Top 5 Amusement Parks in Europe

While many people think that California has a lock on great theme parks, there are plenty of amazing family amusement parks in all corners of Europe too. Whether you're looking for thrilling rides, childhood nostalgia, or famous cartoon characters, these parks have it all. Here's our top 5 amusement parks in Europe:

Disneyland Paris (France) - The mother of all European theme parks, Disneyland Paris has all the magic and your favourite characters from the American parks, within easy distance of Paris. Comprising two amusement parks and seven resort hotels, the park is a perfect reward for kids who've been dragged to every museum in Paris.

Legoland (Denmark) - Most of us have a set of Legos at home (and have stepped on them at some point), but few could dream of the sorts of creations you'll find at this theme park nearCopenhagen. There are replicas of the city, pirate ships and waterfalls, and even a medieval kingdom to explore.

Siam Park (Spain) - This Thailand-themed waterpark opened in 2008 with more than ten water rides, an amphitheatre and sea lion pool. Located on Tenerife, the lush grounds hold several records, including the largest statue of a dragon and the largest man-made wave in the world. It's also the world's first 'green' waterpark.

Parc Asterix (France) - Forget Mickey Mouse, many children in Europe grew up reading books about the irrepressible Gaul Asterix and his massive friend Obelix. This amusement park, just outside of Paris, brings that world to life with a number of rollercoasters, water rides and other attractions.

Europa Park (Germany) - Located in the southwestern city of Rust, Europa Park is a huge amusement park with 13 different sections themed to different European countries, including Greece, Italy, Spain and Russia. With more than 50 rides, the park is a fun tour of Europe for any family on holiday in Germany.

Word Travels Forum Round-Up #25

It's time for the Word Travels Forum Round-up! There's been a lot of activity on our forums this week, and here are the most interesting topics under discussion:

Online Travel and Love Scams

Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand Itinerary

Is Cape Town Safe?

Travelling with Kids in Madrid

Remember you can ask your own travel question on the forum, and get answers from local experts in your destination!

Top 5 Strangest Food Festivals

There are a lot of food festivals around the world, but some focus less on enjoying a good meal and more on playing with their food! Here are our top 5 strangest food festivals around the world:

Night of the Radishes (Noche de Rábanos) - There's a large radish found in Mexico that can grow up to 6.6 pounds (3kg) and 20 inches (50cm) long. The people of Oaxaca do something interesting with these radishes each December, carving them into people, animals, and anything else they can think of. The carvings are judged, and the winner gets their picture in the paper.

Sea Worm Festival (Bau Nyale) - Each year the people of Indonesia rush into the ocean to collect as many sea worms as possible, and then they cook them and eat them. Although there's nothing pretty about sea worms, there's a romantic legend associated with this festival. Long ago, a beautiful princess had so many determined suitors that she threw herself into the ocean to prevent their going to war over her. When she died, her hair turned into sea worms, now the symbol of the Sasak people.

La Tomatina - One of the world's biggest food fights, La Tomatina takes place in Spain each August. The festival starts with participants trying to knock a ham off the top of a greased pole. Once that happens, people throw tomatoes at each other until the streets of Valencia run red. No one knows quite how it got started, but people like it so it continues to happen each year.

Gloucester Cheese Roll and Wake - A tradition in Gloucester for hundreds of years, this popular event in the Cotswolds involves competitors rolling a large, round Double Gloucester Cheese down a steep hill and attempting to catch it. The first person over the finish line wins the cheese. Unfortunately, this event was cancelled in 2010 and it is uncertain if it will return.

Lopburi Monkey Buffet - This annual feast in Thailand is unusual, simply because no one who attends gets to eat anything. Well, no people get to eat anything. The guests of honour are the local Macaque monkeys, who chow down on fruits and vegetables, and even get to enjoy a soft drink or two. The monkeys live in the ruins of local temples, and are huge tourist attractions. The Buffet is the village's way of thanking them!