Author: Ms. R.

Most of western Bulgaria is a moderate seismic risk zone, but it is also blessed with many hot springs. They vary in temperature and the healing mineral they naturally contain, and have been enjoyed ever since Roman times. In Gorna Banya, the water has been revered for its healing nature for centuries. According to local folk tales, the waters had restored the once-abandoned village and healed a hunting dog from the valley of Sofia. In 1922, a modern bathhouse with……

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This article is adapted from the December 14, 2024, edition of Gastro Obscura’s Favorite Things newsletter. You can sign up here. When I was in college, I went to a party that I’ll never forget. The theme was Alice in Wonderland, and the crowd outside of the house was made up of people dressed as Mad Hatters, Red Queens, and more. But the real spectacle was inside. There was not a piece of furniture to be seen. The walls……

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Famed ukiyo-e artist Hiroshige created a series of woodblock paintings entitled One Hundred Famous Views of Edo from 1856 to 1859, illustrating the most notable and scenic sites of feudal Tokyo. Of the 119 works in the series, two depict the same location in today’s Ueno Park: a horticultural oddity known as the Moon Pine Tree. Founded in 1631 and moved to the current location in 1694, the Kiyomizu-Kannondō pavilion of the former Kan’ei-ji Temple complex is modeled after Kiyomizu-dera Temple……

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Located near Kilmartin in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, Poltalloch House is a significant 19th-century mansion now in ruins. Constructed between 1849 and 1853, the house was designed by William Burn, a prominent architect known for his work in the Scottish Baronial style. Built for the Malcolm family, who were influential landowners in the area, the mansion features characteristic elements of the style, including turrets, battlements, and crow-stepped gables. The house’s decline began during World War II when it was……

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Although far from the European front lines, the then-British colony of Sierra Leone was important to the war effort in both world wars. In World War I, the Royal West African Frontier Force served in operations against German forces in then-Togoland. In World War II, the strategic location of the port of Freetown meant it was fortified and became a critical base for protecting sea routes to the Middle East, India, and Australasia. The vast majority of these forces……

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Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in the world—and given its abundance of urban beaches, cultural institutions, and striking Gaudí-designed masterpieces, justifiably so. But while the city is famous for its restaurants, much of what makes its cuisine so unique has been lost in the rush of international brands and blandly Spanish dining concepts meant to appeal to tourists and digital nomads. To this day, Barcelona’s identity is tied to Catalonia, a semi-autonomous region with its own……

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