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…
The Thinking Traveller
Everything is relative, relatively. Some of us boast that we live in homes that were built in the 1950's. Your editor, for example, lived in a house from the 1800's, and almost resided in another from the 1400's. That's pretty impressive if you're a history fan. But this all pales when it comes to places…
Some countries - such as China and Russia - get stuff done. Their enviable work ethic and constant desire to push are legendary.
As with any country who constantly strive, there may be some who get impacted or fall behind - sad stories.
But in this case, here is the tale of Russia building an impressive bridge…
You think your job is tough? Think the boss asks too much?
Well, suffer this poor guy, who works for Japanese Rail. This almost looks like a joke at first. But it's not. They are deadly serious and that is something to reckon with.
No wonder Japan is admired in so many ways. But, don't mess up!
See…
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…
As if the relationship between Canada and the USA isn't convoluted enough, did you know that 50% of all Canadian citizens live south of essentially the 45th Parallel. Canada is one of the largest countries by land in the world, but its population of only 38 million is about ten times less than the United…
OK, so you're rich, bored, ambitious and looking for the latest thing to get your pulse racing, as well as impressing your friends. Doctor, who doesn't want to be a spy? Secretly, all of us, no matter which race, creed or sex. And most of us would want to be James Bond, we assume. Well,…
Havana, and all of Cuba (in our opinion) are at the wrong end of the stick when it comes to US sanctions. The people have suffered enough under decades of embargos and bans. Cuba is a jewel to behold. Deep in the lanes of southern Old Havana, where trailing plants and drying clothes drape from…
When Did Persia Become Iran and Why? The region that is now the country of Iran has been known by many different names, and has had varying boundaries and borders over the past 5000 years. The name Iran comes from the Avestan word airyānąm, appearing in the time of Cyrus the Great (4th century BC).…
We haven't been to NYC for a while. So imagine our surprise when the B1M video (see below) about New York 's popped up for us on YouTube. Turns out that the project was not exactly the happiest of experiences, but - as they say - it is what it is. Rising from the remnants of…
With the benefit of hindsight, we can look back at things that raised the blood pressure of "the people," but can now look back and wonder what all of the fuss was about.
An example is Eileen Gray’s modernist villa E-1027, built in 1929. It resides on the Cap Moderne site. (The Cap Moderne Association is…
Hey tiger, want to explore the bush and find your inner animal? In style, of course. And a rather special place is the The Bushcamp Company in Zambia. It's been around for a while, but they've spent a number of months refreshing the place. The award-winning Mfuwe safari lodge is set in the most prolific…
... but don't worry....yet. Korean Air announced a cooperative initiative for research with Seoul National University and the Korean Air Force to understand the options for launching missiles and orbital vehicles from a Boeing 747 jet. The airline has already started reviewing all technological abilities, operating costs, and how the selected 747 can be equipped…
Research out of the European Society of Cardiology suggests taking more than three weeks of vacation days may help you live longer. The 40-year study initially set out to examine the result healthy living (aerobic exercise, a balanced diet, and putting down the cigarettes) had on the long-term risk of developing heart disease. But researchers…
Everyone likes to save money - who doesn't? But what lengths will we go through to squeeze out the last penny or the last drop? This, or course, applies to mere mortals like us, but businesses also mind their money. And, especially now, airlines and travel companies must really be ruthless when it comes to…
Every so often, a human mass movement comes along that subtly alters the zeitgeist of we humans. It could have been the art enlightenment in the 1920's. Or perhaps it was the peace and love Hippies in the 1960's. But one of these movements has persisted - the Chautauqua Institute. Chautauqua was an adult education…
Deep in the Caucasus mountains of Georgia is a town called Bochorna. The highest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe, it has an altitude of 7,694 feet—or six Empire State buildings stacked on top of each other—and a population of one. But to get there, to that man, and to that town, you need to ford…
Whether you want to get out of the USA or into Canada, or the other way around, your time has come. After nearly four years of conceptualizing and construction, the nation’s (USA) longest multi-use state trail is open to the public, reaching from the southern most tip of Manhattan right up to the Canadian border.…
For years there have been jokes about the "tin foil hats" people: the doomsayers, the mountain men, the survivalists, the crazies, the Government Plot believers. Others would look askance at them, walk to the other side of the street to avoid them.
Well, there is no doubt that mother earth is struggling, and we humans may…
Thanks to the electric interwebs, we all have a chance to easily look into places, worlds and cultures that would have seemed mystical just a few decades ago. For the most part, this has been our ticket to travel the world, discover things that were almost entirely unknown, and to embrace them. But here's something…