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Design and Art

Design and Art

The centre of the earth

India is a wonderful place full of wonderful people and lots of surprises.  Here's one. Jatayu Earth Center, also known as Jatayu Nature Park or Jatayu Rock, is a park and tourism centre at Chadayamangalam in Kollam district of Kerala. It stands at an altitude of 350m above the mean sea level. Jatayu Nature Park…

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Pardon me, madam, but your palace awaits

How often does one get the chance to sleep in the same halls as royalty?  Not often for most of us. But, you can at the Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski in Istanbul directly on the Bosphorus.  A former home to Ottoman royalty, you will find yourself bathed in history, glamourous surroundings, sumptous spas and world-class restaurants. And,…

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The menace of Venice

Venice in peril.  If it's ancient foundations crumbling, and literal hoards of tourists aren't troubling enough, Venice is now being genuinely threatened by the gargantuan cruise ships that pull up to the ancient city. So much so, that UNESCO has put Venice on its endangered list unless Italy permanently banned cruise ships from docking in…

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But, will we have enough extension cords?

Mother earth is heating up - dangerously - but so is the race to enable humans and animals to live in a world that will not burn to a crisp, like it seems now.  We have the brains and the technology, but our will needs a kick in the pants. Fortunately, more and more evidence…

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You’re a space cadet

This sounds like fun, but, most importantly, has a very good intent at its heart. You can win two seats on one of the first Virgin Galactic flights to space.  Sir Richard Branson is putting his money and his spaceship where his mouth is. Here's what's you can look forward to: Make history as you…

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How low can low go?

If you've spent any time reading about The Netherlands, you'll know that the geniuses there have done amazing things in order for the country to keep its head above water. And that hasn't been completely recent activity:  they've been at it for centuries, and they've learned a lot in the process. The video below goes…

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If you’re goin’ to San Francisco…

...be sure to visit SFO.  The airport itself is a wonderland, especially since the team there have lovingly and carefully  been saving artefacts, toys and more.   And you can see them.  There are dozens of exhibitions happening at SFO. The San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum provides unique opportunities…

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Go where the air is free

The Covid pandemic has wreaked havoc almost everywhere in the world . . . and has taught us some important lessons along the way.  What we once took for granted has the possibility of slipping through our fingers - such as travel. But, with destinations slowly blossoming again for tourism , and travelers tentatively making…

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Why do you build it up, buttercup…

... just to tear it down, and mess it around?  The Italian city that destroys itself:  Here it was – the Catholic guilt. My fear of judgment, which had lain dormant for years since my schoolgirl days, now rose in my throat as I waited for the priest to exit the Church of Santo Gemine…

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True Xiqu

Every country and every peoples have stories to tell.  The Chinese have such a long and colourful history, it's only natural that their catalogue is perfect for relaying those stories via opera. The West Kowloon District in Hong Kong, has the Xiqu Centre which is dedicated to preservation of the art of traditional Cantonese opera,…

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Stiff upper quip

Some need that little extra push, or perhaps a bit of "what for."  If you know someone who would benefit from some sharp-as-a-tack, quick-as-a-whip, stiff upper lip education, there can be no better place than in London.  Home of stern educators such as Mary Poppins, Martin Chuzzlewit, Mr. Tomkinley, Melissa  Wackles . . . the…

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Lufthansa Bus lines

Well, not exactly, but we wonder if this will become a thing as airlines start to react to the climate situation. "Lufthansa is scrapping its shortest route, replacing the service with a bus. The route between Munich and Nuremberg is just 86 miles (138 km) as the crow flies. Lufthansa operates many domestic services across…

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That’s not all, folks

Covid, BE GONE! Who doesn't love Warner Bros entertainment?  Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Harry Potter? The Studio Tour is finally open again, and WB are excited to welcome you back. Get even closer to the entertainment you love in their new Storytelling Showcase highlighting nearly 100 years of Warner Bros. history. And, the new grand finale will…

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Expo, Expo – read all about it!

Every so often, the world has an Expo. Montreal in 1967, Milan in 2015,  while Kazakhstan held the most recent specialised Expo in 2017. Expo 2020 will be happening in Dubai, and tickets will go on sale worldwide starting July 18, 2021, with the event occurring from Oct. 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. As…

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Back to the future and back

If you're into technology, or even futuristic films, you will no doubt be longing for the day when we can all have flying cars (I guess to go along with our floating apartments.) There have been many attempts at this kind of tech, but they never seem to go anywhere, pun intended.  As you can…

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Magic portal

There can never be enough opportunities to reach out:  to family, friends, initiatives.  It is critical to us, as humans.  But, sometimes it is difficult, if not impossible to do so.  But, a creative and enterprising group, the Benediktas Gylys Foundation bring new thinking to being together. For the first time in history, countries and…

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Can you even pronounce this?

We periodically write about Wales, in the UK.  Most tourists think of England or Scotland as destinations in the UK, but you should really also give Wales a try if you haven't already. Why?  Well, first of all, the countryside itself is lush and untouched.  Wales has been able to avoid some of the creeping…

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It almost laughs at you

At the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in northwest Azerbaijan, lies Parigala, one of the world’s most impressive archeological mysteries.  The Azerbaijani name, Pəriqala, literally means Fairy Castle Carved into the nearly vertical face of a rock cliff, the centuries-old structure remains a mystery that hardly anyone knows anything about. The site consists of a…

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Want to get high?

Actually - this is what we meant by getting high. (Photo: Alberto Pinto) With big success comes big responsibility - and big toys.  The Boeing 747 BBJ is the world’s largest private jet. With only a handful of examples in the world, it’s a rare bird. Even rarer is the Parisian design house Alberto Pinto-designed…

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