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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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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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Buena Vistara

We here at Matouring love India and always look to make it shine here on the site. Well, we're happy to say that we've added Vistara airlines as affiliate friends. Vistara is a joint venture of Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA) Vistara has rapidly expanded its footprint, both in terms of network and…

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Free Grand Prix

History (and fun) can be found anywhere.  Sometimes you need to look, other times it lands in your lap when you least expect it. Here is an example of the latter.  On a relatively normal stretch of everyday road in Gueux, France, you will find yourself ready to rev your engines and don your helmet.  You're…

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The hotel that isn’t

There are few things more intoxicating than being able to stay in a luxurious, lauded and visually stunning hotel.  Europe is full of them. But there is one hotel that is a hotel, but actually it's not a hotel.  Luckily, you can explore it anyway.  We're talking about the Hotel Solvay in Belgium.  Listed as a UNESCO…

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M’lord, m’lady

Have you seen the world?  Have you been there, done that?  Do you want more?  Well, as always, Matouring comes to the rescue with something more. Fit for a king or queen—or your whole royal family—these castles located in delightful destinations around Europe invite you and your kin or friends for an unforgettable stay in…

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Hamburg-er

There are so many swanky restaurants and cafes around the world, serving such things as sea foam and Peruvian gravel.  We are very fortunate to have such choices. But, sometimes, we want something simple, something free (so to speak.)  No frills, just honest food.  And what can be simpler than McDonalds.  With over 36,000 locations, you're…

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Get Hippodrome

As ever, the world is swirled and twirled by events, people and time itself.  Even the most powerful must take our last breaths. And where would this addage be more appropriate than in the lands where kings, queens, power, priviledge and treachery were business-as-usual. Of course, we're talking about ancient history (as we do,) and in this…

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Make lunch, not war

Even better than the real thing. The annual festival of Els Enfarinats (Valencian pronunciation: [elz amfaɾiˈnats]) takes place in the town of Ibi in Alicante, Spain on December 28,[1] as part of celebrations related to the Day of the Innocents. Els enfarinats comes from the Valencian word for "breading", and roughly translate to "the breaded ones" or "the floured ones". In the day-long festival, participants known…

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What’s love got to do with it?

 Shakespeare could have a field-day with this. This abandoned house looms a salt marsh, its pale pink paint looking like a mirror of the colorful sunsets that so often streak the sky.  It’s a celebrated local landmark, one with a definite air of mystery and romance. But the picturesque house’s story is not at all romantic. A local…

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Plane train

Despite covid and all of the fistfights we hear about nowadays, air travel is still a marvelous thing.  Spectacular locations matched to state-of--the art-aircraft are still the thing of dreams.   Wouldn't it be nice if we could go forward and and backward at the same time?   If you're one of those romantic types, read on here... courtesy…

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No tell Motel

It always seems like "what goes around, comes around."  The new new. The latest and greatest are not really the latest.  They've been around the block before.  Been there, done that. But, sometimes that's not a bad thing, especially if the old new is new old, if you know what we mean. In this case, our subject…

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Ærø …dynamic!

It can be done. It can be done. The tiny Danish Island of Ærø was awarded the designation of the EU’s most sustainable island. All it takes is willpower. The island has been experimenting with renewable energy since the 1970s, and today, produces more electricity than it uses. Watch the BBC video below that demonstrates…

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