Space, the final frontier. Or at least that's what we thought at the time. (We've gone much further.) For many of us, the 1950's were a rather spectacular decade, some good, some bad. For example the post-World War II boom, the dawn of the Cold War and the civil rights movement in…
If New York City is one thing, it's certainly known for its lifestyle, vibrancy and sheer chutzpah. Once you visit there, the city will pull at your heartstrings forever more. We all know that it is the is the city that never sleeps. But, as ever, some New Yorkers ultimately find their…
Are you the edgy type? Looking for something new and different? How about going underground . . . literally. And it's actually perfect if the weather is lousy. How about Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world's longest known cave system? Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands…
If you're of a certain age (like us,) you may long for places or things that remind you of when you were young. In our case, we have a sweet spot for the 1960s. Just last night (for Valentine's Day,) Mr. and Mrs. Matouring ventured to a place here in Vancouver to…
Here's a post for the soft-spoken people. The people who bask in the quiet. Those who know the sounds of silence. There are plenty of places to find solace: your spare bathroom. Your car in the garage. Even in an underground bunker if you they'll let you in -…
Were you aware that the USA has no less than five UNESCO-designated sites? Taos Mexico is just one.
It’s lonely at the top. So lay low when you can.
A UNESCO site, Benin is a top country to visit on any West African itinerary.
Japan is a wonderland of the beautiful, the mystical, the serene, the playful and the historical. Especially with the latter, if you count years using this imperial era system, this year (2022 on the Western calendar) would be 2681 in Japan. Not many countries can claim that. If we use the standard…
Want to take a cruise, but perhaps have a few conditions that need to be met first? The cruise can’t be too long, the ship too crowded and not to the Caribbean again. Well, we have an option: Montreal and beyond, eh?
There are probably very few people who wouldn’t like to sleep in a castle. And not a pretend castle made of drywall and ill-conceived decorations situated in Atlantic City. We mean a genuine castle, with hundreds of years of almost mind-boggling history, paintings of the landed gentry from the year 1430!
We love history, and we love living history even better. And what does that entail? Certainly learning about history is exciting enough, but when you can see it or, in this case, sleep in it, then that's when things get really exciting. It would ne nice to sleep in Windsor Palace,…
We're peaceful people here at Matouring. We love everyone, unless given a reason not to. When you travel, you inevitably meet new people, and almost all of the time, that is a joyful experience. People can be the best part of the trip, and often the most memorable. So, it saddens…
Aleutian nations. Geddit? As always, we here at Matouring do our very best to bring you new and interesting travel options. The world is full of them and - even with our thousands of posts - Matouring has only scratched the surface (of the earth) and we awaken every morning, looking forward to…
Biltmore? How can this be even built more?? There are the rich, and then there are the rich. Some people just have a knack. George Washington Vanderbilt II was one of them. Vanderbilt was an art collector and member of the prominent Vanderbilt family, which amassed a huge fortune through steamboats, railroads,…
Looking for your next travel destination? Are you a music fan? Do you like to mix the two, maybe with a little ganja and history? Well, we have the perfect combination for you. You've probably guessed it - it's Jamaica. You know it - the Caribbean island nation, that has a…
Regular reader here will know how much we love architecture. Be it Roman ruins or the next 70 story superstructure in Shanghai, buildings are one of the most visible and lasting records of what humans are capable of when we stop fighting and start cooperating. The best thing about architecture is that, when…
If you're a rational person and are aware of the way the world (especially the Internet) works, the video below's title probably sounds like clickbait, but the as you further watch the video below, it actually describes a technology that we use even now - smelting. It may not sound interesting, but these…
If we could, we would like to spend most of our days floating in the bath-like waters of almost any beach or island, no matter where it is. Truly, is there anything better than lying face-up or face-down in the sand (or on a rocker or a hammock) as you slowly roast yourself to…
Brace yourself: this will likely be a touchy subject for some. Right up front, we'll state that this post is about Iran. As of this writing, Iran is politically boiling and is, in many places, generally not a good place to be, especially if you're a tourist. As is what is happening…