Author: Ms. R.

The 1996 film The English Patient, based on Michael Ondaatje’s book, bears a rather loose resemblance to the life and times of the real-life László Almásy. Between the World Wars, this intrepid Hungarian desert explorer and, later, Axis collaborator, did indeed find a cave in southwest Egypt’s hyper-remote Gilf Kebir plateau. This is a corner of the Sahara that’s so arid and little-visited that the plateau itself had only been discovered a few years earlier. The cave, in a natural amphitheater……

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On Metoh Hill, above the city of Niš and in the village of Gornji Matejevac, is an 11th-century Orthodox church dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Known as the Latin Church, the building got the name from Dubrovnik merchants (called “Latins” by the locals for their Catholic faith) who used it for religious ceremonies in the 16th century. It is one of the few buildings from the pre-Nemanjić dynasty epoch (Medieval Serbia), when the region was still part of the……

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Dating all the way back to 7th century B.C., even prior to the Mauryan Empire, the archaeological remains of Sisupalgarh (also known as Sisupalagada) is considered one of the largest and best preserved ancient fortifications in India. Located near the city of Bhubaneswar, the remains of the fortification were discovered in 1948 by the Indian archaeologist B.B. Lal. With evidence collected from excavations, Lal estimated that the fort city flourished between third century B.C. and the fourth century A.D. Sisupalgarh was……

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The island of Capri in Italy is known for its beauty, including unique rock formations like the famous Faraglioni and the Grotta Azzurra. Along the eastern coast of the island, there is another, less famous natural formation known as the Arco Naturale. Arco Naturale is a natural limestone arch that forms a bridge between two pillars of rock. It is located on the top of a cliff and it spans 18 meters (59 feet) in height and 12 meters……

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In 1888, a Celtiberian burial site was discovered near the town of Saelices inside of a cave, containing human remains and artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age. Gradually, architectural relics from the Roman era were unearthed in the surrounding area. This wasn’t just a burial site; this was one of the most important cities in the ancient Roman world. Originally a Celtic settlement, Segóbriga was conquered by the Roman Republic in the second century B.C. and became its……

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Nestled between high-rise condominiums on Alki Avenue in Seattle, a pair of attention-grabbing houses peeks out from the surrounding gray. Randie Stone’s famous Flower Houses are a favorite with locals and a dramatic draw for tourists. Built in 1914, the houses have withstood the test of time—and the inevitability of urban development—in this popular West Seattle neighborhood. Stone purchased the houses in 1989 after moving from Hawaii, and credits the islands as inspiration for her homes’ colorful outdoor bounty…….

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The city of Prague is infamous for its unusual, often bizarre public art, much of which was created by Czech sculptor David Černý. Another of his works can be found on the exterior of the Žižkov Television Tower, and it’s the stuff of nightmares. Miminka (Babies in English) consists of 10 fiberglass sculptures of babies crawling up and down the tower. Each approximately 11.5 feet long and 8.5 feet tall, and weighing 550 pounds, they seem to defy gravity. And if giant……

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During the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismail, between 1645 and 1727, the medieval city of Meknes served as Morocco‘s capital. While his royal palace was largely destroyed by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, the adjacent Royal Stables have survived to this day, beautifully preserved, though seven times their original size. It’s a magnificent stabling complex, and back in its day it could accommodate up to 12,000 royal horses. Rumor has it that the sultan so loved horses that he treated……

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A single, 80-foot-tall giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) stands alone near the stunning, Victorian-period Italianate mansion in Martinez, California, where John Muir spent the last 24 years of his life. The tree is almost 140-years-old—a youngster compared to many of its species, which can live for thousands of years and reach an average height of 164 to 279 feet. However this sequoia is significant because it is a living connection to America’s most famous and influential naturalist and conservationist, known as……

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