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www.eventtourismmagazine.com

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. ~ St. Augustine

Editor-in-chiefAlex Karpov

Chief Sub-editor Konstantin Kinash Creative DirectorLuba Karpova

Advertising DirectorViacheslav Kozyr

Design and layoutKonstantin Kinash

Editorial CoordinationTTI Club “Crystal Lotus“ vzwBelgium, 8400 Ostend, Duindoornlaan 216 Tel.: +32(0)59 612030 +32 488 331775e-mail: info@tticlub.orgwww.tticlub.orgFounder - Alex Karpov

Ukrainian Office:TTI Club UkraineUkraine, Kyiv, Charkivske Chaussée 152, off. 27Tel.: +38(096)6537675e-mail: ukraine@tticlub.org

VOLUME 05 2012EVENT TOURISM MAGAZINE

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Contributors:Alex Karpov, Konstantin Kinash, Iaroslav Sukhariev, Luba Karpova, Liubov Sukharieva, Nina Onishchenko, Rostyslav Segeda, Viacheslav Kozyr, Viktoria Mazur, Walter Roggeman

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CONTENTS:

EVER...?4 Oktoberfest and Mont Saint-Michel

DESTINATION

8 Tuscany11 5 things to do in Tuscany in the fall14 Color it: autumn in Canada

WEEKEND18 A weekend in Paris

REPORTS24 “Spass Tower” MoscowMilitary Tattoo27 European Heritage Days

ANNOUNCEMENTS

28 Berlin Festival of Lights 30 Fritkot Festival

5 things to do in Tuscany in the fallAl the seasones in Tuscany is beautiful, with the flowers, and the warm sun and the bright green fields, but au-tumn in Tuscany is magic.

“Spass Tower” MoscowMilitary Tattoo

A weekend in Paris Paris simply is the most beautiful, the most inspiring and the most exciting historical city in the world!

Fritkot FestivalWhat to taste in Brussels

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You can admire sceneries of uncontaminated nature in the Apuane Alps and in several protected areas, like Orbetello lagoon, which houses many species of migrant birds, including pink egrets.

However, the most typical sceneries of the region are those that merge the beauty of nature with the millenary work of man. The amazing Gulf of Baratti and the sites of Vetulonia, Vulci and Pitigliano guard necropolis and vestiges of the Etruscan civili-zation, while Roselle and Cosa evoke memories of the Roman Age.

Medieval villages, historical towns, castles and defence systems, rural churches (the so-called “pievi”) and beautiful

like a fine wine, has been some time in the making...

TUSCANY,

Tuscany is located in central Italy and stretches from the Apennines to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its landscape, artistic heritage and

important cities, first of all Florence, make Tuscany an unquestioned protagonist of world tourism. In this region, nature has many different facets, starting from the coast that alternates long and sandy beaches, like the Versilia beach, with rocky cliffs and steep headlands. The islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation, a crystal-clear sea and rich seabeds, are peerless.

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abbeys, like the one of Sant’Antimo, are scattered all over the territory and their profiles stand out in the landscapes of the Crete Senesi, Orcia Valley, Garfagnana, Chianti and the Maremma.

Finally, Tuscany is full of spas: Montecatini, Saturnia, Montepulciano, Monsummano and Bagno Vignoni, which offer relaxing holidays thanks to theirthermal waters and well-equipped facilities for all types of treatment.

Tuscany offers a wide range of tourist proposals to satisfy all demands: “active” holidays, relaxing stays and special routes that combine

nature, art and history. The coast, that alternates sandy beaches with rocky areas, and the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago offer the possibility of enjoying the sea among relax, physical

activity and water sports: from sailing to windsurfing, from canoeing to scuba-diving in beautiful seabeds.

