National Day of Luxembourg- 23 June

Luxembourg's National Day is originally the birthday celebration of the country, the Grand Duchy, which began on the birth of the Grand Duchess Charlotte, on 23 January. Because they didn't want to celebrate the national day in winter, they postponed the national celebrations to June 23. This date remained unchanged even after her regime ended.

The celebrations all over the Grand Dukes begin on the evening of the National Day, on 22 June. In the capital, Luxembourg City, the festivities begin with festive ceremonies for the exchange of guards at the Grand-Ducal Palace around 4:00 pm.



In the evening there are torchlight parades in the capital. The public areas and narrow streets of Luxembourg turn into a huge open-air party with free concerts, DJs and dancing around the city. Local food stalls such as hot dogs, potato fritter, Luxembourgian beer and wine are also opened and offer plenty of options.

Later at night there is a fireworks show from Adolphe Bridge.

The next day, on National Day (June 23), the day begins with an official ceremony, followed by a military parade that begins at the train station. In the afternoon there is a teh daum (a psalm of thanksgiving and early Christian prayer) in Notre Dame Cathedral. 

In honor of Luxembourg's National Day, here are some interesting facts about it: 

Luxembourg is the smallest country in Europe in terms of population - it has about half a million people.   

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in the world in terms of size - its territory is only 2,586 square kilometers.   

Although Luxembourg is such a small country, it is one of the richest countries in the world. Its per capita GDP is the highest in the world and its unemployment rate is the lowest in the European Union. 

Luxembourg gained independence from the French Empire on 9 June 1815.

Most Luxembourgers speak 3 languages:

 Luxembourgish, French and German. The official language in Luxembourg is Luxembourgish. 

Every year, about one million tourists visit Luxembourg (more than the citizens who live there). 

According to TripAdvisor website, the attraction that attracts the most tourists in Luxembourg is its American cemetery. This is a military cemetery that was first established during World War II and was chosen as one of the 12 permanent American cemeteries in Europe during this war. Many cavities buried in temporary burial sites were transferred to it.

40% of Luxembourg's population is immigrants who came mainly from Portugal.

The smallest wage gap between men and women is found in the state of Luxembourg and stands at only 4.9%!

The capital city of Luxembourg is named as the name of the country, Luxembourg.

The national motto of Luxembourg is "we strive to remain who we are" -  "Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinn" (Luxembourgish).

Luxembourg won the Eurovision title five times. In 1961, 1965, 1972, 1973, and 1983. Not a bad achievement for a country so small.

June 23 is also Let It Go Day

Iceland Day - June 17

Iceland National Day is an annual holiday in honor of the founding of the Republic of Iceland celebrated on June 17, 1944.

This date also marks the end of the centenary of Danish rule in Iceland.

Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean, located between Greenland, Norway and Scotland, northwest of the Faroe Islands.

Iceland is among the least densely populated countries in the world. Its area is 103,000 square kilometers, but its population is only about 358,780 people, half of whom live in the capital Reykjavik.

The holiday date was chosen to also celebrate the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, a central figure in Icelandic culture and leader of the 19th century Icelandic independence movement.

Iceland National Day celebrations

Icelanders celebrate the national day in processions in urban areas, with traditional clothing, against the backdrop of Icelandic folk music and waving Icelandic flags. After the official ceremonies that include speeches of course, the joyous celebrations begin, with lots of music, food and drink and great joy.

Women dressed in traditional Icelandic attire in the capital Reykjavik (Source)

In honor of Iceland's National Day, here are some interesting facts about it:

Iceland has a good football team, which qualified for the international finals of Euro 2016 and reached the quarterfinals. In the summer of 2017, she qualified for the 2018 World Cup. The current ranking of the Icelandic national team in FIFA's ranking list is 40th in the world, as of April 4, 2019. This is a good achievement for a country with so few people. Icelanders also have a unique sport Called "Glíma" - a type of wrestling that originated in Viking.

The national bird of Iceland is the puffin, a sea parrot, which obtains its food mainly by diving into the sea. Papin has a large beak that turns red or orange during the breeding season, and at the end of the season it sheds it and is left with a more modest beak. In Iceland it is customary to eat the sea parrot and its eggs.

Image by Mario Liebherr from Pixabay

The official language of Iceland is Icelandic, which evolved from Old Norse, the language of the Vikings.

Iceland has no family names. They use patrons, the name of the father and then add the name of the son or daughter. Sometimes they use matrons (the mother's name). All first names they give to their children must be approved by a national naming committee that does not usually approve foreign names.

Iceland is the first country in the world to have served as a declared (and gay in general) lesbian prime minister. Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir served as Prime Minister of Iceland from 2009 to 2013.

The summer days in Iceland are very long and the light lasts until midnight. In winter, the Northern Lights appear in Iceland, the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) illuminate the sky in colors ranging from green to red and blue.

