The Shoton Festival is one of    1    (important) festivals for ethnic Tibetans. “Sho” means yogurt and “Ton” banquet in the Tibetan language, so the Shoton Festival    2    (call) the “Yogurt Festival.” as well. The seven-day event occurs between the end of the sixth     3     the beginning of the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar.

Originating(起源) from the mid-11th century, the Shoton Festival used to be a religious activity. After 1642, the Drepung Monastery(寺庙),     4     the fifth Dalai Lama, leader of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, lived became the     5    (politics), religious and cultural center of Xizang. Every year on the 30th day of the sixth month, thousands of people would crowd     6     the monastery to present yogurt to the fifth Dalai Lama and asked for     7    (bless). Local Tibetan Opera troupes would also come to perform for him at the monastery. Since then, the Shoton Festival     8    (become) a religious and cultural festival.

During the period of the eighth Dalai Lama    9    (live) in the mid-18th century, the main venue of the Shoton Festival was moved to Norbulingka and ordinary people were allowed     10    (enter) to watch Tibetan Opera performances. From then on, the Shoton Festival became a fixed festival.

7 . The harvest season falls at different times of the year depending on region and climate, but festivals celebrating its arrival are held all over the world Some are the start of the season and the fist crops, while other are celebrations to give thanks for the blessing of a harvest.

Rice Harvest Festival (May ~ June)

The harvest festival is dedicated to Dewi Sni-the goddess of rice and fertility(丰产) celebrated by the people of Bali, Indonesia.

Mid-Autumn Festival (September ~ October)

Mooncakes and tea are served on Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the Moon Festival, because it coincides with the full moon on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is also a time of family gatherings.

Yam Festival (August or September)

Men are carrying yams(山药) at the Yam Festival on the Trobriand Islands, Papua NewGuinea. The people there celebrate the end of the rainy season and the first appearance of yams.

Sukkoth (September ~ October)

Jewish people decorate the family Sukkah for the Jewish festival of Sukkot. A Sukkah is a temporary building where meals are taken for the week. The 8-day festival gives thanks to the harvest.

Pongal (January)

The 4-day festival of Pongal is a celebration of the rice harvest period. Held after the winter solstice(冬至), it celebrates the return of longer days of life-giving sunlight. Its name comes from a Tamil word, meaning “to boil”, and is also the name given to a rice dish that is prepared during this time.

9 . Best Outdoor Activities in Orlando

This national monument in Arizona is located within the Sonoran Desert, which spans more than 330,000 acres and is one of the few places in the US where you can see the country’s largest cacti. This “green desert” gets its name from the organ pipe cactus, whose branches mimic the musical instrument. Visitors can explore 31 cactus species and wildflowers through the monument’s many hikes, including the Nature Trail, a short and accessible paved trail. Take your camera, because the area is also home to the Sonoyta mud turtle, desert bighorn, and birds such as the Gila woodpecker and cactus wren.

Located in the center of the state, Red Rock State Park is a popular road trip destination and a must-see attraction during a multi-day trip to the Sedona area. The nature preserve features a visitor center and picnic areas that invite visitors to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Arizona red rocks that surround them. With environmental education and conservation top of mind, Red Rock State Park is a primary place that asks visitors to hike lightly, pack out what they pack in and stick to the trails.

Sedona is regularly described as one of America’s most beautiful places. Nowhere else will you find a landscape as dramatically colorful. The towering red rocks and jagged sandstone hills matched against an almost always blue sky have attracted professional and young artists for years. Plus, filmmakers have chosen these burning rock formations in north-central Arizona as the backdrop for such box-office hits as “3:10 to Yuma,” “Broken Arrow” and “Midnight Run.”

On top of all that exciting lake-borne action, those looking for something exciting can take part in OWC’s Aquapark, a group of LEGO-inspired ships with climbing barriers, slides and more that will wear you and more importantly, your kids out! No special skills are required, life jackets keep things super safe, and hours of fun are virtually guaranteed. The minimum age for the Aqua park is six and reservations are definitely recommended.