The Hay Festival started 21 years ago (1988) in Hay-on-Wye (Wales).
Bill Clinton called it the 'Woodstock of the Mind'
It has since extended its reach to Spain with its Alhambra (Granada) and Segovia editions.
If you need an excuse to escape winter's embrace and like literature, their most recent outpost Hay Festival Cartagena in Columbia runs from January 29 to February 1, 2009.
Not sure why but the Cartagena Event Site is in Spanish only.
The British Council Columbia is sponsoring a British Council Lecture with Martin Amis and poet Benjamin Zephaniah.
Amongst the other authors showing up for the 2009 edition are Joumana Haddad (a Lebanese poet) and Salman Rushdie.
Music has also a place with concerts by Asian Dub Foundation on January 29 for example.
Thanks to Culture within the reach of all (Turismo Columbia) I learned that besides the regular program it also offers a Festivalito for Kids and a Concurso Nacional de Cuento (national story contest).
No writer's block for 4 days.
Recent Book Bite: Atlas of 21st Century Architecture, 16 Pounds of It