The German Historical Museum in Berlin

29 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Berlin, Museums, Exhibitions Reading Time:  13 minutes

Armoury Unter den Linden © VollwertBIT/cc-by-sa-3.0

Armory Unter den Linden © VollwertBIT/cc-by-sa-3.0

The German Historical Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum), DHM for short, is a museum in Berlin devoted to German history and defines itself as a place of enlightenment and understanding of the shared history of Germans and Europeans. It is often viewed as one of the most important museums in Berlin and is one of the most frequented. The museum is located in the Zeughaus (armoury) on the avenue Unter den Linden as well as in the adjacent Exhibition Hall designed by I. M. Pei. The German Historical Museum is under the legal form of a foundation registered by the Federal Republic of Germany. Its highest-ranking body is the Board of Trustees (Kuratorium) with representatives of the Federal Government, the German Bundestag (Parliament) and the governments of the German Länder, or states. Founded in 2009 to establish a centre for the remembrance and documentation of flight and expulsion, the Stiftung Flucht, Vertreibung, Versöhnung (Foundation Flight, Expulsion, Reconciliation) is under the aegis of the German Historical Museum.   read more…

Portrait: The Astor family

27 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: Portrait Reading Time:  11 minutes

John Jacob Astor by Gilbert Stuart

John Jacob Astor by Gilbert Stuart

The Astor family is a family known for its prominence in business, society, and politics in the United States and the United Kingdom during the 19th and 20th centuries. The Astor family is of German origin, appearing in North America during the eighteenth century with John Jacob Astor.   read more…

Theme Week Oman – Masirah Island

25 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  6 minutes

Kite surfing © flickr.com - StellarD/cc-by-2.0

Kite surfing © flickr.com – StellarD/cc-by-2.0

Masirah or Mazeira Island is an island off the East coast of Oman, 95 km long north-south, between 12 and 14 km wide, with an area of about 649 km², and a population estimated at 12,000 in 12 villages mainly in the north of the island. Administratively, it forms one of the eleven provinces of the Ash Sharqiyah Region. The principal village is Ras-Hilf in the northern part of the island. It contains a Royal Air Force of Oman air base and a fish factory, as well as a few small towns.   read more…

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

24 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Events Reading Time:  5 minutes

© Bradleylewis/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Bradleylewis/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is held annually England. Teams from the UK and other parts of the world bring their hot air balloons to Bristol and participate in mass ascents where as many as 100 balloons may launch at a time. The event was first held in 1979 and is now one of the largest in Europe. It is common to have crowds of over 100,000 on each of the four days of the festival. It takes place in a large country estate Ashton Court. Mass launches are made twice a day, at 6am and 6pm, subject to weather conditions.   read more…

Theme Week Oman – Nizwa

24 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

Nizwa Souq © flickr.com - Francisco Anzola/cc-by-2.0

Nizwa Souq © flickr.com – Francisco Anzola/cc-by-2.0

Nizwa is the largest city in the Ad Dakhiliyah Region in Oman and was the capital of Oman proper. Nizwa is about 140 km (1.5 hours) from Muscat. The population is estimated at around 700,000 people including the two areas of Burkat Al Mooz and Al Jabel Al Akhdar. The city is home to the University of Nizwa. Nizwa is one of the oldest cities in Oman and it was once a center of trade, religion, education and art. Its Jama (grand mosque) was formerly a center for Islamic learning. The city, famous for its handicrafts and agricultural products, has an expansive souq with an array of products. It is one of the most important in the country besides Muttrah. The souq bustles with vendors selling everything from meat, fish, fruits and vegetables to spices, dates, gold and silverware. Nizwa is renowned for its silver jewelry which is considered to be the best in the country. Its people are masters in Khanjar making (curved dagger), recognised for its distinctive style and patterns. They also make copper ware, coffee pots, swords, leather goods and pottery.   read more…

Theme Week Oman – Sohar

23 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  6 minutes

Sohar Gate © flickr.com - StellarD/cc-by-sa-2.0

Sohar Gate © flickr.com – StellarD/cc-by-sa-2.0

Sohar is the capital and largest city of the Al Batinah North Governorate in Oman. An ancient capital of the country that once served as an important Islamic port town, Sohar has also been credited as the mythical birthplace of Sinbad the Sailor.   read more…

Theme Week Oman – Khasab

22 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  6 minutes

Khasab Castle © StellarD/cc-by-sa-3.0

Khasab Castle © StellarD/cc-by-sa-3.0

Khasab is a city in an exclave of Oman bordering the United Arab Emirates. It is the local capital of the Musandam peninsula and has frequently been dubbed the “Norway of Arabia” because of its extensive fjord-like craggy inlets and desolate mountainscapes. Boats from Khasab take tourists on trips to view the dolphins common in the waters around the Musandam, as well as to visit Telegraph Island, for a short time (between 1865 and 1868) the site of a manned telegraph repeater station on the cable section between Bahrain and Bombay.   read more…

Ocean Drive in South Beach

22 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Architecture, Miami / South Florida Reading Time:  5 minutes

© chensiyuan/cc-by-sa-4.0

© chensiyuan/cc-by-sa-4.0

Ocean Drive is a major thoroughfare in the South Beach blue neighborhood of Miami Beach. The road starts at South Pointe just south of 1st Street, near the southernmost end of the main barrier island of Miami Beach, about a quarter mile west of the Atlantic Ocean. Ocean Drive continues north to 15th Street, immediately southeast of Lincoln Road.   read more…

Theme Week Oman – Salalah

21 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  7 minutes

Downtown Salalah © StellarD/cc-by-sa-3.0

Downtown Salalah © StellarD/cc-by-sa-3.0

Salalah, is the capital and seat of the wali (governor) of the southern Omani province of Dhofar. Its population is at around 200,000.   read more…

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