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World Culture

World Culture

$700,000,000 homes and ten car garages.

If you think you know Africa, think again.  The country - and its entrepreneurs are not getting left behind.  Brains and guts exist in every country, and Africa on that list. The Real Wakanda is where oil magnates, textile queenpins, and construction autocrats come home to gargantuan mansions. Africa is home to 1.2 billion inhabitants, and has…

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Why? Because we’re the VatiCAN!

If you haven't visited the Vatican in Rome, please be sure to add it to your list.  Not only are the Vatican buildings, themselves, incredible, but the Vatican museum will blow your mind. As you may know, the Vatican itself is an independent city-state and enclave located within Rome, Italy and it is a distinct…

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Travel with porpoise

What lovely animals, the dolphins.  Gentle, smart, quick, adaptive and friendly.  They seem to have a genuine love of humans.  You just want to kiss them.  Well, here's the next best thing. Get up close to dolphins on this fantastic 9-hour snorkel trip from Hurghada, Egypt. Enjoy a boat cruise to areas in the open sea…

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Yogyakarta blanche

Isn't it a delight when you discover someplace new and it exceeds all of your expectations especially when you don't know what your expectations are?  Yogyakarta is one of those places. The Indonesian city rests in central Java, between the cool breezes of the Indian Ocean and the steamy breath of volcanoes. Travel here and join the…

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Wowee . . Malawi!

Many of us dream of trips to Africa (and some of us have been lucky to do so.)  Big names like Kenya, Botswana and Zambia are always at the forefront of African journeys.  But, Malawi as a destination is still standing somewhat in the shadows, waiting for a turn. Take a lakeside trip like none…

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The hiding boneyard appears

We love Italy, in all of its manic, passionate, explosive, colourful and diverse personality.  Everyday living there almost pushes the best of everyone into living life to the fullest, if not the extreme. And, it has always been this way - for thousands of years.  And, so we are fortunate to live in a day…

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OMG . . LA is so HOLLOW

Los Angeles is often painted as being a vain and vapid place.  All looks and no substance.  Bring your alibis.  (We rather like the place.) But, to be honest, some of LA is, indeed hollow and in some places, shallow.  Some of its buildings, in fact. And they hide an interesting and still relevant and…

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Yes you can Canberra

Sydney is a hard act to follow, when it comes to being in the league of World's Best Cities.  If you've been, you'll never forget it.  If you haven't been, well what are you waiting for? But, Sydney is not the only notable city in Oz.   Meet Canberra – Purpose built as Australia’s capital city, Canberra…

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Only the hard, only the strong

Unlike other great cities of ancient fame such as Rome, Athens or Jerusalem, Sparta seems to have disappeared off the map. What remains of the legendary town? A name? An archaeological site? A historical memory? That memory, if it exists at all, is often of a city-state with a mania for martial valour and athleticism, a…

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Ne skie pas

France is a many-splendoured thing;  the food, the wine, the scenery, the joie de vivre.  No matter how many times you visit the country, you always find something new or unexpected. And, anyone who loves winter sports knows that France has some of the best ski runs in the world.  But, alas, things are changing At the…

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Go go Bansko!

When you think of skiing, chances are probably good that Bansko doesn't come to mind first.  And, now intrigued, you may even wonder what and where Bansko is. Don't be hard on yourself, as Bansko is one of Europe's best kept secrets.  If enjoying winter sports and saving money while doing so are on your list,…

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Nyet, da, Nyet

Once a German city before World War Two and physically unrelated from the remainder of Russia, Kaliningrad is still an enigma to many mainland Russians and their European next-door neighbours. Still, how does a 50-year-old unfinished building inform the complicated history of the Kaliningrad and inspire the restoration of other nearby dilapidated crumbling buildings? Watch the video…

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Hola, Ilha Bay

Who can resist the allure of Brasil?  So diverse, and rich in adventure. A legacy of history that goes back hundreds of years.  And a people who love life and aren't afraid to show it. When most people think of Brasil, they think of Rio, and rightly so.  But, if you're not most people, you might…

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Knights of Sin(tra)

In case you've not yet been (and you should!) Sintra is a town and municipality in the Greater Lisbon region of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera.  Known for its spectacularly coloured buildings, it also has a long history with the legendary Knights Templar. One of the most fascinating features of Sintra is it's so-called Inverted…

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Oiran Dochu

Oiran (花魁) is a word used to refer to the high-class prostitutes that worked in the Yoshiwara red-light district (Yoshiwara-Yukaku) during the Edo period. The Ichiyo Sakura Matsuri started in 2003 to preserve this piece of Edo history. It takes place along a 500m or so stretch of road with members in full Edo period dress…

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Take a tour of the Emirates

Surprise!  This is actually a tour of the sumptuous Emirates Airbus A380, and will be worth every minute of your time. These yachts of the airwaves were almost put out to pasture with the Covid-19 pandemic.  With 400+ seats and breathtaking style and luxury, the A380 was almost anathema, when no-one was flying.  The Boeing 747…

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The Cromlech Manoeuver

We humans may think of ourselves as very smart, but those who know that they don't know much at all are, honestly, the smartest.  But, at least they try. One enduring pursuit of knowledge about humanity's past is the drive and passion to understand the past.  We can literally touch so many historical artifacts, and may…

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Wiki peeks

We sometimes forget about Wikipedia.  It's always there, constantly refreshing itself, bedazzling us with the world's collective knowledge -  and it's free.  (They operate on donations.  We donate, do you?) One of the marvelous aspects of Wikipedia is the depth and breadth of their offering.  One of which is the annual "Wiki Loves Monuments" competion. Every participating…

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