pollyesther

yes! a FAIR TAX would be perfect, i really like how it would only be on NEW things we purchase...it would make a lot of sense to re-use and re-sell more items instead of pumping more junk into the landfills.

matthew

So how is Doris???

Dragon

Good question, I'm not sure if he's in politics anymore, he used to be very vociferous but I never hear anything about him anymore.

I will say I totally agree on the idea of Fair Tax. It seems to make much more sense then the system currently in place.

sheftali52

Sheftali obviously stirred up a slight hornet's nest when mentioning the Fair Tax. I shall continue to push the idea in my own small way, as I believe it's an idea that could change any country for the better.

polenta

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=77027

The 6th of January is Dia de Reyes or Day of the Magi, the three kings or wise men who came from the Orient to give presents to baby Jesus when he was born. ¨
On this day children receive lots of presents " the Magi bring". Children usually get toys they have asked for in a letter they have written before. On the 5th before going to bed, children leave their shoes and many also some grass and water for the camels on which the Magi come riding. When they wake up, kids see all the presents "the Magi have brought them" on their shoes at the side of their beds.
I suppose this happens all over Latin America and Spain but I'm not sure. Yesterday I saw a program on a Spanish TV channel and they were having a parade with the "Magi".... so this is a custom in Spain too.

polenta

It's 6th of January.We are supposed to go out in the street and find dozens of children riding their new bikes, scooters or playing with their new toys or wearing their new soccer football team jerseys..... but lo and behold..... no, no, no..... the city is empty. People have all gone out of town to the seaside resorts.
Come January.........everybody wants their vacation LOL LOL

Dragon

Do the kids get presents from Santa on Christmas day too? If so then they make out like bandits!

polenta

Kids and grown=ups get presents for Christmas too but maybe not absolutely everybody. Also I suppose that if "Santa and the Magi" want to spend a certain amount of money, they split it so that the kids get gifts on both dates.... but the 6th of January is the day kids get most of the toys.

polenta

Many adults get presents on the 6th of January too. That depends on the family.... but children SURELY DO.

This is Punta del Este, the most famous Uruguayan seaside. I's widely visited by affluent people of the region and here I'm sending you two photos, one of them is the port with yachts. If not, you can google PUNTA DEL ESTE.
There are dozens of other seaside resorts but this is considered the most famous .... and a little costful!!!!!
http://educasitios2008.educ.ar/aula198/files/2008/11/punta20del20este.jpg
http://images.google.com.uy/imgres?imgurl=http://www.meucat.com/images/hotel/punta.jpg&img refurl=http://www.meucat.com/maps/mapa_satelite.php%3FCOD%3Dpunta&usg=__gInEdXgGnFykX0uv5Yy vWV32t2g=&h=530&w=800&sz=65&hl=es&start=140&tbnid=E37Uh8EN64nsfM:&t bnh=95&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPunta%2Bdel%2BEste%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Des%2 6sa%3DN%26start%3D120

polenta

Sorry, the photo of the port didn't work.
I could suggest googling PUNTA DEL ESTE MANSIONES.
If it's the same in the English google version you can see beautiful "little" houses there. I adore architecture and it's a pleasure to see the beautiful architecture Punta del Este has. Punta del Este doesn't have so many five=star hotels but it has lots of chalets, houses and apartments to rent during the summer.

Login

In Germany (well Bavaria at least) the big day for exchanging presents is 6th January. From what I was told by my neighbours there, they don't exchange presents on Christmas day, but on the day the three Magi brought gifts.

polenta

Isn't it wonderful to get to know different customs all over the world? Think Draw also helps us in that. How would I ever have known about Bavaria otherwise? Thanks Login.

polenta

This is for Inked Gemini to make it easier for her to see my answer to taxes in Uruguay.

polenta

This picture tries to show CANDOMBE, one of the genres of Uruguayan carnival. The music is exclusively DRUMS of 3 different sizes with dozens of drummers. Candombe began among descendents of African slaves but is now enjoyed by many people.
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=89008


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W-8eoYiQEg&feature=related

polenta

Maybe TDers from different countries could say if people work during Easter in their countries . Or maybe it's a holiday.
I have seen lots of Easter bonnets on Think Draw and I know the custom about chocolate eggs and rabbits.
I've just seen a TV interview about the increase in fish sales today in Uruguay. Nobody has spoken about this on TD, maybe it doesn't happen in US or elsewhere.

Robindcr8l

My Basque friends always have fish for Easter, so I don't think that is just a Uruguayan tradition, however, most people I know have Ham it seems. I like fish way better than ham.

What I'd like to know is what the spring is like in other countries, and when it begins. Normally here in Idaho, spring starts in March, but this year it is holding out a little. We had snow all last weekend. However, the crosuses have bloomed and I noticed some forsythia blooming now, too. Lilacs should be next. And there are birds galore again!

Dragon

I used to live in a house that had crocuses and irises all around it. It really felt like spring when they would start showing up.

Spring has started here but it's very sluggish. The pussy-willows have begun coming out but everything else is just buds. I can't wait for when the leaves just start opening on the trees. I love that fragile pale green haze around the branches when they start.

Login

Easter is a holiday in UK and many people go away for the Easter period, either visiting friends and relatives or simply going somewhere pleasant. We stayed home and enjoyed a welcome visit from our son and his partner.

Spring is about a month late here but, after a few days of relatively warm and sunny weather, it is now bursting into life ... the spring flowers are truly lovely and that "fragile pale green haze" that Dragon speaks of is now beginning to show in the hedges and trees.

polenta

Here we are in autumn or fall. Spring begins the 21st. September.
We have a lot of yellow-brownish fallen leaves in the streets and holidays DEFINITELY finish after Easter, which we also call Semana de Turismo or Tourism Week.
Vaccinations against N1H1 (?) (swine flu?) is beginning. Would you recomment it or are we being Guinea pigs? LOL

belladonnis

Hey polenta this may be a little late. Here in Alabama Easter is a holiday. Usually everyone has Good Friday off and on Easter Sunday after church you get together with family for Easter dinner.
The children always look foward to the Easter Bunny showing up and leaving them baskets of chocolate eggs and usually one large chocolate bunny thats ears are always eaten first!LOL
We also hard boil eggs and color them for egg hunts. Some churches and community places have Easter carnivals where they have huge easter egg hunts and activities such as: egg tosses, sack races, face painting and some even have rides for the kids. They usually have food such as hot dogs, hamburgers, cotton candy, and popcorn.

Spring is in full force here! The pollen has been terrible, especially the pine pollen, which leaves a yellowish green powder on everything. Its so bad here that when you go outside and just walk around it covers your cloths and shoes!
I have terrible allergies and have to take meds just to be able to enjoy it outside. Sometimes they work and sometimes they dont. Im just so happy for the warm beautiful weather that I think I will suffer it anyway just to be outside!