The best way to visit the coast and its green pinewoods is cycling. By night, you can certainly have fun in one of the many trendy

venues and discoclubs of Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi, Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano. Famous for its landscapes, Tuscany is the ideal place for a “green” holiday: from Garfagnana

to the Maremma, from Casentino to Chianti, anywhere is a great place for hiking, riding a mountain bike or on horseback , while staying at a holiday farm.

The many protected areas reveal particular environments, like the steep

heights of the Apuane Alps, Orbetello lagoon and the Maremma National Park, dominated by the Mediter-ranean scrub.

Special routes lead to

the discovery of the mineral resources of the region: for instance, the Archeo-logical and Mining Park of San Silvestro contains the millenary history of mining on these Metalliferous Hills with geological routes inside the mines, while you can

There is a lot to see and do in Tuscany, the difficulty is really where to start. The more you come to know the region, the more extraordinary Tuscany appears.

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visit the precious white marble quarries in the Apuane Alps.

Amid wonderful sceneries and medieval vestiges, via Francigena is an extremely charming and topical spiritual itinerary that still attracts tourists and devout people.

If you are looking for a relaxing stay, you can spend some time in one of the many spas of the region, each with different features, among which are Saturnia, Montecatini or Monsummano Terme, renowned for its detoxifying and skin treatments.

There are plenty of food-and-wine itineraries along the wine routes, which include stops at wineries and farms to taste quality wines and typical genuine and tasty products.

Tuscany has a rich calendar of cultural, religious and folk events: from the internationally famous Palio of Siena and Viareggio Carnival, to the Saracen Tournament in Arezzo, the “explosion of the cart” in Florence on Easter Sunday, and countless local festivals.

October festivals in TuscanyLa Fiera di San Luca, ImprunetaImpruneta Fair of Saint Luke is one of the oldest surviving live stock fairs in Europe. It

is held in the week in which the feast of St Luke occurs (18 October).

Sagra del Tordo, MontalcinoMontalcino feast of the thrush (Sagra del Tordo) on the last weekend of October. This

event is quite spectacular, with drum parades and archery trials on Saturday, and a popular feast held inside the walls of the castle all day Sunday, with very good food and wine purchasable by the glass.

Castagne e vino in piazza, RadicondoliRadicondoli festa of roasted chestnuts and wine in late October or early November.

This event is included here not because it is famous, of historical interest or in any way sophisticated, but as an example of the innumerable enjoyable occasions that present themselves all over Tuscany when the local people get together for some fun.

Sagra del Fungo e della Castagna, Vivo d'OrciaVivo d'Orcia (a small village near Castiglione d'Orcia) Sagra del Fungo e della Castagna

(Mushroom and chestnut festival) on the second and third weekends of October. The town divides into two parts for the Palio del Boscaiolo in which the teams, using antique saws, have to cut logs into stools and tables, where they then eat a polenta dish that the rest of the team has prepared in the meantime (yes, these are grown-up people - well what the hell, everyone has a good time).

November festivals in TuscanyLa Sagra del Tartufo Bianco, San MiniatoSan Miniato La Sagra del Tartufo Bianco (White Truffle Fair) takes place during the last

three weekends in November, with a large offering of truffles plus truffle-derived products, wine, pecorino, salami, olive oil, grappa etc.

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5 things to do in Tuscany in the fall

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Life slowly goes back to normal after the summer excitement. New clothes are in the stores, kids are back in school and teachers are

sadly back to work!The fall in Tuscany is gen-

erally quite different from the Northern European and North American fall. The co-lours of the countryside are not as bold or dramatic: the local woods cover in shades of dark green, yellow and brown but no reds, with very minor exceptions.

If you plan an early fall visit to Tuscany, you should keep in mind that at the end of September and in early October the temperatures during the daytime are still quite high and they drop in the evening, so you will need summer clothing and a light jacket for the mornings and evenings. Then, from mid October on, the weather becomes a bit more unstable and it get cooler and cooler, but generally never cold, un-til mid November and early December.

Here are some ideas of things to do if you plan on visiting Tuscany in the au-tumn.

