Author: Ms. R.

La Palma has a wealth of archeological remains from pre-Hispanic times, many of which showcase the rich heritage of the native population. There are several sites around the island where this heritage is on full display, among them are caves, ancient huts, and many artifacts in the Archaeological Museum Benahoarita. What makes the situation on La Palma unique is that so many of these sites are accessible to visitors. The El Calvario Petroglyphs are such a place, where the remains of a pyramid,……

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Just outside the Metropolitan Theater in downtown Morgantown, West Virginia the legendary comedic actor Don Knotts smiles at visitors. Knotts, best known for roles like Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show and Mr. Furley in Three’s Company, was born in the town in 1924 and graduated down the road from West Virginia University. In 2016, locals installed this statue honoring their former neighbor. The statue depicts Knotts holding his service cap worn for his role as Sheriff Barney……

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The Travilah Oak is one of the largest trees in the state of Maryland. It is an expansive white oak with a circumference of over 18 feet, a height of 78 feet, and a crown that stretches 108 feet. Believed to be over 285 years old, the towering tree is flanked by a plaque that trumpets its historical significance as having stood since before the signing of the Constitution. The celebrated tree, which escaped destruction at the hands of……

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Just before July 2, 1879, local hotel owner John Thompson and collaborators buried a hoax petrified seven-foot humanoid in the path of road construction so crews would find it. They tunneled sideways so the soil above it would not be disturbed. It was made out of a mix composed of eggs, beef blood, iron filings, and plaster or cement by another local, Ira Dean, who fashioned it in this way so it would fool Cornell University scientists into authenticating it as real……

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Although Ned Kelly has consistently ranked high in polls of most famous Australian people, opinions on the man are very split. Some see him as a freedom-fighting Robin Hood equivalent, while others see him as a dangerous criminal who murdered people and had a blatant disregard for the law. No matter your opinion, one of the most important locations in the Ned Kelly story is the small town of Glenrowan. Glenrowan forms part of the Ned Kelly Trail, which……

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Israelis and Palestinians both occupy a landscape that holds an impossible combination of myth, faith, and the mundane. A hip coffee truck stands by Armageddon, the biblical site of the apocalypse. Along the Stations of the Cross in Jerusalem there are bodegas, hummus joints, and bakeries. At the site of a gas station where I stopped to refuel, there once were two biblical cities of ill repute: Sodom and Gomorrah. There are no clear archaeological findings attesting to their……

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On the island of San Simón, Canarian palms grow alongside acacia and eucalyptus. A pathway lined with boxwood trees known as the Paseo de los Buxos welcomes visitors to the small island off the coast of Vigo, Spain. The Isla de San Simón is part of the San Simón archipelago along with several other islets. These small spits of land are part of an estuary environment that supports important biodiversity. Though it currently has no permanent residents, San Simón has……

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Always wanted a birds-eye view of the valleys in the Appalachian Mountains? This wondrous observatory is paired with an amazing journey through the mountains and small towns of West Virginia.  The structure located at the top of Peters Mountain was originally built in 1956 as a fire lookout. The lookout was shut down in 1972, and in 1983 the tower and its surrounding land were acquired by the U.S. Forest Service and became part of the Jefferson National Forest. Even before……

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