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The Thinking Traveller

The Thinking Traveller

The little train that couldn’t

We here at Matouring have often written about the wonders and the practicalities of rail travel.  Much of the world uses it as the default mode of travel.  But the United States has still not caught on to this global way-of-life.  Like it or not, the United States has a big transportation problem. According to…

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Chunnel of love

As of this writing, the past few years have been tumultuous, to say the least.  Between pandemics, anger in the streets, despicable political maneuvering and change in almost every country, the world is not the one we that thought we knew. One such event was Brexit.  For those not aware, this was an event that…

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Even older than old

A mysterious group of ancient monuments first discovered in Saudi Arabia in the 1970s, known as mustatials, predate the first Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge by over 2,000 years, making them the world’s oldest ritual landscape, archaeologists now say. Scattered across 77,000 square miles of desert in northwest Arabia, the mustatils (the name comes from the…

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Camino de SANGRIAgo

The Camino de Santiago in Spain, or The Way of St. James, is one of the world’s most famous long-distance pilgrimages. Beginning during the 9th century, this route now sees many thousands of modern-day believers traversing the country, with many taking a month or more to complete their journey. All that walking will make you…

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Bored at the airport? Here are five questions for you.

Flight delayed?  Visited every store on the concourse - three times?  No signal on your phone?  Stuck in a specific terminal?  Eaten and drank to the point of explosion?  Or just perennially curious?  Well, here are a few questions that may keep you occupied. How come flight attendants have to pick up the cups they…

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We go LIGO

We here at Matouring just love technology and science.  Everyday there is something new to boggle our minds.  Lately we have been spending some time reading "The God Equation by Michio Kaku."  Mind-blowing, to say the least. "When Newton discovered the law of gravity, he unified the rules governing the heavens and the Earth. Since…

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The Royalty next door

A bleached-out Greek island hangout with a beach-club atmosphere; an 18th-century castle in the Loire Valley already making waves with its vineyard; a slick spa hotel in Italy’s outdoorsy Dolomites; a glossy food-focused hotel in a surprising Polish city – the best new hotels in Europe are better than ever. Read more courtesy of CNTraveller.com…

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Five alternative alternatives in alternative Berlin

For decades, Berlin has been one of the hippest places in Europe - and likely the same - in the rest of the world.   A real alternative the norm. As Germany's capital, and a global city of politics, media, culture and science, Berlin is home to some of the world's most fascinating historic attractions, culturally…

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The p-factor

The p-factor is the dark matter of psychiatry: an invisible, unifying force that might lie behind a multitude of mental disorders. The voices told him that he was God, and Oliver believed them. Only 17 years old, he was special, chosen, a higher being whose wisdom and intelligence were beyond compare. Psychiatrists, however, labelled these…

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She sells Seychelles

Our affiliate friends, Club Med, have made lots of changes during the pandemic, and they (and we ) can't wait to tell you about them.  This post is about the gorgeous Seychelles. The resort is on the private island of Sainte Anne in the Republic of Seychelles, the island’s first resort and newest Exclusive Collection…

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The Biltmore is now built even more

If you spend any time on our site, you will know of our unabashed love of the architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.  His influence on architecture and design are still preeminent to many designers, architects and builders. When you enter one of his creations, you will never forget it. Sadly, some of his work has been…

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You wear what you eat

Archaeologists and other scientists are beginning to unravel the story of our most intimate technology: clothing. They’re learning when and why our ancestors first started to wear clothes, and how their adoption was crucial to the evolutionary success of our ancestors when they faced climate change on a massive scale during the Pleistocene ice ages.…

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Un poco loco?

Un poco loco = a little crazy Covid-19 Are you tired of sitting around the house, but am not sure when or if you can travel?  One option, of course, is just to bite your tongue, suck it up, etc.  Vancouver?  Toronto?  New York? Another idea - sensible and not expensive - is to treat…

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Get your kicks with Harvey Nic’s

If you've been to London, you'll know that it is almost mandatory to visit Harvey Nicols (or Harvey Nic's) as it's known to locals. Since Harvey Nichols first opened in Knightsbridge in 1831, it has led the way in sourcing the most desirable and cutting-edge designer brands. Recognised as the UK's premier luxury fashion retailer,…

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Do jets sip or gulp?

We fly on airplanes and think we understand how they work.  But, do we really? Most of us take for granted the fact that airplanes just fly when we get on them. We often completely overlook the technicalities involved in achieving flight. And one of the key areas that few of us consider is the…

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