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Across the Northern Hemisphere, March signals
the end of winter for many countries; the Globe
Guides team drop in on festivities marking this
occasion in Canada, Lapland and Russia.
After all that snow and ice, they dash across
the planet in search of warmer climes in Costa
Rica and Mexico before checking out
two of March's premier festivals in Spain and
Micronesia.
 Neil Gibson takes up residence in the
Western retreat of Montezuma on the Pacific
coast of Costa Rica. It's a beautiful place, far
from the tribulations of everyday life where people
come to embrace an alternative lifestyle.
Meanwhile, Ian Wright makes his way to
La Laguna San Ignacio in Baja California,
Mexico, renowned as the best place in the region
to see grey whales on their winter migration
south from the Arctic. On a boat trip out he has
the breathtaking experience of meeting some of
these 'friendlies' - who are just as curious about
us as we are about them.
Ian then journeys far north to Caribou,
Canada to the curious Carnival celebrating the
end of winter. He turns his hand to judging one
of the strangest competitions around, the 'ugly
dog and truck' event before partaking in a bit
of 'computer bashing' - surely one of the most
satisfying pastimes ever invented!
Justine Shapiro joins the emotional festival
of Fallas in Valencia, Spain. In a massive
show of craftsmanship, music and parades people
fill the streets with the 'fallas' models of people
 and things that they'd like to see the back of
and based on historic tradition, culminating in
the exciting closing night of 'crema' in which
they are set alight by weeping beauty queens.
Meanwhile Megan McCormack visits Micronesia
on 'Yap Day', started in the 1960s as a
day of remembrance celebrating the islands traditions
and dances.
Back in the thermals, Holly Morris journeys
to Lapland, home to 60,000 Sami people,
who have traditionally been reindeer herders.
Here she tries to stay on her sled as she takes
part in the World Reindeer Racing Championships.
This is nothing compared with what Ian finds himself
doing at the Festival of the North in Russia;
of all the myriad sports on offer here, he opts
for the swimming event - in icey water dug out
from under the snow! |
