Author: Ms. R.

The Hunterian Museum is the oldest museum in Scotland, dating back to 1807 when Dr. William Hunter left his collection to the university. While most of the collection was in one piece at first, it got split up over time. The zoology section has been its own museum for over 100 years, and not much has changed since.  The museum is in the heart of the zoological department houses in the same building and is surrounded by busy offices……

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Hidden down a dark alley just off Charoenkrung Road, Charmgang is one of those word-of-mouth spots that clued-in Bangkokians swear by. Since opening in 2019, this neon-lit curry joint has earned a devoted following for its unapologetically bold takes on traditional Thai stir-fries and curries, which range from southern-style classics to aromatic northeastern numbers. From the open kitchen, chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat send out spice-forward plates that play with regional traditions and hard-to-find ingredients. Think fiery yellow……

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General George S. Patton was one of the most famous—and arguably most effective—American generals of the Second World War. His leadership of the Desert Training Center in the Mojave Desert provided excellent preparation for the North Africa campaign. A strict disciplinarian, Patton never asked his men to endure conditions he wouldn’t face himself. Under his command, U.S. troops avenged their early defeat at Kasserine Pass. A gifted tactician, Patton understood that mobility made possible by mechanization was key to……

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Unlike others of the art forms commonly known in Mexico as artesanías (or “handicrafts” in English), the carved wooden creatures often called alebrijes have a history recent enough to be mostly traceable. Pedro Linares López, a craft artist living in Mexico City in the 1930s, first came up with the term, giving it to his papier-mache fantastical figures. Manuel Jiménez Ramírez, another artist from Oaxaca, met Linares and took the alebrijes concept to his home state, where the medium changed……

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When I was nine years old, my family took a road trip across the American Southwest, including a stop at Petrified Forest National Park. Over the previous week, I had already acquired a few souvenirs, but the mysterious, multi-colored stones at the park caught my eye. Before I could ask, I saw the signs at the museum, warning not only of the guilt (and possible criminal charges) that follow anyone who removes a stone, but also of the people……

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Several earthen mounds are some of the last remains of Gordion, the ancient capital of Phrygia. At nearly 175 feet tall, the largest of the hills, the “Midas Mound,” was named for Gordion’s most famous ruler, who was excavated by a team of archaeologists from the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1950s. A large burial chamber made from juniper, cedar, and pine beams was found inside, sheltering the remains of a man, along with precious artifacts of wood……

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The Devil’s Column in Prague is a mysterious and weathered stone structure found near the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in the Vyšehrad area. The column is shrouded in legend and local lore, blending Gothic intrigue with a unique supernatural tale. The structure itself is an odd formation of three stone segments, stacked together yet slightly misaligned, which only adds to its air of mystery and otherworldliness. According to local legend, the column was tossed here by the devil……

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Founded in 1932 by Bob Hoffman, York Barbell is an American manufacturer of strength training equipment, from weighted plates to exercise machines. Its headquarters houses the Weightlifting Hall of Fame Museum. The museum hosts a wide array of pieces from ephemera, vintage equipment, statues, and displays detailing the history of the company and weightlifting. The information covers the evolution of strength sports, from mythology to early Olympic Games, up to modern day Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and bodybuilding.  A larger-than-life……

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Bangkok’s Thai food scene is a regional melting pot. Spicy larb and som tum papaya salads dominate the menus of the city’s countless northeastern Thai (also known as Isan) restaurants, and you’ll find plenty of places serving up the seafood-rich curries the southern provinces are famous for. Northern food, however, is far less ubiquitous. That’s what makes Gedhawa, hidden behind a tangle of greenery in a quiet corner of the Phrom Phong district, such a standout. For almost three……

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Inside a 900-year old temple complex in Pashan, a suburb in the northwest region of Pune, visitors can find 12 more tiny temples. The Someshwar Temple grounds contain these model replicas of Jyotirlinga temples. Jyotirlinga are revered shrines in Hinduism. They are dedicated to the deity Shiva. The twelve Jyotirlinga temples modeled in the miniatures are located across India and hold immense religious importance in Hinduism. The replicas have been intricately designed and arranged within an open air gallery decorated with a……

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