Photography
Ayutthaya, Thailand — Elephants splash water to celebrate Songkran or the Thai traditional New Year festival, in the ancient city of Ayutthaya. The annual elephant Songkran is held to promote the tourism industry and is celebrated prior to the three-day Songkran Festival also known as the water festival, which is held from April 13-15. PHOTOGRAPH BY: NARONG SANGNAK / EPA
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Quebec City Winter Carnival: Jan. 31 to Feb. 16 Carnival festivities in Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans are renowned for their sinful extravagance, but in many ways Quebec City out-debauches them both. Dogsled and canoe races across the icy St. Lawrence River deliver thrills and spills, pancake breakfasts and poutine-eating contests are odes to gluttony, and the annual snow bath (pictured) isn't short on skimpy outfits.
A huge feast for monkeys at a festival in Thailand [18 pictures] Yearly, in the Thai city of Lopburi, a festival is held that includes setting tables with tons of fruit and vegetables for the town’s monkey population — numbering in the thousands — to come and consume. The practice is motivated by a combination of both ancient myth and current tourism…