Author: Ms. R.

For two weeks in October 2020, Nigel Larkin’s truck traveled back and forth between the Hull Maritime Museum and his conservation workshop, several hours away, carrying load after load of precious cargo. There was the large tuna skeleton and assorted whale skeletons, among them a narwhal nearly nine feet long and a sperm whale jaw bone that alone measured some 12 feet. He saved the largest specimen for the final haul: the bones of a 40-foot juvenile North Atlantic……

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In 1829, head of state Ioannis Kapodistrias made Nafplio the official capital of the newly independent Greece. After Kapodistrias was assassinated in 1831, many parts of the country fell into anarchy. The nations that assisted Greece in their struggle for independence, Britain, France, and Russia, intervened and held a series of meetings on what was next for the country. At the conferences that culminated with the Convention of London in 1832, resulted in the establishment of the Kingdom of……

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The Fontana dell’Acqua Felice or Fountain of Moses is a large monumental fountain in Rome, which marks the end of the Acqua Felice aqueduct. Completed during the 1580s, the inauguration of this aqueduct was a historic event as it was the first new aqueduct constructed in Rome in many centuries. The name derives from the birth name of Pope Sixtus V, Felice Peretti, with the word “felice” also meaning “happy” or “lucky” in Italian. To celebrate this event, a……

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Despite not being a single continuous road, the Cedar Avenue of Nikkō is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest tree-lined avenue in the world. It’s also the only cultural property designated by the Japanese government as both a Special Historic Site and a Special Natural Monument. After the death of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, the grand Nikkō Tōshōgū shrine was established to entomb his remains. Samurai lords from across the country traveled to……

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Named for the pink lawn ornaments that make up the exhibit, the Flamingo House is open to the public and is a continuously rotating outdoor display of flamingos in a suburb of Austin, Texas. The owners invite visitors to wander amongst the various displays located on their front lawn.  Created in March of 2020, the original purpose of the Flamingo House was to provide neighbors with something to lighten their spirits during the global Covid-19 pandemic. After an immensely……

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Luisenfriedhof II is one of the oldest cemeteries in Berlin and was opened in 1867. It’s known as a cemetery of epidemics and is historically connected with the cholera epidemic that hit Berlin-Charlottenburg in 1831. The area is based in the middle of urban structures, but still offers the feeling of a green oasis. Whoever passes the gate will discover architectural highlights, intoxicating nature, and graves of well-known personalities. A few of the cemeteries permanent residents are Wilhelm von……

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One of the world’s most unique and historically significant landmarks can be found tucked away in the northeastern region of Louisiana. Poverty Point was settled by indigenous peoples more than 3,000 years ago over a period of 600 years. Characterized by earthen mounds oriented in a concentric half-circle formation, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was once a major cultural center It’s believed to have been home to hundreds, or perhaps thousands of residents by some archaeological estimates. At its……

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Geology, history, recreation, public art, and natural wonder can all found on an acre of granite and sand known as Sharp’s Island. The Piedmont meets the Coastal Plain along the James River, with north-south rapids bisecting the island. The area makes for amazing fishing, especially during the spring. Members of the Sharp family lived on the island in a two-story house for 75 years before the home was washed away by a flood. Visitors can boat up to the……

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