NEWS AND EVENTS
There are many interesting events coming up in the New Year, including fantastic festivals, gourmet, gore, and the latest happenings from the Bahamas to Quebec.

Gourmet and Gore
GOURMET: Fantastic Food and Fun...
Reykjavik's Food and Fun Festival will once again be held in 2005 on 16th – 20th February and you can expect excellent food and a great atmosphere as restaurants and international chefs turn up the heat. Visitors from all over the world come to see Iceland’s award winning restaurants create sensational dishes including the freshest of seafood and in particular, mouth watering Icelandic mountain lamb, which has made the food-part of the festival a great success.

The annual Food & Fun Festival is a delight for all taste buds so why not visit Reykjavik on a 3-night city break where you can dine out in style and check out the many restaurants offering Icelandic specialities. Our 3-night Reykjavik city break starts from £344 per person based on twin share and includes return flights from Heathrow, transfers, accommodation for 3-nights on B&B basis and taxes. For further information or to make a booking, contact our Iceland team on 01737 214214 or visit the website www.discover-the-world.co.uk/iceland.

GORE: The Bad Food Festival
If you thought Icelandic cuisine was all glam, you’re in for a surprise. There’s gore too! The ancient Viking feast of Thorrablot is now a popular feature at many restaurants and during January and February, you can wander into any town or village and be invited to join with the locals in sampling some of their more unusual culinary delicacies.

The Thorroblot feast usually comprises of a lot of meat, but we’re not talking tender fillet steaks here. Instead you'll be treated to the animal's head, complete with eyes to be plucked out and savoured and for the brave, the testicles are pleasantly pickled in whey. There’s no garlic bread on the side either, instead you’ll tuck into some Blódmör, also known as slátur (Icelandic for slaughter), a side dish consisting of congealed sheep's blood held together with lard and wrapped up in the rams' stomach. This can be eaten cold or fried and sprinkled with sugar! Mmmm!

Apart from many other scary savouries, the feast also includes lovely rotten shark meat, which is putrefied for weeks in its own juices. All this is to be washed down with Brennivín spirits, a powerful schnapps made from potato and caraway, also known as Black Death - enough said! Bon Appétit!

For more information on this festival, please contact our Iceland team on 01737 214214.

New Zealand Festivals...
WAIHEKE ISLAND WINE FESTIVAL: 5th Feb 2005
Find out what makes Waiheke Island wines so wonderful. Gourmet food, loads of entertainment as well as local produce and great hospitality. To find out more, visit www.waihekewinefestival.co.nz

HARVEST HAWKES BAY: 5-6th Feb 2005
Be a part of Hawke’s Bay gourmet lifestyle with four fabulous days of wine, art, music concerts, tours and workshops. To find out more visit www.harvesthawkesbay.co.nz

NAPIER - BREBNER PRINT ART DECO WEEKEND: 17-20 Feb 2005
A four day celebration of everything Art Deco within Napier’s unique 1930s architectural landscape. Why not relive the 1930’s with a stay at Cobden Villa, an 1870 villa combining elegance, luxury and a unique Art Deco experience high above Napier. To find out more on Napier visit www.discover-new-zealand.co.uk/nap

AUCKLAND FESTIVAL: 18th Feb -13th March
AK05 will feature theatre, dance, music, visual arts, outdoor spectacles and cultural celebrations. To find out more information, visit www.ak05.co.nz

Discover the World offers many fly drives itineraries and exciting trips to New Zealand and can even tailor make trips around these events. Whatever you fancy, from Waiheke wine to some gourmet fun in Hawkes Bay, contact us for a tailor-made quote on 01737 218804 or visit the website at www.discover-the-world.co.uk/newzealand.