History is a "funny" old thing. Like tunics tumbling in a dryer, around and around the dynasties come and go. And, of course, sometimes they just melt into one another and no-one really remembers what it once was like.
At one of the most important places on earth sits Istanbul, Turkey. It still has a sharp…
Design and Art
If you visit this site often - or even other travel sites - you'll know that Venice is heaving under the weight of packed-like-sardines tourists, and rising water levels that threaten its very existence.
Fortunately, there are those individuals who recognise the threat and are in a position to do something about it.
The Anish Kapoor Foundation…
Some places just "get it." As we see mother earth in peril, some of us are just not rising to the occasion. Climate change is not a joke. It's real. But, some countries (mostly in Europe) are paying attention and doing something about it. It could be banning automobile traffic in certain places. It could…
Spain is building an $8.7 billion USD new urban development in northern Madrid, called Madrid Nuevo Norte. Madrid is the heart of Spain. However, in its north, train tracks and the urban void surrounding them cut the city right in half, creating traffic and connectivity issues. To solve this issue, Spain is building a new…
You are probably already familiar with the Trojan Horse of Troy, the wooden horse used by the Greeks to enter the city of Troy and win the war. If not, here is a good tutorial.
The horse has been an elusive archeological find, but now, Turkish archaeologists claim they have found what they believe are pieces…
Human beings just seem to love the idea of something being "the best." Even if it's the best cheese sandwich, it inspires some awe and loyalty. Airports are no different, especially when we have to sit and fidget in them for hours and hours, waiting for a result with our flights So as to be…
If there is one movie franchise that EVERYONE loves (in addition to Star Wars, of course) it's Indiana Jones. Chances are good that - if you're a certain age - you got your first glimpse of Morocco or Petra via those classics. But, did you know that the films were influenced by a living human being…
We all know Google, love them or hate them. (We rather like them.) They're everywhere, constantly innovating, making money, but providing free services, as well. One of their shining stars is Google Maps. We're sure that the service doesn't need introduction. But, did you know how much they've played with Maps to make it even…
For many, many years (and even now) the USA and the USSR have been in a competition to one-up each other when it comes to, well, almost everything. One country would make a leap in technology, only to be bested by the other, not soon after. It was dizzying, at times. Well, even though technology…
China doesn't fool around. When they do things, they tend to go big. Here's an example. The new Shanghai Astronomy Museum, which recently opened in China, is potentially the world’s most majestic museum devoted to the skies. This elliptical, silvery structure looks part spaceship, part planetary invasion, with angular shapes that “embody some of the…
Magic can happen anywhere, at any time, to almost anybody.
Take Aretha Franklin, for example.
In an innocuous two-story building with a barn-like roof on a side of a nondescript street in Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the home of FAME Recording Studios (short for Florence Alabama Music Enterprises.) Music lovers will know it well.
They were small, but…
Those of us who live up here in the Pacific Northwest of North America are very lucky, in many ways. The weather, the diversity (especially of our residents) and the history that is constantly being discovered and enjoyed. As with many other countries, Canada has a population that can be considered as First Nation. In…
Cape Town is South Africa's crown jewel and the most European city you'll find on the continent. Founded by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, it was South Africa's first attempt at a modern metropolis, earning it the nickname "The Mother City." Cape Town is worth visiting year-round. That said, it looks different each…
Perched on the hills of the Achrafieh neighborhood hundreds of meters from the Beirut Port, the 60-year-old Sursock Museum was the beating heart of Beirut’s creative scene. The country’s only modern art museum, it boasts a collection of Lebanese art dating back to the late 1800s. But, is still rebuilding a year after the Beirut…
This is for all 24x7 party people. 2022 is the year to look forward to, and Spain is the place - the Monegros Desert, Aragon, Spain, to be specific. Starting 30 July, 2022, the Monegros Desert Festival commences. Of course there will be drinks, and music and dancing and, perhaps, nudity. But the star of the…
Start saving, kids!
If you're a Star Wars fan - and who isn't - you might want to save faster, because in 2020, Disney will be opening their Star Wars- themed hotel.
But may the force be with you if you're trying to cough up some money.
Disney has released plans for the property. The company says guests…
We would imagine that many of our readers like - perhaps even love - France, like we do. What a place! The variety! The quality! The countryside! Paris! But here is a place that you will know of, but may not have visited - Dijon. Dijon is an unheralded French city that is worthy of…
We're always happy to talk about Canada and its many charms. In this case, we're talking about how a high-end boutique brand is expanding as we emerge from the pandemic.
Recently, 1 Hotels announced new properties in Toronto, Canada, and Elounda Hills, Crete. This is the first location in Canada for the 1 Hotels, which was…
Almost everyone has heard of Hans Christian Andersen.
His most famous works include The Snow Queen, The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Princess and the Pea, The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina and so many more.
Even Disney has created movies from his work: The Little Mermaid, The Emperor’s New Groove as well as Frozen 1 and…
Ah, airports. They're a funny old place. You never know what will happen next. Sometimes what happens next is that your flight doesn't happen. Or the caffeined-up kiddies go running, screaming up and down the concourse with no sign of letting up.
Or something else goes awry. It makes you want to hide. But here is…