53 articles found
The Underground Tunnels of Provins, Seine-et-Marne, France
Around 60 miles, or 90 kilometers, southeast of Paris, the medieval town of Provins is situated on the plains of Seine-et-Marne. Provins is a UNESCO World Heritage site with fortified walls and gates, round towers, and even medieval festivals and fai...
Does Everyone Really Smoke in Turkey?
If you've spent any time in Turkey, you've probably noticed that there is a lot of smoking, and for first-time visitors, the prevalence can come as a surprise. But is it really as pervasive as it seems? The Numbers Are Real Turkey isn't just seem...
What is Esperanto?
Esperanto is the most neutral language in the world, sometimes referred to as the language of peace. This language was designed to be easy to learn, it is politically neutral, and it is culturally inclusive. Esperanto: The International Language ...
Spanish or English in Puerto Rico? What You Actually Need to Know
Puerto Rico's official languages are Spanish and English but the island's primary language is Spanish . While English is widely understood in tourist areas and by professionals who deal with Americans regularly, if you travel around outside of those ...
What Dutch People Actually Think About Tourists (And How to Be a Better Tourist)
The Netherlands, and Amsterdam in particular, is heavily touristed but unfortunately it has resulted in disruptive and disrespectful behavior due to a prevailing perception that "anything goes." "Amsterdam Is Not a Theme Park" In 2023, ...
Meet Hector El Protector on the Island of Culebra
If you are a fan of Thomas Dambo and his Trolls, then you cannot miss "Hector El Protector" on your next visit to Puerto Rico! On the island of Culebra off the coast of the main island of Puerto Rico, is Hector El Protector, technically the se...
Everyone Loves Americans — They Just Can't Stand Our Government: How the World Really Sees Us
If you have spent any time traveling outside the United States, you have probably noticed something interesting. People will tell you — sometimes to your face, always politely, occasionally with a beer in hand — that they love Americans but canno...
Singapore Culture Guide: Understanding the Lion City's Multicultural Identity
Singapore's population of 5.9 million includes Chinese (74%), Malay (13%), Indian (9%), and Eurasian and other communities (4%). These are not statistics about a melting pot where differences dissolve — they describe a genuinely plural society wh...
Guinea: What Is It Famous For? (More Than You'd Expect)
Guinea — officially the Republic of Guinea, sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbours Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea — is a country of about 14 million people on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. It is largely unknow...
Where Is the Biggest Library in the World? (And Can You Visit It?)
The largest library on Earth is the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., United States. It holds more than 170 million items — books, recordings, photographs, maps, sheet music, and manuscripts — spread across 838 miles of bookshelves. That's rou...
What Does 'Poor' Mean in Luxembourg? Wealth, Inequality, and the Reality of Europe's Richest Country
Luxembourg has the highest GDP per capita of any European Union member state — approximately €125,000–140,000 per capita, roughly four times the EU average and about twice Germany or France. It is a country of 680,000 people on 2,586 km² (slightly ...
The People and Traditions of Kyrgyzstan: Nomadic Culture That Still Lives
Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. Approximately 94% of its territory sits above 1,000 metres elevation; 40% is above 3,000 metres. It has been a Soviet republic, ...