1. Visit a winery and its vineyards when they are in full swing

September is the month of the grape harvest in Tus-cany, the vendemmia. Both small and large producers will be working full time to produce their wine, so this is the perfect time to go on a wine tour in Tuscany if you

want to know everything about how wine is made in the area… well, not every-thing… as they won’t give away all their secrets! We went on a wine tour in the Maremma last month and loved it, and I guess now it would be even more inter-esting!

2. Visit an olive grove and an olive press when they are in full swing

If you are going to be in Tuscany in November, this is something you should definitely do. My family tra-ditionally starts the olive harvest on November 1st or 2nd, after the celebrations of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. First at the mass or at the cemetery for the memo-rial service and then every-body in the fields! The olive harvest takes some time, so you will have a chance to see people picking olives all through the month of No-vember and the beginning of December. Most olive press-es in our area are happy to open their doors to visitors with a bit of advance notice. If you would like to join in an olive oil tasting tour, we can help you plan one. We know plenty of olive oil producers in the Maremma area, and we produce our own olive oil too. Of course the best way to enjoy the new olive oil is on a traditional bruschetta, also known as fettunta in some parts of Tuscany. Tra-ditional bruschetta is made with toasted bread (better if done in the fireplace), garlic,

salt and olive oil. Tomatoes and other toppings are a new thing around here.

Come stay at Casina di Rosa in November, and we will be very happy to pro-vide you with a large basket of firewood and our freshly pressed olive oil for a full and authentic Tuscan olive oil experience!

3. Mushroom and truffle hunting

Depending on the weath-er, the mushroom season can be richer or poorer, but porcini mushrooms are still the king of the autumn ta-ble. To go mushroom hunt-ing you need special permits and it is quite important to be experienced and to know your mushrooms well, as it can be tricky. Some wild mushrooms are extremely poisonous.

If you don’t want to go look for mushrooms but just enjoy them, then you should take advantage of the many village festivals in Tuscany dedicated to mushrooms. There is one just 10 minutes away from our village, in the hamlet of Casale di Pari, that is very popular. And the food is delicious!

Most restaurants will start including mushrooms in their menus. I actually had delicious mushroom lasagne at the Locanda nel Cassero yesterday!

Truffles are harder to find, and of course you need a trained dog. Some associa-

Al the seasones in Tuscany is beautiful, with the flowers, and the warm sun and the bright green fields, but autumn in Tuscany is magic. The haze, the smells, the soft noises of countryside work, the cool breeze, the good food, the colours…

Wine farm in TuscanyWine farm in Tuscany

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tions in the Crete Senesi area offer truffle hunting experiences to visitors. It might not be as authentic as a real hunt, but it is certainly very interesting and rewarding!

3. Discover the delicious chestnuts of this area of Tuscany

When one thinks of Tuscany, the first products that come to mind are wine and olive oil. Chestnuts, though, are one of the most amazing flavours on the Tuscan table. Chestnuts are produced on high hills or moun-tains, and they are therefore more typically found on Monte Amiata, on the high hills of the Alta Maremma, in Casentino and in Garfagnana.

In our area, Monte Amiata and the metalliferous hills are the places to visit if you love chestnuts. Most of the chestnut groves are private property but they are very beautiful. There are, however, several festivals during which local associations organize day trips to the woods to pick chestnuts and holiday farms that allow visitors to pick some of their chestnuts.

On Monte Amiata there is a chestnut beer brewery too and their beer is delicious!

A chestnut-themed daytrip to Monte Amiata is the perfect way to discover a beautiful part of Tuscany.

4. Try fresh game meat

Game meat, especially wild boar meat, is very popular among the locals. Most restau-rants include wild boar and other game in their menus. The hunt-ing season goes from Septem-ber to the end of January (wild boar is hunted in November, De-cember and January), so autumn is the season when you have the best chance to taste fresh game

meat, including hare, pheasant and roe deer meat.

