Children splash water to elephants to celebrate the Songkran festival

Children splash water to elephants to celebrate the Songkran festival, the Thai traditional New Year from April 13 to 15, at Dusit Zoo in Bangkok Monday, April 11, 2011.




Elephants spray water at teenagers during Songkran festival in Ayutthaya province on April 11, 2011. Songkran is the Thai New Year which starts on April 13, during which people celebrate by splashing water at each other.




Elephants spray water at foreign tourists during Songkran festival in Ayutthaya province on April 11, 2011. Songkran is the Thai New Year which starts on April 13, during which people celebrate by splashing water at each other.



Elephants spray water at foreign tourists during Songkran festival in Ayutthaya province on April 11, 2011. Songkran is the Thai New Year which starts on April 13, during which people celebrate by splashing water at each other.



Elephants spray water at foreign tourists during Songkran festival in Ayutthaya province on April 11, 2011. Songkran is the Thai New Year which starts on April 13, during which people celebrate by splashing water at each other.



Elephants splash water to children in celebration of the Songkran festival, the Thai traditional New Year from April 13 to 15, at Dusit Zoo in Bangkok Monday, April 11, 2011.



Children splash water to elephants to celebrate the Songkran festival, the Thai traditional New Year from April 13 to 15, at Dusit Zoo in Bangkok Monday, April 11, 2011.



Thai people celebrate New Year's from April 12 to April 14. The celebration is called the Songkran Festival and it is known across the globe for being a holiday where people play with water.




Thai children spray water each others during the water festival or commonly known as the Songkran festival to mark the New Year, Wednesday, April 14, 2010, in Bangkok, Thailand. The annual festival is a mixture of religion and chaos involving heavy drinking and water fights.




Elephants spray water at teenagers during Songkran festival in Ayutthaya province on April 11, 2011. Songkran is the Thai New Year which starts on April 13, during which people celebrate by splashing water at each other.



Thai people pour water on a statue of Buddha as part of celebrations of the Songkran festival marking the Thai new year in Thailand' southern province of Narathiwat on April 12, 2011. Songkran celebrates the Thai New Year.



A Thai woman parades on a float as part of celebrations of the Songkran festival marking the Thai new year in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat on April 12, 2011. Songkran celebrates the Thai New Year.


source: Daylife
photo: AP photo, Gettyimages

Homecoming queen: Supermodel Gisele Bundchen shows off her moves at the Rio Carnival

By EMILY SHERIDAN

Carnival queen: Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen performs in a tiny gold dress on the Vila Isabel Samba School float at the Sambadrome in Rio De Janeiro


Gisele Bundchen swapped the catwalk for a float as she showed off her dancing moves at the Rio Carnival yesterday.

The supermodel, 30, showed off her slim figure in a bottom-skimming gold dress as she performed the samba on a giant float in Rio De Janeiro's famous Sambadrome.

The world's highest paid model was proudly watched from the audience by her American football player husband Tom Brady and fellow celebrities Jude Law and Pamela Anderson.

Joining Gisele on the float was her mother Valdir and sisters-in-law Nancy and Julie Brady, who took some last minute samba lessons the day before.

The four women took part in the Vila Isabel Samba School's float, which had the theme 'hair'.

Discussing the theme on her Twitter page, Gisele enthused: 'Women love hair and hair helps give personality to people. I think this theme is super cool.'


All that glitters: Gisele fully embraced the spirit of Carnival and looked excited to be a part of it


Centre of attention: Gisele was given pride of place in the centre of the float


Bundchen and the Bradys jetted into the Brazilian city on Saturday morning and have been staying at the Hotel Fasano.

But New England Patriots quarterback Brady couldn't get too involved with the festivities because he's recovering from an operation on his right foot.

After her performance, the model changed into a white T-shirt by one of the Carnival's sponsors Pantene and joined Brady and her friends and family.


Quick learner: Gisele had a brief lesson at the Vila Isabel Samba School on Saturday in preparation for her performance


With Brady out of action, Bundchen grabbed a female friend and started dancing as she clutched a carton of coconut water.

In between dancing, she managed to find the time for some public kissing with her husband of two years.

The model, who has a 15-month-old son Benjamin, had been Tweeting frantically in the run up to the big day.

She admitted she had been listening to the song and learning the words in anticipation of her performance.


In the party spirit: After her float performance, Gisele took to the floor and danced with a friend


Tactile: Gisele leans in for a kiss with her American footballer player husband Tom Brady


She wrote: 'We are taking a Samba class with a Samba dancer from the Vila Isabel Samba School. She has been dancing since she was six years old.

'I'm going to do my best and see if I can do this. OK, here we go.'

Gisele attends carnival every year, but usually just enjoys the dancing from the stands.

She enthused: 'Carnival is very important to Brazil and is known around the world for being the ultimate joy filled celebration...


