When your admin was young, and when the summer months finally arrived, one thing that we looked forward to was the chance to go camping. Our lovely and loving parents always found a way for us to spend our summers exploring. That's where we got our wanderlust. Rather than sitting at home,…
Hands up: who's heard of Mompox? We're willing to bet that not many have. When the star of your country is a place like Bogota, it's hard to step out of that shadow. But, as ever, Mompox is yet another city that you truly must make an effort to see. Mompox,…
That was no typo. Philadelphia is a US city that often doesn't get the love that it deserves: there are so many reasons to add this historic city to your travel list. Philadelphia, often referred to as Philly, is the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city…
What can we say about the war in Ukraine that already hasn't been said? And this applies to any country that is facing battles of this kind. Especially since we are in 2023, with the most billionaires that the world has ever had, the world should be a much better place. How…
We live not too far away from Seattle, so we're pretty lucky in that sense. It's a city that makes you go "ahhh" when you get there. Hip, inclusive, bohemian and edgy all at once, it's a great way to discover this part (Pacific Northwest) of North America. And some of the…
For many, Shanghai still has an aura of the unusual, the murky, the mysterious. So many books and films have promoted this "legend." And, like any huge city, Shanghai does harbour its secrets, its mysteries and its "hard to explains." But, what you see when you fully open your eyes you'll discover…
The title of this post pretty much sums up me, your Matouring Admin. Our children shake their heads in shame / utter dispair when they're presented with the next history "adventure" by the parents. But, many youth today can't identify a record turntable, or a wall phone, or a slide show or even…
When we're young, and in school, we learn some of the basics of history, of life and some topics that may completely slip our mind. One such topic is plate tectonics. It's there - and always has been - right under our feet, with us blithely never thinking about it, even though, over millennia,…
No, this has nothing to do with high school wrestling in the United States. That would be known as a half-Nelson. Our topic today is far more interesting in our view, especially if you're one of those who love to uncover and discover places that have long been buried, or ignored, or forgotten,…
The world is littered with sad mistakes, often based on the misplaced values of its leaders. Serbia can be considered one of those places. But, anyone in the know knows how much the the country and its main city, Belgrade has grown and bloomed and boomed into one of the places to be.…
Mexico is often up and down in the parade of travel destinations. One "off" story in the news can derail the country's reputation and, therefore, it's fortunes. There are any number of reasons why this happens, and many of the reasons are political and not always in Mexico's hands, and not in its…
When most people think of India, it's usually wide-eyed visions of the Taj Mahal, or the organised chaos of Delhi. And when most people think of the Indian people, the words clever, hard-working, charming and welcoming spring to mind. The word warrior does not bubble to the top. But, if you have…
Is there only one decent location to take a picture in Cleveland Ohio – the Arcade?
It may be a necessity, but it is also a joy: eating. And, in this day and age as the world get closer together through social media, one of the big stars is food. No matter which social media channel you favour, you will be deluged with images of lip-smacking eats…
America (like many places, we guess) has its ups and downs, and they're usually significant. The US is a (if not the) monster presence in almost everyone's lives, no matter where they live. From the lowest of low (war) to the highest of high (endless variety) it's a place that has a pull…
Let's start right off and say that Turkey is one of the most historic, diverse and complex places on the planet. Stradling the line between east and west, it has always been pivotal in human history. While some of its religious and social aspects are traditionally associated with Western Asia, it is culturally…
.....just a good pair of shoes. – James Carville. And an open mind. Long considered a place of debauchery and overt sin (what with its booze, crazy street antics and reputation for "saucy" entertainment) the City of New Orleans is all of that, and so much more. New Orleans, located in the…
.... literally. It's not an homage to an old western film, or not even the sign for a trendy bistro that's just debuted with much fanfare where you live. Instead, this is the real thing, what you paid for. And, of course, it's in Europe, where so many things began, and so…
Here is something that we never thought we would see, although I guess we're not surprised. Time moves on. When you think of UNESCO sites, it's usually Minarets or archaeological remains, often in far-flung locations, many of them ruins. We love UNESCO and feature lots of posts about them. (Click here for that.)…
Let's go forward in time to step backwards in time to learn how the internet came about, and why its origins, which are well known, may actually be more interesting than we might have thought. If you think you know the story, you might want to read on, anyway: you wouldn't be here…