6.30 from Stephen’s Green and make its way to South William Street and Grafton Street.

For more information, check out the visitdublin website and their nifty event grid. Many more events are listed such as pantomimes and choirs and other cheerful, seasonal happenings.

Who didn’t know that the myth of the terrifying Count of Dracula was created by an Irish man? *Raises hand shyly* Shockingly maybe, it only came to my realisation last year when I saw all the posters and advertisements for the Bram Stoker’s festival in Dublin. Bram Stoker wrote Dracula in 1897, changing the landscape of horror fiction forever. He is relevant today more than ever if you were to judge the massive popularity of vampires in pop culture. And this year, I’m ready to discover the dark side of Dublin and get to know Mister Stoker. The festival is held over 3 days from the 26th to the 28th of October, making it an unmissable runner-up to Halloween. Here are the 7 things I’m most stoked about the festival :

1. Reading the book

The festival is giving me the push I needed to finally tackle the classic. I’m about a quarter in and I’m thoroughly enjoying it! It is funny how the descriptions of the Count’s castle and its surroundings feel all too familiar, I didn’t realise how much the myth had seeped into my subconscious. It is also the perfect time of the year to read scary stories, the autumn air smelling of bonfires, a onesie, a hot cuppa; and I am in book heaven.

2. Firing up

The festival is setting up a fire garden on the Dublin Castle grounds. It is bound to be epic against the backdrop of the imposing structure.
More information and registration here

3. Shivering in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral

Readings of Dracula in the heart of the mother of all cathedrals accompanied by a choir, an organ and all by candlelight. If this isn’t proper goosebumps material, I don’t know what is.
More information here

4. Dressing up!

You can’t celebrate vampires and the undead without whipping out the white paint, the fake blood and the plastic teeth, amirite?! Walks and hunts are organised on the pavements of Dublin, in which you can partake wearing your best attire. Several pubs in the Dame Street district will also join in the celebration and open their doors to devilish bloodsuckers.

5. Getting to see my first opera (and for free)

Yes, I’m thirty and I never ever been to the opera. A vampire opera performed in a Church sounds like an excellent place to start!
More information and registration here

6. Joining in a horror film marathon

Iconic Vampire movies in an open air cinema in the centre of Dublin’s old Town sounds like a deadly plan!
Film programme here

7. Meeting the giant skeleton

This is pretty self-explanatory…. look at his cute little face though!
Check where you’ll be able to spot him here

Do you plan to go to the Bram Stoker’s festival next week? What are you looking forward to the most? You will find all the information and event programme over at the Bram Stoker Festival website.

PS: Keep your eyes peeled for my video of the event!

Last Thursday was held TBEX in Dublin, a conference gathering travel bloggers and representatives of tourism boards and other tourism-related companies. Conferences were organised over two days where bloggers could learn tips and tricks to better their craft: photography, writing, marketing, community management, etc… It was time to learn, but also make contacts with other writers and potential sponsors.
Having just started my blog, as you know, I didn’t do too much of the latter, but I avidly took notes during the classes. A varied range of topics were tackled by an excellent selection of speakers. I especially enjoyed listening to Don George, author of the Lonely Planet’s Guide to Travel Writing (among many other things) and his great tips on how to bring a travel story to life. Your five senses are your friend.

Another highlight was witnessing photographer John Minihan reminiscing on stage. The list of people he shot would make anyone’s head spin: Andy Warhol, Samuel Beckett, Yves Saint Laurent, Hitchcock, … He also has the difficult title to bear of being the first to have portrayed Lady Diana. She was only 19 at the time and the news just broke that Prince Charles had taken an interest in her. A tangible emotion filled the room when Minihan shared his memory surrounding his now historical picture, revealing the care he feels towards those who face his lense.

“Research your subject. If it’s a writer, read their books. It will tell you who they are.”

The only black spot on the whole event for me was that travel videography wasn’t highlighted enough. It was a conjoint subject with photography at one of the conferences, but it was hardly touched upon and I felt that there was a lack of grasp on what kind of phenomenon Youtube has become nowadays.
But as the genre grows, I have no doubt that it will take more of the spotlight at the next TBEX.

All in all, TBEX was a rewarding experience and I’d recommend it to any travel blogger, beginner or pro, I feel there is something for everyone. The price of the ticket might look expensive, but the quality of the conferences justifies it. Plus, we were treated like kings and queens at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel! For cookies and candy bars, I’d sign up anytime!