Show-stopper: Gisele was part of the Vila Samba School parade - which also included a huge float with giant elephant models


Letting her hair down: Gisele waves to the crowd as she sips on a coconut water in the VIP section


'I think the rest of the world has no idea of the involvement. It takes so much dedication and care from everyone who works on it..'

While Gisele was taking part in the spectacle, Law and Anderson looked content to watch from the stands in the Sambadrome.

Clearly getting over his recent split from Sienna Miller, the father-of-four, 38, looked in good spirits as he quaffed glasses of Brahma beer with a few friends.


New friend? Pamela Anderson was spotted looking cosy with a mystery man at the Brahma VIP party


Time to party: Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho (left) took part in the parade, while British actor Jude Law was happy to watch


Former Baywatch star Anderson, 43, was spotted cuddling up to a mystery man.
Wearing a tiny red dress from one of Carnival sponsors Brahma, the former pin-up looked incredibly tactile with the curly-haired companion.

Also taking part in the event was Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho, who wore a white suit and fedora as he did the samba with the Portela Samba School.

The 30-year-old then changed into a T-shirt and shorts from his new fashion line as he joined a bevy of young beauties in the stands to watch the rest of the parade.


What a spectacle: Performers from the Sao Clemente samba school sing and dance through the Sambadrome


Loving the ladies: Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho - wearing a T-shirt from his new fashion line - is surrounded by young female companions


Rio Carnival Group Parades Despite Fire


Gisele Bündchen dando Entrevista antes do desfile no Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro 2011



source: dailymail

Happy New Year 2011

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Fireworks are seen above Jakarta's downtown on January 1, 2011 marking the New Year. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Jakarta to mark the New Year.



Fireworks explode over the Las Vegas Strip casinos just after midnight in Las Vegas, Nevada January 1, 2011. An estimated 320,000 people came to Las Vegas to celebrate the new year, tourism officials said.




Fireworks burst above Yangon's landmark Shwedagon pagoda as Myanmar people gather to welcome the New Year 2011 at Kan Daw Gyi park in Yangon late on December 31, 2010. Democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi, released in 2010 after more than seven years of house arrest, called for the country's people 'to struggle together with new strengths, new force and new words in the auspicious New Year'.



People gather to watch fireworks during the New Year at Old Town Market Square in Wroclaw, southern-western Poland January 1, 2011.



People gather to celebrate the New Year in front of Sukiennice building at Old Town Market Square in Krakow, southern Poland, January 1, 2011.



Revelers gather New Year's Eve in New York's Times Square as they wait for the traditional ball drop to celebrate the new year December 31, 2010.



Indian Sikh devotees wait for their turn to pay homage at a fog-shrouded Golden Temple in Amritsar on January 1, 2011. Thousands of Sikh devotees from across India and abroad are preparing to pay obeisance on the occasion of New Year at the temple in northern India.



Indian Bollywood actress and singer, Raageshwari Loomba poses as she pays her respects at the Sikh Shrine, The Golden Temple in Amritsar on January 1, 2011. Raageshwari along with her family, visited the city and payed on the occasion of the New Year 2011.



Some of the 100 people of 'Cercle des Nageurs' take part in a traditional New Year's bath, held annually in Marseille, on the first Saturday of January, on January 01, 2011 at the Catalan beach of Marseille, southern France. Ancient tradition in Marseille, bathing the New Year, has long held in the Vieux-Port, before being moved because of pollution.




NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A view of the atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 with Carson Daly at Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A view of the atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 with Carson Daly at Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singer Ke$ha celebrates New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singer Joey McIntyre of the New Kids On The Block performs while celebrating New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.




People dressed in festive costumes wave during a street procession as part of the "Street of Open Heart" festival in Belgrade January 1, 2011. All proceeds of the yearly traditional New Year's festival go to the project Doctors Clowns aimed at cheering up and helping children in hospitals.




People buy candied apples during the "Street of Open Heart" festival in Belgrade January 1, 2011. All proceeds of the yearly traditional New Year's festival go to the project Doctors Clowns aimed at cheering up and helping children in hospitals.



People take part in the traditional New Year's day swim on January 1, 2010 at Scheveningen beach near The Hague.




source: Daylife
photo: Gettyimages [endtext]

New Year celebrations in Times Square

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Revellers cheer as confetti falls during New Year celebrations in Times Square in New York January 1, 2011.



Confetti is dropped on revellers at midnight during New Year celebrations in Times Square in New York, January 1, 2011.




NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 01: Fireworks go off at the strike of midnight in Times Square January 01, 2011 in New York City. This year a 11,875-pound Waterford crystal ball descended a 141-foot tall flagpole to mark the beginning of 2011.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A general view of atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A general view of atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singers Taio Cruz and Ke$ha celebrate New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A general view of atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A general view of atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singer Ke$ha performs during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.




NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Miss USA Rima Fakih celebrates New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.


Midnight - New Years Eve 2010 / New Years Day 2011



Times Square New Years Eve 2011 ( New York)



source : Daylife
photo: Gettyimages [endtext]