5. All of the above from an unusual angle

A way to enjoy all the tradi-tional flavours of the season is to go to the many dedicated village festivals and fairs. A different way to do that is to go on one of the tours organized by the Fer-rovie Turistiche, an association which owns and preserves old steam engine locomotives and which organizes thematic tours along the old Siena-Grosseto-Monte Amiata railway line.

It’s a fun way to go to the main festivals, especially if you are traveling with kids.

Tekst and photos: Turismo Toscana

Incredible Florence, Tuscany

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COLOR ITautumn in Canada

It’s no secret – every year Canada blushes from head to toe. It starts in early August amid the ankle-high bonsai of the high Arctic tundra, a yellow, ne-on-orange and crimson wave sweeping southwards across the provinces’ north-ern borders: down through the Rockies – where fall foliage can be admired from the luxury of the Rocky Mountaineer’s train – up into Whistler’s meadows and over the Prairies.

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But the very grand finale is an arboreal fireworks of brilliant colors that light up the forests of Ontario, Québec and the Maritime provinces. Hot on their trail from early Sep-tember through October are legions of “leaf peepers”, enthusiasts who log in to autumn color alerts to pinpoint peak times around which to plan their autumn vacations.

In Ontario, Algonquin Park is an iconic lo-cation to experience Mother Nature’s showy display, on a forest hike or a canoe journey across peaceful lakes blood-red with leafy reflections. Check out when the colors will peak, then hop the Algoma Central Railroad to travel by rail – as the Group of Seven painters did – to be inspired by the colors of the Agawa Canyon near Sault Ste. Marie.

Québec’s sugar maple trees make the province synonymous with fall colors. North of Montréal, European-styled Tremblant ski village celebrates fall with the Symphony of Colours arts and music festival from Sept. 10 to Oct. 10, set among the lakes and brilliant yellow birch and American beech forests of the Laurentian Mountains. South of Montré-al, drift along on a calm, crisp autumn morn-ing in a hot air balloon over giant pumpkin patches in the Montérégie region. In the New England-esque Eastern Townships, col-ors often continue until late October. Enjoy them amid the forest setting of chic Balnea Spa in Bromont or on a gourmet brunch,

lunch or happy hour cruise aboard a deluxe new ship plying the forest-lined shores of Lake Memphremagog.

Fall foliage coincides with harvest time and both are celebrated on Prince Edward Island. The warm surrounding Gulf of St. Lawrence waters bless PEI with one of the longest fall foliage seasons in the Northeast.

In New Brunswick, take a road-trip on the Fundy Coastal Drive for vivacious reds and deep orange forests alongside some of the highest tides in the world on the Bay of Fun-dy. Watch for whales – it’s the season. And time your visit with a turkey dinner during Canada’s Thanksgiving Weekend on the sec-ond Monday in October.

Via Rail rolls along the rails at a leisurely pace through Eastern Canada’s fall spec-tacle from Toronto to Montréal en route to Halifax. From there, head out on your own by car on Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail, one of the world's most scenic drives, as it winds and twists along Cape Breton's northern shore. Overnight on the Trail at the seaside, Scottish-themed Keltic Lodge overlooking maple, birch, oak and mountain ash blanket-ing the Highlands in red and gold. And while you’re there, take in the province’s Celtic Co-lours International Festival from Oct. 7 to 15 - is there a better way to celebrate fall than with fiery fiddling and foliage?

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A WEEKEND IN PARIS

Tekst and photos: Walter Roggeman

“Paris vaut bien une messe” said Henri IV who converted himself to catholicisme for a very practi-cal reaseon: by doing so, he could become king of France. And that was certainly “worth a mass” in the ‘Notre Dame’, where he was crowned.

“Worth a mass?” What an under-statement!

Paris simply is the most beautiful, the most inspiring and the most exciting historical city in the world!

At least once a year we want to be there, preferably on a sunny weekend in August.

