HIGHLIGHTS

LANGUAGE CORNER

Unheard Word - Tango Vocabulaire

The French word “bistrot”, which means 'small restaurant', comes from the term “bwystra”, which means fast in Russian. When the Russian army invaded France, during the Napoleonic war, they used to shout “Bwystra!” to the owners or waiters, demanding a faster service because they needed to get back on the road.

 

The word 梅雨 'tsuyu' refers to the Rainy Season in Japan. It combines the kanji characters 梅 (plum) with 雨 (rain). This is because the rainy season starts around the time when plum fruits start to ripen.

 

Japanese Calendar:

 

Month of Weddings 

Under the old Japanese calendar, June was called minazuki, the month of water, and was traditionally the time when rice fields were flooded with water. This symbol of fertility carried over into relationships, and it was thought that June was the best month to get married and therefore pregnant in (as these two were thought to go simultaneously in the past). If coming from an agricultural family, this timing was also ideal as the pregnancy wouldn’t interfere with the woman’s ability to work during the harvest season.

 

Also, getting married in June — and therefore having a honeymoon baby — also means that you can avoid the undue stress of going into labor during the sweltering summer months as well. Talk about planned parenthood!

Rainy Season 

梅雨 (ばいう) baiu  or tsuyu つゆ, are words associated with the monsoonal rainy season Japan sees for about 7 weeks on average. Western Japan is already under its influence, while Tokyo is bracing for the start of the rainy season. This year 梅雨 started 8 days earlier than usual and 16 days earlier than last year.

Sanno Matsuri: Mid-June

Sanno Matsuri is one of the three most famous festivals in Tokyo, alongside Kanda Matsuri and Fukagawa Matsuri. This very popular summer festival in Japan will be held in Tokyo in mid-June for a couple of years. The main event is a big parade that goes through central Tokyo, including Tokyo Station, Ginza, and the National Diet Building. 

  • Where: Paris
  • When: June & July

Paris in June is a magical time of the year.Enjoy a series of free outdoor concerts at the Parc Floral de Paris. The Paris Jazz Festival takes place from mid to late June to the end of July across 8 weekends. The music lineup consists mainly of world music, Jazz and Afro-American soul and blues. 

 

D-Day Festival

  • Where: Beaches of Normandy
  • When: May to mid-June.

Description:

Each year, the D-Day festival pays tribute to the Allied soldiers who liberated France on 6 June 1944. The event takes place in late May and mid-June in France along the entire coastline of the beaches of Normandy, where Allied soldiers landed in World War II.

The D-Day festival features a variety of events and activities each day.

These include guided hikes, commemorative gatherings, fireworks displays, parachute drops in period attire, historical re-enactments, exhibitions and parades of military vehicles, as well as tours of the installations and German bunkers. There are also concerts and liberation-themed activities. On 6 June, several commemorative events take place at various locations in Normandy.

Locations: Bayeux, Longues-sur-Mer, Ouistreham, Arromanches, Sainte-Mère-Église, Pointe du Hoc, Carentan, Isigny-sur-Mer. Iconic beaches: Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Gold Beach, Juno Beach and Sword Beach.

Bordeaux River Festival (Fête Le Fleuve) 

  • Where: Bordeaux
  • When: mid juin (every two years)

Description:

Every two years, alternating with the Bordeaux wine festival, the city’s docks come alive with free concerts, gourmet food stalls, boat races, parades, exhibitions, fireworks and other nautical activities such as river cruises and water rides. Huge legendary ships dock at the port for the occasion. Visitors can also witness the grand departure of the Solitaire du Figaro, one of the most famous solo sailor boat races on earth. Bordeaux River Festival (Fête Le Fleuve)