Author: Ms. R.

A short distance from the more famous Swayambunath Temple is the quieter, but no less impressive Amideva Buddha Park, built in 2003 and featuring a gigantic triumvirate. But those who take the time to wander around the park will find many more curious marvels. Measuring 67 feet tall, the central statue that dominates the landscape is of Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha who began life as Siddhartha Gautama. This portrayal is the Amitābha (or Amideva) form of the Buddha,……

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Marimbas are wooden percussion instruments similar to xylophones. Although African in origin, many of its modern modifications have their roots in Mexico. The instrument made its way to Mexico from enslaved Africans  The Maya people took a particular liking to the instrument, improving its sound with the addition of gourds as resonators. The marimba is the national instrument of Guatemala and widely popular in Mexican states with Maya populations. Chief among these is probably Chiapas and the state capital……

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It’s hard to use a keyboard in a blizzard. But even on the grisliest of winter days, there’s always at least one student lost in a laptop near the grand entrance gates of McGill University in Montreal. With a fruit-branded notebook, fast food strewn at his feet, and one shoelace undone, the bronze sculpture titled “La Leçon” (“The Lesson”) is a heavy-handed lampoon of student life. It’s the creation of artist Cédric Loth, who has also worked as a……

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High school health classes, it turns out, have been around since the 16th century. That’s when a school rector in Bavaria, writing under the name Vincent Obsopoeus, published a poetic guide to responsible drinking, geared toward young men who—then as now—didn’t appear to know their limits. “Can it really be true?” asks “Drunkenness” herself in the book’s lyrical preface, written by a friend. “Should I really believe this book can teach people how to rationally lose control?” Obsopoeus (pronounced……

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The center of Malaysia’s government, about 25 miles away from Kuala Lumpur, the city of Putrajaya sits between the capital and Kuala Lumpur International Airport. This is where the Perdana Putra, the building that contains the Prime Minister’s office complex is located facing the Putrajaya Lake. Next to this gorgeous building is another structure derived from a rose-colored dream. Completed in 1997, the Putra Mosque was crafted with unique with rose-tinted granite and can host more than 10,000 worshippers……

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Originally built in the late 19th century, this elevator in Salvador, Brazil links Cidade Baixa (the lower city on the coast) to Cidade Alta (the old city above). It measures 72 meters (236 feet) tall, and has two towers: one that goes through the Ladeira da Montanha, and other, more visible, that goes to the level of the Cidade Baixa. The elevator towers were renovated during the Art Deco era in the 1930s. The top is lined with windows affording views of the……

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The small town of Sarsina, located among the Appennines, is notable for being the hometown of Roman playwright Plautus. It is also the location where Saint Vicinius withdrew as a hermit during the 4th century. The saint was the bishop of Sarsina from about 303 until his death in 330. Saint Vicinius was famously known for his many miracles. According to stories regarding his life, Vicinius was able to heal physical and mental illnesses and expel demons using a……

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