Pack your suitcase, jump on the Thalys and you will soon arrive in the Gare du Nord waiting for a cab to drive you to your hotel. One short ride with the underground later, you will step from a world of darkness into the light of the Arc de Triomphe…

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LET THE MAGIC BEGINParading along the Champs Elysées

while doing some window shopping may be the best way to become acclimatised to this wonderful city.

As usual on the ‘Champs’ we also pay a visit to the ‘Galérie des Arcades’, a most attractive, and historical shopping mall. Strolling along the shops we stopped for a moment in front of a fashion shop named “Carole” to look at an attractive dress. A moment later, the owner joins us at the entrance of his shop and starts a conversation. At a certain moment he asks me if he could offer a little present to my wife. Who would be so hartless to refuse such an offer from Monsieur Henri (91 years young)? He re-enters his shop and returns with a beautiful silk shawl… We immediately decide to name him “the nicest man in Paris” which we have confirmed in the meantime with an official letter!

Paris is full of surprises.

The need for a hot “cappuccino” becomes irresistable and soon we sit on a terrace table of the “Madrigal” one of the many taverns of Paris’ main avenue. Here we enjoy our most favourite sport:

looking at the passers-by. A feeling of happiness descends over us..

But we have to go.

No, we don’t have to go; we are free, but we want to go further and rediscover some of the many facets of the city.

On the famous “Place de la Concorde” we admire to impressive “Crillon” one of the top hotels in Paris and former private dwelling of the French Field Marshal bearing that name.

He once got a severe admonition from his king; it is still engraved in the wall of the lobby:“Mon brave Crillon, pens toi, on a perdu une bataille et tu n’étais pas là.”

It is a verse in old French and meaning: My deaer Crillon, show remorse, we have lost a battle and you were not there!

It’s warm and we look for some shadow in the little street at the left side of the Crillon.

After a few yards, we reach the “François Félix” a slightly bizarre name for a bar, but with a nice terrace.The waiter takes our order; he is wearing a pleated skirt… And suddenly we notice

that there are many little tables with two gentlemen… Et alors?

We continue our walk and soon reach the hedonic Rue du Faubourg St.Honoré, the fashion Mekka for ladies with an unrestricted buying potential. The simple rule here is: “If you have to ask for the price, it is definitely not for you”

Just around a corner we also see a young beggar sitting on the pavement with his Burmese cat. Les extrèmes se touchent: Paris is a world of contrasts.

THE LEFT BANKWalking in the world famous

Saint-Germain-des-Prés area we have one clear objective in mind: to visit the museum of the famous, 19th century painter Eugène Delacroix. We find it on the quiet square Furstenberg not far from the local church. Delacroix’s most famous painting is a romantic interpre-tation of the French revolution (one of many) of 1830.

It shows.Marianne with half naked breasts on the barricades swinging the French flag and stirring up the revolu-

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tionaries to fight.

The studio of the master is beautiful and light and the walls covered with paintings of himself and of close friends. The shadowy garden is an ideal spot to take a break on a hot summer day..

Obviously a visit to the ‘rive gauche’ (the left bank of the Seine river) cannot be complete without paying a visit to the famous café ‘Les Deux Magots’ (monkeys or monkey faces).

This was (and still is) a world famous place where French intellectuals like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Bauvoir met to drink and to discuss. An endless row of French intellectuals did the same and gathered here during the second half of the 20th century and even till today.

But time is fleeding and we already stroll along the Seine river where a long line of ‘bouquinistes’ (book sellers) wait for customers. And now we reach the most ‘touching’ bridge of Paris: the ‘Pont des Arts’ which in fact should be renamed as ‘Bridge of love’ because couples attached here, at the railing of the bridge, hundreds or even thousands of padlocks and threw away the keys

into the Seine. A symbol of their eternal love and indissoluble tie.