Many tourists come to Iceland to see its wildlife: huge glaciers and waterfalls (like Dettifoss Falls), volcanoes and geysers. In recent years, tourism has also developed in Iceland during the winter season, and tourists come to the hot baths and snowmobile rides on the glaciers.

Dettifoss Falls, the most powerful waterfalls in Europe (Source)

Iceland has also been producing good pop and rock music since the 1980s. Among the artists who have received international recognition coming from Iceland are the singer Bjork, the rock band Sigur Rós, the band Múm, the singer Emilíana Torrini and the band Of Monsters and Men.

June 17 is also Apples Strudel Day

Sri Lanka's Independence Day - February 4th

Sri Lanka's Independence Day, also called Sri Lanka's National Day, is a national holiday of Sri Lanka celebrated annually on February 4 to mark the country's political independence from British rule in 1948. It is celebrated all over the country through a flag-raising ceremony, dances, parades and performances. The main celebration usually takes place in the capital city of Colombo, where the president waves the national flag and delivers a national television speech. The main celebration takes place in the center of Colombo at the Navam Perahera Festival where the traditional art performances of Sri Lanka are held.

In the history of Sri Lanka many struggles have taken place and on Independence Day all of these are remembered and celebrated. But the independence movement against the British is especially mentioned.

In the President's speech, he emphasizes the achievements of the government over the past year, raises important issues and calls for the further development of the country. As a tribute to the national heroes of Sri Lanka who fought and gave their lives for the country, the President is holding two minutes of silence in their memory.

The Sri Lankans are celebrating their Independence Day with great pride. In many places of worship around the country, religious prayers and ceremonies are held for peace and prosperity for the country, the people and the forces of the army, the police and the civil defense. The national media tries to promote ideas like heroism, security, dedication, national unity, patriotism, nationalism, peace, national responsibility and awareness of national history in people’s minds.

In honor of Sri Lanka's Independence Day, here are some interesting facts about it:

Sri Lanka is an island nation located southeast of India in the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lanka is also known as the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean" and the "tear of India". These beautiful names were given to it both because of its amazing natural beauty, the extraordinary biodiversity and precious gems that are in it, and also because the island has the shape of a tear and when looking at the map it looks like the island is a drop of tear flowing under India.

Sri Lanka is home to the oldest tree in the world planted by humans. The oldest tree planted by man is in Anuradhapura, one of the oldest cities in Sri Lanka and the world. This is a 2,300-year-old sacred ficus tree called Jahah Sri Maa Bodhi. The tree was planted in 236 BC. His mother tree is the famous Buddha tree in Bod Gaia in India under which Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating.

Jetavanaramaya Stupa, an ancient structure built in the third century AD and located in Anauradapura

In Sri Lanka a large variety of animals

Sri Lanka covers an area of only 65,610 square kilometers and has a very large variety of wildlife. The island is home to 123 species of mammals (such as elephants, tigers and crocodiles), 227 species of birds, 178 species of Reptiles, 122 species of amphibians, and many other species of other animals.

For wildlife enthusiasts, Yala National Park is a must-visit on a trip to Sri Lanka. For travelers interested in whales, it is advisable to take a walk in Mirissa or Trincomalee.

Elephants in the wild in Sri Lanka

Tea is one of the main agricultural industries in Sri Lanka. If you drink tea, it may have come from Sri Lanka, formerly called Ceylon, and it has tea in its name, Ceylon tea.

Sri Lanka is home to cinnamon. Sri Lanka is famous for its cinnamon, a necessary ingredient for many of its wonderful dishes. The Ceylonese cinnamon, also called "real cinnamon", originates in Sri Lanka and today the country is still a leading exporter of cinnamon in the world.

Adam's Peak is the holiest mountain in the country. The mountain is part of the Samanella mountain range in southern Sri Lanka. It has been a place of pilgrimage for believers from different religions in Sri Lanka for over a thousand years. In Buddhism the summit of the mountain is called Sri Fada, meaning a sacred footprint, and they believe that the Buddha remained there when he ascended to heaven. For the Hindus this is the footprint of Lord Shiva. When asked by Christians and Muslims, they say that this is the footprint of a person when he was expelled from heaven.

Sri Lanka gave the word "Serendipity" to the English language. The word serendipity is derived from the word "serendip", the old name of Sri Lanka so named by the Arabs and Persians. The word, invented by the English writer Horace Walpole in 1754, was based on a Persian fairy tale called "The Three Princes of Serendip", in which the princes "always made discoveries, by accident and mistake, of things they did not seek at all." August 18th is Serendipity Day.

The national flag of Sri Lanka is one of the oldest flags in the world. The Sri Lankan flag, also known as the lion flag, is considered one of the oldest in the world, dating back to 162 BC. It is also considered to be the only flag in the world that recognizes different religious beliefs, with the leaves in it representing Buddhism, the orange stripe standing behind Hinduism and the green one representing Islam.

