Author: Ms. R.

In the heritage precinct of Old Goa, there are several buildings from the Portuguese Era. At its peak, Old Goa was called “Rome of the East.” Today, the monuments of Old Goa are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A short distance west of Se Cathedral stands a church and the Convent of St. Francis of Assisi. It is said that eight Portuguese Franciscan friars arrived in Goa in 1517 and secured a few houses from the then-governor. Eventually, they……

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The Universel in Katwijk is a spiritual landmark situated in the dune-covered landscape near Katwijk. The building is connected to Sufism, a spiritual movement not connected to any one specific religious doctrine. This temple was built on the very spot where Sufi mystic Hazrat Inayat Khan had a profound spiritual experience in 1922.  The building was designed by the Dutch architect S.J. van Embden in the late 1960s and opened in 1970. Van Embden was known for creating buildings……

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The geology around Bend, Oregon, has been dominated by extensive volcanism over the last few million years. Repeated glacial advances and retreats have also extensively modified the terrain, and the interplay of these processes has led to spectacular scenery. Tumalo (pronounced “TUM-uh-loh”) Falls is an outstanding example. Located in a heavily forested area, this waterfall flows over an overhanging lip, made by a resistant lava flow, to drop freely almost 100 feet into a glacier-carved canyon. Scars from a……

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This article is adapted from the November 18, 2024, edition of Gastro Obscura’s Favorite Things newsletter. You can sign up here. When I recently Googled “Thanksgiving salad,” the results were recipes for vibrant, fresh vegetable mixtures, thoughtfully tossed with seasonal nuts and savory dressings. This was not what I wanted to see. Googling “Thanksgiving salad with Cool Whip,” on the other hand, delivered the recipes I was looking for: the fanciful sweet salads that 20th-century Americans concocted out of……

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This three-story black and white home, once called the Old House, was built in 1621. It almost appears striped, outfitted with dark wooden beams and white panels, typical of England’s Tudor and Stuart eras. Its upper floors jut out, making it a recognizable part of Hereford’s historic center. Originally it served as a home and shop for a butcher during the reign of James I, reflecting the wealth of local traders. The building features distinctive overhanging upper floors and……

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As you prepare for the cold months to come, you can be glad you’re not a painted turtle—the species evolved to be freeze-tolerant and hatchlings spend winter just chillin’, literally, in sandy burrows—or a grotesquely engorged ant about to make the ultimate sacrifice to feed the colony. Instead, forage some of the last sweet berries, get your mind right for the dark winter, and enjoy these stories about preparing for the cold. All Winter, These Ants Make the Ultimate……

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