We now walk over the majectic inner court of the Louvre, glance at the pyramid of Pei, cross the Rue de Rivoli and finally reach the lesser known ‘Palais Royal’with its wonderful gardens and fontain. This is one of the nicest and quietest places in the very heart of Paris. Here you can order your cup of tea or coffee ‘far from the madding crowd’ and without being bothered by any trafic noise. You can also spend your money in some fine antique shops that found shelter here.

THE MILLS OF MONTMARTRE

Visiting the ‘Sacré Coeur’ on a Sunday, seems to be in line with an old-fashioned logic. Whatever it may be, this basilica remains a very impressive monument, visited by thousands of people every day of the year.

Roaming around the ‘Place du Tertre’ after this is another, nice contrast. It’s always very crowded here with a lot of street- and would be artists, trying to

sell you a flattering drawing of yourself..

All cafés and restaurants are full of cheerful people, drinking and eating and enjoying the atmosphere of this most succesful ‘village square’ of France.

I cannot help thinking about the famous painting of Renoir ‘Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette”.

Would that still exist? We find the answer a couple of hundred meters to the West.

The windmill still stands firm, but it has become a quiet restaurant. The famous ‘café-concert’ from Renoir does not exist any more. Sic transit gloria mundi…

Walking further downhill we now reach the other, eternal windmill of the ‘Moulin Rouge’.

Here of course you remember the famous posters of Toulouse-Lautrec, the French Cancan

dancers and their ‘grand écart’.The box office is open, the temptation is strong…but the Thalys train home is waiting.

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This year Spasskaya Tower took the 200th anniversary of the 1812 Russian victory in the Napoleonic Wars for its main theme. The festival opened in Red Square with a grand, theatrical show: A stylized, 19th-century ball set the stage with a waltz, only to be interrupted by the intrusion of a sinister Prince of Dark-ness, Horsemen of Death and the flam-ing Wheel of War. This was followed by an allegoric battle fought by orchestras with musical instruments, instead of armies with weapons.

The two-hour concert featured military marches, a selection of classi-cal pieces, and folk songs performed by bands from Russia, Germany, France, It-aly, Austria, Greece, China, Kazakhstan, Poland and Singapore. The EU bagpipe orchestra, dressed in bright, tartan kilts, filled the air with brisk Scottish and Irish tunes. To the crowd’s delight, even the Hellenic Air Force orchestra arrived to

perform the familiar theme songs from Indiana Jones, Star Wars and Rocky.

The Central Military Orchestra of the Singapore Armed Forces demon-strated its mastery not only with heavy carbines but also with colorful Chinese fans. The participants from China chose to depart from the theme of the festival and presented a completely civilian per-formance – a dramatic and unique dance based on the ancient legend of a dragon born by a pond with a lotus. “The dance reflects the rural culture of the Southern China. And since cooperation between villages and the army in China is an inte-gral part of the Chinese state, we believe that this performance fits in perfectly with the concept of the festival,” Chen Yixian, head of the Chinese delegation, told to the press.

Yet the performances that resonated most with the audience were those fea-turing familiar Russian tunes performed

Military music performances and festivals in the military ‘tat-too format’ are held all around the globe. One of the first tattoos was the Royal Tournament for military orchestras of the British Empire, which was first held in London in 1880. After WWII the tradition spread to other countries. Today, military musicians from many dif-ferent countries regularly gather in countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Swe-den, Finland, Belgium, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Russia held its first military tattoo on September 2, 2006, as part of Moscow Day celebrations.

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SPASS TOWERMilitary Tattoo MOSCOW

by orchestras of foreign militaries. Ital-ian carabineers put on the famous Katy-usha, the Singapore Orchestra played the folk song ‘Oy, to ne vecher’, and the Polish Military Orchestra performed the world-renown song Kalinka. The per-formances moved the Russian audience not only to applause and singing, but sometimes even to rhythmic stomping on the verge of dancing.