Sri Lankan flag

One of the Buddha's teeth is located at the Tooth Temple in Kandy. A relic from the teeth of the Holy Buddha, brought from India in the 4th century AD, is still preserved in the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Every summer there is a glorious festival known as Esala Perahera (Dental Festival), and it is one of the seven best festivals in Sri Lanka, designed to honor the tooth.

This is the first country in the world to have had a female prime minister. In July 1960, Sirimabu Bandarnaika, the leader of the Sri Lankan Freedom Party, won the general election and became the first prime minister in the world. She served the country for three terms before resigning in August 2000 due to health issues. At the age of 84, Sirimabu Bendernaika died of a heart attack.

This is where the locals shake their heads to say yes. In most cultures, to show consent, people nod their heads up and down and to say no, they shake their heads left and right. This is not the case in Sri Lanka. To say yes, people shake their heads from side to side. It can be confusing for foreign visitors, but they will get used to it.

The word "Hotel" does not necessarily mean a hotel. If you travel around Sri Lanka, you may see signs that say "Hotel", but it is very possible that they do not mean places where you can stay at night, as the word also means restaurants, cafes and bars that are so named. The exact reason for this is unknown. If you ask the locals, they will probably say it's just a cool thing to do. This can be misleading. So to find out if this is a hotel or restaurant, you will need to check if the place serves food or there is an option to sleep in it at night.

Volleyball is the national sport of Sri Lanka. Although the most popular sport in the country is cricket, volleyball has become its national sport. Sri Lanka introduced the game in 1916 and it gained immense popularity within a few years. In 1951 the Volleyball Association was established and was officially declared the National Game of Sri Lanka in 1991.

February 4th is both Cancer Day, Homemade soup day and Facebook Birthday

Saint Andrew's Day, Scotland's National Day - 30 November

Scotland is a region in the north of the British Isles, covering a third of it and under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom. In the Scottish Gaelic language, Scotland is called Alba.

St. Andrew was one of the twelve apostles of Christ. He was born in Bethsaida next to the Sea of Galilee. He is considered the patron saint of Scotland and the Scottish town of St Andrews is named after him. He was crucified in the Greek city of Patras on an X-shaped cross, hence the shape of the Scottish flag.

Flag of Scotland

November 30 is St. Andrew's Day and for this reason it is Scotland's national holiday. This day is an official holiday in Scotland, and is celebrated with performances of Scottish culture, traditional Scottish food and music. In the city of St. Andrews and other cities the festivities continue for a week.

Scotland is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain which also consists of Wales, England and Northern Ireland. Although Scotland has been part of the UK for over 300 years, it has a separate legal system. Since 1999 Scotland has had a separate Parliament legislating on internal affairs. In 2014 there was a referendum on whether to remain part of the United Kingdom or become an independent state and 55% of Scots preferred to leave the situation as it is and stay in the kingdom.

The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh. It is also the second largest city in Scotland. The largest city in Scotland is Glasgow, which was once one of the most important industrial centers in the world. 

Scotland's maritime territory includes large parts of the North and North Atlantic Oceans and is home to significant EU oil reserves. Because of this, cities like Aberdeen rose to prominence which is the third largest city in Scotland and is also called the "oil capital of Europe".

Scotland's national dish is huggies, a stew made from chopped offal of lamb (lungs, liver, heart), mixed with onions, oatmeal, kidney fat, spices, salt and spinach, which are used as a filling in the stomach.  

Another unique Scottish dish is a deep-fried March or Oreo snack that can be found at eateries.

The most popular drink in the country is the whiskey and carbonated drink called Irn Bru which according to the polls is sold much more than both cola and Pepsi.

Huggies (Image Source) 

Why you should travel to Scotland?

Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It has more than 790 islands of different sizes, it has long beaches with lots of bays that create amazing fjords, lots of lakes, ancient castles and lots of hills and green mountains.

Scottish Cows (Image Source) 

Castle in Edinburgh

Scottish soldiers parade with Scottish skirts and flutes (source)  

In Scotland you will find The Hobbit House, designed by Stuart Grant. Grant began designing the house in 1984, when the house was tiny, and he was poor. Since then he has improved and added and designed the house non-stop. Today the house looks amazing and he is happy to live in it. This comfortable home has two bedrooms, an office, a bathroom, kitchens, a fireplace and a small creek in the yard and Grant says he is not a fan of Super Tolkien and it is a coincidence that the house looks like Bilbo Baggins' house. The house is not a tourist site, Grant lives there with his wife, but they are willing to accept visitors if contacted in advance. Location: Tomic Village, Scottish Highlands, North West Scotland.

 Source of photos and more photos 

November 30 is also Computer Security Day