The Shabaka Stone is a granite slab from the 25th Egyptian Dynasty, housed in the British Museum, containing the Memphite theology that regarded Ptah as the supreme god and creator. Ptah was the “master builder”, the inventor of masonry, and the patron of architects and craftsmen. According to some specialists, this is the most notable […]
Antonio García
An elusive and curious traveler who writes about tourism, travel, nature, technology and whatever else comes his way. Currently climbing Everest with a satellite phone for connection with the rest of the world.
Posted inAncient Rome
The Exceptional Roman Villa “Grotte di Catullo” on the Shores of Lake Garda is One of the Northernmost in Italy
Located at the northern tip of the Sirmione peninsula, on the shores of majestic Lake Garda in Italy, the ruins of the Roman villa known as Grotte di Catullo represent one of the most valuable archaeological sites from the Roman era in the north of the country. Built between the end of the 1st century […]
Posted inAncient Greece
Coroebus of Elis, the Baker Who Won the First Race of the Olympic Games
Every story has a beginning, and so does that of the Ancient Olympic Games, of course. In this case, it all started with Coroebus, a baker from the city of Elis, whose territory included Olympia (which is still located there today). According to some sources, he was also involved in cooking and food preparation, but […]
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 inScience
Terror Birds, the Superpredators of Prehistoric South America
In the vast plains of ancient South America, millions of years ago, a menacing shadow loomed over the grasslands. It wasn’t a dinosaur or a mammalian predator, but a colossal bird that dominated the food chain. These creatures, scientifically known as Phorusrhacidae (terror birds), were one of the most formidable groups of predators to have […]
Posted inScience
Argo Navis, the Ancient Constellation So Large It Had to Be Divided Into Three
In the depths of the southern sky, where the stars appear brighter and more numerous, there once existed a constellation so vast and majestic that modern astronomers were forced to divide it. In ancient times, sailors would look up to a sky studded with stars, identifying patterns that helped them navigate both the seas and […]
Posted inGeography
Peace Border, the world’s only binational plaza shared by two countries
In a world where borders are often synonymous with separation, control, and sometimes conflict, the Peace Border between Uruguay and Brazil is a curious exception. This border stretch, connecting the cities of Rivera (Uruguay) and Santana do Livramento (Brazil), is much more than just a dividing line between two nations. It is a symbol of […]
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 inGeography
Longyearbyen, the northernmost city in the world with a permanent population, where carrying a rifle is mandatory when leaving
In the Svalbard archipelago, at 78 degrees north latitude, lies Longyearbyen, the northernmost city in the world with a permanent population. This Norwegian settlement, founded in 1906 by American businessman John Munroe Longyear as a mining town, has evolved over more than a century to become a fascinating microcosm of human life in the Arctic. […]
Posted inAncient Greece
Thesmophoria, the festival of ancient Greece where men were prohibited from participating
The Thesmophoria were a religious festival in ancient Greece honoring Demeter and her daughter Persephone, goddesses of agriculture and fertility. Held annually, mostly coinciding with the planting of seeds in late autumn, though in some regions it was associated with the harvest, this event celebrated human and agricultural fertility and was one of the most […]
