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Seeking Illumination in Israel, Part Two: Palestine Confidential
If nothing else, the Palestinian territories spark controversy when discussed in any setting. Such a conversation can, of course, occur anywhere, but in Jerusalem’s cafes, bars, streets and homes, it is especially... -
Seeking Illumination in Israel, Part One: The Journalist, the White House Intern, and the Holy Land
It’s probably one of the world’s worst-kept secrets that Israel is steeped in history. The Holy Land of the Bible has drawn pilgrims and tourists alike for millennia, and we were but the latest visitors to this... -
Benjamin Mack and the Box That Thunders
Deep in the heart of the southern African nation of Zimbabwe, there is a legend: a box-like object that the minority Lemba people claim can summon lightning, level mountains, and is instantly fatal to all those who...
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Tallinn for Foodies
It’s true the weather in Tallinn trends somewhat chilly in February. That, of course, is due to the fact the Estonian capital is located at roughly the same latitude as Stockholm, making it one of the northernmost... -
Empirical Escapism in Antiquity-Soaked Potsdam
I may be a history buff, but even I find this a little much: Knights, Prussians, Soviets, and Quentin Tarantino; palaces, parks, and salami sandwiches; gates, trains and the Bridge of Spies — sacrosanct, yet...
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40 Winks and Cappuccinos in Moscow
The air was understandably cold, the new-fallen snow glistening white. Men in thick hats and women in long fur coats milled about, coming and going in a great cacophony of sound undeterred by the winter dark. Even at...
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Best Of Berlin’s Christmas Markets
Dashing through the snow, one horse open sleighs, bells on bob tails, spirits bright -- such things can only mean one thing: Christmas! While the most wonderful time of the year may be stereotypified in such US... -
All Trains Lead To Bewitching Bratislava
It may be hard to imagine now, but a hundred years ago trains were the de rigueur mode of transportation. They were luxurious, extravagant affairs, where men in smart suits smoked handcrafted pipes while women in...
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One Thousand And One Nights in Oman
Haunting, beautiful, and otherworldly, the Adhan is the Muslim call to prayer, recited by a muezzin five times per day. The root of the word is “to permit,” and that’s exactly what the capital of the Sultanate of... -
On Sicily’s Streets, A View To Kill
It’s true in North America that anyone with a car can go anywhere. The open road is as much a symbol of freedom as it is a strip of asphalt devoid of traffic. A driver’s license forms the basis of identity.
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