Given the theme of the festival, one of the most anticipated performers in this year’s Spasskaya Tower was, of course, the French orchestra. In order to convey the spirit of Napoleonic France, the French musicians marched onto Red Square dressed in period, military uniforms. The square in front of the Kremlin was also graced by the famous French singer (and Russian favorite) Mireille Mathieu. The slender singer wore a little black dress in the chilly autumn wind, delivering both the na-

tional anthem of the Russian Federation and the national anthem of France, La Marseillaise. Mathieu’s performances in Red Square have become tradition; behind the scenes, the singer is consid-ered a symbol of the Spasskaya Tower festival.

The highest point of the show was the performance given by the Russian envoy – the Suvorov Moscow Military Music School orchestra. Vivid, dynam-ic, and full of dashing spirit, it enchanted the audience. “It was amazing! It was the zest of the whole program,” Elena Kulieva, one of the viewers, told RIR after the show.

The show ended in an unexpected way. The art director of the festival, Mikhail Shemyakin, later admitted that “the most difficult thing was to address the idea of victory with subtlety,” out of respect for the feelings of foreign par-ticipants. Thus, idea of victory was in-

terpreted through the notion of peace, friendship and unity between nations, with the final act of the show finding all of the participants gathered around blaz-ing torches.

“Here is everyone who used to stand on different sides of the barricade, now gathered around the fire of peace,” said the author of the idea, head of the Mili-tary Orchestra Service of the Russian Ministry of Defense Valery Khalilov.

All of the participants were happy to support the idea. “What we think is important about this festival is that it serves as some kind of reconnection be-tween Russia and France. It is the idea of peace and friendship,” said Thierry Moochot, the head of the fanfare band from the city of Haguenau.

The head of the Italian carabineer orchestra Massimo Martinelli also be-lieves that the Spasskaya Tower festi-val brings peoples together. “It gathers

Tekst by: Ricardo Marquina ( RusiaSeMueve)Photos by: Kremlin Military Tatto Festival

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participants from different countries and they have an opportunity to show their national spirit, the unique qualities of their national music in their performances. That’s a unique opportunity to develop a closer rela-tionship between our nations,” Mar-tinelli said.

“We truly enjoy the genuine spirit of this international military music festival, the sincerity of the event that brings people together,” said Sergei Khlebnikov, the super-intendent of the Moscow Kremlin and member of the Public Council of Spasskaya Tower. He noted that the wind and the military music might seem anachronistic beside modern-day synthesizers and innovative equipment. “But this isn’t so. This kind of music resonates with the hearts of the audience. The wind’s music is a brigantine moored in a bay among modern ships. It is the brigantine that draws the most atten-tion. It is beautiful and full of roman-ticism,” Khelbnikov said.

Every single person in Moscow has felt the change in the city’s air brought on by the festival. The top military orchestras have played not only on the Red Square but also in several of Moscow’s parks. And that is just the beginning. The Spasskaya Tower festival will last for over a week, ending on Sept. 8.

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The 29th edition of “Journées du Patrimoine” (European Heritage Days) came to a close in France on 16th of

September on a very positive note: over twelve million people visited the two–day event. As usual, the event sought to reveal to as many people as possible the wealth of the country’s cultural heritage.

Therefore, over 16,130 sites and monuments – often

closed to the public – took part, an increase on last year’s 15,400.Among the places most visited were the Senate,

the Elysee Palace (22,000 visitors), Matignon and

various other ministries. Paris’ town hall welcomed 13,000 tourists. In other areas of France, the most visited site was the

chateau des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes with 29,500

people, and the Pont du Gard also attracted 20,000.Since its creation in 1984 by the Ministry of Culture, this two-day

event has been met with more and more success each year.

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For 12 days Berlin will be transformed into a magical illuminated city. A breathtaking array of colours will light up the German capital giving it a romantic allure to rival the likes of Paris and Rome.

