Here is something that we never thought we would see, although I guess we're not surprised. Time moves on. When you think of UNESCO sites, it's usually Minarets or archaeological remains, often in far-flung locations, many of them ruins. We love UNESCO and feature lots of posts about them. (Click here for that.)…
History
The city does, for sure. And who hasn't heard of it? If that's you, here's a brief primer: Hong Kong SAR or (HKSAR) is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta in South China. With 7.5 million residents of various nationalities in a 1,104-square-kilometre…
Can you guess what "The KL" is? No, not some here-today gone-tomorrow hip-hop band. And not some hopeful moniker for a forlorn small town in Kansas. It's the playful (and much easier to pronounce) nickname that the residents of Kuala Lumpur use to refer to their lovely and largely unsung country. For…
Ah, China. A place of so much interest and of so much intrigue. So many of us lust to visit and have the best of intentions but, sometimes the Chinese government doesn't always make us feel welcome. And that is not to point fingers at its people: we're quite sure that…
Let's go forward in time to step backwards in time to learn how the internet came about, and why its origins, which are well known, may actually be more interesting than we might have thought. If you think you know the story, you might want to read on, anyway: you wouldn't be here…
Or did we mean go slow in Slovakia? Either way, you win, especially when you discover this known country, but then find out how much you have to learn - and enjoy - about it. It's another one of those "bubbling under" countries, just waiting for you to search and enjoy. According to…
Kosovo is a place that most of us have heard of, but may know little about. We might recall that there were troubles, many based around it unilaterally declaring its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008. And or course, situations like that (with the associated violence that inevitably occurs) can often cast…
The ancient city of Great Zimbabwe was an engineering wonder. But archaeologists credited it to Phoenicians, Babylonians, Arabians – anyone but the Africans who actually built it. Great Zimbabwe is a medieval city in the south-eastern hills of the modern country of Zimbabwe, near Lake Mutirikwi and the town of Masvingo. It is thought to have been the capital…
Poor Cuba. Still battered by the USA (for reasons that we just can't understand) this beautiful and engaging country teeters on collapse, except for the strength of its people. We have a number of posts here on the site (click here) which should give any thinking person the desire to hop on a…
Bet you never thought you'd see that phrase. But, as always, history is a funny mistress and, let's face it, despite Google and our smart phones, we don't really know much, do we? Our children and their children will laugh at our conceit someday in the future. So, behold a new finding. …
We present another one of those "now you see it, now you don't" posts. Nothing lasts forever, it appears. And sometimes the powers-that-be appear to be deaf to what the people want. Here, we're talking about the Stairway to Heaven Trail on Oʻahu, Hawaii, the Haʻikū Stairs. Also known as the Stairway…
The world offers no shortage of fascinating, thrilling, silly, scary and sometimes confusing opportunities to behold what other members of your species are up to. We'll cut to the chase on this one, as it's quite a tale, one that could only really happen in the post-1960's movies, or for that matter, anything that…
History is a strange and unusual thing. For example, Turkeys were once worshipped like gods. Or, once , 100 Imposters Claimed to Be Marie Antoinette's Dead Son. Napoleon was once attacked by a horde of bunnies. Yes, supposedly these are all true, but you can never tell on the Internet. But, one…
Fear not, this is not another modern day 21st century shitpost as the title might infer. We don't do that kind of thing here. What you see is what you get with Matouring. So then, what exactly are we talking about? Today, we feature a little-known, but nonetheless interesting Spanish village…
France never gets tiring, unless you wear yourself out by living life to the fullest there. Of course, Paris is at the top of the list for most people, as is Marseille or Nice or Bordeaux. Few countries have the variety or diversity that France has, in pretty much all aspects. And…
Another history post for you, this time based in Russia. Many of you might remember the Cold War (if not, it was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term cold war is used because there…
Some things are the stuff of legend. Many are just that - legends, and nothing more. And legends can be a tenuous and fleeting thing. But these kinds of "unknowns" always intrigue us here at Matouring. The more obscure the better, we say, especially when you're the curious type, too. …
In this day and age, there aren't many monarchies around anymore. Many see it as an outdated hangover from the past. Others (like us) understand that sentiment, but also appreciate the sheer fact that these kinds of historical constructs can even exist to this day. Some monarchies end up being A. totalitarian…
The Spanish have left an impressive, diverse, expansive and everlasting legacy across the globe. Of course, some will say that they left a trail of destruction and malaise as well, which is undeniable. But, they also brought some value to civilizations that certainly benefited from their presence. One such example is the La…
Let's have a moment of silence for those who have tried and have failed. Here are just a few. We're sure you'll recognize a few: Sir James Dyson, Steven Spielberg, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, J.K. Rowling, Abraham Lincoln, Jerry Seinfeld... the list goes on and on. But, as…