Author: Ms. R.

When the arms of the world are unleashed, soldiers are often pitted against one another—on the basis of royal and national allegiance alone—even though they share so much culturally and historically. During World War I, Czechs and Serbs fought on the southern front, sometimes against their will. In some cases they refused to fight each other at all, which Czechs choosing to die under the machine gun fire of their German officers. As the newly found republics of Yugoslavia……

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Serving as a memorial and modeled on a mythical location, the Mya Thein Tan Pagoda (also known as Hshinphyume Pagoda), is a large white pagoda located close to The Mingun Pahtodawgyi. Constructed by King Bagyidaw in 1816, the Mya Thein Tan Pagoda represents Mount Meru, a sacred Buddhist mountain. The seven-tiered terraces resembled the mountain ranges topped by a stupa representing the legendary Sulamani pagoda. The king had the pagoda constructed in memory of his beloved consort and cousin,……

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Once thought to be the largest American sycamore in the state of Pennsylvania, the John Goodway sycamore has long been overshadowed by taller or wider trees. It’s often obscured by various shrubs and its suburban surroundings. This tree is a giant nonetheless, deemed a “Champion tree” by the Pennsylvania Forestry Association. A title indicating that it’s one of the largest of its species in the entire state.  The tree garnered its name from an indigenous American man, who was……

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Located on Kusu (Turtle) Island, not far from mainland Singapore, the keramats (venerated shrines) of Syed Abdul Rahman, Nenek Ghalib, and Puteri Fatimah stand as an emblem of syncretic cultural and religious practices in the region. Together with the broadly Taoist Tua Pek Kong temple, the keramats are the focus of the annual pilgrimage season, held on the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar. The keramats are also referred to as Datuk Kong, a portmanteau Sino-Malay honorific for a respected……

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Qshla Koya, also known as Qishla Koysinjaq, is a fortress located on a hillock in the central quarter of Koya, a lovely town in the Northeast of Iraq. Although there is a lack of consensus among scholars, it’s generally believed that Qshla Koya was constructed between 1869 and 1872, under the aegis of the Ottoman Empire. The purpose of the structure was unmistakably military, housing troops and providing a strategic vantage point to monitor the surrounding area.   The enormous……

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Wilmington, South Australia, is a small, picturesque town at the base of the Flinders Ranges. The quiet farming community is known for sheep, wheat, barley—and puppets. In fact, Wilmington is home to more puppets than people. Opened by Brian and Rosemary Whitehead in 2007, the Sansouci Puppet Museum holds the largest private collection of puppets in the country. It’s the only museum of its kind in Australia. Whitehead’s interest in puppets was a happy accident that began after a……

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