If you live in a housing complex with dozens of units, take heart. An apartment building in St. Petersburg, Russia, (population five million) houses 18,000 people. We're all for efficiency, but we have to wonder about the logistics of managing a place like this. Parking? Elevators? As some people have noted, how would the wifi…
World Culture
Just look at that. Landscapes don’t get more dramatic than the towering rock formations of Guilin, southern China’s most astonishing natural phenomena. And in the shadows of those giant alien mountains you’ll find something much smaller but almost as dazzling – a hotel. And not just any old hotel: a true design marvel loaded with…
Oooh . . I totally need this blender. And I can't leave without my stuffed muskrat collection. Responsible and ready for anything: it can be done, with our pick of the best products that help make traveling lighter on the planet - and your backpack. Take the essential items that will make your trip safer,…
Live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse. As explored in a recent article, most of the world’s airport runways are paved with concrete or asphalt. However, there are certain exceptions to this trend. We have previously explored gravel and ice runways, but what about beaches? Let’s take a look at where passengers should…
In this time of uncertainty and - sometimes - guilt about traveling, you can never go wrong if your destination is Europe's Nordic countries - in this case, Denmark and our new affiliate friends, Dancenter. The people of the north have a long history of taking care of their health, and - in this day…
"I last found myself here, inadvertently, in March 2020. My planned journey from the Saudi tourism hub of Al Ula to the Yemeni island of Socotra collapsed when the flight to Cairo was cancelled as frontiers slammed shut. Rather than taking that as an early sign of an impending travel shutdown and seeking the fastest…
Volando sobre las vegas (flying over Las Vegas) We would expect that many of our readers have been to Las Vegas, and maybe more than once. You might think that you've seen pretty much everything there. Well, here's a smooth video that might just prove you wrong. Unless, of course, you're able to fly with…
No, not just a door- an 11th century door. And not just a 11th century door but one with ironwork that represents Ragnarok- the Norse Doomsday. In a Christian Church? Well there's a cross at the top so that makes it alright. Savvy? And you can visit. England is always an eye-opening place. …
When people think of Colombia, it is usually of marvelous places such as Bogota, or Cartegena or Medellín - all genuinely wonderful destinations that you must put on your list.
But, there is a relatively unknown part of Columbia that goes beyond into an almost magical realm: Chiribiquete. Chiribiquete National Natural Park is the largest national…
Location, location, location. It's all about the location and your neighbours. It can make all the difference in the world. For example, this quaint home in the coastal village of Plougrescant in Brittany, France, dates all the way back to 1861 and was sandwiched - in an incroyable manner- betwixt two huge rocks to help…
If you're a history afficianado, you'll probably know lots about your chosen area of focus. Some of us focus on cities, whereas others focus on historic individuals or campaigns. No matter your preference, history is fascinating, especially as you learn more and put the pieces together. History makes us who we are. The video, below,…
As the seasons pass, so does control of them. In this case, we're talking about The Four Seasons hotel chain. Bill Gates (you, um, know him from Windows and stuff) will take control of the Four Seasons hotel chain after his investment firm agreed to acquire a stake from Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom…
This is a different kind of cold war. Russian Fort Elizabeth is a National Historic Landmark and is administered as the Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park just southeast of present-day Waimea on the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi. It is located at the site of the former Fort Elizabety, the last remaining Russian…
New York is, of course, a marvel. Like so many other super-cities around the world, you never really run out of things to do, even if you live there. And, as always, there is constant change. But, what is equally as interesting is the "hidden" places that can fascinate. One such "hidden" place is actually…
To many, Russia is an alluring, slightly foreboding dream destination. Perhaps too many films make the wrong impression of the country, but the pull to visit there is strong, and for good reason. One romantic option for travel in Russia is possibility of riding the historic and pricey Trans-Siberian Express from Venice to Moscow -…
If you visit our site, you will know how much we like and promote India. It is a massive, crowded, bewildering, lovely and intoxicating place. The people are uniformly kind and helpful and funny. The sites are breathtaking. The cities are a swirl of activity. If you haven't been, please do so. And, know that…
To many of us, this may come as a surprise, especially in this day and age of corporate efficiency.
For decades, KLM Airlines have been creating miniature ceramic collectibles of Amsterdam canal houses, and they share them with loyal customers. Each house is a miniature replica of an existing house, almost all of them in the…
After the world has been decimated by Covid-19, now that the fog is clearing somewhat, it's time to focus our thoughts on those businesses and their employees who have been so profoundly impacted. In other words, when you can, buy local. Eating locally produced food on your travels may seem like small potatoes, but the…
China is set to enter the space tourism business. This should come as no surprise to anyone who is awake in this day and age. We wonder why we haven't seen this kind of offering sooner than this: the Chinese know how to get things moving. ANU astrophysicist and cosmologist Dr Brad Tucker says it…
We here at Matouring love the UK. One aspect of the land is the sheer amount and breadth of its history. (We have plenty of articles here on our site which you can peruse and enjoy. But, just because its history stretches back thousands of years doesn't mean that it's mired in the past. Hardly. …