Once a religious holiday, the St. Patrick's Feast originated as a celebration of the patron saints of Ireland for over a thousand years. It has gradually evolved into a world-wide celebration of Ireland's culture, traditions, cuisine and the color green.Top o' the morning to ya!

1.The color of St. Patrick's Day was originally blue, but green became more prevalent as shamrocks became the official symbol of the holiday. In the 1798 rebellion Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on 17 March in hopes of making a revolutionary political statement. The shamrock on their hat was a sign of rebellion.

2. "The Wearing of The Green" came from a song by Dion Boucicault.

3. St. Pat's is celebrated on March 17, both the day of religious feast and the anniversary of St. Patrick's death in the fifth century.

4. A tall tale exists that St. Patrick was famous for banishing all the snakes in Ireland. While entertaining, not true.

5.The Shamrock, also called the "seamroy" by the Celts was a sacred plant in Ireland because it symbolized rebirth of spring.

6. Corned beef and cabbage is the traditional St. Patrick's day meal, but in New York, some celebrate with Irish bacon to save money.

7. The leprechaun is a purely American tradition introduced by Disney in the film Darby "O'Gill & the Little People."

8. Chicago has been dying its river green for the past 43 years to celebrate "The Emerald Isle."  The green appears magically from an orange dye that many other cities have tried (unsuccessfully) to emulate.

9. In Ireland, the celebration outgrew the word "Day" and became St. Patrick's Festival - a four day event that takes 18 months to plan and is enjoyed by 1.2 million people.

10. Guinness is the official beer of St. Patrick's Day because it is you are able to drink stout all day without getting too intoxicated or too full. Bottom's up- have a swig for us!

Happy Birthday to us! It's iExplore's 11^th birthday today (the terrible teens are upon us) and we wanted to say thank you to our entire iExplore family, customers from around the world and loyal fans for helping to make us Google's #1 authority on adventure travel and experiential trip planning. To share the love and as a present to you, we're giving away 11 $100 Travel Vouchers good for any "iExplore Exclusive" trip booked on our website throughout the year.

 

In order to win, simply join our community of ever-growing travel enthusiasts by following us on Twitter or liking us on Facebook and Retweet or Repost the following message through next week. "Today is a Gift, that's why it's called the Present. Explore Everyday @iexplore" RT to Win $100 Travel Voucher. #iexplorebday." Winners will be chosen randomly on Friday, 2/25 and notified via social media.

Some of our biggest accomplishments to date have included being named "Best Adventure Travel Website" by Forbes Magazine for seven straight years, Travel & Leisure Magazine, Time Magazine and Yahoo by providing quality content and travel guides from the world's most exotic destinations to the farthest corners of the earth.

If you're looking for an off the beaten path, once-in-a-lifetime adventure, keep us in mind. From treks to Machu Picchu, expeditions to the North Pole, hiking the Himalayas or foodie excursions to Italy, iExplore offers activity guides full of tips, tricks and inspiration to plan the trip of your dreams.Offering group or privately guided luxury tours, the itineraries can be completely customized to fit your needs.

PS. February 18 makes us an Aquarius- unconventional, positive and extroverted. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Looking for other opportunities to win? Check out our photo contest for the chance to win an all expense paid Safari to Kenya!

Not for the faint of heart, an African safari is one of the most exotic vacations you can take. The allure of traipsing through the Savannah bush, stalking the wildlife, and getting up close and personal with nature in the same way they hunt their prey brings out the animalistic adventurer in all of us. Whether it's for the love of the animals or the thrill of the chase, here are some tips to plan the best luxury safari possible. Kenya, here we come.

To Tent or Not to Tent?

Depending on how much you want to rough it, different tour providers offer different degrees of creature comforts. From five-star suites to air-conditioned tents with running water, your level of outdoorsy-ness and who you're traveling with may dictate the type of accommodations best suited for your trip.  iExplore offers the unique opportunity to stay at Basecamp, an eco-friendly luxury tented campsite situated in the heart of the Serengeti, which offers some of the most prolific wildlife areas on the planet. Besides a solar heated shower, and open-air bar, the wireless internet access is steps from zebras and wildebeests grazing.

Location, Location, Location

Depending what type of animals you're in search of, there are different countries to hit up. Most visit Africa in search of the "Big Five" in their natural habitat- the buffalo, lions, leopards, elephants and rhinos, oh my. Kenya's Masai Mara reserve in Eastern Africa is a very popular destination for its unspoiled authenticity, as well Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater, a volcanic landscape home to over 30,000 animals. South Africa has some standout options as well like Johannesburg and Cape Town, but are known for being a little more touristy.

Know Before You Go

In addition to a passport, most African countries require a visa and/or immunizations. For example, Kenya requires a visa obtained from the US Embassy and proof of a yellow fever vaccine.  Malaria is quite common and easily caught via mosquitoes. Preventative measures you can take to protect yourself include anti-malaria treatments, nets and bug spray.  Check the State Department website for tips and advice on your specific destination well in advance of leaving.

Win an Adventure Africa Safari

In addition to hosting an abundance of guided or private African tours, iExplore is currently offering the opportunity to win a Classic Kenya Safari for two valued at $9,000 in our Photo Safari Contest. Share your best travel photo for the chance to win the trip of a lifetime or other gear and travel certificates!

Photos by Todd McClamroch

 

iExplore has kicked off a photo contest for those who love to document their travels with pictures and capture visual memories. The "Photo Contest" winner, as judged by nine award-winning travel photographers, media personalities, and popular vote, receives a $9,000 "Classic Kenya Safari" for two.  A paradise for safari and animal lovers, the Kenya safari includes three nights in a luxury tented camp at Masai Mara, two at a deluxe lodge at Elementaita with easy access to Lake Nakuru National Park, and one in a top hotel; as well as game drives, walks, and free time to experience the most prolific wildlife on the planet. Nairobi, Tanzania and nature at your fingertips!

A second place winner takes home "His & Her" ExOfficio Storm Logic Jackets and a $500 iExplore travel voucher; prizes are also awarded to all finalists as well as to 50 "Judge's Favorites" photographs.  The photo contest runs from February 8 through April 22, 2011. No purchase is required for entry.

The process for entry couldn't be simpler: visit http://photocontest.iexplore.com/, register, upload as many of your best photographs as you wish (one per email address), and spread the word.  Easily share entries with friends and family via social media tools like facebook, twitter, instant message or word of mouth to encourage vote-getting. The top 20 photos are chosen by the public (one vote per day per person) and each week one of the judges will select five to six of their favorite wildlife, nature, and people shots to display on the "Judge's Favorites" page.  Chosen photographer's will each receive $100 Adventure Center travel voucher. iExplore's judges will choose the winning photo and runner up based on creativity, photographic quality and composition.Winners will be notified on or around May 6, 2011.

Feeling inspired by the world-class photography? Check out our Africa tours, travel guides and destination ideas.  From active to family, coastal to Safari, iExplore is a leader in global adventure travel.