Kosmos

Culture, travel, fashion and culinary delights: the Kosmos pages of Lufthansa Magazin bring you interesting and useful tidbits from around the world

Fastnacht verpasst? Macht nichts: Unser Experte weiß, auf welchen Frühlingsfesten man sich auch ohne Kamellen prächtig amüsiert.

Mr. Know it all

Celebrate spring

So you missed Carnival in Germany this year? Our expert knows of three spring festivals where you can have at least as much fun.

little havana in the usa
It’s not over on Ash Wednesday in Miami, Florida. There, Cuban-inspired “Carnaval Miami” lasts until mid-March. Highlights include “Carnaval on the Mile,” a latin jazz festival (March 5/6), and Calle Ocho, a street festival (March 13).

Persian party
Have you cleaned the house, jumped over a fire and afterwards taken a cleansing bath? Then you’re ready for Nouruz, a spring festival and Persian New Year (March 21). Preparations last two weeks, as does the celebration.

Oktoberfest olé!
Customs, costumes, party tents – Seville’s Feria de Abril (starting April 12) is almost exactly like Bavaria’s Oktoberfest except … you drink wine and Spanish pilsner instead of wheat beer, and you dance the traditional sevillana instead of Bavaria’s schuhplattler folk dance.

Mr. Know It All

Aim for the sky

Who says you need mountains to go climbing? There are plenty of alternatives in the shape of spectacular climbing walls on churches, dams and the cooling towers of nuclear power plants.

Awesome walls

Built 150 years ago, St. Alban’s Church in Liverpool, England, inspires aspiration to other spheres. Today, visitors no longer come here to pray, but to climb its venerable walls, including an overhanging 17.5-meter lead wall.

Powerful thrill

The cooling tower of the former nuclear reactor in Kalkar, Germany, stands 58 meters high and has been repurposed as a climbing wall. If you prefer a different kind of thrill, there’s a roller coaster next door.

Head in the clouds

Surrounded by authentic Alpine peaks, the steep wall of the Lago di Luzzone reservoir in Switzerland offers a unique challenge: It is the world’s highest artificial climbing wall with 650 holds over a vertical distance of 163 meters.

Sandibe Safari Lodge Botswana — © Martin/Le Figaro Magazine/laif

Botswana, Africa

Stylish safari

The Okavango Delta covers more than 20 000 square kilometers and is home to a staggering variety of species, including elephants, lions, hippos and leopards. Stylish, sustainable Sandibe Lodge with its twelve luxurious wooden chalets is in the middle of the great outdoors.

Competition

Snap Touch

Win one of five digital instant cameras by cult brand Polaroid. The digital camera allows you to snap, print, and share all of your favorite photos instantly with app-driven creative & new Bluetooth connectivity.

If you would like to take part in the draw, please send an email with “Polaroid” in the subject line to lhmagazin@territory.de. The deadline for entries is August 31. We will notify you by email if you win.

A cash equivalent will not be paid and our decision will be final.

The Roosevelt Island Tram — © Christian Heeb/laif

New York City, USA

High flyer

The Roosevelt Island Tramway, an aerial tramway that connects the largely car-free district of Roosevelt Island with Manhattan, was supposed to be a temporary line until the subway under the East River was completed. Work on the subway was delayed and New Yorkers loved the tram so much that they refused to give it up – much to the delight of many tourists.

rioc.ny.gov/tramtransportation.htm

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Dark side of the sun

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The Light Master