Perched on a basalt cliff on the rugged coast of Northern Ireland, Dunluce Castle is an imposing ruin that dominates the horizon of County Antrim. Isolated by its steep cliffs and surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic, Dunluce has been, over the centuries, a symbol of power, a strategic refuge, a home to influential […]
Travel
We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls. (Anais Nin)
Posted inAncient Greece, Travel
The colossal Portara of Naxos is all that remains of what was to be the largest temple in the Aegean
The Portara is one of the most iconic monuments on the Greek island of Naxos, located in the Cyclades. This gigantic marble gateway, which stands on a small peninsula facing the city of Naxos, is all that remains of an ambitious architectural project: a temple (never completed) dedicated to the god Apollo, at the very […]
Posted inGeography, Travel
Rihonor de Castilla, the Village that is Half Spanish and Half Portuguese
Border towns and territories often have a turbulent history, being the object of both military and political confrontations over their possession, and frequently changing hands. When it comes to regions, the most characteristic examples are perhaps Alsace and Lorraine, which have alternated between being part of France and Germany. And if we talk about towns, […]
Posted inGeography, Travel
The Highest Peak in the Netherlands is a Caribbean Volcano You Climb via 1,064 Steps
Similar to Australia, whose highest peak is located in a remote part of the Indian Ocean, between Madagascar and Antarctica, the highest point in the Netherlands is not found in Europe, but on a small Caribbean island. This peak is Mount Scenery, a volcano located on the island of Saba, which rises 887 meters above […]
Posted inScience, Travel
Fairy Lantern, the Tiny and Mysterious Flower That Few Are Lucky to See
In the heart of the southern states of Australia, there lives a curious and elusive plant, so small and hidden that very few people have the luck to ever see one in their lifetime. It’s Thismia rodwayi, commonly known as the fairy lantern. Belonging to the family Burmanniaceae, which is found in the lush and […]
Posted inMiddle Ages, Travel
Merv, the City in Present-Day Turkmenistan that was the World’s Largest City in the 12th Century
To the south of present-day Turkmenistan, near the modern town of Mary, lie the remnants of what was once one of the most important oasis cities on the Silk Road. So significant was it that not only did it become the capital of the Seljuk Empire, but during the 12th and early 13th centuries, it […]
Posted inModern Era, Travel
The Story of Lampo, the Dog who Traveled through Italy Memorizing Train Schedules
Although it’s also a railway station, it’s not exactly Termini Station nor does it feature in any movies; in fact, Stazione di Campiglia Marittima is a modest spot in the Italian municipality of the same name, in the hamlet of Venturina Terme (Livorno, Tuscany), rather removed from mass tourism. However, anyone going there to catch […]
Posted inGeography, Travel
Dzungaria, the Region where the Hyperboreans Could Have Lived, is the Place on Earth Farthest from the Sea
At the border between Kazakhstan and China, south of the Altai Mountains, there is an ancient pass called the Dzungarian Gate. Its geographical and historical significance is such that it has long been described as the only gate of the mountain wall that extends from Manchuria to Afghanistan, along 4,800 kilometers. Some researchers believe that […]
Posted inScience, Travel
Kawah Ijen Volcano’s Spectacular Blue Eruptions
When we talk about volcanoes, two things come to mind: one, the conical-shaped mountain they often take on; and two, the incandescent lava. The latter is immediately associated with its intense red color, especially spectacular at night. However, there are sometimes exceptions to that hue, and in Indonesia, probably the rarest eruption of all occurs, […]
Posted inGeography, Travel
Rhine Falls, Europe’s Largest Waterfall
In Europe, there are no waterfalls as large as those in America and Africa, but that doesn’t mean the old continent lacks important and beautiful waterfalls. The largest one is formed by the Rhine River as it passes through Switzerland, specifically in the towns of Neuhausen am Rheinfall and Laufen-Uhwiesen, near the northern city of […]
