Twitter and Facebook! That’s how you keep in touch with your numerous friends and well wishers across the world. Touted as two of the most popular and the fastest growing social networking sites, these are known to be the best way to keep yourself updated about the every minute happening around the world.

However, the British economy might not appreciate this cult. According to a new survey, popular social networking sites including Twitter and Facebook are actually costing British businesses 1.38 billion pounds a year in wasted time.

The figures in the survey reveal a rather sad figure. According to the figures, more than half the office employees have admitted using these social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook for personal use during the working day. Reportedly, they have admitted wasting as much as a good 40 minutes on average a week each!

According to the report published in The Daily Telegraph, one in every three of the 1460 office employees surveyed also admitted having seen sensitive company information posted on social networking sites, leading to fears about how workers use the Internet.

Biscotti, Calzone, Fettuccini, Foccacia, Lasagna, Pasta Primavera, Risotto, Spaghetti, Tiramisu and the world-famous Pizza! Do these names ring a bell? The cuisines belong to a traditional country where it all starts with food and wine and claim its roots going back to 4th century B.C. With centuries of different influences, both social and political, Italian cuisines have now dominated the premier places in the whole world.

Italians believe in using herbs in cooking like oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, rosemary, and sage. While cheese holds equal importance in the process. Italy produces itself, 400 types of cheese, with Parmesan, Mozzarella, and Asiago among the best known worldwide. As you move around the whole country it would be evident that food greatly varies depending upon the region you are in. The first time visitors to Italy may be surprised, as the restaurants serves much more variety than Spaghetti and meatballs or Pizza.

Though Italian believes, for tasting “GOOD FOOD” regional specialities with a wine produced locally at countryside, is essential and mandatory.

Mamma mia!

Followers of Judaism across the world will be observing Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, this weekend. Chiefly a time of reflection and repentance, Rosh Hashanah nevertheless embodies the hope and good will people wish each other in the beginning of a brand new year.

Literally meaning the “Head of the Year” in Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah falls in the month of Tishrei when God is believed to have created the world. It is observed on the first two days of Tishrei and ten days before Yom Kippur, another important holy day for Jews. This year the dates for Rosh Hashanah begin from sunset 18 September 2009 to nightfall 20 September.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur together in fact constitute the Yamim Nora’im which in Hebrew means the Days of Awe and whose English equivalents are the High Holy Days. In Jewish tradition it is believed that during the High Holy Days, God decides who will live and who will not. This is thus a time for reflection for all Jews and repentance for any sins that they may have committed in the past year.

However not everything about Rosh Hashanah is related to sin, repentance and death. Observing the beginning of a new year, Rosh Hashanah is a time of hope for better things. People wish each other good health and fortune for the days to come.

England is famous for many festivals which though originating from Pagan times have undergone interesting changes in character and purpose. One such well-loved festival in the month of September is the annual Horn Dance celebrated in Abbots Bromley.

The village of Abbots Bromley lies in the heart of England and every year in September it becomes the site of a unique custom known as the Horn Dance. This quaint rural tradition is actually a hunting ritual that goes back to August1226 when it was first performed at the Barthelmy Fair. Today the Horn Dance offers a fascinating glimpse into the traditional customs of medieval rural England and draws visitors from all over country and even outside.

The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance begins with the dancers collecting the horns from the church at eight in the morning. The Horn Dancers comprises of six deer men, a hobby horse, a Fool, Bowman and Maid Marian. The group winds its way through the village, its surrounding farms and pubs and performs its Horn Dance to the music of a melodian player located at various points in the ten mile-walk. The dance comes to a close with the horns being returned to the church in the evening. Other attractions at the Horn Dance festival include exhibitions, crafts stalls and the offerings of the local pubs.

Spain is a land which thrills with its many vibrant cultural expressions. Spanish music, art, dance and architecture have a rich, varied heritage and are famous both in the homeland and across the world.

Spanish dances comprise of one of the most fascinating cultural expression of the land. The national dance of Spain is Bolero which was introduced by the famous dancer of Cadiz, Sebastian Zerezo in 1780. Bolero has roots in Moroccan culture and is danced either solo or duo. The dance follows a slow-quick-quick rhythm and the main accompaniments to this dance are the voices of the dancers as well as musical instruments like tambourines, castanets and guitars. The dance is famous for its pounding beats and hypnotic rhythms, one of the best representations of which is Maurice Ravael’s classical masterpiece, “Bolero”.

Today the dramatic Paso Doble and the fiery Flamenco are recognized the world over due to their popularity on television shows like “Dancing With Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance”. However the dances of Spain have a much longer and a more varied evolution which mirror the tumultuous political and complex cultural history of the land.

One of the largest countries of Central America, Nicaragua boasts of a multitude of natural and cultural attractions. Among the many cultural events that Nicaragua hosts throughout the year are the fiestas patronales or celebrations held in the memory of patron saints.

