Christmas – आवारा मुसाफिर

‘Worst Christmas ever’ in birthplace of Jesus as impact of war empties Bethlehem

December 11, 2023570 Views

Bethlehem is normally at its busiest at Christmas but this year war has scared away tourists and pilgrims from the Palestinian town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, leaving hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops deserted. With global headlines dominated since Oct. 7 by news of the Hamas attacks in southern Israel, followed by Israel's military assault on Gaza and a rise in violence in the West Bank, business owners in Bethlehem said no one was coming. "We have no guests. Not one," said Joey Canavati, owner of the Alexander Hotel, whose family has lived and worked in Bethlehem for four generations. "This is the worst Christmas ever. Bethlehem is shut down for Christmas. No Christmas tree, no joy, no Christmas spirit," he said. Located just south of Jerusalem, Bethlehem is...

इटलीप्रोमोशन

Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome partners with Rosenthal to light up Christmas

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

December 21, 2022744 Views

This year, the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel, a landmark new arrival on Rome’s luxury hospitality scene located in the heart of the city, is celebrating Christmas with the creation of a truly unique Christmas tree in collaboration with the renowned porcelain brand, Rosenthal and one of Rome’s leading design studios, Thesign Gallery. Standing tall in the newly opened Prisca lounge bar, the show stopping 5-meter tree doubles as an art installation as it is assembled from ceramic pieces by Rosenthal. Starting from December, an eye-catching 3D light show will illuminate the installation presented within a gigantic gift box and topped with festive ribbon to evoke the magic of the holidays. The spirit of Christmas continues within Anantara Palazzo Naiadi with festive décor curate...

अजब-गज़बअमेरिकाकनाडा

Santa’s annual flight is guarded by two nation joint military command

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

December 26, 20211121 Views

Undaunted by pandemics, supply-chain woes and labor shortages plaguing Earth-bound commerce, Santa Claus launched his reindeer-powered sleigh on Friday to deliver Christmas gifts to good girls and boys worldwide, according to military officials tracking his flights. "Santa's been doing this for centuries, he's a professional," said Canadian Army Captain Alexandra Hejduk, a spokesperson for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The joint U.S.-Canadian military command based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is charged with monitoring air defenses and issuing aerospace and maritime warnings. NORAD'S Santa-tracking practice originated in 1955, when a Colorado Springs newspaper misprinted the number of a local department store for youngster...

खबरनामाघटनाएंफिलस्तीन

Hoping Omicron won’t wreck Christmas, Bethlehem lights up tree

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

December 5, 2021232 Views

Residents lit up a giant Christmas tree outside Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity on Saturday, hoping that a new coronavirus variant doesn't ruin another holiday season in the traditional birthplace of Jesus. The Palestinian city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank was all but closed last Christmas, losing its peak tourist season to the pandemic. Palestinians light a Christmas tree at Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, December 4, 2021. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma This December has seen Israel shut out foreign travellers for 14 days to try to prevent the Omicron variant taking hold, and the hope is that the ban will end as scheduled, in time for Christmas travel. In its last pre-pandemic winter, in 2019/20, Bethlehem hosted ...

खबरनामाट्रैवल उद्योगफिलस्तीन

Last Christmas was grim, Bethlehem hopes this year will be better

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

November 24, 2021337 Views

The trickle of tourists is sometimes scarcely enough to fill a manger, let alone an inn, but Bethlehem's Palestinians are hopeful that numbers will rise in the month before Christmas. The traditional birthplace of Jesus was all but shuttered by the pandemic last year, ravaging the tourism-dependent economy and leading some hoteliers to consider selling up. But this year Israel has eased curbs on foreign tourists in time for Christmas, although everyone remains wary of a winter coronavirus wave. Foreign tourists stand in Manger Square as they visit the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank November 18, 2021. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma While grateful for the return of some foreign tourists and Christian Palestinians from the West Bank and Israel, it is a f...

