Carnival of the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade

Advantages: Colourful costumes, funky music
Disadvantages: Overcrowding, criminal elements, litter

...The Notting Hill Carnival takes place on August Bank holiday Sunday and Monday every year. Being a local resident, I used to join in the fun and shake my body freely in the streets. Now, the Carnival has become the biggest street event in Europe attended by two millions people. The event is just getting too big to be held in residential streets. It’s not too bad on the first day as it is Children’s Carnival on Sunday. On Monday when the main Carnival is held, some parts of the streets can get dangerously overcrowded. Due to concerns of crowd safety, live stages featuring Radio 1, MTV and Gorillaz have already been cancelled. And because of the serious crime of fatal stabbing and shooting in previous years, more police resources are now needed for the huge event. London Mayor Ken Livingstone has been pressing... Read review

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Advantages: Fun atmosphere
Disadvantages: None!

...St Patricks Day, 2000. The fun was never ending. Do go if you get the chance. We went and stayed in Temple Bar, flew with Ryan Air for £25 + Taxes and had a ball. St Paddy's Day is the time to visit as everyone is in a carnival mood. There are parades and fireworks and smiles on the faces everywhere. The bars and pubs serve great Guinness - we found O'Neills to be the best - just around the corner from Molly Malone's Statue, near the Tourist Information centre in the Church. A great time was had by all. Well worth a visit - do go!... Read review

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Advantages: a wonderful range of restaurants and foreign dishes to try
Disadvantages: too many vehicles on the road for such a small island

...of the roads. This, I was informed is because the natives have suddenly started selling their land to the developers, now they all got money which they never had before and they all buying big motors which are cheap enough to run out there, again this seems common all over the island. As you travel on the island you will notice apartment and hotel construction work going on all over the place. I have to say that the food in all the places I dined was very good indeed and I would recommend it. There is a proliferation of British bars and a heck of a lot of Irish bars. A warm welcome awaits you everywhere here from the locals and the ex-pats. Now to the carnival. I had waited eagerly for 3 days for final night of the carnival season and I can tell you it's something I'll never forget. From the town centre to The Oasis Papagayo is a straight road... Read review

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