One such event the Santo Domingo festival was held recently in the country’s cultural capital of Managua which attracted hundreds of visitors, from all over the country and even from abroad. The festivities continued for two days during which local people in traditional costumes took part in processions and parades. The Santo Domingo festival is held every year in honor of the patron saint of Managua, Santo Domingo de Guzman. During the festival Devotees also prayed for personal miracles, gave thanks or sought blessings before the statue of the saint.

Every town in Nicaragua has its own patron saint. During the fiestas patronales held each year, Citizens of all ages honor the saint’s birthday with religious processions, music, dance, parades and rodeos. Nicaraguans are ardent devotees of their individual patron saints who they believe can act as intermediaries between men and God.

To see other cultural and historical attractions in the Nicaraguan capital, check out www.ooaha.com which gives the best places to stay in Managua.

China’s history of ancient civilizations has endowed the country with a vast range of historical and cultural attractions. Here one can come across gardens, temples and monasteries going back to several centuries and still drawing tourists from across the world.

One such temple famous all over the world as the cradle of Chinese Zen Buddhism is the Shaolin Temple. Located in the Song Mountain region and near Dengfeng City, the Shaolin Temple is a huge complex comprising of temples, ceremonial or prayer halls, monasteries and caves. Among the most important structures in Shaolin Temple are the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Mahavira Hall, the Pagoda Forest as well as the Dharma Cave.

Other than being a significant site of Chinese Zen Buddhism, the Shaolin Temple is also well known as an important training center of Chinese martial arts especially the Shaolin Cudgel. The Shaolin Temple Wushu Center in fact is the foremost training center of Shaolin Kung Fu in China where monks have been practicing the martial art for over a thousand years. While Shaolin Kung Fu originated under the initiative of Dharma as a way of self defense by the monks, today it is mostly practiced to develop flexibility and health.

Surrounded by spectacular natural beauty and steeped in history, the South American country of Chile offers a vast repertoire of attractions to visitors. Whether one is fascinated by the natural landscape or keen to explore its cultural treasures, there is something for everyone to do in Chile.

One of the most-frequented travel circuits in Chile center on the Easter Island which is located around 2000 miles away from the mainland. The Easter Island is famous for Rapanui sculptures and thousands of tourists come every year to witness the mystery and workmanship of these images. Details of the origin and construction of this collection of sculptures have not yet been fully understood but the air of enigma around them thrills every traveler who comes to see them.

The Easter Island sculptures occur along the coastline and are formed in the shape of giant stone monoliths known s Moai. Most of these sculptures are to be found on the Ahu Tongariki, Ahu Akivi and Anakena beaches while Rano Raraku volcanic site contains around 300 of these Moai in various stages of construction. The Rano Raraku volcano is now believed to be the quarry where the images were carved before being taken to their final location.

For staying options one may check out www.ooaha.com to get the best Easter Island hotel deals.

The Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, as the name suggests, lies nestled in the folds of mountains. The state is as famous for its lovely landscape as for its wealth of traditional arts and craft.

The Chamba valley in Himachal Pradesh is an ideal destination for those tourists who want to get away from the noise and bustle of bigger towns like Shimla and Manali. The history of Chamba goes back to royal times when Rajas provided patronage to local arts and handicrafts. The intricate productions of Chamba’s artists and craftsmen can today be seen in the Bhuri Singh Museum which is one of the oldest museums in India having been founded as early as 1908. The Museum is famous for its large collection of sculptures, costumes and especially paintings. The paintings at the Museum mostly belong to the miniature style range from the Chamba, Kangra, Basholi to the Guler schools.

Chamba’s long heritage of artistic productions are also to be seen in the crafts and textiles sold in local bazaars. The place is especially famous for its footwear which includes embellished sandals for men and women. Shawls, embroidered cloth, jewelry and metalworks are other types of local crafts famous in Chamba.

Tourists can reach Chamba by buses or taxis from the state capital Shimla. For staying options check out www.ooaha.com which has best Chamba hotel deals.

Malaysia is a bustling land where Malays, Indians, Chinese and other indigenous groups live together. The result is a cultural melting pot bubbling with the unique gifts of many cultures, ethnicities and races.

One aspect of Malaysian culture which reflects this eclectic mix is the country’s textiles. Rich in color and texture, traditional Malaysian textiles are sought after internationally and lend well to a variety of items ranging from apparel to curtains, bed linen and other decorative items. One of the most famous textiles in this country is Batik which is made by dying the fabric using a resistant technique. Designs on The cloth are covered with wax to prevent those areas from absorbing colors and then the cloth is dyed in different stages with different colors. The result is spectacularly designed fabric whose colors are especially resistant as compared to the colors of painted or printed fabric since Batik cloth is completely immersed in vegetable dyes.

Batik textiles in Malaysia can be bought all over the country but one of the most popular places to buy them is the Siti Khadija Market in Kelantan. The nearest big town is Kota Bharu and for staying options visitors can check out www.ooaha.com which has some of the best Kota Bharu hotel deals.