खबरनामाघटनाएंपश्चिम बंगाल

Darjeeling toy train will resume services from Christmas with joy rides

UPENDRA SWAMI

December 24, 2020490 Views

Much to the delight of tourists flocking to the hills in the festive season, joy rides of the famed toy train of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) will resume from Christmas, a Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) official said on Thursday. Three daily joy ride services will be run between Darjeeling and Ghum stations from Friday, the NFR spokesman said from Maligaon. FILE PHOTO: Train at Ghum station "The West Bengal government has given permission for the resumption of joy ride services between Darjeeling and Ghum at present," he said. The number of services may be increased later depending on the demand of passengers, he said. Resumption of services over the full 88-km length of the DHR between Darjeeling and New Jalpaiguri stations in the plains at Siliguri will be conside...

खबरनामाट्रैवल उद्योग

Travel and tourism industry unhappy with new wave of restrictions

UPENDRA SWAMI

December 22, 2020730 Views

While travel and tourism industry is frowning upon latest travel bans across the globe in wake of new coronavirus strain, governments across Europe are trying to navigate between avoiding the spread of the novel coronavirus over the Christmas holiday season and allowing people to celebrate with family and friends. The European Commission recommended on Tuesday that travel bans imposed by EU countries on Britain to contain a new variant of the coronavirus should end to allow freight and essential travel to resume and let people return home. Travellers with they suitcases sit at the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras International, as EU countries impose a travel ban from the UK following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain, December 21, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah M...

खबरनामाघटनाएंस्पेन

From tourism to COVID-era deliveries – Barcelona women reinvent bike business

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

December 21, 2020860 Views

When the coronavirus slammed Spain in March, Ariadna Serra realised that 2020 and beyond looked dreadful for the cycling tours for foreign students company she co-founded ten years ago. So Serra, 41, and five of her female co-workers explored new opportunities over virtual drinks. They decided to follow their passion for cycling to fund a delivery company using bikes in Barcelona, aiming to benefit from the online shopping boom prompted by the pandemic. Les Mercedes, as the company is called, was founded in July by the six women and is run by five of them, aged 35 to 45 from Spain, France and Argentina. It is organised as a cooperative and describes itself as “ethical, sustainable and inclusive.” Geraldine Caillaud, member of the bicycle delivery company Les Mercedes, leaves thei...

एशियाचीनसैर-सपाटा

Santa welcomes visitors at winter wonderland in China’s Arctic Town

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

December 21, 2020593 Views

Santa Claus and his elves have been busy at work turning a Christmas village in northern China into a winter wonderland for visitors. In a two-storey wooden house with about 100 Father Christmas dolls, the white-bearded figure in a red suit writes down seasonal wishes with a quill and poses with tourists at the theme park on the outskirts of Mohe, China’s northernmost city. Visitors line up for a photo-taking session with Santa, played by Ville Haapassallo, 35, from Finland, inside the Santa Claus House at a Christmas theme park on the outskirts of Mohe, China's northernmost city in Heilongjiang province December 20, 2020. REUTERS/Xihao Jiang “If they want postcards, I write down my wishes and guests can send these cards to their friends or parents,” said Ville Haapassallo, 35, f...

खबरनामाघटनाएंजर्मनी

German baker makes Christmas stollen fit for a queen

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

December 15, 2020398 Views

Basti Bruecklmaier shows off a selection of nuts and raisins over which he pours flour, sugar, butter and a secret blend of spices to make one of Germany’s tastiest treats - and some of his stollen is destined for Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. The 28-year-old has for years been making the traditional Christmas cake at the family bakery in Munich. A Stollen (Christmas cake) lies on a table at the bakery of Sebastian Bruecklmaier, who reportedly counts Britain's Queen among his clients, in Munich, Germany, December 14, 2020. REUTERS/Andreas Gebert “When you get to deliver your product to such a personality and they like it so much that they want it again, then it of course makes us proud,” he said, adding a chocolate powder crown to the top of his creation. “It’s a bit stupid to sa...