Announcements

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Marvel as buildings and sur-roundings are vividly and beautifully brought to life with bright colours, images projected onto facades and open spaces, laser beams shooting to the skies and light shows dance through the air. Nearly 60 different buildings, landmarks and historical paces within Berlin are illuminated annually during the Berlin Festival of Lights.

During the two week period of time during which the Festival of Lights takes place in mid-October, locations like the Brandenburg Gate,

the Deutscher Dom, Ferhsehturm at Alexanderplatz, the Hauptbahnhof, and the Oberbaumbrücke are flooded with multicolored lights to show off the great sites of Berlin, the City of Change.

The illuminations are turned on from 7:00 PM until midnight daily through the duration of the festival. In addition to putting on such a show, various events are put on during the time to celebrate the unique festival.

Also taking place during the Fes-tival of Lights is the Night of Open Doors, when visitors are allowed into

the various illuminated sites at times when they are usually closed. Special attractions include golfing on the Spree, visiting the German coin mint, and entrance into a World War II air raid shelter.

Special sightseeing tours are also available during the Festival of Lights, whether you want to venture above the city in the Welt-Balloon to see an overview, or hop onto a boat to see the colorful structures from the River Spree, you’re sure to have a blast.

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“FRITKOTS” IN THE SPOTLIGHT

If we want to draw attention to chips in Brussels, we should make sure that we also highlight the people who make them. Generally speaking, those who run fritkots are colourful characters and are well-known in their local area. So when you fancy some chips you will normally head for a stand run by Titine, or Jean-Jacques or Henri… These are local people, the ones you can chat with, and the ones who see so many people passing that they always know a little about everyone… These characters, one and all, are part and parcel of Belgium’s cultural heritage (and we’re being deadly serious when

we say that!). They richly deserve their brief turn in the spotlight.

FRITKOT MANAGERS HONOURED IN OUR

MAGAZINE PAGESThe goal is to produce an

original portrait of these colourful characters, in the style of ‘family photos’, in the presence of local elected officials who are sure to be more than happy to feature in the shot. These photos, before they are printed in our magazines, will already have achieved something of an iconic status. Most likely, ten years from now, these photos will still be displayed prominently on the walls of each participating fritkot!

The Year of Gastronomy is coming to a spectacular end, but we can still look forward to a few more surprises… So, through Brusselicious, VISITBRUSSELS is gearing up to celebrate a national food product that is the envy of the world and one that our French neighbours love so much that they even try to make it their own. We’re talking of course about genuine and unmatched Belgian chips, also known as fries!

Talk of chips naturally brings us to the subject of chip shops and especially ‘fritkots’, the traditional stands

for vendors of chips, found on streets all over the city of Brussels! From 1 November to 4 December, Belgian chips will be served up in many different ways and be awarded all the honour they so justly deserve.

FRITKOT FESTIVAL

1 November - 4 Decemberwww.brusselicious.be

Announcements: Gastronomy

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ONE EURO FOR A CONE OF CHIPS!

VISITBRUSSELS will distribute empty chip cones, in the colours of ‘Brusselicious’, at stations, the airport, traffic lights and VISITBRUSSELS’ ‘tourist info’ points. The aim is for people to take their empty cone to one of the fritkots participating in this campaign and to get it filled for the symbolic sum of just one euro! But the consumers will have to pay for any accompanying sauces.

CONTEST FOR BEST FRITKOT

Which is the top fritkot in Brussels? That’s a great question and one we could all sit around debating for ages.

All the same, you can cast your vote at www.visitbrussels.be

Each fritkot is free to adapt its advertising as it sees fit, in line with local folklore.

The winning fritkot, since there will of course have to be just one, will be awarded a giant cone of chips (actually, a cone of protruding human legs), which will surely become an eye-catching attraction for the lucky fritkot. Given the trophy’s large size, its final location will naturally have to be agreed in consultation with the local authorities.

Tekst: VISITBRUSSELS.BE

Photo: Eric Danhier Edanhier

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